Mayhood, Ralph L.
House 1941-42 (District 31); Senate 1943-58 (District 31)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Hennepin
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
11/22/1909
Birth Place:
Eyota, Minnesota
Birth County:
Olmsted
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
1/18/1978
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Minneapolis
Occupation (when first elected):
Bell Boy, Curtis Hotel, Minneapolis/Law School Student
EDUCATION
Rochester High School; Secondary; Graduate
University of Minnesota; Attended College; American Government, 1 year course, 1936
Northwestern University; College Graduate; Business Administration, 1935
Minnesota College of Law; Law Degree; Night Courses, 1942
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
County Government:
Hennepin County, Minnesota (County Sheriff);
1951 to 1954
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Married (while in office); Divorced (after he left office)
Children:
One child: Clifton (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He was born on a farm near Eyota.
"During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in the 1958 and 1962 elections. He lost both times to Jack Davies.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1964 election.
He was a member of Phi Beta Gamma legal fraternity and was a Tau Kappa Alpha honorary debating fraternity member.
He died from a heart attack caused by being beaten in the hallway of the apartment building he lived in and owned in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attempted to assist one of his residents, a handicapped man, who was being beaten and robbed by three intoxicated residents, two men and a woman. They turned on him when he intervened and beat him to death with fists, an iron pipe and a wine jug. His funeral was held at Washburn-McReavy Southeast Mortuary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was buried in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/2/1954
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/5/1959
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Administrator and Owner, The Samaritan Nursing Home Corporation of Minneapolis; Samaritan and Monterey Manor Nursing Homes
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Aviation
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance (Chair)
-
Liquor Control
-
Public Health
-
Public Highways
-
Railroads and Communications
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/2/1954
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/5/1959
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Administrator and Owner, The Samaritan Nursing Home Corporation of Minneapolis; Samaritan and Monterey Manor Nursing Homes
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Aviation
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance (Chair)
-
Liquor Control
-
Public Health
-
Public Highways
-
Railroads, Telephone and Telegraph
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Administrator, The Samaritan Nursing Home of Minneapolis/Hennepin County Sheriff
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance
-
Liquor Control
-
Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph (Chair)
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Administrator, The Samaritan Nursing Home of Minneapolis/Hennepin County Sheriff
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance
-
Liquor Control
-
Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
-
Public Health
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph (Chair)
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/5/1946
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/1947 to 1/1/1951
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: None Listed
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
Finance
-
Game and Fish
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Public Domain
-
Public Health
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/5/1946
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/1947 to 1/1/1951
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: None Listed
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
Finance
-
Game and Fish
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Public Domain
-
Public Health
-
Telephone and Telegraph
-
Towns and Counties
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/3/1942
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1943 to 1/6/1947
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: None Listed
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
Corporations
-
Game and Fish
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Public Domain
-
Rural Credits and State Development
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Body: Senate
District: 31
Elected: 11/3/1942
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1943 to 1/6/1947
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: None Listed
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
Corporations
-
Game and Fish
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Public Domain
-
Rural Credits and State Development
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Elected: 11/5/1940
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/1941 to 1/4/1943
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Bell Boy, Curtis Hotel, Minneapolis/Law School Student
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Elections
-
Game and Fish
-
Taxes
-
Workmens Compensation
Articles & Books About
Livingston, Nancy. "Man Pleads Guilty to Assault." St. Paul Dispatch, January 22, 1981.
Stone, Doug. "Man May Be Facing Prison Again." Minneapolis Tribune, November 7, 1980.
Stone, Doug. "Refusal to Bargain Finally Pays Off as Inmate Goes Free." Minneapolis Tribune, May 17, 1980.
"2nd Man Found Guilty in Mayhood Slaying." Minneapolis Tribune, June 14, 1978, p. 1B, 4B.
Kimball, Joe. "City Man, 30, Pleads Guilty in Death of Ralph Mayhood, Former Senator." Minneapolis Tribune, April 5, 1978, p. 1B, 5B.
Murphy, Jane and Michael. "Sensational Headlines." Minneapolis Tribune, February 7, 1978.
Anderson, Harold J. "An Unfair Article." Minneapolis Tribune, February 1, 1978.
"Three Face Indictments of Murder." St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 25, 1978.
Johnson, Steve. "Building of Filth; Building of Death. Officials Condemn Ex-Senator's Rooming House." Minneapolis Star, January 25, 1978.
"Mayhood Slay Suspects Held." St. Paul Pioneer Pres, January 22, 1978
Duty, Juana E. "Murder Charges Filed After Mayhood Death (Obituary)." Minneapolis Tribune, January 21, 1978.
"Ex-State Senator Dies (Obituary)." St. Paul Dispatch, January 20, 1978, p. 18C.
"Former Legislator Beaten to Death (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 20, 1978.
Davies, Tom. "Former State Power Dies in a Flophouse (Obituary)." Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 1A, 4A.
McAvoy, Jim, and Karl Vick. "Landlord, Former Senator, Slain in Grimy WB Cellar (Obituary)." Minnesota Daily, January 20, 1978.
Johnson, Steve. "Former State Senator Beaten to Death (Obituary)." Minneapolis Star, January 19, 1978, p. 1A, 5A.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.