Archie M. Gubbrud

Twenty-second Governor of South Dakota Archie M. Gubbrud was born December 31, 1910, the eldest son of Marius T. Gubbrud and Ella Rommereim Gubbrud at his parental farm home in Norway Township, in Lincoln County. He was brought up on this farmstead with a post office address of Alcester, South Dakota, and attended the rural school in this district.

He graduated from Augustana Academy, Canton, in 1929, where his interests were many, including athletics. The death of his father in 1934 placed a heavy load of farm management on Gubbrud during the depression years. In 1939 he married Florence Dexter of Canton. They have two children, John D. and Maxine Roberts.

Elected to the House of Representatives from Lincoln County in 1950 and his re-election for four successive terms concluded with Gubbrud serving as Speaker of the House in 1959 session. He has been a leader in soil conservation, an outstanding farmer and livestock feeder, and a Director of the State Bank of Alcester since 1952.

The Republican loss of governorship in 1958 resulted in a still hunt for a man who could re-win this office. Gubbrud was drafted. He not only won the governorship in 1960 by a small margin, but again in 1962 by a much larger majority.