John Flittie

John Flittie (March 22, 1856 - January 21, 1913) was a U.S. politician who served as North Dakota's first Secretary of State from 1889 to 1892. [ [http://www.nd.gov/sos/about/history.html North Dakota Secretary of State | About the Secretary of State ] ] He was born in Lesja, Norway, but his family emigrated to North America in 1867, settling in Watonwan County, Minnesota. [Arnfinn Kjelland, "Bygdebok for Lesja - Bind 2 - 1992", s.521. Website: [http://www2.hivolda.no/ahf/historie/lesja/bygdebok.htm] .] He was graduated from Mankato Normal School (now Minnesota State University, Mankato) in 1878 and moved to Dakota Territory soon after. [Castle, Henry A., "Minnesota: Its Story and Biography. Vol. I-III". Chicago and New York, USA: Lewis Publishing, 1915. Vol. III, p. 1605.] He was a member of the Dakota Territorial Council (the upper house of the territorial legislature) in 1885-1886, and won election as a Republican to the newly created office of Secretary of State in 1889. After serving an abbreviated 1-year term, he was re-elected to a full 2-year term in 1890. He did not seek re-election in 1892. He died in Williston, North Dakota. [North Dakota Blue Book, 2005]

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