Governor (and Senator) William Langer of North Dakota (Casselton: university, authority)

[High_Plains_Retired]

William "Wild Bill" Langer (1886-1959) was a prominent American politician from Casselton, Cass County, North Dakota. He is one of the more colorful characters from North Dakota political history, most famously bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the North Dakota governor's office in 1934. William served as the North Dakota Governor from 1933 to 1934 and again from 1937 to 1939. Langer later served in the United States Senate from 1940 to 1959 when he died in that office.


Can anyone tell me William's middle name, or his middle initial? According to some online records, his middle intitial was "L" but I believe this to be an error of writers mistaking the ND Governor and William L. Langer the Harvard University historian. I believe the Governor's middle initial was "R" because it is listed as such in the Philolexian Society's alumni of prominent member's list. As a relative of my wife's family, Senator Langer visited my wife's family farm in Parmer County, Texas in the 1940s.


I would have placed this in C-D's genealogy section but not having any luck online dealing with genealogical sources, I thought someone from North Dakota may have quick access to this information.

[dutchinnd]

I would guess that he did not have a middle name.
The North Dakota Centennial Blue Book, lists all of ND's governor's and their terms. For the majority of the men, a middle initial is listed, but there is none listed for Langer. When I look at the official subject headings of the biographies or political overiews for Langer, what librarians call the "authority file"--the official form of the name used consistently in subject headings is simply "Langer, William, 1886-1959."
None of the books my library has on Langer (The Fighting Governor, Dakota Maverick, Unequal Contest:Bill Langer and his Political Enemies) mention a middle name.
Beyond this, I would check with the Institute for Regional Studies, which is a archive/history library within the North Dakota State University Libraries. Their staff should be able to verify it if anyone can.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Oddly even his tombstone does not have a middle name but I suspect he did have one as all the male members of that family as far back as the immigrant had middle names. I would guess if I ever find out for sure, it will be from a family member who has done the family history.

Thank you for your time in reply and the recommendation. I will most certainly check it out.