Every
so often we acknowledge leaders of Sherburne County. No real criteria exists for selecting these
profiles of greatness. We simply select
individuals we believe played an important role in the history of Sherburne County. With this column, we look at the life of
newspaper editor and politician Arthur N. Dare.
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| Arthur Dare--1850 to 1923 |
Born
in Onondaga County, New York on May 25, 1850 Arthur N. Dare lived an early life
packed with adventure. Living in New
York until age 18, he traveled with his family to Wisconsin, and from there, at
age 20, he landed in Minneapolis. While
in the cities, he studied for four years as a printer. In the early 1870s he signed on as a sailor
on a whaling ship to see the world.
After a quick journey into the South Pacific, he returned to Minnesota
and settled in Elk River. In 1878 he
purchased half ownership in the Elk River newspaper. In less than a year he had purchased the
other half of the paper to become editor, publisher, and owner of the Sherburne County Star News.
Over
time, his journalistic work and thought provoking editorials gained attention
throughout Minnesota. In 1895 he was
elected to the first of three terms to the Minnesota House of Representatives
on the Republican ticket. In his third
term the legislature elected him Speaker of the House. In 1901, he left the House, political leaders
urged him to set his sights on Washington, D.C.
to run for the Sixth District House of Representatives. He declined their encouragement and resumed
his printing career. In 1917 he retired
from the newspaper business, turning over the operations of the newspaper to
his son, Laurence Dare.
At
the time of his death, newspaper publishers throughout the state recognized him
as a gifted writer, editor and publisher of the Sherburne County Star News.
In the pages of his newspaper, Mr. Dare boosted and promoted Elk River
and Sherburne County. In reading his
columns no doubt existed, his goal in life was to advocate for his home
county.
Arthur
Dare passed away in his home on September 4, 1923.
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