Frank Farrar

Frank Farrar was an American attorney, military veteran, politician, and businessman who served as the 24th Governor of South Dakota and as the state's Attorney General. A member of the Republican Party, he was noted for a high-profile legal career, wartime service in the Korean War, and later ventures in banking, ranching, and venture capital that connected him with a network of Midwestern United States business and civic institutions. His life intersected with figures and events from the Civil Rights Movement era, the administrations of Richard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson, and regional economic transformations in the late 20th century.

Early life and education

Born in Britton, South Dakota in 1929, he was raised in a rural household during the tail end of the Great Depression and the lead-up to World War II. He graduated from High School in South Dakota and enrolled at South Dakota State University where he completed undergraduate studies before attending the University of South Dakota School of Law, earning a law degree that would establish ties to the state's legal community, the South Dakota Bar Association, and regional law firms. During this period he became connected with alumni networks from Midwestern universities and interacted with contemporaries who later served in state and federal offices, including appointments under United States Department of Justice officials and judges of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Legal and military career

After law school he served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army during the Korean War, linking him to veterans' organizations such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Returning to South Dakota, he practiced law in association with county prosecutors and private firms, handling civil and criminal matters that brought him into contact with the South Dakota Supreme Court and federal prosecutors in the District of South Dakota. His prosecutorial work coincided with national trends shaped by the Warren Court era and landmark decisions affecting criminal procedure and civil liberties, and he developed professional relationships with prominent attorneys who later moved into academic posts at institutions like the University of Minnesota Law School and the University of North Dakota School of Law.

Political career

Rising through state politics, he was elected Attorney General of South Dakota, aligning with state legislators in the South Dakota Legislature and officials from cities such as Pierre, South Dakota and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His tenure as attorney general brought him into disputes and collaborations involving law enforcement agencies, county sheriffs' associations, and federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. In 1968 he won election as Governor of South Dakota, succeeding Nils Boe and serving during a period marked by national events such as the Vietnam War and the 1968 presidential election won by Richard Nixon. As governor he engaged with state policy debates, interactions with the National Governors Association, and negotiations with the United States Congress over federal funding for state programs. He was defeated for re-election by Richard F. Kneip, amid shifting political currents in the Upper Midwest and the broader realignment of the Republican Party and Democratic Party in the 1970s.

Post-gubernatorial activities and business

Following his term, he returned to private law practice and pursued entrepreneurial activities including banking, ranching, and investment ventures that connected him to regional financial institutions and agricultural organizations such as the Farm Credit System and state banking associations. He founded and led companies involved in real estate and energy development, working with business leaders from South Dakota and neighboring states, and served on corporate boards as well as civic boards tied to the Chamber of Commerce and state historical societies. During the 1980s and 1990s he participated in philanthropic initiatives partnering with educational institutions like Augustana University (South Dakota) and conservation groups concerned with the Missouri River basin. His business career intersected with national debates over deregulation, agricultural subsidies administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, and rural development programs under successive presidential administrations.

Personal life and legacy

He was married to Patricia Olson; the couple raised three children and maintained residences in statewide capitals including Pierre, South Dakota. His personal network included veterans, jurists, business executives, and political figures active in regional and national institutions such as the National Republican Congressional Committee, state party organizations, and veterans' charities. His legacy is reflected in state landmarks, charitable endowments, and archival collections held at institutions like the South Dakota State Archives and university libraries, which preserve materials for researchers studying late 20th-century politics in the Midwestern United States. He died in 2021, and his career is discussed in histories of South Dakota governance, compilations of gubernatorial biographies, and local press accounts that situate him among other 20th-century state executives.

Category:Governors of South Dakota Category:South Dakota Attorneys General Category:1929 births Category:2021 deaths