Dates

• Existence: 1892-1970

Biography

Ben Jensen, born in Marion, Iowa, on December 16, 1892, was the tenth of thirteen children born to Danish parents. He adopted the name Benton Franklin when he was ten years old, after studying history. He used that name for the rest of his life. A veteran of World War I, Jensen was the manager of the Green Bay Lumber Company in Exira, Iowa, for twenty-four years. A conservative Republican, Jensen was elected to thirteen consecutive terms as Iowa's seventh district Congressman (1939-1965). He was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and was known for his interest in conserving the country's natural resources. His last bid for re-election to the Eighty-ninth Congress was unsuccessful. Jensen died on February 5, 1970.

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