B. Frank Heintzleman | |
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8th Governor of Alaska Territory | |
In office April 10, 1953 – January 4, 1957 |
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Nominated by | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
Preceded by | Ernest Gruening |
Succeeded by | Waino Edward Hendrickson Territorial Acting Governor of Alaska |
Personal details | |
Born |
Benjamin Franklin Heintzleman December 3, 1888 Fayetteville, Pennsylvania |
Died | June 24, 1965 Juneau, Alaska |
(aged 76)
Political party | Republican |
Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Heintzleman (December 3, 1888 – June 24, 1965) was an American forester who spent much of his career supporting the development of Alaska Territory. Following a career with the United States Forest Service he was appointed Governor of Alaska Territory, a position he held from 1953 till 1957. During his term as governor he continued to support economic development but was largely opposed to efforts granting statehood to Alaska.
Heintzleman was born to Andrew J. and Rebecca Jane Heintzleman in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1888. He was educated in public schools before being graduated from the Pennsylvania State College with a Bachelor of Forestry in 1907 and from Yale University with a Master of Forestry in 1910.
Shortly after graduation, Heintzleman joined the United States Forest Service and worked in Oregon and Washington. With the United States entry into World War I, he was transferred to Alaska to oversee lumber production. There, from 1918 till 1934, he served as Assistant Regional Forester in Ketchikan, Alaska. In this role he assisted the development of the region's pulp and lumber industries and was key to the construction of two pulp mills in southeast Alaska. During this time he wrote the 1921 Forest Service bulletin "The Forests of Alaska".
Heintzleman was made head of the National Recovery Administration forest conservation efforts in 1934. In 1937, he was appointed Alaskan Representative of the Federal Power Commission. The same year he was promoted to Regional Forester for Alaska, a post he held till 1953. As Regional Forester he also held the position of Alaskan Commissioner of the United States Department of Agriculture. In this role he encouraged the development of lumber and pulp mills along with other industrial development. From 1939 to 1940 he served as chairman of the Alaska Territorial Planning Board.