Jacob Thorkelson
| Jacob Thorkelson | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's 1st district |
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In office January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941 |
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| Preceded by | Jerry J. O'Connell |
| Succeeded by | Jeannette Rankin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 24, 1876 Egersund, Norway |
| Died | November 20, 1945 (aged 69) Butte, Montana, United States |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, Baltimore |
Jacob Thorkelson (September 24, 1876 – November 20, 1945) was an American politician from the state of Montana who served as the United States Congressman from Montana's 1st congressional district from January 3, 1939, to January 3, 1941.
Thorkelson was born in Egersund, a coastal town in the county of Rogaland, Norway. Thorkelson immigrated to the United States in 1892 and worked as a navigator. He was a physician who graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, University of Maryland, Baltimore in 1911, and served as a member of the faculty from 1911 until 1913. He served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1936 until 1939 with the rank of lieutenant commander.
In 1938, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Montana's 1st congressional district as a Republican, defeating incumbent Democratic Congressman Jerry J. O'Connell in the general election. Thorkelson was labeled as "rabidly pro-fascist and anti-semitic" and "Jew-baiting, Fascist-minded" by contemporary journalists for his use of the Congressional Record to reprint anti-British and anti-Jewish propaganda and his support for retired General George Van Horn Moseley.
Commentator Walter Winchell called Thorkelson "the mouthpiece of the Nazi movement in congress". Thorkelson later sued Winchell for $1.8 million after being included by Winchell as one of a list of "Americans We Can Do Without".
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