The senator from little Geddes
J.J. Exon always loved his birthplace
Many Nebraskans are mourning the death of longtime politician Jim Exon, who died last Friday of cancer at age 83. But many are also mourning in the little town of Geddes, South Dakota, where Exon was born in 1921.
Exon served as governor and U.S. senator in Nebraska. His body now lies in the rotunda of the capitol in Lincoln.
Geddes is a town of 250 people in Charles Mix County, not too far from the Nebraska state line. It is as unpretentious as a town can be. The city park on main street includes a log cabin trading post built by a fur trader, a WNAX gas station from the 1930s, and the the childhood home of another politician, Peter Norbeck who also went on to serve in the U.S. senate.
Exon's childhood home isn't in the park but he is not forgotten. That's partly because he never forgot Geddes. He went back to their Old Settler's parties every now and then. We met with Exon at a Lincoln, Neb., bar in the 1990s to talk politics and all he wanted to talk was Charles Mix County. He loved the place and credited it with his later successes.
Not many towns of that size can claim two U.S. senators in the 20th century. (And George McGovern was born just down the road in Avon.)
Exon was a blue collar politician. He obviously loved representing the regular folks, the kind he was raised by and with. He's been out of the limelight for awhile, but still he will be missed.
The old senator's passing reminds us to appreciate Jim Abdnor, George McGovern, Frank Farrar, Frank Denholm, Larry Pressler and some of the other longtime public servants who -- due to their many days in the spotlight -- became such a part of our culture.
Many Nebraskans are mourning the death of longtime politician Jim Exon, who died last Friday of cancer at age 83. But many are also mourning in the little town of Geddes, South Dakota, where Exon was born in 1921.
Exon served as governor and U.S. senator in Nebraska. His body now lies in the rotunda of the capitol in Lincoln.
Geddes is a town of 250 people in Charles Mix County, not too far from the Nebraska state line. It is as unpretentious as a town can be. The city park on main street includes a log cabin trading post built by a fur trader, a WNAX gas station from the 1930s, and the the childhood home of another politician, Peter Norbeck who also went on to serve in the U.S. senate.
Exon's childhood home isn't in the park but he is not forgotten. That's partly because he never forgot Geddes. He went back to their Old Settler's parties every now and then. We met with Exon at a Lincoln, Neb., bar in the 1990s to talk politics and all he wanted to talk was Charles Mix County. He loved the place and credited it with his later successes.
Not many towns of that size can claim two U.S. senators in the 20th century. (And George McGovern was born just down the road in Avon.)
Exon was a blue collar politician. He obviously loved representing the regular folks, the kind he was raised by and with. He's been out of the limelight for awhile, but still he will be missed.
The old senator's passing reminds us to appreciate Jim Abdnor, George McGovern, Frank Farrar, Frank Denholm, Larry Pressler and some of the other longtime public servants who -- due to their many days in the spotlight -- became such a part of our culture.
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I know all those names except Denholm, perhaps a profile in the future is in order. Maybe before he goes on to be with Mr. Exon. I remember the good Senator from our neighbor to the south. He always said of Exxon, “They’re the double cross boys.” FUNNY! So long, Senator Exon!
Comment by Jerry Hinkle — June 14, 2005 @ 6:48 pm
Frank Denholm was a US democrat house member from SD and was defeated by a young Larry Pressler. Not sure if that was’72 or ‘74.
Comment by Eddee — June 14, 2005 @ 9:00 pm
Frank Denholm was in the U.S. House from 1970 to 1974. He is a brilliant man, still a senior lawyer in Brookings. He is working on a housing development now at his ripe age. He is a Webster native, a former FBI agent and great auctioneer. He used to conduct auctions for benefits, and always wore a white western hat. He has a gravelly voice. He was the expert on farm legislation, and basically wrote the 1974 farm bill …. which was a good one …. while Pressler was campaigning at the county fairs, getting his picture taken with 4-Hers. Pressler was a far better campaigner back then. Denholm was one of the smartest politicians we ever had, but his fault was he thought everybody knew that and he thought the voters wanted smart politicians. Denholm was the only incumbent Democrat to lose a House race in 1974, which of course was the year Nixon was forced to resign over Watergate. But he was and is today a good man.
Comment by Former Denholm staffer — June 15, 2005 @ 7:23 am
Thanks for the 411 on Rep. Denholm. Can I assume that Ben Riefel and E.M. Berry are no longer with us, since they were not mentioned in this article?
Comment by Jerry Hinkle — June 15, 2005 @ 8:46 pm
I have never heard that Peter Norbeck claimed Geddes as his home town. I thought it was Platte, and of course, I know they are not far from one another. I had lots of relatives in the Platte area, also relatives of Peter, who was my father’s cousin. Most of the Platte old timers have gone to the Blue Sky Up Yonder, so I will have to contact, maybe Dr. Karl Wagner, who has Norbeck connections also or pick up the history book “Peter Norbeck”….which my brother has…
Comment by Inez L. Harris — June 16, 2005 @ 7:31 pm
Karl is Norbeck’s nephew, I believe. Senator Exxon is from Geddes, or maybe rural Geddes. Platte is a suburb of Geddes.
Comment by TEX — June 17, 2005 @ 7:46 am