Background
Jensen, Ben Franklin was born on December 16, 1892 in Marion, Iowa, United States. Son of Martin and Gertrude Anna (Anderson) Jensen.
United States representative politician
Jensen, Ben Franklin was born on December 16, 1892 in Marion, Iowa, United States. Son of Martin and Gertrude Anna (Anderson) Jensen.
He attended the rural high schools.
While on the floor of the United States. House on March 1, 1954, he was one of five Congressmen wounded by gunfire from a Puerto Rican Nationalists firing from a visitors" gallery. Born in Marion, Iowa, Jensen was the tenth of thirteen children born to Danish immigrant parents. From 1914 to 1917, he was employed by a lumber company as yardman and assistant auditor.
He served as a second lieutenant in 1918 during World War I. Upon his return from the war, he served as manager of a lumber company for nearly twenty years.
In 1938, Jensen was elected as a Republican to represent Iowa"s 7th congressional district in the United States. House of Representatives. He was re-elected twelve times, serving continuously from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1965.
In the 1954 shooting incident, Jensen was shot in the back near his right shoulder. The bullet was removed the following day.
He fully recovered, and served ten more years in Congress.
However, during the 1964 Democratic landslide, he was defeated by Democrat John R. Hansen. He then returned home to Exira, Iowa. Jensen died in Washington, District of Columbia on February 5, 1970, and was interred in Exira Cemetery.
The papers of Ben F. Jensen were given to the University of Iowa Libraries in 1967.
Mason.
Married Charlotte Elizabeth Hadden, December 13, 1917.