Fred Andrew Seaton

Fred Andrew Seaton
36th United States Secretary of the Interior
In office June 8, 1956 – January 20, 1961
President	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	Douglas McKay
Succeeded by	Stewart Udall
United States Senator from Nebraska
In office December 10, 1951 – November 4, 1952
Preceded by	Kenneth S. Wherry
Succeeded by	Dwight Griswold
Personal details
Born	(1909-12-11)December 11, 1909 Washington, D.C.
Died	January 16, 1974(1974-01-16) (aged 64) Minneapolis, Minnesota
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Kansas State University
Religion	Episcopalian

Frederick Andrew Seaton (December 11, 1909 – January 16, 1974) was United States Secretary of the Interior during Dwight Eisenhower's administration.

Life and politics

Seaton was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up and attended high school in Manhattan, Kansas. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1931, and in 1937 moved to Hastings, Nebraska, where he was publisher of the Daily Tribune for many years.

Seaton was active in Republican politics. He served in the Nebraska Legislature 1945-1949. He was appointed to the United States Senate in December 1951 by Nebraska Governor Val Peterson to fill the vacancy created by the death of Kenneth S. Wherry. He served until November 4, 1952.

Seaton served in various White House and subcabinet posts in the Eisenhower administration before he was appointed United States Secretary of the Interior. He served in that office from 1956-1961. During his tenure, Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states admitted to the Union.

Seaton ran for governor of Nebraska in 1962. He was defeated by incumbent Governor Frank B. Morrison (Olson, p. 335). Following his defeat, Seaton became a strong advocate for campaign finance reform in that state.

Further reading

• "Seaton, Fred(erick) A(ndrew)" in Current Biography 1956.
• James C. Olson, History of Nebraska, Second Edition. (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1966).

External links

• Papers of Fred A. Seaton, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
• Congressional biography
• "Fred Seaton" biography at Kansas State Historical Society Website
• A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Sen. Fred A. Seaton (April 25, 1952)" is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
• Fred Andrew Seaton at Find a Grave

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

United States Senate
Preceded by Kenneth S. Wherry	United States Senator from Nebraska 1951–1952	Succeeded by Dwight Griswold
Political offices
Preceded by Douglas McKay	U.S. Secretary of the Interior Served under: Dwight D. Eisenhower 1956–1961	Succeeded by Stewart Udall