Governor R. A. Nestos appointed Frank S. Talcott to the Board of Administration to fill George A. Totten's spot upon his forced resignation. Talcott joined the board in early May 1922. Talcott was not a newcomer to state government. He served in the North Dakota Senate from 1901 to 1913 and then warden of the state penitentiary from 1913 to 1919.
In the election of 1922, Minnie J. Nielson was again re-elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, defeating Martha T. Fulton by 26,000 votes. Nielson continued to fill her spot on the board.
Also during the 1922 election, Charles Liessman, executive secretary of the board, was elected State's Attorney of Kidder County. Liessman, who had a wide-ranging background in the Navy, farming, and government work, was admitted to the bar in 1916. Although he had been residing in Bismarck during his time as secretary of the board, Liessman still maintained his residency in Kidder County. He returned to his farm when his resignation from the board became effective on December 1, 1922.
Ernest G. Wanner was appointed to replace Liessman. Wanner was involved with the North Dakota Good Roads Association and previously served as secretary for the defunct Board of Control. He was also a member of the Independent Voters Association (IVA).
Robert T. Muir was the last remaining member of the board with strong ties to the Nonpartisan League (NPL).
In December 1922, Murphy was appointed the new chair of the board, which was previously held by Muir. Murphy served in this role until 1929.
On January 16, 1923, Talcott took ill and was taken to St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck. He was suffering from a case of appendicitis. It was first reported that his condition was improving, but then he suddenly began to decline. Doctors did what they could and operated twice, but the attack of appendicitis proved fatal. Talcott died on January 22, 1923. The state legislature, convening during this time for its regular session, adjourned early out of respect for Talcott and his service to the state.
Governor Nestos appointed Harry P. Goddard to the board to succeed Talcott. The spot was originally held by Totten. Goddard was president of the Bismarck Commercial Club and president of the First National Bank in Bismarck. He was also a prominent member of the IVA.
Back in early 1922, it was rumored that Governor Nestos would also demand the resignation of Muir from the board, along with Totten and Joseph I. Cahill. However, the governor backed off from this notion and waited. Muir's term on the board ended in the summer of 1923.
In July 1923, Governor Nestos appointed Frisby E. Diehl to the board to fill Muir's spot. Diehl had experience as a builder, contractor, lawyer, and judge. Since December 1921, he had been serving as manager of the Home Building Association, a controversial product of the NPL that was created in 1919.
By July 1923, all of the original NPL members of the board were gone (Totten, Muir, Casey, and Hagan), and IVA-endorsed individuals had taken their place (Murphy, Goddard, Diehl, and Kitchen). Nielson was the only original member remaining on the board.
The IVA now had full control over the Board of Administration.
Portrait of Frank S. Talcott, circa 1913
Board of Administration members, 1924
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