was born in Iowa on March 24, 1898. After attending local schools and serving in the U.S. Army during World War I, he graduated from the Palmer School of Chiropractic and soon moved his practice to Waterville, where he practiced until 1938.
Clauson became active in local and state Democratic committees beginning in 1928 and he served as City Treasurer of Waterville from 1930 to 1931. He also served as Collector of Internal Revenue for the District of Maine (1934-1935) and as state administrator of the Maine War Bonds Program (1941-1943).
He was elected Mayor of Waterville for 1956-1957 and Governor in 1958, succeeding the popular Edmund S. Muskie who was elected to the U.S. Senate at the same time.
Inaugurated on January 7, 1959, Clauson died on December 30 the same year. He was succeeded by Republican John Reed who was President of the Senate at the time.
Additional resources
Kennebec Journal, Augusta, December 30, 1959.
Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 2
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*Cited in Friends of the Blaine House at http://blainehouse.org/governors(accessed April 25, 2011) (accessed April 25, 2011)