M. Blaine Peterson

Who was M. Blaine Peterson?

Morris Blaine Peterson was a U.S. Representative from Utah.

Born in Ogden, Utah, Peterson attended the public schools and Weber College. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1931 and from Georgetown Law School in 1938. He was a law clerk to Justice Eugene E. Pratt of the Utah State Supreme Court, and served as Weber County attorney. He engaged in the private practice of law in 1941 and served in the Utah State legislature 1955-1957. Peterson married Lucille Parry on May 18, 1932, and they had four children.

Peterson was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-seventh Congress in an extremely close election against A. Walter Steveson. Peterson won by just 68 votes. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress. He served as chairman of the Weber County, Utah, Taxpayers Association. He served as special consultant to director of Food for Peace Program, 1963. Peterson served as president of the Southern Germany Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 to 1973. He was a resident of Ogden until his death there July 15, 1985. He was interred in Ogden City Cemetery.