1st Minnesota Legislature

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First Minnesota Legislature
←8th Minnesota Territorial Legislature 2nd Minnesota Legislature→
1stMNstatecapitol-1860.jpg
Overview
Legislative bodyMinnesota Legislature
JurisdictionMinnesota, United States
TermDecember 2, 1857 (1857-12-02) – December 7, 1859 (1859-12-07)
Websitewww.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota State Senate
1stMNSenate.svg
Members37 Senators
Lieutenant GovernorWilliam Holcombe
President
Party controlDemocratic Party
Minnesota House of Representatives
1stMNHouse.svg
Members80 Representatives
SpeakerJohn S. Watrous,
George Bradley
Party controlDemocratic Party

The first Minnesota Legislature first convened on December 2, 1857. The 37 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 80 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of October 13, 1857. Although the Constitution of the State of Minnesota, which had been adopted by the voters at the 1857 general election, was not ratified by the United States Senate until May 11, 1858, this was the first legislature of the State of Minnesota to convene in conformity with the state constitution.

Sessions[]

The legislature met in a regular session from December 2, 1857 to August 12, 1858, with a recess between March 25, 1858 and June 2, 1858. There were no special sessions; however, the regular session continued for 254 days, which still ranks the longest duration of any Minnesota Legislature. Due to the protracted length of the 1857-58 session, it was determined that an 1858-59 meeting of the legislature was unnecessary, and the 2nd Minnesota Legislature did not convene until December 1859.[1]

Party summary[]

Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.

Senate[]

Party[2]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Independent Republican Unknown
End of previous Legislature 6 0 5 4 15 0
Begin 20 0 17 0 37 0
Latest voting share 54% 0% 46% 0%
Beginning of the next Legislature 13 1 23 0 37 0

House of Representatives[]

Party[2]
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Republican
End of previous Legislature 19 20 39 0
Begin 43 37 80 0
January 12, 1858 44 36
Latest voting share 55% 45%
Beginning of the next Legislature 22 58 80 0

Leadership[]

Senate[]

Lieutenant Governor[nb 1]
Since June 3, 1858 William Holcombe (D-Stillwater)[4]
President of the Senate[nb 1]
Until June 3, 1858 (D-Shakopee)[4]

House of Representatives[]

Speaker of the House
Until March 12, 1858 John S. Watrous (D-Clifton)[5][nb 2]
Since March 12, 1858 George Bradley (D-Belle Plaine)[5][nb 3]
Speaker Pro Tempore[nb 4]
December 22, 1857 to March 12, 1858 George Bradley (D-Belle Plaine)[8][nb 3]

Members[]

Senate[]

Name District City Party
19 Monticello Democratic
03 Hastings Democratic
24 Manomin Democratic[nb 5]
Bates, Ersatus N. 04 Minneapolis Republican
11 Saratoga Republican
26 Fond du Lac Democratic[nb 5]
02 Saint Paul Democratic
23 Saint Anthony Republican
05 Faribault Republican
17 Traverse des Sioux Democratic[nb 5]
10 La Crescent Democratic
03 West Saint Paul Democratic[nb 5]
Folsom, William Henry Carman 25 Taylors Falls Republican
02 Saint Paul Democratic
08 Marion Republican[nb 5]
06 Florence Republican
09 Democratic[nb 5]
09 Chatfield Democratic
08 Rochester Republican
15 Morristown Republican
18 Henderson Democratic[nb 5]
16 Mankato Democratic[nb 5]
07 Shakopee Democratic[nb 5]
21 Swan River Democratic
Norton, Daniel Sheldon 11 Winona Republican
13 Republican
01 Stillwater Republican
20 Sauk Rapids Democratic
12 Republican[nb 5]
Rolette, Joseph 22 Pembina Democratic
05 Faribault Democratic[nb 5]
04 Minneapolis Republican
13 Republican[nb 5]
10 Unknown Democratic
01 Afton Republican
02 Saint Paul Democratic
14 Republican

House of Representatives[]

Name District City Party
20 Forest City Democratic
13 Le Roy Democratic
Balcombe, St. Andre Durand 11 Winona Republican
14 Republican
11 Winona Republican
06 Red Wing Republican
Bradley, George 07 Belle Plaine Democratic[nb 3]
19 Carver Democratic
08 Republican
16 Kasota Democratic
01 Point Douglas Republican
20 Princeton Democratic
22 Saint Vincent Democratic
04 Minnetonka Republican
02 Saint Paul Democratic
21 Crow Wing Democratic
18 Democratic
02 Saint Paul Democratic
09 Fillmore Democratic
03 Hastings Democratic
14 Unknown Republican
09 Canton Democratic
09 Rushford Democratic
09 Forestville Democratic
24 Anoka Democratic
01 Marine Republican
04 Bloomington Republican
09 Canton Democratic
11 Saint Charles Republican
06 Red Wing Republican
07 Spring Lake Democratic
19 Scandia Republican
04 Dayton Republican
11 Richmond Republican
15 Medford Republican
04 Minneapolis, Minnesota Republican
09 Forestville Democratic
07 Democratic
14 Blue Earth Democratic
10 Brownsville Democratic
15 Unknown Republican
06 Roscoe Republican
03 West Saint Paul Democratic
Lord, Samuel 08 Marion Republican
Lyle, Robert 13 Lyle Republican
10 Yucatan Democratic
03 Waterford Democratic
McGrorty, William B. 02 Saint Paul Democratic
03 Mendota Democratic
03 Eagan Democratic
Otis, George Lamartine 02 Saint Paul Democratic
05 Faribault Republican
06 Cannon Falls Republican
15 Aurora Republican
17 Saint Peter Democratic
Poehler, Henry 18 Henderson Democratic
08 Oronoco Republican
25 Chengwatana Republican
02 Saint Paul Democratic
17 New Ulm Democratic
16 Le Sueur Democratic
05 Northfield Democratic
12 Mazeppa Republican
15 Unknown Republican
01 Stillwater Republican
02 Saint Paul Democratic
Stevens, John Harrington 18 Glencoe Democratic
19 Clearwater Republican
08 High Forest Republican
12 Minneiska Republican
16 Republican
12 Plainview Republican
23 Saint Anthony Republican
17 Democratic
05 Cannon City Democratic
Wakefield, James Beach 14 Blue Earth Republican
23 Saint Anthony Republican
Watrous, John S. 26 Democratic[nb 2]
13 Claremont Democratic
10 Unknown Democratic
20 Unknown Democratic

Membership changes[]

House of Representatives[]

District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successor
seated
14
(R) 		Although Dunham was initially seated, the seat was contested by Kingsley on the grounds of issues regarding the validity of votes cast in a single precinct. On January 12, 1858 the House determined that Kingsley was entitled to the seat.[10]
(D) 		January 12, 1858[11]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b William Holcombe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, did not assume office until June 3, 1858. Until that date, served as the President of the Minnesota Senate.[3]
  2. ^ a b John S. Watrous' profile in Minnesota Legislators Past & Present lists his party affiliation as "Not Available,"[6] while the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library's official list of Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives lists "R?"[5] The latter can be presumed to be an educated guess made on the assumption that the Minnesota Legislature was Republican- and Conservative-dominated roughly from statehood until the 1930s; however, the Democrats held substantive majorities in both houses during the 1st Legislature,[2] which fact would tend to indicate that Watrous was more likely a Democrat. Watrous was also given a civil service appointment by the Buchanan Administration[6] at the height of the patronage era—he would not have likely been appointed to such a post if he were not a Democrat. Additionally, Watrous was elected from a district which elected a Democrat to the State Senate, at a time when votes were most often cast by straight ticket in Minnesota, and his election as Speaker appears to have been a party-line vote, in which he was supported by Democrats while the Republicans voted for James Beach Wakefield.[7]
  3. ^ a b c George Bradley's profile in Minnesota Legislators Past & Present lists his party affiliation as "Not Available,"[8] while the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library's official list of Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives lists "R?"[5] The latter can be presumed to be an educated guess made on the assumption that the Minnesota Legislature was Republican- and Conservative-dominated roughly from statehood until the 1930s; however, the Democrats held substantive majorities in both houses during the 1st Legislature,[2] which fact would tend to indicate that Bradley was more likely a Democrat. Bradley was also given a civil service appointment by the Buchanan Administration[8] at the height of the patronage era—he would not have likely been appointed to such a post if he were not a Democrat. Additionally, Bradley tended to vote with the Democrats on party-line votes.[7]
  4. ^ John S. Watrous was initially elected Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, but on December 22, 1857 took a leave of absence in order to attend to private business.[9] On the same day, George Bradley was named Speaker Pro Tempore and began to serve in Watrous' stead.[8] However, Watrous' absence endured far longer than the House felt was appropriate, and on March 12, 1858 the Speaker's chair was declared vacant and Bradley was elected to serve as Speaker in his own right.[9][8]
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Minnesota Legislators Past & Present does not list party affiliation information for Senators , , , , , , , , , , , and . However, the record from the Journal of the Senate During the First Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota shows in testimony given in an election challenge that Banfill was on the Democratic ticket. Additionally, the record in the Journal shows Hodges, Ridpath, and Somers voting with the Republicans on party-line votes at a sufficient frequency to warrant a presumption that they were likely Republicans themselves. As it is known that the Senate, in the first legislature, consisted of 20 Democrats and 17 Republicans, it can then be presumed that the remainder of the aforementioned Senators were most likely Democrats.

References[]

  1. ^ "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "News, Notes, and Varieties" (PDF). Vermont Phœnix. Brattleboro, Vt. 26 December 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Murphy, Richard G." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Watrous, John S." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Journal of the House of Representatives During the First Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota; Begun and Held at St. Paul, on Wednesday, the 2d Day of December, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-Seven". Earle S. Goodrich, State Printer. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Bradley, George "Geo."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Watrous, John S." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Dunham, William N. "W.M."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Kingsley, George B." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
Preceded by
Eighth Minnesota Territorial Legislature
 First Minnesota Legislature
1857—1858 		Succeeded by
Second Minnesota Legislature
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