1st Minnesota Legislature

The 1st 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.

First Minnesota Legislature
←8th Minnesota Territorial Legislature 2nd Minnesota Legislature→
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
Members37 State Senators
Lieutenant GovernorWilliam Holcombe
PresidentRichard G. Murphy
Party controlDemocratic Party
Minnesota House of Representatives
Members80 State Representatives
SpeakerJohn S. Watrous,
George Bradley
Party controlDemocratic Party

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 Richard G. Murphy (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
Adams, Samuel Emery 19 Monticello Democratic
Bailly, Henry G. 03 Hastings Democratic
Banfill, John 24 Manomin Democratic[nb 5]
Bates, Ersatus N. 04 Minneapolis Republican
Beman, Samuel S. 11 Saratoga Republican
Carlton, Reuben B. 26 Fond du Lac Democratic[nb 5]
Cave, Charles S. 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Chase, Jonathan N. 23 Saint Anthony Republican
Cook, Michael 05 Faribault Republican
Cowan, Thomas 17 Traverse des Sioux Democratic[nb 5]
Day, James C. 10 La Crescent Democratic
Dunwell, Dennis William Chauncey 03 West Saint Paul Democratic[nb 5]
Folsom, William Henry Carman 25 Taylors Falls Republican
Hall, William Sprigg 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Hodges, Emerson 08 Marion Republican[nb 5]
Hudson, Aaron C. 06 Florence Republican
Hull, Samuel 09 Carimona Democratic[nb 5]
Jones, John R. 09 Chatfield Democratic
Lindsley, Charles H. 08 Rochester Republican
McKune, Lewis L. 15 Morristown Republican
Mixer, Elijah T. 18 Henderson Democratic[nb 5]
Moreland, Basil 16 Mankato Democratic[nb 5]
Murphy, Richard G. 07 Shakopee Democratic[nb 5]
Northrup, Anson 21 Swan River Democratic
Norton, Daniel Sheldon 11 Winona Republican
Phelps, Boyd 13 Elkhorn Republican
Reiner, Joel K. 01 Stillwater Republican
Richardson, Reuben M. 20 Sauk Rapids Democratic
Ridpath, James 12 Tepeeota Republican[nb 5]
Rolette, Joseph 22 Pembina Democratic
Skinner, George E. 05 Faribault Democratic[nb 5]
Smith, Delano T. 04 Minneapolis Republican
Somers, Edward W. 13 Ashland Republican[nb 5]
Streeter, Oscar W. 10 Unknown Democratic
Thomas, H. L. 01 Afton Republican
Van Etten, Isaac 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Watson, George 14 Sumner Republican

House of Representatives
Name District City Party
Atkinson, James B. 20 Forest City Democratic
Bacon, Samuel P. 13 Le Roy Democratic
Balcombe, St. Andre Durand 11 Winona Republican
Bartlett, Amander H. 14 Shell Rock Republican
Bearce, Edwin M. 11 Winona Republican
Bevans, Henry L. 06 Red Wing Republican
Bradley, George 07 Belle Plaine Democratic[nb 3]
Bray, Ebenezer 19 Carver Democratic
Burgess, Sylvanus 08 Quincy Republican
Butters, Reuben 16 Kasota Democratic
Campbell, George W. 01 Point Douglas Republican
Carpenter, Joseph B. 20 Princeton Democratic
Chase, John N. 22 Saint Vincent Democratic
Chowen, William Streeter 04 Minnetonka Republican
Crosby, John W. 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Cruttenden, Joel D. 21 Crow Wing Democratic
Cummings, Michael 18 Kelso Democratic
Davern, William Q. 02 Saint Paul Democratic
DeCow, Isaac 09 Fillmore Democratic
Dow, James C. 03 Hastings Democratic
Dunham, William N. 14 Unknown Republican
Eames, Theodore J. 09 Canton Democratic
Fladeland, T. J. 09 Rushford Democratic
Foster, Major J. 09 Forestville Democratic
Frost, James C. 24 Anoka Democratic
Gaskill, James R.M. 01 Marine Republican
Gibson, Reuben B. 04 Bloomington Republican
Graham, James M. 09 Canton Democratic
Grover, Manley 11 Saint Charles Republican
Hanson, Hans 06 Red Wing Republican
Hawkins, Lewis R. 07 Spring Lake Democratic
Heyd, Ernst 19 Scandia Republican
Hinkley, James B. 04 Dayton Republican
Johnson, S. R. 11 Richmond Republican
Johnson, Smith 15 Medford Republican
Keith, George H. 04 Minneapolis, Minnesota Republican
Kibler, Henry 09 Forestville Democratic
Kinghorn, David 07 Eagle Creek Democratic
Kingsley, George B. 14 Blue Earth Democratic
LeBlond, J. B. 10 Brownsville Democratic
Leonard, George L. 15 Unknown Republican
Libbey, Charles W. 06 Roscoe Republican
Locke, James 03 West Saint Paul Democratic
Lord, Samuel 08 Marion Republican
Lyle, Robert 13 Lyle Republican
Mackintire, Edmund 10 Yucatan Democratic
Masters, Robert C. 03 Waterford Democratic
McGrorty, William B. 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Murphy, M. T. 03 Mendota Democratic
O'Neal, Robert 03 Eagan Democratic
Otis, George Lamartine 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Parker, John H. 05 Faribault Republican
Peckham, Joseph 06 Cannon Falls Republican
Pettie, George C. 15 Aurora Republican
Pierce, Ephraim 17 Saint Peter Democratic
Poehler, Henry 18 Henderson Democratic
Powers, E. Allen 08 Oronoco Republican
Randall, John G. 25 Chengwatana Republican
Rauch, Charles 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Rehfeld, Frederick 17 New Ulm Democratic
Rutan, A. J. 16 Le Sueur Democratic
Scofield, John L. 05 Northfield Democratic
Seeley, Ira O. 12 Mazeppa Republican
Sheetz, Hiram M. 15 Unknown Republican
Simpson, Robert 01 Stillwater Republican
Starkey, James 02 Saint Paul Democratic
Stevens, John Harrington 18 Glencoe Democratic
Talbot, Josiah H. 19 Clearwater Republican
Tattersall, William K. 08 High Forest Republican
Tefft, Nathaniel S. 12 Minneiska Republican
Thompson, Matthew 16 South Bend Republican
Thompson, Thomas A. 12 Plainview Republican
Townsend, William H. 23 Saint Anthony Republican
Tuttle, Albert 17 Milford Democratic
Vertress, Warren 05 Cannon City Democratic
Wakefield, James Beach 14 Blue Earth Republican
Walker, L. C. 23 Saint Anthony Republican
Watrous, John S. 26 Clifton Democratic[nb 2]
Way, George O. 13 Claremont Democratic
Willson, Daniel F. 10 Unknown Democratic
Young, John L. 20 Unknown Democratic

Membership changes

House of Representatives
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successor
seated
14 William N. Dunham
(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] George B. Kingsley
(D)		 January 12, 1858[11]

Notes
  1. William Holcombe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, did not assume office until June 3, 1858. Until that date, Richard G. Murphy served as the President of the Minnesota Senate.[3]
  2. 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. 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. Minnesota Legislators Past & Present does not list party affiliation information for Senators Banfill, Carlton, Cowan, Dunwell, Hodges, Hull, Mixer, Moreland, Murphy, Ridpath, Skinner, and Somers. 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. "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. "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. "Watrous, John S." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. "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. "Bradley, George "Geo."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. "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.
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