The second Minnesota Legislature first convened on December 7, 1859. 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 11, 1859.
Sessions The legislature met in a regular session from December 7, 1859 to March 12, 1860. There were no special sessions of the second legislature.
Party summary Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.
Senate Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Democratic Independent Republican End of previous Legislature 20 0 17 37 0 Begin 13 1 23 37 0 January 6, 1860 11 25 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 2 0 19 21 0
House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Democratic Republican End of previous Legislature 44 36 80 0 Begin 22 58 80 0 December 29, 1859 19 77 3 December 30, 1859 61 80 0 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 3 39 42 0
Leadership Senate Lieutenant Governor Until January 2, 1860 William Holcombe (D-Stillwater) Since January 2, 1860 Ignatius L. Donnelly (R-Nininger)
House of Representatives Speaker of the House Amos Coggswell (R-Aurora)
Members Senate Name District City Party Adams, Samuel Emery 19 Monticello Democratic Andrews, Christopher Columbus 20 Saint Cloud Democratic Averill, John Thomas 12 Lake City Republican Baldwin, F. Eugene 24 Clear Lake Republican Baldwin, J. F. 07 Belle Plaine Republican Bartholomew, Riley Lucas 04 Richfield Republican Bishop, Jesse 04 Minneapolis Republican Bryant, Orlando B. 09 Bloomfield Democratic Clark, Thomas 26 Beaver Bay Democratic Cook, Michael 05 Faribault Republican Cowan, Thomas 17 Traverse des Sioux Democratic Cruttenden, Joel D. 21 Crow Wing Democratic Edgerton, Alonzo Jay 13 Mantorville Democratic Evans, David C. 16 South Bend Republican Frost, Daniel H. 05 Northfield Republican Galloway, Hector 08 Oronoco Republican Gluck, Frederick 10 Brownsville Republican Hall, William Sprigg 02 Saint Paul Democratic Heaton, David 23 Saint Anthony Republican Hodges, Emerson 08 Marion Republican Holley, Henry W. 09 Chatfield Republican Kennedy, E. H. 10 Looneyville Republican King, Ephraim L. 11 Winona Republican Mackubin, Charles N. 02 Saint Paul Democratic McKusick, William 01 Stillwater Republican McLaren, Robert N. 06 Red Wing Republican Nelson, Socrates 01 Stillwater Democratic Norris, A. H. 03 Hastings Democratic O'Ferrall, Ignatius F. 09 Unknown Democratic Pettit, William F. 15 Owatonna Democratic Robinson, Eli 03 Hastings Independent Rogers, Henry C. 13 Mower City Republican Stannard, Lucius K. 25 Taylors Falls Republican Stevens, John Harrington 18 Glencoe Democratic Stewart, Jacob Henry 02 Saint Paul Republican Taylor, Oscar 22 Saint Cloud Democratic Watson, George 14 Sumner Republican Wells, Reuben 09 Canfield Republican Winn, J. M. 11 Richmond Republican
House of Representatives Name District City Party Aaker, Lars K. 06 Alexandria Republican Abbott, Burroughs 16 Lexington Republican Abraham, J. P. 04 Minneapolis Republican Acker, Henry 02 Saint Paul Republican Anderson, John A. 10 La Crescent Republican Armstrong, John H. 17 New Ulm Democratic Arnold, William J. 12 Wabasha Republican Austin, Adin C. 04 Osseo Republican Baldwin, George P. 23 Saint Anthony Republican Barton, Ara 03 Northfield Democratic Beatty, Hamilton 18 Arlington Democratic Bixler, Moses 03 West Saint Paul Republican Brooks, Sheldon 11 Beaver Republican Burnham, John W. 12 Plainview Republican Butler, A. H. 09 Newburg Republican Caskey, Henry 03 Lakeville Republican Chadderdon, Jonathan 07 Belle Plaine Democratic Cleary, Peter 07 New Dublin Democratic Cleveland, Guy K. 14 Winnebago City Republican Coe, Charles A. 10 Winnebago City Republican Coggswell, Amos 15 Aurora Republican Dayton, Daniel 09 Big Spring Republican Donohue, Mathew H. 18 Henderson Democratic Fox, Patrick 25 Taylors Falls Republican Garrard, Lewis Hector 06 Frontenac Republican Green, George W. 15 Clinton Falls Republican Green, George W. 08 Pleasant Grove Republican Hayes, Archibald M. 03 Hastings Republican Hulett, Luke 05 Faribault Republican Hunt, Thomas J. 13 Concord Republican Johnson, R. M. 24 Anoka Republican Kinkead, Alex 22 Alexandria Democratic Knox, R. H. 06 Cannon Falls Republican Langworthy, Benjamin Franklin 13 Grand Meadow Republican Leavens, Eden N.H. 05 Faribault Republican Letford, John S. 06 Carver Republican Mann, Horatio E. 04 Minneapolis Republican Mantor, Peter 13 Mantorville Republican McDonough, Thomas 16 Ottawa Republican Meighen, William 09 Forestville Republican Mitchell, William B. 11 Winona Republican Mitsch, George 02 Saint Paul Democratic Morrison, H. G.O. 03 Pine Bend Republican Nettleton, William 26 Duluth Democratic Newell, Stephen 03 Unknown Democratic Olds, Alfred J. 08 Quincy Republican Olivier, John B. 02 Saint Paul Democratic Ozmun, Abraham 08 Rochester Republican Pfaender, William 17 New Ulm Republican Purdie, Thomas W. 14 Freeborn Republican Rehfeld, Frederick 17 New Ulm Democratic Renz, F. A. 19 Chaska Republican Robertson, Daniel A. 02 Saint Paul Democratic Roy, Peter 21 Crow Wing Democratic Sanborn, John Benjamin 02 Saint Paul Republican Sawyer, J. Swain 08 Chatfield Republican Secombe, David A. 23 Saint Anthony Republican Sheafer, Henry J. 03 Mendota Democratic Sherwood, Charles D. 09 Elkhorn Republican Shrewsbury, Irvin 04 Maple Plain Republican Shriner, Peter 07 Sand Creek Democratic Shultis, Allen 14 Blue Earth City Republican Skillman, Francis M. 12 Mazeppa Republican Stearns, Isaac C. 06 Zumbrota Republican Stephenson, Oscar 02 Saint Paul Democratic Stevens, Orlando 11 Minnesota City Republican Stewart, Jesse I. 15 Wilton Republican Stoek, Henry 16 Shelbyville Republican Sweet, George W. 20 Sauk Rapids DemocraticTaylor, Jackson 19 Buffalo Republican Temanson, George 10 Spring Grove Republican Thayer, Zenas 11 Warren Republican Tolman, Moody C. 20 Watab Democratic Trow, A. H. 09 Chatfield Republican Van Vorhes, Andrew Jackson 01 Stillwater Republican Waldhier, Michael 03 Unknown Democratic Walker, Hiram 09 Rushford Republican Walker, Orange 01 Marine Republican Watson, Daniel T. 01 Lakeland Republican Webster, Ferris 05 Union Lake Republican White, George T. 12 Saint Mary Republican Wilkins, Peter 18 Henderson Democratic Willey, U. S. 20 Forest City Democratic
Membership changes Senate District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 09 Orlando B. Bryant(D) Bryant and O'Ferrall were initially seated with certificates of election issued by order of the Minnesota Supreme Court, but Holley and Wells contested the election. On January 6, 1860, the Senate determined that, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Minnesota which assigned to each house of the legislature the power to judge the elections and qualifications of its own members, the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to determine the membership of the Senate. The Senate then determined that Holley and Wells were entitled to the seats. Henry W. Holley(R) January 6, 1860 Ignatius F. O'Ferrall(D) Reuben Wells(R)
House of Representatives District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 03 Ara Barton(D) Barton, Newell, and Waldhier were initially seated; however, Bixler, Caskey, and Hayes challenged their election on the grounds that the Democrats in the district had engaged in voter intimidation against Republican voters, and illegal votes were cast. On December 29, 1859, the House of Representatives ruled that Bixler, Caskey, and Hayes were rightfully entitled to the seats, and thereby unseated Barton, Newell, and Waldhier. Moses Bixler(R) December 30, 1859 Stephen Newell(D) Henry Caskey(R) Michael Waldhier(D) Archibald M. Hayes(R)
Standing committees
Senate +CommitteeRepublican membersDemocratic membersIndependent membersWays and MeansEmerson Hodges, John T. AverillThomas CowanN/AState AffairsMichael Cook, Riley L. BartholomewSamuel E. AdamsN/AJudiciaryJesse Bishop, Lucius K. StannardChristopher Columbus AndrewsN/AInternal ImprovementsJohn T. Averill, Ephraim L. KingJoel D. CruttendenN/AHarborsFrederick Gluck, Robert N. McLarenThomas ClarkN/AElectionsF. Eugene Baldwin, Emerson HodgesA. H. NorrisN/AFederal RelationsDavid Heaton, Hector GallowayWilliam Sprigg HallN/ABanksRobert N. McLaren, Eli RobinsonAlonzo J. EdgertonN/APublic LandsJ. F. Baldwin, Daniel H. FrostWilliam F. PettitN/APrintingJacob H. Stewart, Ephraim L. KingThomas CowanN/AAgriculture and ManufactureGeorge Watson, Henry C. RogersJohn H. StevensN/ATowns and CountiesDaniel H. Frost, Frederick GluckOscar TaylorN/AEducation and ScienceJ. M. Winn, Jacob H. StewartChristopher Columbus AndrewsN/AIncorporationsLucius K. Stannard, William McKusickCharles N. MackubinN/AEngrossmentE. H. Kennedy, Michael CookA. H. NorrisN/AMilitiaRiley L. Bartholomew, E. H. KennedyJohn H. StevensN/AState PrisonWilliam McKusick, Jesse BishopSocrates NelsonN/AState LibraryEphraim L. King, George WatsonWilliam F. PettitN/AIndian AffairsHenry C. Rogers, David C. EvansJoel D. CrutendenN/APublic BuildingsHector Galloway, Lucius K. StannardIgnatius F. O'FerrallN/ARoads and BridgesFrederick GluckOrlando B. BryantEli RobinsonEnrollmentDavid C. Evans, J. M. WinnOscar TaylorN/AUniversity and University LandsDavid Heaton, J. F. BaldwinWilliam S. HallN/A
Notes
References
Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 2, Senate) Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 2, House)