The third Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 8, 1861. The 21 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 42 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of November 6, 1860.

Sessions The legislature met in a regular session from January 8, 1861 to March 8, 1861. There were no special sessions of the third 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 11 1 25 37 0 Begin 2 0 19 21 0 April 29, 1861 18 20 1 December 31, 1861 17 19 2 January 6, 1862 14 16 5 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 5 0 16 21 0

House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Democratic Republican Union Dem. End of previous Legislature 19 61 0 80 0 Begin 3 39 0 42 0 January 9, 1861 2 40 May 1, 1861 39 41 1 December 31, 1861 38 40 2 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 10 30 2 42 0

Leadership

Senate Lieutenant Governor Ignatius L. Donnelly (R-Nininger)

House of Representatives Speaker of the House Jared Benson (R-Anoka)

Members

Senate Name District City Party Baldwin, Rufus J. 05 Minneapolis Republican Barney, Sheldon F. 17 Mankato Republican Bennett, Samuel 06 Monticello Republican Cleveland, Guy K. 20 Winnebago City Republican Cook, Michael 08 Faribault Republican Fake, J. W. 15 Austin Democratic Galbraith, Thomas Jacob 18 Shakopee Republican Gibbs, Seth 03 Clearwater Republican Hayes, Archibald M. 07 Hastings Republican Heaton, David 04 Saint Anthony Republican Holley, Henry W. 14 Chatfield Republican Jones, Stiles P. 12 Rochester Republican Lynd, James W. 19 Henderson Republican McLaren, Robert N. 09 Red Wing Republican McRoberts, Thomas 13 La Crescent Democratic Norton, Daniel Sheldon 11 Winona Republican Pell, John H. 10 Plainview Republican Reiner, Joel K. 02 Marine Republican Sanborn, John Benjamin 21 Saint Paul Republican Smith, James K. 01 Saint Paul Republican Watson, George 16 Sumner Republican

House of Representatives Name District City Party Acker, Henry 01 Saint Paul Republican Banning, William L. 21 Saint Paul Republican Baxter, William R. 06 Glencoe Republican Benson, Jared 04 Anoka Republican Butler, A. H. 14 Newburg Republican Cathcart, Thomas 03 Crow Wing Republican Chamblin, M. A. 07 Lewiston Republican Chapman, Joseph E. 09 Cannon Falls Republican Cheadle, Asa 17 Cleveland Republican Child, James E. 16 Wilton Republican Cornell, Francis R.E. 05 Minneapolis Republican Driscoll, Frederick 18 Sand Creek Republican Gregory, P. L. 03 Saint Cloud Republican Hanscome, M. G. 19 Saint Peter Republican Harkins, Abram 12 Greenfield Republican Hayden, Wentworth 05 Champlin Republican Hoskins, J. D. 08 Northfield Republican Howe, J. P. 14 Granger Republican Hunt, Thomas J. 15 Concord Republican Kennedy, Vincent P. 06 Greenleaf Republican Kidder, Jefferson Parish 01 Saint Paul Democratic LeBlond, J. B. 13 Brownsville Democratic Mahew, G. V. 04 Sauk Rapids Republican Mantor, Peter 15 Mantorville Republican Morrison, H. G.O. 07 Pine Bend Republican Munch, Emil D. 02 Chengwatana Republican Nessell, Andrew 01 Saint Paul Republican Patterson, L. D. 17 Mankato Republican Paulding, Edmund E. 19 Saint Peter Republican Pettit, W. F. 16 Owatonna Democratic Sargeant, M. Wheeler 11 Winona Republican Sherwood, Charles D. 14 Elkhorn Republican Smith, T. Dwight 06 Chaska Republican Stewart, George W. 17 Le Sueur Republican Strecker, A. 20 New Ulm Republican Tattersall, William K. 12 High Forest Republican Tefft, Natahniel S. 10 Minneiska Republican Hewitt L. Thomas 02 Afton Republican Warner, Ebenezer 11 Saint Charles Republican Wheeler, Levi 03 Little Falls Republican White, Clark R. 09 Pine Island Republican Whiting, Erastus D. 02 Taylors Falls Republican Wood, Charles 08 Morristown Republican

Membership changes

Senate District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 18 Thomas J. Galbraith(R) Resigned on date uncertain. Remained vacant 14 Henry W. Holley(R) Resigned on date uncertain. Remained vacant 12 Stiles P. Jones(R) Died in office on September 25, 1861. Remained vacant 10 John H. Pell(R) Resigned on date uncertain, to enlist in the United States Army. Remained vacant 16 George Watson(R) Resigned on date uncertain. Remained vacant

House of Representatives District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 01 Jefferson Parish Kidder(D) Kidder was originally certified as the winner of the election; however, Nessell contested the results. Upon examination, the House determined that a clerical error had shown Kidder winning by a margin of two votes, when Nessell actually won by a margin of one vote. The House hence ruled that Nessell was entitled to the seat. Andrew Nessell(R) January 9, 1861 17 L. D. Patterson(R) Died in office on date uncertain. Remained vacant 19 Edmund E. Paulding(R) Appointed on date uncertain to serve as U.S. Army paymaster for Minnesota, in Washington, D.C. Remained vacant

Notes

References

Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 3, Senate) Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 3, House)