The twelfth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 4, 1870. The 11 members of the Minnesota Senate who represented even-numbered districts were chosen in the General Election of November 3, 1868, while the 11 members of the Minnesota Senate who represented odd-numbered districts, and the 47 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives, were chosen in the General Election of November 2, 1869.
Sessions The legislature met in a regular session from January 4, 1870 to March 4, 1870. There were no special sessions of the 12th Minnesota Legislature.
Party summary Senate Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Dem. Ind. Rep. End of previous Legislature 6 0 16 22 0 Begin 8 0 14 22 0 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 8 2 12 22 0
House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Dem. Ind. Rep. End of previous Legislature 9 0 38 47 0 Begin 18 0 29 47 0 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 12 2 33 47 0
Leadership Senate Lieutenant Governor William H. Yale (R-Winona)
House of Representatives Speaker of the House John L. Merriam (R-Saint Paul)
Members Senate Name District City Party Batchelder, George Washington 08 Faribault Republican Baxter, Luther Loren 21 Chaska Democratic Becker, George Loomis 01 Saint Paul Democratic Buck, Cornelius F. 11 Winona Democratic Buell, David L. 13 Caledonia Democratic Castle, James Nathan 02 Stillwater Democratic Chewning, Reuben J. 07 Farmington Democratic Crooker, Josiah B. 16 Owatonna Republican Henry, William 18 Belle Plaine Democratic Hill, Charles 09 Pine Island Republican Jackson, W. S. 10 Wabasha Republican King, Dana E. 06 Greenleaf Republican Latimer, Jacob A. 20 Winnebago City Republican Leonard, Joseph A. 12 Rochester Republican Lochren, William 04 Saint Anthony Democratic Lord, Samuel 15 Mantorville Republican Pettit, Curtis H. 05 Minneapolis Republican Pfaender, William 19 New Ulm Republican Smith, Benjamin F. 17 Castle Garden Republican Smith, Edson R. 22 Le Sueur Republican Sprague, Benjamin D. 14 Rushford Republican Waite, Henry Chester 03 Saint Cloud Republican
House of Representatives Name District City Party Abbott, B. 06 Harrison Republican Barton, William 14 Lenora Republican Bratrud, Ole C. 14 Preston Republican Brown, Hosmer A. 15 Mower City Republican 11 Elba Democratic Cameron, Sr., George Mansfield 15 Austin Democratic Canfield, S. G. 14 Canfield Democratic Close, William 08 Dodge City Republican Cool, John M. 11 Saint Charles Democratic Couplin, William L. 19 Saint Peter Republican Crandall, R. 17 Shelbyville Republican Cullen, J. K. 21 Watertown Democratic Densmore, Sr., Orin 09 Red Wing Republican Drought, Henry 08 Dundas Republican Faber, Paul 01 Saint Paul Democratic Flannegan, John H. 07 Hastings Democratic Fowler, Andrew J. 10 Lake City Democratic Fridley, Abram McCormick 04 Becker Democratic Gage, John 10 Minneiska Republican Gilman, John M. 01 Saint Paul Democratic Graham, S. W. 12 Eyota Republican Hall, Albert R. 05 Dayton Republican Jones, William 07 Hastings Democratic Larson, B. S. 12 Byron Republican Lowell, William 02 Marine Republican MacDonald, John Louis 18 Shakopee Democratic Meagher, John F. 17 Mankato Democratic Merriam, John L. 01 Saint Paul Republican Miller, John 09 Wastedo Republican Norris, James S. 02 Cottage Grove Democratic Pfaar, John A. 22 Le Sueur Democratic Potter, William E. 13 La Crescent Republican Pound, Joseph H. 05 Richfield Democratic Reed, Axel Hayford 06 Glencoe Republican Rice, E. A. 05 Minneapolis Republican Ruliffson, H. W. 16 Cooleyville Republican Scanlan, M. 14 Lanesboro Democratic Shanks, Michael E.L. 20 Fairmont Republican Slocum, Giles 09 Cannon Falls Republican Stewart, Charles N. 12 Stewartville Republican Swift, P. H. 19 Beaver Falls Republican Thorson, Isaac 03 Gilchrist Republican Vance, Nathan 13 Money Creek Republican Waterman, Chauncey N. 11 Winona Republican Wedge, Albert Clark 16 Albert Lea Republican Wilson, John L. 03 Saint Cloud Democratic Young, William C. 16 Waseca Republican
Notes
References
Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 12, Senate) Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 12, House) Journal of the Senate of the Twelfth Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota Journal of the House of Representatives of the Twelfth Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota