Freeborn County, Minnesota - Chapter 10: County Representation, 1911

Chapter 10: County Representation

Freeborn County in Seventh, Sixth and Fourth Council Districts - Constitution Convention - Freeborn and Faribault Counties Become the Fourteenth Senatorial District - Freeborn, Steele and Waseca Become the Sixteenth District - Freeborn County Becomes the Fifth District - Changed to the Fourth and Then to Ninth - Congressional Representative.

On July 7, 1849, Gov. Alexander Ramsey, by proclamation, di¬ vided the territory of Minnesota into council districts; Freeborn county, with the rest of southern Minnesota (exclusive of the settlements on the banks of the Mississippi), coming within the limits of the seventh district.

1849. - The first territorial legislature met on September 3, and adjourned November 1. The seventh district was repre¬ sented in the council by Martin McLeod, of Lac qui Parle, and in the house by Alexis Bailly, of Mendota and Gideon H. Pond, of Oak Grove. Although Freeborn county was included in the seventh district, no settlers had at that time located within the present limits of the county.

1851. - The second territorial legislature assembled January 1, and adjourned March 31. The seventh district was repre¬ sented in the council by Martin McLeod, of Lac qui Parle, and in the house by B. H. Randall, of Ft. Snelling, and Alexander Faribault, of Faribault. Freeborn county was still without settlers. By the apportionment of this legislature, the territory having been divided into counties, Dakota county, which in¬ cluded Freeborn county, was constituted the sixth council district.

3852. - The third territorial legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 6. The sixth district was represented in the council by Martin McLeod, and in the house by James McC. Boal and Benjamin IT. Randall.

1853. - The fourth territorial legislature assembled January 5 and adjourned March 5. At this session the boundary lines of many of the counties were changed, and practically all of Free¬ born county, except the four townships on the west was included in Rice county. The boundaries of the legislative districts, how- ever, remained the same, and the present Freeborn county re¬ mained in the district which comprised the area included in Dakota county by the act of 1851. At the session of 1853 the sixth district was represented by Martin McLeod in the council and A. E. Ames and B. H. Randall in the house.

1854. - The fifth territorial legislature assembled January 4 and adjourned March 4. The sixth district was represented in the council by Joseph R. Brown and in the house by Hezekiah Fletcher and William H. Nobles.

1855. - The sixth territorial legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned March 3. The sixth district was represented' in the council by Joseph R. Brown and in the house by H. H. Sibley and D. M. Hanson. At this session Freeborn county was created with its present boundaries. By the apportionment Goodhue, Dodge and Freeborn counties were constituted the fourth dis¬ trict, although Freeborn was not contingent to the others.

1856. - The seventh territorial legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 1. William Freeborn, from whom the county is named, represented the fourth district in the council, and Charles Gardner and J. B. Hubbell in the house.

1857. - The eighth territorial legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 7. An extra session assembled April 27 and adjourned May 23. The fourth district was represented in the council by William Freeborn and in the house by Nelson Payne and W. W. Sweeney.

March 3, 1857, congress passed an act authorizing the people to form a state constitution. Each council district was to be represented in this convention by two members for each council¬ man and representative to which it was entitled. The fourth district, consisting of Goodhue, Dodge and Freeborn counties, was to have six delegates. In the spring a convention was held at Mantorville to nominate delegates, and to agree upon the proper division of representation among the three counties. For some cause, Freeborn county was not represented at that con¬ vention and was awarded but one of the nominations. But at the election Isaac Turtlott, of Dodge county, was defeated, and Freeborn sent two delegates, George Watson and E. C. Stacy.

The constitutional convention, consisting of 108 members, was authorized to meet at the capital on the second Monday in July to frame a state constitution, and to submit it to the people of the territory. The election, already mentioned, was held on the first Monday in June, 1857. July 13 the delegates met, but a disagreement arising in the organization, the Republican mem¬ bers organized one body and the Democrats organized separately. Each of these bodies, claiming to be the legally constituted con¬ vention, proceeded with the work of forming an instrument to be submitted to the people. After some days an understanding was effected between them, and by means of a committee of con¬ ference, the same constitution was framed and adopted by both bodies. On being submitted to the people, October 13, it was ratified. In the Republican wing the fourth district was repre¬ sented by Charles McClure, Aaron C. Hudson, George Watson, Frank Mantor, Joseph Peckham. Edwin C. Stacy was the only one from this district sitting on the Democratic side. By the apportionment of 1857, set forth in the state constitution adopted March 13, Freeborn and Faribault counties were constituted the fourteenth senatorial district with one senator and three representatives.

1857-58. - The first state legislature assembled December 2, 1857. On March 25, 1858, it took a recess until June 2, and finally adjourned August 12. The fourteenth district was repre¬ sented in the senate by George Watson and in the house by James B. Wakefield, George B. Kingsley and A. II. Barlett. Watson and Barlett lived in Freeborn county.

1859-60. - The second state legislature assembled December 7, 1859, and adjourned March 12, 1860. George Watson repre¬ sented the fourteenth district in the senate and G. K. Cleveland, Allen Shultis and T. W. Purdie in the house. Watson and Purdie were from Freeborn county. A. B. Webber appears to have been elected to the house in 1860, but there was no session of the legislature during the few months he was supposed to serve. By the apportionment of 1860, Freeborn, Steele and Waseca were constituted the sixteenth district with one senator and two representatives.

1861. - The third state legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned March 8. The sixteenth district was represented in the senate by George Watson, of Freeborn county, and in the house by James E. Child, of Waseca, and W. F. Pettit, of Steele.

1862. - The fourth state legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 7. The sixteenth district was represented in the senate by A. B. Webber, of Freeborn county, and in the house by H. G. Magoon, of Steele, and P. C. Bailey, of Waseca. On account of the Indian outbreak an extra session was called by the governor, and it assembled September 9 and adjourned September 29.

1863. - The fifth state legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned March 6. The sixteenth district was represented in the senate by M. A. Dailey and in the house by Asa Walker, of Carlston, and Philo Woodruff.

1865. - The seventh state legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned March 3. The representatives from the sixteenth dis¬ trict were B. A. Lowell in the senate and J. L. Gibbs and J. B. Crooker in the house.

1866. - The eighth state legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 2. The sixteenth district was represented in the senate by B. A. Lovell and in the house by J. B. Crooker and Augustus Armstrong. Armstrong was from Albert Lea. This legislature re-apportionecl the districts, but Freeborn, Steele and Waseca remained the sixteenth.

1867. - The ninth state legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned March 8. The representatives from the sixteenth dis¬ trict were Aug. Armstrong in the senate and W. H. Twiforcl, William Brisbane and James E. Smith in the house. Armstrong, Twiford and Smith were from Freeborn county.

1868. - The tenth state legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 6. Augustus Armstrong represented the six¬ teenth district in the council and William R. Kenyon, James E. Smith and George A. La Bow in the house.

1869. - The eleventh state legislature assembled January 5 and adjourned March 5. The sixteenth district was represented in the council by J. B. Crooker and in the house by Augustus Armstrong, E. Easton and W. Smith.

. 1870. - The twelfth state legislature assembled January 4 and adjourned March 4. J. B. Crooker represented the sixteenth district in the council and W. C. Young, H. AY. Rulliffson and A. C. Wedge in the house. A. C. AYedge was from Albert Lea.

and adjourned March 3. The sixteenth district was represented in the senate by W. IT. Young and in the house by William Brisbane, A. C. AYedge and F. B. Davis. This legislature re¬ apportioned the districts, and for the first time Freeborn county constituted a district by itself, called the fifth, with one senator and two representatives. Although the number had been changed, Freeborn county has since continued to be a separate district. .

1872. - The fourteenth legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 1. H. D. Brown represented the fifth district in the senate and E. D. Rogers and AYilliam Wilson in the house. Brown was from Albert Lea, AYilson from Twin Lakes and Rogers from Freeborn village.

1874. - The sixteenth legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned March 6. The fifth district was represented in the senate by T. J. Johnsrud and in the house by Evan Morgan and Warren Buell.

1875. - The seventeenth state legislature assembled January 5 and adjourned March 5. The fifth district was represented in the senate by Thomas H. Armstrong and in the house by Henry Tunell and Richard Fitzgerald.

1876. - The eighteenth legislature assembled January 4 and adjourned March 3. The fifth district was represented in the senate by Thomas H. Armstrong and in the legislature by Henry Tunell and J. L. Gibbs.

1877. - The nineteenth legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 2. The fifth district was represented in the senate by Thomas H. Armstrong and in the house by J. L. Gibbs and H. G. Emmons. J. L. Gibbs was speaker of the house.

1878. - The twentieth legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned March 8. Thomas H. Armstrong represented the fifth district in the senate and H. G. Emmons and T. W. Purdie in the house.

1879. - The twenty-first legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 7. A. C. Wedge represented the fifth district in the senate and S. N. Frisbie and Hans Christopherson in the house. This legislature made provisions for biennial sessions thereafter.

1881. - The twenty-second legislature assembled January 4 and adjourned March 4. The fifth district was represented by A. C. Wedge in the senate and Bennett Asleson and A. F. Denby in the house. An extra session was called to consider legisla¬ tion in regard to the state railroad bonds. The session com¬ menced October 11 and closed November 13. A. M. Johnson represented the fifth district in the house in place of A. C. Wedge. By the apportionment of 1881, Freeborn county was made the fourth district with one senator and two representatives.

1883. - The twenty-third legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 2. The fourth district was represented in the senate by W. P. Sergeant and in the house by L. T. Bell and Ole Peterson (Slette).

1885. - The twenty-fourth legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned March 6. The fourth district was represented in the senate by W. P. Sergeant and in the house by John L. Gibbs and Alexander Haraldson. J. L. Gibbs was speaker of the house.

1887. - The twenty-fifth legislature assembled January 4 and adjourned March 4. The fourth district was represented in the senate by M. Halvorson and in the liousce by C. G. Johnsrud and Thomas Dunne.

1889. - The twenty-sixth legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned April 23. M. Halvorson represented the fourth dis¬ trict in the senate and D. F. Morgan and Ellend Erickson in the house.

1891. - In 1889 the state was re-apportioned, but the fourth district remained unchanged. The twenty-seventh legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned April 20. H. C. Nelson represented the fourth district in the senate and Ellend Erickson and I. E. Starks in the house.

1893. - The twenty-eighth legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned April 18. H. C. Nelson represented the fourth dis¬ trict in the senate and William Christie and John W. Geissler in the house.

1895. - The twenty-ninth legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned April 23. The fourth district was represented in the senate by T. Y. Knatvold and in the house by John L. Gibbs and John M. Geissler.

1897. - The thirtieth legislature assembled January 5 and adjourned April 21. The fourth district was represented in the senate by T. Y. Knatvold and in the house by John G. Johnson and H. Drommerhausen. By the apportionment of this year, Freeborn county became the ninth district, with one senator and two representatives as before.

1899. - The thirty-first state legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned April 18. T. Y. Knatvold represented the ninth district in the senate and Gunvold Johnsrucl and W. W. Galt in the house.

1901. - The thirty-second legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned April 12. The ninth district was represented in the senate by T. Y. Knatvold and in the house by Gunvold Johnsrud and W. W. Galt. An extra session to consider the report of the commission assembled February 4, 1902, and adjourned March 11.

1903. - The thirty-third legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned April 12. The ninth district was represented in the senate by Henry A. Morgan and in the house by Ole I. Opdal and William Wohlhuter.

1905. - The thirty-fourth legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned April 18. Henry A. Morgan represented the ninth dis¬ trict in the senate and Ole I. Opdal and William Wohlhuter in the house.

1907. - The thirty- fifth legislature assembled January 8 and adjourned April 24. The ninth district was represented by B. N. Anderson in the senate and J. C. Johnson and T. E. Noble in the house.

adjourned April 22. The ninth district was represented in the senate by B. N. Anderson and in the house by T. E. Noble and William Wolilhuter.

1911. - The thirty-seventh legislature assembled January 6 and adjourned April 19. The ninth district was represented by B. N. Anderson in the senate and in the house by Alva Henion and H. H. Dunn, the latter serving as speaker.

Congressional Representation

The first congressional district in which from the time of the admission of Minnesota as a state Freeborn county has been included, has been represented in congress as follows: J. A. Cavanaugh, Democrat, March 12, 1859, to March 4, 1859 ; William Windom, Republican, March 4, 1859, to March 4, 1869; Morton S. Wilkinson, Republican, March 4, 1869, to March, 1871; Mark H. Dunn ell, Republican, March 4, 1871, to March 4, 1883 ; Milo White, Republican, March 4, 1883, to March 4, 1887 ; Thomas Wilson, Democrat, March 4, 1887, to March 4, 1889; Mark H. Dunnell, Republican, March 4 1889, to March 4, 1891 ; W. IT. Harries, Democrat, March 4, 1891, to March 4, 1893; James A. Tawney, Republican, March 4, 1893, to March 4, 1911; Sidney A. Anderson, progressive Republican, March 4, 1911, to March 4, 1913.

Until Minnesota became a state it had only one representative in congress, a territorial delegate, who was not allowed to vote. The first territorial delegate from Minnesota was Henry H. Sib¬ ley, who was first sent ostensibly as a delegate from the territory of Wisconsin, though living on the present site of Mendota at the mouth of the Minnesota river. He sat as a territorial dele¬ gate from January 15, 1849, to December 5, 1853. He was suc¬ ceeded by Henry M. Rice, who served until December 7, 1857. W. W. Kingsbury was elected to succeed him and served until December 6, 1858. As has been noted, the United States senate February 23, 1857, passed an act authorizing the people of Min¬ nesota to form a constitution preparatory to their admission to the Union. In accordance with the provisions of this enabling act, a constitutional convention was held July 13, 1857, at the terri¬ torial capital. October 13, 1857, an election was held when the constitution was adopted and a full list of state officers elected. Three congressmen were also elected at this time : George L. Becker, W. W. Phelps and J. M. Cavanaugh. But it was afterward found that Minnesota was entitled to only two congressmen and the matter was amicably adjusted by the withdrawal of Mr. Becker. By this election the Messrs. Phelps and Cavanaugh became the first members of congress from the state of Minnesota.

two congressional districts, the southern part becoming the first congressional district and the northern part the second, Free¬ born county thus becoming a part of the first congressional dis¬ trict. By the apportionment of 1872, the state was divided into three congressional districts. The first district contained the counties of Winona, Houston, Olmsted, Fillmore, Dodge, Steele, Mower, Freeborn, Waseca, Faribault, Blue Earth, Wartonwan, Martin, Jackson, Cottonwood, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock.

By the apportionment of 1881 the state was divided into five congressional districts. The first district contained the counties of Houston, Fillmore, Mower, Freeborn, Steele, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona and Wabasha.

By the apportionment of 1891 the state was divided into seven congressional districts. The first district contained the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona.

By the apportionment of 1901 the state was divided into nine congressional districts. This apportionment has continued to the present day. The first district now consists of the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona.