2nd Minnesota Legislature
# 2nd Minnesota Legislature

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) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Independent | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 20 | 0 | 17 | 37 | 0 |
| Begin | 13 | 1 | 23 | 37 | 0 |
| January 6, 1860 | 11 | 1 | 25 | 37 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 30% | 3% | 68% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 2 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 0 |

### House of Representatives

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 44 | 36 | 80 | 0 |
| Begin | 22 | 58 | 80 | 0 |
| December 29, 1859 | 19 | 58 | 77 | 3 |
| December 30, 1859 | 19 | 61 | 80 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 24% | 76% | | |
| 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 | Democratic |
| Taylor, 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 successor seated |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 |
| 09 | Ignatius F. O'Ferrall (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. | Reuben Wells (R) | January 6, 1860 |

### House of Representatives

| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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 |
| 03 | Stephen Newell (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. | Henry Caskey (R) | December 30, 1859 |
| 03 | Michael Waldhier (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. | Archibald M. Hayes (R) | December 30, 1859 |

## Standing committees

### Senate

| Committee | Republican members | Democratic members | Indepenednet members |
| - | - | - | - |
| Ways and Means | Emerson Hodges, John T. Averill | Thomas Cowan | N/A |
| State Affairs | Michael Cook, Riley L. Bartholomew | Samuel E. Adams | N/A |
| Judiciary | Jesse Bishop, Lucius K. Stannard | Christopher Columbus Andrews | N/A |
| Internal Improvements | John T. Averill, Ephraim L. King | Joel D. Cruttenden | N/A |
| Harbors | Frederick Gluck, Robert N. McLaren | Thomas Clark | N/A |
| Elections | F. Eugene Baldwin, Emerson Hodges | A. H. Norris | N/A |
| Federal Relations | David Heaton, Hector Galloway | William Sprigg Hall | N/A |
| Banks | Robert N. McLaren, Eli Robinson | Alonzo J. Edgerton | N/A |
| Public Lands | J. F. Baldwin, Daniel H. Frost | William F. Pettit | N/A |
| Printing | Jacob H. Stewart, Ephraim L. King | Thomas Cowan | N/A |
| Agriculture and Manufacture | George Watson, Henry C. Rogers | John H. Stevens | N/A |
| Towns and Counties | Daniel H. Frost, Frederick Gluck | Oscar Taylor | N/A |
| Education and Science | J. M. Winn, Jacob H. Stewart | Christopher Columbus Andrews | N/A |
| Incorporations | Lucius K. Stannard, William McKusick | Charles N. Mackubin | N/A |
| Engrossment | E. H. Kennedy, Michael Cook | A. H. Norris | N/A |
| Militia | Riley L. Bartholomew, E. H. Kennedy | John H. Stevens | N/A |
| State Prison | William McKusick, Jesse Bishop | Socrates Nelson | N/A |
| State Library | Ephraim L. King, George Watson | William F. Pettit | N/A |
| Indian Affairs | Henry C. Rogers, David C. Evans | Joel D. Crutenden | N/A |
| Public Buildings | Hector Galloway, Lucius K. Stannard | Ignatius F. O'Ferrall | N/A |
| Roads and Bridges | Frederick Gluck | Orlando B. Bryant | Eli Robinson |
| Enrollment | David C. Evans, J. M. Winn | Oscar Taylor | N/A |
| University and University Lands | David Heaton, J. F. Baldwin | William S. Hall | N/A |
