{{Short description|1861 legislative session}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox legislative session | name = Third Minnesota Legislature | image = File:1stMNstatecapitol-1860.jpg | image_size = 200px | caption = | body = Minnesota Legislature | country = United States | state = Minnesota | meeting_place = | election = | government = | term_start = {{Start date|1861|01|08}} | term_end = {{End date|1862|01|07}} | before = 2nd Minnesota Legislature | after = 4th Minnesota Legislature | website = {{URL|www.leg.state.mn.us/}} | chamber1 = Minnesota State Senate | membership1 = 21 Senators | control1 = Republican Party | chamber1_leader1_type = Lieutenant Governor | chamber1_leader1 = Ignatius L. Donnelly | chamber1_leader2_type = | chamber1_leader2 = | chamber1_leader3_type = | chamber1_leader3 = | chamber1_leader4_type = | chamber1_leader4 = | chamber1_leader5_type = | chamber1_leader5 = | chamber2 = Minnesota House of Representatives | membership2 = 42 Representatives | control2 = Republican Party | chamber2_leader1_type = Speaker | chamber2_leader1 = Jared Benson | chamber2_leader2_type = | chamber2_leader2 = | chamber2_leader3_type = | chamber2_leader3 = | chamber2_leader4_type = | chamber2_leader4 = | chamber2_leader5_type = | chamber2_leader5 = | session1_start = | session1_end = }} 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.<ref name="sessions">{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/histleg/sessions.aspx|title=Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849-present.|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref>
== Party summary == :''Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.''
=== Senate === {| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" ! rowspan=3 | ! colspan=3 | Party<ref name="party">{{cite book|last=Dubin|first=Michael J.|title=Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures: A Year by Year Summary, 1796-2006|publisher=McFarland|edition=Revised|date=2007|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|pages=102|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wi9zBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA102|isbn=1476607761}}</ref> <div style="font-size:80%">(Shading indicates majority caucus)</div> ! rowspan=3 | Total ! rowspan=3 | Vacant |- style="height:5px" | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Independent Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" | |- ! Democratic ! Independent ! Republican |- ! style="white-space:nowrap; font-size:80%;"| End of previous Legislature | 11 | 1 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 25 ! 37 | 0 |- | colspan=6 | |- ! style="font-size:80%" | Begin | rowspan="4" | 2 | rowspan="4" | 0 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 19 ! 21 | 0 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | April 29, 1861{{#tag:ref|The exact date of John H. Pell's resignation is unknown. In lieu of the actual date of resignation, ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists April 29, 1861—the date immediately preceding the date of Pell's enlistment in the Army—as the end of his tenure.<ref name="john_h_pell"/>|name="pell_resignation_date"|group="nb"}} | {{party shading/Republican}} | 18 ! 20 | 1 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | December 31, 1861{{#tag:ref|The date of Stiles P. Jones' death is unknown, except that it occurred sometime after the end of the 1861 session, but before the end of the year. In lieu of the actual date of Jones' death, ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists December 31, 1861 as the end of his tenure.<ref name="stiles_p_jones"/>|name="jones_death_date"|group="nb"}} | {{party shading/Republican}} | 17 ! 19 | 2 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | January 6, 1862{{#tag:ref|The exact dates of Thomas J. Galbraith's, Henry W. Holley's, and George Watson's resignations are unknown. In lieu of the actual dates of their resignation, ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists January 6, 1862—the date immediately preceding the date on which the 4th Minnesota Legislature convened—as the end of their tenures.<ref name="tj_galbraith"/><ref name="hw_holley"/><ref name="george_watson"/>|name="galbraith_holley_watson"|group="nb"}} | {{party shading/Republican}} | 14 ! 16 | 5 |- ! Latest voting share ! {{percentage|2|16|0}} ! {{percentage|0|16|0}} ! {{percentage|14|16|0}} ! colspan=2 | |- | colspan=6 | |- ! style="white-space:nowrap; font-size:80%;"| Beginning of the next Legislature | 5 | 0 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 16 ! 21 | 0 |}
=== House of Representatives === {| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" ! rowspan=3 | ! colspan=3 | Party<ref name="party"/> <div style="font-size:80%">(Shading indicates majority caucus)</div> ! rowspan=3 | Total ! rowspan=3 | Vacant |- style="height:5px" | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |- ! Democratic ! Republican ! Union Dem. |- ! style="white-space:nowrap; font-size:80%;"| End of previous Legislature | 19 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 61 | 0 ! 80 | 0 |- | colspan=6 | |- ! style="font-size:80%" | Begin | 3 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 39 | rowspan="4" | 0 ! rowspan="2" | 42 | rowspan="2" | 0 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | January 9, 1861{{#tag:ref|The exact date on which Jefferson Parish Kidder's term ended and Andrew Nessell's term began is uncertain, so, in lieu of such date, ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists January 9, 1861—the day after the third legislature was convened.<ref name="jp_kidder"/><ref name="andrew_nessell"/>|name="kidder_nessell"|group="nb"}} | rowspan="3" | 2 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 40 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | May 1, 1861{{#tag:ref|The exact date on which Edmund E. Paulding left office as a legislator to work in Washington, D.C. is unknown. Sources indicate it was in either April or May 1861; ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' splits the difference by listing May 1, 1861.<ref name="ee_paulding"/>|name="paulding_end"|group="nb"}} | {{party shading/Republican}} | 39 ! 41 | 1 |- ! style="font-size:80%" | December 31, 1861{{#tag:ref|The date of L. D. Patterson's death is unknown, except that it occurred sometime after the end of the 1861 session, but before the end of the year. In lieu of the actual date of Patterson's death, ''Minnesota Legislators Past & Present'' lists December 31, 1861 as the end of his tenure.<ref name="ld_patterson"/>|name="patterson_end"|group="nb"}} | {{party shading/Republican}} | 38 ! 40 | 2 |- ! Latest voting share ! {{percentage|2|40|0}} ! {{percentage|38|40|0}} ! {{percentage|0|40|0}} ! colspan=2 | |- | colspan=6 | |- ! style="white-space:nowrap; font-size:80%;"| Beginning of the next Legislature | 10 | {{party shading/Republican}} | 30 | 2 ! 42 | 0 |}
== Leadership ==
=== Senate === ;Lieutenant Governor :Ignatius L. Donnelly (R-Nininger)<ref name="spres">{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/histleg/spres.aspx|title=President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref>
=== House of Representatives === ;Speaker of the House :Jared Benson (R-Anoka)<ref name="speaker">{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/histleg/speakers.aspx|title=Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref>
== Members ==
=== Senate === {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Name ! District ! City ! Party |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Baldwin, Rufus J. | 05 | Minneapolis | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Barney, Sheldon F. | 17 | Mankato | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Bennett, Samuel | 06 | Monticello | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Cleveland, Guy K. | 20 | Winnebago City | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Cook, Michael | 08 | Faribault | Republican |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} | Fake, J. W. | 15 | Austin | Democratic |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Galbraith, Thomas Jacob | 18 | Shakopee | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Gibbs, Seth | 03 | Clearwater | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hayes, Archibald M. | 07 | Hastings | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Heaton, David | 04 | Saint Anthony | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Holley, Henry W. | 14 | Chatfield | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Jones, Stiles P. | 12 | Rochester | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Lynd, James W. | 19 | Henderson | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | McLaren, Robert N. | 09 | Red Wing | Republican |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} | McRoberts, Thomas | 13 | La Crescent | Democratic |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Norton, Daniel Sheldon | 11 | Winona | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Pell, John H. | 10 | Plainview | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Reiner, Joel K. | 02 | Marine | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Sanborn, John Benjamin | 21 | Saint Paul | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Smith, James K. | 01 | Saint Paul | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Watson, George | 16 | Sumner | Republican |}
=== House of Representatives === {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Name ! District ! City ! Party |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Acker, Henry | 01 | Saint Paul | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Banning, William L. | 21 | Saint Paul | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Baxter, William R. | 06 | Glencoe | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Benson, Jared | 04 | Anoka | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Butler, A. H. | 14 | Newburg | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Cathcart, Thomas | 03 | Crow Wing | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Chamblin, M. A. | 07 | Lewiston | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Chapman, Joseph E. | 09 | Cannon Falls | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Cheadle, Asa | 17 | Cleveland | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Child, James E. | 16 | Wilton | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Cornell, Francis R.E. | 05 | Minneapolis | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Driscoll, Frederick | 18 | Sand Creek | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Gregory, P. L. | 03 | Saint Cloud | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hanscome, M. G. | 19 | Saint Peter | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Harkins, Abram | 12 | Greenfield | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hayden, Wentworth | 05 | Champlin | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hoskins, J. D. | 08 | Northfield | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Howe, J. P. | 14 | Granger | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hunt, Thomas J. | 15 | Concord | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Kennedy, Vincent P. | 06 | Greenleaf | Republican |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} | Kidder, Jefferson Parish | 01 | Saint Paul | Democratic |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} | LeBlond, J. B. | 13 | Brownsville | Democratic |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Mahew, G. V. | 04 | Sauk Rapids | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Mantor, Peter | 15 | Mantorville | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Morrison, H. G.O. | 07 | Pine Bend | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Munch, Emil D. | 02 | Chengwatana | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Nessell, Andrew | 01 | Saint Paul | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Patterson, L. D. | 17 | Mankato | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Paulding, Edmund E. | 19 | Saint Peter | Republican |-{{Party shading/Democratic}} | Pettit, W. F. | 16 | Owatonna | Democratic |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Sargeant, M. Wheeler | 11 | Winona | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Sherwood, Charles D. | 14 | Elkhorn | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Smith, T. Dwight | 06 | Chaska | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Stewart, George W. | 17 | Le Sueur | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Strecker, A. | 20 | New Ulm | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Tattersall, William K. | 12 | High Forest | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Tefft, Natahniel S. | 10 | Minneiska | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Hewitt L. Thomas | 02 | Afton | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Warner, Ebenezer | 11 | Saint Charles | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Wheeler, Levi | 03 | Little Falls | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | White, Clark R. | 09 | Pine Island | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Whiting, Erastus D. | 02 | Taylors Falls | Republican |-{{Party shading/Republican}} | Wood, Charles | 08 | Morristown | Republican |}
== Membership changes ==
=== Senate === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" ! District ! Vacated by ! Reason for change ! Successor ! Date successor<br/>seated |- | 18 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | Thomas J. Galbraith<br/>(R) | Resigned on date uncertain.<ref name="tj_galbraith">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=12943|title=Galbraith, Thomas Jacob "Thos. J., T.J., Jacob T."|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |- | 14 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | Henry W. Holley<br/>(R) | Resigned on date uncertain.<ref name="hw_holley">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=13387|title=Holley, Henry W. "H.W."|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |- | 12 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | Stiles P. Jones<br/>(R) | Died in office on September 25, 1861.<ref name="stiles_p_jones">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=12413|title=Jones, Stiles P.|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |- | 10 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | John H. Pell<br/>(R) | Resigned on date uncertain, to enlist in the United States Army.<ref name="john_h_pell">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=14285|title=Pell, John H.|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |- | 16 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | George Watson<br/>(R) | Resigned on date uncertain.<ref name="george_watson">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=12006|title=Watson, George|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |}
=== House of Representatives === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" ! District ! Vacated by ! Reason for change ! Successor ! Date successor<br/>seated |- | 01 | nowrap {{party shading/Democratic}} | Jefferson Parish Kidder<br/>(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.<ref name="jp_kidder">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=12152|title=Kidder, Jefferson Parish "J.P."|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | Andrew Nessell<br>(R) | January 9, 1861<ref name="andrew_nessell">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=14153|title=Nessell, Andrew|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="kidder_nessell" group="nb"/> |- | 17 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | L. D. Patterson<br/>(R) | Died in office on date uncertain.<ref name="ld_patterson">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=14253|title=Patterson, L. D.|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=14 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |- | 19 | nowrap {{party shading/Republican}} | Edmund E. Paulding<br/>(R) | Appointed on date uncertain to serve as U.S. Army paymaster for Minnesota, in Washington, D.C.<ref name="ee_paulding">{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?ID=14257|title=Paulding, Edmund E. "E.E."|work=Legislators Past & Present|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|access-date=14 November 2016}}</ref> | colspan="2" | ''Remained vacant'' |}
== Notes == <references group="nb"/>
== References == {{Reflist}} * [https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/results?search=session&q=&gender=&sess=3&body=Senate Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 3, Senate)] * [https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/results?search=session&q=&gender=&sess=3&body=House Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 3, House)] {{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = Third Minnesota Legislature | before = Second Minnesota Legislature | after = Fourth Minnesota Legislature | years = 1861 }} {{S-end}}
{{Minnesota Legislatures}}
03rd Category:1861 in Minnesota Category:1861 U.S. legislative sessions