The 1st Minnesota Legislature first convened on December 2, 1857. The 37 members of the

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are h ...

and the 80 members of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint ...

were elected during the General Election of October 13, 1857. Although the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...

of the State of Minnesota, which had been adopted by the voters at the 1857 general election, was not ratified by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

until May 11, 1858, this was the first legislature of the State of Minnesota to convene in conformity with the state constitution.

Sessions

The legislature met in a regular session from December 2, 1857 to August 12, 1858, with a recess between March 25, 1858 and June 2, 1858. There were no special sessions; however, the regular session continued for 254 days, which still ranks the longest duration of any Minnesota Legislature. Due to the protracted length of the 1857-58 session, it was determined that an 1858-59 meeting of the legislature was unnecessary, and the 2nd Minnesota Legislature did not convene until December 1859.

Party summary

:''Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.''

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

;Lieutenant Governor :Since June 3, 1858 William Holcombe (D-Stillwater) ;President of the Senate :Until June 3, 1858 Richard G. Murphy (D-Shakopee)

House of Representatives

;Speaker of the House :Until March 12, 1858

John S. Watrous John S. Watrous (died 1897) was a politician from Minnesota, and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There ar ...

(D-Clifton) :Since March 12, 1858

George Bradley George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League, the oldest le ...

(D-Belle Plaine) ;Speaker Pro Tempore :December 22, 1857 to March 12, 1858

(D-Belle Plaine)

Members

Senate

House of Representatives

Membership changes

House of Representatives

Notes

References

Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 1, Senate)

Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 1, House)
{{Minnesota Legislatures 01st 1850s in Minnesota 1857 establishments in Minnesota Territory