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Larson, Llewellyn W. "Lew"

Senate 1959-72 (District 1); Senate 1973-76 (District 35)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

Counties Served:  Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 3/17/1911
Birth Place: Choice, Minnesota
Birth County: Fillmore
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 12/27/1977
Gender: Male
Religion: Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Lew
City of Residence (when first elected): Mabel
Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock

EDUCATION

Choice Rural School; Elementary School;
Mabel High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1930
University of Minnesota; Attended College;

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Board/Commissioner: Fillmore County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1953 to 1959

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Gloria or Georgia Spande (married on August 24, 1938)
Children: Three children: Neil and Brian (sons), Martha (daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: highways, welfare, local government.

He was born in Preble Township, Minnesota.

"A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)

He was a member of the Caledonia Masonic Lodge.

He died from respiratory problems at Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His funeral was held at Scheie Lutheran Church, or First Lutheran Church in Mabel, Minnesota. He was buried in the Scheie Lutheran Church Cemetery.

He was a member of Scheie Lutheran Church near Mabel, Minnesota.

Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

Total Days Served: 6573

SESSIONS SERVED

69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
Body: Senate
District: 35
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
Oath Date: 1/2/1973
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
Occupation: Farmer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Independent Republican Caucus
Committees:
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Regulated Industries
  • Local Government
  • Rules and Administration: Staffing
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
Body: Senate
District: 35
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
Oath Date: 1/2/1973
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
Occupation: Farmer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Regulated Industries
  • Local Government
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
Oath Date: 1/5/1971
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Winona
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Committees
  • Local Government
  • Natural Resoures and Environment
  • Public Highways
  • Regulated Industries (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

66th Legislative Session (1969-1970) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
Oath Date: 1/3/1967
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Winona
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • Local Government
  • Public Highways
  • Rules and Legislative Expense
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Temperance and Liquor Control (Chair)

65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
Oath Date: 1/3/1967
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Winona
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • Local Government
  • Public Highways
  • Rules and Legislative Expense
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Temperance and Liquor Control (Chair)

64th Legislative Session (1965-1966) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
Oath Date: 1/8/1963
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • Liquor Control
  • Public Highways
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Towns and Counties

63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1963
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
Oath Date: 1/8/1963
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • Liquor Control
  • Public Highways
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Towns and Counties

62nd Legislative Session (1961-1962) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1961
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/4/1958
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/5/1959 to 1/6/1963
Oath Date: 1/6/1959
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Elections and Reapportionment
  • Liquor Control
  • Local Government

61st Legislative Session (1959-1960)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1959
Body: Senate
District: 01
Elected: 11/4/1958
Residence: Mabel
Term of Office: 1/5/1959 to 1/6/1963
Oath Date: 1/6/1959
Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston
Occupation: Farmer/Breeder of Registered Livestock
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "A Republican, Larson served in the Senate from 1958 until 1976." (Obituary, Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977)
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Elections and Reapportionment
  • Liquor Control
  • Local Government

Articles & Books About

  • "Ex-State Senator Larson Dies of Respiratory Ailment (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, December 29, 1977.
  • "Lew Larson Dies at 66 (Obituary)." Tri-County Record, December 29?, 1977.
  • "Lew Larson, Former State Senator, Dies (Obituary)." Minneapolis Star, December 29, 1977.
  • "Ex-State Sen. Lew Larson Dies (Obituary)." St. Paul Dispatch, December 28, 1977.
  • "Lew Larson Dies, Ex-State Senator (Obituary)." Rochester Post-Bulletin, December 28, 1977, p. 8.
  • Milis, Robert. "Lew Larson Considers Retirement From State Senate." Rochester Post-Bulletin, February 26, 1974, p. 18.

News Sources

The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Photographs

Senator Llewellyn Larson and Senator Nancy Brataas listening during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota. c. 1975-1976. Photo credit: Senate Media ServicesThis image was scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library..