Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Naplin, Laura Emelia

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1927-34 (District 65)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Clearwater, Pennington, Red Lake

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 2/14/1893
    Birth Place: Brookings, South Dakota
    Birth County: Brookings
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 1/??/1985
    Gender: Female
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    Former Name: Johnson
    City of Residence (when first elected): Thief River Falls
    Occupation (when first elected): Former Rural School Teacher; Pennington, Marshall, and Polk Counties, 9 years

    EDUCATION

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Agency: Minnesota Department of Health (Hotel Inspection Division); 1936 to 1939 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Oscar Albert Naplin (married on July 29, 1919, he died on January 15, 1927); Widow (when first elected)
    Children: One child: Arloine Elvina Lorraine (daughter)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Oscar Albert Naplin  - Husband

    GENERAL NOTES

    She was the first woman elected to serve in the Minnesota Senate. The second woman to serve in the Minnesota Senate was Nancy Brataas in 1975.

    She was of Norwegian ancestry.

    She was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women; Rochester Post-Bulletin, February 1, 1975)

    She was born on a farm near Brookings, South Dakota. She came to northern Minnesota in 1900 and grew up near Gatzke, Minnesota. She moved to Thief River Falls, Minnesota after her marriage in 1919. She moved to California around 1940.

    She ran unsuccessfully for the United States Congress in 1936 and 1940.

    She died in Oakland, California.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2884

    SESSIONS SERVED

    48th Legislative Session (1933-1934) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1933
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/4/1930
    Residence: Thief River Falls
    Term of Office: 1/5/1931 to 1/6/1935
    Oath Date: 1/6/1931
    Counties Represented: Clearwater, Pennington, Red Lake
    Occupation: Former Rural School Teacher; Pennington, Marshall, Polk, and Olmsted Counties, 9 years
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Education
    • Labor
    • Public Domain
    • Public Welfare
    • Reapportionment
    • State and County Fairs
    term photo
    Click to view

    47th Legislative Session (1931-1932)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1931
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 11/4/1930
    Residence: Thief River Falls
    Term of Office: 1/5/1931 to 1/6/1935
    Oath Date: 1/6/1931
    Counties Represented: Clearwater, Pennington, Red Lake
    Occupation: Former Rural School Teacher; Pennington, Marshall, Polk, and Olmsted Counties, 9 years
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Education
    • Public Domain
    • Public Welfare
    • Reapportionment
    • State and County Fairs
    • Telephone and Telegraph
    • Temperance
    term photo
    Click to view

    46th Legislative Session (1929-1930) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1929
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 2/7/1927
    Residence: Thief River Falls
    Term of Office: 2/14/1927 to 1/4/1931 (Special Election)
    Oath Date: 2/14/1927
    Counties Represented: Clearwater, Pennington, Red Lake
    Occupation: Former Rural School Teacher; Pennington, Marshall, Polk, and Olmsted Counties, 9 years
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Public Domain
    • Public Welfare
    • Reapportionment
    • State and County Fairs
    • Telephone and Telegraph
    • Towns and Counties
    Session Notes: She won the seat of her deceased husband, Oscar A. Naplin. She was sworn in on February 14, 1927.

    45th Legislative Session (1927-1928)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1927
    Body: Senate
    District: 65
    Elected: 2/7/1927
    Residence: Thief River Falls
    Term of Office: 2/14/1927 to 1/4/1931 (Special Election)
    Oath Date: 2/14/1927
    Counties Represented: Clearwater, Pennington, Red Lake
    Occupation: Former Rural School Teacher; Pennington, Marshall, and Polk Counties, 9 years
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women)
    Committees:
    • Corporations
    • Judiciary
    • Reapportionment
    • State and County Fairs
    • Telephone and Telegraph
    • Towns and Counties
    Session Notes: She won the seat of her deceased husband, Oscar A. Naplin. She was sworn in on February 14, 1927.
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    • Stuhler, Barbara and Gretchen Kreuter. "Women Legislators: Laura Emelia Johnson Naplin." Women of Minnesota: Selected Biographical Essays, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1977, p. 272-273.
    • "1st Minnesota Woman Senator Hale, Hearty." Rochester Post-Bulletin, February 1, 1975.
    • "First Woman Senator Looks Back." St. Paul Dispatch, February 1, 1975.
    • "First Woman Senator Wants a Second. Rochester Voters to Decide." Mankato Free Pres, February 1, 1975.
    • "First Woman State Senator Applauds Election of Second." Minneapolis Tribune, February 1, 1975, p. 1B, 2B.
    • Swenson, Helen Greenli. "Laura Emilia Johnson." The Landings Scatter, Ch. 4, Conrad Publishing Company, Bismarck, North Dakota: November 1972, p. 72-73.

    Legislators Past & Present Home