Kinzer, John J.
House 1935-38 (District 46); House 1941-62 (District 46); House 1963-64 (District 26)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Counties Served:
Stearns
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
1/28/1891
Birth Place:
Cold Spring, Minnesota
Birth County:
Stearns
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
6/11/1986
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Cold Spring
Occupation (when first elected):
Farm Owner and Operator
EDUCATION
Wakefield Township Public Schools; At Least Elementary School;
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Municipal Government:
Cold Spring, Minnesota (Township Treasurer);
1??? to 1???
County Government:
Wright, Sherburne, and Anoka Counties, Minnesota (Drought Relief Manager);
1934 to 1934
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Married
Children:
Fourteen children: Rose (daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He was of German ancestry.
He was born and raised on a farm.
"...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
"In his last election campaign…Kinzer ran as a conservative." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
He ran unsuccessfully as the Farmer-Labor party endorsed candidate for Minnesota Lieutenant Governor with Elmer Benson for Minnesota Governor in the 1938 election. They lost to Harold Stassen.
Religion provided by his obituary.
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/4/1965
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Dairy Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "In his last election campaign…Kinzer ran as a conservative." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Commercial Transportation and Communications
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Elections and Reapportionment
-
Financial Institutions and Securities
-
Temperance and Liquor Control (Chair)
Elected: 11/8/1960
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/3/1961 to 1/7/1963
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Dairy Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Cooperatives and Marketing
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor
-
Towns and Counties
-
Veterans and Military Affairs
Elected: 11/4/1958
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/2/1961
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Banking
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor
-
Towns and Counties
-
Veterans and Military Affairs
Elected: 11/6/1956
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/8/1957 to 1/5/1959
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Banking
-
Compute Mileage Special
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Towns and Counties
-
Veterans and Military Affairs
-
Visit Red River Valley Winter Shows Special
Elected: 11/2/1954
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/7/1957
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Communications
-
Cooperatives
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor
-
Towns and Counties
Elected: 11/5/1952
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/6/1953 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Communications
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/5/1953
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Communications
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
Elected: 11/2/1948
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/4/1949 to 1/1/1951
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Communications
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
Elected: 11/5/1946
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/7/1947 to 1/3/1949
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Employees Compensation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
Elected: 11/7/1944
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/2/1945 to 1/6/1947
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Employees Compensation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
Elected: 11/3/1942
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/5/1943 to 1/1/1945
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
-
Welfare
-
Workmens and Unemployment Compensation
Elected: 11/5/1940
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/7/1941 to 1/4/1943
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farm Owner and Operator
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Highways
-
Temperance and Liquor Control
-
Workmens Compensation
Elected: 11/3/1936
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/5/1937 to 1/2/1939
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farm Owner and Operator
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Banks and Banking (Chair)
-
Board of Control and State Institutions
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Emergency Relief
-
Railroads and State Motor Transportation
-
State Parks
Elected: 11/6/1934
Residence: Cold Spring
Term of Office: 1/8/1935 to 1/4/1937
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farm Owner and Operator
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Party Notes: "...Kinzer officially was a life-long DFLer, said his daughter, Rose Godzala, Sauk Rapids." (St. Cloud Times Obituary, June 13, 1986, p. 2C)
Committees:
-
Dairy Products and Live Stock
-
Emergency Relief
-
Insurance
-
Military Affairs
-
Public Welfare
-
Reapportionment
-
State Development and Immigration
Articles & Books About
McAllister, Bill. "Kinzer Remembered as Dedicated Legislator (Obituary)." St. Cloud Times, June 13, 1986, p. 1C, 2C.
- This article was reprinted in the Eden Valley Journal, June 18, 1986.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.