Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
The Library’s primary location will be 3238 Minnesota Senate Building until January 12, 2027. Visit us there or contact us at 651-296-8338 or library@lrl.mn.gov.
  1. LRL Home
  2. Legislators Past & Present
  3. Member Record

James "Jim" Evans

House 1977-84 (District 10A)

Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

Counties Served:  Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 1/1/1927
Birth Place: Little Falls, Minnesota
Birth County: Morrison
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 1/6/2012
Gender: Male
Religion: Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Jim
City of Residence (when first elected): Detroit Lakes
Occupation (when first elected): Former Retail Grocer, Owner and Operator

EDUCATION

Holy Rosary Elementary School; Elementary School;
Detroit Lakes High School; Secondary; 1945
University of North Dakota; Attended College;

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Army (Finance Department, 18 months); 19?? to 19??
Municipal Board/Commission: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota (Detroit Lakes Centennial, Co-Chair); 19?? to 19??

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Mary Ann Colmer (married on August 24, 1948)
Children: Six children: Steve, Joe, Nancy, Tom, Mike, and Bob
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He moved to Detroit Lakes in 1929.

He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1977-78.

Total Days Served: 2926

SESSIONS SERVED

73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
Body: House
District: 10A
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Detroit Lakes
Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
Oath Date: 1/4/1983
Counties Represented: Becker, Otter Tail
Occupation: Businessman
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Agriculture: Dairy and Livestock
  • Regulated Industries
  • Regulated Industries: Beverage
  • Taxes
  • Taxes: Economic Development Division

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
Body: House
District: 10A
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Detroit Lakes
Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Oath Date: 1/6/1981
Counties Represented: Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena
Occupation: Businessman, Former Supermarket Owner and Operator
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
  • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
  • Labor-Management Relations
  • Labor-Management Relations: Workers Compensation
  • Regulated Industries
  • Taxes
  • Taxes: Revenue Division

71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
Body: House
District: 10A
Elected: 11/7/1978
Residence: Detroit Lakes
Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Oath Date: 1/3/1979
Counties Represented: Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena
Occupation: Businessman
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Energy and Utilities
  • Energy and Utilities: Utilities Regulation and Pricing
  • Labor-Management Relations
  • Labor-Management Relations: Negotiation, General Labor and Legislation
  • Taxes
  • Taxes: Division I - Income and Sales Tax Division

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
Body: House
District: 10A
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Detroit Lakes
Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
Oath Date: 1/4/1977
Counties Represented: Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena
Occupation: Former Retail Grocer, Owner and Operator
Party: Independent Republican
Committees:
  • Labor-Management Relations
  • Local and Urban Affairs
  • Taxes

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

Portrait of James Evans.
Portrait of James Evans.