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Sibley, Henry Hastings "H.H."

Territorial House 1855 (District 6); Democratic Constitutional Convention 1857 (District 6); House 1871 (District 1)

Party when first elected:  Democratic

Counties Served:  Dakota, Ramsey

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 2/20/1811
Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan
Birth County:
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 2/18/1891
Gender: Male
Religion: Episcopalian
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: H.H.
City of Residence (when first elected): Mendota
Occupation (when first elected): Fur Trader, American Fur Company

EDUCATION

Private Tutors; At Least Elementary School; Classics Studies, 2 Years
Detroit Academy, Michigan; At Least Elementary School;
Studied Law;
Princeton College, New Jersey; LL.D.; 1888

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Judge: Mackinac County, Michigan (Justice of the Peace); 1831 to 18??
U.S. Representative: Territorial Delegate to Congress, Wisconsin Territory; 10/30/1848 to 03/03/1849
State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Historical Society (Charter Member and President, 1879); 1849 to 1891
U.S. Representative: Territorial Delegate to Congress, Minnesota Territory; 07/07/1849 to 03/03/1853
Board of Regents: University of Minnesota (Regent, One of the First Ones); 1851 to 185?
Territorial Democratic Constitutional Convention: 6th Council District, Minnesota Territory (President); 07/13/1857 to 08/29/1857 [Elected]
State Governor: Minnesota; 05/24/1858 to 01/02/1860 [Elected]
Board of Regents: University of Minnesota (Regent); 1860 to 1869
Military: Minnesota Military Forces (Dakota Wars of 1862, Minnesota's Military Commander); 1862 to 18??
Military: Union Army (United States Civil War, Defense of the Frontier Against Indian Tribes, Colonel, Brigadier General of Volunteers, Brevetted Major General); 09/1862 to 08/1866
U.S. Executive Branch: Mixed Civil and Military Commission to Negotiate Treaties with the Hostile Sioux Indians (Fort Sully); 08/1866 to 186?
School Board/Administration: St. Paul, Minnesota (Board of Education); 1868 to 1870
Board of Regents: University of Minnesota (President of the Board of Regents); 1876 to 1891
U.S. Executive Branch: Commission to Settle Damage Claims of the Ojibway Indians Due to Reservoir Construction (President); 1883 to 18?? [Appointed]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Sarah Jane Steele (married on May 3, 1843; she died on May 21, 1869))
Children: Nine children: Augusta, and Sarah Jane (daughters); Charles Frederick, and Alfred Brush (sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He was of English ancestry.

He came to Minnesota in 1834.

"In the Lower House, St. Paul, had elected her veteran Democratic citizen, General Henry H. Sibley." (Thirteenth State Legislature. Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1908, p. 42)

He ran unsuccessfully for the United States Congress in 1881.

Sibley County, Minnesota was named after him.

Sibley helped to draft the Minnesota Constitution and as a founder of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Historical Society. (MNopedia)

He died in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota and was buried in Oakland Cemetery.

He attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Religion provided by Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897.

Total Days Served: 728

SESSIONS SERVED

13th Legislative Session (1871)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 01
Elected: 11/8/1870
Residence: Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/3/1871 to 1/1/1872
Counties Represented: Ramsey
Occupation: Banker
Party: Democratic Party Notes: "In the Lower House, St. Paul, had elected her veteran Democratic citizen, General Henry H. Sibley." (Thirteenth State Legislature. Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1908, p. 42)
Committees:
  • Charitable Institutions
  • Joint Apportionment
  • Public Lands
  • Railroads

6th Territorial Legislative Session (1855)

  Session Details
Body: Territorial House
District: 06
Elected: 10/10/1854
Residence: Mendota
Term of Office: 1/3/1855 to 1/1/1856
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Fur Trader, American Fur Company
Party: Democratic Party Notes: "In the Lower House, St. Paul, had elected her veteran Democratic citizen, General Henry H. Sibley." (Thirteenth State Legislature. Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1908, p. 42)
Committees:
  • Judiciary (Chair)
  • Territorial Expenditures
  • Territorial Roads