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    Biersdorf, John S.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1971-72 (District 3A); House 1973-80 (District 32A)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Dodge, Steele

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 10/11/1925
    Birth Place: Owatonna, Minnesota
    Birth County: Steele
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 6/1/2009
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Presbyterian
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Owatonna
    Occupation (when first elected): Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture

    EDUCATION

    Rural School; Elementary School; One Room Schoolhouse
    Owatonna High School; Secondary; Graduate
    University of Minnesota; B.B.A.; Business

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    County Board/Commissioner: Steele County, Minnesota (County Soil Conservation Board); [Dates Unknown]
    School Board/Administration: Owatonna, Minnesota (School Board Member); 19?? to 19??
    Military: United States Armed Forces, 714th Ordnance Company, 89th Division (World War II, Europe, Under General George Patton, 2 years); 194? to 194?

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Marian (married around 1948)
    Children: Five children: Lee, Beth, and Mary (daughters); Jack and Dan (sons)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party. (Obituary)

    He was born on a farm in Deerfield Township, Minnesota near Owatonna.

    He died at Colonial Acres Health Care Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota of a heart related ailment.

    He was a member of Associated Church in Owatonna, Minnesota. (Star Tribune Obituary)

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

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 3654

    SESSIONS SERVED

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 32A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Owatonna
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Dodge, Steele
    Occupation: Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1979.]
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Tourism and Consumer Protection
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Personnel
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Labor-Management Relations: Negotiation, General Labor and Legislation

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 32A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Owatonna
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Dodge, Steele
    Occupation: Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Governmental Operations
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 32A
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Owatonna
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Dodge, Steele
    Occupation: Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Governmental Operations

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 32A
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Owatonna
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Dodge, Steele
    Occupation: Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • Environmental Preservation and Natural Resources
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
    Body: House
    District: 03A
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Owatonna
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Oath Date: 1/5/1971
    Counties Represented: Steele
    Occupation: Insurance, Federated Insurance Company/Agriculture
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Crime Prevention
    • Insurance
    • Natural Resources
    • Regulated Industries

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    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.

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