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    Esau, Gilbert D.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1963-66 (District 18); House 1967-68 (District 18A); House 1973-82 (District 28A)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Redwood

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 10/31/1919
    Birth Place: Mountain Lake, Minnesota
    Birth County: Cottonwood
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 7/16/2012
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Mountain Lake
    Occupation (when first elected): Automobile Garage Owner

    EDUCATION

    Mountain Lake Public Schools; At Least Elementary School;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Military: United States Army (World War II, European and Asiatic Theatres); 1941 to 1945
    Municipal Council/Aldermen: Mountain Lake, Minnesota (Village Council); 1954 to 1963

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Carol Herman (married on October 31, 1947)
    Children: Five children: Diana, DeVon, Terrance, Tamara, Brenda
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

    He died in Spirit Lake, Iowa. HIs funeral was held on July 20, 2012 at Alliance Missionary Church. He was buried at Mountain Lake City Cemetery.

    "While in the legislature, Esau earned a reputation as a strong advocate for farmers, and as a leader on issues relevant to criminal justice and education." (Find a Grave Memorial: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=47340753&GRid=93701712&df=1)

    "He was, along with senators Dennis Frederickson, Earl Renneke adn Jim Vickerman, and representative Aubrey Dirlam, George Mann, Henry Kalis, and Wendell Erickson, one of the longest serving legislators from southern Minnesota in the state's history." (from his Find a Grave Memorial: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmcid=47340753&GRid=93701712&df=1)

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 5845

    SESSIONS SERVED

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 28A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Murray, Redwood
    Occupation: Auto Body Repair, Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Education
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Safety
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 28A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Murray, Redwood
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner/Auto Body Repair
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: School Aids Division
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Social Services (Chair)
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Safety and General Transportation

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 28A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Murray, Redwood
    Occupation: Legislator/Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Education
    • Education: School Aids Division
    • Transportation
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 28A
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Murray, Redwood
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • Education
    • Education: School Aids Division

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 28A
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Murray, Redwood
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • Education
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    term photo
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    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
    Body: House
    District: 18A
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/5/1969
    Oath Date: 1/3/1967
    Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Drainage and Soil Conservation
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Health and Welfare
    • Highways
    • Law Enforcement and Liquor Control

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
    Body: House
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/4/1965 to 1/1/1967
    Oath Date: 1/5/1965
    Counties Represented: Cottonwood
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Cooperatives
    • Drainage and Soil Conservation
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Highways
    • Law Enforcement and Juvenile Delinquency

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1963
    Body: House
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Mountain Lake
    Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/3/1965
    Oath Date: 1/8/1963
    Counties Represented: Cottonwood
    Occupation: Automobile Garage Owner
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cooperatives and Marketing
    • General Legislation
    • Highways
    • Temperance and Liquor Control
    • Veterans and Military Affairs
    term photo
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    OTHER INFORMATION

    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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