Niehaus, Sr., Joseph T. "Joe"
House 1969-72 (District 26B); House 1973-82 (District 16A)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Stearns
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
2/23/1906
Birth Place:
Melrose, Minnesota
Birth County:
Stearns
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
8/10/1989
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Joe
City of Residence (when first elected):
Sauk Centre
Occupation (when first elected):
Dairy Farmer
EDUCATION
High School; Secondary;
University of Minnesota; Attended College;
Vocational-Technical School; Agriculture Short Course
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Lucine Wiener
Children:
Seven children: Joseph "Joe" Jr., Virgil, and Theodore (sons); Antoinette "Toni", Marian, Lucille, and Eileen (daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He was born on a farm north of Melrose, Minnesota.
He farmed near Sauk Centre beginning in 1935.
"He was an honest, solid conservative who believed in less government." (Obituary, St. Cloud Times, August 11, 1989)
Niehaus, an Independent-Republican, was elected to represent western Stearns County in 1968. (Star Tribune, August 12, 1989, p. 6B)
He worked as a Secretary-Treasurer of the local rural telephone company for 25 years, the Director of the Sauk Centre Cooperative Creamery for 24 years, was the Board Chair for 9 years; and as a Director at Land O'Lakes Creameries, District 13 and Land O'Lakes Inc., Minneapolis.
He died at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. His funeral was held at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.
He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Sauke Centre, Minnesota.
Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.
Body: House
District: 16A
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
-
Health and Welfare
-
Health and Welfare: Social Services
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Migrant Health Task Force
-
Labor-Management Relations: Negotiations and General Labor Legislation
-
Local and Urban Affairs
-
Local and Urban Affairs: Governmental Administration
Body: House
District: 16A
Elected: 11/7/1978
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Health and Welfare (Chair)
[He was Chair in 1979 only.]
-
Health and Welfare: Social Services
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Negotiation, General Labor and Legislation
Body: House
District: 16A
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/2/1979
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer/Secretary-Treasurer, Local Rural Telephone Company/Director, Sauk Centre Cooperative Creamery/Director, District 13, Land O'Lakes Creameries and Land O'Lakes Inc.
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Financial Institutions and Insurance
-
Health and Welfare
-
Local and Urban Affairs
Body: House
District: 16A
Elected: 11/5/1974
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/7/1975 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Education
-
Health and Welfare
-
Local and Urban Affairs
Body: House
District: 16A
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/6/1975
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "He was an honest, solid conservative who believed in less government." (Obituary, St. Cloud Times, August 11, 1989)
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
-
Health and Welfare
-
Local Government
Body: House
District: 26B
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "He was an honest, solid conservative who believed in less government." (Obituary, St. Cloud Times, August 11, 1989)
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
Claims
-
Health, Welfare and Corrections
-
Higher Education
-
Local Government
-
Natural Resources
Body: House
District: 26B
Elected: 11/5/1968
Residence: Sauk Centre
Term of Office: 1/7/1969 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented:
Stearns
Occupation: Dairy Farmer
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: "He was an honest, solid conservative who believed in less government." (Obituary, St. Cloud Times, August 11, 1989)
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
County and Township Government
-
Education
-
Labor Relations
-
Municipal Affairs
-
Public Institutions
Articles & Books About
"Former State Rep. Joe Niehaus (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 13, 1989.
- Incorrectly lists his funeral as being held at St. Michael's Catholic Church, it was St. Paul's.
"Former State Representative Joseph Niehaus Dies at Age 83 (Obituary)." Star Tribune, August 12, 1989, p. 6B.
- Incorrectly lists his funeral as being held at St. Michael's Catholic Church, it was St. Paul's.
Beyers, Becky. "Longtime Lawmaker from Sauk Centre Dies (Obituary)." St. Cloud Times, August 11, 1989.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.