Lennon, Ambrose Leo "A.L."
House 1915-22 (District 28); Senate 1923-34 (District 28)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election
Counties Served:
Hennepin
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
??/??/1861
Birth Place:
,
Birth County:
Birth Country:
Ireland
Date of Death:
4/25/1937
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
A.L.
City of Residence (when first elected):
Minneapolis
Occupation (when first elected):
Special Representative, Elaborated Ready Roofing Co. of Chicago
EDUCATION
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
County Board/Commissioner:
Hennepin County and Ramsey County, Minnesota (Joint Committee to Build the Lake Street and Marshall Avenue Bridge, Chair);
1??? to 1???
County Board/Commissioner:
Hennepin County, Minnesota (County Commissioner);
1886 to 1888
State Agency:
Minnesota State Deputy Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District;
1905 to 1909
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Mary
Children:
Three children: Mary and Esther (daughters); William (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota around 1875.
In May of 1925, he was convicted in federal court of violating the National Prohibition (Volstead) Act and sentenced to a year in jail. During his appeal process, he was re-elected to the Senate. On January 13, 1927, a Senate resolution was offered, which requested that he withdraw from Senate participation during his appeal process. This resolution was referred to the elections committee, which voted 7 to 5 to take no action while the appeal was pending. There were several letters and petitions received by the Senate from the public to either unseat or expel Sen. Lennon throughout the 1927 session. In June of 1927, he was sentenced on appeal to serve a year in jail. On May 12, 1928, he was pardoned by President Coolidge and returned home after serving six and a half months in jail. On January 8, 1929, there was an unsuccessful attempt by the Senate to expel him. The motion did not prevail with 25 yeas and 38 nays.
His funeral services were at St. Anthony of Padua church in Minneapolis.
Religion provided by obituary (Minneapolis Journal, April 26, 1937, p 2); he was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Holy Name Society.
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/4/1930
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1931 to 1/7/1935
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: None Listed
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Highways
-
Reapportionment
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/4/1930
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/6/1931 to 1/7/1935
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Welfare
-
Reapportionment
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/2/1926
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1927 to 1/5/1931
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Welfare
-
Reapportionment
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Session Notes:
In May of 1925, he was convicted in federal court of violating the National Prohibition (Volstead) Act and sentenced to a year in jail. During his appeal process, he was re-elected to the Senate. On January 8, 1929, there was an unsuccessful attempt by the Senate to expel him.
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/2/1926
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1927 to 1/5/1931
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Welfare
-
Reapportionment
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Session Notes:
In May of 1925, he was convicted in federal court of violating the National Prohibition (Volstead) Act and sentenced to a year in jail. During his appeal process, he was re-elected to the Senate. On January 8, 1929, there was an unsuccessful attempt by the Senate to expel him.
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/7/1922
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1923 to 1/3/1927
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Special Representative, John Wunder Trap Rock and Crushed Stone Co.
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Labor (Chair)
-
Public Welfare
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Telephone and Telegraph
Body: Senate
District: 28
Elected: 11/7/1922
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1923 to 1/3/1927
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Deputy Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Public Welfare and Health
-
Re-apportionment
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Elected: 11/2/1920
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/4/1921 to 1/1/1923
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Deputy Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities (Chair)
-
General Legislation
-
Public Utilities
-
Railroads
-
Re-apportionment
-
Taxes
Elected: 11/5/1918
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/7/1919 to 1/3/1921
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Former State Deputy Oil Inspector, Minneapolis District/Former Hennepin County Commissioner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities of the First Class
-
General Legislation
-
Insurance
-
Labor
-
State Hospitals
Elected: 11/7/1916
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/2/1917 to 1/6/1919
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Special Representative, Elaborated Ready Roofing Co. of Chicago
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Commerce and Retail Trade
-
Corporations Other Than Municipal
-
Engrossment
-
Logs and Lumber
-
Mileage
Elected: 11/3/1914
Residence: Minneapolis
Term of Office: 1/5/1915 to 1/1/1917
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation: Special Representative, Elaborated Ready Roofing Co. of Chicago
Party:
Nonpartisan Election
Committees:
-
Cities (Chair)
-
Commerce and Retail Trade
-
General Legislation
-
Logs and Lumber
-
Public Health and Pure Food
-
State Fair
Articles & Books By
Statement by Senator Ambrose L. Lennon Related to the Move to Expel Him from the Senate, Minnesota Journal of the Senate, January 8, 1929, p. 11-16.
Articles & Books About
Healy, N. "Prohibition Politics." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 28, 2000, p. 4 .
Ambrose Leo Lennon Memorial. Minnesota Journal of the House, May 26, 1937, p. 38-39.
"Lennon, Civic Leader, Dead." The Minneapolis Star, April 26, 1937.
Quinlan, Jack. "Senator Wins Fight for Seat by 13 Ballots." The Minneapolis Morning Tribune, January 9, 1929.
"Lennon Home After Pardon by Coolidge: State Senator Served Part of Liquor Term in Winona Jail." The Minneapolis Star, May 14, 1928.
"Lennon Freed on President's Pardon Order." Star Tribune, May 13, 1928, p. 1.
"Appeal Court Rules Lennon to Jail Term: State Senator Must Serve Year's Sentence at Winona." Star Tribune, June 9, 1927.
Senator Lawson's Resolution Related to Sen. Lennon's Standing in the Senate, Minnesota Journal of the Senate, January 13, 1927, p. 60.
Witham, J.W. "The Lennon Case." Minnesota Legislature of 1927, p. 39-40.
"Five Eagles Sentenced to Jail for One Year." Star Tribune, November 10, 1925.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.