Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links > >

Gillen, Arthur F. "Art"

House 1943-50 (District 20); Senate 1951-58 (District 20)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

Counties Served:  Dakota

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 10/10/1919
Birth Place: South Saint Paul, Minnesota
Birth County: Dakota
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 7/15/2005
Gender: Male
Religion: Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Art
City of Residence (when first elected): South Saint Paul
Occupation (when first elected): Senior Student, University of Minnesota Law School

EDUCATION

South Saint Paul High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1937
University of Minnesota, Law School; B.S.L.; 1943

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Lois (married around 1945)
Children: Six children: Robert, Ted, and Peter (sons); Anne Marie, Janice, and Mary (daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He moved to White Bear Lake, Minnesota in 1965.

"As a legislator, Gillen, who sided with what was then called the conservative caucus, was elected to the House in 1942." ("Legislator and Lawyer Arthur Gillen Dies at 86. [Obituary]." Star Tribune, August 2, 2005, p. 6B)

He was a trumpet and cornet player in the University of Minnesota band.

He was a member of the Gamma Eta Gamma legal fraternity. He was a Boy Scout and served as a Scoutmaster.

He died from bone cancer in Santa Monica, California. A memorial service was held for him at St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic Church in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Religion provided by his obituary.

Total Days Served: 5845

SESSIONS SERVED

60th Legislative Session (1957-1958) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 20
Elected: 11/2/1954
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/5/1959
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Dairy Products and Livestock
  • Education
  • Engrossing and Enrolling (Chair)
  • Judiciary
  • Markets and Marketing (Chair)
  • Public Highways
  • Rules and Legislative Expense
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Workmens Compensation and Unemployment Insurance

59th Legislative Session (1955-1956)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 20
Elected: 11/2/1954
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/5/1959
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Dairy Products and Livestock
  • Education
  • Engrossing and Enrolling (Chair)
  • Judiciary
  • Markets and Marketing (Chair)
  • Public Highways
  • Rules and Legislative Expense
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Workmens Compensation and Unemployment Insurance

58th Legislative Session (1953-1954) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 20
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Education
  • Engrossing and Enrolling
  • Judiciary
  • Markets and Marketing
  • Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
  • Public Institutions and Buildings
  • Reapportionment
  • Telephone and Telegraph

57th Legislative Session (1951-1952)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 20
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Education
  • Judiciary
  • Markets and Marketing
  • Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
  • Public Institutions and Buildings
  • Reapportionment
  • Telephone and Telegraph

56th Legislative Session (1949-1950)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 20
Elected: 11/2/1948
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/4/1949 to 1/1/1951
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Aircraft and Airways
  • Communications
  • Education
  • Employees Compensation (Chair)
  • Judiciary

55th Legislative Session (1947-1948)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 20
Elected: 11/5/1946
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/7/1947 to 1/3/1949
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Aircraft and Airways
  • Education
  • Judiciary
  • Motor Vehicles
  • Reapportionment

54th Legislative Session (1945-1946)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 20
Elected: 11/7/1944
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/2/1945 to 1/6/1947
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Attorney; Kelly-LeVander Law Firm, South St. Paul
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Aviation
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Judiciary
  • Reapportionment

53rd Legislative Session (1943-1944)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 20
Elected: 11/3/1942
Residence: South Saint Paul
Term of Office: 1/5/1943 to 1/1/1945
Counties Represented: Dakota
Occupation: Senior Student, University of Minnesota Law School
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "As a legislator, Gillen, who sided with what was then called the conservative caucus, was elected to the House in 1942." ("Legislator and Lawyer Arthur Gillen Dies at 86. [Obituary]." Star Tribune, August 2, 2005, p. 6B)
Committees:
  • Aircraft and Airways
  • Judiciary
  • Markets and Marketing
  • Reapportionment
  • Temperance and Liquor Control
Articles & Books About
"Legislator and Lawyer Arthur Gillen Dies at 86. (Obituary)." Star Tribune, August 2, 2005, p. 6B.

"A Lawyer, Father, and Lover of Music - Art F. Gillen was Minnesota Legislator (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 24, 2005.

"Gillen, Arthur F. (Obituary)." Star Tribune, July 24, 2005. - The same obituary ran in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 24, 2005.


These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.