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    Jacobson, Jacob F. "Jake, King Jake"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1889-90 (District 37); House 1893-98 (District 43); House 1899-1902 (District 18)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 1/13/1849
    Birth Place: Ryfylke,
    Birth County: Rogaland
    Birth Country: Norway
    Date of Death: 4/19/1938
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Jake, King Jake
    City of Residence (when first elected): Madison
    Occupation (when first elected): Agricultural Implements Dealer

    EDUCATION

    Common Schools; At Least Elementary School;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    County Board/Commissioner: Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota (County Agricultural Society, President, 8 years); 18?? to 1???
    County Auditor: Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota; 1873 to 1879
    State Board/Commission/Council: State Board of Control (Chairman); 01/1904 to 04/1905 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Married three times; Widower (listed in 1889) twice
    Children: Five children
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He came to the United States in 1857 and settled in Dover, Fayette County, Iowa. He came to Minnesota in 1871 (Star Tribune, August 9, 1908).

    He was known as "the Norwegian Giant from Lac qui Parle" or "King Jake. He was elected on the republican ticket" (Lovoll, Odd. Norwegians on the Prairie: Ethnicity and the Development of the Country Town, 2006).

    His nicknames include: Jake, King Jake, and Lac Qui Parle War Horse.

    He was an at-large candidate to the 1892, 1912, 1916 National Republican Convention (Minneapolis Journal, Feb. 17, 1906; Star Tribune, April 21, 1938).

    He did not secure GOP endorsement for the 1906 governor's race. He was a candidate for governor in the 1908 race (Star Tribune, August 9, 1908).

    His topics of interest were with regulation of railroad (such as the 4% gross earnings tax, the open market law, and the "y" law) and the creation of the State Board of Control (Star Tribune, August 9, 1908).

    Total Days Served: 4382

    SESSIONS SERVED

    32nd Legislative Session (1901-1902)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/6/1900
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/8/1901 to 1/5/1903
    Counties Represented: Lac Qui Parle
    Occupation: Agricultural Implement Business
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations (Chair)
    • Legislative Expenses
    • Public Lands
    • Taxes and Tax Laws

    31st Legislative Session (1899-1900)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/8/1898
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/3/1899 to 1/7/1901
    Counties Represented: Lac Qui Parle
    Occupation: Agricultural Implement Business
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations (Chair)
    • Legislative Expenses
    • Mines and Minerals
    • Public Lands
    • Taxes and Tax Laws

    30th Legislative Session (1897-1898)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 43
    Elected: 11/3/1896
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/5/1897 to 1/2/1899
    Counties Represented: Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift
    Occupation: Agricultural Implement Business
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Legislative Expenses
    • Public Lands (Chair)
    • Taxes and Tax Laws

    29th Legislative Session (1895-1896)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 43
    Elected: 11/6/1894
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/8/1895 to 1/4/1897
    Counties Represented: Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift
    Occupation: Farm Implement and Machinery Business
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Sub-Committee of the Committee on Appropriations (Chair)
    • Grain and Warehouse
    • Legislative Expenses (Chair)
    • Municipal Legislation
    • Public Lands

    28th Legislative Session (1893-1894)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 43
    Elected: 11/8/1892
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/3/1893 to 1/7/1895
    Counties Represented: Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift
    Occupation: Farm Implement and Machinery Business
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Binding Twine and Fiber and Fibrous Plants (Chair)
    • Grain and Warehouse
    • Public Lands
    • Taxes and Tax Laws

    26th Legislative Session (1889-1890)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 37
    Elected: 11/6/1888
    Residence: Madison
    Term of Office: 1/8/1889 to 1/5/1891
    Counties Represented: Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift
    Occupation: Agricultural Implements Dealer
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Public Lands
    • Temperance
    • Towns and Counties (Chair)

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Brown, Curt. "'King Jake' Reigned in Lac Qui Parle." Star Tribune, July 9, 2017, p. B4.

    "J. F. Jacobson Rites Friday." Star Tribune, April 21, 1938, p. 6.

    "J. F. Jacobson, Public Leader, is Dead at 89." The Minneapolis Star, April 20, 1938, p. 9.

    "'Lac Qui Parle War Horse' Ill." Star Tribune, April 17, 1938, p. 10.

    "High Tribute Paid to Jacob Jacobson: Members Who Sat with Him in Legislature Issue Indorsement." Star Tribune, October 21, 1908, p. 7.

    "Life Sketch of Jacob F. Jacobson is Issued as Campaign Material." Star Tribune, August 9, 1908, p. 15.

    "Jacob F. Jacobson." The Minneapolis Journal, February 17, 1906, p. 4.


    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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