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    Sageng, Ole O. "The Napoleon of Woman Suffrage"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1901-02 (District 59); Senate 1907-14 (District 59); Senate 1915-22 (District 50); Senate 1951-54 (District 50)

    Party when first elected:  Populist

    Counties Served:  Otter Tail

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 12/1/1871
    Birth Place: Osterdalen,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: Norway
    Date of Death: 3/30/1963
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: The Napoleon of Woman Suffrage
    City of Residence (when first elected): Dalton
    Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Teacher

    EDUCATION

    Common Schools; Elementary School;
    Fergus Falls High School; Secondary; Graduate
    Augsburg College; Attended College;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Single (when first elected); Carrie Brandvold (married on June 15, 1904; she died on November 23, 1958)
    Children: Eight children: Borghild, Mathilda, Maria, Olga, Evangeline, and Dagny (daughters); Karl and Richard (sons)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    His family came to Minnesota in 1878 and settled in Otter Tail County near Dalton.

    Toensing lists his birth year as 1872. In Memoriam, the Minnesota Legislative Manuals and the Minnesota Journal of the Senate March 31, 1965 list 1871.

    In Memoriam lists him as Speaker Pro Tem in 1921. That must be a typo, all other sources indicate that he served for two days as President Pro Tempore in 1921.

    He taught in rural schools in Otter Tail County, Minnesota and Grand Forks County, North Dakota.

    The Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1915 lists his middle initial as A. but all other sources list O.

    "He was the chief author of the bill that gave women the right to vote." (In Memoriam, 1965, p. 20)

    The Minnesota Senate Journal, April 8, 1953, p. 1578, indicates that he was "called 'The Napoleon of Woman Suffrage.'"

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Legislature in 1896 and 1898.

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1902 election.

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican Party endorsement for the United States Senate in 1924. He lost the endorsement in the primary election.

    He died at the Broen Memorial Home. His funeral was held in the Lutheran Church in Dalton, Minnesota. He is buried in Sarpsborg Lutheran Cemetery in Dalton, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

    He was a member of the Lutheran Church of Dalton, Minnesota.

    Religion provided by the Minnesota Journal of the Senate, March 31, 1965, p. 793-794.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 8029

    SESSIONS SERVED

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

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/7/1950
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Elections
    • Finance
    • Liquor Control
    • Public Health
    • Public Institutions and Buildings
    • University

    57th Legislative Session (1951-1952)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/7/1950
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Dairy Products and Livestock
    • Elections
    • Finance
    • Liquor Control
    • Public Institutions and Buildings
    • University
    term photo
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    42nd Legislative Session (1921-1922) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/5/1918
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/7/1919 to 1/1/1923
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Agricultural Markets (Chair)
    • Education
    • Elections
    • Finance
    • Public Highways
    • Public Welfare and Health
    • Rules
    • Workmens Compensation
    Leadership Position: President Pro Tempore
    Leadership Notes: Senator Frank E. Putnam is listed as President Pro Tempore of the Senate on the first day of the legislative session, January 4, 1921. On April 19, 1921, two days before the Senate adjourned sine die, the Senate elected Senator Ole O. Sageng to the position by four votes over Senator Putnam.
    term photo
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    41st Legislative Session (1919-1920)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/5/1918
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/7/1919 to 1/1/1923
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Elections (Chair)
    • Finance
    • Grain and Warehouse
    • Public Institutions and Buildings
    • Rules
    term photo
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    40th Legislative Session (1917-1918) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/3/1914
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/5/1915 to 1/6/1919
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Education and Educational Institutions
    • Elections
    • Finance
    • Grain and Warehouse (Chair)
    • Public Service Corporations
    term photo
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    39th Legislative Session (1915-1916)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/3/1914
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/5/1915 to 1/6/1919
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Education and Educational Institutions
    • Elections
    • Finance
    • Rules and Legislative Expenses (Chair)
    term photo
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    38th Legislative Session (1913-1914) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 59
    Elected: 11/8/1910
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/3/1911 to 1/4/1915
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Populist
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Elections
    • General Legislation
    • Hospitals for the Insane
    • Normal Schools (Chair)
    • Reapportionment
    • Rules
    • Temperance
    term photo
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    37th Legislative Session (1911-1912)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 59
    Elected: 11/8/1910
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/3/1911 to 1/4/1915
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Populist
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Horticulture
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Hospitals for Insane
    • Mines and Minerals
    • Normal Schools (Chair)
    • State Fair and Agricultural Societies
    • State Training Schools
    term photo
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    36th Legislative Session (1909-1910) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 59
    Elected: 11/6/1906
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/8/1907 to 1/2/1911
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Populist
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Horticulture
    • Claims
    • Dairy Products and Live Stock
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Grain and Warehouse
    • Hospitals for Insane
    • Printing (Chair)
    • State Training Schools
    term photo
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    35th Legislative Session (1907-1908)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 59
    Elected: 11/6/1906
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/8/1907 to 1/2/1911
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Populist
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Horticulture
    • Claims
    • Dairy Products and Live Stock
    • Education
    • General Legislation
    • Grain and Warehouse
    • Hospitals for Insane
    • Printing (Chair)
    • State Training School
    term photo
    Click to view

    32nd Legislative Session (1901-1902)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 59
    Elected: 11/6/1900
    Residence: Dalton
    Term of Office: 1/8/1901 to 1/5/1903
    Counties Represented: Otter Tail
    Occupation: Farmer/Teacher
    Party: Populist
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Labor and Labor Legislation
    • State Public Schools
    • Temperance Legislation

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Johnson, Cecil M. Minnesota's Ole O. Sageng (1871-1963) 'The Man Behind the Plow.' Fergus Falls, MN: Otter Tail County Historical Society, 2015.

    In Memoriam: Senators Ansgar L. Almen, H.M. Arens, Raymond H. Bares, Robert Cook Bell, Gordon H. Butler, David M. Carey, Homer M. Carr, Michael R. Cashman, Julius E. Diesen, Eric Friberg, et al. State of Minnesota Senate Chamber, March 31, 1965. - The information on Ole O. Sageng also appeared in the Minnesota Journal of the Senate, March 31, 1965, p. 793-794.


    Archive Collections
    Ole O. Sageng Papers, 1896-1953. - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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