Dickinson, Leonard Ralph
House 1943-50 (District 62); Senate 1951-54 (District 62); House 1961-62 (District 62); House 1963-66 (District 64); House 1967-68 (District 64A)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Beltrami, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
12/19/1898
Birth Place:
Turtle Lake Township, Minnesota
Birth County:
Beltrami
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
3/13/1994
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Presbyterian
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Bemidji
Occupation (when first elected):
Owner, Dickinson Lumber Co.
EDUCATION
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Agnes Jacobson
Children:
Four children: Richard and Earle (sons), Lois and Muffy (she worked as a Receptionist for the Minnesota House of Representatives) (daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: public domain, Minnesota resources, improving marketing and expansion of processing, and Minnesota industry.
He was born near Lake Julia in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Dickinson started his political career in 1937 as chairman of the Beltrami County Young Republicans. (St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 14, 1994)
He ran unsuccessfully as the Republican party endorsed candidate for Minnesota Lieutenant Governor in the 1956 election.
He died of congestive heart failure at Beltrami Nursing Home in Bemidji, Minnesota. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Bemidji, Minnesota.
Religion provided by his daughter.
Body: House
District: 64A
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/6/1969
Counties Represented:
Beltrami
Occupation: Lumber Company Executive and Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Employees Compensation
-
Financial Institutions
-
Forestry and Public Domain
-
Game and Fish (Chair)
-
Highways
-
Public Service and Utilities
-
Taxes
Elected: 11/3/1964
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/5/1965 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Lumber Company Executive and Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Commercial Transportation and Communications
-
Employees Compensation
-
Game and Fish (Chair)
-
Highways
-
State and Junior Colleges
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/4/1965
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Lumber Company Executive and Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Commercial Transportation and Communications
-
Employees Compensation
-
Forestry and Public Domain
-
Game and Fish (Chair)
-
Highways
-
State and Junior Colleges
Elected: 11/8/1960
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/3/1961 to 1/7/1963
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Lumber Company Executive and Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Commercial Transportation and Communications
-
Employees Compensation
-
Forestry and Public Domain
-
Game and Fish
-
Welfare
Body: Senate
District: 62
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Sawmill Manufacturing Operation, Dickinson Lumber Company/Northern-Bred Columbia Sheep, Buena Vista Ranch
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Drainage
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Municipal Affairs
-
Public Domain
-
Public Welfare
-
Towns and Counties
-
Workmens Compensation
Body: Senate
District: 62
Elected: 11/7/1950
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/3/1955
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: President, Dickinson Lumber Co. and Lakeside Furniture Store
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Drainage
-
Markets and Marketing
-
Municipal Affairs
-
Public Domain
-
Public Welfare
-
Towns and Counties
-
Workmens Compensation
Elected: 11/2/1948
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/4/1949 to 1/1/1951
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: President, Dickinson Lumber Co. and Lakeside Furniture Store
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Employees Compensation
-
Highways
-
Public Domain (Chair)
-
Rules
-
Taxes
Elected: 11/5/1946
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/7/1947 to 1/3/1949
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: President, Dickinson Lumber Co. and Lakeside Furniture Store
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Conservation
-
Elections (Chair)
-
Employees Compensation
Elected: 11/7/1944
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/2/1945 to 1/6/1947
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Owner, Dickinson Lumber Co. and Lakeside Furniture Store
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Aviation
-
Elections
-
Employees Compensation
-
Game and Fish
-
Public Domain
Elected: 11/3/1942
Residence: Bemidji
Term of Office: 1/5/1943 to 1/1/1945
Counties Represented:
Beltrami, Lake of the Woods
Occupation: Owner, Dickinson Lumber Co.
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Party Notes: He was a member of the Republican Party. (his daughter)
Committees:
-
Aircraft and Airways
-
Game and Fish
-
Motor Vehicles
-
Public Domain
-
Workmens and Unemployment Compensation
Articles & Books About
"Leonard Dickinson Dies at 95; Served in State House, Senate (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 14, 1994.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.