Anton J. Rockne
Encyclopedia
Anton Julius "A.J." Rockne (December 19, 1868 or 1869 – May 2, 1950) was a Minnesota
Republican
politician, and the longest-serving legislator and state senator in the history of Minnesota.
to Norwegian immigrant parents. Rockne graduated from Decorah Institute, in Decorah, Iowa
. Rockne received a degree from the University of Minnesota Law School
in 1894. He was admitted to the Bar on June 7, 1894 and practiced as an attorney
.
He was married to Susie Albertson on December 10, 1899 and had three children. Anton J. Rockne was a director and charter member of the Norwegian fraternal organization, Vosselag, at its founding in 1909.
in 1902. In 1909 he was selected to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, a position he held for two years.
In 1910, Rockne was elected to the Minnesota Senate
. He would hold the seat for 36 years, longer than any senator in state history. Rockne served as chairman of the powerful finance committee for from 1915 to 1947. His 44 combined years of legislative service tie him with Carl M. Iverson for the greatest length of legislative service in state history.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
politician, and the longest-serving legislator and state senator in the history of Minnesota.
Background
Rockne was born in Harmony, MinnesotaHarmony, Minnesota
Harmony is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,020 at the 2010 census. The town bills itself as the "Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota" and features the largest Amish community in the state.-Geography:...
to Norwegian immigrant parents. Rockne graduated from Decorah Institute, in Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
. Rockne received a degree from the University of Minnesota Law School
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, is a professional school of the University of Minnesota. The school offers a Juris Doctor , Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers, and joint degrees with J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.P.A, J.D./M.A., J.D./M.S., J.D./Ph.D.,...
in 1894. He was admitted to the Bar on June 7, 1894 and practiced as an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
He was married to Susie Albertson on December 10, 1899 and had three children. Anton J. Rockne was a director and charter member of the Norwegian fraternal organization, Vosselag, at its founding in 1909.
Career
He was elected to the Minnesota House of RepresentativesMinnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
in 1902. In 1909 he was selected to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, a position he held for two years.
In 1910, Rockne was elected to the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
. He would hold the seat for 36 years, longer than any senator in state history. Rockne served as chairman of the powerful finance committee for from 1915 to 1947. His 44 combined years of legislative service tie him with Carl M. Iverson for the greatest length of legislative service in state history.
Other sources
- Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn History of Goodhue County, Minnesota (Chicago: H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. 1910)http://www.leg.mn/archive/LegDB/articles/13680GoodhueHistory.pdf