List of first ladies of Minnesota

The Minnesota Governor's Mansion typically also is the residence of the First Spouse

The spouse of the governor of Minnesota is given an honorary position, styled as First Lady or First Gentleman of the State of Minnesota. To date there have been no female governors of the State of Minnesota, and all first spouses have been first ladies.[1]

The current first lady is Gwen Walz, wife of Governor Tim Walz.

Name Image Term in office Birth-Death Spouse of Notes
Sarah Jane Steele Sibley 1858-1860 1823-1869 Henry Sibley
Anna Earl Jenks Ramsey 1860-1863 1826-1884 Alexander Ramsey
Ruth Livingston Swift 1863-1864 1827-1881 Henry Swift
Margaret Funk Miller 1864-1866 1816-1879 Stephen Miller
Abby Langford Marshall 1866-1870 1826-1893 William Marshall
Mary Angelina "Lena" Morrill Austin 1870-1874 1835-1910 Horace Austin
Laura Bowman Davis 1874-1876 c.1839-Unknown Cushman Davis
Mahala Fisk Pillsbury 1876-1882 1832-1910 John S. Pillsbury
Amelia Thomas Hubbard 1882-1887 1843-1923 Lucius Hubbard Born in Canada
Mary Elizabeth Wilson McGill 1887-1889 1853-1932 Andrew McGill
Laura Hancock Merriam 1889-1893 1850-1943 William Merriam
Nicolina Jacobsen Nelson 1893-1895 1846-1922 Knute Nelson Born in Norway
Addie Barton Clough 1895-1899 1850-1929 D.M. Clough
Alice Shepard Lind 1899-1901 1859-1942 John Lind
Ruth Hall Van Sant 1901-1905 1848-1928 Samuel Van Sant
Elinore "Nora" Preston Johnson 1905-1909 c.1874-1955 John Johnson
Adele O. M. Koke Eberhart 1909-1915 1874-1945 A.O. Eberhart First First Lady born in Minnesota.
Vacant 1915-1915 Winfield Scott Hammond Governor Hammond was not married.
Mary Louise Cross Burnquist 1915-1921 1880-1966 J.A.A. Burnquist
Idelle Louise Haugen Preus 1921-1925 1884-1968 J.A.O. Preus
Ruth E. Donaldson Christianson 1925-1931 1886-1944 Theodore Christianson
Ada A. Krejci Olson 1931-1936 1893-1969 Floyd B. Olson
Medora B. Grandprey Petersen 1936-1937 1896-1997 Hjalmar Petersen
Frances Lillian Miller Benson 1937-1939 1896-1990 Elmer Benson
Esther G. Glewwe Stassen 1939-1943 1906-2000 Harold Stassen worked as a secretary in a downtown St. Paul law office
Myrtle Ennor Oliver Thye 1943-1947 1895-1972 Edward Thye
Irene Annet Engdahl Youngdahl 1947-1951 1896-1992 Luther Youngdahl
Lillian Otterstad Anderson 1951-1955 1913-1998 C. Elmer Anderson
Jane C. Shields Freeman 1955-1961 1921-2018 Orville Freeman
Eleanor A. Johnson Andersen 1961-1963 1911-2011 Elmer Andersen
Florence Boedeker Rolvaag 1963-1967 1921-1983 Karl Rolvaag worked as a secretary at the literary journal "Southwestern Review"and taught at a business school
Iantha Powrie LeVander 1967-1971 1913-2009 Harold LeVander
Mary Christine McKee Anderson 1971-1976 1939-2018 Wendell Anderson Architect
Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich 1976-1979 1931- Rudy Perpich
Gretchen Marie Hansen Quie 1979-1983 1927-2015 Al Quie
Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich 1983-1991 1931- Rudy Perpich
Susan Shepard Carlson 1991-1999 1949- Arne Carlson
Theresa "Terry" Masters Janos "Ventura" 1999-2003 1955- Jesse Ventura
Mary Anderson Pawlenty 2003-2011 1961- Tim Pawlenty state court judge
Vacant 2011-2019 Mark Dayton Governor Dayton was unmarried while governor
Gwen Walz 2019-present 1966- Tim Walz

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Governors of Minnesota: First Ladies". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 24 December 2018.