title: 5th Minnesota Territorial Legislature
text: # 5th Minnesota Territorial Legislature
  
  The fifth Minnesota Territorial Legislature first convened on January 4, 1854. The 9 members of the Minnesota Territorial Council and the 18 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of October 12, 1853.
  
  ## Sessions
  
  The territorial legislature met in a regular session from January 4, 1854 to March 4, 1854. There were no special sessions of the fifth territorial legislature.
  
  ## Party summary
  
  ### Council
  
  | | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic | Whig | Total | Vacant |
  | End of previous Legislature | 7 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
  | Begin | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
  | Latest voting share | 100% | 0% | | |
  | Beginning of the next Legislature | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  | | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic | Republican | Whig | Unknown | Total | Vacant |
  | End of previous Legislature | 13 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 0 |
  | Begin | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
  | Latest voting share | 72% | 0% | 28% | 0% | | |
  | Beginning of the next Legislature | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0 |
  
  ## Leadership
  
  ### President of the Council
  
      Samuel Baldwin Olmstead (D-Belle Prairie)
  
  ### Speaker of the House
  
      Nathan C. D. Taylor (D-Taylors Falls)
  
  ## Members
  
  ### Council
  
  | Name | District | City | Party |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Brown, Joseph Renshaw | 06 | Henderson | Democratic |
  | Freeborn, William | 04 | Red Wing | Democratic |
  | Kittson, Norman Wolfred | 07 | Pembina | Democratic |
  | Mower, John E. | 01 | Stillwater | Democratic |
  | Murray, William Pitt | 02 | Saint Paul | Democratic |
  | Olmstead, Samuel Baldwin | 05 | Belle Prairie | Democratic |
  | Stearns, Charles Thomas | 03 | Saint Anthony | Democratic |
  | Stimson, Albert | 01 | Stillwater | Democratic |
  | Van Etten, Isaac | 02 | Saint Paul | Democratic |
  
  ### House of Representatives
  
  | Name | District | City | Party |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Bartlett, Louis | 02 | Unknown | Democratic |
  | Davis, William A. | 02 | Belle Plaine | Democratic |
  | Day, John H. | 02 | Unknown | Whig |
  | Fisher, John | 01 | Stillwater | Democratic |
  | Fletcher, Hezekiah | 06 | Unknown | Democratic |
  | Gardner, Cephas | 03 | Saint Anthony | Democratic |
  | Lord, Orville M. | 04 | Minnesota City | Democratic |
  | McKusick, William | 01 | Stillwater | Whig |
  | Morrison, Donald G. | 07 | Unknown | Democratic |
  | Nobles, William H. | 06 | Saint Paul | Whig |
  | Noot, William | 02 | Saint Paul | Democratic |
  | Plummer, Henry S. | 03 | Saint Anthony | Whig |
  | Richardson, Reuben M. | 05 | Sauk Rapids | Democratic |
  | Rolette, Joseph | 07 | Pembina | Democratic |
  | Roy, Peter | 05 | Belle Plaine | Democratic |
  | Sloan, Levi | 02 | Saint Paul | Democratic |
  | Taylor, Nathan C. D. | 01 | Taylors Falls | Democratic |
  | Watson, Robert | 01 | Cottage Grove | Whig |
  