January 22, 1879 James Shields: Senator from Illinois,
Minnesota, and Missouri Many men and women make politics a
career and have been elected to Congress three or more times.
None, however, have outdone Senator James Shields. Shields was
living in Illinois when he was elected to his first term in the
US Senate in 1849. He later moved to the Minnesota Territory.
When Minnesota was admitted to the Union in May 1858, Shields
was elected one of the state's first two US Senators. After the
Civil War, Shields settled in Missouri. On January 22, 1879,
Shields was again elected to the US Senate. To date, James
Shields is the only person ever elected the the US Senate
representing three different states.