Samuel Rinnah Van Sant
Encyclopedia
Samuel Van Sant was an American politician.
Born in Rock Island, Illinois
, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
from January 1893 to January 1897 and served as Speaker of the House. Van Sant served as the 15th Governor of Minnesota
from January 7, 1901 to January 4, 1905, the first to serve a four-year term. He was a member of the Republican party.
He was a proud Civil War
veteran with service in the [9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry], and was commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic
for a year, 1909–1910. He was known to his friends as "Captain Sam." He died in 1936 aged 92 in Attica, Indiana
.
Born in Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota 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...
from January 1893 to January 1897 and served as Speaker of the House. Van Sant served as the 15th Governor of Minnesota
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
from January 7, 1901 to January 4, 1905, the first to serve a four-year term. He was a member of the Republican party.
He was a proud Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran with service in the [9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry], and was commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
for a year, 1909–1910. He was known to his friends as "Captain Sam." He died in 1936 aged 92 in Attica, Indiana
Attica, Indiana
Attica is a city in Logan Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,245 at the 2010 census.-History:Attica was laid out by George Hollingsworth and platted by David Stump on March 19, 1825...
.
External links
- Biographical information and his gubernatorial records are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.
- SAMUEL RINNAH VAN SANT FIFTEENTH GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA January 7, 1901, to January 4, 1905. via Lives of the governors of Minnesota, Library of Congress.