Henry M. Arens

Henry Martin Arens
Arens c. 1931
26th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
In office January 6, 1931 – January 3, 1933
Governor	Floyd B. Olson
Preceded by	Charles Edward Adams
Succeeded by	Konrad K. Solberg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota
In office March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935
Preceded by	General ticket adopted
Succeeded by	General ticket abolished
Constituency	General Ticket Seat One
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 21st district
In office January 1, 1923 – January 4, 1931
Preceded by	William John Kuntz
Succeeded by	Patrick W. Morrison
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 21st district
In office January 6, 1919 – December 31, 1922
Preceded by	Andy Donovan
Succeeded by	William Geister
Personal details
Born	(1873-11-21)November 21, 1873 Bausenrode, Westphalia, Kingdom of Prussia
Died	October 6, 1963(1963-10-06) (aged 89) Jordan, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Farmer Labor
Profession	Farmer

Henry Martin Arens (November 21, 1873 – October 6, 1963) was a German-American farmer and politician from Minnesota who served in several public offices, including as lieutenant governor and U.S. Representative.

Early life

Arens was born as Heinrich Martin Arens in Bausenrode near Fretter in the Kingdom of Prussia, today part of the municipality of Finnentrop, Westphalia, Germany. He migrated to the United States in November 1889 and was a farmer near Jordan, Minnesota.

Political career

Arens's official State House portrait, 1919

His first public office was as a member of the board of aldermen for Jordan from 1905 to 1913. He was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1919 to 1922 and in the state senate from 1923 to 1930.

In 1930, he was elected the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and served one two-year term. In 1932 he was elected to the 73rd congress as a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party. (In 1932, all of Minnesota's representatives were elected at large.) He served only one term, from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1935, the start of the 20th Amendment. He was defeated for re-election in 1934 by Elmer Ryan, after which he commented that he was convinced "that politics is not worthwhile and that never again will I ask favors of the electorate." In 1936 he attempted to retake his seat and was again defeated by Ryan.

External links

• Henry M. Arens at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
• Inauguration photo

• United States Congress. "Henry M. Arens (id: A000276)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.