1st Alaska State Legislature

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The 1st Alaska State Legislature served during 1959 and 1960. All of its members were elected on November 26, 1958, when Alaska was in its last days as a territory.

Terms

The Alaska Constitution established that legislative terms begin on the fourth Monday in January following an election year, and that the date may be changed by statute. This legislature passed Senate Bill 70 in the first session, which placed the date into statute but did not actually change it.

  • All terms began on January 26, 1959
  • All terms of representatives, and of those senators serving short terms, expired on January 22, 1961
  • All terms of senators serving long terms expired on January 27, 1963

Sessions

  • 1st session: January 26, 1959 – April 16, 1959
  • 2nd session: January 25, 1960 – March 29, 1960

Alaska Senate

Make-up

Affiliation Members
Democratic Party 18
Republican Party 2
 Total 20
 Government Majority 16

Members

District Name Life Party Location
A James Nolan 1901–1991 Dem Wrangell
Frank Peratrovich 1895–1984 Dem Klawock
B Walter O. "Bo" Smith 1907–1987 Dem Ketchikan
C Howard C. Bradshaw 1908–1994 Dem Sitka
D Thomas B. Stewart 1919–2007 Dem Juneau
E Ralph E. Moody[1] 1915–1997 Dem Anchorage
Irene E. Ryan 1909–1997 Dem Anchorage
F Balfour J. "Bob" Logan 1906–1974 Dem Cordova
G Joseph Earl Cooper[2] 1907–1964 Dem Anchorage
H Irwin L. Metcalf 1908–1973 Dem Seward
I Alfred A. Owen 1910–1985 Dem Uganik Bay
J George B. McNabb, Jr. 1919–1992 Dem Fairbanks
Robert J. McNealy 1907–1978 Dem Fairbanks
K Jack E. Weise 1915–2000 Rep Bethel
L John B. Coghill 1925–2019 Rep Nenana
M Hubert A. Gilbert[3] 1914–1984 Dem Fairbanks
N William E. Beltz 1912–1960 Dem Unalakleet[4]
Lester Bronson 1905–1972 Dem Nome
O Eben Hopson 1922–1980 Dem Barrow
P John A. McNees 1917–1995 Dem Nome

Leadership

  • Senate President: William E. Beltz (D-Unalakleet)

Alaska House of Representatives

Make-up

Affiliation Members
Democratic Party 34
Republican Party 5
Independent 1
 Total 40
 Government Majority 28

Members

District Name Life Party Location
1 Charles M. Jones 1921–2002 Dem Craig
2 Oral E. Freeman 1915–2001 Dem Ketchikan
James R. "J. Ray" Roady 1907–1997 Dem Ketchikan
3 John E. Longworth 1910–1985 Rep Petersburg
4 Frank E. Cashel 1918–1991 Dem Sitka
Andrew Hope 1896–1968 Dem Sitka
5 Douglas Gray 1908–1980 Dem Douglas
Dora M. Sweeney 1907–2001 Dem Juneau
6 Morgan W. Reed 1904–[?] Dem Skagway
7 Harold Z. Hansen 1910–1993 Ind-D Cordova
8 Bruce Kendall 1919–2012 Rep Valdez
9 James J. Hurley 1915–2002 Dem Palmer
10 Helen M. Fischer 1912–1986 Dem Anchorage
James E. Fisher 1927–2020 Dem Anchorage
John S. Hellenthal 1915–1989 Dem Anchorage
Earl D. Hillstrand 1913–1974 Dem Anchorage
Peter J. Kalamarides 1916–1979 Dem Anchorage
Edward R. "Russ" Meekins 1915–1995 Dem Anchorage
James E. Norene 1905–1996 Dem Anchorage
John L. Rader[5] 1927– Dem Anchorage
11 William M. Erwin 1933–2022 Dem Seward
12 Allan L. Petersen 1890–1969 Dem Kenai[6]
13 Peter M. Deveau 1917–2002 Dem Kodiak
Henry L. Haag 1895–1969 Dem Kodiak
14 Charles J. Franz 1910–1996 Dem Port Moller
15 Jay S. Hammond 1922–2005 Ind Naknek
16 James Hoffman 1925–1982 Rep Bethel
17 Donald Harris 1928–2011 Rep McGrath
18 Grant H. Pearson 1900–1978 Dem McKinley Park
19 Frank X. Chapados 1914–2007 Dem Fairbanks
Joseph R. "Bob" Giersdorf[7] 1935–2003 Dem Fairbanks
Richard J. Greuel 1928–2013 Dem Fairbanks
Robert E. Sheldon 1883–1983 Dem Fairbanks
Warren A. Taylor 1891–1980 Dem Fairbanks
20 R.S. McCombe 1902–1985 Dem Chicken
21 John Nusunginya 1927–1981 Dem Point Barrow
22 John E. Curtis 1915–1999 Rep Kotzebue
23 Robert R. Blodgett 1920–1990 Dem Nome
Charles E. Fagerstrom 1905–1962 Dem Nome
24 Axel C. Johnson 1911–1985 Dem Kwiguk

Leadership

  • Speaker of the House: Warren A. Taylor (D-Fairbanks)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Resigned in 1960, following the end of sessions, to accept appointment as attorney general
  2. ^ Appointed to the Alaska Superior Court between sessions. Seaborn J. Buckalew, Jr. (D) was appointed to his seat for the second session.
  3. ^ Appointed to the Alaska Superior Court between sessions. Rep. Bob Giersdorf (D) was appointed to his seat January 29, 1960. Giersdorf, who was born on February 24, 1935, was short of the constitutionally-established minimum age, and resigned the seat. Edmund N. Orbeck (D), who was appointed to Giersdorf's House seat, replaced him.
  4. ^ Died on November 21, 1960, after the end of sessions but before the expiration of his term.
  5. ^ Appointed state attorney general between sessions. Blanche L. McSmith (D) was appointed to his seat for the second session.
  6. ^ Petersen, Jettie. Once Upon The Kenai, page 269-70 Kenai Historical Society, Alaska, 1984
  7. ^ Appointed January 29, 1960, to replace outgoing Sen. Hubert Gilbert for the second session, but re-assumed his old seat February 2, 1960. Edmund N. Orbeck (D) filled his House seat in the interim.

Photos of individual and assembled members of the 1st Alaska State Legislature, as hosted at Alaska's Digital Archives

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