# Charles L. Chase *American politician and farmer; fourth and final secretary of Minnesota Territory (1857–1858) and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (1876–1877)* Charles L. "C.L." Chase (1826 – April 20, 1895) was a farmer and politician. He held the office of secretary of [[Minnesota Territory]] from 1857 to 1858, the fourth and last person to do so.[^1] From 1876 to 1877 he sat in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] for the 11th legislative district during the 18th [[Minnesota Legislature]].[^1] His secretaryship covered the 1857 constitutional convention, to which he was a delegate, and the October 13, 1857 ratification election.[^1] Territorial governor [[Samuel Medary]] was often absent in this period. Chase styled himself acting governor and signed most of the 124 measures passed ahead of statehood into law.[^1] ## Early life Wikipedia gives two birth years for Chase. Its opening summary gives 1826, and its account of his early life gives around 1828. No other source in the record resolves the discrepancy.[^1] He was born in New York and arrived in the Territory of Minnesota in 1856.[^1] ## Career Chase held the territorial secretaryship from April 23, 1857, until May 24, 1858.[^1] Voters of the 3rd district sent him to the Minnesota Constitutional Convention of 1857. His service there ran from July 13 to August 29, 1857.[^1] The proposed constitution went to voters on October 13, 1857. Officers for the prospective state were chosen in the same election, on the expectation that the constitution would take effect almost at once. None of them assumed office.[^1] [[Henry Hastings Sibley]] won the governorship but could not take the oath while the constitution remained inoperative.[^1] Chase then claimed the title of acting [[governor]]. According to the source, he technically had no constitutional authority to hold it.[^1] Medary's long absences from the territory left the secretary to conduct that office's business. Chase, rather than Medary, signed most of the 124 laws enacted in preparation for statehood. In this period he signed papers both as Acting Governor and as Secretary.[^1] Chase later represented the 11th district, which included Dodge County, in the state House. His term began January 4, 1876, and ended January 1, 1877.[^1] He chaired the Commerce committee and was a member of the Claims and Public Lands committees.[^1] Apart from his legislative service, he worked as a farmer.[^1] ## Personal life Chase was a married man and made his home in Concord, Minnesota.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Charles L. Chase* (revision 1373654470, retrieved 2026-10-25), English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Chase's birth and death dates, territorial secretaryship and acting-governor period, 1857 convention service, 1876–1877 Minnesota House term and committees, occupation and residence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_L._Chase