# Henry M. Arens *German-American farmer and Minnesota politician who served in the state House, state Senate, as lieutenant governor, and as a U.S. representative* Henry Martin Arens (November 21, 1873 – October 6, 1963) was a German-American farmer and [[Minnesota]] politician.[^1] His offices ranged from lieutenant governor to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[^1] He began in municipal government in Jordan, Minnesota, before entering state politics.[^1][^3] Between 1905 and 1935 he moved from the Jordan board of aldermen through both chambers of the state legislature and the lieutenant governorship to one term in Congress.[^3] He won that term in 1932 as a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.[^3] He lost the seat to Elmer Ryan in 1934 and failed to win it back from Ryan in 1936.[^3] ## Early life Arens was born Heinrich Martin Arens in Bausenrode, near Fretter, in what was then the Kingdom of Prussia.[^2] The area now lies within the municipality of Finnentrop, in Westphalia, Germany.[^2] He came to the United States in November 1889.[^2] He took up farming near Jordan, Minnesota.[^2] ## Political career Arens first held public office on the Jordan board of aldermen, where he sat from 1905 to 1913.[^3] He served in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] from 1919 to 1922.[^3] He then sat in the state senate from 1923 to 1930.[^3] Elected in 1930 as the 26th [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota]], he held the office for a single two-year term.[^3] In 1932 he was elected to the 73rd Congress as a member of the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.[^3] That year Minnesota chose all of its U.S. representatives at large.[^3] His one term ran from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1935.[^3] The source identifies the latter date as the start of the 20th Amendment.[^3] Elmer Ryan defeated him in the 1934 election.[^3] After the loss, Arens said he was convinced "that politics is not worthwhile and that never again will I ask favors of the electorate."[^3] He ran for the seat again in 1936 and lost to Ryan a second time.[^3] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Henry Martin Arens, born Heinrich Martin Arens, a German-American farmer and politician from Minnesota.[^1][^2] ### What - Offices held: member of the Jordan board of aldermen; member of the Minnesota House of Representatives; member of the state senate; lieutenant governor; U.S. representative.[^3] ### When - Born November 21, 1873; died October 6, 1963.[^1] - Emigrated to the United States in November 1889.[^2] - Jordan board of aldermen, 1905–1913.[^3] - Minnesota House, 1919–1922.[^3] - State senate, 1923–1930.[^3] - Elected lieutenant governor in 1930.[^3] - U.S. House, March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935.[^3] - Defeated by Elmer Ryan in 1934 and again in 1936.[^3] ### Where - Born in Bausenrode near Fretter, Kingdom of Prussia (now part of Finnentrop, Westphalia, Germany).[^2] - Farmed near Jordan, Minnesota.[^2] ### How - Elected to the 73rd Congress in 1932 as a Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party member, in a year when all of Minnesota's representatives were elected at large.[^3] ### How many - One two-year term as lieutenant governor.[^3] - One term in Congress.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry M. Arens*, lead section (revision 1364774115, retrieved 2026-10-25) — birth and death dates, German-American origin, occupation as farmer, and offices including lieutenant governor and U.S. representative. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_M._Arens [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry M. Arens*, "Early life" section (revision 1364774115, retrieved 2026-10-25) — birth name and birthplace, November 1889 emigration, and farming near Jordan, Minnesota. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_M._Arens [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry M. Arens*, "Political career" section (revision 1364774115, retrieved 2026-10-25) — dates of municipal, legislative, executive and congressional service; Farmer-Labor affiliation and at-large election in 1932; the 1934 and 1936 defeats by Elmer Ryan; and the quoted remark after the 1934 defeat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_M._Arens