# John S. Irgens *Norwegian-American farmer, Union Army officer and Minnesota politician who served as Minnesota Secretary of State from 1876 to 1880* John S. Irgens, the anglicized form of Johannes Stephanus Olsen Irgens, lived from February 10, 1832, to December 31, 1901. He was a farmer, soldier and politician who came to the United States from Norway.[^1] His public career in [[Minnesota]] included a seat in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] and two back-to-back terms as [[Minnesota Secretary of State]], from 1876 to 1880.[^1] His first political office was treasurer of [[Mower County, Minnesota]], from 1870 to 1874.[^2] He sat in the 17th Minnesota Legislature (1875–1876) as a member of the [[Republican Party of Minnesota]]. He won the secretary of state's office in the 1875 and 1877 elections and served under Governor [[John S. Pillsbury]].[^2] After leaving that office he was elected postmaster of Adams, Minnesota.[^2] ## Early life Irgens was born on February 10, 1832, in Christiania, Norway, the city now called Oslo. His parents were Ole Irgens and Henrietta Christina Calmeyer.[^3] Ole Irgens was paymaster of the Modum mines.[^3] The son was educated privately and spoke four languages.[^3] On June 8, 1849, Irgens sailed from Drammen aboard the *Lyna* and reached New York on August 14, 1849.[^3] He found work in New York as a mercantile clerk and later went west to Chicago.[^3] In 1857 he relocated to St. Ansgar, Iowa, and took up farming there. During those years he frequently worked in Adams, Minnesota.[^3] ## Military service During the American Civil War, on March 1, 1862, Irgens joined the Union Army as a volunteer. He enrolled as a private in Company K of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, known as the "Scandinavian Regiment".[^4] Company K belonged to a Wisconsin regiment but drew most of its volunteers from southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Its commander was Captain Mons Hansen Grinager.[^4] He served first as the company's first sergeant. On June 5, 1862, he was commissioned a second lieutenant.[^4] After the Battle of Island Number Ten, an ear injury and loss of hearing led him to resign his commission. He was mustered out on grounds of disability on September 3, 1862.[^4] ## Political career Once out of the army, Irgens worked as railroad station master at Adams, Minnesota, before he took public office.[^2] He was treasurer of Mower County from 1870 to 1874.[^2] From 1875 to 1876 he held a seat in the Minnesota House as a Republican during the 17th [[Minnesota Legislature]].[^2] He ran in the 1875 Minnesota Secretary of State election and defeated both Adolph Biermann and John H. Stevens.[^2] In the 1877 election he won a second term over a field that included Peter T. Lindholm and [[Albert E. Rice]].[^2] He was the seventh person to hold the office of secretary of state. He served from 1876 to 1880, while Pillsbury was [[Governor of Minnesota]].[^2] He was later elected postmaster of Adams, a community in Mower County.[^2] ## Personal life Irgens married Louisa Petronelle Arentz (1826–1916), a native of Stavanger, Norway. The wedding took place in Chicago on December 18, 1853.[^5] They had seven children, two of whom died young.[^5] Irgens was a Lutheran and was among the founders of St. Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church in Austin, Minnesota.[^5] He died in Jamul, California, on December 31, 1901, at age 69. He is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego.[^5] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Norwegian-born farmer, soldier and politician who served as Minnesota Secretary of State.[^1] ### What - Treasurer of Mower County, Minnesota, 1870–1874.[^2] - Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 17th Minnesota Legislature, 1875–1876.[^2] - Seventh Minnesota Secretary of State, 1876–1880, elected in 1875 and 1877, under Governor John S. Pillsbury.[^2] - Postmaster of Adams, Minnesota, after his term as secretary of state.[^2] ### When - Born February 10, 1832; died December 31, 1901.[^1] - Enlisted March 1, 1862; commissioned second lieutenant June 5, 1862; mustered out for disability September 3, 1862.[^4] ### Where - Adams, Minnesota (station master, later postmaster) and Mower County (county treasurer).[^2] - Austin, Minnesota, where he was a founding member of St. Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church.[^5] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *John S. Irgens* (retrieved October 25, 2026) — lead section: name, birth and death dates, and offices held. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Irgens [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *John S. Irgens*, "Political career" section (retrieved October 25, 2026) — county, legislative, statewide and postmaster offices, party, and the 1875 and 1877 elections. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Irgens [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *John S. Irgens*, "Early life" section (retrieved October 25, 2026) — parentage, education, emigration of June 8, 1849, arrival in New York on August 14, 1849, and residence in Iowa and Minnesota. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Irgens [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *John S. Irgens*, "Military service" section (retrieved October 25, 2026) — enlistment, company and regiment, commission and discharge dates. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Irgens [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *John S. Irgens*, "Personal life" section (retrieved October 25, 2026) — marriage, children, religious affiliation, death and burial. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Irgens