Alexander Ramsey House

265 Exchange Street S., St. Paul

Alexander Ramsey in 1881. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.

Few consider the complexities of Minnesota life in the 19th century—contrary to belief, the state only briefly flirted with Wild West aspirations and quickly adopted the intricacies of East Coast civilization. This was especially the case in the state’s capitol, St. Paul—dubbed “the last city of the east” by eager newspapers. At the time, Minnesota’s newness inspired political dreams that often resulted in bitter partisanship. One politician stands out in this regard. Ignatius Donnelly was the first State Lieutenant Governor (1860-1863) under Alexander Ramsey, who was the first Territorial Governor and was reelected shortly after statehood . The two began their political relationship as good friends, but this deteriorated when both simultaneously ran for the U.S. Senate. Following several nasty attacks by the Ramsey-supporting Pioneer Press, Donnelly began to hate his former colleague. In this spirit of hatred, he suggested that Ramsey engaged in “unnatural sex with another man” in his private diary. (1)

Donnelly later surmised that Ramsey’s followers—Patrick Kelley and Michael Doran—were male prostitutes, or “bearded courtesans” who were pimped by railroad tycoon James J. Hill. (2)

This information came to light long after these men passed away. In the fall of 1976, a history professor from the University of Minnesota stumbled across the incriminating passage and found supporting evidence in a check signed by Ramsey—likely a response to blackmail. The young Gay Rights movement seized this information and proclaimed Ramsey as an historic “Gay” figure in Minnesota History. Lucy Ann Lobdell became the 19th-century “Lesbian” counterpart to Ramsey; she was a cross-dressing wanderer who was ostracized and eventually spent her remaining days in a cave with another woman. Ramsey’s LGBT designation continues to meet criticism. He lived before the term “homosexual” existed, and his genocidal treatment of Native Americans makes him an unimpressive figure to include in queer history. Despite this, Donnelly’s private accusation lends to the possibility that he knew something historians do not.

Ignatius Donnelly ca. 1885. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.

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(1)“New Days for Gayness: A Chronology of Gay Progress” Twin Cities Pride Guide, 1977. Page 7.

(2)Nydahl, Theodore, ed. "The Diaries of Ignatius Donnelly: 1885: Page 31. Minnesota Historical Society: Ignatius Donnelly Diary Collection

Part of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)