Kosloske, John T. (1907-2004)

Biographical information: John T. Kosloske was born Dec. 12, 1907, in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, to John Sr. and Wilhelmina (Radomski) Kosloske. He married Marcella House on Sept. 1, 1936 in Austin, Minnesota. Kosloske was Justice of the Peace in Sauk Rapids for more than 20 years, census supervisor in 1970, and served in the Minnesota House of Representatives District 45 from 1949-1954. District 45 represented portions of Benton and Sherburne counties. He was also mayor of Sauk Rapids from 1966-1967. Kosloske was employed by Burlington Northern Railroad for 28 years and he was a State Farm insurance agent for 34 years. He died on February 4, 2004, in Sartell, Minnesota.

Transcript summary: In an oral history recorded March 18, 1974, John T. Kosloske recalled his election as Justice of the Peace when he was 21 and six years as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Kosloke ran with the “liberal label at a time when candidates ran without party affiliation. While in the Legislature, Kosloske discussed how a state budget deficit was covered by raising the cigarette tax. He worked to keep license plate manufacturing at the St. Cloud Reformatory instead of moving the work to a union shop in the Twin Cities while opposing party designation because a voter could not split a ticket in a primary election. Kosloske discussed why opposed open committee meetings and favored keeping the bi-cameral Legislature.

John Kosloske Papers