Donnelly was an attorney, farmer, and author from Nininger who would later serve as a Republican U.S. Representative (1863-1869), Anti-Monopolist state Senator (SD 20, 1874-1878), Democratic state Senator (SD 20, 1878-1879), independent state Representative (HD 25, 1887-1889), Farmer’s Alliance state Senator (SD 24, 1891-1895), People’s state Representative (HD 24, 1897-1899), and People’s nominee for Vice President (1900).
Lowry was a newspaper editor from St. Cloud, Territorial Council member (District 5, 1852-1853), former St. Cloud Mayor (1856), and future state Senator (SD 03, 1862).