Penny, Timothy J., 1951-

Timothy J. Penny was born November 19, 1951, the third of seven children born to Jay and Donna Penny. His father's family were of Scotch-Irish descent and had come to Minnesota from Delaware in the mid-1800s. His mother's family, the Haukooses, emigrated from Norway in the 1870s. Penny grew up on a farm in Mansfield Township, located in Freeborn County, Minnesota, where the family raised soybeans, corn, dairy cows, hogs, chickens, and sheep until his grandfather sold the bulk of the acreage in the late 1960s. As the Pennys were one of the few Democratic-Farmer-Labor families in a town of Republicans, Tim was politically aware from an early age. His mother was active in local DFL politics and encouraged his political awareness.

After graduating from Kiester High School in 1969, Penny attended Winona State College as a political science major. It was during his college years that Penny held his first office, that of student body president. Penny's formal entry into politics was not long delayed. At age twenty-four he successfully ran for the state Senate, becoming the first Democrat to represent his district in fifty years. After serving six years in the state government, Penny went on to represent Minnesota's first congressional district. In winning the seat in Congress, Penny became the first Democrat to represent Minnesota's conservative southeastern district in ninety years.

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