John Matthew Zwach

John Matthew Zwach Sr. (February 8, 1907 – November 11, 1990) was an American farmer, rural school teacher, and politician who served as a Representative from Minnesota in the United States Congress from 1967 to 1975. A member of the Republican Party, he was most notably a U.S. Representative from Minnesota, serving four terms in the House of Representatives during a significant period in American history, and he also served for several terms in the Minnesota legislature. Over the course of his public career, Zwach participated actively in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents at both the state and federal levels.

Zwach was born in Gales Township, Redwood County, Minnesota, the son of Austrian immigrants. He attended local public schools and graduated from Milroy High School in 1926. Pursuing a career in education, he received a teaching certificate from Mankato State College (now Minnesota State University, Mankato) in 1927. He continued his studies while working and later graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1933. Rooted in the rural life of southwestern Minnesota, Zwach combined his educational pursuits with work on the land, experiences that would shape his later legislative interests.

Before entering full-time politics, Zwach worked as a rural school teacher and school superintendent for fourteen years and was also an active farmer. His dual roles in education and agriculture gave him firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing rural communities, including issues of school finance, farm economics, and local governance. These early professional experiences informed his approach to public service and helped establish his reputation as a representative of rural interests.

Zwach began his political career in the Minnesota Legislature. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he served from 1934 to 1946. Following his House service, he was elected to the Minnesota Senate, serving from 1946 to 1966. In the Senate he emerged as a key leader, serving as majority leader from 1959 to 1966 and heading the Conservative Caucus in what was then a formally nonpartisan legislative body. He also served as a member of the Interim Agriculture Commission from 1955 to 1957, reflecting his continuing engagement with agricultural policy and rural economic issues.

In 1966, Zwach was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Minnesota in the 90th, 91st, 92nd, and 93rd Congresses, serving from January 3, 1967, to January 3, 1975. His four terms in Congress coincided with a period of major national debate over civil rights, the Vietnam War, social welfare programs, and changing federal roles in education and agriculture. As a member of the House, Zwach contributed to the legislative process and participated in the formulation of national policy, bringing to Washington the perspective of a rural educator and farmer. He chose not to be a candidate for reelection in 1974. By virtue of his surname, he is noted as having the last alphabetical name of all time in Congress.

After leaving Congress, Zwach returned to private life in Minnesota. He remained a resident of Lucan, Minnesota, maintaining his ties to the community and region that had shaped his life and career. His family continued his legacy of public service; his daughter, Barb Sykora, later served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007, extending the family’s involvement in state governance into a new generation.

John Matthew Zwach Sr. died in Lucan, Minnesota, on November 11, 1990. He was buried at St. Michael’s Cemetery. His long career as a farmer, educator, state legislator, and four-term member of the United States House of Representatives reflected a sustained commitment to representing rural Minnesota and participating in the broader democratic processes of both state and national government.