12th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
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Overview | |||||
Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
Term | January 3, 1859 – January 2, 1860 | ||||
Election | November 2, 1858 | ||||
Senate | |||||
Members | 30 | ||||
Senate President | Erasmus D. Campbell (D) | ||||
President pro tempore | Denison Worthington (R) | ||||
Party control | Democratic | ||||
Assembly | |||||
Members | 97 | ||||
Assembly Speaker | William P. Lyon (R) | ||||
Party control | Republican | ||||
Sessions | |||||
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The Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1859, to March 21, 1859, in regular session.
Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assembly members were elected to a one-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1858. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 3, 1857.[1]
Major events
- March 7, 1859: The United States Supreme Court ruled on the case of Ableman v. Booth, vacating the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision which had attempted to nullify enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in Wisconsin.
- April 12, 1859: Edward V. Whiton, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, died in office.
- April 19, 1859: Luther S. Dixon was appointed Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
- November 8, 1859: Alexander Randall was re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ind. | Republican | Vacant | ||
End of previous Legislature | 12 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 0 |
1st Session | 14 | 0 | 16 | 30 | 0 |
From Oct. 1[note 1] | 13 | 29 | 1 | ||
Final voting share | 47% | 0% | 53% | ||
Beginning of the next Legislature | 11 | 0 | 19 | 30 | 0 |
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ind. | Republican | Vacant | ||
End of previous Legislature | 44 | 0 | 53 | 97 | 0 |
Start of 1st Session | 41 | 1 | 54 | 96 | 1 |
after January 17 | 40 | 55 | |||
after January 20 | 41 | 97 | 0 | ||
Final voting share | 43% | 0% | 57% | ||
Beginning of the next Legislature | 37 | 1 | 59 | 97 | 0 |
Sessions
- 1st Regular session: January 12, 1859 – March 21, 1859
Leaders
Senate leadership
- President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor
- President pro tempore: Denison Worthington
Assembly leadership
- Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature (30):
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/WI_Senate_Partisan_Map_1859.svg/220px-WI_Senate_Partisan_Map_1859.svg.png)
Democratic: 14 seats
Republican: 16 seats
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/WI_Assembly_Partisan_Map_1859.svg/220px-WI_Assembly_Partisan_Map_1859.svg.png)
Democratic: 41 seats
Independent: 1 seat
Republican: 55 seats
Senate District |
County | District | Representative | Party | Residence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
09 | Adams & Juneau | John Turner | Rep. | Mauston | |
28 | Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, & St. Croix | Moses S. Gibson (Until Jan. 17) | Dem. | Hudson | |
Marcus W. McCracken (From Jan. 17) | Rep. | Superior | |||
30 | Bad Ax & Crawford | Thomas R. Tower | Rep. | Towerville | |
02 | Brown | William Field Jr. | Dem. | De Pere | |
30 | Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau | Jesse Bennett | Rep. | Fountain City | |
19 | Calumet | Harrison C. Hobart | Dem. | Chilton | |
28 | Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, & Pierce | Richard Dewhurst | Rep. | Neillsville | |
25 | Columbia[2] | 1 | Gysbert Van Steenwyk | Rep. | Kilbourn City |
2 | William M. Griswold | Rep. | Columbus | ||
3 | John O. Jones | Rep. | Cambria | ||
11 | Dane[2] | 1 | William W. Blackman | Rep. | Stoughton |
2 | Adam Smith | Dem. | Burke | ||
3 | John Keenan | Dem. | Fitchburg | ||
26 | 4 | Chester N. Waterbury | Dem. | Roxbury | |
5 | Harlow S. Orton | Dem. | Madison | ||
6 | George B. Smith | Dem. | Madison | ||
22 | Dodge[2] | 1 | Thomas Palmer | Dem. | Mayville |
2 | John C. Bishop | Dem. | LeRoy | ||
3 | Waldo Lyon | Rep. | Hustisford | ||
4 | Cyrus S. Kneeland | Rep. | Waupun | ||
5 | Lorenzo Merrill | Rep. | Burnett | ||
6 | John Lowth | Dem. | Lowell | ||
02 | Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Shawano | Matthias Simon | Dem. | Ahnapee | |
20 | Fond du Lac[2] | 1 | Alvan E. Bovay | Rep. | Ripon |
2 | Warren Whiting | Rep. | Ladoga | ||
3 | John C. Lewis | Rep. | Fond du Lac | ||
4 | --Vacant-- (until Jan. 21)[note 2] | ||||
O. Hugo Petters (from Jan. 21) | Dem. | Murone | |||
5 | Silas C. Matteson | Rep. | Waucousta | ||
16 | Grant[2] | 1 | George Broderick | Dem. | Hazel Green |
2 | James W. Seaton | Dem. | Potosi | ||
3 | Jesse Waldorf | Rep. | Platteville | ||
4 | Hugh A. W. McNair | Rep. | Fennimore | ||
5 | Luther Basford | Rep. | Glen Haven | ||
24 | Green[2] | 1 | Albert H. Pierce | Rep. | Monticello |
2 | Edmund A. West | Rep. | Monroe | ||
15 | Iowa[2] | 1 | Gardner C. Meigs | Dem. | Arena |
2 | John Toay | Rep. | Mineral Point | ||
23 | Jefferson[2] | 1 | Alexander J. Craig | Rep. | Palmyra |
2 | George C. Smith | Rep. | Oakland | ||
14 | 3 | Luther A. Cole | Rep. | Watertown | |
4 | Ferdinand Wagner | Dem. | Watertown | ||
5 | Sylvester J. Conklin | Rep. | Waterloo | ||
08 | Kenosha[2] | 1 | George Bennett | Rep. | Kenosha |
2 | James C. McKisson | Rep. | Wheatland | ||
30 | La Crosse & Monroe | Charles W. Marshall | Rep. | La Crosse | |
13 | Lafayette[2] | 1 | James S. Murphy | Dem. | Benton |
2 | William M. McGranahan | Dem. | Fayette | ||
3 | David W. Kyle | Dem. | Shullsburg | ||
19 | Manitowoc[2] | 1 | William Aldrich | Rep. | Two Rivers |
2 | James B. Dunn | Dem. | Manitowoc | ||
27 | Marathon, Portage, & Wood | James S. Young | Dem. | Stevens Point | |
29 | Marquette & Green Lake[2] | 1 | Jesse Thomas | Rep. | Green Lake |
2 | James B. Ormsby | Rep. | Oxford | ||
05 | Milwaukee[2] | 1 | Edwin Palmer | Rep. | Milwaukee |
2 | Charles J. Kern | Dem. | Milwaukee | ||
06 | 3 | Thomas H. Eviston | Ind. | Milwaukee | |
4 | James A. Swain | Rep. | Milwaukee | ||
5 | William S. Cross | Rep. | Milwaukee | ||
05 | 6 | Joseph Walter | Dem. | Milwaukee | |
7 | Frederick Moskowitt | Dem. | Milwaukee | ||
06 | 8 | Jacob Beck | Dem. | Milwaukee | |
9 | Edward Hasse | Dem. | Milwaukee | ||
02 | Outagamie | Perry H. Smith | Dem. | Appleton | |
03 | Ozaukee[2] | 1 | John R. Bohan | Dem. | Ozaukee |
2 | Frederick W. Horn | Dem. | Cedarburg | ||
07 | Racine[4] | 1 | William P. Lyon | Rep. | Racine |
2 | Leonard S. Van Vliet | Rep. | Caledonia | ||
3 | William Ballach | Rep. | Yorkville | ||
4 | Franklin E. Hoyt | Dem. | Rochester | ||
15 | Richland | William Dixon | Rep. | Lone Rock | |
18 | Rock[2] | 1 | William E. Wheeler | Rep. | Beloit |
2 | Edward Vincent | Rep. | Milton | ||
17 | 3 | John P. Dickson | Rep. | Janesville | |
4 | Joseph K. P. Porter | Rep. | Cooksville | ||
5 | Elisha L. Carpenter | Rep. | Beloit | ||
09 | Sauk[2] | 1 | Nelson Wheeler | Rep. | Humboldt |
2 | Eli Otis Rudd | Rep. | Reedsburg | ||
01 | Sheboygan[2] | 1 | William N. Shafter | Rep. | Sheboygan |
2 | James Little | Dem. | Sheboygan Falls | ||
3 | Stephen D. Littlefield | Dem. | Sheboygan Falls | ||
12 | Walworth[2] | 1 | Reuben Rockwell | Rep. | Springfield |
2 | Edward P. Cornick | Rep. | Delavan | ||
3 | Newton S. Murphy | Rep. | Whitewater | ||
4 | Daniel Hooper | Rep. | Troy | ||
04 | Washington[2] | 1 | Gustave Streckewald | Dem. | Hartford |
2 | James Vollmar | Dem. | West Bend | ||
3 | Phillip Zimmerman | Dem. | Staatsville | ||
10 | Waukesha[2] | 1 | Parker Sawyer | Rep. | Summit |
2 | William P. King | Dem. | Merton | ||
3 | Andrew E. Elmore | Dem. | Mukwonago | ||
4 | Charles T. Deissner | Dem. | Waukesha | ||
5 | Ira Blood | Rep. | Mukwonago | ||
27 | Waupaca | Warner C. Carr | Dem. | Crystal Lake | |
Waushara | Charles White | Rep. | Coloma | ||
21 | Winnebago[2] | 1 | Richard P. Eighme | Dem. | Oshkosh |
2 | John D. Rush | Dem. | Winneconne | ||
3 | George W. Beckwith | Rep. | Omro |
Employees
Senate employees
- Chief Clerk: Hiram Bowen
- Assistant Clerk: C. M. Cook
- Engrossing Clerk: A. M. Thomson
- Enrolling Clerk: C. T. Overton
- Transcribing Clerk: G. M. O'Brien
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Asa Kinney
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Jacob Low
- Postmaster: E. G. Garner
- Post Messenger: Garrit Mahony
- Doorkeeper: D. C. Shelden
- Messengers:
- William W. Worthington
- Dwight Allen
Assembly employees
- Chief Clerk: L. H. D. Crane
- Assistant Clerk: John S. Dean
- Engrossing Clerk: George Burnside
- Enrolling Clerk: George W. Stoner
- Transcribing Clerk: Oliver Gibbs, Jr.
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Emanuel Munk
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Gates
- Postmaster: Sewall W. Smith
- Assistant Postmaster: Cyrus Fertig
- Doorkeeper: G. W. Munderloh
- Assistant Doorkeeper: William Adams
- Firemen:
- F. Brown
- N. L. Andrews
- Messengers:
- Cyrus Lanyon
- John Ford
- W. Howard Aldrich (12-year-old son of Assembly member William Aldrich)
- Edward Livingston
- Samuel Fernandez
References
- ^ "Annals of the legislature". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1881 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 197–198.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Crane, L. H. D., ed. (1859). "List of Assembly Districts, with Names of Members since the last apportionment" (PDF). A Manual of Customs, Precedents, and Forms in use in the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 58–64. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Thursday, January 20–10 o'clock, A.M." Journal of the Assembly of Wisconsin. State of Wisconsin: 88. 1859. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Republican Nominations". Racine Daily News. October 26, 1858. p. 2. Retrieved September 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
Notes
- ^ Democrat Lion Silverman (District 3) resigned October 1, 1859, to run for State Treasurer.
- ^ S. K. Barnes was elected to this seat in the November 1858 general election, but died before inauguration. O. Hugo Petters was chosen in a special election held January 13, 1859.[3]