12th Wisconsin Legislature

Wisconsin legislative term for 1859

12th Wisconsin Legislature

| <-| 11th | 13th| ->

|
|
|

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
| 1st| January 12, 1859 – March 21, 1859

|

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]

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Alexander Randall, of Waukesha County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1857 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2021)

|

## Party summary

[edit]

### Senate summary

[edit]

| 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

[edit]

| 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

[edit]

* 1st Regular session: January 12, 1859 - March 21, 1859

## Leaders

[edit]

### Senate leadership

[edit]

* President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor
* President pro tempore: Denison Worthington

### Assembly leadership

[edit]

* Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon

## Members

[edit]

### Members of the Senate

[edit]

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature (30):

Senate Partisan representation

Democratic: 14 seats

Republican: 16 seats

District  | Counties  | Senator  | Party  | Residence

|
|
|
|

01 | Sheboygan | Robert H. Hotchkiss | Dem.  | Plymouth
02 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw | Morgan Lewis Martin | Dem.  | Green Bay
03 | Ozaukee | Lion Silverman | Dem.  | Ozaukee
04 | Washington | Densmore W. Maxon | Dem.  | Cedar Creek
05 | Milwaukee (Northern Half) | Cicero Comstock | Rep.  | Milwaukee
06 | Milwaukee (Southern Half) | Patrick Walsh | Dem.  | Milwaukee
07 | Racine | Nicholas D. Fratt | Dem.  | Racine
08 | Kenosha | Samuel R. McClellan | Rep.  | Wilmot
09 | Adams, Juneau, Sauk | H. W. Curtis | Rep.  | Delton
10 | Waukesha | Denison Worthington | Rep.  | Summit
11 | Dane (Eastern Part) | William Robert Taylor | Dem.  | Cottage Grove
12 | Walworth | John W. Boyd | Rep.  | Geneva
13 | Lafayette | Philemon B. Simpson | Dem.  | Shullsburg
14 | Jefferson (Northern Part) and Dodge (Southern Part) | William Chappell | Dem.  | Watertown
15 | Iowa, Richland | Charles Rodolf | Dem.  | Orion
16 | Grant | Noah H. Virgin | Rep.  | Platteville
17 | Rock (Western Part) | Zebulon P. Burdick | Rep.  | Janesville
18 | Rock (Eastern Part) | Alden I. Bennett | Rep.  | Beloit
19 | Manitowoc, Calumet | Samuel H. Thurber | Dem.  | Manitowoc
20 | Fond du Lac | Edward Pier | Rep.  | Fond du Lac
21 | Winnebago | Ganem W. Washburn | Rep.  | Oshkosh
22 | Dodge (Northern Part) | William E. Smith | Rep.  | Fox Lake
23 | Jefferson (Southern Part) | Enias D. Masters | Rep.  | Jefferson
24 | Green | John H. Warren | Rep.  | Albany
25 | Columbia | Moses M. Davis | Rep.  | Portage
26 | Dane (Western Part) | Andrew Proudfit | Dem.  | Madison
27 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood | Luther Hanchett | Rep.  | Stanton
28 | Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix | Daniel Mears | Dem.  | Osceola Mills
29 | Marquette | M. W. Seely | Rep.  | Marquette
30 | Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau | William H. Tucker | Dem.  | La Crosse

### Members of the Assembly

[edit]

Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:

Assembly partisan representation

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

[edit]

### Senate employees

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

1. ^ "Annals of the legislature". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1881 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 197–198.
2. ^ 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.
3. ^ "Thursday, January 20-10 o'clock, A.M." Journal of the Assembly of Wisconsin. State of Wisconsin: 88. 1859. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
4. ^ "Republican Nominations". Racine Daily News. October 26, 1858. p. 2. Retrieved September 5, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Democrat Lion Silverman (District 3) resigned October 1, 1859, to run for State Treasurer.
2. ^ 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]

## External links

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Wisconsin Legislatures

Michigan Territory Rump Council (1836)|

* "Rump Council" (1836)

Territorial Assemblies (1836–1848)|

* 1st (1836-1838)
* 2nd (1838-1840)
* 3rd (1840-1842)
* 4th (1842-1846)
* 5th (1847-1848)

State Legislatures (since 1848)|

* 1st (1848)
* 2nd (1849)
* 3rd (1850)
* 4th (1851)
* 5th (1852)
* 6th (1853)
* 7th (1854)
* 8th (1855)
* 9th (1856)
* 10th (1857)
* 11th (1858)
* 12th (1859)
* 13th (1860)
* 14th (1861)
* 15th (1862)
* 16th (1863)
* 17th (1864)
* 18th (1865)
* 19th (1866)
* 20th (1867)
* 21st (1868)
* 22nd (1869)
* 23rd (1870)
* 24th (1871)
* 25th (1872)
* 26th (1873)
* 27th (1874)
* 28th (1875)
* 29th (1876)
* 30th (1877)
* 31st (1878)
* 32nd (1879)
* 33rd (1880)
* 34th (1881)
* 35th (1882)
* 36th (1883)
* 37th (1885)
* 38th (1887)
* 39th (1889)
* 40th (1891)
* 41st (1893)
* 42nd (1895)
* 43rd (1897)
* 44th (1899)
* 45th (1901)
* 46th (1903)
* 47th (1905)
* 48th (1907)
* 49th (1909)
* 50th (1911)
* 51st (1913)
* 52nd (1915)
* 53rd (1917)
* 54th (1919)
* 55th (1921)
* 56th (1923)
* 57th (1925)
* 58th (1927)
* 59th (1929)
* 60th (1931)
* 61st (1933)
* 62nd (1935)
* 63rd (1937)
* 64th (1939)
* 65th (1941)
* 66th (1943)
* 67th (1945)
* 68th (1947)
* 69th (1949)
* 70th (1951)
* 71st (1953)
* 72nd (1955)
* 73rd (1957)
* 74th (1959)
* 75th (1961)
* 76th (1963)
* 77th (1965)
* 78th (1967)
* 79th (1969)
* 80th (1971)
* 81st (1973)
* 82nd (1975)
* 83rd (1977)
* 84th (1979)
* 85th (1981)
* 86th (1983)
* 87th (1985)
* 88th (1987)
* 89th (1989)
* 90th (1991)
* 91st (1993)
* 92nd (1995)
* 93rd (1997)
* 94th (1999)
* 95th (2001)
* 96th (2003)
* 97th (2005)
* 98th (2007)
* 99th (2009)
* 100th (2011)
* 101st (2013)
* 102nd (2015)
* 103rd (2017)
* 104th (2019)
* 105th (2021)
* 106th (2023)
* 107th (2025)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template