10th Wisconsin Legislature

The Tenth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1857, to March 9, 1857, in regular session.

10th Wisconsin Legislature
9th 11th
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 14, 1857 January 13, 1858
ElectionNovember 4, 1856
Senate
Members30
Senate PresidentArthur MacArthur, Sr. (D)
Party controlRepublican
Assembly
Members97
Assembly SpeakerWyman Spooner (R)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
1stJanuary 14, 1857 March 9, 1857

This was the first legislative session after the expansion and redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session. The Senate grew from 25 to 30 seats; the Assembly grew from 82 to 97 seats.

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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1856. 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 6, 1855, or were elected in the 1856 election for a newly created district and were serving a one-year term.[1]

Major events

Major legislation

  • February 19, 1857: Act relating to the writ of Habeas Corpus to persons claimed as Fugitive Slaves, the right of trial by jury, and to prevent kidnapping in this State, 1857 Act 8. This was an attempt to make it more difficult to arrest people on accusation that they were fugitive slaves. It also introduced severe penalties for falsely claiming a person as a fugitive slave.
  • February 28, 1857: Act providing for the erection of the main edifice of the State University, 1857 Act 25
  • February 28, 1857: Act authorizing the enlargement of the State Capitol, and providing and appropriating means for the payment of the same, 1857 Act 26
  • March 4, 1857: Act to extend the right of Suffrage, 1857 Act 44. This was the second attempt to create a referendum which would grant voting rights to African American men in Wisconsin. The first referendum passed, but was deemed illegitimate. This referendum would fail in the 1857 election. Ultimately, the Wisconsin Supreme Court would rule in the 1866 case of Gillespie v. Palmer that the earlier referendum was valid, and that African American men would have the right to vote in the state.
  • March 7, 1857: Act to preserve the purity of Elections, 1857 Act 85
  • March 9, 1857: Act to provide for the appointment of a Superintendent of Public Property and to define his powers and duties, 1857 Act 95

Party summary

Senate

Senate Partisan composition
  Democratic: 11 seats
  Republican: 19 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant
End of previous Legislature 12 0 13 25 0
1st Session 11 0 19 30 0
Final voting share 37% 0% 63%
Beginning of the next Legislature 12 0 18 30 0

Assembly

Assembly Partisan composition
  Democratic: 34 seats
  Republican: 63 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant
End of previous Legislature 47 1 34 82 0
1st Session 34 0 63 97 0
Final voting share 35% 0% 65%
Beginning of the next Legislature 44 0 53 97 0

Sessions

  • 1st Regular session: January 14, 1857 March 9, 1857

Leaders

Senate

Assembly

Members

Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Tenth Wisconsin Legislature:

District Counties Senator Party
1 Sheboygan Elijah Fox Cook Democrat
2 Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw Perry H. Smith Democrat
3 Ozaukee Herman J. Schulteis Democrat
4 Washington Baruch Schleisinger Weil Democrat
5 Northern Milwaukee Augustus Greulich Democrat
6 Southern Milwaukee Edward O'Neill Democrat
7 Racine Champion S. Chase Republican
8 Kenosha Christopher Latham Sholes Republican
9 Adams, Juneau, Sauk John T. Kingston Republican
10 Waukesha Edward Gernon Democrat
11 Eastern Dane Hiram H. Giles Republican
12 Walworth Jesse C. Mills Republican
13 Lafayette Philemon B. Simpson Democrat
14 Northern Jefferson S. W. Barnes Democrat
15 Iowa, Richland Lemuel W. Joiner Republican
16 Grant J. Allen Barber Republican
17 Western Rock James Sutherland Republican
18 Eastern Rock Louis P. Harvey Republican
19 Manitowoc, Calumet Temple Clark Democrat
20 Fond du Lac Edward Pier Republican
21 Winnebago Edwin Wheeler Republican
22 Dodge Solomon L. Rose Democrat
23 Southern Jefferson Samuel C. Bean Republican
24 Green George E. Dexter Republican
25 Columbia Moses M. Davis Republican
26 Western Dane Hiram C. Bull Republican
27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood Luther Hanchett Republican
28 Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix William Wilson Republican
29 Marquette Martin L. Kimball Republican
30 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau William T. Price Republican

Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Tenth Wisconsin Legislature:

Counties Representative Party
Adams, Juneau Joseph Langworthy Republican
Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, St. Croix George Strong Republican
Bad Ax, Crawford Buel E. Hutchinson Republican
Brown Edgar Conklin Democrat
Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau Samuel D. Hastings Republican
Calumet George A. Jenkins Republican
Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Pierce Orrin T. Maxson Republican
Columbia 1 G. M. Bartholomew Republican
2 Oliver C. Howe Republican
3 Henry Converse Republican
Dane 1 John Anders Johnson Republican
2 Robert W. Davison Republican
3 Robert P. Main Republican
4 John B. Sweat Democrat
5 Horace A. Tenney Republican
6 Nathaniel W. Dean Republican
Dodge 1 Edward N. Foster Republican
2 Peter Potter Democrat
3 Robert B. Wentworth Republican
4 Quartus H. Barron Republican
5 A. Scott Sloan Republican
6 John J. Williams Republican
Door, Kewaunee, Oconto Ezra B. Stevens Republican
Fond du Lac 1 Edmund L. Runals Republican
2 Morris S. Barnett Republican
3 John B. Wilbor Democrat
4 Major J. Thomas Democrat
5 Aaron Walters Democrat
Grant 1 Allen Taylor Republican
2 Albert W. Emerey Democrat
3 Hanmer Robbins Republican
4 Joseph Trotter Mills Republican
5 Joachim Gulick Republican
Green 1 Charles F. Thompson Republican
2 Thomas W. Hall Republican
Iowa 1 Ephraim Knowlton Democrat
2 Thomas Allen Republican
Jefferson 1 Delatus M. Aspinwall Republican
2 Jared F. Ostrander Republican
3 William Chappell Democrat
4 William M. Morse Democrat
5 Kendall P. Clark Democrat
Kenosha 1 Frederick S. Lovell Republican
2 Lathrop Burgess Republican
La Crosse, Monroe Dugald D. Cameron Republican
Lafayette 1 Joseph White Democrat
2 Henry W. Barnes Democrat
3 James H. Earnest Democrat
Manitowoc 1 Charles H. Walker Democrat
2 Thomas Cunningham Democrat
Marathon, Portage, Wood Anson Rood Republican
Marquette 1 Davis Hanson Waite Republican
2 Paul D. Hayward Republican
Milwaukee 1 Frederick K. Bartlett Democrat
2 Moses M. Strong Democrat
3 Andrew McCormick Democrat
4 Jonathan Taylor Democrat
5 Jasper Humphrey Democrat
6 Herman Haertel Democrat
7 Frederick Moscowitt Democrat
8 James Reynolds Democrat
9 James D. Reymert Democrat
Outagamie Theodore Conkey Democrat
Ozaukee 1 Samuel A. White Democrat
2 Frederick W. Horn Democrat
Racine 1 Lewelyn J. Evans Republican
2 Peter C. Lutkin Republican
3 Joseph Nelson Republican
4 James Catton Republican
Richland Robert C. Field Republican
Rock 1 Lucius G. Fisher Republican
2 David Noggle Republican
3 Ezra A. Foot Republican
4 William H. Tripp Republican
5 George R. Atherton Republican
Sauk 1 James G. Train Republican
2 Abram West Republican
Sheboygan 1 Zebulon P. Mason Democrat
2 Robert H. Hotchkiss Democrat
3 Glenville W. Stone Republican
Walworth 1 David Williams Republican
2 Samuel W. Voorhees Republican
3 Solmous Wakeley Republican
4 Wyman Spooner Republican
Washington 1 Hopewell Coxe Democrat
2 James Vollmar Democrat
3 James Fagan Democrat
Waukesha 1 George Cairncross Republican
2 James M. Lewis Republican
3 Thomas Sugden Republican
4 Elihu Enos, Jr. Republican
5 Charles S. Hawley Republican
Waupaca Benjamin F. Phillips Democrat
Waushara George Hawley Republican
Winnebago 1 Philetus Sawyer Republican
2 John Anunson Republican
3 William P. McAllister Republican

Employees

Senate

Assembly

Changes from the 9th Legislature

The most significant structural change to the Legislature between the 9th and 10th sessions was the reapportionment and redistricting of legislative seats. The new districts were defined in 1856 Wisconsin Act 109, passed into law in the 9th Wisconsin Legislature.

Summary of changes

  • 17 senate districts were left unchanged.
  • Dane County went from having one senator to two (11, 26).
  • Jefferson County went from having one senator to two (14, 23).
  • Marquette County became its own senate district (29), after previously having been in a shared district with Adams, Sauk, and Waushara counties.
  • Sheboygan County became its own senate district (1), after previously having been in a shared district with Calumet and Manitowoc counties
  • Waukesha County went from two senators to one (10).
  • The multi-county, lightly-populated northern and western regions of the state went from two senators to four (2, 27, 28, 30).

Senate districts

after redistricting
before redistricting
Dist. 9th Legislature 10th Legislature
1 Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan counties Sheboygan County
2 Brown, Door, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca counties Brown, Outagamie, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Shawano counties
3 Ozaukee County Ozaukee County
4 Washington County Washington County
5 Northern Milwaukee County Northern Milwaukee County
6 Southern Milwaukee County Southern Milwaukee County
7 Racine County Racine County
8 Kenosha County Kenosha County
9 Northern Waukesha County Sauk, Adams, Juneau counties
10 Southern Waukesha County Waukesha County
11 Dane County Eastern Dane County
12 Walworth County Walworth County
13 Lafayette County Lafayette County
14 Jefferson County Northern Jefferson County
15 Iowa, Richland counties Iowa, Richland counties
16 Grant County Grant County
17 Western Rock County Western Rock County
18 Eastern Rock County Eastern Rock County
19 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties Manitowoc, Calumet County
20 Fond du Lac County Fond du Lac County
21 Winnebago County Winnebago County
22 Dodge County Dodge County
23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara counties Southern Jefferson County
24 Green County Green County
25 Columbia County Columbia County
26 Did not exist in 9th Legislature Western Dane County
27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood County
28 Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties
29 Marquette County
30 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau counties

Summary of changes

  • Brown County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Door and Kewaunee counties.
  • Columbia County went from having 2 districts to 3.
  • Dane County went from having 5 districts to 6.
  • Fond du Lac County went from having 4 districts to 5.
  • Green County went from having 1 district to 2.
  • Manitowoc County went from having 1 district to 2.
  • Marquette County went from sharing 1 district and 1 shared district with Waushara to having 2 districts.
  • Outagamie County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Oconto and Waupaca counties.
  • Rock County went from having 4 districts to 5.
  • Sauk County went from sharing a district with Adams to having 2 districts of its own.
  • Sheboygan County went from having 2 districts to 3.
  • Walworth County went from having 6 districts to 4.
  • Washington County went from having 2 districts to 3.
  • Waupaca County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Oconto and Outagamie counties.
  • Waushara County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Marquette
  • Winnebago County went from having 2 districts to 3.

Assembly districts

County Districts in 9th Legislature Districts in 10th Legislature
Adams Shared with Sauk Shared with Juneau
Ashland Did not exist Shared with Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, St. Croix
Bad Ax Shared with Crawford Shared with Crawford
Brown Shared with Door, Kewaunee 1 District
Buffalo Did not exist Shared with Jackson, Trempealeau
Burnett Did not exist Shared with Ashland, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, St. Croix
Calumet 1 District 1 District
Chippewa Shared with La Crosse Shared with Clark, Dunn, Pierce
Clark Did not exist Shared with Chippewa, Dunn, Pierce
Columbia 2 Districts 3 Districts
Crawford Shared with Bad Ax Shared with Bad Ax
Dane 5 Districts 6 Districts
Dodge 6 Districts 6 Districts
Door Shared with Brown, Kewaunee Shared with Kewaunee, Oconto
Douglas Did not exist Shared with Ashland, Burnett, La Pointe, Polk, St. Croix
Dunn Did not exist Shared with Chippewa, Clark, Pierce
Fond du Lac 4 Districts 5 Districts
Grant 5 Districts 5 Districts
Green 1 District 2 Districts
Iowa 2 Districts 2 Districts
Jackson Did not exist Shared with Buffalo, Trempealeau
Jefferson 5 Districts 5 Districts
Juneau Did not exist Shared with Adams
Kenosha 2 Districts 2 Districts
Kewaunee Shared with Brown, Door Shared with Door, Oconto
La Crosse Shared with Chippewa Shared with Monroe
La Pointe Shared with Pierce, Polk, St. Croix Shared with Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, St. Croix
Lafayette 3 Districts 3 Districts
Manitowoc 1 District 2 Districts
Marathon Shared with Portage Shared with Portage, Wood
Marquette 2 Shared with Waushara 2 Districts
Milwaukee 9 Districts 9 Districts
Monroe Did not exist Shared with La Crosse
Oconto Shared with Outagamie, Waupaca Shared with Door, Kewaunee
Outagamie Shared with Oconto, Waupaca 1 District
Ozaukee 2 Districts 2 Districts
Pierce Shared with La Pointe, Polk, St. Croix Shared with Chippewa, Clark, Dunn
Polk Shared with La Pointe, Pierce, St. Croix Shared with Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, St. Croix
Portage Shared with Marathon Shared with Marathon, Wood
Racine 4 Districts 4 Districts
Richland 1 District 1 District
Rock 4 Districts 5 Districts
Sauk Shared with Adams 2 Districts
Sheboygan 2 Districts 3 Districts
St. Croix Shared with La Pointe, Pierce, Polk Shared with Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk
Trempealeau Did not exist Shared with Buffalo, Jackson
Walworth 6 Districts 4 Districts
Washington 2 Districts 3 Districts
Waukesha 4 Districts 4 Districts
Waupaca Shared with Oconto, Outagamie 1 District
Waushara 2 Shared with Marquette 1 District
Winnebago 2 Districts 3 Districts
Wood Did not exist Shared with Marathon, Portage

References

  1. "Annals of the legislature". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1881 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 193–194.
  2. Journal of the Assembly of Wisconsin (Report). Calkins & Proudfit. 1857. pp. 83–85. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
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