1st Wisconsin Legislature

Wisconsin legislative term February 2025 January 2025 1st Wisconsin Legislature Wisconsin State Capitol 1855.jpg Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855 Wisconsin Legislature Wisconsin State Capitol May 8, 1848 June 5, 1848 January 1, 1849 Territorial Legislature 2nd Senate 19 Democratic Senate President John Edwin Holmes Assembly 66 Democratic Assembly Speaker Ninian E. Whiteside June 5, 1848 August 21, 1848 The First Wisconsin Legislature convened from June 5, 1848, to August 21, 1848, in regular session. Wisconsin voters ratified the Constitution of Wisconsin in a statewide referendum held on March 13, 1848, then held elections for statewide constitutional officers and legislators on May 8, 1848. Senators representing even-numbered districts were elected to serve through this term and the following term. Assemblymembers and odd-numbered senators were elected to serve only through the end of this term. Wisconsin was formally admitted as the 30th U.S. state on May 29, 1848. Wisconsin's first governor, Democrat Nelson Dewey, of Grant County, was sworn in on the 3rd day of this legislative term. He was the only governor of Wisconsin during this legislative term. Major events May 8, 1848: Nelson Dewey elected Governor of Wisconsin. May 29, 1848: Wisconsin was admitted to the Union as the 30th State. June 7, 1848: Inauguration of Nelson Dewey as the first Governor of Wisconsin. June 8, 1848: The Wisconsin Legislature, in joint session, elected Henry Dodge and Isaac P. Walker as United States Senators.https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.78122799 Journal of the Assembly of the First Legislature of the State of Wisconsin 1848 36 June 17, 2019 November 7, 1848: Zachary Taylor elected President of the United States. Wisconsin's electoral votes went to his opponent, Lewis Cass. Major legislation June 21, 1848: Joint resolution relative to free territory, 1848 Joint Resolutions p.285 June 21, 1848: Act concerning the Attorney General, 1848 Acts pp.10-11 June 29, 1848: Act to prescribe the duties of the State Treasurer, 1848 Acts pp.13-15 June 29, 1848: Act to divide the State of Wisconsin into Congressional Districts, 1848 Acts pp.15-16 June 29, 1848: Act to provide for the election of Judges and for the classification and organization of the Judiciary of the State of Wisconsin, 1848 Acts pp.19-24 July 26, 1848: Act to establish the University of Wisconsin, 1848 Acts pp.37-40 July 29, 1848: Act to Exempt a Homestead from forced sale, 1848 Acts pp.40-41 August 8, 1848: Act to incorporate the City of Racine in the county of Racine, 1848 Acts pp.80-100 August 12, 1848: Act prescribing the powers and duties of the Secretary of State, 1848 Acts pp.115-120 August 16, 1848: Act to provide for the Election and define the duties of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1848 Acts pp.127-129 August 21, 1848: Act to provide for holding general and special Elections, the time when, the manner of holding the same, and the qualifications, disabilities, and privileges of electors, 1848 Acts pp.191-207 August 21, 1848: Act in relation to Public Schools, 1848 Acts pp.226-247 Party summary Senate summary thumb|220px|right|Senate partisan composition #3333FF Democratic: 16 seats #F0C862 Whig: 3 seats Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Free Soil Whig Vacant 1st Session 16 0 3 19 0 Final voting share 84% 0% 16% Beginning of the next Legislature 14 1 4 19 0 Assembly summary thumb|220px|right|Assembly partisan composition #3333FF Democratic: 49 seats #F0C862 Whig: 17 seats Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Free Soil Whig Vacant 1st Session 49 0 17 66 0 Final voting share 74% 0% 26% Beginning of the next Legislature 35 14 17 66 0 Sessions 1st Regular session: June 4, 1848August 21, 1848 Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: John E. Holmes, Lieutenant Governor Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Ninian E. Whiteside Members Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the First Wisconsin Legislature (19):http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1881 The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin, 1881 State of Wisconsin Annals of the legislature 177, 178 May 12, 2019 https://archive.org/stream/historyofwisconsin02smitrich The History of Wisconsin 1854 Beriah Brown Madison, Wisconsin Smith William R. William Rudolph Smith 303–305 August 8, 2021 thumb|right|200px|Senate partisan representation #3333FF Democratic: 16 seats #F0C862 Whig: 3 seats District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Harrison C. HobartDem. Sheboygan 02 Columbia, Marquette, Portage, Sauk Henry MerrillWhig Fort Winnebago 03 Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix, La Pointe Daniel G. FentonDem. Prairie du Chien 04 Fond du Lac, Winnebago Warren ChaseDem. Ceresco 05 Iowa, Richland Henry M. BillingsDem. Highland 06 Grant George W. LakinWhig Platteville 07 Lafayette Thomas K. GibsonDem. Benton 08 Green Elisha T. GardnerDem. Monroe 09 Dane Simeon MillsDem. Madison 10 Dodge William M. DennisDem. Watertown 11 Washington Frederick W. HornDem. Cedarburg 12 Jefferson Myron B. WilliamsDem. Watertown 13 Waukesha Joseph Turner Joseph Turner (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Prairieville 14 Walworth John W. Boyd John W. Boyd (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Geneva 15 Rock Otis W. Norton Otis NortonWhig Milton 16 Racine (Southern half) C. Latham Sholes Christopher Latham SholesDem. Racine 17 Racine (Northern half) Philo WhiteDem. Racine 18 Milwaukee (Southern half) Asa KinneyDem. Milwaukee 19 Milwaukee (Northern half) Riley N. MessengerDem. Milwaukee Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the First Wisconsin Legislature (66): thumb|right|200px|Assembly partisan representation #3333FF Democratic: 49 seats #F0C862 Whig: 17 seats SenateDistrict Counties Representative Party Residence 01 Brown David AgryDem. Green Bay Calumet Lemuel GoodellDem. Stockbridge 02 Columbia Joseph Kerr Joseph Kerr (Wisconsin politician)Whig Randolph 03 Crawford–Chippewa William T. SterlingDem. Mount Sterling 09 Dane 1 Henry M. WarnerDem. Cottage Grove 2 Ebenezer BrighamWhig Blue Mounds 3 Samuel H. RoysDem. Stoughton 10 Dodge 1 Lorenzo MerrillDem. Beaver Dam 2 Charles BillinghurstDem. Juneau 3 Benjamin Randall Benjamin Randall (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Lebanon 4 Stephen Jones Stephen Jones (Wisconsin politician)Whig Lowell 5 Monroe ThompsonWhig Fox Lake 04 Fond du Lac 1 Charles Doty Charles Doty (Wisconsin legislator)Whig Fond du Lac 2 Jonathan DaughertyWhig Rosendale 06 Grant 1 James Gilmore James Gilmore (Wisconsin politician)Whig Jamestown 2 Noah VirginWhig Platteville 3 Armisted C. BrownWhig Potosi 4 Arthur W. WorthDem. Lancaster 08 Green Henry Adams Henry Adams (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Monticello 05 Iowa–Richland 1 Abner NicholsDem. Mineral Point 2 Thomas Jenkins Thomas Jenkins (Wisconsin politician, born 1801)Dem. Dodgeville 12 Jefferson 1 Wales EmmonsDem. Watertown 2 Peter H. TurnerDem. Palmyra 3 Davenport RoodDem. Jefferson 03 La Pointe–St. Croix William R. Marshall (until June 6, 1848)Dem. St. Croix Falls Joseph Bowron (from June 13, 1848)Dem. St. Croix Falls 07 Lafayette 1 Ninian E. WhitesideDem. Belmont 2 Elias SlothowerDem. Gratiot 01 Manitowoc Ezra DurginDem. Manitowoc 02 Marquette Archibald NicholsWhig Markesan 19 Milwaukee 1 Edward WunderlyDem. Milwaukee 2 Augustus GreulichDem. Milwaukee 18 3 William W. Brown William W. Brown (Wisconsin politician)Whig Milwaukee 4 Leonard P. CraryDem. Milwaukee 5 Andrew Sullivan Andrew Sullivan (politician)Dem. Milwaukee 6 Horace ChaseDem. Milwaukee 19 7 Perley J. ShumwayDem. Wauwatosa 02 Portage James M. CampbellDem. Stevens Point 17 Racine 1 David McDonald David McDonald (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Racine 2 Henry B. RobertsDem. Caledonia 3 Samuel E. ChapmanWhig Rochester 16 4 Julius L. GilbertDem. Racine 5 Elias Woodworth Jr.Dem. Bristol 15 Rock 1 G. F. A. AthertonDem. Emerald Grove 2 Robert T. CareyWhig Beloit 3 Alanson B. VaughanWhig Union 4 Albert P. BlakesleeDem. Johnstown 5 Nathaniel StrongDem. Beloit 02 Sauk Delando PrattDem. Baraboo 01 Sheboygan 1 Charles E. MorrisDem. Sheboygan 2 Jedediah BrownDem. Sheboygan Falls 14 Walworth 1 Gaylord GravesDem. East Troy 2 Prosper CravathWhig Whitewater 3 Erasmus D. RichardsonDem. Geneva 4 Hugh Long Hugh Long (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Darien 5 Milo KelseyWhig Delavan 11 Washington 1 Henry Allen Henry Allen (Wisconsin politician)Dem. Port Washington 2 Benjamin H. MooersDem. Grafton 3 Adolphus ZimmermannDem. Mequon 4 Densmore MaxonDem. Cedar Creek 5 William Caldwell William Caldwell (Wisconsin politician)Whig Barton 13 Waukesha 1 Joseph W. BrackettDem. Brookfield 2 Dewey K. WarrenDem. Delafield 3 Chauncey G. HeathDem. Pewaukee 4 George M. Humphrey George M. Humphrey (Wisconsin politician)Dem. New Berlin 5 Joseph BondDem. Mukwonago 04 Winnebago Erasmus D. HallWhig Waukau Employees Senate employees Chief Clerk: Henry G. Abbey Writer: R. L. Ream Writer: Henry Lines Writer: E. P. Lockhart Sergeant-at-Arms: Lyman H. Seaver Chaplain: H. W. Reed Assembly employees Chief Clerk: Daniel Noble Johnsonhttp://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1848/related/acts/48act_p270_272.pdf Acts of the 1848 Wisconsin Legislature 270, 271 Wisconsin Legislature May 12, 2019 Chief Clerk pro tem: La Fayette Kellogg Assistant Clerk: T. A. B. Boyd Enrolling Clerk: Aaron V. Fryer Writer: Ira W. Bird Writer: James Murdock Messenger: Henry Starks Doorkeeper: Samuel Parkhurst Sergeant-at-Arms: John Mullanphy Chaplain: John Penman Chaplain: Charles Lord References External links Wisconsin Legislature website Acts of the 1848 Wisconsin Legislature Category:1848 in Wisconsin Wisconsin Category:Wisconsin legislative sessions