14th Wisconsin Legislature

The Fourteenth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 9, 1861, to April 17, 1861, in regular session. The legislature re-convened in special session from May 15, 1861, to May 27, 1861, at the request of Wisconsin Governor Alexander Randall, to approve funding for a brigade of volunteers for the American Civil War.

14th Wisconsin Legislature
13th 15th
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 7, 1861 – January 6, 1862
ElectionNovember 6, 1860
Senate
Members30
Senate PresidentButler G. Noble (R)
President pro temporeAlden I. Bennett (R)
Party controlRepublican
Assembly
Members97
Assembly SpeakerAmasa Cobb (R)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
1stJanuary 9, 1861 – April 17, 1861
SpecialMay 15, 1861 – May 27, 1861

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 6, 1860. 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 8, 1859.[1]

Major events

Major legislation

First session

  • January 21, 1861: Joint Resolution, co-operating with friends of the Union throughout the United States, 1861 Joint Resolution 1
  • April 11, 1861: Act to apportion the State into Senate and Assembly Districts. 1861 Act 216
  • April 13, 1861: Act to provide for apportioning the State into Congressional Districts, 1861 Act 238
  • April 13, 1861: Act to provide for the defence of the State, and to aid in enforcing the laws and maintaining the authority of the Federal Government, 1861 Act 239
  • April 17, 1861: Act to declare the rights and privileges of such persons as may enroll themselves into the service of the country. 1861 Act 309

Special session

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition
  Democratic: 8 seats
  Republican: 22 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
DemocraticUnionRepublicanVacant
End of previous Legislature11019300
1st Session8022300
Final voting share27%0%73%
Beginning of the next Legislature11220330

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 26 seats
  Republican: 71 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
DemocraticInd.UnionRepublicanVacant
End of previous Legislature381058970
Start of 1st Session270070970
after January 252671
Final voting share27%0%0%73%
Beginning of the next Legislature4301145991

Sessions

  • 1st Regular session: January 9, 1861 – April 17, 1861
  • Special session: May 15, 1861 – May 27, 1861

Leaders

Senate leadership

Assembly leadership

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Fourteenth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

Senate partisan representation
  Democratic: 8 seats
  Republican: 22 seats
DistrictCountiesSenatorPartyResidence
01SheboyganLuther H. CaryRep.Greenbush
02Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, ShawanawEdward DeckerDem.Kewaunee
03OzaukeeHugh CunningDem.Ozaukee
04WashingtonDensmore W. MaxonDem.Cedar Creek
05Milwaukee (Northern Half)Charles QuentinDem.Milwaukee
06Milwaukee (Southern Half)Michael J. EganDem.Milwaukee
07RacineWilliam L. UtleyRep.Racine
08KenoshaGeorge BennettRep.Kenosha
09Adams, Juneau, SaukJohn T. KingstonRep.Necedah
10WaukeshaDenison WorthingtonRep.Summit
11Dane (Eastern Part)Samuel C. BeanRep.Sun Prairie
12WalworthOscar F. BartlettRep.East Troy
13LafayetteSamuel ColeDem.Gratiot
14Jefferson (Northern Part) & Dodge (Southern Part)Charles R. GillRep.Watertown
15Iowa & RichlandLemuel W. JoinerRep.Wyoming
16GrantNoah H. VirginRep.Platteville
17Rock (Western Part)Ezra A. FootRep.Footville
18Rock (Eastern Part)Alden I. BennettRep.Beloit
19Manitowoc & CalumetBenjamin J. SweetRep.Chilton
20Fond du LacElihu PhillipsRep.Fond du Lac
21WinnebagoHorace O. Crane (resigned Jun. 1861)Rep.Neenah
22DodgeBenjamin FergusonRep.Fox Lake
23Jefferson (Southern Part)Edwin MontgomeryRep.Farmington
24GreenJohn W. StewartRep.Monroe
25ColumbiaGerry W. HazeltonRep.Columbus
26Dane (Western Part)John B. SweatDem.Black Earth
27Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, WoodEdward L. BrowneRep.Waupaca
28Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. CroixCharles B. CoxRep.River Falls
29MarquetteCharles S. KelseyRep.Montello
30Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, TremealeauBuel E. HutchinsonRep.Prairie du Chien

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fourteenth Wisconsin Legislature:[3][4]

Assembly partisan representation
  Democratic: 26 seats
  Republican: 71 seats
Senate
District
CountyDistrictRepresentativePartyResidence
09Adams, JuneauOtis B. LaphamRep.Friendship
28Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, St. CroixJohn ComstockRep.Hudson
30Bad Ax, CrawfordDaniel H. JohnsonRep.Prairie du Chien
02BrownFrederick S. EllisDem.Green Bay
30Buffalo, Jackson, TrempealeauCalvin R. JohnsonRep.Black River Falls
19CalumetLe Roy GravesRep.Gravesville
28Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, PierceRodman PalmerRep.Chippewa Falls
25Columbia[4]1Harvey W. EmeryRep.Portage
2Nathan HazenRep.Poynette
3James H. BonneyRep.Belle Fountain
11Dane[4]1Sereno W. GravesRep.Rutland
2Willard H. ChandlerRep.Windsor
3Edward W. DwightRep.Oregon
264Frederick A. PfaffDem.Cross Plains
5Dominick O'MalleyDem.Westport
6David AtwoodRep.Madison
22Dodge[4]1Peter PetersDem.Rubicon
2Jacob BoddenDem.Theresa
3David N. MinorRep.Rubicon
4George W. BlyRep.Waupun
5Frederick H. KribsRep.Beaver Dam
6John J. WilliamsRep.Lowell
02Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, ShawanoWilliam S. FinleyRep.Kewaunee
20Fond du Lac[4]1Charles F. HammondRep.Ripon
2Benjamin H. BettisRep.Ladoga
3Selim NewtonRep.Fond du Lac
4John W. HallDem.Dotyville
5Horace StantonDem.Fond du Lac
16Grant[4]1Joseph HarrisRep.Hazel Green
2Henry L. MasseyRep.Potosi
3Hanmer RobbinsRep.Platteville
4John G. ClarkRep.Lancaster
5Jared WarnerRep.Patch Grove
24Green[4]1James CampbellRep.Albany
2Obadiah J. WhiteRep.Monroe
29Green LakeAlvin L. FlintRep.Princeton
15Iowa[4]1Franklin Z. HicksRep.Avoca
2Amasa CobbRep.Mineral Point
23Jefferson[4]1Jost D. PetrieRep.Concord
2Horace B. WillardRep.Lake Mills
143Theodore PrentissDem.Watertown
4Samuel HaysDem.Neosho
5Sterling M. ConeDem.Waterloo
08Kenosha[4]1Michael FrankRep.Kenosha
2Marcus LinsleyRep.Kenosha
30La Crosse & MonroeIsaac E. MessmoreRep.La Crosse
13Lafayette[4]1Thomas C. L. MackayDem.Elk Grove
2Lloyd T. PullenRep.Argyle
3Elijah C. TownsendDem.Shullsburg
19Manitowoc[4]1Jabez L. FobesRep.Two Rivers
2Joseph StephensonRep.Meeme
27Marathon, Portage, WoodOrestes GarrisonRep.Centralia
29MarquetteErastus J. BuckRep.Westfield
05Milwaukee[4]1Robert HaneyDem.Milwaukee
2George AbertDem.Milwaukee
063Edward KeoghDem.Milwaukee
4Charles CavernoRep.Milwaukee
5John RugeeRep.Milwaukee
056Carl WinklerDem.Milwaukee
7William DievesDem.Greenfield
068John HanrahanDem.Good Hope
9James RiordanDem.Franklin
02OutagamieAlmeron B. EvertsDem.Appleton
03Ozaukee[4]1William H. RamseyDem.Ozaukee
2William F. OpitzDem.Mequon
07Racine[4]1Gilbert KnappRep.Racine
2Orlando C. MunroeRep.Racine
3Simeon S. BradfordRep.Union Grove
4Samuel E. ChapmanRep.Waterford
15RichlandElihu BaileyRep.Mill Creek
18Rock[4]1Stiles S. NorthropRep.Ogden
2Benjamin F. CaryRep.Johnstown
173Alexander GrahamRep.Janesville
4Anson W. PopeRep.Janesville
5James KirkpatrickRep.Brodhead
09Sauk[4]1John BearRep.Plain
2Marsena TempleRep.Newport
01Sheboygan[4]1John GeeDem.Sheboygan
2John BredemeyerRep.Edwards
3Cadwaller W. Humphrey (until Jan. 25)Dem.Cascade
William F. Mitchell (from Jan. 25)Rep.Gibbsville
12Walworth[4]1Schuyler W. BensonRep.Bloomfield
2Chester D. LongRep.Darien
3Francis SmithRep.Millard
4Wyman SpoonerRep.Elkhorn
04Washington[4]1Nathan ParkerRep.Hartford
2Leander F. FrisbyRep.West Bend
3Valentine SchaetzelDem.Menomonee Falls
10Waukesha[4]1Daniel CottrellRep.Oconomowoc
2William H. ThomasDem.Lisbon
3Henry A. YoumansRep.Mukwonago
4Myron GilbertRep.Prospect Hill
5Isaac LainRep.Waukesha
27WaupacaChester D. CombsRep.North Royalton
WausharaHenry G. WebbRep.Wautoma
21Winnebago[4]1Philetus SawyerRep.Oshkosh
2Curtis ReedDem.Menasha
3Armine PickettRep.Weelaunee

Employees

Senate employees

  • Chief Clerk: John H. Warren[2]
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: J. A. Hadley
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: David M. McBride
  • Postmaster: James Moore
    • Assistant Postmaster: A. B. Finch
  • Doorkeeper: Phillip Carey
    • Assistant Doorkeeper: Henry Case
  • Fireman: George Wittle
  • Messengers:
    • Walter C. Wyman
    • Albert F. Dexter
    • Patrick Lanner

Assembly employees

  • Chief Clerk: L. H. D. Crane[3]
    • Assistant Clerk: John S. Dean
      • Bookkeeper: Ephraim W. Young
    • Engrossing Clerk: Joseph C. Pickard
    • Enrolling Clerk: Nathaniel F. Lund
    • Transcribing Clerk: Harvey Briggs
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Craig B. Beese
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Asher Armstrong
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Ebenezer Sprague
  • Postmaster: Hiram Beckworth
    • Assistant Postmaster: John N. Stone
  • Doorkeeper: Joel Barber
    • Assistant Doorkeeper: Joshua W. Tolford
  • Firemen:
    • William C. Lasure
    • Reese Evans
    • Henry N. Solbert
  • Messengers:
    • William H. Barnes
    • William Benedict
    • William Bennett
    • H. M. Bingham
    • Charles L. Catlin
    • Edwin C. Mason
    • William E. Miller
    • James H. Neavill
    • George D. Potter
    • William H. Smith

References