4th Wisconsin Legislature

The Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened in regular session from January 8, 1851, to March 17, 1851. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and served 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 on November 5, 1850. 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, 1849.[1]

4th Wisconsin Legislature
3rd 5th
Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 6, 1851 – January 5, 1852
ElectionNovember 5, 1850
Senate
Members19
Senate PresidentSamuel Beall
President pro temporeDuncan Reed
Party controlDemocratic
Assembly
Members66
Assembly SpeakerFrederick W. Horn
Party controlDemocratic
Sessions
1stJanuary 8, 1851 – March 17, 1851

Major events

Major legislation

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition
  Democratic: 14 seats
  Free Soil: 2 seats
  Whig: 3 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
DemocraticFree SoilWhigVacant
End of previous Legislature1324190
1st Session1423190
Final voting share73.68%10.53%15.79%
Beginning of the next Legislature1216190

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 49 seats
  Free Soil: 7 seats
  Whig: 10 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
DemocraticFree SoilWhigVacant
End of previous Legislature43815660
1st Session49710660
Final voting share74.24%10.61%15.15%
Beginning of the next Legislature29631660

Sessions

  • 1st Regular session: January 8, 1851–March 17, 1851

Leaders

Senate leadership

Assembly leadership

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Senate partisan representation
  Democratic: 14 seats
  Free Soil: 2 seats
  Whig: 3 seats
DistrictCountiesSenatorPartyResidence
01Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, SheboyganTheodore ConkeyDem.Appleton
02Columbia, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, WausharaG. DeGraw MooreWhigPrairie du Sac
03Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix, La PointeHiram A. WrightDem.Prairie du Chien
04Fond du Lac, WinnebagoJohn A. EastmanDem.Fond du Lac
05Iowa, RichlandLevi SterlingWhigMineral Point
06GrantJohn H. RountreeWhigPlatteville
07LafayetteSamuel G. BughDem.Shullsburg
08GreenWilliam RittenhouseDem.Monroe
09DaneEliab B. Dean Jr.Dem.Madison
10DodgeJames GiddingsDem.Chester
11WashingtonHarvey G. TurnerDem.Ozaukee
12JeffersonPeter H. TurnerDem.Palmyra
13WaukeshaGeorge HyerDem.Waukesha
14WalworthGeorge GaleFree SoilElkhorn
15RockAndrew PalmerDem.Janesville
16KenoshaOrson S. HeadDem.Kenosha
17RacineStephen O. BennettFree SoilRacine
18Milwaukee (Southern Half)Duncan ReedDem.Milwaukee
19Milwaukee (Northern Half)Francis HuebschmannDem.Milwaukee

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Assembly partisan representation
  Democratic: 49 seats
  Free Soil: 7 seats
  Whig: 10 seats
Senate
District
CountyDistrictRepresentativePartyResidence
01BrownJohn F. LesseyDem.Green Bay
CalumetWilliam H. DickDem.Brothertown
02ColumbiaWilliam T. BradleyDem.Leeds
03Crawford & ChippewaWilliam T. PriceDem.Black River Falls
09Dane1Abram A. BoyceDem.Lodi
2Augustus A. BirdDem.Madison
3Gabriel BjornsonDem.Perry
10Dodge[3]1John MuzzyDem.Mayville
2Asa W. FrenchDem.Herman
3Charles B. WhittonDem.Ashippun
4John LowthDem.Lowell
5William E. SmithWhigFox Lake
04Fond du Lac1Charles L. JuliusDem.Calumet
2Morris S. BarnettDem.Eldorado
06Grant[4]1James B. JohnsonDem.Fairplay
2John N. JonesDem.Platteville
3William R. BiddlecomeDem.Potosi
4Robert M. BriggsDem.Beetown
08GreenJulius HulburtWhigAlbany
05Iowa & Richland1Charles RodolfDem.Highland
2Richard J. TregaskisDem.Mineral Point
12Jefferson[5]1Patrick RoganDem.Watertown
2Samuel T. ClothierDem.Cold Spring
3Alonzo WingDem.Jefferson
16Kenosha[6]1Henry JohnsonWhigSomers
2Obed HaleFree SoilKenosha
03La Pointe & St CroixJohn O. HenningDem.Hudson
07Lafayette1Nathan OlmstedWhigCottage Inn
2Samuel ColeDem.Gratiot
01ManitowocG. C. Oscar MalmrosDem.Manitowoc
02Marathon & PortageThomas J. MormanDem.Stevens Point
Marquette & WausharaCharles WaldoWhigKingston
19Milwaukee[6]1William K. WilsonDem.Milwaukee
2Charles E. JenkinsDem.Milwaukee
183John L. DoranDem.Milwaukee
4George H. WalkerDem.Milwaukee
5Patrick CarneyDem.Milwaukee
6Enoch ChaseWhigMilwaukee
197Tobias G. OsborneDem.Milwaukee
17Racine1William L. UtleyFree SoilRacine
2Peter Van VlietFree SoilCaledonia
3James TinkerFree SoilDover
15Rock1William F. TompkinsWhigJanesville
2John BannisterDem.Beloit
3John D. SeaverWhigCooksville
4Edward VincentWhigMilton
5Joseph Kinney Jr.Dem.Lima
02SaukNathaniel PerkinsDem.Sauk City
01Sheboygan1Albert D. La DueDem.Sheboygan
2John D. MurphyDem.Sheboygan Falls
14Walworth[7]1Adam E. RayFree SoilTroy
2Henry C. HemingwayWhigRichmond
3Experience EstabrookDem.Whitewater
4Elijah EastonFree SoilWalworth
5Wyman SpoonerFree SoilElkhorn
11Washington[8]1Harvey MooreDem.Ozaukee
2Frederick W. HornDem.Cedarburg
3Frederick StockDem.Mequon
4John C. TollDem.Cedar Creek
5Francis Everley Jr.Dem.West Bend
13Waukesha[9]1Aaron V. GrootDem.Brookfield
2Peter D. GiffordDem.North Prairie
3Hosea Fuller Jr.Dem.Pewaukee
4William A. ConeDem.New Berlin
5John C. SnoverDem.Eagle
04WinnebagoEdward EastmanFree SoilOshkosh

Employees

Senate employees

Assembly employees

References