5th Wisconsin Territorial Assembly

Summary

The Fifth Legislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory convened from January 4, 1847, to February 11, 1847, and from February 7, 1848, to March 13, 1848, in regular session. The Assembly also convened in special session from October 18, 1847, to October 27, 1847, to organize a second constitutional convention after the failure to adopt the first Wisconsin Constitution.[1][2][3][4]

5th Wisconsin Territorial Assembly
4th Wisconsin Legislature
Minnesota Territory
Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855
Overview
Legislative bodyLegislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory
Meeting placeCapitol Building, Madison
TermJanuary 4, 1847 – May 29, 1848
Election
  • September 28, 1846
Council
Members13
PresidentHoratio Wells (D)
Party controlDemocratic
House of Representatives
Members26
Speaker
Party controlDemocratic
Sessions
1stJanuary 4, 1847 – February 11, 1847
2ndFebruary 7, 1848 – March 13, 1848
Special sessions
SpecialOctober 18, 1847 – October 27, 1847

During this Assembly term, Wisconsin was attempting to achieve statehood. A constitution was drafted at a convention in the Fall of 1846 and was put to the voters at the spring election held April 6, 1847. The voters overwhelmingly rejected this document.[5] New delegates were elected at a special election held November 29, 1847, and a new constitution was drafted that Winter. The new constitution was approved by the voters on March 13, 1848.[6]

Major events edit

Major legislation edit

  • January 14, 1847: An Act to incorporate the Lawrence Institute of Wisconsin.[2]: 5–8 
  • February 4, 1847: An Act to incorporate the Nashotah House.[2]: 53–55 
  • October 27, 1847: An Act in relation to the formation of a State Government in Wisconsin, and to change the time for holding the annual session of the Legislature.[3]: 3–11 

Sessions edit

  • 1st session: January 4, 1847 – February 11, 1847
  • Special session: October 18, 1847 – October 27, 1847
  • 2nd session: February 7, 1848 – March 13, 1848

Leadership edit

Council President edit

Speaker of the House of Representatives edit

Members edit

Members of the Council edit

Members of the Council for the Fifth Wisconsin Territorial Assembly:

Counties Councillor Session(s) Party
1st Spec. 2nd
Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, & Winnebago Mason C. Darling  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Crawford, Chippewa, La Pointe, & St. Croix Benjamin F. Manahan  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Dane, Green, & Sauk Alexander L. Collins  Y  Y  Y Whig
Dodge & Jefferson John E. Holmes  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Grant Orris McCartney  Y  Y  Y
Iowa, Lafayette, & Richland William Singer  Y
Ninian E. Whiteside  Y  Y Dem.
Milwaukee Horation N. Wells  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Racine Frederick S. Lovell  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Marshall Strong  Y Dem.
Philo White  Y  Y Dem.
Rock Andrew Palmer  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Sheboygan & Washington Chauncey M. Phelps  Y  Y  Y Dem.
Walworth Henry Clark  Y  Y  Y
Waukesha Joseph Turner  Y  Y  Y Dem.

Members of the House of Representatives edit

Members of the House of Representatives for the Fifth Wisconsin Territorial Assembly:

Counties Representative Session(s) Party
1st Spec. 2nd
Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, & Winnebago Elisha Morrow  Y
Hugh McFarlane  Y Dem.
Moses S. Gibson  Y  Y
George W. Featherstonhaugh Jr.  Y  Y
Crawford, Chippewa, La Pointe, & St. Croix Joseph W. Furber  Y Whig
Henry Jackson  Y  Y
Dane, Green, & Sauk Charles Lum  Y
William A. Wheeler  Y Dem.
John W. Stewart  Y  Y  Y Whig
Elisha T. Gardner  Y  Y Dem.
Alexander Botkin  Y  Y Whig
Dodge & Jefferson George W. Green  Y
John T. Haight  Y
James Giddings  Y
Levi P. Drake  Y  Y
Horace D. Patch  Y  Y
James Hanrahan  Y  Y
Grant Armstead C. Brown  Y Whig
William Richardson  Y
Noah H. Virgin  Y  Y Whig
Daniel R. Burt  Y  Y Whig
Iowa, Lafayette, & Richland Timothy Burns  Y  Y  Y Dem.
James D. Jenkins  Y Dem.
Thomas Chilton  Y
Montgomery M. Cothren  Y  Y Dem.
Charles Pole  Y  Y
Milwaukee William Shew  Y Dem.
Andrew Sullivan  Y
William W. Brown  Y Whig
Isaac P. Walker  Y  Y Dem.
James Holliday  Y  Y Whig
Asa Kinney  Y  Y Dem.
Racine Uriah Wood  Y
Elisha Raymond  Y
G. F. Newell  Y  Y
Dudley Cass  Y  Y
Rock Jared G. Winslow  Y
James M. Burgess  Y
Daniel C. Babcock  Y  Y
George H. Williston  Y  Y
Sheboygan & Washington Harrison C. Hobart  Y Dem.
Benjamin H. Mooers  Y  Y[note 1] Dem.
Walworth Charles A. Bronson  Y
Palmer Gardiner  Y
Eleazer Wakeley  Y  Y Dem.
George Walworth  Y  Y
Waukesha Joseph Bond  Y Dem.
Chauncey G. Heath  Y Dem.
George B. Reed  Y  Y Dem.
Leonard Martin  Y  Y

Employees edit

Council employees edit

  • Secretary:[1]
  • Sergeant-at-Arms:
    • John Bevins, 1st session
    • Edward P. Lockhart, special & 2nd sessions

House employees edit

  • Chief Clerk:[1]
  • Sergeant-at-Arms:
    • E. R. Hugunin, 1st & special sessions
    • John Mullanphy, 2nd session

Notes edit

  1. ^ Resigned in protest February 25, 1848.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Heg, J. E., ed. (1882). "Annals of the Legislature" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 172–174. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Laws of the Territory of Wisconsin passed at the annual session of the Legislature. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Territory. 1847. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Laws of Wisconsin Territory passed at the Special Session of the Legislative Assembly. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Territory. 1847. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  4. ^ Laws of Wisconsin Territory passed by the Legislative Assembly. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Territory. 1848. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "Honor to Wisconsin!". Milwaukee Sentinel. April 13, 1847. p. 2. Retrieved August 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "The New Constitution". The Weekly Wisconsin. March 22, 1848. p. 1. Retrieved August 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.

External links edit

  • Wisconsin Legislature website