William Pitt Lynde

William Pitt Lynde
In office June 5, 1848 – March 3, 1849
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 4th district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879
Preceded by	Alexander Mitchell
Succeeded by	Peter V. Deuster
Personal details
Born	December 16, 1817 Sherburne, New York
Died	December 18, 1885 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Yale College, Harvard Law School
Occupation	Attorney

Gravesite in Forest Home Cemetery

William Pitt Lynde (December 16, 1817–December 18, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician from Wisconsin who served in Congress.

Lynde was born in Sherburne, New York. He graduated from Yale College, in 1838, and Harvard Law School, in 1841, and was admitted to the bar. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shortly thereafter. Lynde became attorney general of the Wisconsin territory in 1844 and United States Attorney for Wisconsin in 1845. He also served as President of the board of trustees of the Village of Milwaukee.

When Wisconsin was admitted as a state in 1848, Lynde was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, one of Wisconsin's first two representatives. He lost his reelection bid, however; his term lasted from June 5, 1848, to March 3, 1849. He was also unsuccessful in the 1849 election for associate justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

William Pitt Lynde served as mayor of Milwaukee in 1860. His Wisconsin political career also led him to the state legislature; he served in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1866 and the State Senate in 1869 and 1870. He returned to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1875, where he served two full terms until 1879, when he retired from politics.

In 1842, he founded the law firm Finch & Lynde with partner Asahel Finch, Jr. Finch & Lynde survives today as Foley & Lardner, one of the oldest and largest law firms in the country.

Lynde died in 1885 in Milwaukee at age 68. He is buried at Milwaukee's Forest Home Cemetery.

References

• William Pitt Lynde at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by none	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 1st congressional district June 5, 1848 – March 3, 1849	Succeeded by Charles Durkee
Political offices
Preceded by Herman L. Page	Mayor of Milwaukee 1860	Succeeded by James S. Brown