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1st Wisconsin Territorial Assembly

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1st Wisconsin Territorial Assembly
Michigan Territory 2nd
Overview
Legislative bodyLegislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory
Meeting place
TermOctober 25, 1836 – November 5, 1838
ElectionOctober 10, 1836
Council
Members13
President
House of Representatives
Members26
Speaker
Sessions
1stOctober 25, 1836 – December 9, 1836
2ndNovember 6, 1837 – January 20, 1838
Special sessions
SpecialJune 11, 1838 – June 25, 1838

The First Legislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory convened from October 25, 1836, to December 9, 1836, and from November 6, 1837, to January 20, 1838, in regular session. The Assembly also convened in special session from June 11, 1838, to June 25, 1838.[1][2]

The first session was held at Belmont, Iowa County (in present-day Lafayette County, Wisconsin). The 2nd session and special session were held at Burlington, Des Moines County (in present-day Des Moines County, Iowa).[1]

The three sessions of the 1st Legislative Assembly were the only legislative sessions to take place before the division of the Iowa Territory from the Wisconsin Territory.

Major events

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Major legislation

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  • November 2, 1836: The Council concurs on adoption of the first great seal of the territory
  • December 3, 1836: An Act to establish the seat of government of the territory of Wisconsin, and to provide for the erection of public buildings, 1836 Wis. Terr. Act 11. Established Madison as the capital city of Wisconsin.
  • December 7, 1836: An Act to divide the counties of Brown and Milwaukee, 1836 Wis. Terr. Act 28. Created the counties of Calumet, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Racine, and Washington.
  • December 8, 1836: An Act to divide the county of Iowa, 1836 Wis. Terr. Act 31. Created the counties of Grant and Green.
  • January 12, 1838: An Act to abolish imprisonment for debt, and other purposes, 1837 Wis. Terr. Act 37.
  • January 17, 1838: An Act relating to the militia, and public defense of the territory of Wisconsin, 1838 Wisc. Terr. Act 58.
  • January 17, 1838: An Act to incorporate the borough of Green Bay, 1838 Wisc. Terr. Act 66.
  • June 23, 1838: An Act to district the territory of Wisconsin into electoral districts and to apportion the representation of each, 1838 Wisc. Terr. Special Session Act 18.

Sessions

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  • 1st session: October 25, 1836 – December 9, 1836
  • 2nd session: November 6, 1837 – January 20, 1838
  • Special session: June 11, 1838 – June 25, 1838

Leadership

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Council President

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Speaker of the House of Representatives

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Members

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[3]

Members of the Council

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Counties Councillor Session(s) Party
1st 2nd Spec.
Brown Henry S. Baird Green tickY Whig
John P. Arndt Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
Joseph Dickinson Red XN[note 1]
Alexander J. Irwin Green tickY[note 2] Green tickY
Des Moines Jeremiah Smith Jr. Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Joseph B. Teas Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Arthur B. Ingram Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Dubuque Thomas McCraney Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
John Foley Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Thomas McKnight Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
Iowa Ebenezer Brigham Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
John B. Terry Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
James R. Vineyard Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Milwaukee Alanson Sweet Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Gilbert Knapp Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig

Members of the House of Representatives

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Counties Representative Session(s) Party
1st 2nd Spec.
Brown Ebenezer Childs Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Albert G. Ellis Green tickY Dem.
Alexander J. Irwin Red XN[note 1]
George McWilliams Green tickY[note 3] Green tickY Green tickY
Charles C. Sholes Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Crawford James H. Lockwood Green tickY Whig
James B. Dallam Green tickY
Ira B. Brunson Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Jean Brunet Green tickY Green tickY
Des Moines Isaac Leffler Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
Thomas Blair Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
John Box Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
George W. Teas Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
David R. Chance Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Warren L. Jenkins Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Eli Reynolds Green tickY
John Reynolds Green tickY Green tickY
Dubuque Loring Wheeler Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Hardin Nowlin Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Hosea T. Camp Green tickY[note 4]
Peter H. Engle Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Patrick Quigley Green tickY Green tickY[note 5]
Alexander W. McGregor Green tickY[note 6]
Lucius H. Langworthy Green tickY
Iowa William Boyles Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
George F. Smith Green tickY Green tickY
Daniel M. Parkinson Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Thomas McKnight Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Thomas Shanley Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
James P. Cox Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Whig
James Collins Green tickY Whig
Milwaukee William B. Sheldon Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Madison W. Cornwall Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.
Charles Durkee Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Dem.[4]

Employees

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Council employees

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  • Secretary:
    • Edward McSherry, 1st session
    • George Beatty, 2nd & special sessions
  • Sergeant-at-Arms:
    • William Henry, 1st session
    • Levi Sterling, 2nd session
    • George W. Harris, special session

House employees

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  • Chief Clerk:
    • Warren Lewis, 1st session
    • John Catlin, 2nd & special sessions
  • Sergeant-at-Arms:
    • Jesse M. Harrison, 1st session
    • William Morgan, 2nd & special sessions

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Lost contested seat.
  2. ^ Appointed to vacant seat.
  3. ^ Won contested seat.
  4. ^ Died.
  5. ^ Resigned Jan. 17, 1838.
  6. ^ Resigned due to bribery investigation.

References

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  1. ^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1882). "Annals of the Legislature" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 161–163. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  2. ^ Acts Passed at the First Session of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Territory. 1836. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  3. ^ Belmont Gazette October 25, 1836; p. 3, col. 3; via Newspapers.com
  4. ^ Smith, Theodore Clarke. The Free Soil Party in Wisconsin [From Proceedings of State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1894]. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1895; p. 136
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