# 23rd Wisconsin Legislature

The Twenty-Third Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1870, to March 17, 1870, in regular session.
Senators representing even-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 2, 1869. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 3, 1868.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Lucius Fairchild, of Dane County, serving the first year of his third two-year term, having won re-election in the 1869 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* February 3, 1870: Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the required three-fourths of U.S. states.
* June 22, 1870: The U.S. Congress created the United States Department of Justice.
* July 19, 1870: France declared war on the Kingdom of Prussia, initiating the Franco-Prussian War.
* September 4, 1870: French Emperor Napoleon III was deposed and the French Third Republic was established.
* October 12, 1870: Former Confederate general Robert E. Lee died after suffering a stroke.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 42.42% | 57.58% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Democratic | Ind. | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 32 | 0 | 68 | 100 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 39 | 1 | 60 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 39% | 1% | 60% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 40 | 3 | 57 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 12, 1870 – March 17, 1870

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Thaddeus C. Pound (R)
* President pro tempore: David Taylor (R)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: James M. Bingham (R)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twenty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Sheboygan | David Taylor | Sheboygan | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee | Lyman Walker | Ahnapee | Dem. |
| 03 | Ozaukee | Lyman Morgan | Ozaukee | Dem. |
| 04 | Washington | Adam Schantz | Addison | Dem. |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northern Half) | William P. Lynde | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Southern Half) | Peter V. Deuster | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Racine | Henry Stevens | Caledonia | Rep. |
| 08 | Kenosha | Milton Pettit | Kenosha | Rep. |
| 09 | Adams, Juneau, Monroe | William J. Kershaw | Big Spring | Rep. |
| 10 | Waukesha | John A. Rice | Merton | Dem. |
| 11 | Dane (Eastern Part) | Nelson Williams | Stoughton | Rep. |
| 12 | Walworth | Samuel Pratt | Spring Prairie | Rep. |
| 13 | Lafayette | Hamilton H. Gray | Darlington | Dem. |
| 14 | Sauk | Bennett Strong | Spring Green | Rep. |
| 15 | Iowa | Lemuel W. Joiner | Wyoming | Rep. |
| 16 | Grant | George C. Hazelton | Boscobel | Rep. |
| 17 | Rock | Charles G. Williams | Janesville | Rep. |
| 18 | Dodge (Western Part) | Samuel D. Burchard | Beaver Dam | Dem. |
| 19 | Manitowoc | George B. Reed | Manitowoc | Dem. |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | Hiram S. Town | Ripon | Rep. |
| 21 | Winnebago | Ira W. Fisher | Menasha | Rep. |
| 22 | Calumet, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano | George Baldwin | Chilton | Dem. |
| 23 | Jefferson | William W. Woodman | Farmington | Dem. |
| 24 | Green | John C. Hall | Monroe | Rep. |
| 25 | Columbia | William M. Griswold | Columbus | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane (Western Part) | Romanzo E. Davis | Middleton | Rep. |
| 27 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Wood | Charles M. Webb | Grand Rapids | Rep. |
| 28 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix | Edward H. Ives | Trimbelle | Dem. |
| 29 | Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara | George D. Waring | Berlin | Rep. |
| 30 | Crawford, Richland | George Krouskop | Richland Center | Dem. |
| 31 | La Crosse & Vernon | Cyrus M. Butt | Viroqua | Rep. |
| 32 | Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Trempealeau | William T. Price | Black River Falls | Rep. |
| 33 | Dodge (Eastern Part) | Satterlee Clark | Horicon | Dem. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twenty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | County | District | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 09 | Adams | Adams | Solon Pierce | Rep. | Friendship |
| 28 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Samuel Dresser | Rep. | Osceola |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Edward Hicks | Dem. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | Michael Dockry | Dem. | Holland |
| 32 | Buffalo | Buffalo | James L. Hallock | Rep. | Nelson |
| 22 | Calumet | Calumet | James Robinson | Dem. | Chilton |
| 32 | Chippewa & Dunn | Chippewa & Dunn | Jedediah W. Granger | Rep. | Menomonie |
| 32 | Clark & Jackson | Clark & Jackson | John Morrill | Rep. | Springfield |
| 25 | Columbia | 1 | Jonas Narracong | Rep. | Lodi |
| 25 | Columbia | 2 | Winslow Bullen | Rep. | Arlington |
| 25 | Columbia | 3 | Carmi W. Beach | Rep. | Pardeeville |
| 30 | Crawford | Crawford | William Raymond | Rep. | Bell Center |
| 11 | Dane | 1 | Carpus Loveland | Rep. | Rutland |
| 11 | Dane | 2 | Willard H. Chandler | Rep. | Sun Prairie |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | John Adams | Dem. | Black Earth |
| 26 | Dane | 4 | John R. Crocker | Rep. | Montrose |
| 26 | Dane | 5 | Alden S. Sanborn | Dem. | Madison |
| 18 | Dodge | 1 | E. Adams Fowler | Rep. | Calamus |
| 18 | Dodge | 2 | Francis Johnston | Dem. | Chester |
| 33 | Dodge | 3 | Henry S. Burtch | Dem. | Williamstown |
| 33 | Dodge | 4 | Henry Bertram | Ind. | Watertown |
| 02 | Door & Kewaunee | Door & Kewaunee | Charles L. Harris | Rep. | Jacksonport |
| 32 | Eau Claire & Pepin | Eau Claire & Pepin | Charles R. Gleason | Dem. | Eau Claire |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Jeremiah Dobbs Jr. | Dem. | Ripon |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Roelof Sleyster | Rep. | Alto |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 3 | John Boyd | Dem. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 4 | Uriah D. Mihills | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 5 | Daniel Cavanagh | Dem. | Osceola |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 6 | Charles Geisse | Dem. | Taycheedah |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | Joel C. Squires | Dem. | Platteville |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | John Carthew | Rep. | Rockville |
| 16 | Grant | 3 | William P. Dewey | Rep. | Lancaster |
| 16 | Grant | 4 | Hugh A. W. McNair | Rep. | Fennimore |
| 16 | Grant | 5 | Luther Basford | Rep. | Glen Haven |
| 24 | Green | 1 | Calvin D. W. Leonard | Rep. | Exeter |
| 24 | Green | 2 | Thomas A. Jackson | Rep. | Spring Grove |
| 29 | Green Lake | Green Lake | Joseph C. Burdick | Rep. | Berlin |
| 15 | Iowa | 1 | Henry C. Barnard | Dem. | Avoca |
| 15 | Iowa | 2 | George W. Bliss | Rep. | Mineral Point |
| 23 | Jefferson | 1 | Daniel Hall | Rep. | Watertown |
| 23 | Jefferson | 2 | Charles H. Phillips | Rep. | Lake Mills |
| 23 | Jefferson | 3 | Wilbur H. Tousley | Dem. | Jefferson |
| 23 | Jefferson | 4 | James M. Bingham | Rep. | Palmyra |
| 09 | Juneau | Juneau | Jerome B. Potter | Dem. | Sentinel |
| 08 | Kenosha | Kenosha | Alexander Bailey | Rep. | Salem |
| 31 | La Crosse | 1 | Theodore Rodolf | Dem. | La Crosse |
| 31 | La Crosse | 2 | Powers Moulton | Rep. | Onalaska |
| 13 | Lafayette | 1 | Thomas T. Duffy | Dem. | Benton |
| 13 | Lafayette | 2 | Henry W. Barnes | Dem. | Wiota |
| 19 | Manitowoc | 1 | John Barth | Dem. | Schleswig |
| 19 | Manitowoc | 2 | Michael Fitzgerald | Dem. | Maple Grove |
| 19 | Manitowoc | 3 | Carl H. Schmidt | Dem. | Manitowoc |
| 27 | Marathon & Wood | Marathon & Wood | Charles Hoeflinger | Dem. | Wausau |
| 29 | Marquette | Marquette | Spencer A. Pease | Dem. | Montello |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 1 | Stephen A. Harrison | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 2 | George Abert | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 3 | James McGrath | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 4 | Nathan Brick | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | John Fellenz | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 6 | Daniel H. Richards | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 7 | Daniel H. Johnson | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 8 | Henry C. Runkel | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 9 | Enoch Chase | Dem. | Lake |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 10 | Frederick A. Zautcke | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Monroe | Monroe | Charles A. Hunt | Rep. | Jefferson |
| 22 | Oconto & Shawano | Oconto & Shawano | James M. Adams | Dem. | Oconto |
| 22 | Outagamie | Outagamie | Charles E. McIntosh | Dem. | Appleton |
| 03 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | Adolphus Zimmermann | Dem. | Mequon |
| 28 | Pierce | Pierce | Oliver S. Powell | Rep. | River Falls |
| 27 | Portage | Portage | Frederick Huntley | Rep. | Buena Vista |
| 07 | Racine | 1 | Albert L. Phillips | Rep. | Racine |
| 07 | Racine | 2 | Ira A. Rice | Rep. | Waterford |
| 30 | Richland | Richland | James H. Miner | Rep. | Richland Center |
| 17 | Rock | 1 | Isaac M. Bennett | Rep. | Evansville |
| 17 | Rock | 2 | Thomas H. Goodhue | Rep. | Lima |
| 17 | Rock | 3 | Adelmorn Sherman | Rep. | Janesville |
| 17 | Rock | 4 | John Hammond | Rep. | Turtle |
| 17 | Rock | 5 | Alexander Graham | Rep. | Janesville |
| 14 | Sauk | 1 | Carl C. Kuntz | Rep. | Black Hawk |
| 14 | Sauk | 2 | George G. Swain | Rep. | New Buffalo |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 1 | Horatio G. H. Reed | Dem. | Sheboygan |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 2 | J. Henry McNeel | Rep. | Greenbush |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 3 | Jacob A. Blanshan | Rep. | Scott |
| 28 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Charles D. Parker | Rep. | Pleasant Valley |
| 32 | Trempealeau | Trempealeau | Isaac Clark | Rep. | Galesville |
| 31 | Vernon | 1 | Reuben May | Rep. | Springville |
| 31 | Vernon | 2 | Van S. Bennett | Rep. | Webster |
| 12 | Walworth | 1 | Henry Hall | Rep. | Walworth |
| 12 | Walworth | 2 | Stephen R. Edgerton | Rep. | Spring Prairie |
| 12 | Walworth | 3 | William Burgit | Rep. | East Troy |
| 04 | Washington | 1 | Henry V. R. Wilmot | Dem. | Trenton |
| 04 | Washington | 2 | Densmore W. Maxon | Dem. | Cedar Creek |
| 10 | Waukesha | 1 | Henry Totten | Dem. | Waukesha |
| 10 | Waukesha | 2 | John D. McDonald | Dem. | Summit |
| 10 | Waukesha | 3 | Thomas McCarty | Dem. | Menomonee |
| 27 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Albert V. Balch | Rep. | Weyauwega |
| 29 | Waushara | Waushara | Theophilus F. Metcalf | Rep. | Marion |
| 21 | Winnebago | 1 | Emery Kennedy | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 21 | Winnebago | 2 | William P. Rounds | Rep. | Menasha |
| 21 | Winnebago | 3 | James H. Foster | Rep. | Koro |

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Leander B. Hills
** Assistant Clerk: H. H. Rust
*** Bookkeeper: Robert A. Gillett
** Engrossing Clerk: A. J. High
** Enrolling Clerk: J. H. Balch
** Transcribing Clerk: Julia A. Hubbard
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Earl M. Rogers
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William Freeman
* Postmaster: L. D. Frost
** Assistant Postmaster: T. Watson
* Doorkeeper: D. W. Collins
* Doorkeeper: W. Cook
** Assistant Doorkeeper: Levi Burgett
** Assistant Doorkeeper: F. Chamberlain
** Gallery Doorkeeper: H. A. Wilcox
** Night Watch: John Grant Jr.
* President's Attendant: F. Bowers
* Porter: A. T. Conger
* Messengers:
** Eddie Knight
** Willie Hadley
** Charlie Young
** Charles F. Torgerson
** Charlie S. Vedder
** Max Roeder

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Ephraim W. Young
** Assistant Clerk: William M. Newcomb
*** Bookkeeper: Fred A. Dennett
** Engrossing Clerk: A. H. Reed
** Enrolling Clerk: S. F. Hammond
** Transcribing Clerk: G. H. Brock
* Sergeant-at-Arms: O. C. Johnson
** 1st Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: O. C. Bissell
** 2nd Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: S. C. McDonald
* Postmaster: J. H. Wagoner
** 1st Assistant Postmaster: Myron DeWolf
** 2nd Assistant Postmaster: Henry Stannard
* Doorkeepers:
** W. S. Seavey
** A. B. Finch
** Joseph F. Wigmore
** W. W. Dantz
* Night Watch: John K. Parish
* Firemen:
** Sidney Emmes
** E. G. Garner
* Gallery Attendants:
** George A. Phinney
** H. S. Grinde
* Committee Room Attendants:
** T. D. Powers
** Fred Keud
** Hiram Steffins
** George Slurzsby
* Porter: J. W. Plato
* Speaker's Messenger: C. Bingham
* Chief Clerk's Messenger: Frank R. Norton
* Messengers:
** Emile Hammer
** Frank Beyler
** Daniel Fitzpatrick
** Frank Johnson
** Henry A. Douglas
** Charles S. Parker
** Marshall Jackson
** Oscar Green
** Clarence Patch
** Willie Holmes
** Thaddeus W. Sutliff