# 25th Wisconsin Legislature

The Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1872, to March 26, 1872, in regular session.
This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous 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 7, 1871. 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 8, 1870.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Cadwallader C. Washburn, of La Crosse County, serving the first year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1871 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 1, 1872: Inauguration of Cadwallader C. Washburn as 11th Governor of Wisconsin.
* March 1, 1872: Yellowstone National Park was established as the first national park.
* May 22, 1872: President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Amnesty Act, restoring full civil rights to about 500 Confederate sympathizers.
* November 5, 1872: Ulysses S. Grant re-elected as President of the United States. Susan B. Anthony voted illegally in the election.

## Major legislation

* February 6, 1872: Joint Resolution instructing our senators and requesting our representatives in congress to oppose the passage of a bill for the remission of import duties on building material to be used in rebuilding the burnt district of Chicago, 1872 Joint Resolution 1. Opposed the lifting of tariffs on foreign timber and building materials, a move that was contemplated to aide in the reconstruction of Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire.
* February 14, 1872: An Act to prohibit and prevent the carrying of concealed weapons, 1872 Act 7.
* March 5, 1872: An Act making election days legal holidays, 1872 Act 32.
* March 9, 1872: An Act to apportion the state of Wisconsin into congressional districts, 1872 Act 48. Wisconsin's congressional delegation grew from six to eight members.
* March 15, 1872: An Act to protect the use of the telegraph, 1872 Act 54. To outlaw the act of intercepting a telegraph intended for another recipient.
* March 21, 1872: An Act to amend section two of chapter one hundred and fifty-six of the general laws of 1871, entitled "an act to apportion the state of Wisconsin into senate and assembly districts," 1872 Act 70. Reconfigured the Monroe County Assembly districts.
* March 21, 1872: An Act authorizing cities and villages to establish free public libraries and reading rooms, 1872 Act 80.
* March 22, 1872: Joint Resolution to amend section three (3) of article eleven (11) of the constitution, 1872 Joint Resolution 11. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to prohibit counties, municipalities, and school districts from going into debt.
* March 22, 1872: An Act to provide for the improvement of the capitol park, 1872 Act 93.
* March 23, 1872: An Act to submit to the people an amendment to article seven of the constitution, 1872 Act 111. Setting a referendum for an amendment to the state constitution expanding the Supreme Court from three to five justices. The referendum ultimately failed in the November 1872 general election.
* March 25, 1872: An Act to enable married women to transact business, make contracts, and sue and be sued, and to define the liabilities of husbands and wives, 1872 Act 155.

## 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 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 30.3% | 69.7% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 10 | 23 | 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 | 40 | 3 | 57 | 100 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 40 | 0 | 60 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 40% | 0% | 60% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 39 | 0 | 61 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 10, 1872 – March 26, 1872

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Milton Pettit (R)
* President pro tempore: Charles G. Williams (R)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Daniel Hall (R)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Sheboygan | John H. Jones | Sheboygan | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee | Myron P. Lindsley | Green Bay | Dem. |
| 03 | Milwaukee (Northern Part) | Francis Huebschmann | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 04 | Monroe & Vernon | William Nelson | Viroqua | Rep. |
| 05 | Racine | Philo Belden | Rochester | Rep. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Southern Half) | John L. Mitchell | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Dane (Eastern Part) | William M. Colladay | Dunn | Rep. |
| 08 | Kenosha & Walworth | Samuel Pratt | Spring Prairie | Rep. |
| 09 | Iowa | Francis Little | Mineral Point | Rep. |
| 10 | Waukesha | William Blair | Waukesha | Rep. |
| 11 | Lafayette | Henry S. Magoon | Darlington | Rep. |
| 12 | Green | Orrin Bacon | Monticello | Rep. |
| 13 | Dodge | Satterlee Clark | Horicon | Dem. |
| 14 | Sauk | John B. Quimby | Sauk City | Rep. |
| 15 | Manitowoc | Carl H. Schmidt | Manitowoc | Dem. |
| 16 | Grant | John C. Holloway | Lancaster | Rep. |
| 17 | Rock | Charles G. Williams | Janesville | Rep. |
| 18 | Fond du Lac (Western Part) | William Hiner | Fond du Lac | Rep. |
| 19 | Winnebago | James H. Foster | Koro | Rep. |
| 20 | Fond du Lac (Eastern Part) | Joseph Wagner | Marshfield | Dem. |
| 21 | Marathon, Oconto, Shawano, Waupaca, & Northern Outagamie | Myron Reed | Waupaca | Dem. |
| 22 | Calumet & Southern Outagamie | George Kreiss | Appleton | Dem. |
| 23 | Jefferson | William W. Woodman | Farmington | Dem. |
| 24 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, & St. Croix | Joseph E. Irish | New Richmond | Rep. |
| 25 | Green Lake, Marquette, & Waushara | Waldo Flint | Princeton | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane (Western Part) | Romanzo E. Davis | Middleton | Rep. |
| 27 | Columbia | William M. Griswold | Columbus | Rep. |
| 28 | Crawford & Richland | Henry L. Eaton | Lone Rock | Rep. |
| 29 | Adams, Juneau, Portage, & Wood | Eliphalet S. Miner | Necedah | Rep. |
| 30 | Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, & Pepin | Joseph G. Thorp | Eau Claire | Rep. |
| 31 | La Crosse | Angus Cameron | La Crosse | Rep. |
| 32 | Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, & Trempealeau | Orlando Brown | Modena | Rep. |
| 33 | Ozaukee & Washington | Lyman Morgan | Ozaukee | Dem. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 29 | Adams & Wood | Adams & Wood | George A. Neeves | Rep. | Grand Rapids |
| 24 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Henry D. Barron | Rep. | St. Croix Falls |
| 02 | Brown & Southern Kewaunee | 1 | Christian Wœlz | Dem. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown & Southern Kewaunee | 2 | David Cooper Ayres | Rep. | Fort Howard |
| 02 | Brown & Southern Kewaunee | 3 | Daniel Lee | Dem. | De Pere |
| 32 | Buffalo | Buffalo | George Cowie | Dem. | Glencoe |
| 22 | Calumet | Calumet | C. H. M. Petersen | Dem. | New Holstein |
| 30 | Chippewa | Chippewa | John J. Jenkins | Rep. | Chippewa Falls |
| 32 | Clark & Jackson | Clark & Jackson | Eustace L. Brockway | Rep. | Black River Falls |
| 27 | Columbia | 1 | William W. Corning | Dem. | Portage |
| 27 | Columbia | 2 | Henry C. Brace | Rep. | Fountain Prairie |
| 27 | Columbia | 3 | Jacob Low | Rep. | Lowville |
| 28 | Crawford | Crawford | Oliver A. Caswell | Dem. | Utica |
| 07 | Dane | 1 | Benjamin F. Adams | Rep. | Pleasant Springs |
| 07 | Dane | 2 | John D. Gurnee | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | John Adams | Dem. | Black Earth |
| 26 | Dane | 4 | Phineas Baldwin | Rep. | Oregon |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | Michael Adams | Rep. | Elba |
| 13 | Dodge | 2 | Calvin E. Lewis | Rep. | Beaver Dam |
| 13 | Dodge | 3 | Allen H. Atwater | Rep. | Oak Grove |
| 13 | Dodge | 4 | Silas W. Lamoreux | Dem. | Mayville |
| 13 | Dodge | 5 | George Schott | Dem. | Rubicon |
| 13 | Dodge | 6 | John Solon | Dem. | Shields |
| 02 | Door & Northern Kewaunee | Door & Northern Kewaunee | Gideon W. Allen | Dem. | Sturgeon Bay |
| 30 | Dunn & Pepin | Dunn & Pepin | Elias P. Bailey | Rep. | Lucas |
| 30 | Eau Claire | Eau Claire | Bradley Phillips | Rep. | Eau Claire |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Andrew J. Yorty | Rep. | Metomen |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Elihu Colman | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 3 | Aaron Walters | Dem. | Eden |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | George Cabanis | Rep. | Big Patch |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | Allen R. Bushnell | Rep. | Lancaster |
| 16 | Grant | 3 | Samuel A. Ferrin | Rep. | Wingville |
| 16 | Grant | 4 | Jerome B. Cory | Rep. | Patch Grove |
| 12 | Green | Green | Marshal H. Pengra | Rep. | Sylvester |
| 25 | Green Lake | Green Lake | Archibald Nichols | Rep. | Markesan |
| 09 | Iowa | 1 | William E. Rowe | Rep. | Arena |
| 09 | Iowa | 2 | John Strachan | Dem. | Mineral Point |
| 23 | Jefferson | 1 | Daniel Hall | Rep. | Watertown |
| 23 | Jefferson | 2 | William L. Hoskins | Dem. | Lake Mills |
| 23 | Jefferson | 3 | Lucien B. Caswell | Rep. | Fort Atkinson |
| 29 | Juneau | Juneau | Henry F. C. Nichols | Rep. | New Lisbon |
| 08 | Kenosha | Kenosha | Frederick Robinson | Dem. | Kenosha |
| 31 | La Crosse | La Crosse | Gideon Hixon | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 11 | Lafayette | Lafayette | Thomas Bainbridge | Rep. | Benton |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 1 | Peter Reuther | Rep. | Centerville |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 2 | Martin McNamara | Dem. | Maple Grove |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 3 | Joseph Rankin | Dem. | Manitowoc |
| 21 | Marathon | Marathon | Bartholomew Ringle | Dem. | Wausau |
| 25 | Marquette | Marquette | Neil Dimond | Dem. | Buffalo |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 1 | John W. Cary | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 2 | George Abert | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 3 | John Black | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 4 | Frederick C. Winkler | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | Charles H. Larkin | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 6 | Emil Wallber | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 7 | Winfield Smith | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 8 | John Fellenz | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 9 | Moritz Becker | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 10 | Henry Fowler | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 11 | Adin P. Hobart | Rep. | Oak Creek |
| 04 | Monroe | 1 | Eli O. Rudd | Rep. | Rudd's Mills |
| 04 | Monroe | 2 | John F. Richards | Rep. | Tomah |
| 21 | Oconto | Oconto | Richard W. Hubbell | Rep. | Oconto |
| 33 | Ozaukee | 1 | John R. Bohan | Dem. | Ozaukee |
| 33 | Ozaukee | 2 | Frederick W. Horn | Dem. | Cedarburg |
| 24 | Pierce | Pierce | Oliver S. Powell | Rep. | River Falls |
| 29 | Portage | Portage | Oliver Lamoreux | Dem. | Plover |
| 05 | Racine | 1 | Richard B. Bates | Dem. | Racine |
| 05 | Racine | 2 | William V. Moore | Rep. | Yorkville |
| 28 | Richland | 1 | William Dixon | Rep. | Ithaca |
| 28 | Richland | 2 | George W. Putnam | Rep. | Marshall |
| 17 | Rock | 1 | Orlando F. Wallihan | Rep. | Footville |
| 17 | Rock | 2 | Zebulon P. Burdick | Rep. | Janesville |
| 17 | Rock | 3 | Dustin G. Cheever | Rep. | Clinton |
| 17 | Rock | 4 | Eugene K. Felt | Rep. | Newark |
| 17 | Rock | 5 | Alexander Graham | Rep. | Janesville |
| 14 | Sauk | 1 | William W. Perry | Rep. | Sumpter |
| 14 | Sauk | 2 | George G. Swain | Rep. | Delton |
| 22 | Outagamie, Shawano, & Waupaca | 1 | William H. H. Wroe | Rep. | Dale |
| 21 | Outagamie, Shawano, & Waupaca | 2 | Michael Gorman | Dem. | Lebanon |
| 21 | Outagamie, Shawano, & Waupaca | 3 | Archibald D. Smith | Rep. | Lind |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 1 | George W. Weeden | Dem. | Sheboygan |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 2 | Patrick H. O'Rourk | Dem. | Lyndon |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 3 | Major Shaw | Rep. | Lima |
| 24 | St. Croix | St. Croix | John C. Spooner | Rep. | Hudson |
| 32 | Trempealeau | Trempealeau | Noah D. Comstock | Rep. | Arcadia |
| 04 | Vernon | 1 | Reuben May | Rep. | Jefferson |
| 04 | Vernon | 2 | Henry A. Chase | Rep. | Viroqua |
| 08 | Walworth | 1 | Elijah M. Sharp | Rep. | Delavan |
| 08 | Walworth | 2 | Amos W. Stafford | Rep. | Bloomfield |
| 08 | Walworth | 3 | Samuel A. White | Dem. | Whitewater |
| 33 | Washington | 1 | Densmore W. Maxon | Dem. | Cedar Creek |
| 33 | Washington | 2 | Baruch S. Weil | Dem. | Schleisingerville |
| 10 | Waukesha | 1 | Eliphalet Stone | Rep. | Summit |
| 10 | Waukesha | 2 | Charles Brown | Rep. | Brookfield Center |
| 25 | Waushara | Waushara | Hobart S. Sacket | Rep. | Aurora |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Thomas D. Grimmer | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Azel W. Patten | Dem. | Neenah |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | Nelson F. Beckwith | Dem. | Omro |
| 19 | Winnebago | 4 | Alson Wood | Rep. | Rushford |

## Changes from the 24th Legislature

New districts for the 25th Legislature were defined in 1871 Wisconsin Act 156, passed into law in the 24th Wisconsin Legislature.

### Senate redistricting
#### Summary of changes

* 17 Senate districts were left unchanged (or were only renumbered).
* The Dane County district boundaries were slightly redrawn and renumbered (7, 26).
* Dodge County went from having two senators to one (13).
* Fond du Lac County went from having one senator to two (18, 20).
* Kenosha and Walworth counties were combined into one district (8).
* La Crosse County became its own senate district (31), after previously having been in a shared district with Vernon county.
* The Milwaukee County district boundaries were slightly redrawn and renumbered (3, 6).
* Outagamie County was split between two multi-county districts (21, 22).
* Ozaukee and Washington counties were combined into one district (33).
* The old multi-county 32nd Senate district was split into two districts (30, 32).

#### Senate districts

| Dist. | 24th Legislature | 25th Legislature |
| 1 | Sheboygan County | Sheboygan County |
| 2 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee counties | Brown, Door, Kewaunee counties |
| 3 | Ozaukee County | Northern Milwaukee County |
| 4 | Washington County | Monroe, Vernon counties |
| 5 | Northern Milwaukee County | Racine County |
| 6 | Southern Milwaukee County | Southern Milwaukee County |
| 7 | Racine County | Eastern Dane County |
| 8 | Kenosha County | Kenosha, Walworth counties |
| 9 | Adams, Juneau, Monroe counties | Iowa County |
| 10 | Waukesha County | Waukesha County |
| 11 | Eastern Dane County | Lafayette County |
| 12 | Walworth County | Green County |
| 13 | Lafayette County | Dodge County |
| 14 | Sauk County | Sauk County |
| 15 | Iowa County | Manitowoc County |
| 16 | Grant County | Grant County |
| 17 | Rock County | Rock County |
| 18 | Western Dodge County | Western Fond du Lac County |
| 19 | Manitowoc County | Winnebago County |
| 20 | Fond du Lac County | Eastern Fond du Lac County |
| 21 | Winnebago County | Marathon, Oconto, Shawano, Waupaca, Northern Outagamie counties |
| 22 | Calumet, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano counties | Calumet, Southern Outagamie counties |
| 23 | Jefferson County | Jefferson County |
| 24 | Green County | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties |
| 25 | Columbia County | Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara counties |
| 26 | Western Dane County | Western Dane County |
| 27 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Wood counties | Columbia County |
| 28 | Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Dallas, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties | Crawford, Richland counties |
| 29 | Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara counties | Adams , Juneau, Portage, Wood counties |
| 30 | Crawford, Richland counties | Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin counties |
| 31 | La Crosse, Vernon counties | La Crosse County |
| 32 | Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Trempealeau counties | Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Trempealeau counties |
| 33 | Eastern Dodge County | Ozaukee, Washington counties |

### Assembly redistricting
#### Summary of changes

* Adams and Wood counties became a combined district, Wood had previously been in a shared district with Marathon County, Adams had previously been its own Assembly district.
* Brown County went from having 2 districts to 3.
* Chippewa County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Dunn.
* Dane County went from having 5 districts to 4.
* Dodge County went from having 4 districts to 6.
* Eau Claire County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Pepin County.
* Fond du Lac County went from having 6 districts to 3.
* Grant County went from having 5 districts to 4.
* Jefferson County went from having 4 districts to 3.
* La Crosse County went from having 2 districts to 1.
* Lafayette County went from having 2 districts to 1.
* Milwaukee County went from having 10 districts to 11.
* Richland County went from having 1 district to 2.
* Washington County went from having 3 districts to 2.
* Waukesha County went from having 3 districts to 2.

#### Assembly districts

| County | Districts in 24th Legislature | Districts in 25th Legislature |
| Adams | 1 District | Shared with Wood |
| Ashland | Shared with Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Shared with Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk |
| Barron | Shared with Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Shared with Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk |
| Bayfield | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Burnett, Douglas, Polk | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Burnett, Douglas, Polk |
| Brown | 2 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Buffalo | 1 District | 1 District |
| Burnett | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Douglas, Polk | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Douglas, Polk |
| Calumet | 1 District | 1 District |
| Chippewa | Shared with Dunn | 1 District |
| Clark | Shared with Jackson | Shared with Jackson |
| Columbia | 3 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Crawford | 1 District | 1 District |
| Dane | 5 Districts | 4 Districts |
| Dodge | 5 Districts | 6 Districts |
| Door | Shared with Kewaunee | Shared with Northern Kewaunee |
| Douglas | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk |
| Dunn | Shared with Chippewa | Shared with Pepin |
| Eau Claire | Shared with Pepin | 1 District |
| Fond du Lac | 6 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Grant | 5 Districts | 4 Districts |
| Green | 2 Districts | 1 District |
| Green Lake | 1 District | 1 District |
| Iowa | 2 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Jackson | Shared with Clark | Shared with Clark |
| Jefferson | 4 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Juneau | 1 District | 1 District |
| Kenosha | 1 District | 1 District |
| Kewaunee | Shared with Door | Divided between Door and Brown |
| La Crosse | 2 Districts | 1 District |
| Lafayette | 2 Districts | 1 District |
| Manitowoc | 3 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Marathon | Shared with Wood | 1 District |
| Marquette | 1 District | 1 District |
| Milwaukee | 10 Districts | 11 Districts |
| Monroe | 1 District | 2 Districts |
| Oconto | Shared with Shawano | 1 District |
| Outagamie | 1 District | Divided between Shawano and own district |
| Ozaukee | 1 District | 2 Districts |
| Pepin | Shared with Eau Claire | Shared with Dunn |
| Pierce | 1 District | 1 District |
| Polk | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas | Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas |
| Portage | 1 District | 1 District |
| Racine | 2 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Richland | 1 District | 2 Districts |
| Rock | 5 Districts | 5 Districts |
| Sauk | 2 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Shawano | Shared with Oconto | Shared with Northern Outagamie & Eastern Waupaca |
| Sheboygan | 3 Districts | 3 Districts |
| St. Croix | 1 District | 1 District |
| Trempealeau | 1 District | 1 District |
| Vernon | 2 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Walworth | 3 Districts | 3 Districts |
| Washington | 3 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Waukesha | 3 Districts | 2 Districts |
| Waupaca | 1 District | Shared with Shawano & Northern Outagamie |
| Waushara | 1 District | 1 District |
| Winnebago | 3 Districts | 4 Districts |
| Wood | Shared with Marathon | Shared with Adams |