# 34th Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1881, to April 4, 1881, in regular session.
This was the first legislative session after the 1880 United States census, and—as prescribed by the Wisconsin Constitution—this legislature attempted to pass a redistricting law. For the first time, the legislature failed in this task due to a technical problem with the proposed legislation—they forgot to include the town of Ridgeway, in Iowa County. The Governor vetoed the legislation due to this technical fault. Since the legislature had already adjourned for the year, it was considered too late to complete redistricting before the 1881 election.
Senators representing odd-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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1880. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 4, 1879.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican William E. Smith, of Milwaukee County, serving the second year of his second two-year term, having won re-election in the 1879 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 4, 1881: Joseph E. Darbellay was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Kewaunee County district to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Milton Read.
* January 26, 1881: Philetus Sawyer elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
* February 24, 1881: Wisconsin's senior United States Senator Matthew H. Carpenter died of kidney disease in Washington, D.C.
* March 4, 1881: Inauguration of James A. Garfield as the 20th President of the United States.
* March 13, 1881: Tsar Alexander II of Russia was assassinated in Saint Petersburg.
* March 14, 1881: Angus Cameron elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
* April 4, 1881: Wisconsin Governor William E. Smith vetoed the proposed legislative redistricting act due to a technical flaw in the legislation.
* May 21, 1881: American Red Cross was founded at Dansville, New York.
* July 2, 1881: U.S. President James A. Garfield was shot by an assassin in Washington, D.C.
* September 19, 1881: U.S. President James A. Garfield died of an infected gunshot wound.
* September 20, 1881: Inauguration of Chester A. Arthur as the 21st President of the United States.
* November 8, 1881: Jeremiah McLain Rusk elected Governor of Wisconsin.
* November 8, 1881: At the state's general election, Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin. The amendment doubled the terms of Wisconsin legislators—Assembly terms went from 1 year to 2 years; Senate terms went from 2 years to 4 years. The amendment also adjusted the frequency of legislative sessions from annual to biennial, with new sessions beginning in odd-numbered years.

## Major legislation

* March 19, 1881: An Act to provide for more light on various subjects, 1881 Act 110. Directed the governor to implement electric lighting in the Wisconsin capitol building.
* April 2, 1881: An Act relating to state officers and making the railroad commissioner and commissioner of insurance elective, as other state officers, and prescribing their duties and salary, and amendatory of sections one hundred and twenty-eight and one thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven of the revised statutes, and to repeal section one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two of the revised statutes, and amendatory of section six of chapter two hundred and forty of the laws of 1880, 1881 Act 300. Converted the offices of insurance commissioner and railroad commissioner to statewide elected offices, rather than gubernatorial appointees.
* Joint Resolution amending sections number four, five, eleven and twenty-one, article four of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, 1881 Joint Resolution 7. This was the required second legislative resolution supporting the amendment to change the length of legislative terms. The amendment was ratified by voters in the November 1881 general election.
* Joint Resolution proposing amendments to section four of article six, section twelve of article seven, and section one of article thirteen of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, so as to provide for biennial general elections, 1881 Joint Resolution 16. Proposed changes to the state constitution to bring all terms for county officers into uniformity, with elections taking place in even-numbered years. This was the first legislative approval for this amendment, a second legislative approval was passed in 1882, and the amendment was ratified by the voters in the November 1882 general election.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 8 | 25 | 33 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 9 | 24 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 27.27% | 72.73% | | |
| 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) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Gbk. | Ind. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 28 | 2 | 0 | 70 | 100 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 21 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 21% | 21% | 21% | 79% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 34 | 0 | 2 | 64 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 12, 1881 – April 4, 1881

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: James M. Bingham (R)
* President pro tempore: Thomas B. Scott (R)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Ira B. Bradford (R)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto, & Shawano | William A. Ellis | Peshtigo | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown | David M. Kelly | Green Bay | Rep. |
| 03 | Racine | Albert L. Phillips | Racine | Rep. |
| 04 | Crawford & Vernon | Ormsby B. Thomas | Prairie du Chien | Rep. |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northern Part) | Isaac W. Van Schaick | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Southern Part) | George H. Paul | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (Central Part) | Edward B. Simpson | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 08 | Kenosha & Walworth | Joseph V. Quarles | Kenosha | Rep. |
| 09 | Green Lake, Marquette, & Waushara | James F. Wiley | Hancock | Rep. |
| 10 | Waukesha | Richard Weaver | Lisbon | Dem. |
| 11 | Chippewa, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, & Wood | Thomas B. Scott | Grand Rapids | Rep. |
| 12 | Green & Lafayette | John W. Blackstone | Shullsburg | Rep. |
| 13 | Dodge | Arthur K. Delaney | Mayville | Dem. |
| 14 | Juneau & Sauk | Edwin E. Woodman | Baraboo | Rep. |
| 15 | Manitowoc | Joseph Rankin | Manitowoc | Dem. |
| 16 | Grant | George W. Ryland | Lancaster | Rep. |
| 17 | Rock | Hamilton Richardson | Janesville | Rep. |
| 18 | Fond du Lac (Western Part) | George E. Sutherland | Ripon | Rep. |
| 19 | Winnebago | Joseph B. Hamilton | Neenah | Rep. |
| 20 | Sheboygan & Eastern Fond du Lac | Patrick H. Smith | Plymouth | Dem. |
| 21 | Marathon, Portage, & Waupaca | Charles F. Crosby | Wausau | Rep. |
| 22 | Calumet & Outagamie | Benjamin F. Carter | Harrison | Dem. |
| 23 | Jefferson | Frederick Kusel | Watertown | Dem. |
| 24 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, & St. Croix | Sam S. Fifield | Ashland | Rep. |
| 25 | Dane (Eastern Part) | George B. Burrows | Madison | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane (Western Part) | Matthew Anderson | Cross Plains | Dem. |
| 27 | Adams & Columbia | Gilbert E. McKeeby | Lodi | Rep. |
| 28 | Iowa & Richland | Joseph McGrew | Richland | Rep. |
| 29 | Buffalo, Pepin, & Trempealeau | Augustus F. Finkelnburg | Fountain City | Rep. |
| 30 | Dunn, Eau Claire, & Pierce | Michael Griffin | Eau Claire | Rep. |
| 31 | La Crosse | Merrick Wing | La Crosse | Rep. |
| 32 | Jackson & Monroe | William T. Price | Black River Falls | Rep. |
| 33 | Ozaukee & Washington | George F. Hunt | West Bend | Dem. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 27 | Adams | Adams | Solon Pierce | Rep. | Friendship |
| 24 | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, & Polk | Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, & Polk | George D. McDill | Rep. | Osceola |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Benjamin Fontaine | Rep. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | James Rasmussen | Rep. | Fort Howard |
| 02 | Brown | 3 | Maurice B. Brennan | Dem. | Morrison |
| 29 | Buffalo & Pepin | 1 | Richard R. Kempter | Rep. | Alma |
| 29 | Buffalo & Pepin | 2 | George Tarrant Sr. | Rep. | Durand |
| 22 | Calumet | Calumet | Casper Petersen | Dem. | New Holstein |
| 11 | Chippewa & Price | Chippewa & Price | James A. Taylor | Dem. | Chippewa Falls |
| 11 | Clark, Lincoln, Taylor & Wood | Clark, Lincoln, Taylor & Wood | Myron H. McCord | Rep. | Jenny |
| 27 | Columbia | 1 | William T. Parry | Rep. | Portage |
| 27 | Columbia | 2 | Evan W. Lloyd | Rep. | Cambria |
| 04 | Crawford | Crawford | Atley Peterson | Rep. | Soldiers Grove |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | Samuel J. Coldwell | Dem. | Mazomanie |
| 25 | Dane | 2 | Louis K. Luse | Rep. | Stoughton |
| 25 | Dane | 3 | Henry B. Howe | Rep. | Cottage Grove |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | John Steele | Dem. | Ashippun |
| 13 | Dodge | 2 | William Liscow | Dem. | Iron Ridge |
| 13 | Dodge | 3 | George Jess | Rep. | Waupun |
| 13 | Dodge | 4 | Edward C. McFetridge | Rep. | Beaver Dam |
| 01 | Door | Door | Edward S. Minor | Rep. | Fish Creek |
| 30 | Dunn | Dunn | George H. Chamberlin | Rep. | Rock Creek |
| 30 | Eau Claire | Eau Claire | Ira B. Bradford | Rep. | Augusta |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | James E. Gee | Dem. | Brandon |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Benjamin H. Bettis | Rep. | Waupun |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 3 | John F. Ware | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 4 | Fred Konz | Dem. | Marshfield |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | James Cabanis | Rep. | Smelser |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | Henry S. Keene | Rep. | Lancaster |
| 16 | Grant | 3 | Edward I. Kidd | Rep. | Millville |
| 12 | Green | 1 | Cyrus Troy | Rep. | Monticello |
| 12 | Green | 2 | Burr Sprague | Rep. | Brodhead |
| 09 | Green Lake | Green Lake | William Paddock | Rep. | Markesan |
| 28 | Iowa | 1 | Melancthon J. Briggs | Dem. | Dodgeville |
| 28 | Iowa | 2 | Jefferson Rewey | Rep. | Mifflin |
| 32 | Jackson | Jackson | Alvin S. Trow | Rep. | Merrillan |
| 23 | Jefferson | 1 | Humphrey E. Humphrey | Dem. | Ixonia |
| 23 | Jefferson | 2 | John D. Bullock | Rep. | Johnson Creek |
| 23 | Jefferson | 3 | Samuel A. Craig | Dem. | Fort Atkinson |
| 14 | Juneau | 1 | Thaddeus K. Dunn | Rep. | Wonewoc |
| 14 | Juneau | 2 | John T. Kingston | Rep. | Necedah |
| 08 | Kenosha | Kenosha | Walter Maxwell | Rep. | Somers |
| 01 | Kewaunee | Kewaunee | Joseph E. Darbellay | Dem. | Kewaunee |
| 31 | La Crosse | La Crosse | John Bradley | Rep. | Bangor |
| 11 | Lafayette | 1 | Albert O. Chamberlain | Rep. | Darlington |
| 11 | Lafayette | 2 | Thomas Bainbridge | Rep. | Benton |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 1 | Thomas Gleeson | Dem. | Rockland |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 2 | Ira P. Smith | Dem. | Mishicot |
| 15 | Manitowoc | 3 | Charles E. Estabrook | Rep. | Manitowoc |
| 21 | Marathon | Marathon | John Ringle | Dem. | Wausau |
| 09 | Marquette | Marquette | C. F. Roskie | Ind.R. | Montello |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 1 | Ashbel K. Shepard | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 2 | Otto Laverrenz | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 3 | Edward Keogh | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 4 | Eschines P. Matthews | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | Thomas M. Corbett | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 6 | Henry Herzer | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 7 | William S. Stanley | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 8 | Theodor O. Hartmann | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 9 | Luther F. Gilson | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 10 | William Pierron | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 11 | David J. Price | Rep. | Bay View |
| 32 | Monroe | 1 | William J. Austin | Rep. | Leon |
| 32 | Monroe | 2 | John O'Brien | Rep. | Wilton |
| 01 | Langlade, Marinette, Oconto & Shawano | Langlade, Marinette, Oconto & Shawano | Ernst Funke | Rep. | Oconto |
| 22 | Outagamie | 1 | Henry Clay Sloan | Dem. | Appleton |
| 22 | Outagamie | 2 | James McMurdo | Rep. | Hortonville |
| 33 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | Charles G. Meyer | Ind.D. | Port Washington |
| 30 | Pierce | Pierce | Franklin L. Gilson | Rep. | Ellsworth |
| 21 | Portage | Portage | James E. Rogers | Rep. | Stevens Point |
| 03 | Racine | 1 | Norton J. Field | Rep. | Racine |
| 03 | Racine | 2 | Sidney A. Sage | Rep. | Western Union Junction |
| 28 | Richland | 1 | Birney M. Jarvis | Rep. | Cazenovia |
| 28 | Richland | 2 | John H. Case | Rep. | Eagle |
| 17 | Rock | 1 | Martin V. Pratt | Rep. | Evansville |
| 17 | Rock | 2 | Franklin S. Lawrence | Rep. | Janesville |
| 17 | Rock | 3 | James Menzies | Rep. | Harmony |
| 14 | Sauk | 1 | Ephraim Blakeslee | Rep. | Ironton |
| 14 | Sauk | 2 | Thomas Gillespie | Rep. | Delton |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | August Selsemeyer | Dem. | Howards Grove |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | Maurice D. Fuller | Rep. | Plymouth |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 3 | Roswell H. Tripp | Rep. | Lima |
| 24 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Merton W. Herrick | Rep. | Hudson |
| 29 | Trempealeau | Trempealeau | Peder Ekern | Rep. | Pigeon Falls |
| 04 | Vernon | 1 | Torger Juve | Rep. | Utica |
| 04 | Vernon | 2 | Allen Rusk | Rep. | Liberty |
| 08 | Walworth | 1 | William Meadows | Rep. | Lyons |
| 08 | Walworth | 2 | Dwight B. Barnes | Rep. | Delavan |
| 08 | Walworth | 3 | Lindsey J. Smith | Rep. | Troy |
| 33 | Washington | 1 | John F. Schwalbach | Dem. | Germantown |
| 33 | Washington | 2 | Joseph W. Holehouse | Dem. | Barton |
| 10 | Waukesha | 1 | John Lins | Rep. | Eagle |
| 10 | Waukesha | 2 | John E. Seabold | Rep. | Menomonee Falls |
| 21 | Waupaca | 1 | Sewall A. Phillips | Rep. | Royalton |
| 21 | Waupaca | 2 | Charles A. Davis | Rep. | Bear Creek |
| 09 | Waushara | Waushara | Charles W. Moors | Rep. | Hancock |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | William Wall | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Selden M. Bronson | Rep. | Menasha |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | George H. Buckstaff | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 4 | Thomas J. Bowles | Rep. | Utica |

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross
** Assistant Clerk: Charles N. Herreid
** Bookkeeper: Oliver Munson
** Engrossing Clerk: John P. Mitchell
** Enrolling Clerk: L. J. Burlingame
** Transcribing Clerk: C. Ingersoll
** Proofreader: Henry Eduard Legler
** Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: Charles Simeon Taylor
** Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: R. B. Blackstone
** Document Clerk: Frank Hutson
* Sergeant-at-Arms: W. W. Baker
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles A. Langridge
* Postmaster: J. L. Thwing
** Assistant Postmaster: L. E. Spencer
* Gallery Attendant: J. J. Marshall
* Doorkeepers:
** F. O. Janzen
** M. Quinn
** F. R. Sebenthal
** D. J. F. Murphy
* Porter: O. L. Wright
* Night Watch: A. J. Marsh
* Janitor: Ole Stephenson
* President's Messenger: Ralph Irish
* Chief Clerk's Messenger: J. G. Hyland
* Messengers:
** Perry Carrell
** William Burnett
** John L. Bohm
** Charles Bucey
** Albert Fontaine
** George Kinney

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: John E. Eldred
** 1st Assistant Clerk: J. F. A. Williams
*** 2nd Assistant Clerk: Peter Philippi
** Bookkeeper: J. T. Huntington
** Engrossing Clerk: P. H. Swift
** Enrolling Clerk: George E. Weatherby
** Transcribing Clerk: Francis Stirn
** Proof Reader: Fred W. Coon
* Sergeant-at-Arms: George W. Church
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: J. B. Perry
* Postmaster: W. W. Sturtevant
** Assistant Postmaster: George Slingsby
* Doorkeepers:
** R. N. Potter
** Charles Rediske
** W. L. Peterson
** Darwin C. Pavey
* Gallery Attendant: L. T. Stohland
* Night Watch: Lonis J. Neiman
* Wash Room Attendant: Frank Lynch
* Messengers:
** Eddie Cavanaugh
** Thomas Gillespie
** Thomas Wilkinson
** William A. Price
** Hugh Edwards
** James Daley
** Fred Moll
** Hayes Selden
** Louis E. Bainbridge
** Thomas Bullock
** R. G. Thomas
** Frederick G. Isenring