# 12th Wisconsin Legislature

The Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1859, to March 21, 1859, in regular session.
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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1858. 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 3, 1857.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Alexander Randall, of Waukesha County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1857 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* March 7, 1859: The United States Supreme Court ruled on the case of Ableman v. Booth, vacating the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision which had attempted to nullify enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in Wisconsin.
* April 12, 1859: Edward V. Whiton, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, died in office.
* April 19, 1859: Luther S. Dixon was appointed Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
* November 8, 1859: Alexander Randall was re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.

## Party summary
### Senate 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 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 14 | 0 | 16 | 30 | 0 |
| From Oct. 1 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 29 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 47% | 0% | 53% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 11 | 0 | 19 | 30 | 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 | 44 | 0 | 53 | 97 | 0 |
| Start of 1st Session | 41 | 1 | 54 | 96 | 1 |
| after January 17 | 40 | 1 | 55 | 96 | 1 |
| after January 20 | 41 | 1 | 55 | 97 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 43% | 0% | 57% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 37 | 1 | 59 | 97 | 0 |

## Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 12, 1859 – March 21, 1859

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor
* President pro tempore: Denison Worthington

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature (30):
| District | Counties | Senator | Party | Residence |
| 01 | Sheboygan | Robert H. Hotchkiss | Dem. | Plymouth |
| 02 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw | Morgan Lewis Martin | Dem. | Green Bay |
| 03 | Ozaukee | Lion Silverman | Dem. | Ozaukee |
| 04 | Washington | Densmore W. Maxon | Dem. | Cedar Creek |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northern Half) | Cicero Comstock | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Southern Half) | Patrick Walsh | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Racine | Nicholas D. Fratt | Dem. | Racine |
| 08 | Kenosha | Samuel R. McClellan | Rep. | Wilmot |
| 09 | Adams, Juneau, Sauk | H. W. Curtis | Rep. | Delton |
| 10 | Waukesha | Denison Worthington | Rep. | Summit |
| 11 | Dane (Eastern Part) | William Robert Taylor | Dem. | Cottage Grove |
| 12 | Walworth | John W. Boyd | Rep. | Geneva |
| 13 | Lafayette | Philemon B. Simpson | Dem. | Shullsburg |
| 14 | Jefferson (Northern Part) and Dodge (Southern Part) | William Chappell | Dem. | Watertown |
| 15 | Iowa, Richland | Charles Rodolf | Dem. | Orion |
| 16 | Grant | Noah H. Virgin | Rep. | Platteville |
| 17 | Rock (Western Part) | Zebulon P. Burdick | Rep. | Janesville |
| 18 | Rock (Eastern Part) | Alden I. Bennett | Rep. | Beloit |
| 19 | Manitowoc, Calumet | Samuel H. Thurber | Dem. | Manitowoc |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | Edward Pier | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 21 | Winnebago | Ganem W. Washburn | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 22 | Dodge (Northern Part) | William E. Smith | Rep. | Fox Lake |
| 23 | Jefferson (Southern Part) | Enias D. Masters | Rep. | Jefferson |
| 24 | Green | John H. Warren | Rep. | Albany |
| 25 | Columbia | Moses M. Davis | Rep. | Portage |
| 26 | Dane (Western Part) | Andrew Proudfit | Dem. | Madison |
| 27 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood | Luther Hanchett | Rep. | Stanton |
| 28 | Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix | Daniel Mears | Dem. | Osceola Mills |
| 29 | Marquette | M. W. Seely | Rep. | Marquette |
| 30 | Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau | William H. Tucker | Dem. | La Crosse |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | County | District | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 09 | Adams & Juneau | Adams & Juneau | John Turner | Rep. | Mauston |
| 28 | Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, & St. Croix | Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, & St. Croix | Moses S. Gibson (Until Jan. 17) | Dem. | Hudson |
| 28 | Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, & St. Croix | Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, & St. Croix | Marcus W. McCracken (From Jan. 17) | Rep. | Superior |
| 30 | Bad Ax & Crawford | Bad Ax & Crawford | Thomas R. Tower | Rep. | Towerville |
| 02 | Brown | Brown | William Field Jr. | Dem. | De Pere |
| 30 | Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau | Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau | Jesse Bennett | Rep. | Fountain City |
| 19 | Calumet | Calumet | Harrison C. Hobart | Dem. | Chilton |
| 28 | Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, & Pierce | Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, & Pierce | Richard Dewhurst | Rep. | Neillsville |
| 25 | Columbia | 1 | Gysbert Van Steenwyk | Rep. | Kilbourn City |
| 25 | Columbia | 2 | William M. Griswold | Rep. | Columbus |
| 25 | Columbia | 3 | John O. Jones | Rep. | Cambria |
| 11 | Dane | 1 | William W. Blackman | Rep. | Stoughton |
| 11 | Dane | 2 | Adam Smith | Dem. | Burke |
| 11 | Dane | 3 | John Keenan | Dem. | Fitchburg |
| 26 | Dane | 4 | Chester N. Waterbury | Dem. | Roxbury |
| 26 | Dane | 5 | Harlow S. Orton | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 6 | George B. Smith | Dem. | Madison |
| 22 | Dodge | 1 | Thomas Palmer | Dem. | Mayville |
| 22 | Dodge | 2 | John C. Bishop | Dem. | LeRoy |
| 22 | Dodge | 3 | Waldo Lyon | Rep. | Hustisford |
| 22 | Dodge | 4 | Cyrus S. Kneeland | Rep. | Waupun |
| 22 | Dodge | 5 | Lorenzo Merrill | Rep. | Burnett |
| 22 | Dodge | 6 | John Lowth | Dem. | Lowell |
| 02 | Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Shawano | Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Shawano | Matthias Simon | Dem. | Ahnapee |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Alvan E. Bovay | Rep. | Ripon |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Warren Whiting | Rep. | Ladoga |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 3 | John C. Lewis | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 4 | --Vacant-- (until Jan. 21) | --Vacant-- (until Jan. 21) | --Vacant-- (until Jan. 21) |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 4 | O. Hugo Petters (from Jan. 21) | Dem. | Murone |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | 5 | Silas C. Matteson | Rep. | Waucousta |
| 16 | Grant | 1 | George Broderick | Dem. | Hazel Green |
| 16 | Grant | 2 | James W. Seaton | Dem. | Potosi |
| 16 | Grant | 3 | Jesse Waldorf | Rep. | Platteville |
| 16 | Grant | 4 | Hugh A. W. McNair | Rep. | Fennimore |
| 16 | Grant | 5 | Luther Basford | Rep. | Glen Haven |
| 24 | Green | 1 | Albert H. Pierce | Rep. | Monticello |
| 24 | Green | 2 | Edmund A. West | Rep. | Monroe |
| 15 | Iowa | 1 | Gardner C. Meigs | Dem. | Arena |
| 15 | Iowa | 2 | John Toay | Rep. | Mineral Point |
| 23 | Jefferson | 1 | Alexander J. Craig | Rep. | Palmyra |
| 23 | Jefferson | 2 | George C. Smith | Rep. | Oakland |
| 14 | Jefferson | 3 | Luther A. Cole | Rep. | Watertown |
| 14 | Jefferson | 4 | Ferdinand Wagner | Dem. | Watertown |
| 14 | Jefferson | 5 | Sylvester J. Conklin | Rep. | Waterloo |
| 08 | Kenosha | 1 | George Bennett | Rep. | Kenosha |
| 08 | Kenosha | 2 | James C. McKisson | Rep. | Wheatland |
| 30 | La Crosse & Monroe | La Crosse & Monroe | Charles W. Marshall | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 13 | Lafayette | 1 | James S. Murphy | Dem. | Benton |
| 13 | Lafayette | 2 | William M. McGranahan | Dem. | Fayette |
| 13 | Lafayette | 3 | David W. Kyle | Dem. | Shullsburg |
| 19 | Manitowoc | 1 | William Aldrich | Rep. | Two Rivers |
| 19 | Manitowoc | 2 | James B. Dunn | Dem. | Manitowoc |
| 27 | Marathon, Portage, & Wood | Marathon, Portage, & Wood | James S. Young | Dem. | Stevens Point |
| 29 | Marquette & Green Lake | 1 | Jesse Thomas | Rep. | Green Lake |
| 29 | Marquette & Green Lake | 2 | James B. Ormsby | Rep. | Oxford |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 1 | Edwin Palmer | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 2 | Charles J. Kern | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 3 | Thomas H. Eviston | Ind. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 4 | James A. Swain | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | William S. Cross | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 6 | Joseph Walter | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 7 | Frederick Moskowitt | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 8 | Jacob Beck | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 9 | Edward Hasse | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 02 | Outagamie | Outagamie | Perry H. Smith | Dem. | Appleton |
| 03 | Ozaukee | 1 | John R. Bohan | Dem. | Ozaukee |
| 03 | Ozaukee | 2 | Frederick W. Horn | Dem. | Cedarburg |
| 07 | Racine | 1 | William P. Lyon | Rep. | Racine |
| 07 | Racine | 2 | Leonard S. Van Vliet | Rep. | Caledonia |
| 07 | Racine | 3 | William Ballach | Rep. | Yorkville |
| 07 | Racine | 4 | Franklin E. Hoyt | Dem. | Rochester |
| 15 | Richland | Richland | William Dixon | Rep. | Lone Rock |
| 18 | Rock | 1 | William E. Wheeler | Rep. | Beloit |
| 18 | Rock | 2 | Edward Vincent | Rep. | Milton |
| 17 | Rock | 3 | John P. Dickson | Rep. | Janesville |
| 17 | Rock | 4 | Joseph K. P. Porter | Rep. | Cooksville |
| 17 | Rock | 5 | Elisha L. Carpenter | Rep. | Beloit |
| 09 | Sauk | 1 | Nelson Wheeler | Rep. | Humboldt |
| 09 | Sauk | 2 | Eli Otis Rudd | Rep. | Reedsburg |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 1 | William N. Shafter | Rep. | Sheboygan |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 2 | James Little | Dem. | Sheboygan Falls |
| 01 | Sheboygan | 3 | Stephen D. Littlefield | Dem. | Sheboygan Falls |
| 12 | Walworth | 1 | Reuben Rockwell | Rep. | Springfield |
| 12 | Walworth | 2 | Edward P. Cornick | Rep. | Delavan |
| 12 | Walworth | 3 | Newton S. Murphy | Rep. | Whitewater |
| 12 | Walworth | 4 | Daniel Hooper | Rep. | Troy |
| 04 | Washington | 1 | Gustave Streckewald | Dem. | Hartford |
| 04 | Washington | 2 | James Vollmar | Dem. | West Bend |
| 04 | Washington | 3 | Phillip Zimmerman | Dem. | Staatsville |
| 10 | Waukesha | 1 | Parker Sawyer | Rep. | Summit |
| 10 | Waukesha | 2 | William P. King | Dem. | Merton |
| 10 | Waukesha | 3 | Andrew E. Elmore | Dem. | Mukwonago |
| 10 | Waukesha | 4 | Charles T. Deissner | Dem. | Waukesha |
| 10 | Waukesha | 5 | Ira Blood | Rep. | Mukwonago |
| 27 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Warner C. Carr | Dem. | Crystal Lake |
| 27 | Waushara | Waushara | Charles White | Rep. | Coloma |
| 21 | Winnebago | 1 | Richard P. Eighme | Dem. | Oshkosh |
| 21 | Winnebago | 2 | John D. Rush | Dem. | Winneconne |
| 21 | Winnebago | 3 | George W. Beckwith | Rep. | Omro |

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Hiram Bowen
** Assistant Clerk: C. M. Cook
** Engrossing Clerk: A. M. Thomson
** Enrolling Clerk: C. T. Overton
** Transcribing Clerk: G. M. O'Brien
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Asa Kinney
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Jacob Low
* Postmaster: E. G. Garner
** Post Messenger: Garrit Mahony
* Doorkeeper: D. C. Shelden
* Messengers:
** William W. Worthington
** Dwight Allen

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: L. H. D. Crane
** Assistant Clerk: John S. Dean
** Engrossing Clerk: George Burnside
** Enrolling Clerk: George W. Stoner
** Transcribing Clerk: Oliver Gibbs, Jr.
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Emanuel Munk
** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Gates
* Postmaster: Sewall W. Smith
** Assistant Postmaster: Cyrus Fertig
* Doorkeeper: G. W. Munderloh
** Assistant Doorkeeper: William Adams
* Firemen:
** F. Brown
** N. L. Andrews
* Messengers:
** Cyrus Lanyon
** John Ford
** W. Howard Aldrich (12-year-old son of Assembly member William Aldrich)
** Edward Livingston
** Samuel Fernandez