Chapter 15 - Territorial, State and Congressional Representation.

From the date of the organization of the northwest territory in 1787, until the time when what is now Wisconsin became a part of the territory of Michigan, the inhabitants upon the "prairie" had no voice in sending any officer to represent them, either in the legislatures of the northwest territory, the territory of Indiana or the territory of Illinois, or in the Congress of the United States. But the creation of Crawford county in 1818, soon brought with it the power to hold elections for delegates in Congress. The following were the successful candidates, all of whom received more or less votes in Crawford county:

Congressional Delegates from Michigan Territory.

XVIth Congress, William Woodbridge 1, 1819-20. Solomon Sibley 2, 1820-21.
XVIIth Congress, Solomon Sibley, 1821-23.
XVIIIth Congress, Gabriel Richards, 1823-25.
XIXth Congress, Austin E Wing, 1825-27.
XXth Congress, Austin E Wing, 1827-29.
XXIth Congress, John Biddle, 1829-31.
XXIId Congress, Austin E Wing, 1831-33.
XXIIId Congress, Lucius Lyon, 1833-35.
XXIVth Congress, George W Jones, 3 1835-37.

Members of the Legislative Council of the territory of Michigan, representing districts of which one of the counties was Crawford, were also voted for on the "prairie," so that there was in fact a representative at Detroit as well as at Washington.

Delegates to Congress from Wisconsin Territory.

George W Jones, elected Oct. 10, 1836.
James D Doty, elected Sept. 10, 1838.
James D Doty, elected Aug. 5, 1840.
Henry Dodge, elected Sept. 27, 1841.
Henry Dodge, elected Sept. 25, 1843.
Morgan L Martin, elected Sept. 22, 1845.
John H Tweedy, elected Sept. 6, 1847.

Members of the Council of Wisconsin Territory, Representing Crawford County.

[I.] --- Crawford.

First session, First Legislative Assembly: no member; 1836.
Second session, First Legislative Assembly; no member; 1837-38.
Special session, First Legislative Assembly; no member; 1838.
First session, Second Legislative Assembly; George Wilson; 1838.
Second session, Second Legislative Assembly; George Wilson; 1839.
Third session, Second Legislative Assembly; Joseph Brisbois 4 ; 1839-40.
Fourth (extra) session, Second Legislative Assembly: Charles J Learned 5; 1840.

[II.] --- Crawford and St. Croix.

First session, Third Legislative Assembly: Charles J Learned; 1840-1.
Second session, Third Legislative Assembly: Charles J Learned; 1841-2.
First session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: Theophilus LaChapelle; 1842-3.
Second session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: Theophilus LaChapelle; 1843-4.
Third session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: Wiram Knowlton; 1845.

[III.] --- Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe.

Fourth session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: Wiram Knowlton; 1846.

[IV.] --- Crawford.

First session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Benjamin F Manahan; 1847.

[V.] --- Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe.

Special session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Benjamin F Manahan; 1847.
Second session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Benjamin F Manahan; 1848.

By the apportionment of members of the First Legislative Assembly of the territory of Wisconsin, as made by Gov. Dodge, upon the basis of a census taken in 1836, Crawford county was allowed two members of the house of Representatives, but no member of the Council. The people of this county claimed that, under the organic act, each county was entitled to be represented in each house; and Thomas P Burnett was unanimously elected by them to be a member of the Council. The full number of members authorized by law had, however, been chosen in other counties, pursuant to the governor's apportionment and proclamation; and very naturally Mr. Burnett's election was not certified to by the governor, nor was he admitted to the seat which he claimed.

Members of the Assembly of Wisconsin Territory, Representing Crawford County.

[I]. --- Crawford County.

First session, First Legislative Assembly: James H Lockwood, James B Dallam, 1836.
Second session, First Legislative Assembly: Ira B Brunson, Jean Brunet, 1837-8.
Special session, First Legislative Assembly: Ira B Brunson, Jean Brunet, 1838.
First session, Second Legislative Assembly: Alexander McGregor, 1838.
Second session, Second Legislative Assembly: Alexander McGregor, Ira B Brunson, 1839.
Third session, Second Legislative Assembly: Ira B Brunson, Alexander McGregor, 1839-40.
Fourth (extra) session Second Legislative Assembly: Ira B Brunson, Alexander McGregor, 1840.

[II]. --- Crawford and St. Croix.

First session, Third Legislative Assembly: Alfred Brunson, Joseph R Brown, 1840-1.
Second session, Third Legislative Assembly: Joseph R Brown, Alfred Brunson, 1841-2. 6
First session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: John H Manahan, 1842-3.
Second session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: John H Manahan, 1843-4.
Third session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: James Fisher, 1845.

[III]. --- Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe.

Fourth session, Fourth Legislative Assembly: James Fisher, 1846.

[IV]. --- Crawford.

First session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Joseph W Furber, 1847.

[V]. --- Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe.

Special session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Henry Jackson, 1847.
Second session, Fifth Legislative Assembly: Henry Jackson, 1848.

Constitutional Conventions.

The first constitutional convention assembled at Madison, on the 5th day of October, 1846, and adjourned on the 16th day of December following, having framed a constitution, which was submitted to a vote of the people on the first Tuesday in April, 1847, and rejected. The person representing Crawford county in the convention was Peter A R Brace.

The second constitutional convention assembled in Madison Dec. 15, 1847, and adjourned Feb. 1, 1848, having framed a constitution, which was submitted to a vote of the people on the second Monday in March following, and adopted. It was the constitution of Wisconsin, now (1884) in force. The member representing Crawford county in the second constitutional convention, was Daniel G Fenton; he represented Chippewa county, also.

Members of the Senate who have represented Crawford County.

Senators representing even numbered districts were elected in 1881, and hold office till Jan. 1, 1885, those from odd numbered districts were elected in 1882 and hold office until Jan. 1, 1887. Senators are elected for four years. As Crawford county is in the fourth senatorial district (an even number) a Senator will be elected in the fall of 1884, and every four years thereafter, who will represent the county in the State senate.

1848 --- Third district, D G Fenton.
1849-50 --- Third district, James Fisher.
1851-52 --- Third district, Hiram A Wright.
1853-54 --- Fifteenth district, Levi Sterling.
1855-56 --- Nineteenth district, William T Gibson.
1857 --- Thirtieth district, William T Price.
1858-59 --- Thirtieth district, William H Tucker.
1860-61 --- Thirtieth district, Buel E Hutchinson.
1862 --- Thirtieth district, N S Cate.
1863 --- Thirtieth district, William S Purdy.
1864-6 --- Thirtieth district, Wm. Ketcham.
1866-67 --- Thirtieth district, Benjamin Hall.
1868-69 --- Thirtieth district, Wm. Ketcham.
1870-71 --- Thirtieth district, George Krouskop.
1872-73 --- Twenty-eighth district, Henry L Eaton.
1874-75 --- Twenty-eighth district, George Krouskop.
1876-77 --- Twenty-eighth district, Daniel L Douns.
1878-79 --- Fourth district, George W Swain.
1880-81 --- Fourth district, O B Thomas.
1882-83 --- Fourth district, Van S Bennett.

Members of the Assembly who have represented Crawford County.

From the organization of the State to the fall of 1882, members of Assembly were elected annually; the biennial election beginning in the fall of 1884.

[I.] --- Chippewa and Crawford.

First session, 1848, Wm. T Sterling.
Second session, 1849, James O'Neill.
Third session, 1850, Wm. T Sterling.
Fourth session, 1851, Wm. T Price.

[II.] --- Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford and La Crosse.

Fifth session, 1852, Andrew Briggs.

[III.] --- Bad Ax and Crawford.

Sixth session, 1853, Hiram A Wright.
Seventh session, 1854, Wm. F Terhune.
Eighth session, 1855, James Fisher.
Ninth session, 1856, Andrew Briggs.
Tenth session, 1857, Buel E Hutchinson.
Eleventh session, 1858, James R Savage.
Twelfth session, 1859, Thomas W Tower.
Thirteenth session, 1860, Wm. C McMichael.
Fourteenth session, 1861, Daniel H Johnson.
Fifteenth session, 1862, O B Thomas.
Sixteenth session, 1863, James Fisher.
Seventeenth session, 1864, Horace Beach.
Eighteenth session, 1865, O B Thomas.
Nineteenth session, 1866, Geo. E Harrington.
Twentieth session, 1867, O B Thomas.
Twenty-first session, 1868, James Fisher.
Twenty-second session, 1869, Benj. F Fary.
Twenty-third session, 1870, William Raymond.
Twenty-fourth session, 1871, D W Briggs.
Twenty-fifth session, 1872, O A Caswell.
Twenty-sixth session, 1873, Peter Doyle.
Twenty-seventh session, 1874, Wm. H Evans.
Twenty-eighth session, 1875, Zenas Beach.
Twenty-ninth session, 1876, Fergus Mills.
Thirtieth session, 1877, S L Wannemaker.
Thirty-first session, 1878, J H Jewel.
Thirty-second session, 1879, Atley Peterson.
Thirty-third session, 1880, Atley Peterson.
Thirty-fourth session, 1881, Atley Peterson.
Thirty-fifth session, 1882, Atley Peterson.
Thirty-sixth session, 1883, Thomas Curley.

United States Senators from Wisconsin.

Isaac P Walker, elected June 8, 1848. Henry Dodge, elected June 8, 1848.
Isaac P Walker, elected January, 1849.
Henry Dodge, elected January 30, 1851.
Charles Durkee, elected February 1, 1855.
James R Doolittle, elected January 23, 1857.
Timothy O Howe, elected January 23, 1861.
James R Doolittle, elected January 22, 1863.
Timothy O Howe, elected January 24, 1867.
Matt. H Carpenter, elected January 26, 1869.
Timothy O Howe, elected January 21, 1873.
Angus Cameron, elected February 3, 1875.

Members of Congress who have represented Crawford County.

XXXth Congress, 1847-49, Second District --- Mason C Darling.
XXXIst Congress, 1849-51, Second District --- Orsamus Cole.
XXXIId Congress, 1851-53, Second District --- Benjamin C Eastman.
XXXIIId Congress, 1853-55, Second District --- Benjamin C Eastman.
XXXIVth Congress, 1855-57, Second District --- Caldwallader C Washurn.
XXXVth Congress, 1857-59, Second District --- Caldwallder C Washburn.
XXXVIth Congress, 1859-61, Second District --- Cadwallder C Washburn.
XXXVIIth Congress, 1861-63, Second District --- Luther Hanchett 7 and Walter D McIndoe.
XXXVIIth Congress, 1863-65, Third District --- Amasa Cobb.
XXXIXth Congress, 1865-67, Third District --- Amasa Cobb.
XLth Congress, 1867-69, Third District --- Amasa Cobb.
XLIst Congress, 1869-71, Third District --- Amasa Cobb.
XLIId Congress, 1871-73, Third District --- J Allen Barber.
XLIIId Congress, 1873-75, Third District --- J Allen Barber.
XLIVth Congress, 1875-77, Third District --- Henry S Magom.
XLVth Congress, 1877-79, Third District --- George C Hazelton.
XLVIth Congress, 1879-81, Third District --- George C Hazelton.
XLVIIth Congress, 1881-83, Third District --- George C Hazelton.
XLVIIIth Congress, 1883-85, Seventh District --- Gilbert M Woodward.

1 - Resigned in 1820.
2 - To fill vacancy of William Woodbridge, resigned.
3 - Was a delegate until Michigan became a State, with his residence in Wisconsin, which was then a portion of the territory of Michigan.
4 - In place of George Wilson, resigned.
5 - In place of Joseph Brisbois, resigned.
6 - Seat contested and awarded to Theophilus La Chapelle.
7 - Died Nov. 24, 1862, and Walter D McIndoe elected to fill the vacancy, Dec. 30, 1862.
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