James Warner Ostrander (July 20, 1825December 21, 1913) was an American furniture manufacturer, banker, and Republican politician. He served four non-consecutive terms (1873, 1875, 1879, 1882) in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing southern Jefferson County. He also served in several county offices in Jefferson County.
Background Ostrander was born in July 1825 (sources have differed on the exact date) in Clay, New York. He received a common school education, and came to Wisconsin in 1842, settling in Jefferson County, where he became a furniture manufacturer.
Public office He was elected county surveyor in 1846; county treasurer in 1849, and register of deeds in 1850. In 1872, he was elected to the 3rd Jefferson County Assembly district (the Towns of Cold Spring, Hebron, Jefferson, Koshkonong, Palmyra, Sullivan and Sumner), with 1,311 votes to 1,198 for former Republican Assemblyman William W. Reed, running on the Liberal Republican ticket (Republican incumbent Lucien Caswell was not a candidate). He was assigned to the standing committee on lumber and manufactures.Turner, A. J., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitution of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Twelfth Annual Edition Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1873; pp. 446, 465 He was not a candidate for re-election in 1873, and Caswell reclaimed the seat. Caswell was not a candidate in 1874, and Ostrander returned, receiving 1,318 votes for P. N. Waterbury (running on the Reform Party ticket. He was put on the committee on enrolled bills.Bashford, R. M., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Fourteenth Annual Edition Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1875; pp. 326, 348 He was not a candidate in 1875, and was succeeded by fellow Republican David Whitney Curtis. In 1878, Ostrander returned, defeating Democratic incumbent Hiram J. Ball with 1,308 votes to 1,115 for Ball. He was put on the committees on railroads and state affairs.Warner, Hans B., ed. The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin, for 1879. Containing the constitutions of the United States and of the state; Jefferson's manual; rules and orders of the senate and assembly, and annals of the legislature; also, statistical tables and history of state institutions: Eighteenth Annual Edition Madison: David Atwood, State Printer, 1879; pp. 495, 517 He was not a candidate in 1879, and was succeeded by Democrat Samuel A. Craig.
Later years Ostrander moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1897. In October 1905, he was in correspondence with the "Maunesha Chapter" of the Daughters of the American Revolution, in Waterloo, from his home in Knoxville, Tennessee.Daughters of the American Revolution. Wisconsin, Maunesha Chapter. History of Waterloo Waterloo, Wisconsin: The Chapter, 1915; p. 12
He died as the result of a fall on December 21, 1913.
It is unclear what his relationship was to James H. Ostrander or to Jared F. Ostrander, who both served in the Assembly from Jefferson County (the latter being a pioneer settler of Aztalan) and came from New York state.
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