The Sixth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1853, to April 4, 1853, in regular session. They reconvened from June 6 to July 13 to sit as a court of impeachment for Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Levi Hubbell.
This was the first legislative session after the first expansion and redistricting of the Senate and Assembly. The Senate grew from 19 to 25 seats; the Assembly grew from 66 to 82 seats.
Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assemblymembers were elected to a one-year term. Assemblymembers and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1852. 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, 1851, or were elected in the 1852 election for a newly created district and were serving a one-year term.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Whig Leonard J. Farwell, of Dane County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1851 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. He was Wisconsin's only Whig governor.
Major events March 4, 1853: Inauguration of Franklin Pierce as the 14th President of the United States. March 5, 1853: Wisconsin State Assembly voted to impeach Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Levi Hubbell. July 11, 1853: Judge Levi Hubbell was acquitted in a trial of impeachment in the Wisconsin State Senate. September 21, 1853: Lieutenant Governor Timothy Burns died in office. November 8, 1853: William A. Barstow elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
February 11, 1853: Act to divide the County of La Crosse and create the County of Jackson, 1853 Act 8 February 16, 1853: Act to incorporate the County of Shawanaw, 1853 Act 9 March 4, 1853: Act to incorporate the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1853 Act 17 March 7, 1853: Act for the division of the county of Washington, and the creation of the county of Ozaukee, 1853 Act 21 March 14, 1853: Act to divide Saint Croix, and create the counties of Pierce and Polk, 1853 Act 31 March 19, 1853: Act to organize a Seventh Judicial Circuit, and to provide for the election of a Judge thereof, 1853 Act 40 March 19, 1853: Act to provide for contesting elections of members of the Senate and Assembly, 1853 Act 41 March 25, 1853: Act providing for the Geological Survey of the State, 1853 Act 47 April 2, 1853: Act providing for the organization of Joint Stock Companies, 1853 Act 68 June 6, 1853: Act to amend article four of the Constitution, 1853 Act 95, to change state senate terms from two years to four years. This act was eventually put to a referendum in 1854, where it was defeated by a 2-to-1 margin. July 6, 1853: Act to divide the county of Jackson, and create the counties of Buffalo and Clarke, 1853 Act 100 July 6, 1853: Act to submit to the people the question of a Prohibitory Liquor Law, 1853 Act 101 July 12, 1853: Act to provide for the punishment of murder in the first degree, and to abolish the penalty of death, 1853 Act 103. With this act, Wisconsin became the first U.S. state to abolish the death penalty.
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant End of previous Legislature 12 1 6 19 0 Start of 1st Session 19 0 6 25 0 from May 1 18 0 6 24 1 from June 8 19 0 6 25 0 Final voting share 68% 0% 32% Beginning of the next Legislature 22 0 3 25 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant End of previous Legislature 28 632 66 0 1st Session55 7 20 82 0 Final voting share67% 9% 24% Beginning of the next Legislature 51 4 27 82 0
Sessions 1st Regular session: January 12, 1853 – April 4, 1853 Special Impeachment session: June 6, 1853 – July 13, 1853
Leaders
Senate leadership President of the Senate: Timothy Burns, Lieutenant Governor (Until his death, September 21, 1853) President pro tempore: Duncan Reed
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Henry L. Palmer
Members
Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (25):
District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Dem. Sheboygan 02 Brown, Door, Oconto, Outagamie, Marathon, Portage, Waupaca Whig Plover 03 Washington (Eastern Part) Dem. 04 Washington (Western Part) Dem. West Bend 05 Milwaukee (Northern Half) Dem. Milwaukee 06 Milwaukee (Southern Half) Dem. Milwaukee 07 Racine Dem. Racine 08 Kenosha Dem. Milwaukee 09 Waukesha (Northern Half) Dem. Summit 10 Waukesha (Southern Half) Dem. Waukesha 11 Dane Dem. Madison 12 Walworth Dem. Whitewater 13 Lafayette Dem. Belmont 14 Jefferson Whig Fort Atkinson 15 Iowa, Richland Whig Mount Sterling 16 Grant Dem. Lancaster Dem. Potosi 17 Rock (Western Half) Dem. Beloit 18 Rock (Eastern Half) Whig Beloit 19 Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford, , , Dem. Pepin 20 Fond du Lac Dem. Rosendale 21 Winnebago Whig Oshkosh 22 Dodge Whig Watertown 23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara Dem. Baraboo 24 Green Dem. Waupun 25 Columbia Dem. Columbus
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (82):
SenateDistrict County District Representative Party Redidence 23 Adams, Sauk Whig Baraboo 19 Bad Ax, Crawford Dem. 02 Brown, Door, Kewaunee Dem. De Pere 01 Calumet Dem. Chilton 19 Chippewa, La Crosse Dem. La Crosse 25 Columbia 1 Dem. Marcellon 2 Whig Fall River 11 Dane 1 Dem. Albion 2 Dem. Deerfield 3 Whig Fitchburg 4 Dem. Middleton 5 Dem. Westport 22 Dodge 1 Whig Mayville 2 Dem. Rubicon 3 Dem. Watertown 4 Dem. Elba 5 Dem. Fox Lake 6 Dem. Waupun 20 Fond du Lac 1 Whig Waupun 2 Dem. New Fane 3 Dem. 4 Dem. Calumet 16 Grant 1 Whig Hazel Green 2 Whig Potosi 3 Whig Platteville 4 Whig Lancaster 5 Dem. Lancaster 24 Green Dem. Attica 15 Iowa 1 Dem. Dodgeville 2 Whig Mineral Point 14 Jefferson 1 Dem. Watertown 2 Whig Aztalan 3 Dem. Jefferson 4 Dem. Farmington 5 Whig Palmyra 08 Kenosha 1 Free Soil Kenosha 2 Dem. Wheatland 13 Lafayette 1 Dem. Benton 2 Dem. Shullsburg 3 Dem. Cottage Inn 19 La Pointe & St. Croix Dem. Prescott 01 Manitowoc Dem. Manitowoc 02 Marathon & Portage Dem. Amherst 23 Marquette & Waushara 1 Dem. Montello 2 Dem. Berlin 05 Milwaukee 1 Whig Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 06 3 Dem. Milwaukee 4 Dem. Milwaukee 5 Whig Milwaukee 6 Dem. Milwaukee 7 Whig Milwaukee 05 8 Dem. Milwaukee 9 Dem. Milwaukee 02 Oconto, Outagamie, Waupaca Dem. Appleton 07 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Dem. Mount Pleasant 3 Dem. Raymond 4 Whig Burlington 15 Richland Dem. Port Andrew 18 Rock 1 Whig Beloit 2 Whig Janesville 17 3 Dem. Janesville 4 Whig Union 01 Sheboygan 1 Whig Sheboygan 2 Dem. Greenbush 12 Walworth 1 Whig La Grange 2 Dem. Lafayette 3 Free Soil East Troy 4 Free Soil Springfield 5 Free Soil Darien 6 Free Soil Genoa 03 Washington 1 Dem. Port Washington 2 Dem. Grafton 04 3 Dem. Meeker 4 Dem. Barton 09 Waukesha 1 Dem. Summit 2 Free Soil Lisbon 10 3 Dem. Ottawa 4 Free Soil Waukesha 21 Winnebago 1 Dem. Oshkosh 2 Dem. Menasha
Employees
Senate employees Chief Clerk: John K. Williams Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Hood
Assembly employees Chief Clerk: Thomas McHugh Sergeant-at-Arms: Richard F. Wilson
Changes from the 5th Legislature The most significant structural change to the Legislature between the 5th and 6th sessions was the reapportionment and redistricting of legislative seats. The new districts were defined in 1852 Wisconsin Act 499, passed into law in the 5th Wisconsin Legislature.
Senate redistricting Summary of changes 12 districts were simply renumbered without border adjustments. Waukesha County went from having one senator to two (9, 10). Rock County went from having one senator to two (17, 18). Washington County went from having one senator to two (3, 4)—the territory comprising the 3rd district became a separate county, Ozaukee, during the 6th Legislature. Columbia County became its own senate district (25), after previously having been in a shared district with Adams, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, and Waushara. Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties became separate senate districts (20, 21), after previously having been in a shared district with Waupaca. Adams, Marquette, Sauk, and Waushara counties became a senate district (23). Calumet, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan counties became a senate district (1), separating from the previous vast multi-county northeast district. Brown, Door, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, and Waupaca counties constituted the new multi-county northeast district (2).
Senate districts Dist. 9th Legislature 10th Legislature 1 Brown, Calumet, Door, Oconto, Manitowoc, Sheboygan counties Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan counties 2 Adams, Columbia, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, Waushara counties Brown, Door, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca counties 3 Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford, , , Eastern Washington County (Ozaukee County) 4 , Waupaca, Winnebago counties Western Washington County (Washington County) 5 Iowa, Richland counties Northern Milwaukee County 6 Grant County Southern Milwaukee County 7 Lafayette County Racine County 8 Green County Kenosha County 9 Dane County Northern Waukesha County 10 Dodge County Southern Waukesha County 11 Washington County Dane County 12 Jefferson County Walworth County 13 Waukesha County Lafayette County 14 Walworth County Jefferson County 15 Rock County Iowa, Richland counties 16 Kenosha County Grant County 17 Racine County Western Rock County 18 Southern Milwaukee County Eastern Rock County 19 Northern Milwaukee County Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford, , , counties 20Did not exist in 5th Legislature Fond du Lac County 21 Winnebago County 22 Dodge County 23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara counties 24 Green County 25 Columbia County
Assembly redistricting
Summary of changes Columbia County went from having 1 district to 2. Dane County went from having 3 districts to 5. Dodge County went from having 5 districts to 6. Fond du Lac County went from having 2 districts to 4. Grant County went from having 4 districts to 5. Iowa County went from having 1 district and 1 shared district with Richland to having 2 districts. Jefferson County went from having 3 districts to 5. Lafayette County went from having 2 districts to 3. Marquette and Waushara counties went from sharing 1 district to sharing 2 districts. Milwaukee County went from having 7 districts to 9. Racine County went from having 3 districts to 4. Richland County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Iowa County. Rock County went from having 5 districts to 4. Walworth County went from having 5 districts to 6. Washington County went from having 5 districts to 4—the eastern 2 districts became Ozaukee County during the 6th Legislature. Waukesha County went from having 5 districts to 4.
Assembly districts