The Fifteenth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 8, 1862, to April 7, 1862, in regular session, and re-convened from June 3, 1862, through June 17, 1862. The legislature further convened in a special session from September 10, 1862, through September 26, 1862.
This was the first legislative session after the expansion and redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session. The Senate grew from 30 to 33 seats; the Assembly grew from 97 to 100 seats.
Senators representing even-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 8, 1861. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 6, 1860, or were elected in the 1861 election for a newly created district and were serving a one-year term.
The governor of Wisconsin during the first regular session of this legislative term was Republican Louis P. Harvey, of Rock County, who was serving the first year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1861 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. Harvey died in an accident on April 19, 1862, after visiting Wisconsin Union Army volunteers at the site of the Battle of Shiloh, in Tennessee. At that time, the lieutenant governor, Republican Edward Salomon, of Manitowoc County, then ascended to become governor for the remainder of this legislative term.
Major events January 6, 1862: Inauguration of Louis P. Harvey as the 7th Governor of Wisconsin. January 10, 1862: Assemblymember Alexander Campbell of Iowa County resigned his seat after it was demonstrated that he had actually lost his election to Robert Wilson. January 16, 1862: Joseph M. Morrow sworn in to replace the deceased Simon D. Powers as assemblymember for the Monroe County district April 6–7, 1862: Battle of Shiloh took place in Hardin County, Tennessee. Three regiments of Wisconsin Volunteers participated in the battle. Former Wisconsin state senator James S. Alban was killed, and former state senator Benjamin Allen was wounded. April 19, 1862: Wisconsin Governor Louis P. Harvey died in an accident near Savannah, Tennessee. Lieutenant Governor Edward Salomon became the 8th Governor of Wisconsin. May 1, 1862: Union forces occupied New Orleans after Confederate forces evacuated the city. May 8, 1862: State senator Charles Quentin died. September 1, 1862: Dr. Francis Huebschmann was sworn in to replace the deceased Charles Quentin as senator for the 5th district. September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam took place near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Five regiments of Wisconsin Volunteers participated in the battle. September 22, 1862: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. October 8, 1862: Battle of Perryville took place near Perryville, Kentucky.
Major legislation First session February 17, 1862: Joint Resolutions relative to amending the constitution in regard to the governor's salary, 1862 Joint Resolution 6. Proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin to increase the salary of the governor from $1,250 to $2,500 per year. The amendment was rejected by voters in the November general election. March 22, 1862: Act to change the name of Bad Ax County to that of Vernon, 1862 Act 137
Special session September 25, 1862: Act to empower towns, cities, incorporated villages and counties to raise money for the payment of bounties to volunteers, 1862 Special Session Act 13
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Union Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 8 020 30 0 1st Session 11 2 20 33 0 after May 8, 1862Charles Quentin (District 5) died in office. Norman S. Cate (District 30) resigned. 10 1 31 2 after June 1, 1862Francis Huebschmann (District 5) was elected to replace Charles Quentin. 11 32 1 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 14 1 18 33 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Union Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 26 071 97 0 Start of 1st SessionSimeon D. Powers (Monroe County) was elected in the 1861 general election but died December 15, 1861. 43 11 45 99 1 after January 10Robert Wilson replaced Alexander Campbell (Iowa 1st district) due to successful election challenge. 44 44 after January 16Joseph M. Morrow replaced Simeon D. Powers (deceased; Monroe County). 45 100 0 after August 11Samuel D. Hubbard (Sheboygan 3rd district) resigned. 10 99 1 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 44 254 100 0
Sessions 1st Regular session: January 8, 1862 – April 7, 1862; June 3, 1862 – June 17, 1862 Special session: September 10, 1862 – September 26, 1862
Leaders
Senate leadership President of the Senate: Edward Salomon, Lieutenant Governor (until April 19, 1862) President pro tempore: Frederick O. Thorpe (until September 10, 1862) Gerry Whiting Hazelton (from September 10, 1862)
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Joseph W. Beardsley
Members
Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Fifteenth Wisconsin Legislature:
District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Sheboygan Rep. Greenbush 02 Brown & Kewaunee Dem. Green Bay 03 Ozaukee Dem. Ozaukee 04 Washington Dem. West Bend 05 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 06 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 07 Racine Rep. Racine 08 Kenosha Rep. Cypress 09 Adams, Juneau, Waushara Rep. Necedah 10 Waukesha Dem. Waukesha 11 Dane Rep. Sun Prairie 12 Walworth Rep. Elkhorn 13 Lafayette Dem. Gratiot 14 Sauk Rep. 15 Iowa Rep. Wyoming 16 Grant Rep. Glen Haven 17 Rock Rep. Footville 18 Dodge Dem. Juneau 19 Manitowoc & Calumet Rep. Charlestown 20 Fond du Lac Dem. Ripon 21 Winnebago Rep. Oshkosh 22 Door, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw Dem. Appleton 23 Jefferson Rep. Farmington 24 Green Rep. Monroe 25 Columbia Rep. Columbus 26 Dane Rep. Madison 27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Wood Rep. Waupaca 28 Ashland, Burnett, Dallas, Douglas, , Pierce, Polk, Union Hudson 29 Marquette, Green Lake Rep. Montello 30 Bad Ax, Crawford, Richland Union De Soto Vacant from May 1862 31 La Crosse, Monroe Rep. La Crosse 32 Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Trempealeau Rep. Durand 33 Dodge Dem. Horicon
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Fifteenth Wisconsin Legislature:
SenateDistrict County District Representative Party Residence 09 Adams Rep. Dell Prairie 28 Ashland, Burnett, Dallas, Douglas, , Polk Rep. Superior 30 Bad Ax 1 Rep. Breckenridge 2 Rep. Viroqua 02 Brown Dem. Green Bay 32Buffalo, Pepin, Trempealeau Rep. Gilmanton 19 Calumet Dem. Charleston 32 Chippewa, Dunn, Union Rep. Eau Claire Clark & Jackson Rep. 25Columbia 1 Rep. Newport 2 Union Dem. Columbus 3 Rep. Cambria 30 Crawford Union Dem. 11Dane 1 Rep. Door Creek 2 Rep. Windsor 26 3 Dem. Mazomanie 4 Rep. Verona 5 Rep. Madison 18 Dodge 1 Rep. Fox Lake 2 Dem. Trenton 3 Dem. Oak Grove 33 4 Dem. LeRoy 5 Dem. Rubicon 22 Door, Oconto, Shawano Rep. Sturgeon Bay 20 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Ripon 2 Dem. Waupun 3 Dem. 4 Dem. Calumet 5 Dem. Waucousta 16 Grant 1 Rep. Smeltzer's Grove 2 Rep. Dickeyville 3 Rep. Lancaster 4 Rep. Fennimore 5 Rep. Beetown 24 Green 1 Rep. Dayton 2 Union Dem. Spring Grove 29 Green Lake Rep. Markesan 15 Iowa 1 Rep. Ridgeway Dem. 2 Rep. Mineral Point 23 Jefferson 1 Dem. Watertown 2 Union Dem. Milford 3 Rep. Jefferson 4 Rep. Palmyra 09 Juneau Rep. Werner 08 Kenosha Union Dem. Wilmot 02 Kewaunee Dem. Ahnapee 31 La Crosse Union Rep. La Crosse 13 Lafayette 1 Dem. Benton 2 Dem. Darlington 19 Manitowoc 1 Ind. Rep. Meeme 2 Dem. Franklin 3 Dem. Manitowoc 27 Marathon & Wood Dem. Wausau 29Marquette Dem. Briggsville 05Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee 06 3 Dem. Milwaukee 4 Dem. Milwaukee 5 Dem. Milwaukee 05 6 Dem. Milwaukee 7 Dem. Ten Mile House 06 8 Dem. Wauwatosa 9 Dem. Oak Creek 31 Monroe --Vacant-- Ind. Dem. Sparta 22 Outagamie Dem. Borina 03 Ozaukee Dem. Grafton 28 Pierce & Union Dem. Prescott 27 Portage Rep. Plover 07 Racine 1 Rep. Racine 2 Dem. Mount Pleasant 3 Dem. Burlington 30 Richland Dem. Richland 17 Rock 1 Rep. Magnolia 2 Rep. Edgerton 3 Rep. Shopiere 4 Union Rep. Beloit 5 Rep. Janesville 6 Rep. Janesville 14 Sauk 1 Dem. Sauk City 2 Union Dem. Baraboo 01 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Dem. Sheboygan Falls 3 Union Scott --Vacant-- 4 Rep. Plymouth 12 Walworth 1 Rep. South Grove 2 Rep. La Grange 3 Ind. Rep. Geneva 4 Dem. Elkhorn 04 Washington 1 Dem. Erin 2 Dem. Richfield 3 Dem. Newburg 10 Waukesha 1 Dem. Brookfield Center 2 Rep. Hartland 3 Dem. North Prairie 4 Dem. Vernon 27 Waupaca Rep. North Royalton 09Waushara Ind. Rep. Wautoma 21 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Dem. Menasha 3 Rep. Waukau
Employees
Senate employees Chief Clerk: John H. Warren Assistant Clerk: Erasmus D. Campbell Engrossing Clerk: T. Wilson Caster Enrolling Clerk: J. M. Randall Transcribing Clerk: F. W. Stewart Sergeant-at-Arms: Bloom U. Caswell Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: James L. Wilder Postmaster: H. W. Browne Assistant Postmaster: D. H. Pulcifer Doorkeeper: William C. Lesure Assistant Doorkeeper: Julius C. Chandler Firemen: C. H. Beyler John Crowley Messengers: Fred Sholes Albert F. Dexter William L. Abbott
Assembly employees Chief Clerk: John S. Dean Assistant Clerk: Ephraim W. Young Bookkeeper: Sylvester Foord Jr. Engrossing Clerk: Herbert A. Lewis Enrolling Clerk: Daniel Brisbois Transcribing Clerk: Henry F. Pelton Sergeant-at-Arms: A. A. Huntingdon Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Jas. G. Alden 2nd Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: J. W. Overbaugh Postmaster: A. A. Bennett Assistant Postmaster: N. F. Pierce 2nd Assistant Postmaster: William P. Bowman Doorkeeper: J. I. Ellis Assistant Doorkeeper: Frederik Huchting Assistant Doorkeeper: E. T. Kearney Firemen: Reese Evans E. C. Cavenaugh Barnet Wilson Messengers: E. C. Mason Jno. N. Ford E. D. Strong Albert W. Carpenter Fred. VanBergen William Booth Samuel Myers Hugh Spencer Rufus H. Roys George D. Potter Linus S. Webb
Changes from the 14th Legislature New districts for the 15th Legislature were defined in 1861 Wisconsin Act 216, passed into law in the 14th Wisconsin Legislature.
Senate redistricting Summary of changes 17 senate districts were left unchanged. The Dane County district boundaries were slightly redrawn (11, 26). Dodge County went from having one senator to two (18, 33). Jefferson County went from two senators to one (23). Rock County went from two senators to one (17). Sauk County became its own senate district (14), after previously having been in a shared district with Adams and Juneau counties. Iowa County became its own senate district (15), after previously having been in a shared district with Richland county. Waushara County was moved from the 27th district to the 9th. The multi-county northeastern district was divided into two (2, 22). The multi-county western region of the state went from two senators to four (28, 30, 31, 32).
Senate districts