6th Wisconsin Legislature

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.

6th Wisconsin Legislature
5th 7th
Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 3, 1853 – January 2, 1854
ElectionNovember 2, 1852
Senate
Members25
Senate PresidentTimothy Burns
Until September 21, 1853
President pro temporeDuncan Reed
Party controlDemocratic
Assembly
Members82
Assembly SpeakerHenry L. Palmer
Party controlDemocratic
Sessions
1stJanuary 12, 1853 – April 4, 1853
SpecialJune 6, 1853 – July 13, 1853

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.[1]

Major events

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Major legislation

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Party summary

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Senate summary

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Senate Partisan composition
  Democratic: 18 seats
  Whig: 7 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant
End of previous Legislature 12 1 6 19 0
Start of 1st Session 18 0 7 25 0
from May 1 17 0 7 24 1
from June 8 18 0 7 25 0
Final voting share 68% 0% 32%
Beginning of the next Legislature 22 0 3 25 0

Assembly summary

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Assembly Partisan composition
  Democratic: 55 seats
  Free Soil: 7 seats
  Whig: 20 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant
End of previous Legislature 28 6 32 66 0
1st Session 55 7 20 82 0
Final voting share 67% 9% 24%
Beginning of the next Legislature 51 4 27 82 0

Sessions

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  • 1st Regular session: January 12, 1853 – April 4, 1853
  • Special Impeachment session: June 6, 1853 – July 13, 1853

Leaders

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Senate leadership

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  • President of the Senate: Timothy Burns, Lieutenant Governor (Until his death, September 21, 1853)
  • President pro tempore: Duncan Reed

Assembly leadership

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Members

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Members of the Senate

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Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (25):

 
Senate Partisan representation
  Democratic: 18 seats
  Whig: 7 seats
District Counties Senator Party Residence
01 Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Horatio N. Smith Dem. Sheboygan
02 Brown, Door, Oconto, Outagamie, Marathon, Portage, Waupaca James S. Alban Whig Plover
03 Washington (Eastern Part) Andrew M. Blair Dem. Fond du Lac
04 Washington (Western Part) Baruch S. Weil Dem. West Bend
05 Milwaukee (Northern Half) Edward M. Hunter Dem. Milwaukee
06 Milwaukee (Southern Half) Duncan C. Reed Dem. Milwaukee
07 Racine John W. Cary Dem. Racine
08 Kenosha John R. Sharpstein Dem. Milwaukee
09 Waukesha (Northern Half) George R. McLane Dem. Summit
10 Waukesha (Southern Half) Marvin H. Bovee Dem. Waukesha
11 Dane Thomas T. Whittlesey Dem. Madison
12 Walworth Eleazer Wakeley Dem. Whitewater
13 Lafayette E. B. West Whig Belmont
14 Jefferson Alva Stewart Whig Fort Atkinson
15 Iowa, Richland Levi Sterling Whig Mount Sterling
16 Grant Joel C. Squires (Until May 1) Dem. Lancaster
James W. Seaton (From June 8) Dem. Potosi
17 Rock (Western Half) Ezra Miller Dem. Beloit
18 Rock (Eastern Half) John R. Briggs Jr. Whig Beloit
19 Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford, La Crosse, La Pointe, St. Croix Benjamin Allen Dem. Pepin
20 Fond du Lac Bertine Pinckney Dem. Rosendale
21 Winnebago Coles Bashford Whig Oshkosh
22 Dodge Judson Prentice Whig Watertown
23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara David S. Vittum Dem. Baraboo
24 Green Thomas S. Bowen Dem. Waupun
25 Columbia James T. Lewis Dem. Columbus

Members of the Assembly

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Members of the Assembly for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (82):

 
Assembly Partisan representation
  Democratic: 55 seats
  Free Soil: 7 seats
  Whig: 20 seats
Senate
District
County District Representative Party Redidence
23 Adams, Sauk Charles Armstrong Whig Baraboo
19 Bad Ax, Crawford Hiram A. Wright Dem. Prairie du Chien
02 Brown, Door, Kewaunee Randall Wilcox Dem. De Pere
01 Calumet James Robinson Dem. Chilton
19 Chippewa, La Crosse Albert D. La Due Dem. La Crosse
25 Columbia 1 Orrin D. Coleman Dem. Marcellon
2 John Q. Adams Whig Fall River
11 Dane 1 Perez C. Burdick Dem. Albion
2 Henry L. Foster Dem. Deerfield
3 Storer W. Field Whig Fitchburg
4 Harry Barnes Dem. Middleton
5 Mathew Roche Dem. Westport
22 Dodge 1 Edward N. Foster Whig Mayville
2 Whitman Sayles Dem. Rubicon
3 William M. Dennis Dem. Watertown
4 Patrick Kelly Dem. Elba
5 John W. Davis Dem. Fox Lake
6 Edwin Hillyer Dem. Waupun
20 Fond du Lac 1 Nicholas M. Donaldson Whig Waupun
2 Charles D. Gage Dem. New Fane
3 Isaac S. Tallmadge Dem. Fond du Lac
4 Querin Loehr Dem. Calumet
16 Grant 1 Henry D. York Whig Hazel Green
2 Hyman E. Block Whig Potosi
3 Titus Hayes Whig Platteville
4 J. Allen Barber Whig Lancaster
5 Jeremiah Dodge Dem. Lancaster
24 Green Thomas Fenton Dem. Attica
15 Iowa 1 Henry Madden Dem. Dodgeville
2 Phillip W. Thomas Whig Mineral Point
14 Jefferson 1 Patrick Rogan Dem. Watertown
2 James H. Ostrander Whig Aztalan
3 John Edwin Holmes Dem. Jefferson
4 William W. Woodman Dem. Farmington
5 David J. Powers Whig Palmyra
08 Kenosha 1 C. Latham Sholes Free Soil Kenosha
2 James C. McKisson Dem. Wheatland
13 Lafayette 1 Eli Robinson Dem. Benton
2 Philemon Simpson Dem. Shullsburg
3 Nathan Olmsted Dem. Cottage Inn
19 La Pointe & St. Croix Orrin T. Maxson Dem. Prescott
01 Manitowoc Ezekiel Ricker Dem. Manitowoc
02 Marathon & Portage George W. Cate Dem. Amherst
23 Marquette & Waushara 1 Edwin B. Kelsey Dem. Montello
2 Ezra Wheeler Dem. Berlin
05 Milwaukee[2] 1 John Hubbard Tweedy Whig Milwaukee
2 Herman Haertel (until May) Dem. Milwaukee
R. N. Messenger (from June 5) Dem. Milwaukee
06 3 Edward McGarry Dem. Milwaukee
4 Henry L. Palmer Dem. Milwaukee
5 William A. Hawkins Whig Milwaukee
6 Joseph Meyer Dem. Milwaukee
7 Enoch Chase Whig Milwaukee
05 8 Henry C. West Dem. Milwaukee
9 Richard Carlisle Dem. Milwaukee
02 Oconto, Outagamie, Waupaca Arthur Resley Dem. Appleton
07 Racine 1 Horace T. Sanders Dem. Racine
2 William H. Roe Dem. Mount Pleasant
3 Thomas West Dem. Raymond
4 Philo Belden Whig Burlington
15 Richland Henry Conner Dem. Port Andrew
18 Rock 1 William D. Murray Whig Beloit
2 Harvey Holmes Dem. Janesville
17 3 Charles Stevens Dem. Janesville
4 Harrison Stebbins Whig Union
01 Sheboygan 1 David Taylor Whig Sheboygan
2 Charles B. Coleman Dem. Greenbush
12 Walworth 1 James Lauderdale Whig La Grange
2 John Bell Dem. Lafayette
3 Oscar F. Bartlett Free Soil East Troy
4 Thomas W. Hill Free Soil Springfield
5 Joseph W. Seaver Free Soil Darien
6 Timothy H. Fellows Free Soil Genoa
03 Washington 1 James W. Porter Dem. Port Washington
2 Charles E. Chamberlain Dem. Grafton
04 3 Charles Schutte Dem. Meeker
4 William P. Barnes Dem. Barton
09 Waukesha[3] 1 Orson Reed Dem. Summit
2 Elisha Pearl Free Soil Lisbon
10 3 Winchel D. Bacon Free Soil Waukesha
4 Edward Lees Dem. Ottawa
21 Winnebago 1 Lucas M. Miller Dem. Oshkosh
2 Curtis Reed Dem. Menasha

Employees

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Senate employees

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Assembly employees

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Changes from the 5th Legislature

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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

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Summary of changes

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  • 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

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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, La Crosse, La Pointe, St. Croix Eastern Washington County (Ozaukee County)
4 Fond du Lac, 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, La Crosse, La Pointe, St. Croix counties
20 Did 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

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Summary of changes

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  • 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

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County Districts in 5th Legislature Districts in 6th Legislature Change
Adams Shared with Marathon, Portage Shared with Sauk  
Bad Ax Shared with Chippewa, Crawford, La Crosse Shared with Crawford  
Brown Shared with Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie Shared with Door, Kewaunee  
Calumet 1 District 1 District  
Chippewa Shared with Bad Ax, Crawford, La Crosse Shared with La Crosse  
Columbia 1 District 2 Districts  
Crawford Shared with Bad Ax, Chippewa, La Crosse Shared with Bad Ax  
Dane 3 Districts 5 Districts  
Dodge 5 Districts 6 Districts  
Door Shared with Brown, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie Shared with Brown, Kewaunee  
Fond du Lac 2 Districts 4 Districts  
Grant 4 Districts 5 Districts  
Green 1 District 1 District  
Iowa 2 shared with Richland 2 Districts  
Jefferson 3 Districts 5 Districts  
Kenosha 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Kewaunee Shared with Brown, Door, Oconto, Outagamie Shared with Brown, Door  
La Crosse Shared with Bad Ax, Chippewa, Crawford Shared with Chippewa  
La Pointe Shared with St. Croix Shared with St. Croix  
Lafayette 2 Districts 3 Districts  
Manitowoc 1 District 1 District  
Marathon Shared with Adams, Portage Shared with Portage  
Marquette Shared with Waushara 2 Shared with Waushara  
Milwaukee 7 Districts 9 Districts  
Oconto Shared with Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Outagamie Shared with Outagamie, Waupaca  
Outagamie Shared with Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto Shared with Oconto, Waupaca  
Portage Shared with Adams, Marathon Shared with Marathon  
Racine 3 Districts 4 Districts  
Richland 1 shared with Iowa 1 District  
Rock 5 Districts 4 Districts  
Sauk 1 District Shared with Adams  
Sheboygan 2 Districts 2 Districts  
St. Croix Shared with La Pointe Shared with La Pointe  
Walworth 5 Districts 6 Districts  
Washington 5 Districts 4 Districts  
Waukesha 5 Districts 4 Districts  
Waupaca Shared with Fond du Lac, Winnebago Shared with Oconto, Outagamie  
Waushara Shared with Marquette 2 Shared with Marquette  
Winnebago Shared with Fond du Lac, Waupaca 2 Districts  

References

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  1. ^ "Annals of the legislature". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1881 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 185–186.
  2. ^ "Election Returns". The Weekly Wisconsin. November 10, 1852. p. 2. Retrieved August 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "A Clear Field and Fair Fight". Waukesha Democrat. October 12, 1852. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
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