Joel Cook Squires (December 11, 1819 – March 3, 1889) was an American carpenter, miner, Wisconsin pioneer, and Democratic politician. He was elected as the 3rd Bank Comptroller of Wisconsin, and also served in the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly, representing Grant County.
Joel C. Squires | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Bank Comptroller of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 4, 1858 – January 2, 1860 | |
| Governor | Alexander Randall |
| Preceded by | William M. Dennis |
| Succeeded by | Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr. |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office January 3, 1853 – May 1, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | John Sharpstein |
| Succeeded by | James Wilson Seaton |
| Constituency | 16th district |
| In office January 5, 1852 – January 3, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | John H. Rountree |
| Succeeded by | Duncan Reed |
| Constituency | 6th district |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Grant 1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1870 – January 2, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Harris |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Harris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 11, 1819 Vienna Township, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 3, 1889 (aged 69) Platteville, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Greenwood Cemetery, Platteville, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Caroline M. Banfill
(m. 1850–1918) |
| Children |
|
Background
editSquires was born in Vienna Township, Ohio, on December 11, 1819, and attended the public schools.[1] He came to Wisconsin in 1838 and settled in the Platteville area in 1841.[1] He died at his home in Platteville on March 3, 1889.[2]
Public service
editSquires was Clerk of the Grant County Board of Supervisors for 1849, 1850 and 1851; he was Clerk of the Circuit Court in 1851 and 1852.[1] At that time a resident of Lancaster, Squires was elected to the State Senate from the Sixth District for the 1852 session. Squires, a Democrat, succeeded Whig John H. Rountree. At the time of election, he was 31 years of age and had been in Wisconsin for twelve years; he listed his occupation as "carpenter".[3]
After the Senate was re-apportioned and the Sixth District was shifted from the region around Platteville and the surrounding region to the Milwaukee area, Squires was succeeded by fellow Democrat Duncan Reed in the Sixth District, but was elected to the succeeding one-year term in the new Sixteenth District. On May 1, 1853, he resigned from the Senate; fellow Democrat James Wilson Seaton of Potosi was elected to fill his seat.[4]
He served as Register of the United States Land Office at Mineral Point, from 1853 to 1857, until he was elected the State of Wisconsin's Bank Comptroller (at that time an elected position), serving through the end of 1859.[5] He sought re-election in 1860, but was defeated by Republican Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr.
In the Assembly
editIn 1870, now living in Platteville and working as a miner, he was elected for a single year term from the first Grant County Assembly district (the Towns of Hazel Green, Smeltzer and Platteville), succeeding Republican Joseph Harris. He received 465 votes to 437 for Republican William E. Carter (Harris was not a candidate).[6] He ran for re-election in 1871, but lost to Harris by 295 votes to 567 for Harris.[7]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Bank Comptroller (1857, 1859)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 3, 1857 | |||||
| Democratic | Joel C. Squires | 44,859 | 50.47% | ||
| Republican | J. P. McGregor | 44,024 | 49.53% | ||
| Plurality | 835 | 0.94% | |||
| Total votes | 88,883 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 8, 1859 | |||||
| Republican | Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr. | 59,697 | 53.03% | +3.50% | |
| Democratic | Joel C. Squires (incumbent) | 52,880 | 46.97% | −3.50% | |
| Plurality | 6,817 | 6.06% | +5.12% | ||
| Total votes | 112,577 | 100.0% | +26.66% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
Wisconsin Assembly (1869, 1870)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 2, 1869 | |||||
| Democratic | Joel C. Squires | 465 | 51.55% | ||
| Republican | William E. Carter | 437 | 48.45% | ||
| Plurality | 28 | 3.10% | |||
| Total votes | 902 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 8, 1870 | |||||
| Republican | Joseph Harris | 567 | 65.78% | +17.33% | |
| Democratic | Joel C. Squires (incumbent) | 295 | 34.22% | −17.33% | |
| Plurality | 272 | 31.55% | +28.45% | ||
| Total votes | 862 | 100.0% | -4.43% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b c "Democratic State Legislature: Grant County". The Daily Milwaukee News. February 20, 1870. p. 2. Retrieved June 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Joel C. Squires". The Weekly Wisconsin. March 9, 1889. p. 7. Retrieved June 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Members and Officers of the Senate" (PDF). Manual for the use of the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin for the year 1853 (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1853. p. 85. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin; Comprising Jefferson's Manual, Rules, Forms and Laws for the Regulation of Business; also, lists and tables for reference Tenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, State Printers, Journal Block, 1871; p. 191
- ^ The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin; Comprising Jefferson's Manual, Rules, Forms and Laws, for the Regulation of Business; also, lists and tables for reference Ninth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, Journal Block, 1870; p. 250
- ^ a b "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1870. p. 362. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1871. p. 376. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Official State Canvass". Janesville Gazette. December 17, 1857. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The Result of the State Canvass". Wisconsin State Journal. December 3, 1859. p. 1. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
