William M. Griswold (February 7, 1823 – October 10, 1889) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served four years in the Wisconsin State Senate and three years in the State Assembly, representing Columbia County.
William M. Griswold | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | Myron Reed |
| Succeeded by | Evan O. Jones |
| Constituency | 27th Senate district |
| In office January 4, 1869 – January 1, 1872 | |
| Preceded by | Robert B. Sanderson |
| Succeeded by | Waldo Flint |
| Constituency | 25th Senate district |
| Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Columbia County, Wisconsin | |
| In office January 1871 – January 1872 | |
| Preceded by | A. J. Turner |
| Succeeded by | A. J. Turner |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Columbia 2nd district | |
| In office January 4, 1858 – January 7, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Oliver C. Howe |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Hazen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 7, 1823 Salisbury, Herkimer County, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 1889 (aged 66) Columbus, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Resting place | Hillside Cemetery, Columbus, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mary A. Sofield (died 1935) |
| Children |
|
| Education | Union College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Early life
editBorn in Salisbury, Herkimer County, New York,[1][2] Griswold graduated from Union College in 1844, and studied law with Judge Arphaxed Loomis in Little Falls, New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1850, at Schenectady, and then practiced law for three years as a junior partner to Loomis.[1][3] He moved west to Wisconsin in 1853, and settled at Columbus, in Columbia County, Wisconsin.[2]
Career
editIn Columbus, he worked for several years in a mercantile trade with his older brother, George. He then devoted himself to cultivating his farm.[3]
Griswold was elected to three consecutive terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, running on the Republican Party ticket. He represented Columbia County's 2nd Assembly district, which then comprised the southeast portion of the county.[4][5]
He was subsequently elected to two terms in the Wisconsin State Senate, in 1868 and 1870, representing all of Columbia County.[6] He declined renomination in 1872.[5][1] Additionally, he was a member of the board of supervisors of Columbia County for four terms, and was chairman of the county board in 1871.[2][3]
Personal life and death
editWilliam M. Griswold was the last child of Amos Griswold and his first wife Martha (née Munson). William's older brother, George Griswold, was his business partner for several years. Their younger half-brother, Eugene S. Griswold, came to live and work with them in Columbus, Wisconsin, in the 1850s.[3]
William Griswold married Mary Sofied of Yates County, New York, in July 1868. They had two children, William and Mary.[3]
Griswold died of cancer at his home in Columbus at the age of 66.[1][5]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Senate (1868, 1870)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 3, 1868 | |||||
| Republican | William M. Griswold | 3,854 | 66.97% | ||
| Democratic | Amplias Chamberlin | 1,901 | 33.03% | ||
| Plurality | 1,953 | 33.94% | |||
| Total votes | 5,755 | 100.0% | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 8, 1870 | |||||
| Republican | William M. Griswold (incumbent) | 2,291 | 63.11% | −3.85% | |
| Democratic | Frederick C. Curtis | 1,339 | 36.89% | ||
| Plurality | 952 | 26.23% | -7.71% | ||
| Total votes | 3,630 | 100.0% | -36.92% | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Ex-Senator Griswold Dead". The Weekly Wisconsin. Milwaukee, WI. October 19, 1899. p. 2. Retrieved June 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Official Directory". The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1872. p. 441. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Butterfield, Consul Willshire (1880). The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin. Western Historical Company. pp. 549, 967. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "List of Assembly Districts, with Names of Members". A Manual of Customs, Precedents, and Forms, in use in the Assembly of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1861. p. 34. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Ex-Senator William M. Griswold". The Eau Claire News. Eau Claire, WI. October 18, 1899. p. 2. Retrieved June 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Official Directory". The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1870. p. 355. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
