The Second Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1849, to April 2, 1849, in regular session. Senators representing odd numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Senators representing even numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Nelson Dewey, of Grant County, serving his first full year in office after winning election in the state's first gubernatorial election in May 1848, and taking office in June 1848.
Major events January 17, 1849: Isaac P. Walker re-elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session. March 4, 1849: Inauguration of Zachary Taylor as the 12th President of the United States. November 6, 1849: Nelson Dewey re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
February 8, 1849: Joint resolution related to Slavery and the Slave trade, 1849 Joint Resolution 2 March 6, 1849: Act to extend the boundaries of the county of Marquette, 1849 Act 73 March 8, 1849: Act in relation to the boundaries of the counties of Columbia, Adams, Sauk, Chippewa, La Pointe, and St. Croix, 1849 Act 77 March 8, 1849: Act to extend the boundaries of Winnebago county, 1849 Act 79 March 10, 1849: Joint resolution relative to a proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States, concerning the election of Senators in congress, 1849 Joint Resolution 5 March 22, 1849: Act submitting the question of the extension of the right of suffrage to a vote of the People, 1849 Act 137. Setting a referendum for the 1849 general election which would grant voting rights to African Americans living in Wisconsin. The referendum passed, but the legality was challenged. The Wisconsin Supreme Court finally upheld the result of the 1849 referendum in the 1866 case of Gillespie v Palmer and others. March 31, 1849: Joint resolution instructing the Hon. Isaac P. Walker to resign his seat as United States Senator, 1849 Joint Resolution 9. March 31, 1849: An Act in relation to homicide. Created Wisconsin's first law criminalizing abortion.
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant End of previous Legislature 16 0 3 19 0 1st Session 14 1 4 19 0 Final voting share 74% 5% 21% Beginning of the next Legislature 13 2 4 19 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. F.S. Whig Vacant End of previous Legislature 49 0 17 66 0 1st Session 36 14 16 66 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 43 8 15 66 0
Sessions 1st Regular session: January 10, 1849April 2, 1849
Leaders
Senate leadership President of the Senate: John E. Holmes, Lieutenant Governor
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Harrison Carroll Hobart
Members
Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Second Wisconsin Legislature (19):
District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Dem. Stockbridge 02 Columbia, Marquette, Portage, Sauk Whig Fort Winnebago 03 Crawford, Chippewa, , Dem. Eastman 04 Fond du Lac, Winnebago Dem. Ceresco 05 Iowa, Richland Dem. Mineral Point 06 Grant Whig Platteville 07 Lafayette Dem. Shullsburg 08 Green Dem. Monroe 09 Dane Whig Madison 10 Dodge Dem. Watertown 11 Washington Dem. Cedarburg 12 Jefferson Dem. Watertown 13 Waukesha Dem. Eagleville 14 Walworth Dem. Geneva 15 Rock Whig Milton 16 Racine (Southern half) Dem. Kenosha 17 Racine (Northern half) Free Soil Waterford 18 Milwaukee (Southern half) Dem. Milwaukee 19 Milwaukee (Northern half) Dem. Milwaukee
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Second Wisconsin Legislature (66):"List of Members of the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin", Wisconsin Express January 30, 1849; p. 4; via Newspapers.com
SenateDistrict Counties Representative Party Residence 01 Brown Dem. Green Bay Calumet Whig Manchester 02 Columbia Whig Columbia 03 Crawford & Chippewa Dem. Black River 09 Dane 1 Dem. Medina 2 Whig Madison 3 Dem. Dunkirk 10 Dodge 1 Dem. Theresa 2 Dem. Fairfield (now Oak Grove) 3 Dem. Shields 4 Dem. Portland 5 Free Soil Beaver Dam 04 Fond du Lac 1 Free Soil Fond du Lac 2 Free Soil Rosendale 06 Grant 1 Whig Hazel Green 2 Dem. Platteville 3 Dem. Potosi 4 Whig Beetown 08 Green Whig Monroe 05 Iowa & Richland 1 Dem. Mineral Point 2 Dem. Franklin 12 Jefferson 1 Dem. Milford 2 Whig Cold Spring 3 Dem. Fort Atkinson 03 & Dem. St. Croix Falls 07 Lafayette 1 Dem. Fayette 2 Dem. New Diggings 01 Manitowoc Dem. Two Rivers 02 Marquette Dem. Green Lake 19 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee 18 3 Whig Milwaukee 4 Free Soil Milwaukee 5 Dem. Oak Creek 6 Dem. Lake 19 7 Dem. Granville 02 Portage Dem. Plover 17 Racine 1 Free Soil Racine 2 Free Soil Norway 3 Free Soil Burlington 16 4 Free Soil Southport 5 Free Soil Bristol 15 Rock 1 Whig Janesville 2 Free Soil Beloit 3 Whig Fulton 4 Whig Lima 5 Free Soil Rock 02 Sauk Dem. Prairie du Sac 01 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Dem. Sheboygan Falls 14 Walworth 1 Free Soil Spring Prairie 2 Whig La Grange 3 Free Soil Geneva 4 Free Soil Walworth 5 Whig Delavan 11 Washington 1 Dem. Port Washington 2 Dem. Jackson 3 Dem. Mequon 4 Dem. 5 Dem. Addison 13 Waukesha 1 Dem. Lisbon 2 Dem. Oconomowoc 3 Dem. Delafield 4 Free Soil Prairieville 5 Whig Eagle 04 Winnebago Whig Winnebago
Employees
Senate employees
Chief Clerk: William Rudolph Smith Assistant Clerk: P. N. Bovee Enrolling Clerk: G. W. Boardman Engrossing Clerk: Henry B. Welsh Transcribing Clerk: William Dutcher Messenger: Moritz Morgenstine Doorkeeper: J. S. Delno Fireman: S. B. Sibley Sergeant-at-Arms: W. Shellmer
Assembly employees
Chief Clerk: Robert L. Ream Chief Clerk pro tem: Daniel Noble Johnson Assistant Clerk: William Hull Assistant Clerk pro tem: Alexander T. Gray Enrolling Clerk: Aaron V. Fryer Engrossing Clerk: J. J. Driggs Transcribing Clerk: Lyman Cowderey Messenger: Marshall Ten Eyk Doorkeeper: C. W. White Fireman: Samuel Noyes Sergeant-at-Arms: Felix McLinden
References
External links