Alexander Wilson (Wisconsin politician)
Alexander Wilson | |
|---|---|
| 12th District Attorney of Iowa County, Wisconsin | |
| In office January 2, 1865 – December 9, 1867 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph H. Clary |
| Succeeded by | E. P. Weber |
| In office January 7, 1861 – January 5, 1863 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph H. Clary |
| Succeeded by | Joseph H. Clary |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 16, 1833 Westfield, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 4, 1888 (aged 54) Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Resting place | Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Political party | Republican |
Alexander Wilson (August 16, 1833 – March 4, 1888) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He was the 12th Attorney General of Wisconsin, serving from 1878 through 1882, and served several years as a district attorney and county judge in Iowa County, Wisconsin.
Biography
Born in
He settled at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, in Iowa County, and worked for several years as a teacher, served on the board of education, and was elected city superintendent of schools. While teaching, he read law in the offices of Cobb & Messmore.[3] In 1860, he began his own law practice in partnership with E. P. Weber. He was elected district attorney at the fall 1860 general election and was elected to the office again in 1864 and 1866. In December 1867, he was appointed county judge of Iowa County, replacing Luman M. Strong, who died in office.[2]
In 1874, he established a private bank in partnership with Edward Harris. The bank later developed into the City Bank of Mineral Point.[4]
He was elected Attorney General of Wisconsin in the general election of 1877 and was re-elected in 1879.[1] The Wisconsin Bar Association described Wilson as conservative, patient, and safe.[2]
After leaving office in 1882, Wilson returned to his private law practice. He died in March 1888 in Lincoln, Nebraska, while en route to California.[1][5] He is buried in Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln.
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 6, 1877 | |||||
| Republican | Alexander Wilson | 77,304 | 44.25% | −5.22% | |
| Democratic | Joseph M. Morrow | 72,300 | 41.39% | ||
| Greenback | Henry Hayden | 25,090 | 14.36% | ||
| Plurality | 5,004 | 2.86% | +1.80% | ||
| Total votes | 174,694 | 100.0% | +2.96% | ||
| Republican gain from Liberal Republican | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 4, 1879 | |||||
| Republican | Alexander Wilson (incumbent) | 100,562 | 53.43% | +9.17% | |
| Democratic | J. Montgomery Smith | 74,821 | 39.75% | −1.64% | |
| Greenback | Edward Q. Nye | 12,846 | 6.82% | −7.54% | |
| Plurality | 25,741 | 13.68% | +10.81% | ||
| Total votes | 188,229 | 100.0% | +7.75% | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Memoirs - Alexander Wilson". Report of the Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin State Bar Association. 3: 413. 1901. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ Reed, Parker McCobb (1882). The Bench and Bar of Wisconsin. p. 200–201. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ "Wilson, Alexander (1833 - 1888)". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bashford, R. M., ed. (1878). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 454. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 496. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
