The Twenty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session. This was the first session since 1856 in which the Democratic Party held control of the Assembly. Senators representing even-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assembly members were elected to a one-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1873. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 5, 1872. The

governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

during this entire term was Democrat William Robert Taylor, of

Dane County Dane County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin after Milwaukee County, Wiscon ...

, serving the first year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1873 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

* January 5, 1874: Inauguration of

William Robert Taylor William Robert Taylor (July 10, 1820March 17, 1909) was an American politician and the 12th governor of Wisconsin from 1874 to 1876. Early life Taylor was born in Woodbury, Connecticut. He was orphaned at age 6 when his father's ship was lost a ...

as 12th

. * June 16, 1874:

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...

chief justice Luther S. Dixon resigned from the court. Governor

immediately appointed Milwaukee city attorney

Edward George Ryan Edward George Ryan (November 13, 1810October 19, 1880) was an Irish American immigrant, lawyer, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was the 5th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court; he was initially appointed by Democratic governor William Robert ...

to become the 5th chief justice. * July 1, 1874: The

Sholes and Glidden typewriter The Sholes and Glidden typewriter (also known as the Remington No. 1) was the first commercially successful typewriter. Principally designed by the United States, American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, it was developed with the assist ...

was first marketed in the United States, it was principally designed by Wisconsin resident C. Latham Sholes. * October 9, 1874: The

Treaty of Bern The Treaty of Bern (formally the Treaty concerning the formation of a General Postal Union), signed on 9 October 1874, established the General Postal Union, which is today known as the Universal Postal Union. Named for the Swiss city of Bern, wh ...

was signed, establishing a

General Postal Union The Universal Postal Union (UPU, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations and facilitates a uniform worldwide postal system. It has 192 member states and is headquartered in Be ...

for the coordination of international mail deliveries. * November 25, 1874: The

Greenback Party The Greenback Party (known successively as the Independent Party, the National Independent Party and the Greenback Labor Party) was an Political parties in the United States, American political party with an Competition law, anti-monopoly ideolog ...

was established as a United States political party, composed mostly of farmers suffering the financial effects of the

Panic of 1873 The Panic of 1873 was a financial crisis that triggered an economic depression in Europe and North America that lasted from 1873 to 1877 or 1879 in France and in Britain. In Britain, the Panic started two decades of stagnation known as the "L ...

Major legislation

* February 26, 1874: An Act to prohibit certain provisions and conditions in contracts
1874 Act 60
Outlawed contract terms which attempted to remove contract disputes from court jurisdiction. * March 7, 1874: Joint Resolution providing for biennial sessions of the legislature and compensation of members
1874 Joint Resolution 5
Proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin to change Assembly terms from one year to two years. This version of the amendment would be defeated, but a later attempt at the same change would be approved in 1882. * March 10, 1874: An Act to regulate railroads in certain respects
1874 Act 227
Required that railroad lines passing through populated areas must make at least one stop in that area per day. * March 11, 1874: An Act relating to railroads, express and telegraph companies, in the state of Wisconsin
1874 Act 273
Implemented regulation of railroad freight and passenger rates, and established the Wisconsin Railroad Commission to enforce the new law. Referred to in historical documents and newspapers as the "Potter Law" for its chief sponsor Robert L. D. Potter. * March 12, 1874: An Act in relation to railroads
1874 Act 341
Declared that all railroad lines in the state would be

common carrier A common carrier in common law countries (corresponding to a public carrier in some civil law (legal system), civil law systems,Encyclopædia Britannica CD 2000 "Civil-law public carrier" from "carriage of goods" usually called simply a ''carrier ...

s, and carry each others passengers and cars without discrimination.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 14, 1874March 12, 1874

Leaders

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Charles D. Parker ( D) * President pro tempore:

John Chandler Holloway John Chandler Holloway (July 7, 1826 – February 26, 1901) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. Biography Holloway was born on July 7, 1826, in York, New York. Later, he moved to Lancaster, Wisconsin. Cha ...

( R)

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David ...

Gabriel Bouck Gabriel Bouck (December 16, 1828 – February 21, 1904) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He represented Wisconsin in the United States House of Representatives for two terms. He also served as Wisconsin's 6 ...

( D)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Twenty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature: WI Senate Partisan Map 1874

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twenty-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature: WI Assembly Partisan Map 1874

Employees

Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: J. H. Waggoner ** Assistant Clerk: Robert A. Gillett *** Bookkeeper: T. S. Ansley ** Engrossing Clerk: Mrs. Fannie Vilas ** Enrolling Clerk: W. L. Abbott ** Transcribing Clerk: John W. Brackett ** Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: E. S. Knight ** Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Will Bates * Sergeant-at-Arms: O. U. Akin ** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: E. J. Cole * Postmaster: A. J. White ** Assistant Postmaster: Nils Michelet * Doorkeeper: W. H. Bell ** Assistant Doorkeeper: M. Lynch ** Assistant Doorkeeper: M. H. Cram ** Gallery Doorkeeper: J. A. Newman ** Gallery Doorkeeper: J. K. Dunn ** Committee Room Attendant: J. Williams ** Night Watch: Fred Bright * Lt. Governors Messenger: Wendell Paine * Clerk's Messenger: Eddie McCurdy * Messengers: ** Fred Richards ** Daniel Fitzpatrick ** Charlie Colvin ** Richard Murphy ** Marcus Moody

Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk:

George Wilbur Peck George Wilbur Peck (September 28, 1840 – April 16, 1916) was an American writer and politician from Wisconsin. He served as the 17th governor of Wisconsin and the 29th List of mayors of Milwaukee, mayor of Milwaukee. Biography Peck was ...

** Assistant Clerk: Frank Hatch *** Bookkeeper: J. W. Ryckman ** Engrossing Clerk: J. C. Eggers ** Enrolling Clerk: E. C. Enos ** Transcribing Clerk: G. J. Patton * Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Deuster ** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Columbus Germain * Postmaster: Agesilaus Wilson ** Assistant Postmaster: A. S. Weil * Doorkeepers: ** B. S. Rollin ** Michael Kelly ** W. Hyde * Night Watch:

Bernard C. Wolter Bernard Charles Wolter (February 26, 1852March 31, 1936) was a German American immigrant, businessman, and Republican politician. He was the 30th mayor of Appleton, Wisconsin, and represented Outagamie County in the Wisconsin State Assembly in ...

* Fireman: Felix McLindon * Committee Room Attendants: ** D. S. Harkness ** W. Hughes ** Richard Donovan ** Edward Flaherty * Porter: David Goodell * Speaker's Messenger: Clinton Snow * Chief Clerk's Messenger: Winnie Hassell * Sergeant-at-Arms' Messenger: Helson Bronnell * Messengers: ** Charles Johnson ** Charles Murphy ** James Foran ** Frank Dunn ** Willie Pitman ** Charlie Whitton ** Theodore Cooper ** Walter Reyson

References

External links

1874: Related Documents
from

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republ ...

{{Wisconsin legislatures 1874 in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Wisconsin legislative sessions