Solon Wesley Pierce (March 7, 1831September 23, 1903) was an American lawyer, newspaper publisher, and Republican politician. He served seven terms in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

between 1870 and 1897, representing Adams County. He also operated one of the first newspapers in Adams County, the ''Adams County Press''.

Biography

Pierce was born in Yorkshire in

Cattaraugus County, New York Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...

, in 1831. He studied at the Mendon Academy in

Monroe County, New York Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of New York, located along Lake Ontario's southern shore. As of 2022, the population was 752,035, according to Census Bureau estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Rochester. The county is ...

, and settled in

Adams County, Wisconsin Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,654. Its county seat is Friendship. The county was created in 1848 and organized in 1853. Sources differ as to whether its name is in honor ...

, in 1854. He was admitted to the bar in 1858 and started a law practice in the county seat—

Friendship Friendship is a Interpersonal relationship, relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague. Althoug ...

. He was first elected district attorney of Adams County in 1861, and the same year (with several associates) founded the ''Adams County Press,'' just a few weeks after the outbreak of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Pierce remained as editor and publisher of this newspaper (one of the first published in Adams County) for the majority of the next 40 years until his death in 1903. In 1864 Pierce enlisted in the Union army, was commissioned a first lieutenant, and saw action (with the regiments that made up the 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac) at the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

, among other battles toward the end of the Civil War. These experiences formed the basis of his 1866 book ''Battle Fields and Camp Fires of the 38th Regiment'', published by the Daily Wisconsin Printing House of Milwaukee. After his honorable discharge in 1865, Pierce resumed his law practice and newspaper duties, serving several years as county judge, and beginning in 1870 was elected as a legislator to the

Wisconsin Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican Pa ...

, being re-elected to the same body in 1877, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1897. He served as chairman of the Assembly's judiciary committee in 1880, 1881, and 1882. As Adams County district attorney in 1892, he instituted the first successful

gerrymander Gerrymandering, ( , originally ) defined in the contexts of Representative democracy, representative electoral systems, is the political manipulation of Boundary delimitation, electoral district boundaries to advantage a Political party, pa ...

suit in the state of Wisconsin. He is also credited with being the author of an 1882 amendment to the Wisconsin state constitution which provided for biennial elections of legislators. Pierce died at his home in

Published works

References

External links

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Solon Wesley Pierce obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Solon 1831 births 1903 deaths Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly People from Friendship, Wisconsin Politicians from Cattaraugus County, New York People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Editors of Wisconsin newspapers Writers from New York (state) Writers from Wisconsin Union army officers Journalists from New York (state) 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature

Biography

Published works

References

Further reading

External links