36th Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1883, to April 4, 1883, in regular session.[1]

36th Wisconsin Legislature
35th 37th
Wisconsin State Capitol, 1863
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 1, 1883 – January 5, 1885
ElectionNovember 7, 1882
Senate
Members33
Senate PresidentSam S. Fifield (R)
President pro temporeGeorge W. Ryland (R)
Party controlRepublican
Assembly
Members100
Assembly SpeakerEarl Finch (D)
Party controlDemocratic
Sessions
1stJanuary 10, 1883 – April 4, 1883

This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session.

This session also saw the implementation of an 1881 amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin. The amendment converted the Legislature from annual sessions to biennial sessions, and doubled the length of terms for legislative officeholders.

Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 7, 1882. Senators representing even-numbered districts had been elected in the general election of November 8, 1881, and their term was extended from two years to three years, with the end of their term coinciding with the end of this (36th) legislative term.[1]

Major events

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Major legislation

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  • March 9, 1883: An Act relating to electors and general elections, and amendatory of sections 12 and 14, chapter 5, of the revised statutes, 1883 Act 29. Established that eligible voters in Wisconsin can vote in any precinct where they had been residents for at least ten days prior to the election. It also established that a person could be disqualified from voting if they were convicted of bribery, or found to be gambling on election outcomes.
  • April 3, 1883: An act to create a bureau of labor statistics, 1883 Act 319.

Party summary

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Senate summary

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Senate partisan composition
  Democratic: 15 seats
  Republican: 18 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 10 23 33 0
Start of 1st Session 15 18 33 0
From April 1883 17 32 1
Final voting share 45.45% 51.52%
Beginning of the next Legislature 13 20 33 0

Assembly summary

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Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 53 seats
  Greenback: 1 seat
  Labor: 2 seats
  Independent: 1 seat
  Republican: 43 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Gbk. Lab. Ind. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 34 0 0 2 64 100 0
1st Session 53 1 2 1 43 100 0
Final voting share 57% 43%
Beginning of the next Legislature 39 0 0 0 61 100 0

Sessions

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  • 1st Regular session: January 10, 1883 – April 4, 1883

Leaders

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Senate leadership

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Assembly leadership

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Members

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Members of the Senate

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Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

 
Senate partisan representation
  Democratic: 15 seats
  Republican: 18 seats
Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party
01 Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, & Oconto Edward S. Minor Sturgeon Bay Rep.
02 Brown Thomas R. Hudd Green Bay Dem.
03 Racine Charles Jonas Racine Dem.
04 Crawford & Vernon Van S. Bennett Whitestown Rep.
05 Milwaukee (Northern Part) Jedd P. C. Cottrill Milwaukee Dem.
06 Milwaukee (Southern Part) Enoch Chase Milwaukee Dem.
07 Milwaukee (Central Part) William S. Stanley Milwaukee Rep.
08 Kenosha & Walworth Charles Palmetier Geneva Rep.
09 Green Lake, Portage, & Waushara James F. Wiley Hancock Rep.
10 Waukesha Henry M. Ackley Oconomowoc Dem.
11 Ashland, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, & Wood Charles M. Webb Grand Rapids Rep.
12 Green & Lafayette Archibald N. Randall Brodhead Rep.
13 Dodge Benjamin F. Sherman Beaver Dam Dem.
14 Juneau & Sauk John T. Kingston Necedah Rep.
15 Manitowoc John Carey Meeme Dem.
16 Grant George W. Ryland Lancaster Rep.
17 Rock Simon Lord Edgerton Rep.
18 Fond du Lac (Western Part) Edward Colman Fond du Lac Rep.
19 Winnebago Thomas Wall Oshkosh Dem.
20 Sheboygan & Eastern Fond du Lac Patrick H. Smith Plymouth Dem.
21 Marathon, Shawano, & Waupaca John Ringle Wausau Dem.
22 Calumet & Outagamie John L. Pingel Appleton Dem.
23 Jefferson William W. Reed Jefferson Dem.
24 Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, & St. Croix James Hill Warren Rep.
25 Eau Claire, Pepin, & Pierce Hans Warner Ellsworth Rep.
26 Dane John Adams Black Earth Dem.
27 Adams, Columbia & Marquette William T. Parry Portage Rep.
28 Iowa & Richland William C. Meffert Arena Rep.
29 Buffalo & Trempealeau Noah D. Comstock Arcadia Rep.
30 Chippewa & Dunn Rockwell J. Flint Menomonie Rep.
31 La Crosse Donald A. McDonald La Crosse Dem.
32 Jackson & Monroe Charles K. Erwin Tomah Rep.
33 Ozaukee & Washington Edward R. Blake Port Washington Dem.

Members of the Assembly

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Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

 
Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 53 seats
  Greenback: 1 seat
  Labor: 2 seats
  Independent: 1 seat
  Republican: 43 seats
Senate
District
County Dist. Representative Party Residence
27 Adams & Marquette Samuel Tanner Dem. Westfield
11 Ashland, Lincoln, Price, & Taylor Peter B. Champagne Rep. Merrill
24 Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, & Douglas Canute Anderson Rep. Grantsburg
02 Brown 1 Philip M. Wirth Dem. Green Bay
2 James Rasmussen Rep. Fort Howard
29 Buffalo John Tester Rep. Alma
22 Calumet & Outagamie 1 James Campion Dem. Mackville
2 A. H. Pape Dem. New London
3 James Lennon Dem. Appleton
4 Thomas Lynch Dem. Chilton
30 Chippewa James A. Taylor Dem. Chippewa Falls
11 Clark Robert MacBride Dem. Neillsville
27 Columbia 1 John McKenzie Rep. Dekorra
2 Michael Adams Rep. Columbus
04 Crawford Thomas Curley Dem. Bell Center
26 Dane 1 Dexter Curtis Dem. Madison
2 Clement Warner Rep. Windsor
3 Henry C. Adams Rep. Madison
4 Eli Pederson Rep. Primrose
5 Bernard Esser Dem. Middleton
13 Dodge 1 Jacob Martin Dem. Beaver Dam
2 Eli Hawks Rep. Juneau
3 Henry Spiering Dem. Mayville
4 Gustav Meissner Dem. Ashippun
01 Door Christopher Leonhardt Rep. Sturgeon Bay
30 Dunn Robert Macauley Rep. Menomonie
25 Eau Claire Thomas Carmichael Dem. Eau Claire
01 Florence & Marinette Hiram O. Fairchild Rep. Marinette
18 Fond du Lac 1 William W. D. Turner Rep. Ripon
2 James F. Ware Rep. Fond du Lac
20 3 John Hardgrove Dem. Forest
16 Grant 1 Ensign Dickinson Rep. Platteville
2 William J. McCoy Dem. Lancaster
3 Edward I. Kidd Rep. Millville
12 Green 1 Hiram Gabriel Rep. York
2 John Bolender Rep. Monroe
09 Green Lake Orrin W. Bow Dem. Kingston
28 Iowa 1 James Ryan Dem. Ridgeway
2 Richard Kennedy Dem. Highland
32 Jackson Ralza W. Button Rep. City Point
23 Jefferson 1 Francis V. Piper Dem. Ixonia
2 Samuel A. Craig Dem. Fort Atkinson
14 Juneau George W. Bishop Dem. Wonewoc
08 Kenosha Walter Maxwell Rep. Somers
01 Kewaunee Louis Bruemmer Dem. Kewaunee
31 La Crosse John Dawson Dem. La Crosse
12 Lafayette 1 James S. Gallagher Dem. Gratiot
2 John O'Neill Dem. Shullsburg
01 Langlade & Oconto Alexander Brazeau Dem. Oconto
15 Manitowoc 1 Joseph Miller Dem. Maple Grove
2 Henry Goedjen Dem. Two Rivers
3 Wilhelm Albers Dem. Centerville
21 Marathon John E. Leahy Ind. D. Wausau
05 Milwaukee 1 John A. Wall Dem. Milwaukee
07 2 George A. Abert Dem. Milwaukee
3 Michael P. Walsh Lab. Milwaukee
4 Robert W. Pierce Rep. Milwaukee
06 5 Daniel Hooker Lab. Milwaukee
05 6 Frederick Scheiber Dem. Milwaukee
07 7 Jacob E. Friend Rep. Milwaukee
06 8 John Fellenz Dem. Milwaukee
05 9 Frederick C. G. Brand Dem. Milwaukee
10 Fred N. Comdohr Rep. Milwaukee
11 George Everts Dem. Granville
06 12 Michael J. Egan Dem. Franklin
32 Monroe 1 William H. Blyton Rep. Sparta
2 Jay R. Hinckley Dem. Tomah
33 Ozaukee John J. Race Dem. Fredonia
25 Pepin William H. Huntington Rep. Durand
Pierce John Day Putnam Dem. River Falls
24 Polk George D. McDill Rep. Osceola
09 Portage Charles A. Lane Rep. Plover
03 Racine 1 William P. Packard Dem. Racine
2 Adam Apple Dem. Norway
28 Richland Charles G. Thomas Rep. Buena Vista
17 Rock 1 John Huntly Rep. Avon
2 William B. Britton Rep. Janesville
3 John Conley Rep. Clinton
14 Sauk 1 Carl C. Kuntz Ind. Sauk City
2 William S. Grubb Rep. Baraboo
21 Shawano Herman Naber Ind. D. Shawano
20 Sheboygan 1 Tarrett C. Sharp Dem. Elkhart Lake
2 Alfred L. Swart Dem. Plymouth
3 George W. Weeden Dem. Wilson
24 St. Croix James Johnston Rep. Boardman
29 Trempealeau Robert Cance Rep. Ettrick
04 Vernon 1 Christian Ellefson Gbk. Franklin
2 Marshall C. Nichols Rep. Viroqua
08 Walworth 1 Donald Stewart Rep. Sugar Creek
2 Orris Pratt Rep. Spring Prairie
33 Washington 1 George Noller Dem. Richfield
2 Philip Schneider Dem. Farmington
10 Waukesha Matthias J. Regan Dem. Eagle
21 Waupaca 1 Eliada W. Brown Rep. Weyauwega
2 George Warren Dem. Matteson
09 Waushara Jacob S. Bugh Rep. Wautoma
19 Winnebago 1 Earl Finch Dem. Oshkosh
2 Peter Vredenburgh Rep. Winneconne
3 Carlton Foster Rep. Oshkosh
11 Wood George R. Gardner Rep. Grand Rapids

Committees

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Senate committees

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  • Senate Committee on Agriculture
  • Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes
  • Senate Committee on Education
  • Senate Committee on Engrossed Bills
  • Senate Committee on Enrolled Bills
  • Senate Committee on Federal Relations
  • Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and Insurance
  • Senate Committee on Incorporations
  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • Senate Committee on Legislative Expenditures
  • Senate Committee on Manufactures and Commerce
  • Senate Committee on Military Affairs
  • Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
  • Senate Committee on Public Lands
  • Senate Committee on Railroads
  • Senate Committee on Roads and Bridges
  • Senate Committee on State Affairs
  • Senate Committee on Town and County Organizations

Assembly committees

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  • Assembly Committee on Agriculture
  • Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of Taxes
  • Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third Reading
  • Assembly Committee on Cities
  • Assembly Committee on Education
  • Assembly Committee on Engrossed Bills
  • Assembly Committee on Enrolled Bills
  • Assembly Committee on Federal Relations
  • Assembly Committee on Incorporations
  • Assembly Committee on Insurance, Banks, and Banking
  • Assembly Committee on the Judiciary
  • Assembly Committee on Legislative Expenditures
  • Assembly Committee on Lumber and Manufactures
  • Assembly Committee on Medical Societies
  • Assembly Committee on Militia
  • Assembly Committee on Privileges and Elections
  • Assembly Committee on Public Improvements
  • Assembly Committee on Public Lands
  • Assembly Committee on Railroads
  • Assembly Committee on Roads and Bridges
  • Assembly Committee on State Affairs
  • Assembly Committee on Town and County Organization
  • Assembly Committee on Ways and Means

Joint committees

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  • Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal Institutions
  • Joint Committee on Claims
  • Joint Committee on Printing

Changes from the 35th Legislature

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New districts for the 36th Legislature were defined in 1882 Wisconsin Act 242, passed into law in the 35th Wisconsin Legislature.

Senate redistricting

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Summary of changes

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  • 23 Senate districts were left unchanged (or were only renumbered).
  • Dane County went from having 2 districts to 1 (26).

Partisan implications

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  • Republicans had 18 safe seats, down from 20.
  • Democrats had 6 safe seats, no change from the previous map.
  • 9 seats were competitive, up from 7.

Senate districts

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after redistricting, changes highlighted
 
before redistricting
Dist. 35th Legislature 36th Legislature
1 Door, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto, Shawano counties Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto counties
2 Brown County Brown County
3 Racine County Racine County
4 Crawford, Vernon counties Crawford, Vernon counties
5 Northern Milwaukee County Northern Milwaukee County
6 Southern Milwaukee County Southern Milwaukee County
7 Central Milwaukee County Central Milwaukee County
8 Kenosha, Walworth counties Kenosha, Walworth counties
9 Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara counties Green Lake, Portage, Waushara counties
10 Waukesha County Waukesha County
11 Chippewa, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, Wood counties Ashland, Clark, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, Wood counties
12 Green, Lafayette counties Green, Lafayette counties
13 Dodge County Dodge County
14 Juneau, Sauk counties Juneau, Sauk counties
15 Manitowoc County Manitowoc County
16 Grant County Grant County
17 Rock County Rock County
18 Western Fond du Lac County Western Fond du Lac County
19 Winnebago County Winnebago County
20 Sheboygan, Eastern Fond du Lac counties Sheboygan, Eastern Fond du Lac counties
21 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca counties Marathon, Shawano, Waupaca counties
22 Calumet, Outagamie counties Calumet, Outagamie counties
23 Jefferson County Jefferson County
24 Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, St. Croix counties Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, St. Croix counties
25 Eastern Dane County Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce counties
26 Western Dane County Dane County
27 Adams, Columbia counties Adams, Columbia, Marquette counties
28 Iowa, Richland counties Iowa, Richland counties
29 Buffalo, Pepin, Trempealeau counties Buffalo, Trempealeau counties
30 Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce counties Chippewa, Dunn counties
31 La Crosse County La Crosse County
32 Jackson & Monroe counties Jackson & Monroe counties
33 Ozaukee, Washington counties Ozaukee, Washington counties

Assembly redistricting

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Summary of changes

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  • 51 Assembly districts were left unchanged (or were only renumbered).
  • Adams and Marquette counties were combined into a shared district after previously being separate districts.
  • Brown County went from having 3 districts to 2.
  • Calumet County went from having its 1 district to having 1 whole district and 1 shared district with Outagamie County.
  • Chippewa County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Price.
  • Clark and Wood counties each became their own Assembly districts after previously having been in a shared district with Lincoln and Taylor counties.
  • Dane County went from having 3 districts to 5.
  • Fond du Lac County went from having 4 districts to 3.
  • Jefferson County went from having 3 districts to 2.
  • Juneau County went from having 2 districts to 1.
  • The northeast corner of the state, comprising Florence, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto, and Shawano counties, went from 1 shared district to 3.
  • Milwaukee County went from having 11 districts to 12.
  • Pepin County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Buffalo County.
  • Polk County became its own district after previously having been in a shared district with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, and Douglas counties.
  • Walworth County went from having 3 districts to 2.
  • Richland County went from having 2 districts to 1.
  • Waukesha County went from having 2 districts to 1.
  • Winnebago County went from having 4 districts to 3.

Assembly districts

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after redistricting, changes highlighted
 
before redistricting
County Districts in 35th Legislature Districts in 36th Legislature Change
Adams 1 District Shared with Marquette  
Ashland Shared with Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk Shared with Lincoln, Price, Taylor  
Barron Shared with Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk Shared with Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas  
Bayfield Shared with Ashland, Barron, Burnett, Douglas, Polk Shared with Barron, Burnett, Douglas  
Brown 3 Districts 2 Districts  
Buffalo 2 shared with Pepin 1 District  
Burnett Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Douglas, Polk Shared with Barron, Bayfield, Douglas  
Calumet 1 District 2 shared with Outagamie  
Chippewa Shared with Price 1 District  
Clark Shared with Lincoln, Taylor & Wood 1 District  
Columbia 3 Districts 2 Districts  
Crawford 1 District 1 District  
Dane 3 Districts 5 Districts   
Dodge 4 Districts 4 Districts  
Door 1 District 1 District  
Douglas Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk Shared with Barron, Bayfield, Burnett  
Dunn 1 District 1 District  
Eau Claire 1 District 1 District  
Fond du Lac 4 Districts 3 Districts  
Grant 3 Districts 3 Districts  
Green 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Green Lake 1 District 1 District  
Iowa 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Jackson 1 District 1 District  
Jefferson 3 Districts 2 Districts  
Juneau 2 Districts 1 District  
Kenosha 1 District 1 District  
Kewaunee 1 District 1 District  
La Crosse 1 District 1 District  
Lafayette 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Langlade Shared with Marinette, Oconto, Shawano Shared with Oconto  
Lincoln Shared with Clark, Taylor, Wood Shared with Ashland, Price, Taylor  
Manitowoc 3 Districts 3 Districts  
Marathon 1 District 1 District  
Marinette Shared with Langlade, Oconto, Shawano Shared with Florence  
Marquette 1 District Shared with Adams  
Milwaukee 11 Districts 12 Districts  
Monroe 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Oconto Shared with Langlade, Marinette, Shawano Shared with Langlade  
Outagamie 2 Districts 3 shared with Calumet  
Ozaukee 1 District 1 District  
Pepin Shared with Buffalo 1 District  
Pierce 1 District 1 District  
Polk Shared with Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas 1 District  
Portage 1 District 1 District  
Price Shared with Chippewa Shared with Ashland, Lincoln, Taylor  
Racine 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Richland 2 Districts 1 District  
Rock 3 Districts 3 Districts  
Sauk 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Shawano Shared with Oconto 1 District  
Sheboygan 3 Districts 3 Districts  
St. Croix 1 District 1 District  
Taylor Shared with Clark, Lincoln, Wood Shared with Ashland, Lincoln, Price  
Trempealeau 1 District 1 District  
Vernon 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Walworth 3 Districts 2 Districts  
Washington 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Waukesha 2 Districts 1 District  
Waupaca 2 Districts 2 Districts  
Waushara 1 District 1 District  
Winnebago 4 Districts 3 Districts  
Wood Shared with Clark, Lincoln, Taylor 1 District  

Employees

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Senate employees

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  • Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross[2]
    • Assistant Clerk: J. W. Bates
    • Bookkeeper: Oliver Munson
    • Engrossing Clerk: Thomas Bright
    • Enrolling Clerk: James T. Greene
    • Transcribing Clerk: Samuel S. Lockhart
    • Proofreader: Willard W. Flinn
    • Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: A. T. E. Blessing
    • Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Stephen Thomas
    • Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: E. S. Hotchkiss
    • Clerk for the Committee on Claims: J. H. Whitney
    • Document Clerk: Thomas Watson
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Adelbert D. Thorp
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles A. Landridge
  • Postmaster: H. C. Spaulding
    • Assistant Postmaster: John J. Marshall
  • Gallery Attendant: Claus Johnson
  • Committee Room Attendant: A. A. Curtis
  • Document Room Attendant: Frank Hutson
  • Doorkeepers:
    • Joseph Granvogel
    • H. T. E. Tilleson
    • Jos. S. Adlington
    • Jos. W. Hodges
  • Porter: O. L. Wright
  • Night Watch: G. W. Churchill
  • Janitor: Owen Pritchard
  • Messengers:
    • Charlie Adamson
    • Lemuel R. Parry
    • Emile Forgeot
    • Fred. D. Irish
    • Elliot B. Davis
    • A. M. Kneeland
    • Dennie M. Wright

Assembly employees

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  • Chief Clerk: Isaac T. Carr[2]
    • 1st Assistant Clerk: James W. Murphy
      • 2nd Assistant Clerk: J. L. O'Connor
    • Bookkeeper: Clarence L. Clark
    • Engrossing Clerk: C. R. Blumenfeld
    • Enrolling Clerk: Charles N. Holden
    • Transcribing Clerk: James Douglas
    • Proofreader: George Stone
    • Clark for the Judiciary Committee: Joseph Roy
    • Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: W. C. Brawley
    • Clerk for the Committee on Engrossed Bills: J. C. Conners
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Kennedy
  • Postmaster: T. W. Wiebold
  • Doorkeepers:
    • Byron Abert
    • John D. Bradford
    • O. B. Phelps
  • Fireman: Frank Grams
  • Gallery Attendants:
    • T. F. McCarty
    • Michael Riedy
  • Engrossing Room Attendant: J. B. Rand
  • Policeman: John W. Liebenstein
  • Night Watch: A. H. Burns
  • Wash Room Attendant: Matthew Dunne
  • Messengers:
    • W. G. Kropf
    • H. Allman
    • J. F. Donovan

References

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  1. ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2011). "Statistics: History" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2011–2012 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 709, 714, 717, 719. ISBN 978-0-9752820-1-4. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Heg, J. E., ed. (1883). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 470–517. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
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