The Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.
This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session.
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 7, 1871. 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 8, 1870.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Cadwallader C. Washburn, of La Crosse County, serving the first year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1871 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
Major events January 1, 1872: Inauguration of Cadwallader C. Washburn as 11th Governor of Wisconsin. March 1, 1872: Yellowstone National Park was established as the first national park. May 22, 1872: President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Amnesty Act, restoring full civil rights to about 500 Confederate sympathizers. November 5, 1872: Ulysses S. Grant re-elected as President of the United States. Susan B. Anthony voted illegally in the election.
Major legislation February 6, 1872: Joint Resolution instructing our senators and requesting our representatives in congress to oppose the passage of a bill for the remission of import duties on building material to be used in rebuilding the burnt district of Chicago, 1872 Joint Resolution 1. Opposed the lifting of tariffs on foreign timber and building materials, a move that was contemplated to aide in the reconstruction of Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire. February 14, 1872: An Act to prohibit and prevent the carrying of concealed weapons, 1872 Act 7. March 5, 1872: An Act making election days legal holidays, 1872 Act 32. March 9, 1872: An Act to apportion the state of Wisconsin into congressional districts, 1872 Act 48. Wisconsin's congressional delegation grew from six to eight members. March 15, 1872: An Act to protect the use of the telegraph, 1872 Act 54. To outlaw the act of intercepting a telegraph intended for another recipient. March 21, 1872: An Act to amend section two of chapter one hundred and fifty-six of the general laws of 1871, entitled "an act to apportion the state of Wisconsin into senate and assembly districts," 1872 Act 70. Reconfigured the Monroe County Assembly districts. March 21, 1872: An Act authorizing cities and villages to establish free public libraries and reading rooms, 1872 Act 80. March 22, 1872: Joint Resolution to amend section three (3) of article eleven (11) of the constitution, 1872 Joint Resolution 11. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to prohibit counties, municipalities, and school districts from going into debt. March 22, 1872: An Act to provide for the improvement of the capitol park, 1872 Act 93. March 23, 1872: An Act to submit to the people an amendment to article seven of the constitution, 1872 Act 111. Setting a referendum for an amendment to the state constitution expanding the Supreme Court from three to five justices. The referendum ultimately failed in the November 1872 general election. March 25, 1872: An Act to enable married women to transact business, make contracts, and sue and be sued, and to define the liabilities of husbands and wives, 1872 Act 155.
Party summary Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 14 19 33 0 1st Session 10 23 33 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 10 23 33 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 40 3 57 100 0 1st Session 40 0 60 100 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 39 0 61 100 0
Sessions 1st Regular session: January 10, 1872March 26, 1872
Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: Milton Pettit (R) President pro tempore: Charles G. Williams (R)
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Daniel Hall (R)
Members Members of the Senate Members of the Senate for the Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:
Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Sheboygan SheboyganRep. 02 Brown, Door, Kewaunee Green BayDem. 03 Milwaukee (Northern Part) MilwaukeeDem. 04 Monroe & Vernon ViroquaRep. 05 Racine RochesterRep. 06 Milwaukee (Southern Half) MilwaukeeDem. 07 Dane (Eastern Part) DunnRep. 08 Kenosha & Walworth Spring PrairieRep. 09 Iowa Mineral PointRep. 10 Waukesha WaukeshaRep. 11 Lafayette DarlingtonRep. 12 Green MonticelloRep. 13 Dodge HoriconDem. 14 Sauk Sauk CityRep. 15 Manitowoc ManitowocDem. 16 Grant LancasterRep. 17 Rock JanesvilleRep. 18 Fond du LacRep. 19 Winnebago KoroRep. 20 MarshfieldDem. 21 Marathon, Oconto, Shawano, Waupaca, WaupacaDem. 22 Calumet & Southern Outagamie AppletonDem. 23 Jefferson FarmingtonDem. 24 Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, New RichmondRep. 25 Green Lake, Marquette, & Waushara PrincetonRep. 26 Dane (Western Part) MiddletonRep. 27 Columbia ColumbusRep. 28 Crawford & Richland Lone RockRep. 29 Adams, Juneau, Portage, NecedahRep. 30 Chippewa, Dunn, , Rep. 31 La Crosse La CrosseRep. 32 Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, ModenaRep. 33 Ozaukee & Washington OzaukeeDem.
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:
SenateDistrict County Dist. Representative Party Residence 29 Adams & Wood Rep. Grand Rapids 24 Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk Rep. St. Croix Falls 02 Brown 1 Dem. Green Bay 2 Rep. Fort Howard 3 Dem. De Pere 32 Buffalo Dem. Glencoe 22 Calumet Dem. New Holstein 30 Chippewa Rep. Chippewa Falls 32 Clark & Jackson Rep. Black River Falls 27 Columbia 1 Dem. Portage 2 Rep. Fountain Prairie 3 Rep. Lowville 28 Crawford Dem. Utica 07 Dane 1 Rep. Pleasant Springs 2 Dem. Madison 26 3 Dem. Black Earth 4 Rep. Oregon 13 Dodge 1 Rep. Elba 2 Rep. Beaver Dam 3 Rep. Oak Grove 4 Dem. Mayville 5 Dem. Rubicon 6 Dem. Shields 02 Door Dem. Sturgeon Bay 30 Dunn & Pepin Rep. Lucas Eau Claire Rep. Eau Claire 18 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Metomen 2 Rep. 20 3 Dem. Eden 16 Grant 1 Rep. Big Patch 2 Rep. Lancaster 3 Rep. Wingville 4 Rep. Patch Grove 12 Green Rep. Sylvester 25 Green Lake Rep. Markesan 09 Iowa 1 Dem. Arena 2 Dem. Mineral Point 23 Jefferson 1 Rep. Watertown 2 Dem. Lake Mills 3 Rep. Fort Atkinson 29 Juneau Rep. New Lisbon 08 Kenosha Dem. Kenosha 31 La Crosse Rep. La Crosse 11 Lafayette Rep. Benton 15 Manitowoc 1 Rep. Centerville 2 Dem. Maple Grove 3 Dem. Manitowoc 21 Marathon Dem. Wausau 25 Marquette Dem. Buffalo 03 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee 06 3 Dem. Milwaukee 4 Rep. Milwaukee 5 Dem. Milwaukee 03 6 Rep. Milwaukee 06 7 Rep. Milwaukee 8 Dem. Milwaukee 03 9 Dem. Milwaukee 10 Dem. Milwaukee 06 11 Rep. Oak Creek 04 Monroe 1 Rep. Rudd's Mills 2 Rep. Tomah 21 Oconto Rep. Oconto 33 Ozaukee 1 Dem. Ozaukee 2 Dem. Cedarburg 24 Pierce Rep. River Falls 29 Portage Dem. Plover 05 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Rep. Yorkville 28 Richland 1 Rep. Ithaca 2 Rep. Marshall 17 Rock 1 Rep. Footville 2 Rep. Janesville 3 Rep. Clinton 4 Rep. Newark 5 Rep. Janesville 14 Sauk 1 Rep. Sumpter 2 Rep. Delton 22 Outagamie, , 1 Rep. Dale 21 2 Dem. Lebanon 3 Rep. Lind 01Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Dem. Lyndon 3 Rep. Lima 24 St. Croix Rep. Hudson 32 Trempealeau Rep. Arcadia 04 Vernon 1 Rep. Jefferson 2 Rep. Viroqua 08 Walworth 1 Rep. Delavan 2 Rep. Bloomfield 3 Dem. Whitewater 33 Washington 1 Dem. Cedar Creek 2 Dem. Schleisingerville 10 Waukesha 1 Rep. Summit 2 Rep. Brookfield Center 25 Waushara Rep. Aurora 19 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Dem. Neenah 3 Dem. Omro 4 Rep. Rushford
Changes from the 24th Legislature New districts for the 25th Legislature were defined in 1871 Wisconsin Act 156, passed into law in the 24th Wisconsin Legislature.
Senate redistricting Summary of changes 17 Senate districts were left unchanged (or were only renumbered). The Dane County district boundaries were slightly redrawn and renumbered (7, 26). Dodge County went from having two senators to one (13). Fond du Lac County went from having one senator to two (18, 20). Kenosha and Walworth counties were combined into one district (8). La Crosse County became its own senate district (31), after previously having been in a shared district with Vernon county. The Milwaukee County district boundaries were slightly redrawn and renumbered (3, 6). Outagamie County was split between two multi-county districts (21, 22). Ozaukee and Washington counties were combined into one district (33). The old multi-county 32nd Senate district was split into two districts (30, 32).
Senate districts
Dist. 24th Legislature 25th Legislature 1 Sheboygan County Sheboygan County 2 Brown, Door, Kewaunee counties Brown, Door, Kewaunee counties 3 Ozaukee County Northern Milwaukee County 4 Washington County Monroe, Vernon counties 5 Northern Milwaukee County Racine County 6 Southern Milwaukee County Southern Milwaukee County 7 Racine County Eastern Dane County 8 Kenosha County Kenosha, Walworth counties 9 Adams, Juneau, Monroe counties Iowa County 10 Waukesha County Waukesha County 11 Eastern Dane County Lafayette County 12 Walworth County Green County 13 Lafayette County Dodge County 14 Sauk County Sauk County 15 Iowa County Manitowoc County 16 Grant County Grant County 17 Rock County Rock County 18 Western Dodge County Western Fond du Lac County 19 Manitowoc County Winnebago County 20 Fond du Lac County Eastern Fond du Lac County 21 Winnebago County Marathon, Oconto, Shawano, Waupaca, Northern Outagamie counties 22 Calumet, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano counties Calumet, Southern Outagamie counties 23 Jefferson County Jefferson County 24 Green County Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, counties 25 Columbia County Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara counties 26 Western Dane County Western Dane County 27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Wood counties Columbia County 28 Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Dallas, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties Crawford, Richland counties 29 Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara counties Adams, Juneau, Portage, Wood counties 30 Crawford, Richland counties Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin counties 31 La Crosse, Vernon counties La Crosse County 32 Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Trempealeau counties Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Trempealeau counties 33 Eastern Dodge County Ozaukee, Washington counties
Assembly redistricting Summary of changes Adams and Wood counties became a combined district, Wood had previously been in a shared district with Marathon County, Adams had previously been its own Assembly district. Brown County went from having 2 districts to 3. Chippewa County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Dunn. Dane County went from having 5 districts to 4. Dodge County went from having 4 districts to 6. Eau Claire County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Pepin County. Fond du Lac County went from having 6 districts to 3. Grant County went from having 5 districts to 4. Jefferson County went from having 4 districts to 3. La Crosse County went from having 2 districts to 1. Lafayette County went from having 2 districts to 1. Milwaukee County went from having 10 districts to 11. Richland County went from having 1 district to 2. Washington County went from having 3 districts to 2. Waukesha County went from having 3 districts to 2.
Assembly districts