USA > Wisconsin > A political history of Wisconsin > Part 28
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
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coming to the State Justice Cassoday had taken an active part in all important political campaigns, making able and effective speeches, devoted to the discussion of the questions at issue between the parties, but never . descending to mere partisan harangues. Yet he was not an office-seeker, though frequently a delegate to State conventions, and in positions where he might have secured nominations had he so chosen. He declined all offices, however, when tendered, though among them were those connected with his profession, such as attorney-general and cir- cuit judge. Chief Justice Ryan of the Supreme Court died in October, 1880, creating a vacancy in that court. Immediately the Rock county bar addressed a petition to Governor Smith asking the appointment of Justice Cassoday to the vacancy, and this peti- tion was followed up by personal letters to the Governor from such prominent persons as Senator Carpenter and Willard Merrill, and by most favorable notices from the public press. Justice Cole, the oldest member on the bench, was appointed Chief justice, and Mr. Cassoday Associate Justice. In April, 18Si, both were elected to the places to which they had been appointed. on calls from the bar and members of the Legislature. In 1889 Justice Casso- day was reelected without opposition, receiving 210,899 votes. Upon the death of Chief Justice Orton, in July. 1895, Justice Casso- day became chief justice under the law, he being the oldest judge in point of service. He was again reelected, without opposition. in 1899. In 1881 Beloit college conferred upon him the degree of LL. D., an honor most worthily bestowed. His judicial work has been most faithfully and ably done, and has given entire satis- iaction to the bar and to the people generally. Since taking his place on the bench he has shown his regard for the proprieties of the position by refraining entirely from active participation in political affairs. Since 1885 Justice Cassoday has been lecturer to the Senior class in the College of Law of the University of Wis- consin. His lectures on wills have been published, and they form the text-book on that subject in the law school. He still lectures once a week during the college year on constitutional law. He has delivered able addresses on various subjects-one a memorial address on Gen. Grant-which have been published and highly
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commended. Justice Cassoday was married in IS6o to Miss Mary P. Spaulding of Janesville, Wisconsin. They have four daugh- ters and a son. The Justice is a member of the Congregational church.
P. V. DEUSTER.
Peter Victor Deuster was born near Aix-la-chapelle, Ger- many, on February 13th, 1831. being the only son of Mathias and Anna C. Deuster. While he was going through an academic course of studies, his parents carried out their long contemplated plan of settling in the United States, and came to Milwaukee in July, 1847. The eller Deuster bought a farm near the city, and the son exchanged his books for implements of agriculture, spend- ing the summer at work on his father's farm. In the following fall he was engaged by Hon. Moritz Schoeffler, publisher of a: German newspaper in Milwaukee-"The Wisconsin Banner" -- and remained in his employ four years, when he himself ventured upon the enterprise of publishing a German weekly family paper, entitled the "Hausfreund"; but six months later he accepted the position of business manager of the "Daily Seebote." In 1854 he became editor of a newspaper published at Port Washington, Wisconsin, combining with his editorial labors the duties of post- master, clerk of the circuit court. land office, notary public, besides establishing a night school for young men, and making himself generally useful to the community. In 1856 he had made all pre- liminary arrangements to establish a newspaper at Green Bay, Wisconsin, but being offered an interest in The Milwaukee "See- bote," he changed his plans and returned there, publishing this newspaper in partnership with August Grenlich until 1860, when he became sole proprietor. During the same year, on January Ioth, he was united in wedlock to Miss Agathe Gertrude Stoltz, the only daughter of John Stoltz, one of the carly settlers of Mil- waukee. Of the six children who were the fruits of this union. five are now living-Dr. Oscar V. Deuster, Hugo Deuster, Mrs. Oscar J. Hansen. Baroness P. von Pauingartten, and Miss Alma Deuster. In 1862 Mr. Deuster was elected to the State Assem-
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bly of Wisconsin, and was a member of the State Senate in 1870 and 1871. Besides his Milwaukee newspaper he published The Chicago Daily Union, a German Democratic journal, from 186 until the destruction of the city by fire in 1871. Subsequently. he spent considerable time in traveling, visiting the different parts of our own country, Canada, Mexico and Europe. In 1878 he was elected to the Forty-sixth Congress, from the Fourth district of Wisconsin, and was reelected to the Forty-seventh and Forty- eighth, so that he served six years in Congress. Possessed of a great degree of energy. he soon added national fame to his excel- lent reputation at home by the legislative ability he displayed dur- ing his service in Congress. As a German-American publicist he had become familiar with most of the urgent needs of that large. important element of our population to which he belongs, and at once introduced measures in Congress looking to their relief. Among these, his bill creating a harbor of refuge at Milwaukee by building a breakwater in the bay; his bill regulating the system of naturalizing foreign-born residents as 'citizens, and his bill regulating the carriage of steerage passengers at sea. are of great public interest and national importance. He also urged and suc- ceeded in securing the participation of our government in the international fishery exhibition at Berlin, Germany, in April. ISSO. . In ISS7 President Cleveland appointed him chairman of the com- mission to diminish the U'matilla. Indian reservation in Oregon. and in 1896 he was appointed consul at Crefeld, Germany, which position he held with credit until superseded, owing to the change of administration. The Seebote ran a flourishing and influential . career of nearly forty years under Mr. Deuster's ownership and direction. It was recently sold and merged with Der Herold.
JOHN GOODLAND.
Judge John Goodland, of Appleton, was born at Taunton. · England, August 10, 1831, his father, William Goodland, being a merchant who had risen from poverty, and his mother, whose maiden name was Abigail Sharman, the daughter of a tenant farmer. After receiving an academic education, and serving a
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three years' apprenticeship to a woolen draper, the subject of this sketch came to America in 1840. settling at Sharon. Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1854. He taught school, clerked in a store. and in 1860. after a visit to England, engaged in the grocery busi- ness. He won some notice as a public speaker, and was elected to several local offices, such as justice of the peace, town clerk and town treasurer. In 1864 his store was burned, and, closing up his business at Sharon, he went to Chicago, where he spent three years in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road company. In 1867 he went to Appleton as a local agent of the company, in which position he served seven years, when he resigned to become an insurance agent and take up the study of law. In 1877 he was admitted to the bar. He was elected dis- triet attorney of Ontagamie county in 18SS, and reelected in 1890. In 1885 he had been a non-partisan candidate for Circuit Judge, but failed of election. In I891 he was called to be a candidate for the office and was also made the nominee of the Democratic party, being elected over George H. Myers and E. J. Goodrick. Judge Myers, who had been the successful candidate for the judgeship in 1885. died in August, 1801, some four months before the expiration of his term. and Judge Goodland, already elected to succeed him, was appointed by Governor Peck to fill the vacancy. In 1897 Judge Goodland was reelected without opposition. The Judge was an Abolitionist before the Civil War, and a Republican from the organization of the party until 1868. He joined the Democratic party in 1872. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity. In 1850 he married Caroline M. Clark of Sangerfield. Oneida county, New York, a lady of English parentage, who died in 180)3 at the age of 60. They were blessed with nine children, seven of whom-four sons and three daughters-are living.
JOHN WINANS.
In 1862 the overwhelmingly Republican First District of Wis- consin elected a Democratic Congressman. This was partly due to a Republican factional quarrel, but partly to the high character and great personal popularity of the Democratic candidate, "Hon-
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est John Winans." Mr. Winans comes of a noted Eastern family. His father and unsles built the first railroad ever constructed in Russia, and one of his uncles, at least, made an immense fortune in the enterprise. John Winans was born in Vernon. N. J .. on September 27, 1831, and was educated for the bar in his native State. He was admitted to practice there, and came to Wisconsin in 1857, settling at Janesville, where he has since resided. He became prominent in politics at once, and soon rose to eminence at the bar. He was twice Mayor of Janesville, and served a number of years as City Attorney. In 1874 he was elected to the Assem- bly, and he was a member of that body again in 1882, 1887 and 1891. In every Assembly of which he has been a member Mr. Winans was one of the leaders of the Democratic side. In 1882 and 1887 he was the Democratic nominee for Speaker, and in 1887 he was nominated by the Democratic caucus for United States Senator against Philetus Sawyer, the Republican nominee. He was noted for advanced views on all public matters, and was, by common consent, pronounced the ablest debater in the Legis- lature. It was he who framed the famous Potter law, and he has the honor of having been the first man to introduce the anti-pass law in the Wisconsin Legislature. That was in 1882. and his bill, which was then too far in advance of the time to become a law, prohibited legislators and judges from using passes. As early as 1864 Mr. Winans was nominated for Congress by the Democrats in his district. but was defeated. He was sent in that year as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention. In 1882 he was elected to Congress, overturning a Republican major- ity of 5.000. Ile has been mentioned several times as a possible candidate for Governor, and he was a very strong candidate before the convention that nominated George W. Peck for that office in 1800. He was for some years a member of the Demo- cratie State Central Committee, and was always a member of every party council. As a lawyer Mr. Winans belongs to the old school. He is dignified and reserved, but always approachable. For nearly a quarter of a century he has been recognized as the fore- most lawyer in his circuit. He has figured in many noted trials. He was attorney for the relator in the Edgerton Bible case, in
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which the reading of the Bible in the schools was forbidden. He appeared for the defense in the Mack and Ashton murder trials. both of which are noted in the annals of the bar of this State. Mr. Winans' wife, who, previous to her marriage to him, was Mrs. Russell, of New York, is almost as well known as her husband. She was appointed by Governor Peck as one of the World's Fair Com- missioners for this State, and she is prominent in women's organi- zations. They have one child, a daughter.
A. J. TURNER.
A. J. Turner was born in the town of Schuyler Falls (then a part of Piattsburgh). Clinton county, New York, September 24. 1832. His minority was passed on his father's farm, and shortly after arriving at his majority he left for the West and entered the printing office of The Grand River Eagle, Michigan, where his first lessons in the typographic art were given him. He came to Portage in 1855 and was employed on The Inde- pendent; for a couple of years following he was engaged in Madi- son, Friendship and Portage, doing local and editorial work, and in 1860 he became one of the editors and proprietors of The Wis- consin State Register, remaining such for seventeen years, when it became necessary to make a change in the proprietorship in con- sequence of the illness of his partner, Mr. S. S. Brannan, and his own official duties. In 1860 Mr. Turner was elected clerk of the Circuit Court of Columbia county. He was sent to represent his district in the State Legislature in 1862, 1863. 1865, and 1868. In 1876 he was elected Chiei Clerk of the State Senate, and was reelected in 1877 and again in 1878, which office he resigned to accept the position of State Railroad Commissioner, to which he was appointed by Governor Smith, and reappointed in 1880. In 188t he was elected Mayor of Portage and was twice reelected by an unanimous vote, when he declined a reelection. He has served many terms as a County Supervisor and Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. By appointment of Judge Sichecker he became in 1807 Chairman of the Jury Commission for Columbia county. He was Supervisor of the Census for the Third District
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of Wisconsin in 1880, and was reappointed to the same position for the First District of Wisconsin for the Census of 1900. MIr. Turner's activity in the movement which led to the overthrowing of the two unconstitutional reapportionment acts of 181-2 is referred to in the historical part of this work. He was a dele- gate to the Republican National conventions in 1868, 1880. 1888, and 1892; and for several years was Vice-President of the Grand National Curling Club of America and of the Northwest- ern Curling Association.
GEORGE B. BURROWS.
George B. Burrows, long a resident of Madison, and ex-State Senator and ex-Speaker of the Assembly, was born in Spring- field, Windsor county, Vermont, October 20, 1832. His ances- tors were of that sturdy stock that. first in England, and after- ward throughout the Northern States, left their lasting impress upon all the institutions of the country, and thus built them a mon- ument "more enduring than brass." Mr. Burrows' father was the Rev. Baxter Burrows, of the Baptist denomination, a native of Massachusetts, and a pioneer of Vermont in both civil and relig- ious matters, and an ardent Abolitionist who suffered persecutions as such. The maiden name of Mr. Burrows' mother was Lydia Boynton, daughter of Capt. Jewett Boynton, an honored sollier in the Revolution. She was a native of Vermont. Mr. Burrows received a thorough common school education. and, after that. by his own industrious, persevering efforts, he secured the means to pay for an academic course. After finishing his academic studies, he spent several years as a clerk in country stores; and. in 1853. embarked in business in New York city. There he remained until 1858, when he removed to Wisconsin, and engaged in banking in Sauk City. In 1865 he removed to Madison and engaged exten- sively in the real estate business, his field extending over the entire Northwest. In this business he has achieved marked success. Mr. Burrows has always taken a lively interest in political affairs. and has acted consistently and steadily with the Republican party. In 1876 he was elected a member of the State Senate from the
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Madison district, and so satisfactory was his course in that body that he was retained during seven consecutive sessions. In the last year he was chosen President pro tem. of the Senate. Ifis service was not merely perfunctory, as is that of too many of our lawmakers, but characterized by an intelligent scrutiny of the measures which were presented for the consideration of the Senate, and by careful. conservative action thereon. In 1894 Mr. Bur- rows was elected to the Assembly, and was nominated by accla- mation in the Republican caucus for Speaker, the House promptly ratifying the nomination. At the special session held in the spring of 1896 he was reelected Speaker withont opposition. His serv- ice as presiding officer was very generally approved, and had he been elected for another term there is little doubt that he would have again been placed in the Speaker's chair. The journals of the State have spoken in unmeasured terms of approval of his political career and of the ability which he displayed therein, both as a Legislator and a Speaker. Mr. Burrows was married on the 13th of January, 1857, to Alma Thompson, daughter of Hon. D. P. Thompson, of Montpelier, Vt., representative of a distinguished Massachusetts family, whose grandfather fell at the Battle of Lex- ington. Mr. Thompson was not only a lawyer of fine attainments and wide experience, but also held several high political offices and was a novelist of rare abilities. Among his novels may be mentioned "The Green Mountain Boys," "Locke Amsden," "The Rangers, or the Tory's Daughter," and a number of others, all of which have had a wide circle of readers. There was born to Mr. and Mrs. Burrows, in December, 1865. one son, George Thompson Burrows, who is practicing law in New York city. Mr. Burrows has for many years been a curator of the State Historical Society, and a member of the Board of State Library Building Commis- sioners, and in many ways has served the public interests, both of the capital city and of the State. For the past two years he has acted as President of the State Forestry Commission. Governor Scofield recently appointed him State manager of the Pan-Ameri- can Exposition to be held at Buffalo, New York, in 1901.
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JAMES G. JENKINS.
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James G. Jenkins, Judge of the United States Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, was born at Saratoga Springs, New York. July 18. 1834. Ilis father, Edgar Jenkins, was a business man of New York city, and, on the maternal side. a grandson of Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth. After receiving a liberal edu- cation, the future Judge read law in New York city, and was there admitted to the bar in 1855. In 1857 he came to Milwaukee and entered upon the practice of his profession, in which he was stead- ily engaged until 1888, when he was appointed Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. In 1893 he was promoted to the position of United States Circuit Judge, which he now holds, succeeding Judge Walter Q. Gresham. who had resigned to enter the Cabinet of President Cleveland. Before ascending the bench, Judge Jenkins was for many years a conspicuous member of the Democratic party. He held the : office of City Attorney for four terms, beginning in the period of . the Civil War, and, among other important cases which he con- ducted in that capacity, successfully defended the constitutionality of the law authorizing taxation to pay soldiers' bounties. In 1879 he was the nominee of his party for Governor of Wisconsin, but - was not elected. In 1881 he received the Democratic vote in the Legislature for the office of United States Senator. In 1885 he was tendered by President Cleveland the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, but declined the appointment. During the long period in which he was engaged in active practice, he was recognized as one of the foremost and ablest members of the Wisconsin bar. As a Judge he has maintained the high traditions of the Federal bench. One of his decisions attracted world-wide attention. The Farmers' Loan & Trust Company vs. the Northern Pacific Railway, et al .. was the title of the case. The action was to foreclose a trust . . mortgage for $140,000,000; and, upon application of the plaintiff. receivers of the trust property were appointed by the court. no objection thereto being offered by the defendants. The action was commenced in 1803 at a time of great financial depression. the business of the railroads being reduced by one-half; and the
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receivers reported to the court that they found it necessary to reduce the salaries of the officers and employees of the company from ten to twenty per cent. This reduction was to take effect January Ist, 1804. Naturally the employees were opposed to any such reduction of their wages, and threatened to strike if it were insisted upon. The receivers, hearing of the threats, applied to the court for an injunctional order forbidding them "from combining and conspiring to quit the service of the said receivers or doing anything to cripple the property or prevent or hinder the operation of said railroad." The order did not forbid the employees from quietly, as individuals, or in a body, quitting the service of the receivers, but from doing it as a body in such man- ner as to injure the operation of the property. The order was issued December 19th, 1893. and three days thereafter a supple- mental injunctional order was issued embodying the provisions of the first writ, with an additional clause forbidding the employees "from combining or conspiring together or with others, either jointly or severally, or as committees, or as officers of any so-called iabor organization, with the design of causing a strike upon the lines of railroad operated by said receivers." In short, it was an order forbidding the men to commit a crime against property which was in possession of the court or its agents. A motion to dissolve the injunctional orders was denied by the court in an exhaustive opinion (reported 60 Fed. Rep. 803) which will stand as a monument to the learning, judicial ability and fearlessness . of Judge Jenkins. He defined a strike to be "a combined effort among workmen to compel the master to the concession of a cer- tain demand by preventing the conduct of his business until com- pliance with the demand." On appeal from this order to the Circuit Court of Appeals, the order was sustained in its main features, the following clause only being eliminated: "And from so quitting the services of the said receivers, with or without notice, so as to cripple the property or to prevent or hinder the operation of said railroad." The Appellate Court, however. directed that the injunction be modified by describing therein the strike as defined by Judge Jenkins in his opinion. The essential part of the order sustained was as follows: "And from combin-
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ing and conspiring to quit, with or without notice, the service of said receivers, with the object and intent of crippling the property in their custody, or embarrassing the operations of said railroad." In all essentials the ruling of Judge Jenkins was sustained. The leaders of the organization, however, were not content with the decision of the Judge or with the opinion of the Court of Appeals. and took steps looking to his impeachment by Congress, but nothing came of it. In 1870 Judge Jenkins married the only daugliter of Judge Andrew G. Miller, who was the first Judge of the United States District Court of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin in 1893, and Wabash College of Indiana in 1897, conferred upon Judge Jenkins the degree of LL. D.
JESSE STONE.
Jesse Stone, Lieutenant-Governor of Wisconsin, is a native of Lincoln, England, where he was born August 23, 1836. His father was a Methodist minister, who came to the United States bringing his family with him when Jesse was, five years of age. After residing in the East till 1860. the subject of this sketch came to Wisconsin, settling at Watertown, which has since been his home. He engaged in a manufacturing busi- ness, in the firm of Woodward & Stone. the partners. after securing a competence, turning their interests over to their sons. Mr. Stone is a stockholder in the Wisconsin Telephone Company and other successful corporations. and has done much for the material development of the State. For many years he has been active in politics on the Republican side, his sound judgment and. general ability making him a useful member of the party. For six years, from 1888 to 1804. he was a member of the Republican State Central Committee. He was a delegate to the Republican National conventions of 1888 and IS02. In 1880, 1882 and 1896 he was elected to the Assembly, and in the . Assembly of 1897 was one of the most conspicuous leaders of the Republican majority in that body. In 1898 he was, by almost common consent, the nominee of the Republican State Convention for Lieutenant-Governor, and received as a candidate for that
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office 180,038 votes, against 120.306 cast for his Democratic com- petitor. P. V. Deuster. As presiding officer of the Senate, he was courteous and impartial, winning the respect of every mem- ber, irrespective of party. During a period of several weeks while Governor Scofield was absent from the State, Mr. Stone was act- ing Governor, performing every function of the executive office in a manner that commanded general approval.
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