12th Wisconsin Legislature
The Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1859, to March 21, 1859, in regular session.
Senators representing odd-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 2, 1858. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 3, 1857.
Major events
- March 7, 1859: The United States Supreme Court ruled on the case of Ableman v. Booth, vacating the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision which had attempted to nullify enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in Wisconsin.
- November 8, 1859: Wisconsin Governor Alexander Randall was re-elected.
Major legislation
Party summary
Senate
Assembly
Sessions
Senate
- President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor
- President pro tempore: Denison Worthington
Assembly
- Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon
Members
Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:| District | Counties | Senator | Party |
| 1 | Sheboygan | Robert H. Hotchkiss | Democrat |
| 2 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw | Morgan Lewis Martin | Democrat |
| 3 | Ozaukee | Lion Silverman | Democrat |
| 4 | Washington | Densmore W. Maxon | Democrat |
| 5 | Northern Milwaukee | Cicero Comstock | Republican |
| 6 | Southern Milwaukee | Patrick Walsh | Democrat |
| 7 | Racine | Nicholas D. Fratt | Democrat |
| 8 | Kenosha | Samuel R. McClellan | Republican |
| 9 | Adams, Juneau, Sauk | Henry W. Curtis | Republican |
| 10 | Waukesha | Denison Worthington | Republican |
| 11 | Eastern Dane | William Robert Taylor | Democrat |
| 12 | Walworth | John W. Boyd | Republican |
| 13 | Lafayette | Philemon B. Simpson | Democrat |
| 14 | Northern Jefferson | William Chappell | Democrat |
| 15 | Iowa, Richland | Charles Rodolf | Democrat |
| 16 | Grant | Noah H. Virgin | Republican |
| 17 | Western Rock | Zebulon P. Burdick | Republican |
| 18 | Eastern Rock | Alden I. Bennett | Republican |
| 19 | Manitowoc, Calumet | Samuel H. Thurber | Democrat |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | Edward Pier | Democrat |
| 21 | Winnebago | Ganem W. Washburn | Democrat |
| 22 | Dodge | William E. Smith | Republican |
| 23 | Southern Jefferson | Enias D. Masters | Republican |
| 24 | Green | John H. Warren | Republican |
| 25 | Columbia | Moses M. Davis | Republican |
| 26 | Western Dane | Andrew Proudfit | Democrat |
| 27 | Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood | Luther Hanchett | Republican |
| 28 | Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix | Daniel Mears | Democrat |
| 29 | Marquette | M. W. Seely | Republican |
| 30 | Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau | William H. Tucker | Democrat |
Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:Employees
Senate
- Chief Clerk: Hiram Bowen
- * Assistant Clerk: C. M. Cook
- * Engrossing Clerk: A. M. Thomson
- * Enrolling Clerk: C. T. Overton
- * Transcribing Clerk: G. M. O'Brien
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Asa Kinney
- * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Jacob Low
- Postmaster: E. G. Garner
- * Post Messenger: Garrit Mahony
- Doorkeeper: D. C. Shelden
- Messengers:
- * William W. Worthington
- * Dwight Allen
Assembly
- Chief Clerk: L. H. D. Crane
- * Assistant Clerk: John S. Dean
- * Engrossing Clerk: George Burnside
- * Enrolling Clerk: George W. Stoner
- * Transcribing Clerk: Oliver Gibbs, Jr.
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Emanuel Munk
- * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Gates
- Postmaster: Sewall W. Smith
- * Assistant Postmaster: Cyrus Fertig
- Doorkeeper: G. W. Munderloh
- * Assistant Doorkeeper: William Adams
- Firemen:
- * F. Brown
- * N. L. Andrews
- Messengers:
- * Cyrus Lanyon
- * John Ford
- * W. Howard Aldrich
- * Edward Livingston
- * Samuel Fernandez