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Politicians in Railroading in Wisconsin

  John Huy Addams (1822-1881) — also known as John H. Addams — of Cedarville, Stephenson County, Ill. Born in Sinking Spring, Berks County, Pa., July 12, 1822. Republican. Owner of Cedar Creek Mill, which produced lumber and flour; dirctor, Illinois Central Railroad; president, Second National Bank of Freeport, Illinois; member of Illinois state senate, 1855-61, 1863-71 (4th District 1855-61, 22nd District 1863-71); delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1868 (member, Credentials Committee; speaker). Died, of appendicitis, in a hotel at Green Bay, Brown County, Wis., August 17, 1881 (age 59 years, 36 days). Interment at Cedarville Cemetery, Cedarville, Ill.
  Relatives: Son of Samuel Addams and Catherine (Huy) Addams; married, July 18, 1844, to Sarah Weber; married 1868 to Anna (Hostetter) Haldeman; father of Jane Addams; nephew of William Addams; grandfather of Anna Marcet Haldeman (who married Emanuel Julius).
  Political family: Addams-Haldeman family of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  William Augustus Barstow (1813-1865) — also known as William A. Barstow — of Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wis.; Janesville, Rock County, Wis. Born in Plainfield, Windham County, Conn., September 13, 1813. Postmaster at Prairieville, Wis., 1842-43; secretary of state of Wisconsin, 1850-52; Governor of Wisconsin, 1854-56; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1860; president, St. Croix & Lake Superior Railroad; colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War. Died in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kan., December 13, 1865 (age 52 years, 91 days). Interment somewhere in Cleveland, Ohio.
  Relatives: Son of William A. Barstow; married 1844 to Maria Quarles.
  See also National Governors Association biography
  Edwin W. Blomquist (1896-1963) — of Adams, Adams County, Wis. Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., October 30, 1896. Progressive. Locomotive engineer; locomotive fireman; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Adams and Marquette counties; elected 1936; defeated, 1938, 1940. Died in 1963 (age about 66 years). Interment at Mt. Repose Cemetery, Friendship, Wis.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
Charles A. Budlong Charles Aaron Budlong (b. 1859) — also known as Charles A. Budlong — of Marinette, Marinette County, Wis. Born in Frankfort, Herkimer County, N.Y., July 8, 1859. Republican. Telegrapher; railway agent; merchant; customs inspector; Marinette County Sheriff, 1913; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Marinette County, 1915-16, 1927-34, 1937-40; delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1936. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of John Aaron Budlong and Julianna (Meyers) Budlong; married to Ellen Finnegan.
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
  Alfred Levi Cary (b. 1835) — also known as Alfred L. Cary — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Sterling, Cayuga County, N.Y., July 23, 1835. Lawyer; general solicitor, Milwaukee, Lakeshore & Western Railroad; member of Wisconsin state assembly, 1874. Member, Freemasons. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Nathaniel C. Cary and Sophia (Eaton) Cary; married, September 6, 1864, to Harriet M. Van Slyck.
  Frank W. Christopherson Jr. (b. 1927) — of Superior, Douglas County, Wis. Born in Superior, Douglas County, Wis., May 24, 1927. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; locomotive fireman; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Douglas County 2nd District, 1959-62; member of Wisconsin state senate 25th District, 1963-66. Still living as of 1966.
  Grover Fredrick Cleveland (1892-1975) — also known as Grover Cleveland — of Brookfield, Waukesha County, Wis. Born in Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wis., November 9, 1892. Democrat. Railroad worker; farmer; candidate for Wisconsin state assembly from Waukesha County 2nd District, 1938. Died in Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County, Wis., June 12, 1975 (age 82 years, 215 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Adelmorn Hargrave Cleveland and Emma (DePuy) Cleveland; married to Leona Gerina Cramer; first cousin twice removed of Stafford Canning Cleveland; second cousin four times removed of Ephraim Safford; third cousin thrice removed of Chauncey Fitch Cleveland and James Safford.
  Political families: Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York; Livingston-Schuyler family of New York; DuPont family of Wilmington, Delaware; Edwards-Davenport-Thompson-Hooker family of Connecticut; Sprague family of Providence, Rhode Island (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
Charles W. Fowell, Jr. Charles W. Fowell Jr. (1901-1973) — of Viroqua, Vernon County, Wis. Born in Sullivan town, Richland County, Wis., May 7, 1901. Republican. Locomotive fireman; restaurant owner; Vernon County Sheriff; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Vernon County, 1939-42; defeated (Independent), 1954. Died December 6, 1973 (age 72 years, 213 days). Interment at Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua, Wis.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
  John R. Gray (b. 1925) — of Antigo, Langlade County, Wis. Born in Bryant, Langlade County, Wis., May 14, 1925. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; locomotive fireman; police officer; Langlade County Sheriff, 1955-58; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Florence, Forest and Langlade counties, 1959-62. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Lawrence M. Hagen (1904-1992) — of Superior, Douglas County, Wis. Born in Black River Falls, Jackson County, Wis., April 4, 1904. Republican. Machinist; railroad worker; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Douglas County 2nd District, 1953-58; defeated, 1958. Norwegian ancestry. Died June 8, 1992 (age 88 years, 65 days). Interment at Riverside Cemetery, Superior, Wis.
  Relatives: Married, February 14, 1974, to Hazel Florence Sanderson.
  Elmer S. Hall — of Green Bay, Brown County, Wis. Republican. Railway accountant; letter carrier; Brown County Clerk, 1905-16; mayor of Green Bay, Wis., 1916-20; delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1920; secretary of state of Wisconsin, 1921-23; candidate for Wisconsin state senate 2nd District, 1932. Burial location unknown.
Julius P. Heil Julius Peter Heil (1876-1949) — also known as Julius P. Heil; "Julius the Just" — of Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County, Wis.; Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Duesmond an der Mosel, Germany, July 24, 1876. Republican. Founder and president of Heil Company (fabricating railroad cars and rails); Governor of Wisconsin, 1939-43; defeated, 1942; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1940; candidate for Presidential Elector for Wisconsin. German ancestry. Member, Freemasons. Died in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis., November 30, 1949 (age 73 years, 129 days). Interment somewhere in Milwaukee, Wis.
  See also National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
  Fred Herman Hildebrandt (1874-1956) — also known as Fred H. Hildebrandt — of Watertown, Codington County, S.Dak. Born in West Bend, Washington County, Wis., August 2, 1874. Democrat. Railroad worker; member of South Dakota state house of representatives 29th District, 1923-24; chairman, South Dakota Game and Fish Commission, 1927-31; U.S. Representative from South Dakota 1st District, 1933-39; defeated, 1924, 1928, 1930; candidate for U.S. Senator from South Dakota, 1938; candidate for Presidential Elector for South Dakota; delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Dakota, 1944 (member, Committee to Notify Presidential Nominee). Died in Bradenton, Manatee County, Fla., January 26, 1956 (age 81 years, 177 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Watertown, S.Dak.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Edward Dwight Holton (1815-1892) — also known as Edward D. Holton — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Lancaster, Coos County, N.H., April 28, 1815. Abolitionist; wheat trader; Liberty candidate for Delegate to U.S. Congress from Wisconsin Territory, 1845; founder, Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad; banker; Free Soil candidate for Governor of Wisconsin, 1853; candidate for Presidential Elector for Wisconsin; delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1856; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Milwaukee County 4th District, 1860. Died, from malaria and erysipelas, in Savannah, Chatham County, Ga., April 21, 1892 (age 76 years, 359 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wis.
  Relatives: Married, October 14, 1845, to Lucinda Millard.
  The city of Holton, Kansas, is named for him.  — Holton Hall, at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, is named for him.  — Holton Street, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is named for him.
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  James Henry Howe (1827-1893) — also known as James H. Howe — of Green Bay, Brown County, Wis. Born in Turner, Androscoggin County, Maine, December 5, 1827. Republican. Lawyer; Wisconsin state attorney general, 1860-62; colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War; General Solicitor and General Manager, North Western Railroad; U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1873. Died in Boston, Suffolk County, Mass., January 4, 1893 (age 65 years, 30 days). Interment somewhere in Kenosha, Wis.
  Relatives: Son of Addison Goodale Howe and Mary Turner (Torrey) Howe; married, December 12, 1850, to Priscilla Jackson Cotton; married, January 17, 1857, to Mary Gordon Cotton; third cousin thrice removed of Jonah Howe and Gardner Howe.
  Political family: Howe family of Massachusetts.
  Norman Wolfred Kittson (1814-1888) — also known as Norman W. Kittson; "Commodore Kittson" — of Pembina, Pembina County, Minn. (now N.Dak.); St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minn. Born in Sorel, Lower Canada (now part of Sorel-Tracy, Quebec), March 5, 1814. Democrat. Fur trader; helped end the Hudson Bay Company's fur trading monopoly in 1849; member Minnesota territorial council 7th District, 1852-55; mayor of St. Paul, Minn., 1858-59; operated steamboats on the Red River from Minnesota north into Winnipeg in the 1870s; worked with James J. Hill to build the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway in 1879-81. Episcopalian. English ancestry. Died in the dining car of a train en route from Chicago to St. Paul, near Roberts, St. Croix County, Wis., May 10, 1888 (age 74 years, 66 days). Interment at Oakland Cemetery, St. Paul, Minn.
  Kittson County, Minn. and Norman County, Minn. are named for him.
  See also Wikipedia article — Minnesota Legislator record
Bernard B. Kroenke Bernard B. Kroenke (b. 1898) — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis., May 31, 1898. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; railroad employee; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Milwaukee County 13th District, 1935-40. Burial location unknown.
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
James S. Mace James S. Mace — of Superior, Douglas County, Wis. Born in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Progressive. Sailor; railroad switchman; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Douglas County 1st District, 1939-40. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
  John Howard McLean (1860-1933) — also known as John H. McLean — of Iron Mountain, Dickinson County, Mich.; Ironwood, Gogebic County, Mich. Born in Neenah, Winnebago County, Wis., June 6, 1860. Republican. Mining and railroad executive; founder of Iron Mountain Press newspaper; Dickinson County Treasurer, 1897-98; delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1904. Catholic; later Protestant. Member, Freemasons; Shriners. Died, of a stroke, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif., May 6, 1933 (age 72 years, 334 days). Interment at Fort Howard Memorial Park, Green Bay, Wis.
  Relatives: Nephew by marriage of Nelson W. Fisk.
  Alexander Mitchell (1817-1887) — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, October 17, 1817. Democrat. Banker; president, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, 1864-87; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, 1871-75 (1st District 1871-73, 4th District 1873-75); defeated, 1868; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1876 (member, Resolutions Committee). Scottish ancestry. Died in New York, New York County, N.Y., April 19, 1887 (age 69 years, 184 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wis.
  Relatives: Son of John Mitchell and Margaret (Lendrum) Mitchell; married to Martha Reed (sister of Harrison Reed); father of John Lendrum Mitchell.
  Political family: Mitchell-Reed family of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  The city of Mitchell, South Dakota, is named for him.  — The city of Alexandria, South Dakota, is named for him.  — The World War II Liberty ship SS Alexander Mitchell (built 1943 at Richmond, California; scrapped 1967) was named for him.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Thomas J. O'Malley (1868-1936) — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Menasha, Winnebago County, Wis., 1868. Democrat. Railway conductor; Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, 1933-36; died in office 1936. Member, Order of Railway Conductors. Died, from a heart attack, in Hot Springs, Garland County, Ark., May 27, 1936 (age about 67 years). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Father of Thomas David Patrick O'Malley.
  See also Wikipedia article
  William J. Patterson (b. 1880) — of North Dakota. Born in Neenah, Winnebago County, Wis., June 4, 1880. Railway brakeman, fireman, switchman, and conductor; safety inspector; Director of Safety for Interstate Commerce Commission, 1934-39; member, Interstate Commerce Commission, 1939-53. Member, Order of Railway Conductors; Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Elks; Union League. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Amos Patterson and Mary (Bidwell) Patterson; married, April 29, 1912, to Margaret M. Henderman.
Henry C. Payne Henry Clay Payne (1843-1904) — also known as Henry C. Payne — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Ashfield, Franklin County, Mass., November 23, 1843. Republican. Postmaster at Milwaukee, Wis., 1876-85; president, Wisconsin Telephone Company; president, Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company; president, American Street Railway Association; receiver, Northern Pacific Railroad; member of Republican National Committee from Wisconsin, 1880-1904; Chairman of Republican National Committee, 1904; Wisconsin Republican state chair, 1892; U.S. Postmaster General, 1902-04; died in office 1904. Methodist. Died in Washington, D.C., October 4, 1904 (age 60 years, 316 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wis.
  Presumably named for: Henry Clay
  Relatives: Son of Orrin P. Payne and Eliza (Ames) Payne; married, October 15, 1867, to Lydia W. Van Dyke.
  The World War II Liberty ship SS Henry C. Payne (built 1943 at Richmond, California; scrapped 1967) was named for him.
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: American Monthly Review of Reviews, January 1902
  Emanuel Lorenz Philipp (1861-1925) — also known as Emanuel L. Philipp — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in Sauk County, Wis., March 25, 1861. Republican. Farmer; school teacher; telegraph operator; railway station agent; lumber business; member of Republican National Committee from Wisconsin, 1908; Milwaukee Police Commissioner, 1909-14; Governor of Wisconsin, 1915-21; delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1916. Swiss ancestry. Member, Humane Society; Freemasons. Died in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis., June 15, 1925 (age 64 years, 82 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wis.
  Relatives: Son of Luzi Philipp and Sabina (Ludwig) Philipp; married, October 27, 1887, to Bertha Schweke.
  See also National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article
  August Carl Polster (1885-1942) — also known as August Polster — of Wausau, Marathon County, Wis. Born in Wausau, Marathon County, Wis., September 24, 1885. Railway freight clerk; banker; mayor of Wausau, Wis., 1938-42; died in office 1942. Member, Freemasons; Royal Arch Masons; Knights Templar; Royal and Select Masters; Shriners; Order of the Eastern Star; White Shrine of Jerusalem; Moose; Royal Arcanum; Elks; Knights of Pythias. Died, in St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, Olmsted County, Minn., February 1, 1942 (age 56 years, 130 days). Interment at Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau, Wis.
  Relatives: Son of August F. Polster and Anna (Rubritins) Polster.
Valentine P. Rath Valentine P. Rath (b. 1860) — of Antigo, Langlade County, Wis. Born in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wis., February 15, 1860. Democrat. Railroad worker; farmer; Langlade County Clerk, 1903-24, 1933-38; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Langlade County, 1939-40. Burial location unknown.
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
John M. Smith John M. Smith — of Shell Lake, Washburn County, Wis. Born near Carthage, Hancock County, Ill. Republican. Telegraph operator; railway station agent; bookkeeper; banker; Wisconsin state treasurer, 1939-47. Burial location unknown.
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
John C. Spooner John Coit Spooner (1843-1919) — also known as John C. Spooner; "The Tinker of Legislation" — of Hudson, St. Croix County, Wis.; Madison, Dane County, Wis.; Manhattan, New York County, N.Y. Born in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, Ind., January 6, 1843. Republican. Served in the Union Army during the Civil War; lawyer; private and military secretary to Gov. Lucius Fairchild; member of Wisconsin state assembly, 1872; general solicitor, Omaha Railroad, 1880; law partner of Arthur Loomis Sanborn; U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, 1885-91, 1897-1907; delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1888 (delegation chair), 1892 (delegation chair); candidate for Governor of Wisconsin, 1892. Died, of pneumonia and apoplexy, in Manhattan, New York County, N.Y., June 11, 1919 (age 76 years, 156 days). Interment at Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wis.
  Relatives: Son of Philip L. Spooner and Lydia (Coit) Spooner; married, September 10, 1868, to Annie E. Main.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Image source: The Parties and The Men (1896)
Harry P. Van_Guilder Harry P. Van Guilder (1890-1979) — of Ashland, Ashland County, Wis. Born in Cannon Falls, Goodhue County, Minn., July 6, 1890. Progressive. Bookkeeper; railroad switchman; president of his union local, 10 years; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Ashland County, 1937-42; defeated, 1942; candidate for U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 10th District, 1944. Member, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Died in November, 1979 (age 89 years, 0 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Ashland, Wis.
  Relatives: Married to Marie Eileen 'May' Habelt.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940
  Daniel Wells Jr. (1808-1902) — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. Born in West Waterville (now Oakland), Kennebec County, Maine, July 16, 1808. Democrat. Probate judge in Wisconsin, 1838; member Wisconsin territorial council, 1838-40; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 1st District, 1853-57. President of three railroads. Died in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis., March 18, 1902 (age 93 years, 245 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wis.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial
Gardner R. Withrow Gardner Robert Withrow (1892-1964) — also known as Gardner R. Withrow — of La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis. Born in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis., October 5, 1892. Railroad worker; member of Wisconsin state assembly, 1926-27; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, 1931-39, 1949-61 (7th District 1931-33, 3rd District 1933-39, 1949-61); defeated (Progressive), 1940. Member, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Died September 23, 1964 (age 71 years, 354 days). Interment at Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse, Wis.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1954
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The Political Graveyard is a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. Founded in 1996, it is the Internet's most comprehensive free source for American political biography, listing 320,919 politicians, living and dead.
 
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