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.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Alexander Randall, of Waukesha County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1857 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

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.
April 12, 1859: Edward V. Whiton, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, died in office.
April 19, 1859: Luther S. Dixon was appointed Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
November 8, 1859: Alexander Randall was re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.

Sessions

1st Regular session: January 12, 1859 - March 21, 1859

Leaders

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor
President pro tempore: Denison Worthington

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature :

District	Counties	Senator	Party	Residence
01	Sheboygan		Dem.	Plymouth
02	Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw		Dem.	Green Bay
03	Ozaukee		Dem.	Ozaukee
04	Washington		Dem.	Cedar Creek
05	Milwaukee		Rep.	Milwaukee
06	Milwaukee		Dem.	Milwaukee
07	Racine		Dem.	Racine
08	Kenosha		Rep.	Wilmot
09	Adams, Juneau, Sauk		Rep.	Delton
10	Waukesha		Rep.	Summit
11	Dane		Dem.	Cottage Grove
12	Walworth		Rep.	Geneva
13	Lafayette		Dem.	Shullsburg
14	Jefferson and Dodge		Dem.	Watertown
15	Iowa, Richland		Dem.	Orion
16	Grant		Rep.	Platteville
17	Rock		Rep.	Janesville
18	Rock		Rep.	Beloit
19	Manitowoc, Calumet		Dem.	Manitowoc
20	Fond du Lac		Rep.
21	Winnebago		Rep.	Oshkosh
22	Dodge		Rep.	Fox Lake
23	Jefferson		Rep.	Jefferson
24	Green		Rep.	Albany
25	Columbia		Rep.	Portage
26	Dane		Dem.	Madison
27	Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood		Rep.	Stanton
28	Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn,,, Pierce, Polk,		Dem.	Osceola Mills
29	Marquette		Rep.	Marquette
30	Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau		Dem.	La Crosse

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature:

Employees

Senate employees

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 employees

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