32nd Wisconsin Legislature

The Thirty-Second Wisconsin Legislature convened from to 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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 5, 1878. 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 6, 1877.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican William E. Smith, of Milwaukee County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

January 22, 1879: Matthew H. Carpenter elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
November 4, 1879: William E. Smith re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.

Major legislation

February 28, 1879: An Act to secure to children the benefits of an elementary education, . Created a legal requirement for parents and legal guardians to send their children to school for at least one semester per year between the ages of 7 and 15.

Sessions

1st Regular session: January 8, 1879March 5, 1879

Leaders

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: James M. Bingham
President pro tempore: William T. Price

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly: David M. Kelly

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Thirty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:

Dist.	Counties	Senator	Residence	Party
01	Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, & Shawano		Kewaunee	Rep.
02	Brown		Green Bay	Dem.
03	Racine		Burlington	Rep.
04	Crawford & Vernon		Chaseburg	Rep.
05	Milwaukee		Milwaukee	Rep.
06	Milwaukee		Milwaukee	Dem.
07	Milwaukee		Milwaukee	Rep.
08	Kenosha & Walworth		Geneva	Rep.
09	Green Lake, Marquette,		Berlin	Rep.
10	Waukesha		Merton	Dem.
11	Chippewa, Clark, Lincoln, Taylor,		Grand Rapids	Rep.
12	Green & Lafayette		Monroe	Rep.
13	Dodge		Beaver Dam	Rep.
14	Juneau & Sauk		Baraboo	Rep.
15	Manitowoc		Manitowoc	Dem.
16	Grant		Beetown	Rep.
17	Rock		Janesville	Rep.
18			Ripon	Rep.
19	Winnebago		Oshkosh	Dem.
20	Sheboygan		Sheboygan Falls	Dem.
21	Marathon, Portage,		Wausau	Rep.
22	Calumet & Outagamie		Appleton	Dem.
23	Jefferson		Lake Mills	Rep.
23	Jefferson		Watertown	Rep.
24	Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Polk,		Baldwin	Rep.
25	Dane		Madison	Rep.
26	Dane		Cross Plains	Dem.
27	Adams & Columbia		Columbus	Rep.
28	Iowa & Richland		Middlebury	Rep.
29	Buffalo, Pepin,		Durand	Rep.
30	Dunn,,			Rep.
31	La Crosse		La Crosse	Rep.
32	Jackson		Black River Falls	Rep.
33	Ozaukee & Washington			Dem.

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:

Employees

Senate employees

Chief Clerk: Charles E. Bross
* Assistant Clerk: W. S. Reynolds
* Bookkeeper: T. S. Ansley
* Engrossing Clerk: John P. Mitchell
* Enrolling Clerk: A. J. Smith
* Transcribing Clerk: Fred. Richards
* Proofreader: Thomas A. Dyson
* Clerk for the Judiciary Committee: H. M. Pierce
* Clerk for the Committee on Claims: L. F. Nickey
* Clerk for the Committee on Enrolled Bills: Walter L. Houser
Sergeant-at-Arms: Chalmers Ingersoll
* Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William A. Adamson
Postmaster: O. N. Russell
* Assistant Postmaster: A. C. Martin
Gallery Attendant: O. A. Kluetz
* Doc. Room Attendant: William Graham
Doorkeepers:
* E. T. Songstad
* M. Simon
* A. Knudson
* John Halls
Porter: John Redman
Night Watch: Eugene A. Steer
Chief Clerk's Messenger: J. G. Hyland
President's Messenger: John Barrows
Messengers:
* Jos. Campbell
* Jas. H. Welch
* Harry M. Hathaway
* Thos. Farness
* Geo. Roe
* Jos. J. Gunkel
* Lono Loper
Janitor: Ole Stevenson

Assembly employees

Chief Clerk: John E. Eldred
* 1st Assistant Clerk: William M. Fogo
** 2nd Assistant Clerk: S. L. Perrine
* Bookkeeper: O. A. Southmayd
* Engrossing Clerk: T. J. Vaughn
* Enrolling Clerk: Franklin S. Lawrence
* Transcribing Clerk: F. W. Rogers
* Proof Reader: H. O. Fifield
Sergeant-at-Arms: Miletus Knight
* Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William Seamonson
Postmaster: J. J. Gibbs
* Assistant Postmaster: William Stanton
Doorkeepers:
* J. J. Burnard
* C. E. Webster
* George B. McMillen
* Fred Oelhafer
Gallery Attendants:
* R. Worts
* J. L. Johnson
Porter: C. Schneider
Night Watch: N. V. Chandler
Wash Room Attendant: J. W. Kildow
Speaker's Messenger: E. H. Potter
Clerk's Messenger: Arthur Truax
Messengers:
* William Post
* John F. Sanderson
* Richard Kempter
* S. G. Bottum
* Harvey Barlow
* Candy Nicodemus
* William Renkema
* Eddie Kavenaugh
* Julius Leison
* B. F. Oakley
* Bertie Carter
* Freddie Wittl
* Jake Gill