4th Wisconsin Legislature

The Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened in regular session from January 8, 1851, to March 17, 1851. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and served 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 on November 5, 1850. 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, 1849.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Nelson Dewey, of Grant County, serving the second year of his second two-year term, having won re-election in the 1849 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

January 20, 1851: Henry Dodge re-elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session.
November 4, 1851: Leonard J. Farwell elected Governor of Wisconsin.

Major legislation

January 22, 1851: Joint resolution in relation to the Honorable Isaac P. Walker,
February 1, 1851: Act to incorporate the Fire Department of the City of Milwaukee,
February 4, 1851: Act providing for the election of a Chief Justice,
February 6, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate the County of Oconto,
February 11, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate Door County,
February 15, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate the County of Waushara,
February 17, 1851: Act to incorporate the County of Waupaca,
February 17, 1851: Act to divide the county of Brown and create the county of Outagamie,
March 10, 1851: Act to prevent the killing of deer in certain months of the year,
March 11, 1851: Act to change the name of the town of "Pike" in Kenosha county to "Somers,"

Sessions

1st Regular session: January 8, 1851-March 17, 1851

Leaders

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Samuel Beall, Lieutenant Governor
President pro tempore: Duncan Reed

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly: Frederick W. Horn

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

District	Counties	Senator	Party	Residence
01	Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan		Dem.	Appleton
02	Columbia, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, Waushara		Whig
03	Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix, La Pointe		Dem.
04	Fond du Lac, Winnebago		Dem.
05	Iowa, Richland		Whig
06	Grant		Whig	Platteville
07	Lafayette		Dem.	Shullsburg
08	Green		Dem.	Monroe
09	Dane		Dem.	Madison
10	Dodge		Dem.	Chester
11	Washington		Dem.	Ozaukee
12	Jefferson		Dem.	Palmyra
13	Waukesha		Dem.	Waukesha
14	Walworth		Free Soil	Elkhorn
15	Rock		Dem.	Janesville
16	Kenosha		Dem.	Kenosha
17	Racine		Free Soil	Racine
18	Milwaukee		Dem.	Milwaukee
19	Milwaukee		Dem.	Milwaukee

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Employees

Senate employees

Chief Clerk: William Hull
Sergeant-at-Arms: Enias D. Masters

Assembly employees

Chief Clerk: Alexander T. Gray
Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles S. Kingsbury