Home > William A. Barstow

Barstow served as the Wisconsin Secretary of State from 1850 until 1852. He was elected the governor of Wisconsin as a Democrat, taking office on January 2, 1854Events January 13 The accordion is patented by Anthony Faas. February 11 Major streets lit by coal gas for first time. February 14 Texas is linked by telegraph with the rest of the United States, when a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas i. As governor, Barstow supported the railroad to the PacificThe First Transcontinental Railroad was a transcontinental railroad in North America that was finished in 1869. Since 1859 the most westerly railroad from the Atlantic coast reached Omaha, Nebraska. To connect it with the Pacific coast the Central Pacific and stood against the attempts of the Know-Nothing movementThe Know-Nothing movement was a nativist American political movement of the 1850s. It grew up as a popular reaction to the large numbers of immigrants—mostly Irish Roman Catholics—entering the United States starting in the late 1840s, and was characterize to undermine the citizenship of the foreign-born. He opposed prohibitionFor the judicial writ of prohibition, see Prohibition (writ). For prohibition of drugs in general, see Prohibition (drugs . Prohibition was the period between 1919- 1932 in Finland (called 'kieltolaki'), between 1900 and 1948 in locations in Canada and be of alcohol sales, and vetoed a ban passed by the Legislature despite strong public support. However, allegations that his administration had misused public school funds and favored personal friends in state funded loans proved to have greater impact than his positions on issues. Although he was renominated by the Democrats, Barstow lost support within his party as well as in Wisconsin generally.

When Barstow ran for reelection in 1855Events Births January 5 King Camp Gillette, inventor († 1932) January 21 John Moses Browning, inventor († 1926) January 28 William Seward Burroughs, inventor of the calculator († 1898) March 13 Percival Lowell, astronomer († 19, he was initially declared the winner against his Republican opponent, Coles BashfordColes Bashford ( January 24, 1816 April 25, 1878) was an American lawyer and politician who became the first Republican governor of Wisconsin. His one term as governor ended in a bribery scandal that forced him to leave the state, but he was later instrum, by a mere 157 votes. However, Bashford claimed the result was fraudulent, and it was soon substantiated that Barstow's win was due to forged election returns from nonexistent precincts in the sparsely populated northern part of the state, in addition to other irregularities such as two separate canvassing boards claiming legitimacy in Waupaca CountyWaupaca County is a county located in the State of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population is 51,731. Its county seat is Waupaca 6. Geography According to the U. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,982 km² (765 mi²). 1,945 km² (751 mi²) of it is and attempting to submit conflicting certifications. As rival militia units converged on the state capital in Madison, threatening to start a civil war within the state, Barstow was inaugurated in a full, public ceremony on January 7, 1856. On the same day, Bashford was also sworn in quietly as governor in the chambers of the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Chief Justice Whiton. The Wisconsin attorney general filed quo warranto proceedings in the Wisconsin Supreme Court to remove Barstow, who threatened that he would not "give up his office alive." After challenging the court's jurisdiction without success and noting that the tide of public opinion had turned against him, Barstow declined to contest the fraud allegations and sent his resignation to the legislature on March 21, 1856, leaving the lieutenant governor, Arthur MacArthur, as acting governor. On March 24, the court unanimously awarded the governorship to Bashford by a count of 1,009 votes.

Barstow remained in politics following the election scandal, serving as a Wisconsin delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1860. After the start of the Civil War, however, he joined the Union war effort and under the authority of the War Department in 1861, he organized the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry regiment at Camp Barstow, near Janesville. He commanded the regiment as a colonel and was appointed Provost Marshall General of Kansas, operating out of Leavenworth. Due to failing health, however, Barstow was reassigned in the summer of 1863 to preside over courts-martial in St. Louis, Missouri, and he never rejoined his regiment. He was promoted to Brigadier-General of volunteers on March 13, 1865, nine months before his death in Leavenworth.