Alexander Campbell Botkin (October 13, 1842 – November 1, 1905) was a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

politician from

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

Biography

Botkin was born on October 13, 1842, in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

. He graduated from the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

with bachelor's and master's degrees (in 1859) and received his

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

from

Albany Law School Albany Law School is a private law school in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1851 and is the oldest independent law school in the nation. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and has an affiliation agreement with University at A ...

in 1866. Botkin was a payroll clerk for the United States Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

(1862–1865). He practiced law, and was an editor of the ''Milwaukee Sentinel'' from 1868 to 1869, managing editor of the ''Chicago Times'' (1869–1874), and editor of the ''Milwaukee Sentinel'' (1874–1877). He married Harriet E. Sherman in 1872. In 1878, President

Rutherford Hayes Rutherford may refer to: Places Australia * Rutherford, New South Wales, a suburb of Maitland * Rutherford (Parish), New South Wales, a civil parish of Yungnulgra County Canada * Mount Rutherford, Jasper National Park * Rutherford, Edmonto ...

appointed him

United States marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforcem ...

for the

Montana Territory The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana. Original boundaries T ...

. In 1880, he lost the use of his legs as the result of an illness following exposure during a winter storm, and he used a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. He remained active in the law and politics, and continued to serve as a U.S. marshal until 1885. He served as a master in chancery for Montana's federal courts from 1889 to 1897, and

Helena Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer *Helena, mother of Constantine I Places Greece * Helena (island) Guyana * ...

's city attorney from 1886 to 1890. Botkin was elected lieutenant governor as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

in 1892 and served one term, 1893 to 1897. He was an unsuccessful candidate for

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

in 1896. In 1897, President

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...

appointed Botkin to a commission tasked with revising the United States criminal and penal code. He eventually came chairman, and served until he died, in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Botkin died on November 1, 1905. He was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in

, where his father

Alexander Botkin Alexander Botkin (March 4, 1801March 5, 1857) was an American lawyer, politician, and pioneer settler of Dane County, Wisconsin. He served one term each as a member of the Wisconsin Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Born in Kentuc ...

had served as a member of both houses of the

Wisconsin State Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republican ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Botkin, Alexander Campbell 1842 births 1905 deaths Albany Law School alumni Lieutenant Governors of Montana Politicians from Madison, Wisconsin People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War United States Marshals University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Montana Republicans Wisconsin Republicans American politicians with disabilities People from Helena, Montana Editors of Wisconsin newspapers Wisconsin lawyers American lawyers with disabilities

Biography

See also

References

External links