Alexander Wilson (August 16, 1833March 4, 1888) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

lawyer and

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 ...

politician. He was the 12th

Attorney General of Wisconsin The Attorney General of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Forty-five individuals have held the office of Attorney General since statehood. The incumbent is Josh Kaul, ...

, serving from 1878 through 1882, and served several years as a

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

and county judge in

Iowa County, Wisconsin Iowa County is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 23,709. Its county seat and largest city is Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Dodgeville. When created, it ...

Biography

Born in

Westfield, New York Westfield is a town in the western part of Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 4,513 at the 2020 census. Westfield is also the name of a village within the town, containing 65% of the town's population. This unique to ...

, Wilson graduated from

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

in 1854, studying the science and civil engineering course. He taught school for two winters at

Huntley, Illinois Huntley is a village in McHenry and Kane counties, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 27,740. It is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Geography Huntley is in the southern part of McHenry County and ...

, then moved to

Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Il ...

, where he

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

and worked as a land surveyor. He was admitted to the bar in the Fall of 1855, and moved to

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

later that year. He settled at

Mineral Point, Wisconsin Mineral Point is a city in Iowa County, Wisconsin, Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,581 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city is located within the Mineral Point (town), Wisconsin, Town of Mineral Point ...

, in Iowa County, and worked for several years as a teacher, served on the board of education, and was elected city superintendent of schools. While teaching, he read law in the offices of Cobb & Messmore. In 1860, he began his own law practice in partnership with E. P. Weber. He was elected

at the fall 1860 general election and was elected to the office again in 1864 and 1866. In December 1867, he was appointed county judge of Iowa County, replacing Luman M. Strong, who died in office. In 1874, he established a private bank in partnership with Edward Harris. The bank later developed into the City Bank of Mineral Point. He was elected Attorney General of Wisconsin in the general election of 1877 and was re-elected in 1879. The Wisconsin Bar Association described Wilson as conservative, patient, and safe. After leaving office in 1882, Wilson returned to his private law practice. He died in March 1888 in

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

, while en route to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. He is buried in

Wyuka Cemetery Wyuka Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1890, Lincoln's Bnai Jeshurun Congregation, a Reform congregation, began using a section of Wyuka. History Wyuka Cemetery was established in Lincoln, Nebraska, by an act of the ...

in Lincoln.

Electoral history

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 6, 1877 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 4, 1879

References

External links

* 1833 births 1888 deaths Union College (New York) alumni Politicians from Dubuque, Iowa People from Westfield, New York People from Mineral Point, Wisconsin Wisconsin state court judges Wisconsin Attorneys General District attorneys in Wisconsin 19th-century American judges {{Wisconsin-politician-stub