Edward Eugene Burns (January 20, 1858 – June 15, 1941) was an American lawyer from Platteville,

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 ...

, who served as a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Senate.

Background

O'Neil was born in what would later become

East Dubuque, Illinois East Dubuque is a city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,505 at the 2020 census, down from 1,704 in 2010. East Dubuque is located alongside the Mississippi River. Across the river is t ...

, on January 20, 1858. Shortly after he was born, his family moved to

Jamestown, Wisconsin Jamestown is a town in Grant County, Wisconsin, Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,077 at the 2000 census. The census-designated places of Kieler, Wisconsin, Kieler and Sandy Hook, Wisconsin, Sandy Hook and the unincorpora ...

, and settled on a farm where he grew up. He attended the Platteville Normal School, later the University of Wisconsin–Platteville; and the University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in the class of 1887. He practiced law for one year in Boscobel, Wisconsin, then moving to Platteville on December 1, 1890. Burns died on June 15, 1941, while visiting his brother in Galena, Illinois.

Elected office and military service

He was elected a member of the

county board A county board is a common form of county legislature, particular of counties in the United States. Related forms of county government include: * Board of Supervisors — a form of county legislature in some U.S. states * County commission, ...

in 1895 and 1896, and was the city attorney of Platteville in 1897 and 1898. In 1898, he entered the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

for two years and served in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of Company C of the

4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 4th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, primarily in the Western Theater. It was later mounted and became the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment. History The 4th Wis ...

. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate's 16th District ( Grant and

Iowa Counties There are 99 counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County, were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's statehood, part of Michigan T ...

) on November 6, 1900 (Republican incumbent

Charles H. Baxter Charles Henry Baxter (November 15, 1841December 23, 1923) was an American businessman, banker, and progressive Republican politician. He served eight years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Grant County and neighboring municipalities, ...

was not a candidate), beating

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

William Synon and Prohibitionist John W. Horsfall; and was re-elected in 1904. He was succeeded in 1909 by

John J. Blaine John James Blaine (May 4, 1875April 16, 1934) was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 24th Governor of Wisconsin and a United States senator. He also served as Attorney General of Wisconsin and a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. ...

, also a Republican.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Edward E. People from Jo Daviess County, Illinois People from Platteville, Wisconsin Wisconsin lawyers Republican Party Wisconsin state senators County supervisors in Wisconsin 1858 births American military personnel of the Spanish–American War University of Wisconsin Law School alumni University of Wisconsin–Platteville alumni 1941 deaths People from Jamestown, Wisconsin