Patrick Walsh (22 July 1830 – 19 March 1888) was a notable American

farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...

who dedicated himself to public service, serving two terms as a Democratic member of the

Wisconsin State Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the larger Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after t ...

and a year as a member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, representing

Milwaukee County Milwaukee County is located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the population was 939,489, down from 947,735 in 2010. It is both the most populous and most densely populated county in Wisconsin, and the 45th most populous coun ...

Early life

Hailing from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, Walsh's journey began on Irish soil. He secured election to the Wisconsin State Senate for the years 1858 and 1859, representing the Sixth District, which encompassed the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 8th Wards of the City of Milwaukee, along with the

Towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

Greenfield Greenfield or Greenfields may refer to: Engineering and Business * Greenfield agreement, an employment agreement for a new organisation * Greenfield investment, the investment in a structure in an area where no previous facilities exist * Greenf ...

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, Oak Creek and

Wauwatosa Wauwatosa (; known informally as Tosa; originally Wau-wau-too-sa or Hart's Mill) is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 48,387 at the 2020 census. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, and is a pa ...

. In this capacity, he succeeded the fellow Ireland-born Democrat Edward O'Neil.

Legislative service

By 1859, the ''

Wisconsin Blue Book The ''Wisconsin Blue Book'' is a biennial publication of the Wisconsin's Legislative Reference Bureau. The ''Blue Book'' is an almanac containing information on the government, economics, demographics, geography and history of the state of Wisc ...

'' documented Walsh's occupation as a farmer. Notably, he held the distinction of being the youngest member of the Senate, assuming his role at the age of 28. During this period, he actively contributed to the

standing committee A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

s on

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and

engrossed bill In the United States Congress, an enrolled bill is the final copy of a bill or joint resolution which has passed both houses of Congress in identical form. In the United States, enrolled bills are engrossed—prepared in a formally printed copy� ...

s. As the pages of history turned, Walsh's tenure gave way to Michael Egan, another Democrat of Irish origin, who took up the mantle in 1860. Transitioning to a new phase of public service, Walsh was elected to represent the 9th Milwaukee County district in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1868. This district encompassed the Towns of Franklin, Greenfield, Lake, and Oak Creek. He succeeded fellow Democrat Valentin Knœll. Throughout his tenure, Walsh remained true to his farming roots, designating his postal address as "Hill's Corners," likely referring to

Hales Corners Hales Corners is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,692 at the 2010 census. History The land in the area that would eventually encompass the Village was first claimed as French, then British, and even ...

in the Town of Greenfield. His commitment to public service was evident in his participation on the committees dedicated to

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affairs and education.''The Legislative Manual, of the State of Wisconsin; Comprising Jefferson's Manual, Rules, Forms and Laws, for the Regulation of Business; also, lists and tables for reference'' Seventh Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, 1868; pp. 173, 175-176, 181
/ref> In 1869, Walsh's role in the Assembly was succeeded by Henry Roethe, who also held Democratic affiliations.

Family and Legacy

Tragedy struck when Walsh's wife, Mary Ann, passed away at the tender age of 21 in 1859. Despite this sorrowful chapter, Walsh chose not to enter into a subsequent marriage. Both he and Mary Ann find their final resting place at the Saint Mary's Cemetery in Hales Corners, where their legacies are commemorated.

References

1830 births 1888 deaths 19th-century Irish people Farmers from Wisconsin Irish emigrants to the United States People from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators 19th-century American politicians Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly {{Wisconsin-WISenate-stub