Thomas Hazeltine McDill (July 18, 1815January 14, 1889) 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 ...

businessman,

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, and pioneer of

Portage County, Wisconsin Portage County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of th2020 census the population was 70,377. Its county seat is Stevens Point. Portage County comprises the Stevens Point, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the ...

. He served four years in 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 Portage County.

Biography

Thomas McDill was born in

Crawford County, Pennsylvania Crawford County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,938. Its county seat is Meadville. The county was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel Wi ...

, in July 1815. He received a common school education there and moved to the

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

in 1840, working as a lumberman at Mill Creek. He built the first sawmill on the Eau Claire River, near what's now

Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, and ...

, in 1842. By 1844, a larger number of lumbermen had moved to the area, and he decided to sell the mill to open a hotel to take advantage of the influx of new residents. He set up his hotel at the nearby village of

Plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfa ...

, which was then the county seat of Portage County. His hotel business brought him into local politics, and in 1847 he was appointed sheriff of Portage County by Governor

Henry Dodge Moses Henry Dodge (October 12, 1782 – June 19, 1867) was a Democratic member to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son, Augustus C. Dodge, served as a ...

. He was subsequently elected to a full term in the position in 1848, and served as sheriff until he was elected county treasurer in 1856. That year, his younger brother, Dr.

Alexander S. McDill Alexander Stuart McDill (March 18, 1822 – November 12, 1875) was an American medical doctor, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives, representing northern Wisconsin. He a ...

, came to join him at Plover. Together, they opened a general store, operated a sawmill, and engaged in the lumber trade. 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 ...

, he served as an assistant quartermaster for the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

with the rank of

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 ...

. After the war, he was elected to the

for the 1867 session. He was not a candidate for re-election, but returned to office in

1871 Events January–March * January 3 – Franco-Prussian War – Battle of Bapaume: Prussians win a strategic victory. * January 18 – Proclamation of the German Empire: The member states of the North German Confederation and the sout ...

. In 1876, he was a candidate for 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 ...

, but lost to Henry Mumbrue. He went on to serve two more terms in the Assembly in 1879 and 1880. During this time, he also served as chairman of the town board and served eight years as chairman of the county board. In 1870, McDill and his brother sold their businesses in Plover, and moved to the village of McDill, which had been named for him. He maintained his interests in the lumber business until his death. He died in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

on January 14, 1889.

Personal life and family

Thomas McDill was a son of James McDill, an

Irish American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

immigrant who served in the Pennsylvania Militia during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. McDill's younger brother,

, served as a

U.S. congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and was superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane. His nephew, George Davis McDill, served in the

Iron Brigade The Iron Brigade, also known as The Black Hats, Black Hat Brigade, Iron Brigade of the West, and originally King's Wisconsin Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought enti ...

of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

and served three terms in the State Assembly. Thomas McDill married Mary Ruth Harris on February 7, 1849. They had three children together and adopted a foster son. Their son, George Edward McDill, also became a prominent businessman and politician in Portage County and was chairman of the

Republican Party of Wisconsin The Republican Party of Wisconsin is a right-wing political party in Wisconsin and is the Wisconsin affiliate of the United States Republican Party (GOP). The state party chair is Paul Farrow. The state party is divided into 72 county parties f ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McDill, Thomas People from Crawford County, Pennsylvania People from Plover, Wisconsin Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Wisconsin city council members County supervisors in Wisconsin County treasurers in Wisconsin County judges in the United States People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Union Army officers 1815 births 1889 deaths 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American judges Military personnel from Pennsylvania 19th-century Wisconsin politicians