Washington Bushnell (September 20, 1825 – June 30, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician. Born in

Madison County, New York Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 68,016. Its county seat is Wampsville. The county is named after James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, and was fir ...

, Bushnell and his family moved to

Kendall County, Illinois Kendall County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, within the Chicago metropolitan area. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 131,869. Its county seat is Yorkville, and its most populous municipality is Oswego. Kendal ...

and settled in

Lisbon, Illinois Lisbon is a village in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 271 at the 2020 census. The community was established in 1836 with a log tavern and a highway connecting Joliet to Chicago Road. This led to the addition of a po ...

. In 1853, Bushnell graduated from the

State and National Law School The State and National Law School was an early practical training law school founded in 1849 by John W. Fowler in Ballston Spa, New York (Saratoga County). It was also known as New York State and National Law School, Ballston Law School, and Fowl ...

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

and was admitted to the New York bar. He moved to

Ottawa, Illinois Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the navigable Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The Illinois River is a conduit for river barges and connects Lake Michigan at Chicago, to the Mississippi Riv ...

, in 1853, and practiced law. Bushnell served as Ottawa city attorney and as

LaSalle County, Illinois LaSalle County is located within the Fox Valley and Illinois River Valley regions of the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 Census, it had a population of 109,658. Its county seat and largest city is Ottawa. LaSalle County is part of the ...

state attorney. From 1860 to 1864, Bushnell served in the

Illinois State Senate The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the I ...

and was 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 ...

. From 1869 to 1873, Bushnell served as

Illinois Attorney General The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by statewide election. Based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, the attorney ...

. In 1880, Bushnell was a candidate for the

United States House of Representatives 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

and lost the nomination. Bushnell died of heart failure at his home in Ottawa, Illinois.'Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society For The Year 1903,'. January 27 and 28, 1903, Phillips Brothers, Spring, Illinois: 1904, Biographical Sketch of Washington Bushnell, pg. 219

Notes

1825 births 1885 deaths People from Madison County, New York People from Ottawa, Illinois State and National Law School alumni Illinois lawyers New York (state) lawyers Illinois Attorneys General Republican Party Illinois state senators People from Kendall County, Illinois 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers {{Illinois-statesenator-stub