4th Wisconsin Legislature
The Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 8, 1851, to March 17, 1851, in regular session. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assemblymembers were elected to a one-year term. Assemblymembers and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 5, 1850. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 6, 1849.
Major events
- January 20, 1851: The Wisconsin Legislature, in joint session, re-elected Henry Dodge to a six-year term as United States Senator.
- November 4, 1851: Leonard J. Farwell elected Governor of Wisconsin.
- January 5, 1852: Inauguration of Leonard J. Farwell as the 2nd Governor of Wisconsin.
- January 5, 1852: Inauguration of Timothy Burns as the 3rd Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- January 22, 1851: Joint resolution in relation to the Honorable Isaac P. Walker,
- February 1, 1851: Act to incorporate the Fire Department of the City of Milwaukee,
- February 4, 1851: Act providing for the election of a Chief Justice,
- February 6, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate the County of Oconto,
- February 11, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate Door County,
- February 15, 1851: Act to set apart and incorporate the County of Waushara,
- February 17, 1851: Act to incorporate the County of Waupaca,
- February 17, 1851: Act to divide the county of Brown and create the county of Outagamie,
- March 10, 1851: Act to prevent the killing of deer in certain months of the year,
- March 11, 1851: Act to change the name of the town of "Pike" in Kenosha county to "Somers,"
Party summary
Senate
Assembly
Sessions
- 1st Regular session: January 8, 1851-March 17, 1851
Leaders
Senate
- President of the Senate: Samuel Beall, Lieutenant Governor
- President pro tempore: Duncan Reed
Assembly
- Speaker of the Assembly: Frederick W. Horn
Members
Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:| District | Counties | Senator | Party |
| 1 | Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan | Theodore Conkey | Democrat |
| 2 | Columbia, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, Waushara | George DeGraw Moore | Whig |
| 3 | Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix, La Pointe | Hiram A. Wright | Democrat |
| 4 | Fond du Lac, Winnebago | John A. Eastman | Democrat |
| 5 | Iowa, Richland | Levi Sterling | Whig |
| 6 | Grant | John H. Rountree | Whig |
| 7 | Lafayette | Samuel G. Bugh | Democrat |
| 8 | Green | William Rittenhouse | Democrat |
| 9 | Dane | Eliab B. Dean, Jr. | Democrat |
| 10 | Dodge | James Giddings | Democrat |
| 11 | Washington | Harvey G. Turner | Democrat |
| 12 | Jefferson | Peter H. Turner | Democrat |
| 13 | Waukesha | George Hyer | Democrat |
| 14 | Walworth | George Gale | Free Soil |
| 15 | Rock | Andrew Palmer | Democrat |
| 16 | Kenosha | Orson S. Head | Democrat |
| 17 | Racine | Stephen O. Bennett | Free Soil |
| 18 | Milwaukee 1 | Duncan Reed | Democrat |
| 19 | Milwaukee 2 | Francis Huebschmann | Democrat |
Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:Employees
Senate
- Chief Clerk: William Hull
- Sergeant-at-Arms: E. D. Masters
Assembly
- Chief Clerk: Alexander T. Gray
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles S. Kingsbury