8th Wisconsin Legislature
The Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1855, to April 2, 1855, in regular session.
This was the first Wisconsin legislature seated after the establishment of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
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 7, 1854. 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 8, 1853.
Major events
- February 1, 1855: Charles Durkee elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.
- November 6, 1855: In the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, incumbent William A. Barstow was initially declared the winner. The election results were contested and eventually Coles Bashford, the Republican candidate, prevailed and became the next Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- March 8, 1855: Act to provide for the division of the County of Adams, and to submit the question to a Vote of the people, . The referendum passed and resulted in the creation of Juneau County from the western half of Adams County.
- March 23, 1855: Act relative to the rights of married women, . Granted married women the rights to own property and conduct business in circumstances where the husband had been negligent or otherwise irresponsible.
Party summary
Senate
Assembly
Sessions
Senate
- President of the Senate: James T. Lewis, Lieutenant Governor
- President pro tempore: Eleazer Wakeley
Assembly
- Speaker of the Assembly: Charles C. Sholes
Members
Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:| District | Counties | Senator | Party |
| 1 | Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan | David Taylor | Republican |
| 2 | Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca | Joseph F. Loy | Democrat |
| 3 | Ozaukee | Bolivar G. Gill | Democrat |
| 4 | Washington | James Rolfe | Independent |
| 5 | Northern Milwaukee | Jackson Hadley | Democrat |
| 6 | Southern Milwaukee | Edward McGarry | Democrat |
| 7 | Racine | Charles Clement | Republican |
| 8 | Kenosha | Francis Paddock | Republican |
| 9 | Northern Waukesha | Denison Worthington | Republican |
| 10 | Southern Waukesha | James DeNoon Reymert | Democrat |
| 11 | Dane | Hiram H. Giles | Republican |
| 12 | Walworth | Eleazer Wakeley | Democrat |
| 13 | Lafayette | Charles Dunn | Democrat |
| 14 | Jefferson | Daniel Howell | Democrat |
| 15 | Iowa, Richland | Amasa Cobb | Republican |
| 16 | Grant | Nelson Dewey | Democrat |
| 17 | Western Rock | James Sutherland | Republican |
| 18 | Eastern Rock | Louis P. Harvey | Republican |
| 19 | Bad Ax, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix | William J. Gibson | Democrat |
| 20 | Fond du Lac | Charles A. Eldredge | Democrat |
| 21 | Winnebago | Coles Bashford | Republican |
| 22 | Dodge | Ezra A. Bowen | Democrat |
| 23 | Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara | Edwin B. Kelsey | Democrat |
| 24 | Green | Francis H. West | Republican |
| 25 | Columbia | John Q. Adams | Republican |
Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:Employees
Senate
- Chief Clerk: Samuel G. Bugh
- Sergeant-at-Arms: William H. Gleason
Assembly
- Chief Clerk: David Atwood
- Sergeant-at-Arms: William Blake