History of Wisconsin United States of America

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Biographies:

Peter Victor Deuster, representative, was born in Aix la Chapelle, Rhenish Prussia, Germany, Feb. 13, 1831. He immigrated to America in 1847, and located in Milwaukee, Wis., where be learned the trade of printer. He became editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel in 1856; was a member of the state assembly, 1863; a state senator, 1870-71; a Democratic representative in the 46th, 47th and 48th congresses, 1879-85, and was defeated for the 49th congress. He was subsequently editor and one of the proprietors of the Seebote, a Democratic daily and semi-weekly newspaper published at Milwaukee in the German language.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Nelson Dewey, governor of Wisconsin, was born in Lebanon, Conn., Dec. 19, 1813; son of Ebenezer and Lucy (Webster) Dewey, and grandson of Bezaleel and Sybel (Metcalf) Dewey. In 1814 the family removed to Otsego county, N.Y., and in 1829 he was sent to the academy at Hamilton, N.Y., where he remained three years. He taught school for a year in Morris, N.Y., removed to Lancaster, Grant county, Wis., in 1836, and was admitted to the bar in 1838. He helped to organize the county, of which he was elected first register of deeds in 1837. He was a representative in the 1st, 2d and 3d territorial legislative assemblies, 1838-42, and a member of the council in the 4th legislative assembly, 1842-46. He served as speaker at the extra session of the second assembly in August, 1840, and as president of the council at the fourth session of the fourth assembly in January, 1846. He was elected governor of Wisconsin on its organization as a state, June 7, 1848, and was re-elected in 1850, serving until Jan. 5, 1852. He was a delegate to the several Democratic state conventions, and a Democratic elector in 1888. In 1849, upon the reorganization of the Wisconsin historical society, he was elected its president. He was a pioneer in developing the lead industries of the state. He died in Cassville, Wis., July 21, 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Richard Guenther, representative, was born in Potsdam, Prussia. Nov. 30, 1845. He was educated in his native city and emigrated to the United States in 1866, settling in Oshkosh, Wis., in 1867, where he engaged in business as a pharmacist. He was state treasurer of Wisconsin, 1878-82, and was a Republican representative from the 6th district of Wisconsin in the 47th, 48th and 49th congresses and from the 2d district in the 50th congress, 1881-89. He was U.S. consul-general to Mexico, 1890-93; vice-president and afterward president of the state board of control of Wisconsin, 1895-98, and was appointed consul-general of the United States at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, Jan. 15, 1899.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Nils Pederson Haugen, representative, was born in Norway, March 9, 1849. He emigrated to the United States in 1854 and settled in River Falls, Wis. He was graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1874; was stenographic court reporter, 1874-81; a member of the state assembly in 1879 and 1880; state railroad commissioner, 1882-87, and a Republican representative from the 8th district of Wisconsin in the 50th, 51st, 52d and 53d congresses, 1887-95.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Wisconsin

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