Charles E. Estabrook

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Charles E. Estabrook
14th Attorney General of Wisconsin
In office
January 3, 1887 – January 5, 1891
GovernorJeremiah McLain Rusk
William D. Hoard
Preceded byLeander F. Frisby
Succeeded byJames L. O'Connor
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Milwaukee 13th district
In office
January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915
Preceded byGeorge Klenzendorff
Succeeded byChristoph Paulus
In office
January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911
Preceded byHenry Holle
Succeeded byGeorge Klenzendorff
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Manitowoc 3rd district
In office
January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887
Preceded byWilhelm Albers
Succeeded byReinhardt Rahr
In office
January 3, 1881 – January 1, 1883
Preceded byWilliam H. Hemschemeyer
Succeeded byWilhelm Albers
Personal details
Born
Charles Edward Estabrook

(1847-10-31)October 31, 1847
Grant County, Wisconsin Territory, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 1918(1918-12-03) (aged 71)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Jennie Hodges
​
(m. 1876⁠–⁠1918)​
Children
  • Charles Mitchell Estabrook
  • Margaret Estabrook
  • Francis H. Estabrook
  • Mary Estabrook
  • George M. Estabrook
  • Benjamin H. Estabrook
Education
Occupationteacher, lawyer, politician
Signature
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
Years of service1864–1865
RankCorporal, USV
Unit43rd Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Charles Edward Estabrook (October 31, 1847 – December 3, 1918)[1][2] was an American educator, lawyer, eugenicist, and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He was the 14th Attorney General of Wisconsin and served 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing first Manitowoc and later Milwaukee. As a young man, he was an enlisted volunteer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Later, he founded the Wisconsin Historical Commission and published several volumes of history of the Civil War for the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Early life[edit]

Estabrook was born near Platteville in Grant County, Wisconsin Territory, on October 31, 1847.[3] His father was an early settler of Grant County after it was acquired from the Meskwaki. Charles worked on his father's farm throughout his childhood, attending the rural public school during the winter months.[4]

Charles E. Estabrook, c. 1864

Civil War service[edit]

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Charles was just 13 years old, but was enthusiastic about the Union cause and wanted to join the fight.[5] He ultimately was allowed to enlist in the third year of the war, in August 1864, and was assigned to Company B in the newly raised 43rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. The regiment was assigned to Tennessee to defend railroad and supply lines, and saw some combat during the Franklin–Nashville Campaign near the end of the war.[6] Estabrook mustered out of the service in July 1865 as a corporal.

Early career[edit]

After returning from the Army he attended Platteville Academy and the Platteville Normal School, graduating in 1870.[4] He went to work as a teacher at Platteville and Belmont. In 1871, he moved to Manitowoc, where he continued teaching and was placed in charge of the First Ward public school.[4] While working as a teacher, he had also been studying the law, first under William Carter at Platteville, and then with J. D. Markham at Manitowoc.[5] In January 1874, he was admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin.[5]

Just a few months after being admitted to the bar, in April 1874, he was elected city attorney of Manitowoc, holding that office until he won election to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1880.[5]

Political career[edit]

In November 1880, he was elected to represent Manitowoc County's 3rd assembly district, then comprising the city of Manitowoc and the towns of Centerville, Manitowoc, Manitowoc Rapids and Newton. He was reelected in 1881, but was not a candidate for reelection in 1882. In these first two years in the Assembly, he was assigned to the standing committees on the judiciary and on education,[7] and was, in 1882, chairman of the Committee on Education.[8]

Estabrook was a delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention in Chicago, and in the same year was narrowly re-elected to his old seat, with 1,219 votes to 1,215 for Democrat George Franz. He returned to the judiciary committee, and became chairman of the committee on assessment and collection of taxes.[9]

He was elected Attorney General of Wisconsin in 1886, with 131,358 votes to 115,949 for Democrat George W. Bird, 21,740 for Populist John E. Thomas, and 17,247 for Prohibitionist E. W. Chafin (his old Assembly seat fell to Democrat Reinhardt Rahr[10]); and re-elected in 1888, with 176,351 votes to 154,943 for Democrat Timothy E. Ryan, 14,582 for Prohibitionist Charles E. Pike, and 8,709 votes for Union Labor Party candidate Kerellio Shawvan.[11] He was not a candidate for re-election in 1890, and Democrat James L. O'Connor took over as Attorney-General.

In 1893, he was one of the principal instigators of a lawsuit to invalidate the redistricting act which had been passed by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1891. Through his efforts, the legislative map was thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and redrawn.[5][12]

Estabrook moved to Milwaukee in 1893 to practice law there. He was elected to the Assembly from the 13th Milwaukee County district (the 13th Ward of the City of Milwaukee) in 1906 to succeed fellow Republican Henry Holle, with 1,224 votes to 905 for Socialist Henry Leetzen and 593 for Democrat Frank Gerski; he was assigned to the committee on cities (of which he was made chairman) and the joint committee on forestry.[13] He was narrowly re-elected in 1908, with 1,280 votes to 1,253 for Democrat Charles Wall and 1029 for Socialist Charles Vogel.[14] He did not run in 1910, and the seat was taken by Socialist George Klenzendorff.

He was elected to the Assembly for the last time in 1912 to succeed Klenzendorff (who did not run for re-election), running as a fusion anti-Socialist candidate on the Democratic ticket, even though there was also a Republican nominee. Estabrook received 1,338 votes, to 924 for Socialist Fred Leviash, 602 for Republican former Assemblyman Christoph Paulus (who had won the Republican primary election), and 41 for Prohibitionist George H. Schultz. He resumed his old post as chairman of what was now called the Committee on Municipalities.[4] He did not run for re-election in 1914, and was succeeded by Republican Christoph Paulus.

He died unexpectedly in Milwaukee on December 3, 1918.[3] Estabrook Park, in Shorewood, Wisconsin, is named after him.

Legislative legacy[edit]

In the Assembly, Estabrook assisted in drafting one of the first bills to pass the assembly providing for a bank examiner. He was an early advocates of the idea to abolish special charters for cities, and was a member of the commission which drafted a "general charter" for use by new cities. He wrote or was instrumental in enacting laws providing for farmers' institutes, social centers, a Milwaukee County park commission, and a state park board; the law requiring examinations for admission to the bar; an anti-sweat shop law, and a law regulating tenement houses.[15]

Personal life and family[edit]

Charles Estabrook was the son of Edward Estabrook and his wife Margaret Estabrook (née Mitchell). Edward Estabrook was a native of Illinois and became an early settler of Grant County after the land was acquired from the Meskwaki, establishing his farm near Platteville in 1836. Edward Estabrook was also a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Grant County's 3rd district in the 7th Wisconsin Legislature (1854).[5] Margaret Estabrook died in 1863, and afterward Edward Estarbook moved to Iowa.[5]

Charles Estabrook married Jennie Hodges at Manitowoc on September 7, 1876. Together they had four sons and two daughters, though both daughters died young, in 1893.[5] Two of their sons, Charles N. Estabrook and George A. Estabrook, served as officers in the U.S. Army during World War I.[3]

Electoral history[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly (1880, 1881)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Manitowoc 3rd District Election, 1880[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1880
Republican Charles E. Estabrook 1,410 60.26%
Democratic Adolph Pfening 930 39.74%
Plurality 480 20.51%
Total votes 2,340 100.0%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Assembly, Manitowoc 3rd District Election, 1881[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 8, 1881
Republican Charles E. Estabrook (incumbent) 851 53.76% -6.50%
Democratic George Pankratz 732 46.24%
Plurality 119 7.52% -13.00%
Total votes 1,583 100.0% -32.35%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (1884)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Manitowoc 3rd District Election, 1884[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1884
Republican Charles E. Estabrook 1,219 50.08% +8.80%
Democratic George Pankratz 1,215 49.92%
Plurality 4 0.16% -17.26%
Total votes 2,434 100.0% +32.57%
Republican gain from Democratic Swing 17.59%

Wisconsin Attorney General (1886, 1888)[edit]

Wisconsin Attorney General Election, 1886[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1886
Republican Charles E. Estabrook 131,358 45.88% -7.64%
Democratic George W. Bird 115,949 40.50% +1.97%
Labor John E. Thomas 21,740 7.59%
Prohibition E. W. Chafin 17,247 6.02% +3.42%
Scattering 22 0.01%
Plurality 15,409 5.38% -9.61%
Total votes 286,316 100.0% -10.07%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Attorney General Election, 1888[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1888
Republican Charles E. Estabrook (incumbent) 176,351 49.73% +3.85%
Democratic Timothy E. Ryan 154,943 43.69% +3.20%
Prohibition Charles E. Pike 14,582 4.11% -1.91%
Labor Kerellio Shawvan 8,709 2.46% -5.14%
Scattering 19 0.01%
Plurality 21,408 6.04% +0.66%
Total votes 354,604 100.0% +23.85%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (1906, 1908)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Milwaukee 13th District Election, 1906[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1906
Republican Charles E. Estabrook 1,224 44.97% +5.94%
Socialist Henry F. Leetzen 905 33.25% -2.74%
Democratic Frank J. Gerski 593 21.79% -3.20%
Plurality 319 11.72% +8.67%
Total votes 2,722 100.0% -19.52%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Assembly, Milwaukee 13th District Election, 1908[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 3, 1908
Republican Charles E. Estabrook (incumbent) 1,280 35.93% -9.03%
Democratic Charles F. Wall 1,253 35.18% +13.39%
Socialist Charles O. Vogel 1,029 28.89% -4.36%
Plurality 27 0.76% -10.96%
Total votes 3,562 100.0% +30.86%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (1912)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Milwaukee 13th District Election, 1912[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 5, 1912
Democratic Charles E. Estabrook 1,338 46.06% +15.18%
Socialist Fred Leviash 924 31.81% -9.88%
Republican Christoph Paulus 602 20.72% -6.71%
Prohibition George H. Schultz 602 20.72%
Plurality 414 14.25% +3.45%
Total votes 2,905 100.0% -0.99%
Democratic gain from Socialist Swing 25.06%

References[edit]

  1. ^ Journal Proceedings of the Fifty-Fourth Session of the Wisconsin Legislature. Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 1919. pp. 316–317. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  2. ^ "Relating to the death and public services of Honorable Charles E. Estabrook". Joint Resolution No. 25 of 1919 (PDF). Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "C. E. Estabrook Dies Suddenly in Milwaukee". The Capital Times. December 4, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b c d "Part VIII. Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 1913. pp. 674–675. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Berryman, John R. (1898). History of the Bench and Bar of Wisconsin. Vol. 1. Chicago: H. C. Cooper, Jr. pp. 590–592. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Quiner, Edwin Bentley (1866). "Regimental History – Forty-Second to Forty-Third Infantry". The Military History of Wisconsin. Chicago: Clarke & Co. pp. 859–860. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1881). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 515, 536. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1882). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 551, 572. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Heg, James E., ed. (1885). "Part VIII. Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 434, 452. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  10. ^ Timme, Ernst G., ed. (1887). "Part VIII. Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 483, 502. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  11. ^ Timme, Ernst G., ed. (1887). "Part VIII. Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 491. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  12. ^ Aikens, Andrew J.; Proctor, Lewis A., eds. (1897). Men of Progress - Wisconsin. The Evening Wisconsin Company. pp. 452–453. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  13. ^ Beck, J. D., ed. (1907). "Part VIII. Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 1163. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  14. ^ Beck, J. D., ed. (1909). "Part VIII. Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 1131. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  15. ^ "Estabrook, Charles Edward 1847 - 1918". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  16. ^ Timme, Ernst G., ed. (1887). "Part III. Election Statistics" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 252. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  17. ^ Timme, Ernst G., ed. (1887). "Part III. Election Statistics" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 491. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  18. ^ Beck, J. D., ed. (1907). "Part III. Election Statistics" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 616, 629. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  19. ^ Beck, J. D., ed. (1909). "Part III. Election Statistics" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 531, 553. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  20. ^ "Part III. Election Statistics" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 1913. pp. 531, 553. Retrieved January 12, 2021.

External links[edit]

Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin
1886, 1888 		Succeeded by
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Manitowoc 3rd district
January 3, 1881 – January 1, 1883 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Manitowoc 3rd district
January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Milwaukee 13th district
January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Milwaukee 13th district
January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Wisconsin
January 3, 1887 – January 5, 1891 		Succeeded by
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