Walter Maxwell

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Walter S. Maxwell
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties (1892)
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 8th district
In office
January 5, 1885 – January 7, 1889
Preceded byCharles Palmetier
Succeeded byJames C. Reynolds
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Kenosha district
In office
January 1, 1883 – January 5, 1885
Preceded byJohn B. Vosburgh
Succeeded byAndrew Patterson
In office
January 3, 1881 – January 2, 1882
Preceded byCornelius Williams
Succeeded byJohn B. Vosburgh
In office
January 1, 1877 – January 7, 1878
Preceded byFrederick Robinson
Succeeded byWalter L. Dexter
Personal details
Born(1836-09-12)September 12, 1836
Jackson, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 17, 1895(1895-08-17) (aged 58)
Superior, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeGreen Ridge Cemetery, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
  • Annie M. Robinson
    ​
    (died 1874)​
  • Annie A. Beach
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1876; died 1878)​
  • Cornelia McLean
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1880; died 1898)​
Children
  • Elmer A. Maxwell
  • (b. 1865; died 1951)
RelativesRobert A. Maxwell (brother)

Walter S. Maxwell (September 12, 1836 – August 17, 1895) was an American farmer, businessman, and Republican politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and State Assembly, representing Kenosha County through the 1880s.

Biography[edit]

Maxwell was born on September 12, 1836, in Jackson, New York.[1] He was raised on his father's farm and attended common schools and the State Normal School. He taught school for a few years, then moved west to Wisconsin in 1860, settling in Kenosha County. He purchased a tract of unimproved land in what is now Somers, Wisconsin, and cultivated it into a productive farm.[1]

Maxwell cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and remained a Republican for the rest of his life. He was elected to eight consecutive terms as chairman of the town board of Somers, from 1874 through 1881, and then served as chairman of the town board and chairman of the Kenosha County board of supervisors in 1884.[2]

He first ran for Wisconsin State Assembly in 1875, but was defeated by Democrat Frederick Robinson.[3] He made another attempt in 1876—with higher voter turnout in a Presidential election year—and defeated Democrat Robert S. Houston.[4] He did not run again in 1877, but was elected to two subsequent terms in 1880 and 1882.[5][6] During these years, his Assembly district comprised all of Kenosha County.[2]

In 1884, he was elected to a four-year term in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Wisconsin's 8th State Senate district. The 8th Senate district then comprised Kenosha and Walworth counties.[2] He was not a candidate for re-election in 1888.

After leaving office, he purchased an ownership stake in the Arcadian Brown Stone Company, a brown sandstone quarry in Superior, Wisconsin.[1] He split his time between Superior and Kenosha for the rest of his life, generally spending summers in Superior and winters in Kenosha. He died in Superior on August 17, 1895. His death was sudden and unexpected, having appeared to be in good health in the days leading up to his death.[7][8]

Personal life and family[edit]

Walter Maxwell was one of ten children born to Alexander Maxwell and his wife Jane (née Alexander). Walter's elder sister Mary married Robert Graham, the 12th Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction. His younger brother, Robert A. Maxwell, was New York State Treasurer during the 1880s.[1]

Walter Maxwell married three times. His first wife was Anna A. Robinson, who he married at Easton, New York. They had one son, Elmer, before her death in 1874. He next married Anna A. Greenbaum (née Beach), who died just two years later, in 1878. He finally married Cornelia McLean in 1880, who survived him. Elmer A. Maxwell, from his first marriage, was his only known offspring.[1]

Electoral history[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly (1875, 1876)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Kenosha District Election, 1875[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1875
Democratic Frederick Robinson 1,202 54.00%
Republican Walter S. Maxwell 1,024 46.00% -9.24%
Plurality 178 8.00% -2.49%
Total votes 2,226 100.0% -7.33%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Assembly, Kenosha District Election, 1876[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 7, 1876
Republican Walter S. Maxwell 1,672 54.96% +8.96%
Democratic Robert S. Houston 1,374 45.04%
Plurality 302 9.93%
Total votes 3,042 100.0% +36.66%
Republican gain from Democratic

Wisconsin Assembly (1880)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Kenosha District Election, 1880[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1880
Republican Walter S. Maxwell 1,650 53.69% -5.73%
Democratic John G. Fleming 1,423 46.31%
Plurality 227 7.39% -11.45%
Total votes 3,073 100.0% +43.67%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (1882)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Kenosha District Election, 1882[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 7, 1882
Republican Walter S. Maxwell 1,385 52.38% -4.81%
Democratic Nicholas Spartz 1,259 47.62%
Plurality 126 4.77% -9.61%
Total votes 2,644 100.0% +23.03%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Senate (1884)[edit]

Wisconsin Senate, 8th District Election, 1884[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1884
Republican Walter S. Maxwell 5,920 58.42% -9.48%
Democratic Andrew Kull Jr. 3,620 35.72% +3.63%
Prohibition Cooley E. Wing 593 5.85%
Plurality 2,300 22.70% -13.12%
Total votes 10,133 100.0% +83.94%
Republican hold

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co. 1892. pp. 549–550. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Timme, Ernst G., ed. (1887). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 486. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Bashford, R. M., ed. (1876). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 469. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Bashford, R. M., ed. (1877). "Official Directory" (PDF). The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 464. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1881). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 513–514. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1883). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 494. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Hon. W. S. Maxwell Dead". Kenosha News. August 17, 1895. p. 4. Retrieved March 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Our people were shocked and sorely grieved..." The Superior Times. August 24, 1895. p. 3. Retrieved March 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

Walter S. Maxwell at Find a Grave

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Kenosha district
January 1, 1877 – January 7, 1878 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Kenosha district
January 3, 1881 – January 2, 1882 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
John B. Vosburgh
 Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Kenosha district
January 1, 1883 – January 5, 1885 		Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 8th district
January 5, 1885 – January 7, 1889 		Succeeded by
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