Term: Cass, Lewis, 1782-1866.

Definition:

governor of Michigan Territory (1813-31), U.S. Secretary of War (1831-36), ambassador to France (1836-1842), senator (1845-57), U.S. Secretary of State (1857-60), and unsuccessful candidate for U.S. president (1848). Because Wisconsin was part of Michigan Territory until 1836, he played a prominent role in early 19th-century Wisconsin government and politics.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Lewis Cass Miscellaneous Papers for details.

View a related article at Wisconsin Magazine of History Archives.

View letters by Cass at Wisconsin Historical Collections.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.