lawyer, judge, b. Lowville, N.Y. Little is known of his early life, except that he attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for a year, practiced law in Rochester, N.Y., and traveled extensively in Europe. In 1841 he moved to Wisconsin, settling in Taycheedah township, Fond du Lac County. He practiced law in Fond du Lac and Milwaukee, and when Wisconsin was admitted to statehood in 1848 Stow was elected circuit judge of the 4th judicial circuit. As circuit judge, under the provisions of the state constitution, Stow also served as ex officio justice of the state supreme court, drew the short term of office, and was chosen by his associates as chief justice. He served on the state high court and circuit bench from Aug., 1848, until the expiration of his term in Jan., 1851. Stow was not a candidate for re-election, returned to the private practice of law, and to his business pursuits in Fond du Lac and Milwaukee. J. R. Berryman, ed., Bench and Bar of Wis. (2 vols., Chicago, 1898); J. B. Winslow, Story of a Great Court (Chicago, 1912); Fond du Lac Fountain City Herald, Sept. 20, 1854.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Alexander Wolcott Stow Papers for details.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]