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Historical Essay

Paine, Byron, 1827-1871

Civil Rights Law
Learn about the Milwaukee based lawyer who won two of Wisconsin's most important civil rights cases and was on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Historical Essay

Edgerton Bible Case

Brief explanation of The Edgerton Bible case and its wider ramifications.
Historical Essay

Barstow-Bashford Affair of 1856

A brief history of the Barstow-Bashford Affair of 1856.
Historical Essay

Another Time's Norms

The Antiquated Belief of a Chief Justice
Discover Wisconsin Chief Justice Edward G. Ryan's opinion on women and court
Historical Essay

Rehnquist, William H., (1924-2005)

United States Supreme Court Justice
Biography of William H. Rehnquist, who was born in Milwaukee and went on to serve as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Historical Essay

Potter Law (1874)

Brief explanation of The Potter Law (1874).
Historical Essay

Gillespie, Ezekiel (1818-1892)

Black Voting Rights Activist
Biography of Ezekiel Gillespie who was active in Milwaukee's small Black community, especially on voting rights issues.
Historical Essay

Glover, Joshua

Runaway Slave
Biography of Joshua Glover, a former slave from St. Louis, Missouri who sought asylum in Racine, Wisconsin in 1852.
Historical Essay

Paines in the Neck for Powers-That-Be

Two Lawyers Spur Abolitionist Reform and Universal Voting Rights
Learn how Byron Paine and Halbert E. Paine used the power of law for radical abolitionist reform in mid-19th century Wisconsin.
Historical Essay

Bashford, Coles (1816-1878)

Lawyer, Politician and Governor
Discover the history of Wisconsin governor Bashford Coles.
Historical Essay

8th Wisconsin Light Artillery History

Wisconsin Civil War Regiment
Read about the 8th Wisconsin Light Artillery, known as "Lyons' Pinery Battery," which was organized at Racine and served in the Civil War from 1862-1865.
Historical Essay

Elections in Wisconsin

Brief history of elections in Wisconsin.
Historical Essay

Old Abe and the Iron Brigade

Wisconsin in the Civil War
Discover how a pet eagle named Old Abe helped Wisconsin serve the Union in the Civil War
Historical Essay

Timeline of Wisconsin History, 1900 -1999

Brief timeline of Wisconsin history from 1900 to 1999.
Historical Essay

Wisconsin Firsts

Brief list of Wisconsin "firsts."
Historical Essay

Catlin, John, 1803-1874

Brief biography of pioneer lawyer, politician and railroad man John Catlin.
Brief biography of pioneer lawyer, politician and railroad man John Catlin.
Historical Essay

Ryan, Edward George 1810-1880

Lawyer, Politician and Judge
Biography of lawyer, politician and judge Edward George Ryan.
Historical Essay

Booth, Sherman Miller 1812-1904

Temperance Lecturer, Abolitionist and Newspaper Editor
Biography of temperance lecturer, abolitionist and newspaper editor Sherman Miller Booth.
Historical Essay

Barstow, William Augustus (1813-1865)

Brief biography of fomer WI governor William Augustus Barstow (1813 - 1865).
Historical Essay

Surveyor's Tree Blaze

Wisconsin Historical Museum Object – Feature Story
Surveyor's tree blaze from the 1841 expedition to lay out the boundary between Wisconsin and Michigan, found at Trout Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin. (Museu

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