Blue Book of Wisconsin, 1887, Grant Co., WI Biographies ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ******************************************************************************** Submitted by David W. Taft, dtaft@cowtown.net Source: The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin, 1887, Page 487-8 Grant County (Legislature) Sixteenth District Grant county. Population, 37,277 EDWARD I. KIDD (Rep.) of Millville, was born in Millville, May 10, 1845, and has resided there ever since; received a common school and partial academic education; is engaged in milling; he enlisted August 9, 1862, at the age of seventeen, in Company C, Twenty-fifth regiment, Wisconsin infantry, and was in all the battles and marches of the regiment, including the march to the Northwestern frontier against the Indians, the Vicksburg campaign, the Meridian expedition, the Atlanta campaign, "the march to the sea," and though the Carolinas to Washington; he has held various local offices, including chairmanship of the town board, and has been a member of the county board since 1871, with the exception of one year; was elected assemblyman for 1881 and 1882, and was re-elected for 1883; was elected state senator in 1884, receiving 4,215 votes against 3,257 votes for T. L. Cleary, democrat, and 332 for E. Carrington, prohibitionist; was chairman of the Joint Committee on Claims in the 38th session. Source: The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin, 1887, Page 498 Grant County (Assembly) First District - The towns of Clifton, Ellenboro, Harrison, Hazel Green, Jamestown, Lima, Paris, Platteville and Smelser. Population, 1885 - 2,858. JAMES B. McCOY (Rep.), of Platteville, Wis., was born at Peoria, III., April 22, 1889; was educated in the common school in Illinois, and finished at Platteville in Platteville Academy; is by occupation a dealer is live stock; came to Wisconsin in 1860 and settled at Platteville; was elected sheriff of Grant county in 1874 and held that office two years; enlisted as a private August 22, 1862, in Co. E, 25th Wis. Vol. Inf., was promoted to 1st Lieut. March, 1864; was engaged in the siege of Vicksburg, and battles of Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, and the several battles in and about Atlanta, Ga., also with Sherman on his march to the sea; was elected member of the assembly in 1886, receiving 1,184 votes against 1,010 votes for Arthur Doyle, democrat, and 222 votes for Josiah Thomas, prohibitionist; was chairman of the committee on Militia and member of committee on Railroads in the 88th assembly. Second District - The towns of Beetown, Bloomington, Cassville, Glen Haven, Lancaster, Liberty, Little Grant, Potosi, and Waterloo. Population, 1885 - 12,752. REUBEN B. SHOWALTER (Rep.), of Lancaster, Grant county, was born in Fayette county, Pa., June 3, 1842; received a common school education, and is by occupation a superintendent of asylum and poorhouse; came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1849 and settled at Lancaster; removed to Richland county in 1856; back to Lancaster in 1858; to Beetown In 1859, returned to Lancaster In the spring of 1873 as overseer of the poorhouse, which position he resigned in 1883; March 15, 1885, was appointed superintendent of the Grant county insane asylum, and re-appointed overseer of the poorhouse, which position he now holds; enlisted as a private in Co. C, 21 Wis. Cav., participating in all the engagements and raids of the regiment during the last year of its service; was elected member of the assembly in 1886, receiving 1,113 votes against 1,111 votes for William J. McCoy, democrat and 166 for Andrew Cairns, prohibitionist. Third District - The towns of Castle Rock. Boscobel, Fennimore, Hickory Grove, Marion, Millville, Mt. Hope, Mt. Ida, Muscoda, Patch Grove, Waterstown, Wingville, Woodman and Wyalusing. Population, 1885 - 11,667. RUFUS M. DAY (Rep.), of Mount Hope, was burn in West Liberty, Morgan county, Kentucky, November 18, 1835; received a common school education; is engaged in farming; came to Wisconsin in 1840, settling at Lancaster, but removing to Mt. Hope In 1868, where he still resides; enlisted as a private in Co. I, 20th Wis. Vol. Inf., August 12, 1862; was in the campaign in Missouri under Gen. Herron, participating in the battles of Prairie Grove, Van Moran, Ark., and siege of Vicksburg; was detailed in 1808 for duty at headquarters of Gen. Herron, and later under Gen. Granger, where he remained until discharged in July, 1865; he has been a member of the town board for eight years; was member of county board in 1882, '88, '84, '85 and '86; has been delegate to various conventions and held various local offices; was elected to the 37th assembly, also to the 88th assembly, receiving 1,153 votes against 777 for John Lawless, democrat, and 255 votes for C. T. Cory, prohibitionist; was chairman of the committee on Roads and Bridges in the 88th assembly.