Biographical Sketches:  W. J. McGEE


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The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin Compiled and Published under
the direction of J. D. Beck, Commissioner of Labor and Industrial
Statistics 1907.

The Wisconsin Blue Book. VII. Biographical Sketches. The Wisconsin
Legislature. Assembly, p. 1139

HERMAN L. KERN, Speaker; C. E. SHAFFER, Chief Clerk; W. S. IRVINE,
Sergeant-at-Arms.

The assembly consists of 100 members. They are chosen biennially and
receive $500 for their services during their term. The speaker is
chosen by the members and receives an additional $500 for his services
as speaker. The assembly of 1907 contains 76 republicans, 19
democrats, and 5 social democrats.

Oconto County. (p. 1165) One District. Population, 1900 - 20,874.

W. J. McGEE (Rep.) was born at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, in 1838
where he received a common school education and in 1854 emigrated to
the state of Maine where he served three years apprenticeship in
shipbuilding until the panic of 1857 caused the death of that industry
when he returned to his former home and served three years'
apprenticeship at the carpenter and joiners' trade and later worked at
the trade, employing his leisure hours in studying architecture. In
1867 he came to Oconto and has since that time engaged in that
business and in contracting and building except during the time he has
served the people in a public capacity. In 1876 he was appointed
assistant chief of the Oconto fire department and after serving two
years he was made chief, which position he held for three years. He
was elected alderman in 1872 and in 1875, and in 1882 he was appointed
undersheriff of Oconto county. He served four years as a member of the
school board and was president of that body for two years. In 1883 he
was elected sheriff. He was city marshal in 1890, '91 and '92. He was
appointed state carpenter in 1894 by Governor Upham and reappointed in
1897 by Governor Scofield, serving two years under each
administration. In 1901 he was appointed special deputy game warden
which position he held until he concluded to become a candidate for
the assembly in 1906, to which office he was elected, receiving 1,888
votes against 988 votes for Jos. P. Gehling (Dem.).