1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature

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1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature
2nd
Thomas McLeland Building.png
The Thomas McLeland Building where the Council met on the second floor
Overview
Legislative body Wyoming Legislature
Jurisdiction Wyoming Territory, United States
Meeting placeThomas McLeland Building
Arcade Building
Term1869–1871
Wyoming Council
Members9 Senators
President of the CouncilWilliam H. Bright
Party control Democratic
Wyoming House of Representatives
Members13 Representatives [lower-alpha 1]
Speaker of the HouseS. M. Curran
Party control Democratic

The 1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature was a meeting of the Wyoming Legislature that lasted from October 12 to December 10, 1869. This was the first meeting of the territorial legislature following the creation of the Wyoming Territory by the United States Congress.

Contents

History

Creation

On July 25, 1868, the United States Congress approved the Wyoming Organic Act which created the Wyoming Territory with land from the Dakota, Utah, and Idaho territories. At the time of the territory's formation there were four counties; Albany, Carbon, Carter, and Laramie counties. [3] On September 2, 1869, the first legislature elections were held where the Democratic Party won all of the seats in the Council and House of Representatives. [4] [5]

Formation

The legislation passed by the Wyoming Territorial Legislature giving women the right to vote. Wyoming women's suffrage bill.png
The legislation passed by the Wyoming Territorial Legislature giving women the right to vote.

The first session of the Wyoming territorial legislature occurred from October 12, to December 10, 1869. The upper house Council met in the Thomas McLeland Building and the House of Representatives met in the Arcade Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming. [5] On October 12, John H. Howe, Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, inaugurated the twenty-one members of the territorial legislature. [6]

William H. Bright was selected to serve as the President of the Council and S. M. Curran was selected to serve as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Council convened with two members missing, W. S. Rockwell and George Wilson Jr., who would later arrive on October 15 and October 27. The House of Representatives convened with five members missing, with four of them arriving by November 23, but Representative J. M. Freeman never arrived. [1]

Legislation

During the legislative session legislation giving women the right to vote was introduced by William Bright in the Council. [7] On December 6, 1869, Council voted seven to two in favor and the House of Representatives voted seven to four in favor. On December 10, Governor John Allen Campbell signed the legislation into law. [8] [9] Amalia Post, a leader in the woman suffrage movement, was largely instrumental in having the franchise granted women in Wyoming Territory by the 1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature. [10]

The legislature passed legislation renaming Carter County to Sweetwater and created Uinta County. [11]

Membership

Council

AffiliationParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Beginning of 1st Legislature9 [5] 090
Latest voting share100%0%

Members of the Wyoming Council

Senator [11] PartyCounties represented
James W. BradyDemocratic Albany
William H. BrightDemocratic Carter
Frederick LaycockDemocratic Albany
T. D. MurrinDemocratic Laramie
T. W. PooleDemocratic Laramie
W. S. RockwellDemocratic Carter
George WardmanDemocratic Carter
J. R. WhiteheadDemocratic Laramie
George WilsonDemocratic Carbon

House of Representatives

AffiliationParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Beginning of 1st Legislature12 [5] 013 [lower-alpha 2] 1
Latest voting share100%0%

Members of the Wyoming House of Representatives

Representative [11] PartyCounties represented
J. C. AbneyDemocraticLaramie [12]
S. M. CurranDemocraticCarbon [12]
J. N. DouglasDemocraticAlbany [12]
J. M. FreemanDemocratic
Herman HaasDemocratic
William HerrickDemocraticAlbany
John HolbrookDemocratic
James MenafeeDemocraticCarter
Louis MillerDemocraticAlbany
Howard SebreeDemocratic
Benjamin SheeksDemocraticCarter
J. C. StrongDemocratic
Posey S. WilsonDemocraticLaramie

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References

  1. 1 2 3 History of Wyoming (Second ed.). University of Nebraska Press. 1990. p. 73. ISBN   0803279361 via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 General Laws, Memorials and Resolutions of the Territory of Wyoming. Public Printer. 1874. p. 16 via Google Books.
  3. "Wyoming History". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  4. "Clean Democratic Sweep of the Territory of Wyoming - Democratic Member of Congress Elected". Northumberland County Democrat. September 3, 1869. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "1869 Legislature Membership". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  6. "From The West". Wisconsin State Journal. October 13, 1869. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Right Choice, Wrong Reasons: Wyoming Women Win the Right to Vote". November 8, 2014. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  8. "Passage of the Female Suffrage Bill". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 7, 1869. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "The Wyoming Legislature". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 9, 1869. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Prominent Woman Suffragist". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. 29 January 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 22 April 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming: Pages 351 to 352. Weston historical association. 1904. p. 351 via Google Books.
  12. 1 2 3 Wyoming Digital Suite, Wyoming State Library (1869). "House Journal of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wyoming, 1869" . Retrieved February 9, 2022.

Notes

  1. The Territorial House of Representatives was given thirteen members and thirteen were elected in the 1869 elections, but Representative J. M. Freeman did not arrive in the legislature during the session. [1] [2]
  2. The Territorial House of Representatives was given thirteen members and thirteen were elected in the 1869 elections, but Representative J. M. Freeman did not arrive in the legislature during the session. [1] [2]