1853 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
November 8, 1853
 
Nominee William A. Barstow Edward D. Holton Henry S. Baird
Party Democratic Free Soil Whig
Popular vote 30,405 21,886 3,304
Percentage 54.60% 39.31% 5.93%
County results
Barstow:      30–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Holton:      30–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Baird:      30–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election

Leonard J. Farwell
Whig

 Elected Governor

William A. Barstow
Democratic

The 1853 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1853. Democratic candidate William A. Barstow won the election with 55% of the vote, winning his first term as Governor of Wisconsin. Barstow defeated Free Soil Party candidate Edward D. Holton and Whig candidate Henry S. Baird.[1] This would be the last Wisconsin gubernatorial election in which there was a Whig candidate on the ballot.

Democratic Party

William A. Barstow was a resident of Waukesha County, and had previously served as Wisconsin's Secretary of State. Before Wisconsin became a state, he was instrumental in creating Waukesha County from what had been the western half of Milwaukee County.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party Convention was held in Janesville in September 1853. Barstow did not intend to seek the nomination for Governor, and, in fact, was supporting A. Hyatt Smith for the nomination. Nevertheless, Barstow's popularity resulted in him receiving five votes on the first ballot, and after Smith deadlocked with Jairus C. Fairchild for seven ballots, Smith withdrew his name and instead endorsed Barstow. Barstow received the nomination on the 13th ballot.[2][3]

Other candidates

Free Soil Party

Edward D. Holton was a resident of Milwaukee. He was a businessman and banker, interested in building a railroad to stretch from Milwaukee to the Mississippi River. He was an avowed abolitionist, first as a member of the Liberty Party, and then its successor the Free Soil Party. He was also a supporter of temperance legislation in Wisconsin.

Whig Party

Henry S. Baird was a resident of Green Bay, and was said to be the first practicing lawyer in the Wisconsin Territory. He had served as Attorney General of the Wisconsin Territory, appointed by Territorial Governor Henry Dodge, and served on the Territorial Council. He was a delegate to Wisconsin's first Constitutional Convention.

Results

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election, 1853[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 8, 1853
Democratic William A. Barstow 30,405 54.60% +5.24%
Free Soil Edward D. Holton 21,886 39.31%
Whig Henry S. Baird 3,304 5.93% -44.57%
Scattering 88 0.16%
Plurality 8,519 15.30% +14.15%
Total votes 55,683 100.0% +26.01%
Democratic gain from Whig Swing 49.82%

Results by County

Barstow
Democratic		 Holton
Free Soil		 Baird
Whig		 Margin County Total[4]
County #  % #  % #  % #  % #
Adams 122 56.22% 38 17.51% 57 26.27% 65 29.95% 217
Bad Ax 208 71.23% 7 2.40% 77 26.37% 131 44.86% 292
Brown 254 40.90% 33 5.31% 334 53.78% 80 12.88% 621
Calumet 250 57.74% 90 20.79% 93 21.48% 157 36.26% 433
Columbia 816 47.22% 706 40.86% 206 11.92% 110 6.37% 1,728
Crawford 118 69.01% 24 14.04% 29 16.96% 89 52.05% 171
Dane 1,620 53.45% 1,234 40.71% 177 5.84% 386 12.74% 3,031
Dodge 1,992 57.89% 1,418 41.21% 31 0.90% 574 16.68% 3,441
Fond du Lac 1,489 54.01% 1,217 44.14% 51 1.85% 272 9.87% 2,757
Grant 988 44.73% 1,026 46.45% 195 8.83% 38 1.72% 2,209
Green 769 46.05% 748 44.79% 153 9.16% 21 1.26% 1,670
Iowa 402 45.68% 464 52.73% 14 1.59% 62 7.05% 880
Jackson 113 88.98% 14 11.02% 0 0.00% 99 77.95% 127
Jefferson 1,490 46.72% 1,591 49.89% 108 3.39% 101 3.17% 3,189
Kenosha 590 41.96% 812 57.75% 4 0.28% 222 15.79% 1,406
La Crosse 276 55.53% 160 32.19% 61 12.27% 116 23.34% 497
Lafayette 1,026 59.44% 420 24.33% 280 16.22% 606 35.11% 1,726
Manitowoc 854 88.31% 46 4.76% 67 6.93% 787 81.39% 967
Marathon 205 49.16% 4 0.96% 208 49.88% 3 0.72% 417
Marquette 641 42.53% 852 56.54% 14 0.93% 211 14.00% 1,507
Milwaukee 4,184 75.50% 1,334 24.07% 24 0.43% 2,850 51.43% 5,542
Oconto 90 42.86% 0 0.00% 120 57.14% 30 14.29% 210
Outagamie 267 54.38% 206 41.96% 18 3.67% 61 12.42% 491
Ozaukee 1,155 86.58% 179 13.42% 0 0.00% 976 73.16% 1,334
Pierce 71 67.62% 0 0.00% 34 32.38% 37 35.24% 105
Portage 367 57.10% 56 9.71% 154 26.69% 213 36.92% 577
Racine 1,239 50.39% 1,214 49.37% 6 0.24% 25 1.02% 2,459
Richland 185 56.92% 127 39.08% 13 4.00% 58 17.85% 325
Rock 1,375 38.80% 1,832 51.69% 337 9.51% 457 12.90% 3,544
Sauk 641 54.88% 472 40.41% 55 4.71% 169 14.47% 1,168
Sheboygan 1,389 67.13% 676 32.67% 4 0.19% 713 34.46% 2,069
Walworth 1,062 37.28% 1,584 55.60% 203 7.13% 522 18.32% 2,849
Washington 1,462 82.51% 310 17.49% 0 0.00% 1,152 65.01% 1,772
Waukesha 1,594 48.93% 1,610 49.42% 54 1.66% 16 0.49% 3,258
Waupaca 217 51.79% 152 36.28% 50 11.93% 65 15.51% 419
Waushara 135 36.68% 232 63.04% 1 0.27% 97 26.36% 368
Winnebago 710 36.69% 1,008 56.34% 71 3.97% 298 16.66% 1,789

References

  1. 1 2 Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature (2015). Wisconsin Blue Book 2015-2016. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Administration. pp. 699–701. ISBN 978-0-9752820-7-6.
  2. ↑ "State Ticket". River Times. Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin. September 17, 1853. p. 2. Retrieved June 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Democratic State Convention". River Times. Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin. September 17, 1853. pp. 1–2. Retrieved June 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States gubernatorial elections, 1776-1860. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
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