Marshall Strong

Marshall Mason Strong (September 3, 1813 – March 9, 1864) was an American lawyer, newspaper editor, businessman, and politician from Racine, Wisconsin who served on the Wisconsin Territorial Council (the predecessor of the Wisconsin State Senate) of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature in 1838–1839 and 1844–47 from Racine County, including a term as President of the Council. He later spent a single one-year term in 1849 as a Free Soil Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from that county.[1][2]

Background

Strong was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on September 3, 1813. His first American ancestor, Elder John Strong, had come to Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1630 from England, and the next five generations in the Strong lineage remained in that state. His father was Hezekiah Wright Strong, a lawyer and the son of Simeon Strong (a Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts). Marshall Strong spent two years at Amherst College from 1830–1832. In late 1832, his father had moved to Troy, New York; Marshall entered Union College in nearby Schenectady, New York and studied there for an unknown period. He later read the law in Troy, and was admitted to the bar there.

Newspaper and territorial government

In 1838 he and Lorenzo Janes were among those who combined to found the newspaper the Racine Argus, the first newspaper in Racine County; and he and Janes served as its first editors. Strong was one of the first pair of Councillors from Racine County in 1838–1839. When the Legislature in its 1838 session passed a law incorporating a "University of the Territory of Wisconsin", Strong was among those who were appointed to its Board of Visitors; however, this body (the predecessor of the U.W. board of regents) never actually accomplished anything before statehood.[3]

He resigned from the Council in 1839, and Janes was elected to succeed him.[4]

He served again from 1843–1847, serving as President of the Council from December 5, 1843 to January 6, 1845.[5] He was a delegate to the 1st Wisconsin Constitutional Convention, but resigned from that body and acted as a leader of the successful movement to reject the ratification of the Constitution it had drafted, one he considered too radical in its provisions.[6]

Railroad work

When the Racine, Janesville and Mississippi Railroad Company, later the Racine and Mississippi Rail Road Company) was incorporated by the legislature April 17, 1852, Strong was one of the incorporators. From 1854–56 he was the corporation's attorney. This line was later merged into the Western Union Railroad Company.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 111
  2. ↑ Marshall Strong, Wisconsin Historical Society
  3. ↑ Heg, J. E., ed. "Wisconsin and her institutions: University of Wisconsin: History" in The blue book of the state of Wisconsin 1883 Madison, 1883; p. 393
  4. ↑ Gregory, John, Civil engineer. "Lorenzo Janes"; in, A new and vastly improved edition, of the Industrial resources of Wisconsin, containing numerous new subjects, not in the first edition, such as a sketch of the natural history of the state, brief sketches of its altered condition at different periods and the causes leading thereto : a new theory of the origin of our American lakes, and numerous discussions on the various natural phenomena observable in the states : also, the biography of leading men ... Madison: Milwaukee News Co., printers, 1872; pp. 93–94
  5. ↑ Warren, John H.; Dean, John S., eds. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin. Comprising Jefferson's manual, the rules; also lists and tables for reference, with indices First Annual Edition. Madison: Smith and Cullaton, State Printers, 1862; p. 119]
  6. ↑ Turner, A. J., eds. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin; comprising Jefferson's manual, rules, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference 11th Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood & Culver, State Printers, Journal Block, 1872; pp. 187–188, 192–194, 197, 201
  7. ↑ Turner, A. J. et al. "Public document no. 5: Fifth Annual Report of the Railroad Commissioner of the State of Wisconsin, pp. 351–53 in, Governor's message and accompanying documents Volume I. Madison: David Atwood, 1879 (Covers 1877/1878)
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