Charles Durkee | |
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| 6th Governor of Utah Territory | |
| In office September 30, 1865 – January 9, 1869 | |
| Appointed by | Abraham Lincoln |
| Preceded by | James Duane Doty |
| Succeeded by | John Shaffer |
| United States Senator fromWisconsin | |
| In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Isaac P. Walker |
| Succeeded by | Timothy O. Howe |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | William P. Lynde |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Wells Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1805-12-10)December 10, 1805 Royalton, Vermont |
| Died | January 14, 1870(1870-01-14) (aged 64) Omaha, Nebraska |
| Resting place | Green Ridge Cemetery Kenosha, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
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Charles H. Durkee (December 10, 1805 – January 14, 1870) was an American pioneer,Congressman, andUnited States Senator fromWisconsin. He was one of the founders ofKenosha, Wisconsin, and was aGovernor of theUtah Territory in the last five years of his life.
Durkee was born inRoyalton, Vermont. He became a merchant and moved to theWisconsin Territory in 1836. There he became involved in agriculture and lumbering, and was a founder of the town of Southport (laterKenosha, Wisconsin). Land he once owned in Kenosha is now part of theLibrary Park Historic District.[1]
He entered politics, serving two terms in the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature. Originally aDemocrat,[2] he became a member first of theLiberty Party and then of theFree Soil Party and was elected to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1848 as part of Wisconsin's first full congressional delegation. He served in the House for two terms as part of the31st and the32ndCongresses from March 4, 1849, till March 3, 1853, representingWisconsin's 1st congressional district. In 1854, he switched to the newly formedRepublican Party and was elected to theUnited States Senate by theWisconsin State Legislature. He served for one term, from 1855 to 1861. In 1865 he becamegovernor of theUtah Territory, and served in that position until 1869 when he resigned because of ill health.[3] He died inOmaha, Nebraska while returning home.[4]
A street in the city ofAppleton, Wisconsin, is named for him. An elementary school inKenosha, Wisconsin, bore his name for many years. It was demolished in 2008.
He gave a speech at the hammering of theGolden Spike in Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869, connecting the Union Pacific tracks to the Central Pacific Railroad.[5]
His former home, which later became anEpiscopal school for girls and is now known asKemper Hall, is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote of the8th Wisconsin Legislature, February 1, 1855 | |||||
| Republican | Charles Durkee | 54 | 50.47% | ||
| Democratic | Byron Kilbourn | 39 | 35.45% | ||
| Democratic | Charles Dunn | 5 | 4.67% | ||
| Republican | James Duane Doty | 4 | 3.74% | ||
| Democratic | David Agry | 2 | 1.87% | ||
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 2 | 1.87% | ||
| Republican | James McMillan Shafter | 1 | 0.93% | ||
| Plurality | 15 | 14.02% | |||
| Total votes | 107 | 100.0% | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | |||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's 1st congressional district March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | United States Senator (Class 3) from Wisconsin March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1861 Served alongside:Henry Dodge,James R. Doolittle | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Utah Territory September 30, 1865 – January 9, 1869 | Succeeded by |
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| Class 3 | ||
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| National | |
| People | |
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