William H. Upham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 18th Governor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 7, 1895 – January 4, 1897 | |
| Lieutenant | Emil Baensch |
| Preceded by | George Wilbur Peck |
| Succeeded by | Edward Scofield |
| 3rd & 6th Mayor ofMarshfield, Wisconsin | |
| In office April 1891 – April 1892 | |
| Preceded by | L. A. Arnold |
| Succeeded by | Henry Kalsched |
| In office April 1886 – April 1888 | |
| Preceded by | W. H. Budge |
| Succeeded by | Adam Hafer |
| Member of theMarshfield City Council | |
| In office April 1883 – April 1886 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1841-05-03)May 3, 1841 Westminster, Massachusetts, US |
| Died | July 2, 1924(1924-07-02) (aged 83) Marshfield, Wisconsin, US |
| Resting place | Hillside Cemetery,Marshfield, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Calvin H. Upham (brother) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army United States Army |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank |
|
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
William Henry Upham (May 3, 1841 – July 2, 1924) was an American businessman, politician, andWisconsin pioneer. He was the 18thgovernor of Wisconsin and served three terms as mayor ofMarshfield, Wisconsin.[1] He is the namesake ofUpham, Wisconsin, inLanglade County.
Upham was born inWestminster, Massachusetts,[2] and moved toNiles, Michigan around 1852 and thenKenosha, Wisconsin, in 1853.[2] He graduated fromRacine High School inRacine, Wisconsin, the first public school in Wisconsin.[3][4]
At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, he joined up with the "Belle City Rifles", a Racine militia company, for service in theUnion Army. His company was enrolled as Company F of the2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.[5]
Just a few months after starting his service, he waswounded during theFirst Battle of Bull Run by a bullet passing through his shoulder strap that supported his cartridge box just at the shoulder blade. After going to the field hospital, he wascaptured byConfederate forces and sent to the converted tobacco barn,Libby Prison, along with other members of his company—F. Lacy, James Anderson, John H. Anderson, and Antle Henry. CongressmanAlfred Ely from New York was captured along with them.
At Libby Prison, he was attended by Dr. Lewis, the 2nd Wisconsin's surgeon. His family in Wisconsin, however, was told that he had been killed in action and held a funeral for him in Racine, Wisconsin—the captain of his company, William E. Strong, had seen him shot and reported that he believed him to be dead.
Upham was released in a prisoner exchange in 1862 and repatriated to Washington, D.C., where he was introduced toPresidentAbraham Lincoln at aWhite House interview arranged by WisconsinSenatorJames Rood Doolittle. Soon after, Lincoln appointed Upham to theUnited States Military Academy inWest Point, New York, from which he graduated in 1866. Upham was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the artillery and served in the Army until November 1869,[3] having been promoted to the rank offirst lieutenant in March of the same year.
While stationed atFort Monroe, he was detailed as officer of the guard, overseeing the temporary quarters of the then-imprisonedPresident of the Confederate States of America,Jefferson Davis. In his memoirs, Upham related that he and Davis "usually ... past the hours until after midnight" in conversation, adding, "Mr. Davis was very pleasant and social ... full of reminiscences ... familiar with all parts of Wisconsin, he could tell me the meanings of all the Indian names of the [state]." Later in his life, Upham was aGrand Army of the Republic officer with the rank of major.
After returning from military service, Upham first resided atKewaunee, Wisconsin. In 1878, he and his brother, Charles, moved toMarshfield, Wisconsin, where they built the city's firstsawmill. The Uphams flourished in thelumber industry, and his company, the Upham Manufacturing Company, came to own several businesses in the Marshfield area, including a shingle mill, grist mill, and furniture factory. In 1880, he constructed his family home, now known as theGov. William H. Upham House and featured in theNational Register of Historic Places.
Upham became one of the most prominent residents of Marshfield in the era and was elected Mayor for three years, in 1886, 1887, and 1891.[6] On June 27, 1887, a major fire started at Upham's lumber mill and spread across all of Marshfield, destroying 250 buildings—virtually the entire city.[7] Upham led reconstruction efforts and saw the city return to prosperity.[8]
In 1894, Upham was theRepublican Party of Wisconsin's nominee for Governor against incumbent DemocratGeorge Wilbur Peck. Upham won the election and became the 18th Governor of Wisconsin in January 1895. He served one term but did not seek re-election in 1896.[9] Upham instead tended to his business interests in Marshfield, as President of Upham Manufacturing and the Water, Electric Light and Power Co.[8]
Upham retired from business in 1919 and spent much of his later years inFlorida.[8] He died of pneumonia inMarshfield, Wisconsin, on July 2, 1924.[2]
He was an original Companion (#03124) of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, or the MOLLUS, founded in 1865 by and for commissioned officers who had served in the Union forces in the Civil War. His son William Jr. (1916-2009) served as Commander-in-Chief of the Order from 1985 to 1989.
The town ofUpham, Wisconsin, is named for him.[10]
William H. Upham was the youngest son of Alvin Upham and his wife Sarah (née Derby). His grandfather, Jonathan Upham, was a soldier in theContinental Army during theAmerican Revolutionary War and was present at thesurrender of Yorktown.[11] The Uphams were direct descendants of John Upham, anEnglish colonist who came to theMassachusetts Bay Colony in 1635, and was one of the first settlers ofWeymouth, Massachusetts.[11]
William had several siblings, who also emigrated from the northeast to Wisconsin, includingCalvin H. Upham, who served in theWisconsin State Assembly.[11]
William H. Upham married twice. Some two years after the death of his first wife, Mary Kelly, in 1912, Upham, then 73, undertook a voyage along the Atlantic coast, that was forced by storm to harbor atBeaufort, North Carolina. There he met and married his much younger second wife, Grace Mason, and begat two sons: William H. Upham Jr., (who was a member ofMilwaukee Yacht Club until his death), and Frederick M. Upham, who survived his older sibling.[12][13][14]
On August 20, 2009, at age 93, William H. Upham Jr., died in his home inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, due topneumonia. On December 30, 2018, at age 97, Frederick M. Upham died in Fort Collins, Colorado.[15]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 6, 1894 | |||||
| Republican | William H. Upham | 196,150 | 52.24% | +6.36% | |
| Democratic | George Wilbur Peck (incumbent) | 142,250 | 37.89% | −10.04% | |
| Populist | D. Frank Powell | 25,604 | 6.82% | ||
| Prohibition | John F. Cleghorn | 11,240 | 2.99% | −0.55% | |
| Scattering | 205 | 0.05% | |||
| Total votes | '375,449' | '100.0%' | +1.05% | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | |||||
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Wisconsin 1894 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Wisconsin 1895 – 1897 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
