55th Wisconsin Legislature
54th 56th
Wisconsin State Capitol ca.1915
Overview
Legislative bodyWisconsin Legislature
Meeting placeWisconsin State Capitol
TermJanuary 3, 1921 January 1, 1923
ElectionNovember 2, 1920
Senate
Members33
Senate PresidentGeorge Comings (R)
President pro temporeTimothy Burke (R)
Party controlRepublican
Assembly
Members100
Assembly SpeakerRiley S. Young (R)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
RegularJanuary 12, 1921 July 14, 1921
Special sessions
Mar. 1921 Spec.March 22, 1922 March 28, 1922

The Fifty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1921, to July 14, 1921, in regular session, and re-convened in a special session in March 1922.[1]

Senators representing even-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 3, 1920. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 5, 1918.[1]

Major events

Major legislation

  • July 9, 1921: An Act ... relating to the re-apportionment of the state into assembly and senatorial districts, 1921 Act 470.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 5, article I of the constitution, relating to trial by jury, 1921 Joint Resolution 17. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to change jury rules for civil trials, so that a verdict requires a minimum of five-sixths of the jury. This amendment was ratified by voters in the November 1922 election.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 7 of article VII of the constitution, relating to circuit judges, 1921 Joint Resolution 24. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to expand the number of circuits eligible for having multiple judges.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of article IV of the constitution, relating to compensation or members of the legislature, 1921 Joint Resolution 28. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to raise legislative pay to $750 per year ($12,000 adjusted for inflation to 2023). Voters had just defeated another amendment which would have given the Legislature control of their own salary in 1920. This amendment would also ultimately be defeated in April 1924.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 10 of article VIII of the constitution, relating to internal improvements, 1921 Joint Resolution 29. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow state spending on forestry improvements.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 4 of article VI of the constitution, relating to county officers, 1921 Joint Resolution 36. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove term limits for sheriffs. This amendment was defeated by voters in the November 1922 election.
  • Joint Resolution to create section 3b of article XI of the constitution, relating to the indebtedness of municipal corporations, 1921 Joint Resolution 37. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow municipalities to take on additional debt for street rail or other utilities. This amendment was defeated by voters in the November 1922 election.
  • Joint Resolution to amend section 3 of article XI of the constitution, relating to powers of cities and villages, 1921 Joint Resolution 39. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to grant home rule to all cities and villages in the state.

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition
  Democratic: 2 seats
  Socialist: 4 seats
  Republican: 27 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Soc. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 2 4 27 32 1
Start of 1st Session 2 4 27 33 0
Final voting share 18.18% 81.82%
Beginning of the next Legislature 0 3 29 32 1

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition
  Democratic: 2 seats
  Socialist: 6 seats
  Republican: 92 seats
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Dem. Soc. Rep. Vacant
End of previous Legislature 6 16 76 98 2
Start of 1st Session 2 6 92 100 0
From Jan. 15, 1921[note 1] 91 99 1
From Mar. 8, 1921[note 2] 92 100 0
Final voting share 8% 92%
Beginning of the next Legislature 1 10 89 100 0

Sessions

  • Regular session: January 12, 1921  July 14, 1921
  • March 1922 special session: March 22, 1922  March 28, 1922

Leaders

Senate leadership

Assembly leadership

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Fifty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party
01 Door, Kewaunee, & Marinette Herbert Peterson Sturgeon Bay Rep.
02 Brown & Oconto Timothy Burke Green Bay Rep.
03 Kenosha & Racine George L. Buck Racine Rep.
04 Milwaukee (Northern Part) Oscar Morris Milwaukee Rep.
05 Milwaukee (Middle-West County & Central-Western City) Rudolph Beyer Milwaukee Soc.
06 Milwaukee (Northern City) Joseph J. Hirsch Milwaukee Soc.
07 Milwaukee (Southern County) Louis A. Arnold Milwaukee Soc.
08 Milwaukee (City South) George Czerwinski Milwaukee Rep.
09 Milwaukee (City Downtown) David V. Jennings Milwaukee Dem.
10 Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, & St. Croix George B. Skogmo River Falls Rep.
11 Burnett, Douglas, & Washburn Ray J. Nye Superior Rep.
12 Ashland, Bayfield, Price, Rusk, & Sawyer Chester H. Werden Ashland Rep.
13 Dodge & Washington Herman J. F. Bilgrien Iron Ridge Rep.
14 Outagamie & Shawano Antone Kuckuk Shawano Rep.
15 Calumet & Manitowoc Henry Kleist Rantoul Soc.
16 Crawford, Grant, & Richland Henry E. Roethe Fennimore Rep.
17 Green, Iowa, & Lafayette Oscar R. Olson Blanchardville Rep.
18 Fond du Lac & Green Lake William A. Titus Fond du Lac Rep.
19 Winnebago Julius H. Dennhardt Neenah Rep.
20 Ozaukee & Sheboygan Theodore Benfey Sheboygan Rep.
21 Adams, Juneau, Marquette, & Waushara John A. Conant Westfield Rep.
22 Rock & Walworth Eldo T. Ridgway Elkhorn Rep.
23 Portage & Waupaca Herman J. Severson Iola Rep.
24 Clark & Wood William L. Smith Neillsville Rep.
25 Langlade & Marathon Claire B. Bird Wausau Rep.
26 Dane Henry Huber Stoughton Rep.
27 Columbia & Sauk George Staudenmayer Caledonia Rep.
28 Chippewa, & Eau Claire Herman Lange Eau Claire Rep.
29 Barron, Dunn, & Polk Algodt C. Anderson Menomonie Rep.
30 Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor, & Vilas Bernard N. Moran Rhinelander Rep.
31 Jackson, Monroe, & Vernon J. Henry Bennett Viroqua Rep.
32 La Crosse & Trempealeau Eugene F. Clark Galesville Rep.
33 Jefferson & Waukesha Charles Mulberger Watertown Dem.

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Fifty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]

Senate
Dist.
County Dist. Representative Party Residence
21 Adams & Marquette James F. McDowell Rep. Montello
12 Ashland Abe L. Biglow Rep. Ashland
29 Barron John L. Dahl Rep. Rice Lake
12 Bayfield Frank W. Downs Rep. Washburn
02 Brown 1 James T. Oliver Rep. Green Bay
2 Gustav J. Zittlow Rep. Lawrence
10 Buffalo & Pepin Elmer A. Kenyon Rep. Gilmanton
11 Burnett & Washburn Erick H. Johnson Rep.
15 Calumet George J. Schwalbach Dem. Harrison
28 Chippewa Thomas W. Bartingale Rep.
24 Clark John Verkuilen Rep.
27 Columbia Robert Caldwell Rep. Lodi
16 Crawford Albert C. Johnson Rep. Soldiers Grove
26 Dane 1 Herman W. Sachtjen Rep. Madison
2 James C. Hanson Rep. Christiana
3 Carl M. Grimstad Rep. Mount Horeb
13 Dodge 1 Herman A. Ziemer Rep. Emmet
2 Fred E. Moul Rep. Burnett
01 Door John Peltier Rep.
11 Douglas 1 James B. French Rep. Superior
2 Charles Cole Rep. Parkland
29 Dunn Alonzo L. Best Rep. Tiffany
28 Eau Claire Rush Bullis Rep. Washington
30 Florence, Forest, & Oneida Joseph D. Grandine Rep. Argonne
18 Fond du Lac 1 Joseph Lamb Rep. Friendship
2 John E. Johnson Rep. Brandon
16 Grant 1 Conrad J. Weittenhiller Rep. Platteville
2 Charles E. Tuffley Rep. Boscobel
17 Green William Olson Rep. Jordan
18 Green Lake Samuel Owens (died Jan. 15, 1921) Rep. Green Lake
Ira W. Parker (from Mar. 8, 1921) Rep. Markesan
17 Iowa William M. Smith Rep. Linden
30 Iron & Vilas Hyman M. Mark Rep. Hurley
31 Jackson William F. Dettinger Rep. Hixton
33 Jefferson 1 Eugene H. Killian Rep. Watertown
2 Henry W. Stokes Rep. Waterloo
21 Juneau Frank H. Hanson Rep. Mauston
03 Kenosha Malcolm D. Farr Rep. Kenosha
01 Kewaunee Anton Holly Rep. Carlton
32 La Crosse 1 Frank H. Fowler Rep. La Crosse
2 William F. Miller Rep. Barre
17 Lafayette James U. Goodman Rep. Lamont
25 Langlade Burt W. Rynders Dem. Antigo
30 Lincoln Ray M. Atcherson Rep. Tomahawk
15 Manitowoc 1 John Lorfeld Rep. Meeme
2 Thomas A. Sullivan Rep. Franklin
25 Marathon 1 Joseph Weix Rep. Colby
2 Lewis H. Cook Rep. Wausau
01 Marinette E. A. Burden Rep.
09 Milwaukee 1 Ben H. Mahon Rep. Milwaukee
2 Martin M. Higgins Rep. Milwaukee
3 Thomas H. Conway Rep. Milwaukee
05 4 Charles Meising Rep. Milwaukee
08 5 Edmund B. Grunwald Rep. Milwaukee
05 6 Frederick Petersen Rep. Milwaukee
7 Alex C. Ruffing Soc. Milwaukee
08 8 Walter Polakowski Soc. Milwaukee
06 9 Julius Kiesner Soc. Milwaukee
04 10 Fred Hasley Soc. Milwaukee
08 11 William E. Jordan Soc. Milwaukee
12 Julius Jensen Rep. Milwaukee
04 13 Leander J. Pierson Rep. Milwaukee
07 14 Stephen Stolowski Soc. Milwaukee
05 15 Theodore Engel Rep. Milwaukee
16 John C. Schafer Rep. Milwaukee
07 17 Edward Vollmer Rep. Milwaukee
04 18 Frank L. Prescott Rep. Milwaukee
07 19 Nicholas F. Lucas Rep.
31 Monroe Miles Hineman Rep. Tomah
02 Oconto Peter Ankerson Rep. Oconto
14 Outagamie 1 Mark S. Catlin Rep. Appleton
2 Anton M. Miller Rep. Kaukauna
20 Ozaukee Louis L. Pierron Rep. Belgium
10 Pierce Charles E. Hanson Rep. River Falls
29 Polk George A. Nelson Rep. Milltown
23 Portage William M. Scribner Rep.
12 Price Joseph R. Farr Rep. Phillips
03 Racine 1 Wallace Ingalls Rep. Racine
2 Henry F. Johnson Rep. Norway
28 Richland Elias R. Cushman Rep. Viola
22 Rock 1 Alexander E. Matheson Rep. Janesville
2 Edwin G. Fifield Rep. Beloit
12 Rusk & Sawyer David J. Summerville Rep.
27 Sauk Carl Koenig Rep. Westfield
14 Shawano August Beversdorf Rep. Belle Plaine
20 Sheboygan 1 William G. Kaufmann Rep. Sheboygan
2 Henry Ott Rep. Plymouth
10 St. Croix George Oakes Rep. New Richmond
30 Taylor John Gamper Rep. Medford
32 Trempealeau Hans A. Anderson Rep. Whitehall
31 Vernon Luther Roseland Rep. Viroqua
23 Walworth Riley S. Young Rep. Darien
13 Washington Alfred G. Becker Rep. Addison
33 Waukesha 1 William A. Freehoff Rep. Waukesha
2 W. H. Edwards Rep. Sussex
23 Waupaca Fred Hess Rep. Clintonville
21 Waushara Frank Ploetz Rep. Coloma
19 Winnebago 1 Clark M. Perry Rep. Oshkosh
2 Nels Larson Rep. Neenah
3 George H. Jones Rep. Algoma
24 Wood William W. Clark Rep. Hansen

Committees

Senate committees

  • Senate Standing Committee on Committees  G. B. Skogmo, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures  H. Huber, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Corporations  G. B. Skogmo, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Welfare  A. Kuckuk, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Highways  E. F. Clark, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary  J. A. Conant, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on Legislative Procedure  T. Burke, chair
  • Senate Standing Committee on State Affairs  H. E. Roethe, chair

Assembly committees

  • Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture  W. Olson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures  J. E. Johnson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures  J. C. Hanson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Education  M. L. Hineman, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Elections  F. Hess, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills  A. Becker, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills  T. W. Bartingale, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees  R. M. Atcherson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Fish and Game  M. S. Catlin, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Highways  R. Bullis, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking  B. H. Mahon, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary  J. B. French, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Labor  W. A. Freehoff, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities  C. M. Perry, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Printing  F. W. Downs, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare  F. J. Petersen, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Revision  C. Weittenhiller, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Rules  J. B. French, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs  A. E. Matheson, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation  W. H. Edwards, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading  J. T. Oliver, chair
  • Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation  L. J. Pierson, chair

Joint committees

  • Joint Standing Committee on Finance  R. J. Nye (Sen.) & G. Oakes (Asm.), co-chairs

Employees

Senate employees

  • Chief Clerk: Oliver G. Munson[3]
    • Assistant Chief Clerk: Charles E. Mullen
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Vincent Kielpinski
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Olaf Goldstrand
  • Postmaster: Frank C. Densmore

Assembly employees

  • Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer[3]
    • Journal Clerk: W. A. Lawton
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Grant Cretney
    • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Ernest F. Wright
  • Postmaster: G. I. Brader

Notes

  1. Republican Samuel Owens (Green Lake County) died.
  2. Republican Ira W. Parker (Green Lake County) was sworn in to replace Samuel Owens.

References

  1. 1 2 Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 467, 471, 475, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Biographical Sketches". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1921 (Report). Wisconsin State Printing Board. 1921. pp. 237–295. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Organization of Legislature, 1921". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1921 (Report). Wisconsin State Printing Board. 1921. pp. 299–302. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
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