William A. Barstow

William Augustus Barstow
Born	Plainfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	13 December 1865(1865-12-13) (aged 52) Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, politician, military officer
Years active	1840s–1865
Known for	3rd Governor of Wisconsin; 2nd Secretary of State of Wisconsin; Union Army brigadier general

William Augustus Barstow (September 13, 1813 – December 13, 1865) was a prominent American entrepreneur, politician, and early settler of Wisconsin. He held office as Wisconsin’s third governor from 1854 to 1856 and previously served as the state’s second Secretary of State between 1850 and 1852. Barstow’s tenure became infamous due to corruption scandals tied to the railroad sector. His reputation became intertwined with the expressions "Barstow and the 40 thieves" and "Barstow and the balance," which referred to a bribery scheme in which Barstow and numerous legislators accepted payments from the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad to sway land grant decisions. Additionally, he attempted to illegitimately claim victory in the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, maintaining control of the governor’s office for three months in 1856 before stepping down. Despite thorough legislative inquiries, no criminal charges were ever filed against him.

Before Wisconsin achieved statehood, Barstow was instrumental in carving out Waukesha County from Milwaukee County. Following his governorship, during the American Civil War, he enlisted as a cavalry officer for the Union Army, eventually attaining the rank of brigadier general and serving predominantly in the trans-Mississippi theater. His military service was hampered by persistent illness, and he passed away shortly after the war concluded.

Early life

Born and raised in Plainfield, Connecticut, Barstow spent his youth working on his family’s farm while attending local schools. At age sixteen, he relocated to Norwich, Connecticut, where he worked as a store clerk in a business owned by his brother Samuel. The brothers later moved their enterprise to Cleveland, Ohio. After the economic downturn caused by the Panic of 1837, they migrated to the Wisconsin Territory, settling in Waukesha in 1839, which was then part of Milwaukee County.

Wisconsin Territory

The Barstows became influential local entrepreneurs by establishing a flour mill in the area. William secured election as postmaster in 1842, while Samuel served in the Territorial Legislature beginning in 1845. In 1843, William ran for sheriff of Milwaukee County on the Democratic Party ticket but was defeated by independent candidate Edward D. Holton. This loss was partly attributed to accusations that Barstow manipulated party conventions, leading some Democrats to withhold support.

Waukesha separation

During this era, community leaders including both Barstow brothers and Alexander Randall pushed for forming a new county separate from Milwaukee. Their primary goal was to ensure that tax revenues would benefit local development rather than subsidize Milwaukee’s expansion. Samuel introduced legislation to hold a referendum on this county division, which passed despite disputed allegations of fraud. In 1847, Prairieville was renamed "Waukesha" and designated as the county seat.

Secretary of State

At the Wisconsin Democratic Convention held in September 1849, Barstow secured the nomination for Secretary of State of Wisconsin on the fifth ballot, surpassing incumbent Thomas McHugh as well as contenders Myron B. Williams and Frederick W. Horn. He subsequently defeated Whig candidate Levi Alden and Free Soil contender Edward D. Holton in the November general election, becoming Wisconsin’s second Secretary of State.

Barstow’s term was overshadowed by controversies involving corruption related to federal land grants and state contracts concerning printing services, management of the state insane asylum, and treasury operations. A notable incident involved an editor from a Madison newspaper who boasted about being able to “buy up Barstow and the balance” to secure a lucrative state printing contract—a phrase that haunted Barstow’s political career.

He engaged in a contentious campaign for renomination within the Democratic Party but ultimately lost at the 1851 State Convention to Charles D. Robinson on the third ballot.

Wisconsin Governor

By 1852, Barstow had restored enough of his standing to represent Wisconsin at the Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore. Nevertheless, legal issues lingered; during the 1853 legislative session, his name was implicated in corruption allegations connected to the impeachment proceedings against Judge Levi Hubbell. Barstow provided a deposition under subpoena, but Hubbell was ultimately acquitted, and no formal charges were filed against Barstow.

That same legislative session enacted a temperance statute inspired by Maine’s Liquor Law, which led to a statewide referendum. Barstow opposed this legislation and actively campaigned against it across Wisconsin. Initially, he supported A. Hyatt Smith for the Democratic nomination for governor; however, after Smith withdrew following seven ballots, Barstow gained momentum and secured the nomination on the 11th ballot by a slim margin over Jairus C. Fairchild. The convention also adopted a resolution opposing the temperance law.

In the general election of 1853, Barstow triumphed over Free Soil candidate Edward D. Holton for the third time, capturing 54% of the vote. He was inaugurated as governor on January 2, 1854. During his tenure, he endorsed the development of a transcontinental railroad and resisted Know-Nothing Party initiatives aimed at limiting immigration and citizenship rights for foreign-born residents. True to his campaign promises, he vetoed the temperance legislation despite its approval in the public referendum.

Subsequently, Barstow faced new accusations involving the misappropriation of public school funds and exerting undue influence over state-supported loans during the Democrat-led 1854 Legislature. Although he was renominated by his party in 1853, his political backing both within the Democratic ranks and statewide diminished due to these ongoing financial controversies.

Disputed election

In the 1855 contest, Barstow was initially declared victorious over Republican Coles Bashford by a margin of 157 votes. Bashford challenged the results, alleging electoral fraud that was substantiated by evidence of fabricated returns from fictitious northern precincts and conflicting certifications in Waupaca County.

As tensions escalated with opposing militias converging in Madison, Barstow held a public inauguration on January 7, 1856. On that same day, Bashford was privately sworn in by Chief Justice Edward V. Whiton.

Wisconsin Attorney General George Baldwin Smith initiated quo warranto proceedings to remove Barstow from office. Despite initial resistance, Barstow resigned on March 21, 1856. Lieutenant Governor Arthur MacArthur assumed the role of acting governor until the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Bashford by a margin of 1,009 votes in Atty. Gen. ex rel. Bashford v. Barstow.

Later life

Barstow moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he established a bank and advocated for railroad development projects, including serving as president of the St. Croix and Lake Superior Railroad. His banking institution collapsed during the Panic of 1857, and his railroad enterprise became entangled in a bribery scandal. Despite these business difficulties, he remained engaged in Democratic politics and participated as a delegate at the Democratic National Conventions, endorsing Stephen A. Douglas for both nomination and presidency.

Civil War service

Following the onset of the American Civil War, Barstow volunteered to organize a cavalry regiment for General John C. Frémont, who led the Department of the West. Although the United States Department of War initially withdrew its approval due to a decreased demand for cavalry units, persistent efforts by Barstow and Governor Alexander Randall secured reinstatement of the authorization as the regiment neared full formation. The 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment officially entered Union Army service under Colonel Barstow’s command on January 31, 1862, at Camp Barstow near Janesville, and departed for St. Louis on March 26.

Once in Missouri, Barstow was designated Provost Marshal of Kansas, with his regiment assigned to provost responsibilities across the state, mainly based out of Fort Leavenworth. After several months in this role, health issues compelled Barstow in the summer of 1863 to transition to supervising courts-martial in St. Louis. He was honorably discharged on March 4, 1865, and was posthumously elevated to the rank of brigadier general of volunteers effective March 13, 1865.

Death

After the war concluded, Barstow returned to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he sought a contract related to the state penitentiary. His health, already compromised by persistent diarrhea during his military service, deteriorated further. He passed away in Leavenworth on December 13, 1865.

Family and legacy

Barstow was married to Maria Quarles from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and together they had four sons.

He was the son of William Augusta and Sally Hall Barstow and traced his lineage back to Revolutionary War participants John and Ebenezer Barstow. Among his relatives, Ebenezer’s grandson, John L. Barstow, held office as Vermont’s 39th governor.

In recognition of his contributions, a street in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin bears his name: Barstow Street.

Wisconsin Secretary of State (1849)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 6, 1849

Wisconsin Governor (1853, 1855)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 8, 1853

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 6, 1855

See also

• 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment
• List of governors of Wisconsin
• 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

External links

• Regimental history of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry
• Barstow, William A. at Our Campaigns

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