William H. Upham

William Henry Upham (born May 3, 1841 in Westminster , Worcester County , Massachusetts , †  July 2, 1924 in Marshfield , Wisconsin ) was an American politician and from 1895 to 1897 the 18th governor of the state of Wisconsin.

Early years

In 1853 Upham came to Wisconsin via Michigan , where he settled in Racine . During the civil war he fought in an infantry regiment. He was wounded and taken prisoner of war, which he spent in the notorious Libby Prison , among other places . At home in Wisconsin he was believed dead.

Advancement in Wisconsin

After his return home, surprising for his surroundings, he graduated from the US military academy in West Point . He owed his place in this institution to President Abraham Lincoln , who heard the story of his imprisonment. After graduating in 1866, he served as a first lieutenant in the US Army until 1869. Then he worked in the wood business. From 1879 he was based in Marshfield, where he was involved in many businesses. The city fell victim to a major fire in 1887. Upham had enough reserves to not only rebuild its destroyed properties, but also to rebuild 62 apartment blocks within a year. In the course of time he became a councilor and mayor of this city. He was a member of the city's school council for 13 years. This experience, combined with his military background, made it easy for him to win the 1894 gubernatorial election as a candidate for the Republican Party .

Governor of wisconsin

William Upham took up his new office on January 7, 1895. His two-year term in office was without any particular highlights. In 1896 he waived a possible re-election. Instead, he returned to Marshfield to focus on his business interests. There he became president of the “Water, Electric Light and Power Company” and the “Upham Manufacturing Company”. He was a successful and respected businessman until his death. William Upham was married twice and had four children.

Web links

• William H. Upham in the database of the National Governors Association (English)
• Wisconsin Historical Society (English)