1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature

The 1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature was a meeting of the Wyoming Legislature that lasted from October 12 to December 10, 1869. This was the first meeting of the territorial legislature following the creation of the Wyoming Territory by the United States Congress.

1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature
2nd→
The Thomas McLeland Building where the Council met on the second floor
Overview
Legislative bodyWyoming Legislature
JurisdictionWyoming Territory, United States
Meeting placeThomas McLeland Building
Arcade Building
Term1869–1871
Wyoming Council
Members9 Senators
President of the CouncilWilliam H. Bright
Party controlDemocratic
Wyoming House of Representatives
Members13 Representatives[lower-alpha 1]
Speaker of the HouseS. M. Curran
Party controlDemocratic

History

Creation

On July 25, 1868, the United States Congress approved the Wyoming Organic Act which created the Wyoming Territory with land from the Dakota, Utah, and Idaho territories. At the time of the territory's formation there were four counties; Albany, Carbon, Carter, and Laramie counties.[3] On September 2, 1869, the first legislature elections were held where the Democratic Party won all of the seats in the Council and House of Representatives.[4][5]

Formation
The legislation passed by the Wyoming Territorial Legislature giving women the right to vote.

The first session of the Wyoming territorial legislature occurred from October 12, to December 10, 1869. The upper house Council met in the Thomas McLeland Building and the House of Representatives met in the Arcade Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[5] On October 12, John H. Howe, Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, inaugurated the twenty-one members of the territorial legislature.[6]

William H. Bright was selected to serve as the President of the Council and S. M. Curran was selected to serve as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Council convened with two members missing, W. S. Rockwell and George Wilson Jr., who would later arrive on October 15 and October 27. The House of Representatives convened with five members missing, with four of them arriving by November 23, but Representative J. M. Freeman never arrived.[1]

Legislation

During the legislative session legislation giving women the right to vote was introduced by William Bright in the Council.[7] On December 6, 1869, Council voted seven to two in favor and the House of Representatives voted seven to four in favor. On December 10, Governor John Allen Campbell signed the legislation into law.[8][9]

The legislature passed legislation renaming Carter County to Sweetwater and created Uinta County.[10]

Membership

Council
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Beginning of 1st Legislature 9[5] 0 9 0
Latest voting share 100% 0%

Members of the Wyoming Council
Senator[10] Party Counties represented
James W. Brady Democratic Albany
William H. Bright Democratic Carter
Frederick Laycock Democratic Albany
T. D. Murrin Democratic Laramie
T. W. Poole Democratic Laramie
W. S. Rockwell Democratic Carter
George Wardman Democratic Carter
J. R. Whitehead Democratic Laramie
George Wilson Democratic Carbon

House of Representatives
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Beginning of 1st Legislature 12[5] 0 13[lower-alpha 2] 1
Latest voting share 100% 0%

Members of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Representative[10] Party Counties represented
J. C. Abney Democratic
S. M. Curran Democratic
J. N. Douglas Democratic
J. M. Freeman Democratic
Herman Haas Democratic
William Herrick Democratic
John Holbrook Democratic
James Menafee Democratic
Louis Miller Democratic
Howard Sebree Democratic
Benjamin Sheeks Democratic
J. C. Strong Democratic
Posey S. Wilson Democratic
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References
  1. History of Wyoming (Second Edition). University of Nebraska Press. 1990. p. 73 – via Google Books.
  2. General Laws, Memorials and Resolutions of the Territory of Wyoming. Public Printer. 1874. p. 16 – via Google Books.
  3. "Wyoming History". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  4. "Clean Democratic Sweep of the Territory of Wyoming - Democratic Member of Congress Elected". Northumberland County Democrat. September 3, 1869. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "1869 Legislature Membership". Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  6. "From The West". Wisconsin State Journal. October 13, 1869. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Right Choice, Wrong Reasons: Wyoming Women Win the Right to Vote". November 8, 2014. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.
  8. "Passage of the Female Suffrage Bill". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 7, 1869. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "The Wyoming Legislature". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 9, 1869. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming: Pages 351 to 352. Weston historical association. 1904. p. 351 – via Google Books.

Notes
  1. The Territorial House of Representatives was given thirteen members and thirteen were elected in the 1869 elections, but Representative J. M. Freeman did not arrive in the legislature during the session.[1][2]
  2. The Territorial House of Representatives was given thirteen members and thirteen were elected in the 1869 elections, but Representative J. M. Freeman did not arrive in the legislature during the session.[1][2]
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