Angus Cameron (American politician)

Angus Cameron (July 4, 1826 – March 30, 1897) was an American lawyer, banker, and politician who served ten years as United States Senator from Wisconsin. He also served as the 18th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly and served two terms in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing La Crosse County.

Angus Cameron
United States senator
from Wisconsin
In office
March 14, 1881 – March 3, 1885
Preceded byMatthew H. Carpenter
Succeeded byJohn Coit Spooner
In office
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881
Preceded byMatthew H. Carpenter
Succeeded byPhiletus Sawyer
18th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office
January 9, 1867 – January 8, 1868
Preceded byHenry D. Barron
Succeeded byAlexander McDonald Thomson
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 31st district
In office
January 1, 1871 – January 1, 1873
Preceded byCyrus M. Butt
Succeeded byGideon C. Hixon
In office
January 1, 1863 – January 1, 1865
Preceded byEdwin Flint
Succeeded byJohn A. Chandler
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the La Crosse 1st district
In office
January 1, 1866 – January 1, 1868
Preceded byTownsend N. Horton
Succeeded byTheodore Rodolf
Personal details
Born(1826-07-04)July 4, 1826
Caledonia, New York
DiedMarch 30, 1897(1897-03-30) (aged 70)
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Resting placeOak Grove Cemetery
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
  • Mary Papillon Barker Baker
  • (died 1907)
ChildrenNone.
MotherSarah McColl Cameron
FatherDuncan A. Cameron
Professionlawyer, banker, politician

Early life and career

Cameron was born in Caledonia, New York on July 4, 1826, the fifth child of seven born to Scottish American immigrants Duncan and Sarah McColl Cameron. He attended Temple Hill Academy in Geneseo, New York, and then the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, New York, which is now Syracuse University. He later studied law with the firm of Wadsworth and Cameron in Buffalo, New York. He graduated from the State and National Law School in 1853, was admitted to the bar, and practiced with Wadsworth and Cameron. He later formed a partnership with Frederick H. Wing, which was active in banking as Cameron & Wing.

Political career

In 1857 Cameron moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he continued his legal and banking careers. Initially a Whig, he joined the Republican Party when it was founded in the mid-1850s. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1863 to 1864 and 1871 to 1872. He was a delegate to the 1864 National Union National Convention. From 1866 to 1867 he served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, and he was Speaker of the Assembly in the 1867 session.

Cameron also served on the University of Wisconsin–Madison Board of Regents from 1866 to 1875, and helped found Christ Church of La Crosse.

In February 1875 the Wisconsin State Legislature, in joint session, elected Cameron to the United States Senate, and he served from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1881. He did not seek reelection in 1881. During this term he was appointed chairman of a committee to investigate alleged election fraud in South Carolina during the disputed United States presidential election of 1876.

In February 1881 Senator Matthew H. Carpenter died in office, and on March 10 Cameron was elected to complete the remaining four years of his six-year term. Cameron took his seat on March 14, and served until March 3, 1885. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1885.

Death and legacy

After leaving the Senate Cameron returned to his banking and legal interests. He died in La Crosse on March 30, 1897, and was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in La Crosse.[1]

Cameron Park in downtown La Crosse was named for him. The village of Cameron, in Barron County, was also named for him.

Notes
  1. "Cameron, Angus 1826 - 1897 | Wisconsin Historical Society". Wisconsin Historical Society. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
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Wisconsin State Senate
Preceded by
Edwin Flint		 Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 31st district
1863 – 1865		 Succeeded by
John A. Chandler
Preceded by
Cyrus M. Butt		 Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 31st district
1871 – 1873		 Succeeded by
Gideon C. Hixon
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Matthew H. Carpenter		 U.S. senator (Class 1) from Wisconsin
1875 – 1881
Served alongside: Timothy O. Howe, Matthew H. Carpenter		 Succeeded by
Philetus Sawyer
Preceded by
Matthew H. Carpenter		 U.S. senator (Class 3) from Wisconsin
1881 – 1885
Served alongside: Philetus Sawyer		 Succeeded by
John C. Spooner
Political offices
Preceded by
Henry D. Barron		 Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
1867 – 1868		 Succeeded by
Alexander McDonald Thomson


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