Eleazer Wakeley (June 25, 1822 – November 21, 1912) was an American lawyer, politician, judge, and pioneer of Wisconsin and Nebraska. He was a Nebraska District Court Judge, a justice of the Nebraska Territory's Supreme Court, and a delegate to Nebraska's constitutional convention. In Wisconsin, he served two terms in the Wisconsin State Senate and one in the Wisconsin State Assembly, he also served in the last sessions of the legislature of the Wisconsin Territory.
The Honorable Eleazer Wakeley | |
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| Nebraska District Court Judge | |
| In office 1883–1892 | |
| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Nebraska Territory | |
| In office January 1857 – May 1861 | |
| Preceded by | James Bradley |
| Succeeded by | William F. Lockwood |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office January 1, 1853 – January 1, 1856 | |
| Preceded by | Alva Stewart |
| Succeeded by | Jesse C. Mills |
| Constituency | 12th Senate district |
| In office January 1, 1852 – January 1, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | George Gale |
| Succeeded by | Alva Stewart |
| Constituency | 14th Senate district |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 5th district | |
| In office January 1, 1867 – January 1, 1868 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin F. Hopkins |
| Succeeded by | Levi B. Vilas |
| Member of the House of Representatives of the Wisconsin Territory for Walworth County | |
| In office October 18, 1847 – March 13, 1848 Serving with George Walworth | |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 25, 1822 Homer, New York |
| Died | November 21, 1912 (aged 90) Omaha, Nebraska |
| Resting place | Prospect Hill Cemetery Omaha, Nebraska |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children |
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| Parents |
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| Profession | lawyer, judge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1863 |
| Rank | Corporal, USV |
| Unit | 145th Reg. Penn. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Early years
editBorn in Homer, New York, Wakeley and his family moved first to Pennsylvania and then to Elyria, Ohio, where he studied the law and was admitted to the Ohio bar. His father was Solmous Wakeley, who served in the Wisconsin Legislature. Wakeley moved to Wisconsin Territory to Whitewater, in Walworth County, where he served in the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature.
Career
editIn 1857, Wakeley was appointed to the Nebraska Territorial Supreme Court serving until 1861. He served briefly in the American Civil War, volunteering with the 145th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, but received a medical discharge after the Battle of Fredericksburg, only four months into his service. He returned to Wisconsin to practice law and, in 1863, ran for Wisconsin Attorney General, but lost.[1][2]
Wakeley served in the Wisconsin State Senate 1851–1855 and the Wisconsin State Assembly 1866–1867.[3]
In 1867, Wakeley and his family moved to Omaha, Nebraska. There he practiced law and served in the 1877 Nebraska Constitutional Convention. Wakeley was appointed Nebraska district court judge and was the first president of the Nebraska State Bar Association.[4][5]
Death
editAfter he died in Omaha on November 21, 1912, he was buried at the Prospect Hill Cemetery.
References
edit- ^ "Omaha Illustrated".
- ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Wait to Walborn".
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-12-09. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ http://casemaker.nebar.com/pdfs/nelawyer/1999/119901.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Eleazer Wakeley Residence". Archived from the original on 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
