William Fowler (c. 1815 – October 10, 1862) was a Native American politician and the first legislator in Wisconsin of known non-European descent. He served in the 1845 session of the Legislative Assembly of the Wisconsin Territory, representing Calumet County and other northeastern counties, and was later treasurer of Calumet County.[1][2] During the American Civil War, he volunteered for service in the Union Army and died of wounds he received at the Battle of Perryville in 1862.
William Fowler | |
|---|---|
| Member of the House of Representatives of the Wisconsin Territory from the Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Sheboygan, and Winnebago district | |
| In office January 6, 1845 – January 5, 1846 Serving with Mason C. Darling and Abraham Brawley | |
| Preceded by | Albert G. Ellis Mason C. Darling David Agry |
| Succeeded by | Abraham Brawley Mason C. Darling Elisha Morrow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1815 Montauk, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 1862 (aged 46–47) Sulphur Springs, Virginia, C.S.A. |
| Cause of death | Wounds received at Battle of Perryville |
| Resting place | Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Nicholasville, Kentucky |
| Spouse | Mary Brushel |
| Children | several |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1862 |
| Rank |  Sergeant |
| Unit | 21st Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War
|
Background
editWilliam Fowler was born in 1815 into the Brothertown Indians,[2] at a time when his people were living on a small reservation in Oneida County, New York. He was presumably part of one of the five groups of Brothertown people who removed to Wisconsin, arriving on ships at the port of Green Bay between 1831 and 1836, after having traveled across the Great Lakes, when the entire tribe was removed to Wisconsin.[3]
Tribal affairs
editFowler was one of a seven-man committee elected at a civil township town meeting to arrange for the sale of tribally owned saw mill and grist mill(s) to two non-Indians in 1841.[4]
In 1854, Fowler submitted "a memorial of the Brotherton tribe of Indians" to the U.S. Congress advancing a historical claim for $30,000 as compensation for lands allegedly ceded by several treaties. He signed the memorial as the "delegate from the Brotherton Indians" and claimed to be "their legally authorized agent."[5]
Legislative and other civic offices
editFowler served during the 1845 session of the Territorial Assembly ("Third Session of the Fourth Legislative Assembly" January 6-February 24, 1845) as one of three Representatives from a district consisting of Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Brown, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Portage, Calumet, and Winnebago counties. He was identified by a footnote in subsequent Annals of the Legislature as "*Brothertown Indian." (In December 1843, he had been chosen by the Assembly as their fireman for that year's session.[6])
With Alonzo D. Dick and W. H. Dick, he was one of three Brothertown Indians to serve in Wisconsin's legislature before the Civil War,[7] the only non-white members of that body until the 1908 election of Lucian H. Palmer.
In July 1856, when a Calumet County Agricultural Society was organized, Fowler was elected as one of the vice-presidents.[8] Later that year, he was elected County Treasurer for Calumet County.[9]
Civil War service and death
editFowler enlisted in the United States Army, in the 21st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, during the American Civil War when he was in his late 40s. He was wounded at the Battle of Perryville—his first combat experience—and died of his wounds at Sulphur Springs, Virginia, on October 10, 1862.[10]
References
edit- ^ The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin; Comprising Jefferson's Manual, Rules, Forms and Laws for the Regulation of Business; also, lists and tables for reference Tenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, State Printers, Journal Block, 1871; p. 178
- ^ a b United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Proposed Finding Against Acknowledgment of The Brothertown Indian Nation (Petitioner #67): Prepared in Response to the Petition Submitted to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs for Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe August 17, 2009; p. 74
- ^ Commuck, Thomas. "Sketch of the Brothertown Indians" (pp. 291-298 in Draper, Lyman C., et al. Document M: Fourth and Fifth Annual Reports and Collections of State Historical Society) in, Annual message of Alexander W. Randall, Governor of the state of Wisconsin, and Accompanying Documents Madison, James Ross, 1860 [Covers 1858/1859
- ^ United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Proposed Finding Against Acknowledgment of The Brothertown Indian Nation (Petitioner #67): Prepared in Response to the Petition Submitted to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs for Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe August 17, 2009; pp. 70-71
- ^ United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Proposed Finding Against Acknowledgment of The Brothertown Indian Nation (Petitioner #67): Prepared in Response to the Petition Submitted to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs for Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe August 17, 2009; p. 76
- ^ Journal of the House of Representatives; Second Session of the Fourth Legislative Assembly of Wisconsin; With An Appendix Madison: George Hyer; pp. 4, 28
- ^ Commuck, Thomas. "Sketch of the Brothertown Indians."Wisconsin Historical Collections 4 (1859). 291-298
- ^ Powers, D. J.; Skinner, E. W., eds. The Wisconsin Farmer, and Northwestern Cultivator; a monthly journal, devoted to agriculture, horticulture, mechanics and rural economy Volume VIII, p. 419. Madison: Powers and Skinner, 1856
- ^ Jones, David W., et al. "Document B: Ninth Annual Report of Secretary of State for 1856", p. 106, in Governor's Message and Accompanying Documents for the Year 1857 Vol. I (1857 [Covers 1856]). Madison, 1857
- ^ Bruckner, Andrea and Caroline Andler. Letters Home from the Brothertown Boys. Bloomington, Illinois: AuthorHouse, 2001; p. 26, footnote 11