James Duane DOTY, Congress, WI (1799-1865)

DOTY James Duane , a Delegate and a Representative from Wisconsin; born in Salem, Washington County, N.Y., November 5, 1799; attended the common schools; studied law; moved to Detroit, Mich., in 1818; was admitted to the bar in 1819 and commenced practice in Detroit; secretary of the legislative council and clerk of court of Michigan Territory; United States judge for northern Michigan 1823-1832; member of the legislative council in 1834 and 1835; assisted in bringing about the division of Michigan Territory into the three Territories of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa; preempted several tracts of Government land in the Territory of Wisconsin; laid out the capital of Wisconsin and named it Madison; successfully contested as a Democrat the election of George W. Jones as a Delegate to the Twenty-fifth Congress; reelected to the Twenty-sixth Congress and served from January 14, 1839, to March 3, 1841; Governor of the Territory of Wisconsin 1841-1844; delegate to the first constitutional convention of 1846; elected as a Democrat a Representative to the Thirty-first Congress and as an Independent Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1849-March 3, 1853); appointed superintendent of Indian affairs for Utah Territory in 1861; treasurer and Governor of Utah Territory in 1863 and served until his death in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 13, 1865; interment in Fort Douglas Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present