Wilson, Thomas "Thos."
Republican Constitutional Convention 1857 (District 9); House 1881-82 (District 8); Senate 1883-86 (District 15)
Party when first elected: Not Available
Counties Served:
Winona
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/16/1827
Birth Place:
Dungannon
Birth County:
Tyrone
Birth Country:
Ireland
Date of Death:
4/3/1910
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Thos.
City of Residence (when first elected):
Winona
Occupation (when first elected):
Lawyer
EDUCATION
Common Schools, Ireland; Elementary School;
Pennsylvania Common Schools; Secondary;
Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania; College Graduate; 1852
Studied Law; Admitted to the Bar, February 1855
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Judge:
3rd Judicial District Court, Minnesota;
1857 to 1864
Territorial Republican Constitutional Convention:
9th Council District, Minnesota Territory;
07/13/1857 to 08/29/1857
Judge:
Minnesota Supreme Court (Associate Justice, Appointed by Governor Swift);
07/1864 to 01/1865
[Appointed]
Judge:
Minnesota Supreme Court (Chief Justice, Appointed by Governor Swift);
1865 to 07/1869
[Appointed]
U.S. Representative:
1st Congressional District, Minnesota;
03/04/1887 to 03/03/1889
[Elected]
Board of Regents:
University of Minnesota;
09/06/1898 to 04/03/1910
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Single; Married (listed in 1881)
Children:
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He came to the United States in 1839, with his parents and settled in Venango County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Minnesota in 1855.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the United States House of Representatives in the 1888 election.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 1890.
The "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress" says that he was elected to the United States Congress as a Democrat.
He died in St. Paul, Minnesota and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona, Minnesota.
Body: Senate
District: 15
Elected: 11/7/1882
Residence: Winona
Term of Office: 1/2/1883 to 1/3/1887
Counties Represented:
Winona
Occupation: Lawyer
Party:
Not Available
Committees:
-
Grain and Warehouse Inspection
-
Joint University and University Lands
-
Judiciary
-
Library
-
Normal Schools
Body: Senate
District: 15
Elected: 11/7/1882
Residence: Winona
Term of Office: 1/2/1883 to 1/3/1887
Counties Represented:
Winona
Occupation: Lawyer
Party:
Not Available
Committees:
-
Grain and Warehouse Inspection
-
Joint University and University Lands
-
Judiciary
-
Library
-
Normal Schools
Elected: 11/2/1880
Residence: Winona
Term of Office: 1/4/1881 to 1/1/1883
Counties Represented:
Winona
Occupation: Lawyer
Party:
Not Available
Committees:
-
Joint Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Judiciary
-
State Prison
Articles & Books About
Minnesota Supreme Court. "Thomas Wilson." Biographical Sketches of Justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court and Judges of the Minnesota Court of Appeals from Territorial Days to 1990, St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Company, 1990, p. 16.
Wilson, Thomas. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.