JOHN C. SPOONER
John C. Spooner, of Madison, was born in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, Ind., January 6, 1543; removed with his father’s family to Wisconsin and settled at Madison June 1, 1859; graduated at the State University in 1861; was private in Company D. Fortieth Regiment, and captain of Company A. Fiftieth Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers: was brevetted major at the close of service; was private and military secretary of Gov. Lucius Fairchild of Wisconsin: was admitted to the bar in 1867, and served as assistant attorney-general of the State until 1870, when he removed to Hudson, where he practiced law from 1870 until 1881: was member of the assembly from St. Croix County in 1872; member of the hoard of regents of the Wisconsin University: was elected United States Senator as a Republican, to succeed Angus Cameron, Republican, for the term beginning March 4, 1885: was chairman of the Wisconsin delegation to national Republican convention in 1888: was succeeded as United States Senator March 4, 1891, by William F. Vilas, Democrat, receiving, however, the full vote of the Republican members of the legislature for reëlection: was chairman of the Wisconsin delegation to national Republican convention at Minneapolis in 1892: was unanimously nominated as Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin in 1892, but was defeated; removed from Hudson to Madison in 1893; has been actively engaged in the practice of the law since April, 1893; unanimously nominated in Republican caucus January 13, 1897, and duly elected January 27, 1897, United States Senator for the term beginning March 4, 1897, to succeed William F. Vilas, Democrat, receiving 117 votes, against 8 votes for W. C. Silverthorn, and 2 votes for Edward S. Bragg. His term of service will expire March 3, 1903.
