Alexander Botkin

Alexander Botkin (March 4, 1801 – March 5, 1857) was an American lawyer, politician, and pioneer settler of Dane County, Wisconsin. He served one term each as a member of the Wisconsin Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly.

Alexander Botkin
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 9th district
In office January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1851
Preceded by	Simeon Mills
Succeeded by	Eliab B. Dean, Jr.
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 2nd district
In office January 1, 1852 – January 1, 1853
Preceded by	Augustus A. Bird
Succeeded by	Henry L. Foster
Member of the House of Representatives of the Wisconsin Territory for Dane, Green, and Sauk counties
In office October 18, 1847 – March 13, 1848 Serving with Elisha T. Gardner & John W. Stewart
Preceded by	Charles Lum, William Wheeler, & John W. Stewart
Succeeded by	Position Abolished
Personal details
Born	(1801-03-04)March 4, 1801 Kentucky, U.S.
Died	March 5, 1857(1857-03-05) (aged 56) Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of death	Stroke
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery Madison, Wisconsin
Spouse	Jane Roslin Sinclair (died 1874)
Children	Sinclair W. Botkin (b. 1837; died 1893) William Wallace Botkin (b. 1840; died 1914) Alexander Campbell Botkin (b. 1842; died 1905)
Profession	Lawyer

Biography

Born in Kentucky,^[1] at an early age he moved to Hamilton County, Ohio, and then to Alton, Illinois, in 1832, where he practiced law.^[2] He was serving as a justice of the peace at the time of the riots that resulted in the murder of abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy, and was active in attempting to preserve order in the city.^[2]

He moved north into the Wisconsin Territory in 1841, to work as the assistant secretary of the territory under Alexander Pope Field, in Madison.^[3][4] While living there, he also worked as a law partner to Field, and became active in politics. He was a candidate for delegate to Wisconsin's first constitutional convention in 1846, but was defeated by John Y. Smith. After the first constitution was rejected by voters, however, he was elected to serve in the 5th Wisconsin Territorial Assembly as a representative of Dane, Green, and Sauk counties.^[2] This was the last session of the territorial government before the adoption of Wisconsin's second constitution and their admission as a U.S. state.

In the 1848 fall general election, Botkin was elected to a two-year term in the Wisconsin Senate running on the Whig Party ticket. He represented Dane County in the 2nd and 3rd legislatures. During the 1849 session, he was the Whig nominee for United States Senator, but the Democrats held a substantial majority in the Legislature and selected Isaac P. Walker instead. He ran for re-election in 1850, but was defeated.^[4] After leaving the Senate, he was elected to a one-year term in the Wisconsin State Assembly for the 5th Wisconsin Legislature.^[2][5]

He died of a stroke while stopping at Angel's Hotel in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin,^[3][4][6] and was buried in Madison, Wisconsin.^[7][8]

Personal life and family

Botkin was married to Jane Roslin Sinclair, who survived him. One of their sons was Alexander Campbell Botkin, who became Lieutenant Governor of Montana.^[9]