Silas W. Lamoreux

Silas Wright Lamoreux or Lamoreaux (March 8, 1843 – August 5, 1909) was an American lawyer from Wisconsin who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and as the 28th Commissioner of the General Land Office of the United States.^[1][2]

Silas W. Lamoreux
28th Commissioner of the General Land Office
In office March 28, 1893 – March 25, 1897
Appointed by	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	William M. Stone
Succeeded by	Binger Hermann
County Judge of Dodge County, Wisconsin
In office January 1, 1878 – March 28, 1893
Preceded by	Edward Elwell
Succeeded by	John G. Bachhuber
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dodge 4th district
In office January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
Preceded by	Marcus Trumer
Succeeded by	Dennis Short
Personal details
Born	(1843-03-08)March 8, 1843 Lenox, New York, U.S.
Died	August 5, 1909(1909-08-05) (aged 66) Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Oakwood Cemetery, Beaver Dam
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Harriet Adelia Cobb (died 1914)
Children	4
Relatives	Oliver Lamoreux (brother) Clarence A. Lamoreux (nephew) Lawrence A. Lamoreux (grandnephew)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Volunteers Union Army
Years of service	1864–1865
Rank	Private, USV
Unit	5th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

He was the brother of Oliver Lamoreux, who served in the same session of the Wisconsin Assembly.

Biography

Lamoreux was born in Lenox, New York, on March 8, 1843,^[3][4] and came to Plover, Wisconsin, in 1852 with his family to join his older brother Oliver,^[3] who had moved to Wisconsin the year before. The family relocated to Mayville, Wisconsin, a year later.^[3] He moved to Dodge County, Wisconsin, and was admitted to the bar at age 21.^[3][5] He enlisted in the Union Army in 1864, and participated with the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.^[3][4][5]

Lamoreux was elected as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 5th Dodge County district in 1871. In the same election, his brother was elected from Portage County.^[3][6] He did not run for re-election in 1872.

Lamoreux was elected judge in his county in 1877.^[3][4] He was appointed commissioner of the United States General Land Office by President Grover Cleveland (a Democrat), serving from 1893 to 1897.^[4][5]

Lamoreux founded the Beaver Dam Malleable Iron Works,^[4] which employed 750 men at the time of his death. He also was president of the German National Bank of Beaver Dam.^[3][4] He died of blood poisoning in Beaver Dam on August 5, 1909, after a long history of diabetes.^[3][4][5]