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John W. Cary

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John W. Cary
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 7th district
In office
January 3, 1853 – January 1, 1855
Preceded bySamuel G. Bugh
Succeeded byCharles Clement
9th Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin
In office
April 1857 – April 1858
Preceded byJerome Case
Succeeded byJerome Case
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Milwaukee 1st district
In office
January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
Preceded byJames S. White
Succeeded byIsaac W. Van Schaick
Member of the Milwaukee City Council
In office
April 1868 – April 1869
Personal details
Born
John Watson Cary

(1817-02-11)February 11, 1817
Shoreham, Vermont
DiedMarch 29, 1895(1895-03-29) (aged 78)
Chicago, Illinois
Resting placeForest Home Cemetery
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
  • Eliza Vilas
  • (m. 1844; died 1845)
  • Isabel Brinkerhoff
  • (m. 1847; died 1906)
Children
  • with Eliza Vilas
  • Eliza Vilas (Sanburn)
  • (b. 1845)
  • with Isabel Brinkerhoff
  • Frances (Kendrick)
  • (b. 1848)
  • Melbert B. Cary
  • (b. 1853; died 1946)
  • Fred Asa Cary
  • (b. 1857)
  • John Watson Cary
  • (b. 1862)
  • George Peter Cary
  • (b. 1864)
  • Paul Van Ettan Cary
  • (b. 1867)
  • Isabel Brinkerhoff Cary
  • (b. 1869)
Parents
  • Asa Cary (father)
  • Anna (Sanford) Cary (mother)
RelativesAlfred L. Cary (nephew)
Alma materUnion College

John Watson Cary (February 11, 1817 – March 29, 1895) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 9th Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Biography

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John Watson Cary was born in Shoreham, Vermont, the eighth of nine children born to Asa and Anna (Sanford) Cary.[1][2][3] His family moved to western New York around 1831.[3] He graduated from Union College and was admitted to the bar in 1844.[3] He moved to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1850[3] and to Milwaukee in 1859.

Cary died in Chicago's Victoria Hotel in 1895.[3]

Career

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Cary was a member of the Senate from 1853 to 1854 and was Mayor of Racine in 1857. He was a member of the Milwaukee City Council in 1868 and was elected to represent Milwaukee's first ward in the State Assembly in 1872. Cary was a Democrat.[4]

Cary was most well known for his legal career. He was the chief legal counsel to the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad for 36 years, from 1859 until his death. He was seen as an extremely accomplished lawyer, having successfully argued many cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.[3][1]

Personal life and family

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Cary married his first wife, Eliza Vilas, on July 10, 1844. Eliza died due to complications from the birth of their daughter in 1845.[1]

On June 6, 1847, Cary married his second wife, Isabel Brinkerhoff. They had seven children together.[1]

Cary's lineage can be traced back to the 12th century Lord Adam De Kari in Somersetshire, England. The 14th century MP John Cary of Devon was also an ancestor. His first American ancestor was also named John Cary [Wikidata] and arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Cary, Seth Cooley, ed. (1911). John Cary the Plymouth pilgrim. S. C. Cary. pp. 139-141. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  2. ^ "Cary, John Watson 1817 - 1895". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Famous Lawyer Dead". The Weekly Wisconsin. April 6, 1895. p. 5. Retrieved May 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "John W. Cary". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
  5. ^ Cary, Seth Cooley, ed. (1905). Bulletin of the John Cary Descendants. pp. 26–29. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
[edit]

John W. Cary at Find a Grave

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Milwaukee 1st district
January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 7th district
1853 – 1855
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin
1857 – 1858
Succeeded by