John B. Sweat
{{short description|19th century American politician}}
{{infobox officeholder
|name = John B. Sweat
|state = Wisconsin
|state_senate = Wisconsin
|district = 26th
| term_start = January 2, 1860
| term_end = January 6, 1862
| predecessor = Andrew Proudfit
| successor = Benjamin F. Hopkins
|state_assembly1 = Wisconsin
|district1 = Dane 4th
| term_start1 = January 5, 1857
| term_end1 = January 4, 1858
| predecessor1 = George P. Thompson
| successor1 = Henry K. Belding
|office2 = Register of Deeds of Dane County, Wisconsin
| term_start2 = January 1, 1853
| term_end2 = January 1, 1855
| predecessor2 = James G. Fox
| successor2 = James G. Fox
|party = Democratic
|birth_date = {{birth date|1827|8|12}}
|birth_place = Vermont, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|1893|3|30|1827|8|12}}
|death_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
|restingplace = Congressional Cemetery, {{nowrap|Washington, D.C.}}
|spouse = {{marriage|Eliza Jane Hollister|1849}}
|children = {{unbulleted list
| Irving M. Sweat
| {{sup|(b. 1850; died 1889)}}
| Ella Sweat
| {{sup|(b. 1852; died 1866)}}
}}
|profession = Lawyer
}}
John B. Sweat (August 12, 1827{{spnd}}March 30, 1893) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the western half of Dane County during the 1860 and 1861 sessions. He previously served one year in the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1857 session.
Biography
John B. Sweat was born in Vermont in August 1827. He came west to the Wisconsin Territory sometime before 1849, settling first in Waukesha County, where he was married. In 1850, he moved to the town of Black Earth, in Dane County, Wisconsin, where he erected the first grist mill in the township.{{cite book|url= https://archive.org/details/cu31924028871445/ |title= History of Dane County, Wisconsin |year= 1880 |publisher= Western Historical Company |pages= [https://archive.org/details/cu31924028871445/page/409 409], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924028871445/page/419/ 419], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924028871445/page/431 431], [https://archive.org/details/cu31924028871445/page/889/ 889] |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}
He soon became involved in local politics. He was elected register of deeds of Dane County in 1852, running on the Democratic Party ticket.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-democratic-nomin/125128937/ |title= Locofoco Convention |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= September 30, 1852 |page= 2 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }} In 1856 he was elected chairman of the Black Earth town board and was ex officio a member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors.
In the fall of 1856, he was the Democratic nominee for Wisconsin Senate in the 26th Senate district, which at the time comprised roughly the western half of Dane County. He defeated Republican John W. Johnson in the general election.{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-1859-legislative/125129934/ |title= The Legislature of 1860 |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= October 21, 1859 |page= 1 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }} He served in the Senate during the 1860 and 1861 sessions.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/742ZPKF2KGL2D8H |title= The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin 1882 |year= 1882 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |editor-last= Heg |editor-first= J. E. |chapter= Annals of the Legislature |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A742ZPKF2KGL2D8H/full/AXSLWXP3H2KOA58P 199], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A742ZPKF2KGL2D8H/full/AQD5UWBOUHRIJC8T 201] |accessdate= May 22, 2023 }} He was not a candidate for re-election in 1861.
Sometime after leaving office, he went to Washington, D.C., and was employed as a deputy clerk for the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia under fellow Wisconsinite Thomas Hood.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-milwaukee-news-wisconsin-histo/125130762/ |title= Wisconsin History |newspaper= The Daily Milwaukee News |date= March 5, 1876 |page= 2 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }} After that job, he continued his legal career in the District of Columbia.
He died in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1893.{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-john-b-sweat-died/125131930/ |title= Died - Sweat |newspaper= The Washington Star |date= March 31, 1893 |page= 5 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}
Personal life and family
John B. Sweat was a son of Isaac D. Sweat. Isaac Sweat also moved to Wisconsin and settled in Black Earth.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/geneva-lake-mirror-isaac-sweat-obit/125130491/ |title= Death of a Mason |newspaper= Geneva Lake Mirror |date= August 16, 1860 |page= 2 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}
John B. Sweat married Eliza Jane Hollister in 1849 at Vernon, Wisconsin. They had at least two children together before her death in 1869. Their only known daughter died young. Their only known son, Isaac, became a physician but also died at a relatively young age.{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-journal-isaac-m-sweat-obi/125131425/ |title= Dr. I. M. Sweat of Browntown dropped dead from heart disease last Friday night |newspaper= The Darlington Republican |date= September 13, 1889 |page= 3 |accessdate= May 22, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}
{{s-bef|before = George P. Thompson }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the Dane 4th district}} |years= January 5, 1857{{spnd}}January 4, 1858 }}
{{s-aft|after = Henry K. Belding }}
{{s-par|us-wi-sen}}
{{s-bef|before = Andrew Proudfit }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin Senate}} {{nowrap|from the 26th district}} |years= January 2, 1860{{spnd}}January 6, 1862 }}
{{s-aft|after = Benjamin F. Hopkins }}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = James G. Fox }}
{{s-ttl|title = Register of Deeds of Dane County, Wisconsin |years= January 1, 1853{{spnd}}January 1, 1855 }}
{{s-aft|after = James G. Fox }}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweat, John B.}}
Category:People from Black Earth, Wisconsin
Category:Lawyers from Washington, D.C.
Category:County officials in Wisconsin
Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Category:Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators