Theodore Rodolf
{{short description|19th century American politician}}
{{infobox officeholder
|name = Theodore Rodolf
|image = Theodore_Rodolf.jpg
|caption = Portrait from History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin (1881)
|order = 10th & 12th
|title = Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin
| term_start = April 1870
| term_end = April 1871
| predecessor = Charles L. Coleman
| successor = Alexander McMillan
| term_start1 = April 1868
| term_end1 = April 1869
| predecessor1 = John M. Levy
| successor1 = Charles L. Coleman
|state2 = Wisconsin
|state_assembly2 = Wisconsin
|district2 = La Crosse 1st
| term_start2 = January 3, 1870
| term_end2 = January 2, 1871
| predecessor2 = Cassius C. Palmer
| successor2 = Gideon Hixon
| term_start3 = January 6, 1868
| term_end3 = January 4, 1869
| predecessor3 = Angus Cameron
| successor3 = Cassius C. Palmer
|party = Democratic
|birth_date = {{birth date|1814|10|17}}
|birth_place = Switzerland
|death_date = {{death date and age|1892|2|12|1814|10|17}}
|death_place = La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S.
|restingplace = Oak Grove Cemetery, {{nowrap|La Crosse, Wisconsin}}
|spouse = Marie A. Rodolf (died 1892)
|children = {{unbulleted list
| M. E. Julie Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1840; died 1900)}}
| Theodore F. Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1842; died 1887)}}
| Emilie (Servis)
| {{sup|(b. 1843; died 1934)}}
| A. J. Henriette Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1845; died 1865)}}
| Edward G. Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1848; died 1904)}}
| Adele Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1850; died 1861)}}
| Cora M. (Copeland)
| {{sup|(b. 1851; died 1935)}}
| Eugene F. Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1853; died 1861)}}
| Charles B. Rodolf
| {{sup|(b. 1859; died 1871)}}
}}
|relatives = Charles Rodolf (brother)
|alma_mater = University of Zurich
|occupation = Insurance agent
}}
Theodore Rodolf (October 17, 1814{{spaced ndash}}February 12, 1892) was a Swiss American immigrant, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was the 10th and 12th mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and represented La Crosse for two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
His brother, Charles Rodolf, also served in the Wisconsin Legislature.
Biography
Rodolf was born on October 17, 1814, in Switzerland.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/legislativemanu00centgoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/legislativemanu00centgoog/page/n376 364]|quote=Theodore Rodolf+Wisconsin+Assembly.|title=Official Directory|year=1870|publisher=The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin|accessdate=2014-01-25}} He graduated from the University of Zurich before emigrating to the United States in 1834. He settled in the area that is now Lafayette County, Wisconsin—at the time, the area was still part of the Michigan Territory. He died in La Crosse on February 12, 1892,{{cite news|title=Death of Col. Rodolf|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19487425/theodore_rodolf_18141892/|newspaper=The Saint Paul Globe|date=February 13, 1892|page=1|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = April 23, 2018}} {{Open access}} after an illness lasting more than a year.{{cite news|title=Hon. Theodore Rodolf|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19516763/theodore_rodolf_18141892/|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=February 13, 1892|page=1|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = April 24, 2018}} {{Open access}}
His brother, Charles Rodolf, was a member of the Assembly and of the Wisconsin Senate.{{cite web|url=http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.rodolph/2/mb.ashx|title=Charles Rodolf Biography|publisher=Ancestry.com|accessdate=2014-01-25}}
Career
While living in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, he served as village president in 1851 and 1852. He was appointed Receiver of Public Moneys at La Crosse, Wisconsin, by President Franklin Pierce in 1853, and served in that role until 1861.
Rodolf was elected to the Assembly running on the Democratic Party ticket in 1867. The next year, rather than running for re-election, he was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. He lost to incumbent Cadwallader C. Washburn, but went on to win back his seat in the Assembly in the 1869 election. During the same time, he was elected mayor of La Crosse in the 1868 and 1870 Spring elections.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Find a Grave|106217364}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}
{{s-bef|before = Angus Cameron }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the La Crosse 1st district}} |years= January 6, 1868{{spaced ndash}}January 4, 1869 }}
{{s-aft|after = Cassius C. Palmer }}
{{s-bef|before = Cassius C. Palmer }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the La Crosse 1st district}} |years= January 3, 1870{{spaced ndash}}January 2, 1871 }}
{{s-aft|after = Gideon Hixon }}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = John M. Levy }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin}} |years= April 1868{{spaced ndash}}April 1869 }}
{{s-aft|after = Charles L. Coleman }}
{{s-bef|before = Charles L. Coleman }}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin}} |years= April 1870{{spaced ndash}}April 1871 }}
{{s-aft|after = Alexander McMillan }}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodolf, Theodore}}
Category:Swiss emigrants to the United States
Category:People from Lafayette County, Wisconsin
Category:People from Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Category:Politicians from Iowa County, Wisconsin
Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Category:Mayors of La Crosse, Wisconsin
Category:University of Zurich alumni
Category:People from La Crosse, Wisconsin