Charles Billinghurst

Charles Billinghurst (July 27, 1818 – August 18, 1865) was an American politician, lawyer, and newspaper editor who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1855 to 1859, representing Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district as a member first of the Opposition Party and later of the Republican Party. His congressional service spanned a critical pre–Civil War period in American history, during which he participated in the national debate over slavery and sectional conflict while representing the interests of his Wisconsin constituents.

Billinghurst was born in Brighton, New York, on July 27, 1818, the son of William Billinghurst. He attended the common schools in his native state, receiving a basic education typical of the period. After his early schooling, he pursued legal studies, preparing for a professional career in the law. By the mid-1840s he had completed his legal training and was ready to enter practice.

In 1847, Billinghurst was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Rochester, New York. That same year he moved west to Juneau, in what was then the young state of Wisconsin, where he continued his legal practice. His relocation coincided with a period of rapid growth and political organization in Wisconsin, and Billinghurst quickly became involved in public affairs. In 1848, he was elected to the 1st Wisconsin State Assembly, participating in the early legislative development of the state.

Alongside his legal and legislative work, Billinghurst was active in journalism and party politics. From 1853 to 1854, he edited and published a local newspaper, the Juneau Burr Oak, which provided a platform for political discussion and community news in Dodge County. In 1852, he was elected a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket, reflecting his early alignment with the Democratic Party before the realignments of the 1850s. His engagement in both the press and electoral politics helped establish his prominence in Wisconsin’s political life.

Billinghurst was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district in the general election of 1854, defeating incumbent Democrat John B. Macy. He entered Congress on March 4, 1855, serving in the 34th United States Congress as a member of the Opposition Party, a loose coalition of anti-Democratic forces that emerged in the wake of the declining Whig Party. He was reelected and served in the 35th United States Congress as a member of the newly formed Republican Party, reflecting the broader national realignment over the issue of slavery’s expansion. His service in Congress concluded on March 3, 1859, after two full terms. During these years, Billinghurst contributed to the legislative process at a time of intensifying sectional tensions, participating in debates and votes that shaped the nation’s course in the years immediately preceding the Civil War.

In 1858, Billinghurst was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the 36th United States Congress. He was defeated in the general election by Democrat Charles H. Larrabee, ending his federal legislative career. After leaving Congress, he returned to Juneau, Wisconsin, where he resumed the practice of law. He continued to be a figure in local legal and civic affairs, maintaining his professional work in the community he had helped to develop.

In his personal life, Billinghurst married Hannah Barber in 1853. The couple had two children together during their years in Wisconsin. Charles Billinghurst died in Juneau, Wisconsin, on August 18, 1865, at the age of 47. He was interred in Juneau Cemetery. His career, spanning state and national office, reflected the shifting political landscape of mid-nineteenth-century America, as he moved from Democratic affiliations to the Opposition Party and ultimately to the Republican Party while representing Wisconsin in Congress.