Charles Edward McIntosh

Charles Edward McIntosh (April 13, 1836 – July 25, 1915) was a Canadian American immigrant, lawyer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Outagamie County in the 1869, 1870, and 1871 sessions. He also later served as district attorney of Florence County and later Marinette County, Wisconsin. While serving as district attorney in Florence County in 1884, McIntosh was involved in a widely-reported dispute with the sheriff, James E. Readmon, in which they exchanged gunfire, nearly resulting in Readmon's death.

In historical documents, his name was often abbreviated as C. E. McIntosh.

Early life Charles E. McIntosh was born in Huron County, Ontario, in April 1836. As a child, he emigrated to the Wisconsin Territory with his family. They first settled at Milwaukee, then moved to New Berlin, in Waukesha County. In 1844, they moved to Ashippun, in Dodge County, where McIntosh received most of his education.

At age 19, in 1855, he moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for work, before going the following year to Indiana to attend school at the University of Notre Dame. He returned to Dodge County, Wisconsin, in 1859 and taught school. He was elected superintendent of schools for Dodge County in 1861, but resigned to enter the Union Army after the outbreak of the American Civil War.

Civil War service

He quickly volunteered for service in the Union Army and was enrolled as a private in the 7th Independent Battery Wisconsin Light Artillery. The 7th Battery was recruited in Milwaukee and mustered into service in Racine, Wisconsin, in October 1861. They were active in the western theater of the war. McIntosh rose to the rank of corporal, and during 1864, he was detailed as staff for the court martial at Memphis, Tennessee, until the end of his three-year enlistment.

During the 1871 session, redistricting was carried out and Outagamie County was divided between two districts under the new map. McIntosh ran for a fourth term in the new district, which comprised roughly the southern half of Outagamie County, but was defeated in the general election by Republican William H. H. Wroe.

Around the time of the Fall 1871 election, McIntosh attacked county judge Samuel Ryan Jr., who was participating in the vote count. It is not known what led to the sudden attack on Ryan, who was also a Democrat. A crowd quickly separated the two men and McIntosh was arrested.

Legal career

After leaving office, McIntosh pursued a legal career and was admitted to the bar in 1874. He partnered for several years with William Kennedy, who was later district attorney. He moved further north in Outagamie County in the latter part of the decade and became one of the first city officers of Seymour, Wisconsin, after it was incorporated in 1879. He remained there until 1881, when he moved north to Florence County, Wisconsin, which was just in the process of being organized as a new county. He was elected the first district attorney of the county, and was then elected to a full two-year term in that office at the first general election in the Fall of 1882.

While serving as district attorney, McIntosh was involved in another public disturbance when, in June 1884, he and the county sheriff James E. Readmon, exchanged pistol fire in the streets. The sheriff was grievously wounded, while McIntosh escaped unharmed and was arrested. McIntosh was said to have fired the first shot, angry with the sheriff over accusations that he had accepted bribes and consorted with criminals. The sheriff lingered near death for several days, but ultimately survived. The duel became a scandal around the state, with papers from Appleton to Milwaukee denouncing both men. McIntosh soon resigned his office, facing prosecution. The case against him, however, was eventually abandoned.

McIntosh subsequently moved Iron Mountain, Michigan, then to Marinette, Wisconsin, where he continued to work as a lawyer in partnership with J. A. Parkhurst. McIntosh ran for district attorney again in Marinette County. He was defeated in 1888, but ran again in 1890 and won a two-year term.

He continued to practice law in Marinette County through the 1890s and, in 1904, he returned to Appleton. His later years were spent at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. He died there in 1915 and was buried at the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Personal life and family

Charles McIntosh married Mary E. Conklin in 1864. They went on to have six children. Conklin was awarded custody of the children and fifty dollars per month from him.

In addition to his infamy for his feuds with other elected officials, McIntosh received public scorn for horse-whipping his married adult step-daughter, Mrs. Irma Gault, in 1894. McIntosh and his second wife divorced later that year.

Electoral history Wisconsin Assembly (1869, 1870, 1871)