From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 559 - 560
 
WYMAN SPOONER (Jeduthun5, Thomas4, John3, 2, William1) was son of Jeduthun 
SPOONER and Hannah, daughter of Joshua CROWELL and Mary SHIVERICK.  He was born 
at Hardwick, Massachusetts, July 2, 1795.  He passed at fourteen from the 
common school at home to his uncle Alden SPOONER's printing office at Windsor, 
Vermont.  At twenty-one he had earned the degree of master printer, and by 
orderly promotion became editor of the Advocate at Royalton and later at 
Chelsea.  He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry FISH and Elizabeth HOLMES, at 
Hardwick, November 10, 1818.  She was born at Upton, November 17, 1794, and 
died in the town of Lyons, February 16, 1877.  Mr. SPOONER studied law at 
Royalton under Hon. Jacob COLLAMER, and at Chelsea under Hon. Daniel A. A. 
BUCK, and was admitted to practice in 1833.  In 1835 he went to Canton, Ohio, 
and practiced in the courts of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.  In 1842 he came 
by way of Racine to Elkhorn; served as judge of probate 1846-9; was circuit 
judge for one term of court by appointment; served in the Assembly four terms 
(twice as speaker); state senator 1862-4, and president of the Senate (and 
acting lieutenant-governor; lieutenant-governor by two elections, from 1864-
68.  He was one of the organizers of the Republican party of Wisconsin in 
1854.  In his youth he had been a Federalist and afterward a Whig of the anti-
slavery type.  In 1872 he thought it possible to make a new party of 
administrative reform, and joined the Greeley movement.  In 1876 he voted for 
the last time, and for Hayes.  He died November 18, 1877, at his son Wyman 
Jr.'s homes in Lyons.  Governor SPOONER was well read in the English classics 
and thence formed a plain, clear, forcible style of speaking and writing.  His 
faculties seemed always at his command, and he was thus equipped for instant 
service as editor, contributor, speaker, judge, chairman, or 
conversationalist.  His sense of propriety kept his discourse, spoken or 
written, free from false ornament and his delivery unmarred by trick of the 
stage.  He cared more for essence and substance than for form; but, to his 
mind, a courtroom, a public meeting, a business conference, a meeting of family 
or friends, had each of right its decencies of behavior and speech, each it 
appropriate dignity.  As a lawyer, one who had been his partner, and well-
qualified for estimating men's higher personal and professional values, said of 
him: "He was thoroughly educated in the principles of his profession, and 
regarded its practice as a means to secure justice as its end."  For such men 
as he the first and highest aim of politicians must be "to secure and maintain 
the best form of government, honestly and justly administered."
 

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)