Walter D. McIndoe

Walter D. McIndoe
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867
Preceded by	District Created
Succeeded by	Cadwallader C. Washburn
Constituency	Wisconsin's 6th district
In office January 26, 1863 – March 3, 1863
Preceded by	Luther Hanchett
Succeeded by	Ithamar Sloan
Constituency	Wisconsin's 2nd district
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 11, 1854 – January 9, 1856
Preceded by	George W. Cate
Succeeded by	Joseph Wood
Constituency	Marathon–Portage district
In office January 9, 1850 – January 8, 1851
Preceded by	John Delaney
Succeeded by	Thomas J. Morman (Marathon–Portage)
Constituency	Portage district
Personal details
Born	Walter Duncan McIndoe (1819-03-30)March 30, 1819 Dumbartonshire, Scotland, U.K.
Died	August 22, 1872(1872-08-22) (aged 53) Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Pine Grove Cemetery Wausau, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican National Union (1864-1865) Whig (before 1854)
Spouse	Catherine Harriet Ann Taylor ​ ​ (m. 1845)​

Walter Duncan McIndoe (March 30, 1819 – August 22, 1872) was a Scottish American immigrant, lumber industrialist, and politician. A Republican, he represented Wisconsin for two terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1867.

Early life and career

Born in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, McIndoe immigrated to the United States in 1834. He engaged in business in New York, Charleston, and St. Louis, finally settling in the Wisconsin Territory in 1845 where he became involved in the lumber business.

Political career

He served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1850, 1854, and 1855. In 1850 as a member of the Assembly he introduced a bill changing the name of his home community from "Big Bull Falls" to Wausau and creating Marathon County. Initially a Whig, in 1854 he became a member of the newly formed Republican Party.

Campaign for governor

He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Wisconsin at the 1857 Republican state convention, contending with Edward Dwight Holton, with both candidates losing to the eventual nominee and governor, Alexander Randall.

During the American Civil War he was provost marshal of Wisconsin.

Congress

McIndoe was first elected to Congress in the December 1862 special election to replace Congressman Luther Hanchett, who died three weeks after the 1862 general election. Hanchett was the incumbent in Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district and, in the 1862 general election, had been elected to Wisconsin's newly-created 6th congressional district. McIndoe's election allowed him to replace Hanchett for the last months of the 37th Congress and also for the full term of the 38th Congress. He was subsequently re-elected in 1864 to the 39th Congress, ultimately serving from January 26, 1863, until March 3, 1867.

During the Thirty-ninth Congress, he served as chairman of the House Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

Retirement

In 1866, McIndoe declined candidacy for renomination, instead resuming his interests in the lumber business.

Death and burial

He died in Wausau, Wisconsin, on August 22, 1872, and was interred at Pine Grove Cemetery.

Electoral history

U.S. House of Representatives (1862, 1864)

Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District Special Election, 1862

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Special Election, December 30, 1862
	Republican	Walter D. McIndoe	7,070	57.29%	+0.13%
	Democratic	Charles S. Benton	5,271	42.71%
Plurality			1,799	14.58%	+0.25%
Total votes			12,341	100.0%	-21.94%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District Election, 1864

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 8, 1864
	National Union	Walter D. McIndoe (incumbent)	13,462	66.31%	+9.02%
	Democratic	Henry Reed	6,840	33.69%
Plurality			6,622	32.62%	+18.04%
Total votes			20,302	100.0%	+64.51%
	Republican hold

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Walter Duncan McIndoe at Find a Grave