David Atwood

David Atwood
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 2nd district
In office February 23, 1870 – March 3, 1871
Preceded by	Benjamin F. Hopkins
Succeeded by	Gerry W. Hazelton
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 6th district
In office January 9, 1861 – January 8, 1862
Preceded by	Cassius Fairchild
Succeeded by	Position Abolished
Personal details
Born	(1815-12-15)December 15, 1815 Bedford, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	December 11, 1889(1889-12-11) (aged 73) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery Madison, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Mary A. (Sweeney) Atwood (m. 1849; died 1906)
Children	Charles David Atwood (b. 1850; died 1878) Harrie Farwell Atwood (b. 1852; died 1906) Mary Louisa Atwood (b. 1855; died 1940) Elizabeth Gordon (Vilas) (b. 1857; died 1936)
Parents	David Atwood (father) Mary (Bell) Atwood (mother)
Profession	Politician, publisher, editor, printer

David Atwood (December 15, 1815 – December 11, 1889) was a nineteenth-century American politician, publisher, editor and printer from Wisconsin. He represented Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives during the 2nd and 3rd sessions of the 41st Congress.

Biography

Born in Bedford, New Hampshire, Atwood attended the public schools as a child. He moved to Hamilton, New York in 1832 where he was apprenticed as a printer and later became publisher of the Hamilton Palladium. He moved to Freeport, Illinois in 1845 and engaged in agricultural pursuits before moving to Madison, Wisconsin in 1847 and for forty-two years was editor and publisher of the Wisconsin Journal. Atwood was commissioned a major general in the Wisconsin Militia by Governor Alexander W. Randall in 1858, was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1861, was a United States assessor for four years and served as mayor of Madison, Wisconsin in 1868 and 1869.

The Atwood residence in Madison, Wisconsin, designed by David R. Jones

In 1870, he was elected a Republican to the United States House of Representatives to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Benjamin F. Hopkins. He took over representing Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district in the 41st Congress serving until 1871 and declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1870 to the 42nd Congress.

Afterwards, Atwood resumed activities in the newspaper business, was a commissioner at the Centennial Exposition representing the State of Wisconsin from 1872 to 1876 and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1872 and 1876.

He died in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 11, 1889, and was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison.

External links

• United States Congress. "David Atwood (id: A000335)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.