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363:—who had just been defeated for the Republican nomination for Governor in a party convention—and sought out his advice for advancing his priorities. Although his bill for primary elections was not passed in the 1897 session, La Follette ultimately took up the cause as his own. La Follette won election as Governor in 1900 and went on to implement the primary election law in his first year as Governor.
31:
313:
Returning to
Wisconsin in 1864, Lewis bought a one-third interest in a business partnership with Henry Mitchell, who was a successful businessman in manufacturing "Mitchell farm wagons". That same year, Lewis married Mitchell's daughter, Mary Isabel. Their partnership would continue for the rest of
473:
The Racine Rubber
Company later became known as the Ajax Rubber Company. The company ceased operation in 1930s, but the most lasting legacy of the company was a neighborhood of homes built by the company around their plant as a benefit for their employees in the 1910s, under the direction of Lewis
317:
They suffered a disastrous fire at their factory in 1880, but rebuilt and endured. By 1900, their main business was producing 25,000 wagons per year. In 1903, Lewis spearheaded a new venture in manufacturing automobiles, known initially as the Lewis Motor
Company, and later merged into the parent
322:. By the time of his death in 1915, the company was one of the largest manufacturing businesses in Racine and employed 2,000 people. With his son, William, he also built and managed the Racine Rubber Company, which mostly manufactured wheels for automobiles.
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both men's lives, first as the
Mitchell & Lewis Co. Their business flourished in part due to the high demand for new farm equipment as soldiers returned from the Civil War.
474:
and his son. The neighborhood of homes on the west side of the city of Racine is still known as "Rubberville" and is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places as the
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357:, abolishing the existing process which ran through party caucuses, dominated by party elites. He saw himself as a political ally of progressive Republican
353:, believing it placed free workers at a competitive disadvantage. Second, he was a strong proponent of popular nomination of political candidates through
436:
Under Lewis, the company established a new manufacturing plant at 815 8th Street in Racine in 1910. The Lewis-Mitchell Motor
Company was bought out by
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464:
349:
of the legislature. In the
Assembly, Lewis was principally concerned with two issues. First, he was interested in abolishing the use of
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293:. After James quit in 1861 to focus on studying law, William became manager of the Western Union office. After the outbreak of the
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Lewis died at his home at 1000 Main Street in Racine, on the morning of
December 30, 1915, after an illness of several weeks.
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281:, in March 1840. He was raised and educated there and came to Wisconsin with his older brother in 1855. They settled at
1018:
470:
The original site of the Lewis-Mitchell Wagon
Company (on 6th Street) is now the site of the Racine City Hall building.
408:
William married Mary Isabel
Mitchell on October 27, 1864. They had four children, though one son died in infancy.
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452:. The Racine plant was shut down and most of its machinery was transferred to a plant in the neighboring city
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886:; Wheelock, Edgar T. (1910). "How the Direct Primary Idea Was Born, Grew, and Flourished in Wisconsin".
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Rather than running for re-election in the Assembly in 1898, Lewis sought the Republican nomination for
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eight years after Lewis' death. The Lewis-Mitchell plant in Racine would go on to produce Nash's
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The building still stands and was converted to apartment lofts in 2004. It is listed as the
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automobile. Nash continued to operate the plant until 1939, when they merged with the
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245:(March 10, 1840 – December 30, 1915) was an American businessman and
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370:, but was defeated for the nomination by Kenosha County state representative
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and was a 32nd degree mason. He was also a charter member of the Racine
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in the 1896 general election and represented the city of Racine in the
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982:"William Turnor Lewis, Pioneer Manufacturer and Capitalist, Dies"
416:
265:, and was an important contributor in the establishment of the
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Racine, Belle City of the Lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin
669:
Wisconsin 3rd Senatorial District Convention, October 5, 1898
37:
Racine, Belle City of the Lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin
1156:
Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
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and to the National Tariff Commission Congress in 1909.
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Wisconsin Assembly, Racine 1st District Election, 1896
1014:"Mitchell Lewis Building (Mitchell Lewis Motor Co.)"
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1112:January 4, 1897 – January 2, 1899
401:went on to become the first chief justice of the
301:and served at the headquarters of the Union Army
386:immigrants William J. Lewis and his wife Jane (
249:politician. He was one of the founders of the
16:American businessman and politician (1840â1915)
649:Wisconsin Senate, 3rd District Election, 1898
289:, who was manager of the Racine office of the
1161:American founders of automobile manufacturers
476:Racine Rubber Company Homes Historic District
8:
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175: 1864–1915)
71:January 4, 1897 â January 2, 1899
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781:(Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 692
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779:The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin
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305:until the end of the Atlanta campaign.
334:. He was chosen as a delegate to the
1151:Businesspeople from Racine, Wisconsin
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496:
388:
7:
465:National Register of Historic Places
394:Turnor). William's elder brother,
336:1888 Republican National Convention
330:Lewis was a lifelong member of the
517:General Election, November 3, 1896
14:
915:"Pretty Fight on for Assemblyman"
860:. September 23, 1997. p. 13
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923:. September 28, 1898. p. 1
822:: S. J. Clarke. 1916. pp.
291:Western Union Telegraph Company
172:
990:. December 30, 1915. p. 1
950:"John F. Reynolds for Senator"
448:appliance company and created
382:William T. Lewis was a son of
1:
1041:"Delve into Downtown History"
958:. October 13, 1898. p. 9
889:Political Reform in Wisconsin
332:Republican Party of Wisconsin
299:U.S. Military Telegraph Corps
277:William T. Lewis was born in
232:and the Racine Rubber Company
1019:Wisconsin Historical Society
892:. C. N. Caspar Co. pp.
320:Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company
251:Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company
230:Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company
1146:People from Utica, New York
770:Casson, Henry, ed. (1897).
257:, representing the city of
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297:, he volunteered with the
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487:Wisconsin Assembly (1896)
253:. He also served in the
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1100:Wisconsin State Assembly
1082:Wisconsin State Assembly
378:Personal life and legacy
343:Wisconsin State Assembly
255:Wisconsin State Assembly
52:Wisconsin State Assembly
772:"Biographical Sketches"
644:Wisconsin Senate (1898)
461:Mitchell Lewis Building
430:Mitchell Lewis Building
403:Supreme Court of Nevada
433:
368:Wisconsin State Senate
341:He was elected to the
194:William Mitchell Lewis
428:
360:Robert M. La Follette
269:system in Wisconsin.
199:Helen Turnor (Wilson)
189:Mary Isabell (Mosher)
1091:Charles M. Hambright
1069:William Turnor Lewis
987:Racine Journal Times
955:Racine Journal Times
920:Racine Journal Times
857:Racine Journal Times
411:Lewis was active in
243:William Turnor Lewis
162:Mary Isabel Mitchell
82:Charles M. Hambright
884:Philipp, Emanuel L.
852:"Company Community"
650:
493:
648:
582:William R. Taylor
491:
454:Kenosha, Wisconsin
434:
295:American Civil War
228:Co-founder of the
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1115:Succeeded by
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711:William T. Lewis
641:
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533:William T. Lewis
482:Electoral history
355:primary elections
283:Racine, Wisconsin
240:
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204:James Henry Lewis
151:Racine, Wisconsin
139:Racine, Wisconsin
132:December 30, 1915
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687:John F. Reynolds
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372:John F. Reynolds
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326:Political career
267:primary election
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149:Mound Cemetery,
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104:Personal details
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23:William T. Lewis
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561:Andreas Hanson
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450:Nash-Kelvinator
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309:Business career
279:Utica, New York
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1098:Member of the
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1063:External links
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1108:1st district
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1073:Find a Grave
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1023:. Retrieved
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998:– via
992:. Retrieved
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960:. Retrieved
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783:. Retrieved
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733:Total votes
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620:
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612:Total votes
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472:
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458:
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410:
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387:
381:
365:
347:1897 session
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318:firm as the
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263:1897 session
242:
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134:(1915-12-30)
89:Succeeded by
66:
60:1st district
36:
1141:1915 deaths
1136:1840 births
578:Prohibition
438:Nash Motors
413:Freemasonry
77:Preceded by
1130:Categories
750:References
722:Plurality
707:Republican
680:Republican
657:Candidate
633:Republican
557:Democratic
527:Republican
500:Candidate
446:Kelvinator
432:in Racine.
247:Republican
115:1840-03-10
1104:from the
597:Plurality
273:Biography
225:Known for
220:(brother)
214:Relatives
67:In office
56:from the
625:+13.58%
570:+16.39%
548:+12.02%
303:XV Corps
183:Children
1050:May 24,
1025:May 24,
994:May 24,
962:May 24,
927:May 24,
899:May 24,
864:May 24,
833:May 24,
820:Chicago
785:May 24,
742:100.0%
717:47.06%
698:52.94%
621:100.0%
607:-2.19%
604:15.48%
591:â1.04%
567:41.58%
543:57.05%
463:in the
261:in the
177:
169:
165:
1106:Racine
728:5.88%
660:Votes
654:Party
616:5,344
588:1.37%
564:2,222
538:3,049
503:Votes
497:Party
259:Racine
157:Spouse
141:, U.S.
124:, U.S.
58:Racine
39:(1916)
894:19â23
828:10â14
775:(PDF)
171:(
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866:2022
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636:hold
601:827
442:Ajax
417:YMCA
129:Died
109:Born
1071:at
737:34
714:16
693:18
585:73
390:nÊe
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
