Alexander Wiley
Encyclopedia
Alexander Wiley was a member of the Republican Party who served four terms in the United States Senate
for the state of Wisconsin
from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.
. He received his undergraduate education at Augsburg College
in Minnesota
and the University of Michigan
. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1907 and was also admitted to the bar the same year. He served as the Chippewa County
district attorney from 1909 to 1915.
Wiley was the Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin
in 1936 but his bid failed. Philip La Follette
and the new Wisconsin Progressive Party
, which split from the Republicans in 1934, won the election. In 1938 Wiley was elected to the U.S. Senate by defeating incumbent F. Ryan Duffy
. In 1944, he was challenged by Marine Captain Joseph McCarthy
in the Republican Party primary. He defeated McCarthy and went on to win the general election. Wiley was re-elected two more times in 1950 and 1956. In 1956, he was challenged by Congressman Glenn Robert Davis
in the Republican primary, but once again prevailed. In 1962, Wiley lost his bid for a fifth term to Governor Gaylord Nelson
.
Wiley had a distinguished Senate career that included the chairmanship of both the Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees.
Wiley died in Germantown, Pennsylvania
on his 83rd birthday. His interment is at Forest Hill Cemetery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. During his lifetime he was a member of the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, the Elks Club
, the Kiwanis
, the Knights of Pythias
, the Moose International
, the Sons of Norway
, and Sigma Phi Epsilon
.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for the state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.
Biography
Wiley was born in Chippewa Falls, WisconsinChippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
. He received his undergraduate education at Augsburg College
Augsburg College
Augsburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg was named for the Augsburg Confession, the document of Lutheran belief. The school was founded in 1869 in Marshall, Wisconsin as Augsburg Seminary and moved...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1907 and was also admitted to the bar the same year. He served as the Chippewa County
Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Chippewa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 55,195. Its county seat is Chippewa Falls. The United States Census Bureau's Eau Claire Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Chippewa County...
district attorney from 1909 to 1915.
Wiley was the Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
in 1936 but his bid failed. Philip La Follette
Philip La Follette
Philip Fox La Follette was an American politician from the US state of Wisconsin. He served three terms as the Governor of Wisconsin and helped create the Wisconsin Progressive Party.-Early life and family:...
and the new Wisconsin Progressive Party
Wisconsin Progressive Party
The Wisconsin Progressive Party , was a third party which briefly held a dominant role in Wisconsin politics. The Party was the brainchild of Philip La Follette and Robert M. La Follette, Jr., the sons of the famous Wisconsin Governor and Senator Robert M. La Follette, Sr....
, which split from the Republicans in 1934, won the election. In 1938 Wiley was elected to the U.S. Senate by defeating incumbent F. Ryan Duffy
F. Ryan Duffy
Francis Ryan Duffy was a member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1933 to 1939 and later a United States federal judge.-Biography:...
. In 1944, he was challenged by Marine Captain Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
in the Republican Party primary. He defeated McCarthy and went on to win the general election. Wiley was re-elected two more times in 1950 and 1956. In 1956, he was challenged by Congressman Glenn Robert Davis
Glenn Robert Davis
Glenn Robert Davis was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Wisconsin's Second Congressional District from April 22, 1947 to January 3, 1957, and Wisconsin's Ninth Congressional District from January 3, 1965 to December 31, 1974.-Early life and education:Davis was born on a...
in the Republican primary, but once again prevailed. In 1962, Wiley lost his bid for a fifth term to Governor Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American politician from Wisconsin who served as a United States Senator and governor. A Democrat, he was the principal founder of Earth Day.-Public service and leadership:...
.
Wiley had a distinguished Senate career that included the chairmanship of both the Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees.
Wiley died in Germantown, Pennsylvania
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
on his 83rd birthday. His interment is at Forest Hill Cemetery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. During his lifetime he was a member of the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, the Elks Club
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, the Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
, the Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
, the Moose International
Moose International
Moose International is a fraternal and service organization founded in 1888, consisting of the Loyal Order of Moose, with nearly 1 million men in roughly 2,400 Lodges, in all 50 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, plus Great Britain and Bermuda; and the Women of the Moose with more than...
, the Sons of Norway
Sons of Norway
Sons of Norway is a fraternal organization representing people of Norwegian heritage in the United States and Canada. It describes its mission as "to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic Countries, and provide quality...
, and Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
.