William H. Jacobs

William Heinrich Jacobs (November 26, 1831  September 11, 1882) was a German American immigrant, banker, and Democratic politician. He served two years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the southern half of Milwaukee County. During the American Civil War, he served as colonel of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment (a German regiment) in the Union Army. He is the namesake of the town of Jacobs, Wisconsin. His name is sometimes anglicized as William Henry Jacobs.

William H. Jacobs
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
January 4, 1875  January 1, 1877
Preceded byFrederick W. Cotzhausen
Succeeded byThomas A. Bones
Personal details
Born(1831-11-26)November 26, 1831
Holzen, Duchy of Brunswick, German Confederation
DiedSeptember 11, 1882(1882-09-11) (aged 50)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Caroline Schmidt
(m. 18571882)
Children9
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
Years of service1862–1864
RankColonel, USV
Commands26th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

Wilhelm Heinrich Jacobs was born on November 26, 1831, in the municipality of Holzen, in what was then the Duchy of Brunswick in central Germany. He was the only son of Christian Jacobs and Christiana Koch. Jacobs emigrated to the United States in 1850, settling first at St. Louis, Missouri, then moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1851. In Milwaukee, he worked as a court clerk, purchased land, and established the Second Ward Savings Bank (1855). On November 11, 1857, he married Caroline Schmidt; they had nine children, though only six survived to adulthoodfive daughters and one son.[1]

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, Jacobs was an appointed colonel of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment on August 17, 1862. He was wounded while in command of his regiment at its first engagement, the Battle of Chancellorsville, on May 2, 1863. Jacobs then left the regiment on a leave of absence before resigning due to his wounds on January 11, 1864.[1]

Later life

In 1874 Jacobs was elected as a Democrat to the Wisconsin State Senate, where he served from 1875 to 1877.[2] He died on September 11, 1882, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[3][4]

Legacy

The Town of Jacobs in Ashland County, Wisconsin, was named in his honor. The Second Ward Savings Bank, established by Jacobs in 1855, is now home to the Milwaukee County Historical Society.[5]

References

  1. Usher, Ellis Baker (1914). Wisconsin: Its Story and Biography, 1848-1913. Vol. 7. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 1983–1986. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  2. 'The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin 1876,' Biographical Sketch of William H. Jacobs, pg. 451
  3. archived at
  4. "Colonel William H. Jacobs". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  5. Adams, Katie (4 February 2013). "The Second Ward Savings Bank: One-Hundred Years of History". MKEMEMOIRS. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
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