Thomas J. Cunningham
14th Secretary of State of Wisconsin
In office
January 5, 1891 – January 7, 1895
GovernorGeorge Wilbur Peck
Preceded byErnst Timme
Succeeded byHenry Casson
15th and 28th Mayor of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
In office
April 1899 – April 1901
Preceded byJ. A. Anderson
Succeeded byL. A. Fletcher
In office
April 1885 – April 1886
Preceded byJacob Leinenkugel
Succeeded byHector McRae
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Chippewa district
In office
January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889
Preceded byHenry J. Goddard
Succeeded byBenjamin Franklin Millard
Personal details
Born(1852-03-17)March 17, 1852
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 28, 1941(1941-04-28) (aged 89)
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Political partyDemocratic
Children
  • Mrs. John Parks
  • Mrs. A. J. Lobb
  • Carl J. Cunningham
  • born 1888; died 1920

Thomas Jefferson Cunningham (March 17, 1852 – April 28, 1941) was an American newspaper publisher, historian, and politician. He was the 14th Secretary of State of Wisconsin, and served three years as mayor of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He was a prominent member of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and was a delegate to every Democratic National Convention from 1880 and 1940. In his role as Secretary of State, he was the namesake for a set of Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions, known as the "Cunningham cases", which set legal standards in the state for redistricting.

Biography

Born in Brooklyn, New York, as a child he moved with his parents to New Haven, Connecticut, where he was educated in the common schools.[1] He was orphaned at a young age;[2] he came to Wisconsin in 1869 and settled at Stoughton, in Dane County. Shortly after arriving, he worked at the Black Earth Advertiser, and then moved to Madison to work for the Wisconsin Democrat. Through his association with the paper, he became acquainted with many of the prominent Democratic leaders in the state.[3]

From 1873 to 1875, he was employed as a clerk in the office of the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. But in 1875, he moved north to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where he returned to journalism. He started a Democratic partisan paper in the county, which was—at that time—a Republican stronghold. Cunningham was the co-owner and editor of the Chippewa Times and its successor, the daily Independent, through at least 1919—except for the years he served as Secretary of State.[4]: 226  It was remarked that his paper was the first Democratic paper to endure in this county.[2]

Cunningham was elected to three terms as Mayor of Chippewa Falls, in 1885, 1899, and 1900.[4]: 246  And in 1886 was elected to represent all of Chippewa County in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Cunningham became an influential member of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin representing the Democrats of the "up north" counties, and was elected as a state delegate to every Democratic National Convention from 1880 through 1940.[2][5]

In 1890, Cunningham was chosen by the State Democratic Convention as the party's nominee for Secretary of State in the fall election. Cunningham was chosen on the second ballot, as the convention crowd chanted his name.[6] In the general election, Cunningham defeated Republican candidate Edwin D. Coe with 53% of the vote.[7] Cunningham was subsequently re-elected in 1892, but defeated seeking a third term in 1894. He was succeeded by Republican Henry Casson.

After leaving office, Cunningham returned to his newspaper, working until at least 1919. In his later years, he served on several appointed state commissions, including the Civil Service Commission, the State Forestry Commission, and the State Oil Commission.[1] He also became active in works of history; he was a co-author of West Central Wisconsin: A History, and became a curator at the Wisconsin Historical Society.[5]

He attended his last Democratic Convention in 1940, voting for the renomination of Franklin D. Roosevelt for a third term as President.[5] He died less than a year later.

Cunningham redistricting cases

Cunningham was part of a Democratic sweep of all the statewide elected offices in the 1890 elections, which also saw Democrats gain full control of the state legislature. This was the first time the Democrats held such power in the state since before the American Civil War, and it occurred in a redistricting year. What followed was one of Wisconsin's first major redistricting controversies, to which Cunningham's name is closely associated.[8]

In May 1891, Governor Peck signed the Democratic redistricting plans, 1891 Wisc. Act 482 and 1891 Wisc. Act 483. Throughout the legislative process of developing the maps, Republicans expressed outrage at what they saw as a partisan gerrymander.[9] As Secretary of State, Cunningham was legally responsible for implementing the new maps, but, in February 1892, a suit was related to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to bar Cunningham from acting on the maps and to strike down the legislation.[10] The Court published its opinion on March 22, 1892, agreeing with the Republican position and striking down the redistricting act. Justice Harlow S. Orton wrote for the majority that: (1) the maps did not properly account for the population of non-taxed Native Americans and members of the Army and Navy who were not currently located in the state; (2) the districts did not closely adhere to county lines; and that districts were not properly (3) contiguous, (4) compact, and (5) convenient. The court also found that the districts varied too widely in population, with the most populous Senate district being nearly twice the population of the smallest.[8][10]

The Legislature subsequently made another attempt at redistricting, which was also struck down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.[11] A third and final version was passed only 12 days before the 1892 election.[8]

The principles articulated by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in these cases—adherence to county lines; contiguity; compactness; convenience; striving for population uniformity—collectively became known in the state as the "Cunningham Principles" for redistricting, and were closely considered for decades of subsequent redistricting measures.[8]

Personal life and family

Cunningham was popular and well-liked among the public and the political class in Wisconsin. He was a personal friend of U.S. Senator Robert M. "Fighting Bob" La Follette, leader of the Progressive Republicans.[5][12]

Cunningham and his wife had three children, though their son, Carl, died at about 32 years of age. He was survived by two daughters.[5]

After his death, William J. O'Neil, the son of a friend—William O'Neil—composed a poem about him.[13]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1884, 1886)

Wisconsin Assembly, Chippewa District Election, 1884[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1884
Republican Henry J. Goddard 2,639 51.46% +33.36%
Democratic Thomas J. Cunningham 2,489 48.54% +5.72%
Plurality 150 2.93% -0.81%
Total votes 5,128 100.0% +70.99%
Republican gain from Democratic
Wisconsin Assembly, Chippewa District Election, 1886[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1886
Democratic Thomas J. Cunningham 2,506 54.31% +5.78%
Republican W. W. Potter 1,780 38.58% -12.88%
Prohibition Perry Hopkins 328 7.11%
Plurality 726 15.73% +12.81%
Total votes 4,614 100.0% -10.02%
Democratic gain from Republican

Wisconsin Secretary of State (1890, 1892, 1894)

Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1890[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1890
Democratic Thomas J. Cunningham 160,493 52.77% +9.37%
Republican Edwin D. Coe 124,764 41.02% -9.02%
Prohibition George McKerrow 11,635 3.83% -0.27%
Labor William N. Lockwood 7,115 2.34% -0.12%
Scattering 153 0.05%
Plurality 35,729 11.75% +5.10%
Total votes 304,160 100.0% -14.24%
Democratic gain from Republican
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1892[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 8, 1892
Democratic Thomas J. Cunningham (incumbent) 177,052 47.90% -4.86%
Republican Robert W. Jackson 169,718 45.92% +4.90%
Prohibition E. Fred Russell 13,172 3.56% -0.26%
Populist Aaron Broughton 9,670 2.62%
Plurality 7,334 1.98% -9.76%
Total votes 369,612 100.0% +21.52%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1894[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1894
Republican Henry Casson 197,710 53.33% +7.41%
Democratic Thomas J. Cunningham (incumbent) 137,585 37.11% -10.79%
Populist William N. Lockwood 24,452 6.60% +3.98%
Prohibition George McKerrow 10,969 2.96% -0.60%
Plurality 60,125 16.22% +14.23%
Total votes 370,716 100.0% +0.30%
Republican gain from Democratic

Works

  • Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1891). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin.
  • Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1893). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin.
  • Gregory, John Goadby; Cunningham, Thomas Jefferson, eds. (1933). West Central Wisconsin: A History. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.

References

  1. 1 2 "Cunningham, Thomas Jefferson 1852 - 1941". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Yesterday's Nominees". Portage Daily Democrat. August 29, 1890. p. 1. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Thomas J. Cunningham Dies Today at Age 89". The Capital Times. April 28, 1941. p. 1. Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Chippewa County, Wisconsin, Past and Present. Vol. I. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1913. pp. 226, 246. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Thomas J. Cunningham Dies Today at Age 89 - continued". The Capital Times. April 28, 1941. p. 4. Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Winners Named". Portage Daily Democrat. August 29, 1890. p. 1. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1891). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 575. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Keane, Michael (April 1, 2016). Redistricting in Wisconsin (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 7. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
  9. ↑ "The Democratic Gerrymander". Wisconsin State Journal. April 9, 1891. p. 2. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 State ex rel. Attorney General v. Cunningam, 81 Wis. 440 (Wisconsin Supreme Court March 22, 1892).
  11. ↑ State ex rel. Lamb v. Cunningham, 83 Wis. 90 (Wisconsin Supreme Court September 27, 1892).
  12. ↑ ""Tom" Cunningham". Wisconsin State Journal. April 30, 1941. p. 4. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ O'Neil, William James (May 14, 1941). "Thomas Jefferson Cunningham". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. p. 8. Retrieved June 25, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Heg, James E., ed. (1885). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 429. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  15. ↑ Timme, Ernst, ed. (1887). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 493–494. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  16. ↑ Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1893). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 624. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  17. ↑ Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 661. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
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