James Duane Doty

Background

James Duane Doty was born on November 5, 1799 in Salem, Washington County, New York, United States. He was the son of Chilius and Sarah (Martin) Doty.

Education

Doty was educated in the common schools of Lewis County, New York, and at Lowville Academy, read law.

Career

Doty began began practise at Detroit, Michigan Territory, in 1819, and was also clerk of the supreme court of the territory and of the territorial council.

Doty accompanied Gen. Lewis Cass as secretary on his tour of the lakes and ascent of the Mississippi in 1820.

In 1823 he became judge of the judicial district of Northern Michigan which included a vast territory west of Lake Michigan.

His judgeship required him to travel extensively through wilderness regions, and brought him in contact with Indians, rivermen, traders, hunters, soldiers, government agents, and French and American pioneer settlers.

Resigning his judgeship, under compulsion, it was said, in 1832, Doty devoted several years to a personal exploration of the West, especially that portion which later became Wisconsin, mapped it, and published a description of the region. One of his objects was to select sites for towns, mills, wharves, etc. , for he was an inveterate speculator who was determined, as soon as the lands of Wisconsin were surveyed, to enter a large number of promising tracts scattered through many counties. He was commissioned in 1832 by the War Department to survey the military roads in Wisconsin; he was a member of the legislative council of Michigan from the region west of the lake; he became, in 1839, Wisconsin’s delegate in Congress, was reelected in 1840 and served till 1841 when he became by appointment of President Tyler, governor of the territory. That post he held till 1844, though with one short break during which N. P. Tallmadge was governor.

Doty was the stormy petrel of early Wisconsin politics. He selected the location of the capital, secured its adoption by the territorial council, speculated in lots and became the commissioner to erect the capitol building. These business complications created interests which as governor he sought to protect, thus precipitating an intense struggle with the territorial legislature.

While both sides played politics, it is impossible to acquit Doty of actions and intrigues that look grossly irregular. Questions growing out of his action as building commissioner became the subject of congressional discussion, on resolution of his chief rival, Delegate Henry Dodge.

Doty was a prominent member of the first constitutional convention of Wisconsin, and after statehood had been attained, was for two terms, 1849-53, a representative in Congress.

In 1861 he was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs with headquarters at Salt Lake, and in 1863 was made governor of Utah Territory.

Achievements

• As governor, Doty worked to establish schools and build a more trusting relationship between Washington and the territory's Mormon and Native American populations.

Works

• book

  • Message of His Excellency James D. Doty: Governor of Wiskonsan sic, returning to the Council the bill to provide for the legislative expences, February 18, 1842
  • Letter to the people of Wisconsin,: Concerning their right to form a state government

Politics

In early life Doty trained with the Democrats, but in 1840 became a Whig, and later a Republican.

Personality

Doty's courage, keenness, and ingratiating manners uniformly overcame any difficult situations. He had many devoted friends and admirers.

Doty possessed the type of mind which marks the acute lawyer. He was a man of culture, had a good library, enjoyed home and friends, loved to hum traditional songs, to surround himself with objects of sentimental interest. His native endowment set him apart from common men.

Connections

In 1823 Doty married Sarah Collins at Whitestown, New York, and settled at Green Bay in Michigan Territory.

Father:

Chilius Doty

Mother:

Sarah (Martin) Doty

Spouse:

Sarah Collins