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Levi H. Bancroft

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Levi H. Bancroft
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
In office
June 15, 1927 – July 1, 1932
PresidentCalvin Coolidge
Herbert Hoover
Preceded byRoy L. Morse
Succeeded byEdward J. Gehl
Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 5th circuit
In office
April 15, 1920 – June 1921
Appointed byEmanuel L. Philipp
Preceded byGeorge Clementson
Succeeded bySherman E. Smalley
20th Attorney General of Wisconsin
In office
January 2, 1911 – January 6, 1913
Preceded byFrank L. Gilbert
Succeeded byWalter C. Owen
43rd Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office
January 13, 1909 – January 2, 1911
Preceded byHerman Ekern
Succeeded byC. A. Ingram
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Richland County district
In office
January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911
Preceded byJ. E. Coffland
Succeeded byChris Monson
District Attorney of Richland County, Wisconsin
In office
January 1, 1887 – January 1, 1889
Preceded byFrank W. Burnham
Succeeded byM. Murphy
Personal details
Born(1861-12-26)December 26, 1861
Sauk County, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedSeptember 5, 1948(1948-09-05) (aged 86)
Richland Center, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Myrtle DeLap
(m. 1890)
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin Law School
ProfessionTeacher, lawyer, politician
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceWisconsin National Guard
Years of service1907–1913

Levi Horace Bancroft (December 26, 1861 – September 5, 1948) was an American lawyer and progressive Republican politician from Richland County, Wisconsin. He was the 20th attorney general of Wisconsin, the 43rd speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He also served as a Wisconsin circuit court judge and district attorney.

Biography

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Levi H. Bancroft was born on December 26, 1861, to George I. and Helen M. Bancroft; reports have differed on the location. He attended high school in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, and later became a teacher. In 1884, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School.[1] On June 11, 1890, Bancroft married Myrtle DeLap. From 1907 to 1913, he was a judge advocate of what is now the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

He died at his farm near Richland Center on September 5, 1948.[2][3]

Political career

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Bancroft served as the District Attorney of Richland County, Wisconsin, from 1886 to 1888, Richland Center, Wisconsin City Attorney for six years, and City Supervisor. From 1897 to 1902, he was a county judge of Richland County. Bancroft was a delegate to the 1900 Republican National Convention. In addition, he was delegate to a number of State Republican Conventions. He would serve as an Assistant Attorney General. Bancroft was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1907 to 1910, serving as Speaker in 1909–1910. He did not run for the Assembly in 1910, and was succeeded by fellow Republican Chris Monson.

In 1910, he was elected Attorney General of Wisconsin, with 114,939 votes to 104,551 for Democrat John Doherty; 48,693 for "Progressive Republican" Charles Crownhart, and 39,399 for Social Democrat Gerrit Thorn Jr.[4]

He was a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge. Sources are varied over his length of service. Later, he served as a U.S. Attorney in Wisconsin from 1927 to 1932. From 1934 to 1936, Bancroft was Mayor of Richland Center.[5] He was again a county judge of Richland County from 1938 to 1948.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Biographical Sketches". Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin. State of Wisconsin. 1909. p. 1129. Retrieved June 24, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Levi H. and Myrtle Bancroft House, 277 N. Sheldon Street" (PDF). City of Richland Center. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  3. ^ "Judge Levi H. Bancroft Dies At Age of 87". The Capital Times. Richland Center, Wisconsin. September 7, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved June 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Beck, J. D., ed. The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin 1911 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1911; p.
  5. ^ "Levi H. Bancroft Papers, 1863-1956". University of Wisconsin Digital Collections. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin
1910
Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican nominee for Attorney General of Wisconsin
1932
Succeeded by
Victor M. Stolts
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Richland County district
January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911
Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
January 13, 1909 – January 2, 1911
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Wisconsin
1911–1913
Succeeded by
Preceded by Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 5th circuit
April 15, 1920 – June 1921
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Roy L. Morse
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
June 15, 1927 – July 1, 1932
Succeeded by