Sawyer, Philetus
merchant, state legislator, congressman, United States senator, was born Sept. 22, 1816, in Whiting, Vt. He was elected to the legislature of Wisconsin in 1857 and 1861; and in 1863 was elected mayor of Oshkosh, and re-elected in 1864. He was elected a representative from Wisconsin to the thirty-ninth congress. He was also delegate to the Philadelphia Loyala ists' convention of 1866; and was reelected to the fortieth congress. He was also re-elected to the three succeeding congresses; and declined a re-election.
He was elected a United States senator from Wisconsin for the term of six years, from March 4, 1881; and was re-elected in 1887. In 1896 he was chairman of the republican convention at St. Louis, Mo., that nominated William McKinley for president of the United States.