Back ويليام فريمان ڤيلاس ARZ ویلیام فریمن ویلس AZB William Freeman Vilas Danish William Freeman Vilas German William Freeman Vilas Spanish ویلیام فریمن ویلس Persian William Freeman Vilas French ויליאם פרימן וילאס HE William Freeman Vilas Hungarian William Freeman Vilas Italian
William F. Vilas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from Wisconsin | |
| In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Preceded by | John Coit Spooner |
| Succeeded by | John Coit Spooner |
| 17th United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office January 16, 1888 – March 6, 1889 | |
| President | Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | Lucius Lamar |
| Succeeded by | John Willock Noble |
| 33rd United States Postmaster General | |
| In office March 6, 1885 – January 6, 1888 | |
| President | Grover Cleveland |
| Preceded by | Frank Hatton |
| Succeeded by | Donald M. Dickinson |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 1st district | |
| In office January 5, 1885 – March 9, 1885 | |
| Preceded by | Dexter Curtis |
| Succeeded by | Michael J. Cantwell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Freeman Vilas July 9, 1840 Chelsea, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 1908 (aged 68) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | |
| Spouse |
Anna M. Fox (m. 1866–1908) |
| Children |
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| Parent |
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| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA) Albany Law School (LLB) |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1863 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel, USV |
| Unit | 23rd Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | |
William Freeman Vilas (July 9, 1840 – August 27, 1908) was an American lawyer, politician, and United States Senator. In the U.S. Senate, he represented the state of Wisconsin for one term, from 1891 to 1897.[1] As a prominent Bourbon Democrat, he was also a member of the cabinet of U.S. President Grover Cleveland, serving as the 33rd Postmaster General and the 17th Secretary of the Interior.
He was a major donor to the University of Wisconsin, leaving $30,000,000 to the school at his death in 1908. He is the namesake of Vilas Hall on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, as well as Vilas County, Wisconsin, and the towns of Vilas, Colorado, and Vilas, South Dakota.[2]
- ^ "Vilas, William Freeman 1840-1908". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "William Vilas". University of Wisconsin–Madison. July 6, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2022.