Historical photo of Decatur Merritt Hammond Carpenter (1824 - 1881)

35

Section

38

Lot

1824 - 1881

Decatur Merritt Hammond Carpenter

Later known as Matthew Hale Carpenter, he was first elected to the U.S. Senate by the Wisconsin legislature in 1869. He returned to the Senate in 1879. His career there was colorful and controversial, but he distinguished himself as one of the nation’s leading constitutional lawyers.