Legislator Details


William Bingham Wesson
AKA:
Number of sessions served 1
Gender: Male
Age at election: 52

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 3/21/1820
City: Hardwick, MA
County: Worcester, MA
Country: US
 
Death
Date: 6/18/1890
City: Hamtramck, MI
County: Wayne Coounty, MI
Country: US
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date: 6/20/1890
City:
County:
Country: US
Cemetery:

Marital Information:
married Lacyra Eugenia Hill, dau. of Lyman Baldwin in 1852; children: 3, Henry E., Edith E. (Seyburn) and one other [only Edith survived her parents]

Number of Children: 3


Background

Religion: Episcopalian
Military Service:
Occupation: real estate, banker, railroad, capitalist
Race: Caucasian or White

Education:
attended University of Michigan 1841-43; received an honorary BA from University of Michigan later in life

Biographical Sketch:
Of English ancestry. Son of William B. and Azubah Maria Wesson. His father was a Congregationalist minister in Massachusetts. He arrived in Detroit in 1833 and attended classes until health issues cause a pause. He studied law at the offices of Van Dyke and Emmons in Detroit, beginning around 1845. Although admitted to the bar, he never practiced law. He and a partner pioneered land development and subdivisions in Detroit for 20 years. He branched off into railroads and was active in the completion of the Detroit, Lansing and Northern RR. He also acted as president of the Wayne County Savings Bank and of the Safe Deposit Co. among others.

Notable Facts:
Thought to have built and sold an estimated 5,000 plus buildings in Detroit, business and residential.


Sessions Served:

Chamber: Senate
Party: Republican
Committees Served On: Appropriations and Finance, University and Normal School, Supplies and Miscellaneous Expenses of the Senate
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: Wayne 1
District Description: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th and 10th Wards of the city of Detroit;twps of Greenfield, Hamtramck and Grosse Point in Wayne County

Date Elected: 11/5/1872
Date Sworn In: 1/1/1873
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: Unknown
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Married
Notes:

Bibliography:

Manual 1873 p.106; DFP 6/19/1890 p.5; Cyc p.102-04