William H. Jacobs

William Heinrich Jacobs (November 26, 1831–September 11, 1882) was a United States army officer, Wisconsin politician and banker originally from Holzen in the Duchy of Brunswick.

William Heinrich Jacobs
Born(1831-11-26)November 26, 1831
Holzen, Germany
DiedSeptember 11, 1882(1882-09-11) (aged 50)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Buried
Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1862–1864
Rank Colonel
Commands held26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Spouse(s)Caroline Schmidt

Early life

Wilhelm Heinrich Jacobs was born on November 26, 1831 in Holzen, Germany, the only son of Christian Jacobs and Christiana Koch. Jacobs moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1850, then settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1851 where he became a court clerk, land owner, and banker, establishing the Second Ward Savings Bank in 1855. On November 11, 1857 he married Caroline Schmidt, and they had five daughters and one son together.[1]

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, Jacobs was an appointed colonel of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment on August 17, 1862. He was wounded while in command of his regiment at its first engagement, the Battle of Chancellorsville, on May 2, 1863. Jacobs then left the regiment on a leave of absence before resigning due to his wounds on January 11, 1864.[1]

Later life

In 1875 Jacobs was elected as a Democrat to the Wisconsin State Senate, where he served from 1876 to 1878.[2] He died on September 11, 1882 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[3][4]

Legacy

The Town of Jacobs in Ashland County, Wisconsin was named in his honor. The Second Ward Savings Bank, established by Jacobs in 1855, is now home to the Milwaukee County Historical Society.[5]

Notes
  1. Usher, Ellis Baker (1914). Wisconsin: Its Story and Biography, 1848-1913, Volume 7. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 1983–1986. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  2. 'The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin 1876,' Biographical Sketch of William H. Jacobs, pg. 451
  3. archived at
  5. Adams, Katie. "The Second Ward Savings Bank: One-Hundred Years of History". MKEMEMOIRS. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
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