Edward V. Whiton

The Honorable Edward V. Whiton
Edward Vernon Whiton
3rd Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office January 3, 1852 – April 12, 1859
Preceded by	Levi Hubbell
Succeeded by	Luther S. Dixon
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
ex officio
In office September 1, 1848 – June 1, 1853
Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 1st Circuit
In office September 1, 1848 – June 1, 1853
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	Wyman Spooner
Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Wisconsin Territory
In office December 2, 1839 – August 2, 1840
Preceded by	Lucius Israel Barber
Succeeded by	Nelson Dewey
Member of the Council of the Wisconsin Territory for Rock & Walworth counties
In office December 5, 1842 – January 4, 1847 Serving with Charles Minton Baker
Preceded by	James Maxwell
Succeeded by	Position Abolished
Member of the House of Representatives of the Wisconsin Territory for Rock & Walworth counties
In office November 26, 1838 – December 5, 1842
Personal details
Born	(1805-06-02)June 2, 1805 South Lee, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	April 12, 1859(1859-04-12) (aged 53) Janesville, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville
Political party	Republican Whig (before 1854)
Spouse	Amoret Dimock ​ (m. 1847⁠–⁠1859)​
Children	Fanny Whiton (died young) Edward D. Whiton (died young) Catherine Whiton (died young) Edward Vernon Whiton Jr. (b. 1852; died 1900)
Parents	Joseph Whiton (father) Amanda (Garfield) Whiton (mother)

Edward Vernon Whiton Sr. (June 2, 1805 – April 12, 1859) was an American lawyer, jurist, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was the first elected chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (3rd overall), and served on the Supreme Court from its establishment in 1848 until his death in 1859. As chief justice, he wrote the court's controversial opinion in the case of Ableman v. Booth, which attempted to nullify the federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. He also authored the opinion in Bashford v. Barstow, deciding the outcome of the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election and cementing the role of the Wisconsin Supreme Court as arbiter of the state constitution.

Before Wisconsin became a state, Whiton had served eight years in the Wisconsin Territory legislature, elected on the Whig Party ticket and serving terms in both chambers. He was also a delegate to Wisconsin's second constitutional convention in the Winter of 1847–1848, where he helped frame the Constitution of Wisconsin. He was one of the earliest landowners in what is now Rock County, Wisconsin.