Moses M. Strong

Who was Moses M. Strong?

Moses McCure Strong was an American lawyer, politician, and businessman.

Strong was born in Vermont in 1810, the son of Moses Strong, a Vermont lawyer and judge. The younger Strong received a legal education, and practiced law in Rutland, Vermont.

Strong moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin in 1836, where he was appointed deputy land surveyor. When in Wisconsin, he secured an investment of $33,000 for land speculation from three New Hampshire financiers: Senator Henry Hubbard, Horace Hall, and George Olcott. By the end of 1837, Strong had acquired thousands of acres of land throughout the state: forty lots in the future Madison, Wisconsin; land in Dane County on the Wisconsin River which he called "St. Lawrence"; and land in the village of Arena. But when the Panic of 1837 hit, it became impossible to resell any of the land at a profit, and the investors for the most part lost their money.

In February 1837, James Duane Doty hired Strong to survey Madison and stake out the land for the Wisconsin State Capitol.

In June 1838, Strong was selected Attorney of the Territory of Wisconsin, and in December was appointed "fiscal agent" for the territory. Some time thereafter, he was selected U.S. Attorney for the District of Wisconsin. In 1841, Strong was elected to the Council of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin, representing Iowa County. He was reelected every year until 1846. His fellow councilmen elected him President of the Council in 1845.