Republican Party (United States)
Founded in 1854, the GOP originally subscribed to classical liberalism and took ideological stands that were anti-slavery and pro-economic reform. Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president in the history of the United States. The party was usually dominant over the Democrats during the Third Party System and Fourth Party System. In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt formed the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party after being rejected by the GOP and ran as a third-party presidential candidate. Roosevelt called for many social reforms, some of which were later championed by New Deal Democrats in the 1930s. He lost the 1912 election, and when most of his supporters returned to the GOP, they were at odds with the party's new conservative economic stance; many left for the Democratic Party, and an ideological shift to the right occurred in the Republican Party. Later in the 20th century, the liberal Republican element was overwhelmed by a conservative surge begun by Barry Goldwater in 1964 and continued during the Reagan Era.
Hiram C. Bull
Born in Laona, Chautauqua County, New York, he went to school in Fredonia, New York. Bull studied in law in Fredonia, New York and was admitted to the New York bar in 1843. He move to Johnstown, Pennsylvania and continued to practiced law. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and practiced law. He lived briefly in California. Bull then opened lumberyards in Milwaukee Janesville, and Madison, Wisconsin. Bull served in the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention of 1847-1848. He then served in the Wisconsin State Senate, from Madison, Wisconsin, in 1857 and 1858 and was a Republican. He served as adjutant-general of Wisconsin. Bull also was involved with the Wisconsin Historical Society. In 1859, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri and then to Arizona Territory and New Mexico Territory. He served in the 9th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. After the civil war, Bull opened a lumberyard in Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1870, he helped found a town Bull City, Kansas in Osborne County, Kansas. In 1872, Bull served as probate judge for Osborne County. From 1877 until his death in 1879, Bull served in the Kansas House of Representatives and was a Republican. On October 12, 1879, Bull was gored to death by an elk at his home in Bull City.