Charles Edward McIntosh

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Charles Edward McIntosh (April 13, 1836 – July 25, 1915) was a Canadian-born lawyer and Democratic politician in Wisconsin. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Outagamie County from 1869 to 1871. He was the first district attorney of Florence County (1882–1884) and later served as district attorney of Marinette County (1891–1893).

Early life and Civil War
McIntosh was born in Goderich, Ontario, and moved with his family to Wisconsin as a child. He studied at the University of Notre Dame, taught school in Dodge County, and was the county superintendent of schools in 1861. He left to join the Union Army in 1861, serving in the 7th Wisconsin Light Artillery and later as a sergeant in the 2nd U.S. Infantry. He took part in campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley, witnessed Lee’s surrender, and was present at the execution of Mary Surratt. He left the army in 1866 and settled in Wisconsin.

Political and legal career
After the war, McIntosh settled in Appleton and joined the Democratic Party. He won a seat in the Wisconsin Assembly in 1868 and was re-elected for 1869 and 1870. After redistricting, he ran in a new district in 1871 but lost. He became a lawyer in 1874 and practiced with William Kennedy. He moved to Seymour, becoming one of its first city officers in 1879. In 1882 he was elected the first district attorney of Florence County, re-elected in 1883, and served until 1884.

In 1884, McIntosh and Sheriff James E. Readmon exchanged pistol fire in the streets; the sheriff was wounded, McIntosh was arrested, and he soon resigned. The case was later dropped. McIntosh then moved to Marinette, Wisconsin, where he continued to practice law. He ran for district attorney again in 1888 (losing) and won in 1890, serving until 1893. He later moved back to Appleton in 1904 and spent his later years at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, Wisconsin, where he died in 1915. He is buried at the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Personal life
McIntosh married Mary E. Conklin in 1864, and they had six children: Malcolm, Montgomery, Maggie, Nathan, Charlotte, and Donald. They divorced in 1888. He then married Maria D. Sweet (formerly Maria Durgan) in 1888, but they divorced in 1894. He faced public criticism for horse-whipping his step-daughter Irma Gault in 1894.