"The Brainiest Man I Know" : the Formation of the Republican Party in Wisconsin and the Man Behind the Name

Abstract

In the early 19th Century American politics was dominated by two major political parties, the Whigs and the Democrats. By mid-century, however, the American political landscape entered a period of disarray. Many Americans no longer felt these two parties best represented their interests, and the party's platforms were not changing to address these concerns. Many people began organizing small social interest groups to focus on these issues. From these social interest groups emerged numerous third parties which would challenge the Whigs and Democrats in local, state and national elections. One of these political parties, the Republicans, was organized in Ripon, WI by Alvan Bovay. Bovay, although never a major political leader, was instrumental in creating a party which brought together different political ideologies and unified a large segment of the American population. While Abraham Lincoln is often seen as the "Father of the Republican Party," that title is more properly bestowed on Alvan Bovay.