James Taylor Lewis, born in 1819 in New York State, settled in Columbus in 1845, practiced law there, and built an Italianate house in 1854-56. He began his political career as a Democrat, serving in the Assembly, state Senate, and as lieutenant governor, then joined the new Republican party and was elected secretary of state in 1861 and Wisconsin’s ninth governor in 1863, serving from 1864 to 1866. As the last of Wisconsin’s four Civil War governors, he led the state through the war’s tumultuous conclusion, made a substantial contribution to the northern cause, met and worked to lower the state’s conscription quota when morale was low and money scarce, helped design the one hundred day militia program with four other western governors, convinced the War Department to continue the high bounty for new army recruits, visited army hospitals and camps extensively, and secured the transfer home of many of Wisconsin’s sick and wounded soldiers before returning to his large land holdings and legal profession in Columbus.