James B. Cross

James B. Cross (1819 – 1876) was an American lawyer and Wisconsin politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Cross was born in Phelps, New York, in 1819. In 1841, he moved to Milwaukee to practice law. [Wisconsin Historical Society. [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1211&term_type_id=1&term_type_text=People&letter=C "Dictionary of Wisconsin Histrory"] .] He served three terms as a member of the Wisconsin Assembly in 1849, 1850 and 1855, representing Milwaukee County's First Assembly district. [State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. [http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/pubs/ib/99ib1.pdf "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999] Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 42]

Cross then served for three terms as mayor of Milwaukee from 1855 to 1857. The Milwaukee Police Department came into being while Cross was mayor. Before this time, the Milwaukee County Sheriff and his deputy maintained law and order. [ [http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/display/router.asp?docid=779 "History of The Milwaukee Police Department"] Milwaukee Police Department. Accessed July 17, 2006.]

Cross ran as the Democratic nominee for Governor of Wisconsin in 1857, but lost to Alexander Randall, the Republican. ["Dictionary of Wisconsin History"]

Outside of the political sphere, Cross ran the Juneau National Bank from 1857 to 1862 and then worked in the liquor business from 1867 to 1876. ["Dictionary of Wisconsin History"]

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