Arthur MacArthur Sr.

Arthur MacArthur Sr.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
In office
July 15, 1870 – April 1, 1887
Appointed byUlysses S. Grant
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded byMartin V. Montgomery
4th Governor of Wisconsin
In office
March 21, 1856 – March 25, 1856
Lieutenanthimself
Preceded byWilliam A. Barstow
Succeeded byColes Bashford
5th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
In office
January 6, 1856 – January 4, 1858
GovernorWilliam A. Barstow
Coles Bashford
Preceded byJames T. Lewis
Succeeded byErasmus D. Campbell
Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit
In office
January 1, 1858 – November 22, 1869
Preceded byAlexander Randall
Succeeded byJason Downer
Personal details
BornArthur McArthur
(1815-01-26)January 26, 1815
DiedAugust 26, 1896(1896-08-26) (aged 81)
Resting placeRock Creek Cemetery
PartyDemocratic (before 1865)
Republican (1865–1896)
Spouse(s)
Aurelia Belcher
(m. 1844; died 1864)

Mary Willcut
ChildrenArthur Jr. • Frank
RelativesDouglas MacArthur (grandson)
EducationWesleyan University

Arthur MacArthur Sr. (January 26, 1815 – August 26, 1896) was a Scottish American immigrant, lawyer, politician, and judge. He was the fifth lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, serving from 1856 to 1858, and during that term he served for 4 days in March 1856 as the fourth governor of Wisconsin, due to the dispute over the results of the 1855 gubernatorial election. After his term as lieutenant governor, he served a decade as Wisconsin circuit court judge for Milwaukee and Waukesha counties (1858–1869). He was then appointed an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, serving from 1870 to 1887.

After his judicial service, MacArthur remained in Washington, D.C. He served as trustee, president of the board of regents, and chancellor of National University. He also served as president of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Children.

He was the father of U.S. Army General Arthur MacArthur Jr. and grandfather of General Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur is the modern spelling used by his descendants, but in documents from his own time, his name was spelled McArthur.