William Augustus Barstow (September 13, 1813December 13, 1865) was an American businessman, politician, and public administrator. He was the third governor and second Secretary of State of Wisconsin, and served as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. Before Wisconsin became a state, he was instrumental in the creation of Waukesha County. Early life Barstow was born in Plainfield, Connecticut, and was raised there, working on his family's farm and attending local schools. At age 16, he moved to Norwich, Connecticut, and worked as a clerk in a store owned by his brother, Samuel. They later moved their business to Cleveland, Ohio. After the Panic of 1837, the Barstows moved to the Wisconsin Territory, settling in Waukesha in 1839. At the time, Waukesha was part of Milwaukee County and was known as "Prairie Village" and later "Prairieville." Wisconsin Territory The Barstows built a flour mill and became prominent businessmen in the new settlement. William was elected postmaster in the village in 1842, and Samuel was elected to the Territorial Legislature in 1845. William ran for sheriff of Milwaukee County in 1843 on the Democratic Party ticket, but was defeated by independent candidate Edward D. Holton. In that election, Barstow was hurt by Democratic voter defections due to allegations he had packed the convention with supporters to secure his nomination. Waukesha separation During this time, agitation began in Prairieville and other Waukesha towns for the creation of a separate county from Milwaukee. There were several reasons for this, but the principal cause was probably the desire for Waukesha residents to keep more of their tax money for local improvements, rather than funding the growth of Milwaukee, which was how they perceived their role under the Milwaukee County organization. The Barstows became some of the leaders of the separation movement, along with Alexander Randall, with whom they were politically allied throughout these years. Samuel, now serving in the Territorial Legislature, sponsored a bill in the Legislature which put the question of separation to a referendum in the proposed county. The referendum was bitterly contested, but ultimately passed amid allegations of fraud on both sides. The town of Prairieville was renamed "Waukesha" in 1847 and became the seat of the new county. Political career Secretary of State At the Wisconsin Democratic Convention in September 1849, Barstow was nominated for Secretary of State of Wisconsin on the 5th ballot, defeating incumbent Thomas