▁Jan es ville ▁and ▁central ▁Rock ▁County . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁held ▁several ▁local ▁offices , ▁including ▁two ▁terms ▁as ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Jan es ville . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Win ans ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Vern on , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁and ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁public ▁and ▁private ▁schools . ▁He ▁studied ▁law ▁and ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 . ▁He ▁came ▁to ▁Wisconsin ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁Jan es ville , ▁where ▁he ▁pract iced ▁his ▁profession . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁council ▁of ▁Jan es ville ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁and ▁as ▁city ▁att orney ▁several ▁times . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Convention , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁was ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁Congress ▁from ▁Wisconsin ' s ▁ 2 nd ▁con gression al ▁district , ▁against ▁inc umb ent ▁Republican ▁Benjamin ▁F . ▁Hop kins . ▁ ▁Legisl ature ▁▁ ▁Win ans ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁Assembly ▁from ▁Rock ▁County ' s ▁ 5 th ▁Assembly ▁district ▁( the ▁City ▁of ▁Jan es ville ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁Reform ▁Party , ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of ▁Democr ats , ▁reform ▁and ▁Liberal ▁Republic ans , ▁and ▁Gr angers ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁which ▁secured ▁the ▁election ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁William ▁Robert ▁Taylor