Born in
Livermore, Maine, Washburn was the son of
Reuel Washburn, a Maine legislator, and cousin of
Israel Washburn Jr., the 29th Governor of Maine. Washburn graduated from
Bowdoin College in 1845. He then studied law with his father and his cousin Israel Washburn in
Orono, Maine. He was admitted to the Maine bar in 1847 and then moved to
Oshkosh,
Wisconsin Territory, where he continued to practice law. In 1859 and 1860, Washburn served in the
Wisconsin State Senate. From 1861 to 1864, Washburn served as
probate judge of
Winnebago County. In 1864, Washburn was appointed
Wisconsin circuit court judge for the 10th circuit, to replace the deceased
Edwin Wheeler. He was subsequently elected to a full term in the office. In 1870, the Wisconsin Legislature passed a law which established a new judicial circuit, and the change in circuit maps made Washburn ineligible to remain judge of the 10th circuit—Winnebago County was no longer part of the circuit. Washburn resumed his career as a lawyer until 1879, when he resigned due to poor hearing. Washburn then supervised his real estate holdings and his farm. Washburn died suddenly of heart failure at his home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. ==References==