John B. Eugene Explained

John B. Eugene
State:Wisconsin
State Assembly:Wisconsin
District:Brown 1st
Term Start:January 6, 1868
Term End:January 4, 1869
Predecessor:William J. Abrams
Successor:Joseph S. Curtis
Birth Place:Aishe-en-Refail, Belgium
Death Place:Green Bay, Wisconsin
Restingplace:Woodlawn Cemetery,
Party:Republican

John B. Eugene (died July 10, 1878) was a Belgian-American politician. He served in the 1868 Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Brown County's First District.[1]

Biography

Eugene was born in Belgium and moved to northeast Wisconsin in 1855.[2] He worked at a paper mill and lost an arm working.[3] He later worked in Madison with the state Attorney General's office. During the American Civil War, Eugene was the quartermaster of the 43rd Wisconsin Infantry.[4]

Eugene was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly for the 1868 term, representing Brown County's 1st District.[5] He defeated Democratic challenger Arthur Jacobi by a mere 17 votes, 517-500.[6] Eugene was one of the first Belgian-American immigrants from northeastern Wisconsin to serve in the Assembly along with Joseph Wery, Constant Martin, Benjamin Fontaine and Grégoire Dupont.

After serving in the Assembly, Eugene was elected Clerk of Brown County in the fall of 1868.[7] He also later served as a revenue collector,[8] and was a member of the Wisconsin Board of Immigration.[9] During the mid-1870s, Eugene served as a doorkeeper for the United States Congress.[10]

Eugene died in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on July 10, 1878; reports conflict on whether it was due to heart disease or apoplexy.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Martin . Xavier . Thwaites . Xavier . The Belgians of Northeast Wisconsin . 1895 . Democrat Printing Company . Madison, WI . 19 . 13th.
  2. News: Death of John B. Eugene . September 23, 2020 . Green Bay Weekly Gazette . Newspapers.com . July 13, 1878.
  3. News: Postmaster of the Assembly . September 23, 2020 . Wisconsin State Journal . Newspapers.com . January 3, 1863.
  4. News: Arrival of the 43rd Regiment . September 23, 2020 . Janesville Daily Gazette . Newspapers.com . June 30, 1865.
  5. News: Wisconsin Legislature - Complete . September 23, 2020 . West Eau Claire Argus . Newspapers.com . October 27, 1867.
  6. News: Brown County Election Returns . September 23, 2020 . Green Bay Weekly Gazette . Newspapers.com . November 9, 1867.
  7. News: Brown County Redeemed . September 23, 2020 . Wisconsin State Journal . Newspapers.com. November 10, 1868.
  8. News: Sawyer . Philetus . Gossip from Madison . September 23, 2020 . The Oshkosh Northwestern . Newspapers.com . November 25, 1895.
  9. News: State Board of Immigration . September 23, 2020 . Wisconsin State Journal . Newspapers.com . March 25, 1870.
  10. News: Local Matters . September 23, 2020 . Wisconsin State Journal . Newspapers.com . July 2, 1874.
  11. News: Personal Memoranda . September 23, 2020 . The Appleton Crescent . Newspapers.com . July 13, 1878.