Martin Franzkowiak

Martin Franzkowiak (November 10, 1870 – October 1968) was a grocer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who served three terms as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Background

Franzkowiak was born on November 10, 1870, in

grocer

; he would not retire until 1932.

In 1913, Franzkowiak was a founding organizer of the Federation Life Insurance Company of America (a mutual insurance company), serving as a director for four years and as its treasurer for six, and for fifteen years was the organization's local secretary. In 1924 he helped organize the Star Building and Loan Association, and spent three years as a director thereof, and three years as its president.

Political career

Franzkowiak first sought public office in 1930, running in the Democratic

Wisconsin's 3rd State Senate district; he came in second, with 196 votes to 374 for Walter Nowicki.^[2]

He had retired as a grocer by the time he was first elected to the State Assembly from the 11th

municipalities.^[5] In 1938, after winning narrowly in a seven-way primary, he lost his seat in a tight race, defeated by Socialist Clement Stachowiak (running on the Progressive ballot line), who drew 3,832 votes to Franzkowiak's 3,324, Republican Albert Sargewitz' 2,186, "Independent Democrat" Valentine Kujawa's 1,622 votes (again, this was somebody he had already defeated in the primary) and 269 votes for John J. Kowalski of the Union Party.^[6]

He sought to re-gain his position in the 1940 primary election, but lost the nomination to Ervin J. Ryczek, who would go on to defeat Stachowiak in the general election.^[7] He would run unsuccessfully for his party's nomination, either in his old Assembly district or the 3rd Senate District, in 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1954, and 1958.

Personal life

According to the 1940

United States Census, he had a wife Catherine (age 66), two sons aged 31 and 25, and a daughter aged 27.^[8]

He is shown in the Social Security Death Index as dying in October 1968.^[9]

References

[1] Members of the Assembly. Wisconsin Blue Book. 1933. p. 246. Retrieved 2014-02-02. Martin Franzkowiak+Wisconsin.

[2] Kelly, Alice, ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1931 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1931; p. 567

[3] Witte, Edwin E.; Kelly, Alice, ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1933 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1933; pp. 201, 246, 548, 554

[4] Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1935 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1935; pp. 240, 560, 628

[5] Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1937 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1937; pp. 361, 432, 541, 542

[6] Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1940 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1940; pp. 551, 619

[7] Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1942 Madison: State of Wisconsin, 1942; pp. 594, 669

[8] "Martin Franzkowiak Junior in the 1940 Census" Ancestry.com accessed June 22, 2021

[9] US Social Security Death Index Search Result: Name: FRANZKOWIAK, MARTIN

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