Janssen, Jacob "James"

Other Events:

• 1940 Census: 1940, Ashwaubenon, Brown, Wisconsin, USA

Notes:

Family History Researcher:
Nicknamed Oatmeal Jake
Jacob Janssen, briefly mentioned above, was my great-grandfather. He was born 29 May 1875 in De Pere. On 24 Oct 1899 he married Mary M. Rupiper, who's nickname was "Mate". You can read more about her and the Rupiper family in my German Heritage essay. Shortly after their marriage, the census record shows Jacob working as a teamster. He then worked as a machinist for a paper mill, the American Writing Paper Company. He also worked for the McEachron Lumber Company. In 1914, Jacob became the superintendant of the Brown County Workhouse. He had found his true calling. The county board of supervisors re-elected him term after term, and he held the post for 26 years, until his death in 1940. At the time of his death, he was thought to be the oldest county employee in active service. The county workhouse and farm was located in Ashwaubenon, WI. My brother Jay tells me it was on the site now occupied by Western Racquet Club, between Ashland Ave. and Oneida St. During his tenure as superintendant, Jacob earned the nickname "Oatmeal Jake". His position with the workhouse entitled him to the powers of a deputy sheriff. Part of his job was to crack down on the panhandlers, vagabonds, tramps, and hobos who drifted into town on the railroad lines. His motto was "Get out of the county, or into the workhouse." If you ended up in the workhouse, Jake would surely put you to some hard labor, and your only wage would be a hot bowl of his namesake. The entire family-Jacob, Mary, and their two children, lived at the workhouse. In fact, the 1930 census lists the members of the Janssen household as Head , Wife, Son, Daughter, and "Inmate"-29-year-old George LaRue.

Jacob and Mary Janssen had two children, Carl and Marion. The younger child, Marion Janssen, was born 21 May 1905 in De Pere. My siblings and I, when we were younger, knew her as "Auntie Mick". As a young woman she worked as a stenographer. She married Thomas Edward Quick. He was born in Poplarville, Mississippi, near New Orleans. He was a sugar chemist. He graduated from the Audubon Sugar School at Louisiana State University. Thomas moved to Green Bay to work for the Menomonee Sugar Factory, which processed sugar beets. Thomas died in 1981, and Marion in 1995. They had three children. Robert Quick was born with cerebral palsy and died at the age of one. Thomas Edward Quick Jr. died 4 Dec 2005 at the age of 63. He and his former wife Sherri had two children, Greg and Michelle Quick, now in their 30s and living somewhere in Wisconsin. Ann Quick is alive and well and has been living in Carmel, IN since 1986. She and her husband Donald Welch have four grown children-Lisa, Heidi, Molly, and Collin-who are spread out across the county. The three girls are married with kids of their own.

"Pops"
Marion's older brother, Carl W. Janssen, was my grandfather. He was born 29 Aug 1900 in De Pere. Carl attended St. Boniface School and St. Norbert High School in West De Pere. During his teen years he grew up at the Brown County Workhouse in Ashwaubenon, where his father was the superintendant. Following high school he served in the military during World War I. He then attended the Marquette University School of Pharmacy in Milwaukee. The 1920 census shows Carl's occupation as "carpenter", indicating he worked his way through school.

On 14 April 1925, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in De Pere, Carl W. Janssen married Loretto Marie Dart. Among their grandchildren, Carl and Loretto were known as "Pops" and "Tetta". To read more about Loretto and the Dart family, see my essay on Our Belgian Heritage. Marion Janssen was the maid of honor at the ceremony, and Loretto's cousin Edward Allen, a close friend of the groom, was best man. Following the ceremony, Carl and Loretto departed for a three-week honeymoon to Kenosha, Milwaukee, Chicago, and "eastern cities", before returning to take up residence with Loretto's family.

By 1928 Carl was the owner and operator of his own drugstore. His first business was located at the corner of Irwin and Mason Streets in Green Bay. In the early 1930s he bought the H. I. Wheeler drug store in De Pere, and operated the store until he was appointed postmaster on 23 Jun 1944. He held the office of postmaster until retiring in 1970. Carl had held the post longer than anyone in the history of the east De Pere post office. During his tenure, annual postal receipts rose from $22,000 to over $200,000. When asked about his plans after retirement, Carl said that he and Loretto planned to "take it easy for a while."

Carl was also active in community organizations. He was commander of the Heesaker-Brown post of the American Legion and served as their chaplain for many years (from 1936 to at least 1970). He met every train returning bodies of World War II veterans. He was a member of the De Pere Rotary Club for 37 years, and at one time served as its president. He also served as the club's song leader for many years (from 1936 to at least 1970). His wife Loretto accompanied him on piano. He enjoyed barbershop quartet singing. He was a charter member of SPEBSQSA, the barbershopper organization, and a member of the first quartet formed under that organization, "The Note-Able 4". He was a member of the Wisconsin Association of Postmasters, past president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Association of Postmasters of the United States, and past exalted ruler of the Green Bay Elks Club No. 259. He also served as chairman of the March of Dimes and Red Cross drives for several years, and worked with Boy Scouts. He was also a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Francis Xavier Church in De Pere, WI. Carl W. Janssen died at St. Vincent's Hospital in Green Bay, WI, on 24 Jan 1978. The cause of death was prostate cancer.

Carl and Loretto had two children, Jay and Mary Claire. Mary Claire Janssen was born 10 Mar 1929 in De Pere, WI. She graduated from De Pere High School, and St. Scholastica College in Duluth, MN. On 23 Oct 1948, she married Thomas J. Francken, son of Herbert and Edna Francken. I don't know much about the Old World origins of the Franckens, but the name Francken also originated in Holland. I would imagine it means "son of Frank", or perhaps it denoted a descendant of the Franks, the tribe that dominated central Europe from the 5th to the 8th century. Tom and Mary Claire lived just off of Merill St. in De Pere, across from the old high school. When I was a kid I remember that Tom worked as a cigar salesman, and thanks to him I had a small collection of buttons advertising White Owl Cigars. After he retired, he operated the draw bridge over the Fox River in De Pere. Mary Claire was an avid knitter and seamstress, and played bridge in the St. Francis Bridge Marathon for 17 years. She died of cancer on 24 Dec 1987. Tom died on 10 Feb 1999. The Franckens had three children. Peter Francken and wife Patti live in Green Bay. They have two sons, Jeremy and Kyle. Kay Francken lives in Austin, MN with husband Rodney Middlebrook. They have three children: Jeb, Lia, and Hannah. Rod Francken and wife Donna live in Marinette, WI.

1940 Census:
Jacob Janssen 64
Mary Janssen 64
Marion Janssen 34
Harry Paulie 49
John Pilguin 58
William Hurley 42
Warren Calahan 34
Frank Garriss 58
Harry Kelley 51
Steve Korencheck 43
John Compton 48

Jacob married Rupiper, Mary 24 Oct 1899. Mary (daughter of Rupiper, Julius and Alby, Henrietta Maria Gertrude) was born 24 Apr 1875, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA; died 4 Mar 1970, Ashwaubenon, Brown, Wisconsin, USA; was buried , Mount Calvary Cemetery, Depere, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Carl married Dart, Loretto Marie 15 Apr 1925, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. Loretto was born 23 Jun 1901, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA; died 25 Sep 1993, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1940 Census: 1940, Ashwaubenon, Brown, Wisconsin, USA
• Death Record - Civil: 28 Aug 1995

Notes:

1940 Census:
Jacob Janssen 64
Mary Janssen 64
Marion Janssen 34
Harry Paulie 49
John Pilguin 58
William Hurley 42
Warren Calahan 34
Frank Garriss 58
Harry Kelley 51
Steve Korencheck 43
John Compton 48

Death Record - Civil:
Marion J. Quick 21 May 1905 28 Aug 1995 De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin

Marion married Quick, Thomas Edward Aft 1940. Thomas was born 15 Oct 1900; died 29 Mar 1981, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA; was buried , Mount Calvary Cemetery, Depere, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Jay married Phelan, Ann Sophia 26 Dec 1953. Ann (daughter of Phelan, Francis and Pasternacki, Sophia) was born 2 Apr 1930, Stevens Point, Portage, Wisconsin, USA; died 21 Sep 2001, De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Ann married Welch, Donald [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 6 Dec 2005; Green Bay Press Gazette

Notes:

Obituary:
Quick, Thomas Edward Jr.Thomas Edward Quick Jr., 63, De Pere, died Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005. Tom was b orn April 13, 1942, in Green Bay to the late Thomas Edward Quick Sr. and M arion Janssen Quick. He attended St. Boniface School and was a gradua te of West De Pere High School. Tom served in the U.S. Navy, and for ma ny years sang with the men's choir at St. Boniface Church. He also enjoy ed riding, repairing, and rebuilding motorcycle.His two children, Michelle and Greg survive him, as well as, his sister, A nn (Donald) Welch, Carmel, Indiana; three nieces and one nephew. His parents, and his brother Robert, preceded him in death.Friends may call at the RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 305 N. Tenth Street, De Pere, 5 -7 p.m. Tuesday (Today). Visitation will continue after 9:30 a.m. Wednesd ay at Our Lady Of Lourdes Parish Family corner of Suburban Drive and Lourd es Avenue, De Pere, until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30a.m. with F ather Tim Shillcox O.Praem officiating. Interment will take place ne xt to his parents at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Please go to www.ryanfh.c om to send online condolences to the family.

Notes:

Died:
Poss 7/24/2005 Marinette

Other Events:

• Obituary: 25 Mar 2004; Green Bay Press Gazette

Notes:

Obituary:
Janssen, Stephen Stephen Janssen, 45, De Pere, passed away suddenly Saturday, Mar. 20, 200 4. He was born June 19, 1958, in Green Bay, son of the late Jay and Anne ( Phelan) Janssen. Survivors include his daughter, Tuesday Janssen, Colorado; special frien d, Bev Landry and her children, Devin and Danielle, De Pere; brothers a nd sisters, Jay and Carol Janssen, Oshkosh; Ellen Janssen, De Pere; Jill a nd Mike Slechta, Wrightstown; Beth Janssen, Green Bay; Jenny and Brian Bar gender, De Pere; and Karl Janssen, Lawrence, Kan.; and many nieces and nep hews.
He was preceded in death by his parents. Family and friends may call Saturday, April 3, 2004, from 10 a.m. until t he time of Memorial service at Cotter Funeral Home, 860 N. Webster Ave ., De Pere. Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 3, 2004, at t he funeral home.