Adrien Francois was born 17 March 1834 in the village of Hevillers, Brabant Wallon Province, Belgium. In 1856 he immigrated to the U.S. along with his wife, Marie Francoise Sufriangville (ca. 1834-1862) , and their three children, Adam, Marie Florentine, and Celestine; others in the party were Adrien's brother Pierre, Pierre's family, and a neighbor from Hevillers, Jean Joseph Tonnon. The party proceeded to the then frontier Town of Brussels in Door County, Wisconsin, where in May 1857 they made land claims and established the foundations of the village of Misiere.
Adrien's wife, Marie Francoise, died in 1862. The following year Adrien married Fulvie Adelaide Piette (1846-1905), a fellow immigrant from Belgium who had arrived in the Misiere area with her parents in 1857. Adrien and Fulvie had six children, all born at Misiere.
Adrien continued to reside at Misiere until the mid-1880s. He was involved there in many enterprises, including farming and the operation of a saloon and dance hall. He also held a number of civil posts, including postmaster at Misiere, member of the Door County Board, and Clerk of the Board of the Town of Brussels. He was also among the founders of the St. Michaels Catholic Church, which was built upon land donated by Adrien.
Adriens twice lost he home to fire, first in the Great Fire of 8 October 1871 which laid waste to a large portion of northeastern Wisconsin, and again in a fire that destroyed his home and saloon in 1885.
After his time in Door County Adrien first moved to Green Bay, where he engaged in a brick-making business with his brother. He subsequently moved to Springville (later named Plover) in Portage County, Wisconsin. He died there 5 January 1900 and is buried in Saint Stephen Cemetery.
His name at birth was spelled Adrien. During his years in Door County the spelling most commonly used was Adrian. In his last years he was mostly known by the name Andrew, perhaps as an attempt to anglicize his name when he was no longer a member of the dominantly French-speaking community at Misiere. Also, in some late records, including his obituary, his surname was recorded in the anglicized form as Frances or Francis.
Obituary
Died at Springville:
Andrew Frances of Springville, who died Friday evening of apoplexy, aged 66 years was buried from St. Stephen's Catholic church Monday morning at 9 o'clock Rev. W. J. Rice officiating.
Mr. Frances was born in Belgium on March 17, 1832, and came to this country when a small boy. After residing 35 years in Door county and 14 years at Green Bay, he came to Springville in 1894, and bought a small farm on which he had lived ever since. He leaves a large family of children all grown and married including Mrs. Mary Simon, Mrs. Josephine Gesion [Gyrion] and Mrs. Lucy Simon of Springville.
He died at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon as the result of a third stroke of paralysis received the previous Wednesday. (Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday 13 January 1900 p.5
See http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=penbelgen for greater particulars and for source references.
Adrien's wife, Marie Francoise, died in 1862. The following year Adrien married Fulvie Adelaide Piette (1846-1905), a fellow immigrant from Belgium who had arrived in the Misiere area with her parents in 1857. Adrien and Fulvie had six children, all born at Misiere.
Adrien continued to reside at Misiere until the mid-1880s. He was involved there in many enterprises, including farming and the operation of a saloon and dance hall. He also held a number of civil posts, including postmaster at Misiere, member of the Door County Board, and Clerk of the Board of the Town of Brussels. He was also among the founders of the St. Michaels Catholic Church, which was built upon land donated by Adrien.
Adriens twice lost he home to fire, first in the Great Fire of 8 October 1871 which laid waste to a large portion of northeastern Wisconsin, and again in a fire that destroyed his home and saloon in 1885.
After his time in Door County Adrien first moved to Green Bay, where he engaged in a brick-making business with his brother. He subsequently moved to Springville (later named Plover) in Portage County, Wisconsin. He died there 5 January 1900 and is buried in Saint Stephen Cemetery.
His name at birth was spelled Adrien. During his years in Door County the spelling most commonly used was Adrian. In his last years he was mostly known by the name Andrew, perhaps as an attempt to anglicize his name when he was no longer a member of the dominantly French-speaking community at Misiere. Also, in some late records, including his obituary, his surname was recorded in the anglicized form as Frances or Francis.
Obituary
Died at Springville:
Andrew Frances of Springville, who died Friday evening of apoplexy, aged 66 years was buried from St. Stephen's Catholic church Monday morning at 9 o'clock Rev. W. J. Rice officiating.
Mr. Frances was born in Belgium on March 17, 1832, and came to this country when a small boy. After residing 35 years in Door county and 14 years at Green Bay, he came to Springville in 1894, and bought a small farm on which he had lived ever since. He leaves a large family of children all grown and married including Mrs. Mary Simon, Mrs. Josephine Gesion [Gyrion] and Mrs. Lucy Simon of Springville.
He died at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon as the result of a third stroke of paralysis received the previous Wednesday. (Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday 13 January 1900 p.5
See http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=penbelgen for greater particulars and for source references.
Adrien Francois was born 17 March 1834 in the village of Hevillers, Brabant Wallon Province, Belgium. In 1856 he immigrated to the U.S. along with his wife, Marie Francoise Sufriangville (ca. 1834-1862) , and their three children, Adam, Marie Florentine, and Celestine; others in the party were Adrien's brother Pierre, Pierre's family, and a neighbor from Hevillers, Jean Joseph Tonnon. The party proceeded to the then frontier Town of Brussels in Door County, Wisconsin, where in May 1857 they made land claims and established the foundations of the village of Misiere.
Adrien's wife, Marie Francoise, died in 1862. The following year Adrien married Fulvie Adelaide Piette (1846-1905), a fellow immigrant from Belgium who had arrived in the Misiere area with her parents in 1857. Adrien and Fulvie had six children, all born at Misiere.
Adrien continued to reside at Misiere until the mid-1880s. He was involved there in many enterprises, including farming and the operation of a saloon and dance hall. He also held a number of civil posts, including postmaster at Misiere, member of the Door County Board, and Clerk of the Board of the Town of Brussels. He was also among the founders of the St. Michaels Catholic Church, which was built upon land donated by Adrien.
Adriens twice lost he home to fire, first in the Great Fire of 8 October 1871 which laid waste to a large portion of northeastern Wisconsin, and again in a fire that destroyed his home and saloon in 1885.
After his time in Door County Adrien first moved to Green Bay, where he engaged in a brick-making business with his brother. He subsequently moved to Springville (later named Plover) in Portage County, Wisconsin. He died there 5 January 1900 and is buried in Saint Stephen Cemetery.
His name at birth was spelled Adrien. During his years in Door County the spelling most commonly used was Adrian. In his last years he was mostly known by the name Andrew, perhaps as an attempt to anglicize his name when he was no longer a member of the dominantly French-speaking community at Misiere. Also, in some late records, including his obituary, his surname was recorded in the anglicized form as Frances or Francis.
Obituary
Died at Springville:
Andrew Frances of Springville, who died Friday evening of apoplexy, aged 66 years was buried from St. Stephen's Catholic church Monday morning at 9 o'clock Rev. W. J. Rice officiating.
Mr. Frances was born in Belgium on March 17, 1832, and came to this country when a small boy. After residing 35 years in Door county and 14 years at Green Bay, he came to Springville in 1894, and bought a small farm on which he had lived ever since. He leaves a large family of children all grown and married including Mrs. Mary Simon, Mrs. Josephine Gesion [Gyrion] and Mrs. Lucy Simon of Springville.
He died at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon as the result of a third stroke of paralysis received the previous Wednesday. (Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday 13 January 1900 p.5
See http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=penbelgen for greater particulars and for source references.
Adrien's wife, Marie Francoise, died in 1862. The following year Adrien married Fulvie Adelaide Piette (1846-1905), a fellow immigrant from Belgium who had arrived in the Misiere area with her parents in 1857. Adrien and Fulvie had six children, all born at Misiere.
Adrien continued to reside at Misiere until the mid-1880s. He was involved there in many enterprises, including farming and the operation of a saloon and dance hall. He also held a number of civil posts, including postmaster at Misiere, member of the Door County Board, and Clerk of the Board of the Town of Brussels. He was also among the founders of the St. Michaels Catholic Church, which was built upon land donated by Adrien.
Adriens twice lost he home to fire, first in the Great Fire of 8 October 1871 which laid waste to a large portion of northeastern Wisconsin, and again in a fire that destroyed his home and saloon in 1885.
After his time in Door County Adrien first moved to Green Bay, where he engaged in a brick-making business with his brother. He subsequently moved to Springville (later named Plover) in Portage County, Wisconsin. He died there 5 January 1900 and is buried in Saint Stephen Cemetery.
His name at birth was spelled Adrien. During his years in Door County the spelling most commonly used was Adrian. In his last years he was mostly known by the name Andrew, perhaps as an attempt to anglicize his name when he was no longer a member of the dominantly French-speaking community at Misiere. Also, in some late records, including his obituary, his surname was recorded in the anglicized form as Frances or Francis.
Obituary
Died at Springville:
Andrew Frances of Springville, who died Friday evening of apoplexy, aged 66 years was buried from St. Stephen's Catholic church Monday morning at 9 o'clock Rev. W. J. Rice officiating.
Mr. Frances was born in Belgium on March 17, 1832, and came to this country when a small boy. After residing 35 years in Door county and 14 years at Green Bay, he came to Springville in 1894, and bought a small farm on which he had lived ever since. He leaves a large family of children all grown and married including Mrs. Mary Simon, Mrs. Josephine Gesion [Gyrion] and Mrs. Lucy Simon of Springville.
He died at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon as the result of a third stroke of paralysis received the previous Wednesday. (Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Saturday 13 January 1900 p.5
See http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=penbelgen for greater particulars and for source references.
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