# John Fellenz

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**Johann "John" Fellenz** (June 23, 1833 – December 16, 1896) was a [German American](/source/German_Americans) immigrant, building contractor, and [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin) pioneer. He was a member of the [Wisconsin State Assembly](/source/Wisconsin_State_Assembly), representing the southwest side of the city of [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee) for five terms. He was also one of the contractors for the construction of the [Winnebago Mental Health Institute](/source/Winnebago_Mental_Health_Institute).

## Biography

Fellenz was born in the municipality of [Bengel](/source/Bengel_(Mosel)), in what's now western [Germany](/source/Germany), in June 1833.[1] Sources have differed on the exact date. At the time of his birth, this area was the [Rhine Province](/source/Rhine_Province) of the [Kingdom of Prussia](/source/Kingdom_of_Prussia). As a child, he emigrated to the [United States](/source/United_States) with his parents and settled in the town of [Farmington, Washington County](/source/Farmington,_Washington_County,_Wisconsin), in the [Wisconsin Territory](/source/Wisconsin_Territory), in 1847. At age 18, he moved to the city of [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), where he worked as a carpenter and builder.[2]

He was one of the earliest settlers in the southwest side of the city of [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), in what was the 8th ward for most of his life.[2] He was active throughout his life with the [Democratic Party of Wisconsin](/source/Democratic_Party_of_Wisconsin). He was elected to three consecutive terms in the [Wisconsin State Assembly](/source/Wisconsin_State_Assembly) in 1867, 1868, and 1869, running on the Democratic Party ticket. He represented Milwaukee County's 5th Assembly district, which then comprised the 5th and 8th wards of the city. He was not a candidate in 1870. During this time he was a contractor on the construction of the Female College in [Madison, Wisconsin](/source/Madison,_Wisconsin), and [Winnebago Mental Health Institute](/source/Winnebago_Mental_Health_Institute)—then known as the "Northern State Hospital for the Insane"—in [Oshkosh, Wisconsin](/source/Oshkosh,_Wisconsin).[1]

He was elected to another term in 1871, after redistricting, in the new Milwaukee 8th Assembly district, which comprised just the 8th ward.[1] He did not run again in 1872, but was an unsuccessful candidate in 1873.[3]

He subsequently took on more important construction jobs in Wisconsin, including the 1875 Science Hall at the [University of Wisconsin](/source/University_of_Wisconsin), which burned to the ground in 1884.[4][5] He worked on the Notre Dame Convent, St. Joseph's Hospital, as well as several churches, schools, and a Jewish temple.[6]

He was elected to his final term in the Assembly in 1882.[5]

He died on December 16, 1896, in [Milwaukee, Wisconsin](/source/Milwaukee,_Wisconsin).[7]

## Personal life and family

John Fellenz was the eldest of at least six children born to Johann "Peter" Fellenz and his wife Anna Margaretha ('**Feiten).[6] His younger brother, Joseph, remained in Washington County, Wisconsin. Joseph's grandson, [Louis J. Fellenz, Sr.](/source/L._J._Fellenz), and great-grandson, [Louis J. Fellenz, Jr.](/source/Louis_J._Fellenz,_Jr.), both served in the [Wisconsin State Senate](/source/Wisconsin_State_Senate) in the 20th century.**

John Fellenz married Anna Katharina Ruhland, another German immigrant, at [Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin](/source/Menomonee_Falls,_Wisconsin), on February 6, 1855. They had at least nine children, though at least two died young. Their son Frank Fellenz became a successful businessman in Milwaukee.[6]

## Electoral history

### Wisconsin Assembly (1871)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| **General Election, November 7, 1871**

### Wisconsin Assembly (1873)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| **General Election, November 4, 1873**

### Wisconsin Assembly (1882)

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| **General Election, November 7, 1882**

## References

1. ["Official Directory"](https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/3PZNSAQ7F7WRA85). *The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin*. State of Wisconsin. 1872. pp. [452](https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A3PZNSAQ7F7WRA85/full/AGMGVUVHJR67VE8X)–[453](https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A3PZNSAQ7F7WRA85/full/AHX7FKSBN3JM6Y8S). Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. ["Official Directory"](https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/ADZPEWVBN6ZMG86). *The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin*. State of Wisconsin. 1870. p. [\[1\]](https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AADZPEWVBN6ZMG86/full/AYQW6W3OXHNSQH83367). Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. ["Official Directory"](https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/QGNJJMPXQ5JNX8R). *The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin*. State of Wisconsin. 1874. p. [464](https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AQGNJJMPXQ5JNX8R/full/A3GLGVXX5RMAXC8M). Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. ["Total Destruction of Science Hall at Madison"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108383764/science-hall-fire/). *[Oshkosh Northwestern](/source/Oshkosh_Northwestern)*. December 2, 1884. p. 2. Retrieved August 26, 2022. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Biographical Sketches"](https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/QVOBQEC3NJ7268X). *The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin*. State of Wisconsin. 1883. p. [498](https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AQVOBQEC3NJ7268X/full/AHFL4RSRCQ2XKZ8B). Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. Bruce, William G. & Currey, J. Seymour (1922). [*History of Milwaukee City and County*](https://archive.org/details/historyofmilwauk02bruc/). Vol. 2. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. p. [826](https://archive.org/details/historyofmilwauk02bruc/page/826). Retrieved August 26, 2022.

1. ["Johann (John) Fellenz"](http://www.geni.com/people/Johann-John-Fellenz/6000000020292923775). Geni.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Fellenz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fellenz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fellenz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.