FUGINA, Joseph & Markus

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 166

Joseph FUGINA, of the firm of J. & M. Fugina, general merchandise, Fountain 
City [Cross Township (1878 Atlas), Buffalo County, Wisconsin], was born 25 
March 1835 in Austria, and came to the United States in 1856, and stopped in 
Chicago [Cook County, Illinois], where he lived for four years. His brother, 
Mark [Markus], was born in 1837 in the same country [Austria], coming to 
America two years after he did, 1858, and in 1860, they [Joseph and Markus 
FUGINA] came to Fountain City.

The firm of J. & M. Fugina was established in 1860, in a small frame building 
on the corner of Main and Liberty Streets, and in 1869 moved into the brick 
building which they now [text published 1881] occupy. They also make grain 
buying a part of their business. In April 1875 the firm started a branch 
store at Arcardia, Trempealeau County [a community just across the border 
between Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties], in company with J. M. FERTIG, and 
are also connected with him in the brewery at that place. They also own farm 
and wood land to the amount of 950 acres. [Author probably means Joseph and 
Mark FUGINA, not the FUGINA brothers together with Mr. FERTIG; submitter did 
not verify which in Wisconsin land records.] They are both members of the 
Catholic church, and Joseph was a liberal contributor to the Catholic school 
at Fountain City, which was erected in 1871. [The Catholic church in 
Fountain City was built in 1860, and in 1881 had a membership of about one 
hundred families, according to an earlier paragraph in the same source. A 
Lutheran church was built in 1863, and a Methodist church in 1874, the 
Methodist Society having formed there in 1865.]

[Joseph FUGINA is enumerated in the 1880 census of Fountain City, Buffalo 
County, Wisconsin: Joseph, general merchant, age forty-five, born in Austria 
(about 1835 by his census age) to parents also born in Austria; wife 
Elisabeth, age thirty-seven, born in Baden (about 1843) to parents also born 
there; and six children: (1) Albert H., age fifteen, thus born about 1865; 
(2) Frank J., age twelve, born about 1868; (3) Edward C., age ten, born 
about 1870; (4) Martin L., age six, born about 1874; (5) Laura G., age 
four, born about 1876; and (6) Adolf B., age six months.]

[In close proximity to Joseph in the 1880 Census of Fountain City is the 
family of Markus FUGINA: Markus, age forty-two, general merchant, born in 
Austria, by his census age about 1838, to parents both born in Austria; his 
wife, Theresa, age thirty-one, born in Wisconsin to parents born in Prussia; 
and the following children, all born in Wisconsin: (1) Emila, age thirteen, 
born about 1867; (2) Friedrich, age eleven, born about 1869; (3) Albert, 
age nine, born about 1871; (4) Flora, the only daughter enumerated, age 
seven, born about 1873; and (5) Arthur, age four, born about 1876. A 
servant born in Wisconsin to Bavarian-born parents, Anna SCHMOKER, age 
twenty-one, completes this household.]

[Also in the 1880 census is Mike (Mikel?) FUGINA, who resided in Burside 
Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin (a county adjacent to Buffalo 
County), and by his age, residential proximity, and birthplaces of himself 
and parents, appears likely related to Joseph and Markus, and so has been 
included here. He is noted in the census to be a farmer, but was he also 
involved in the branch store started in Trempealeau County by Joseph and 
Markus mentioned in the biography? In the enumeration of this family are: 
Mike FUGINA, age thirty-eight, born in Austria, about 1842 by his census age, 
to Austrian-born parents; his wife Julia, age twenty-four, born in Prussia to 
parents also born there, and three children, all born in Wisconsin: (1) 
George, age seven, born about 1873; (2) Joseph, age two, born about 1878; 
and Frank, age one month, born in 1880. Bracketed material added by 
submitter (who is not researching these surnames) to support and clarify 
information given in the biography and to raise questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly