Frank was born in Wisconsin, probably La Crosse County, where his father worked as a (railroad?) mechanic according to the 1860 census. His parents were James W. and Margaret Jane Ducker. Early records list him as James, or James F., while later records refer to him as Frank J. Since his father was James, I'm guessing that he was born James Frank or Franklin, and came to be called by his middle name. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, James W. Ducker bought land near Independence, in Trempealeau County, and began farming there. As a young man, Frank spent time farming and also teaching in a country school. He married Blanche Lewis on April 7, 1880, in Arcadia, Trempealeau County. Blanche's sister, Inez, and her husband, John Burt, had gone north to Upper Michigan, and they soon convinced Frank and Blanche to follow. The men worked in the logging camps during winter and the iron mines in summer, but made little money. Frank and Blanche lived in Florence, Wisconsin, just across the border from the U. P., then at Iron River, upper Michigan, for about eight years. Their firstborn child, Ethel, was born at Florence in 1883, and died at Iron River at the age of five. Alice, Edward, and Hugh were all born at Iron River.
In 1893 the family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Frank worked in a planing mill making doors, windows and sashes. His wages at the time were $1.25 per day. He later worked as a carpenter and finally established his own business, doing furniture repair and building, finishing and upholstering. The first shop he had was one rented downtown, but as that proved too expensive he built a wooden structure behind his house, at 1271 E. Mason Street, and established the business there. Ed and Hugh helped their father in the shop, which was heated by a wood-burning stove and lighted with kerosene lamps. They kept a mare to pull the wagon for deliveries.
Blanche had poor health most of her life. In 1913 at age 52 she was in the hospital for some type of surgery, developed pneumonia, and died. Their daughter, Alice, took over duties of running the household until Frank was remarried, in 1919, to Jane Leanna. Jane took no interest in the children, now grown and away except for Milton, who was 16 years old. He had lost his mother at a very young age, no doubt one of the factors in his death by suicide in Detroit, 1931, at age 28.
Frank passed away on March 6, 1932, and was buried beside Blanche at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
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Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Monday, March 7, 1932, Page 7:
Ducker---Frank J. Ducker, 75, an old and well known resident of the city, passed away Sunday morning after a lingering illness. Mr. Ducker was in business for a number of years as an upholsterer and cabinet maker. Surviving him are his wife and three children by a former marriage, Alice and Edward of Green Bay and Hugh of Miami, Fla. The body is at the Prokopovitz Funeral Home and funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery.
In 1893 the family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Frank worked in a planing mill making doors, windows and sashes. His wages at the time were $1.25 per day. He later worked as a carpenter and finally established his own business, doing furniture repair and building, finishing and upholstering. The first shop he had was one rented downtown, but as that proved too expensive he built a wooden structure behind his house, at 1271 E. Mason Street, and established the business there. Ed and Hugh helped their father in the shop, which was heated by a wood-burning stove and lighted with kerosene lamps. They kept a mare to pull the wagon for deliveries.
Blanche had poor health most of her life. In 1913 at age 52 she was in the hospital for some type of surgery, developed pneumonia, and died. Their daughter, Alice, took over duties of running the household until Frank was remarried, in 1919, to Jane Leanna. Jane took no interest in the children, now grown and away except for Milton, who was 16 years old. He had lost his mother at a very young age, no doubt one of the factors in his death by suicide in Detroit, 1931, at age 28.
Frank passed away on March 6, 1932, and was buried beside Blanche at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
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Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Monday, March 7, 1932, Page 7:
Ducker---Frank J. Ducker, 75, an old and well known resident of the city, passed away Sunday morning after a lingering illness. Mr. Ducker was in business for a number of years as an upholsterer and cabinet maker. Surviving him are his wife and three children by a former marriage, Alice and Edward of Green Bay and Hugh of Miami, Fla. The body is at the Prokopovitz Funeral Home and funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Frank was born in Wisconsin, probably La Crosse County, where his father worked as a (railroad?) mechanic according to the 1860 census. His parents were James W. and Margaret Jane Ducker. Early records list him as James, or James F., while later records refer to him as Frank J. Since his father was James, I'm guessing that he was born James Frank or Franklin, and came to be called by his middle name. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, James W. Ducker bought land near Independence, in Trempealeau County, and began farming there. As a young man, Frank spent time farming and also teaching in a country school. He married Blanche Lewis on April 7, 1880, in Arcadia, Trempealeau County. Blanche's sister, Inez, and her husband, John Burt, had gone north to Upper Michigan, and they soon convinced Frank and Blanche to follow. The men worked in the logging camps during winter and the iron mines in summer, but made little money. Frank and Blanche lived in Florence, Wisconsin, just across the border from the U. P., then at Iron River, upper Michigan, for about eight years. Their firstborn child, Ethel, was born at Florence in 1883, and died at Iron River at the age of five. Alice, Edward, and Hugh were all born at Iron River.
In 1893 the family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Frank worked in a planing mill making doors, windows and sashes. His wages at the time were $1.25 per day. He later worked as a carpenter and finally established his own business, doing furniture repair and building, finishing and upholstering. The first shop he had was one rented downtown, but as that proved too expensive he built a wooden structure behind his house, at 1271 E. Mason Street, and established the business there. Ed and Hugh helped their father in the shop, which was heated by a wood-burning stove and lighted with kerosene lamps. They kept a mare to pull the wagon for deliveries.
Blanche had poor health most of her life. In 1913 at age 52 she was in the hospital for some type of surgery, developed pneumonia, and died. Their daughter, Alice, took over duties of running the household until Frank was remarried, in 1919, to Jane Leanna. Jane took no interest in the children, now grown and away except for Milton, who was 16 years old. He had lost his mother at a very young age, no doubt one of the factors in his death by suicide in Detroit, 1931, at age 28.
Frank passed away on March 6, 1932, and was buried beside Blanche at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
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Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Monday, March 7, 1932, Page 7:
Ducker---Frank J. Ducker, 75, an old and well known resident of the city, passed away Sunday morning after a lingering illness. Mr. Ducker was in business for a number of years as an upholsterer and cabinet maker. Surviving him are his wife and three children by a former marriage, Alice and Edward of Green Bay and Hugh of Miami, Fla. The body is at the Prokopovitz Funeral Home and funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery.
In 1893 the family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Frank worked in a planing mill making doors, windows and sashes. His wages at the time were $1.25 per day. He later worked as a carpenter and finally established his own business, doing furniture repair and building, finishing and upholstering. The first shop he had was one rented downtown, but as that proved too expensive he built a wooden structure behind his house, at 1271 E. Mason Street, and established the business there. Ed and Hugh helped their father in the shop, which was heated by a wood-burning stove and lighted with kerosene lamps. They kept a mare to pull the wagon for deliveries.
Blanche had poor health most of her life. In 1913 at age 52 she was in the hospital for some type of surgery, developed pneumonia, and died. Their daughter, Alice, took over duties of running the household until Frank was remarried, in 1919, to Jane Leanna. Jane took no interest in the children, now grown and away except for Milton, who was 16 years old. He had lost his mother at a very young age, no doubt one of the factors in his death by suicide in Detroit, 1931, at age 28.
Frank passed away on March 6, 1932, and was buried beside Blanche at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
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Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Monday, March 7, 1932, Page 7:
Ducker---Frank J. Ducker, 75, an old and well known resident of the city, passed away Sunday morning after a lingering illness. Mr. Ducker was in business for a number of years as an upholsterer and cabinet maker. Surviving him are his wife and three children by a former marriage, Alice and Edward of Green Bay and Hugh of Miami, Fla. The body is at the Prokopovitz Funeral Home and funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery.
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