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James Fagan (July 4, 1806 – February 11, 1868) was an Irish American immigrant, farmer, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Washington County during the 1849 and 1857 sessions. He earlier served as a delegate to Wisconsin's second constitutional convention, which produced the Constitution of Wisconsin.

Background

Fagan was born July 4, 1806, in County Westmeath in Ireland, and became a farmer. In 1837 he emigrated to the United States, settling in Orange County, New York, and was soon followed by his younger brother Thomas. James worked as a night watchman, and married Anna Monahan in 1842. They had their first of five sons before moving to Wisconsin Territory in 1844. He bought 280 acres of land in Section 26 of Jackson. His brother Thomas soon followed, and settled nearby.

Public office

Fagan was elected to represent Jackson as a county supervisor for 1847-49. When the second Wisconsin constitutional convention was held in 1847, he was a delegate from Washington County. He was assigned to the committee on education and school funds. In 1848 he was elected from the Assembly's 2nd Washington County district (the Towns of Jackson and Grafton), succeeding fellow Democrat Benjamin H. Mooers, for the 1849 session (the 2nd Wisconsin Legislature). When Fagan joined the Assembly in January 1849, he was reported to be 36 years old, from Ireland, and to have been in Wisconsin for four years. He was succeeded for the 1850 session by another Democrat, Eugene S. Turner.

He was elected to the Assembly again for the 1857 session from the newly created 3rd Washington County district (Towns of Farmington, Germantown, Jackson and Trenton), although his mailing address was recorded as Cedarburg. He was succeeded in 1858 by another Democrat, Charles W. Detmering.

For the 1866-67 term of what was now the county Board of Commissioners, he was elected to represent the 3rd Assembly district, and chosen chairman of the county board.

Death

Fagan and Anna had had five sons. They were devout Catholics; one of their sons became a priest. James Fagan died February 11, 1868, of facial cancer.

References

1. State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999". Information Bulletin 99-1 (September 1999), p. 48
2. History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties, Wisconsin: containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages--their improvements, industries, manufactories, churches, schools and societies; its war record, biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin, statistics of the state, and an abstract of its laws and constitution and of the constitution of the United States. Chicago: Western Historical Association, 1881; p. 723
3. History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties...; p. 321
4. Tenney, H. A. and David Atwood. Memorial Record of the Fathers of Wisconsin: Containing Sketches of the Lives and Career of the Members of the Constitutional Conventions of 1846 and 1847-8. With a History of Early Settlement in Wisconsin Madison: David Atwood, 1880; p. 213
5. "List of Members of the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin", Wisconsin Express January 30, 1849; p. 4; via Newspapers.com
6. Turner, A. J., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Thirteenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1874; pp. 154, 156, 157
7. Crane, L. H. D., ed. A manual of customs, precedents, and forms, in use in the Assembly of the state of Wisconsin: together with the rules, the apportionment, and other lists and tables for reference, with indices Madison: James Ross, State Printer, 1859; p. 63
8. History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties...; p. 381
9. History of Washington and Ozaukee Counties...; p. 723

• 1806 births
• 1868 deaths
• 19th-century Irish farmers
• Irish emigrants to the United States
• Politicians from County Westmeath
• People from Jackson, Washington County, Wisconsin
• Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• County supervisors in Wisconsin
• Farmers from Wisconsin
• Wisconsin pioneers
• 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature