Martin Franzkowiak

He spent 22 years working in various capacities at the Kieckhefer Brothers Company (a tinware manufacturer), and in 1905 became a retail grocer; he would not retire until 1932.

In 1913, Franzkowiak was a founding organizer of the Federation Life Insurance Company of America (a mutual insurance company), serving as a director for four years and as its treasurer for six, and for fifteen years was the organization's local secretary.

Franzkowiak first sought public office in 1930, running in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin's 3rd State Senate district; he came in second, with 196 votes to 374 for Walter Nowicki.

Unopposed in the Democratic primary, he won an absolute majority in the four-way general election, garnering 6941 votes to 3442 for Socialist incumbent George L. Tews, 2091 for Republican Harry Shalminiak, and 58 for independent Albert Krawczyk.

[4] In 1936, he once more won a plurality in an eight-way primary, albeit by a narrower margin; and was re-elected, with 6,303 votes to 5,014 for Progressive Edward Wolski, 1,247 for Republican Agnes Malich, and 946 for "Independent Democrat" Edward Froncek, whom he had defeated in the primary.