Biography: Frank Jean Baptiste Duchateau, Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Reprinted from the Green Bay Press Gazette, Shaping the century series. Submitted to the Green Bay Press Gazette by Betsy Foley with assistance from James C. Hogan. Duchateau a key in recording area's past. Before Frank Jean Baptiste Duchateau died in 1954, he donated a collection of nearly 12,000 artifacts to the Neville Public Museum. It is a historic legacy largely unknown to most in the community. Described as one of Wisconsin's most ambitious collectors, Duchateau held an extensive accumulation of American Indian artifacts, early farm tools, ceramics, firearms, kitchen utensils, and foreign currency as well as a large archeological collection. A rare sundial/compass made in Paris, which Duchateau found at Point au Sable, remains on public display at the museum. Duchateau helped found the Neville Museum in 1915. He was the board's first vice president and held the office until 1929. He also donated the first exhibit cases. The son of Belgian immigrants Abelard and Felicite (Delwich) Duchateau, Frank grew up in the family home at Pine and Monroe streets. He left high school at age 16 and held several jobs before entering his father's wholesale liquor business in 1885 as bookkeeper and manager. The company eventually became the largest import and wholesale liquor operation in the city. Frank took over the business when his father died in 1889. He ran the business until Prohibition laws closed it in 1918. Duchateau then shifted to real estate, continuing the commercial downtown development his father began years earlier with the Duchateau business block in the 300 block of North Washington Street. Eventually Frank erected buildings on about six blocks of vacant land in the downtown business district. Duchateau engaged in a variety of other community and civic concerns that contributed to the city's commercial and business development. He was named a director of the Kellogg National Bank (now Associated Bank Green Bay) in 1897, and helped organize the West Side State Bank (now M&I Bank) in 1914. As a member of the bank's board of directors from its beginning until 1940, he also presided as president, vice president and chaired the Auditing Committee. The diversity of his interests is reflected in Duchateau's recreational as well as his business and civic interests. He belonged to the Elks, Knights of Pythias; Red Banks Automotive Club, Green Bay Yacht Club, Green Bay Gun Club, and the State and Brown County Historical societies. He also raised champion racehorses. Duchateau served on the City Council for five years, and was manager, secretary and treasurer of the Brown County Telephone Co. for many years. He helped organize the Citizens Light, Power & Heating Co. in 1891 and a year later; was one of the founders of the Brown County Building and Loan Association. In 1919, the king of Belgium honored Duchateau for Duchateau's efforts to aid Belgium after World War I by awarding him the Medal of King Albert. Duchateau outlived three wives. He married Mary Beaupre in 1890. She died three years later, leaving one child, Olive (who later married C.M. Hogan). Duchateau married Julia (Lucas) O'Leary in 1894. She died in 1911. Mary Loughlin became Duchateau's third wife in 1913. She lived until 1940. Duchateau resided at 703 S. Monroe St. from 1912 until he died in 1954 at the age of 87.