Peninsula
Genealogical Society - Door
Co. WI
Town of
BRUSSELS
updated 12 Nov 2009
Town of Brussels
Door County, Wisconsin
FORMER NAMES: None.See: HISTORY OF DOOR COUNTY for more History of Door County including early settlers.
YEAR FORMED:Feb 1858, Meeting of the County Board set off Brussels as a Town. Martin’s History of Door County. Town Records show, however, that Brussels was not organized until 1859 at the store of Michael SMITH at Sugar Creek.
Families of PATRIS, MIGNOU, ROUER, DENNIS, and GASPART -1855-all from Belgium. Occupations of settlers were Farming and Shingle Making.
ETHNIC GROUPS: Belgian.
OCCUPATIONS: Wheat Farming, Shingle Manufacturing.
EARLY BUSINESSES:(1) Brickyard, red clay-Proprietor: unknown-helped with rebuilding after the fire of 1871- Location: one mile south of the present village of Brussels.
(2) Pierre’s Tavern-Proprietor: Francois PIERRE-1861- Location: One-half mile West of the present village of Brussels.
(3) Pierre-Virlee Co.- Flourmill-Sawmill-Proprietor: Francois PIERRE, Antone VIRLEE and Joseph DEKEYSER-prior to 1900.
SOME FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH TWP:BOTTKOL, DANDOIS, DELVEAUX, DENNIS, FRANC, GASPART, MIGNOU, PATRIS, PIERRE, ROUER, VANGINDERTAELEN..
(1) St. Francis Xavier Catholic- address: Cemetery Road and Highway C. Rectory: 9716 Cemetery Rd., Brussels, WI 54204.
(2) St. Michael’s (founded about 1860)-address About 575 Misere Rd. (1899 & 1981 Plat Books both show the Church apparently in front of what is now St. Michael’s Cemetery).
(3) Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran-WELS address: 8612 County Highway D (Kolberg):
100th Anniversary 2008-Article in the Door County Advocate on Wed. 8 Oct 2008:
"The church was built on two acres of land donated by Paul MATZKE. Stone for the construction was quarried on William WIESE's farm, which was nearby the church."
"The church received its first full-time pastor in 1909. The Rev. Edward HINNENTHAL served the church until his death in 1951."
"Services were performed in German until 1915, when the congregation voted to allow occasional services in English. German services ended in 1956."
(4) St. Hubert’s Catholic Church, Rosiere (Kewaunee County) -destroyed in Fire of 1871-location: County Highway X? (5) German Baptist Church-Location 1100N County Highway XC (west side near Kolberg). No evidence of building existed in 1990.
Wheat was grown early in the history of the Town of Brussels. Women carried bushels of wheat to Algoma (the mill at Wolf River) or Bay Settlement. Early houses (after 1871) of square stone or brick: Belgian building technique with two feet thick walls, no chimneys, vents in the walls. Many of these buildings still exist and can be seen as part of “The Belgian Community” which is on the National Register of Historical Buildings. It is the only whole community of its kind in the United States.
LOCATION AND ADDRESS OF TOWN HALL:On School Road near the intersection with Dump Road. Approximately fire number 9200.
DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE OF OCT 1871:At least 130 (One Hundred Thirty) persons lost their lives and many buildings were burned. Shiploads of clothing, bedding and simple farm tools were sent to America from Belgium for distribution to victims of this fire. From the Door County Advocate dated 26 Oct 1871 regarding the Fire in Door County: Some surnames of those who died-SCHWERGER (7) , SCHILLER (3), DARTL (8), COLLECK (4), MALLONEY (6), MOULTON (4), a German family of (4) names unknown, and more. Almost every home was destroyed by the fire.Many of the deceased in the Town of Brussels were recent immigrants from Belgium who did not speak English and of which there was no record.
(1)Leccia (Misere) (1880-1885).
(2) Brussels (1862-1867, 1870-present),
(3) Kolberg (1895-1907),
(4) Minor (1882),
(5) Duchateau (1862-1873)-name changed to Red River and moved to Kewaunee County (1873-1887).
