Franz C. Eschweiler

Franz Chadbourne Eschweiler (September 6, 1863 – November 14, 1929) was an American lawyer and judge from Wisconsin. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for the last 13 years of his life. He previously served five and a half years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.

The Honorable Franz C. Eschweiler
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office August 30, 1916 – November 14, 1929
Appointed by	Emanuel L. Philipp
Preceded by	William H. Timlin
Succeeded by	Edward T. Fairchild
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 6
In office January 1, 1911 – August 30, 1916
Preceded by	Branch established
Succeeded by	Edward T. Fairchild
Personal details
Born	Franz Chadbourne Eschweiler (1863-09-06)September 6, 1863 Houghton, Michigan
Died	November 14, 1929(1929-11-14) (aged 66) Madison, Wisconsin
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spouses	Ida Caroline Kindt (died 1952)
Children	at least 3
Parents	Carl Ferdinand Eschweiler (father) Hannah Lincoln (Chadbourne) Eschweiler (mother)
Relatives	Alexander C. Eschweiler (Brother), Thomas Chadbourne (Cousin)

Biography

Born in Houghton, Michigan, Eschweiler studied at the University of Michigan and the University of Iowa. Eschweiler was admitted to the bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1889, and practiced law, in Milwaukee. In 1910, he was elected a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for the newly created 6th Branch of the Milwaukee County-based 2nd Circuit. Rather than running for re-election in 1916, he ran for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, set to be vacated by the pending retirement of justice William H. Timlin. Eschweiler won the spring 1916 election, and was appointed to begin his term early—in August 1916—following Timlin's death. Eschweiler ultimately served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court until his own death in 1929.^[1][2]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1910)

1910 Wisconsin Circuit Court, 2nd Circuit Branch 6 election^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 1910
	Nonpartisan	Franz C. Eschweiler	14,641	35.96
	Nonpartisan	John C. Kleist	14,325	35.18
	Nonpartisan	Julius E. Roehr	6,877	16.89
	Nonpartisan	Casimir Gonski	4,875	11.97
Total votes			40,718	100

Wisconsin Supreme Court (1916, 1926)

1916 Wisconsin Supreme Court election^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 1916
	Nonpartisan	Franz C. Eschweiler	70,380	23.40
	Nonpartisan	William J. Turner	64,568	21.46
	Nonpartisan	Ellsworth B. Belden	57,670	19.17
	Nonpartisan	Walter D. Corrigan	56,666	18.84
	Nonpartisan	Chester A. Fowler	51,033	16.97
		Scattering	489	0.16
Total votes			300,806	100

1926 Wisconsin Supreme Court election^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 6, 1926
	Nonpartisan	Franz C. Eschweiler (incumbent)	293,857	100
Total votes			293,857	100