Bio: Hauger, Tony (1968)
Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: eldolken@potc.net

Surnames: Hauger, Patzwald, Wolff, Squires, Jones, Gebhardt, Johnson

---Source: Banner Journal (Black River Falls, Jackson Co., WI) July 3, 1968, Front page

Former Mayor Tony Hauger Feted

Tony Hauger, long time men’s clothing merchant of Black River Falls, was recently honored by fellow businessmen and customers at an open house recently held at his store, Mmes. Odannah Squires and Emma Jones were the hostesses and planned the surprise party for Hauger.

Mayor Oswald Johnson, proclaimed June 26 Tony Hauger Day in observation of his 86th birthday.

Hauger has been “out on his own” since he was 14 years old, when he began working at Henry Gebhardt’s cranberry marsh. His first salary was $10 per month. This was seasonal work and he took odd-jobs during the winter months.

He began working for Andrew Johnson, a local merchant, when he was about 18 years old and continued as Johnson’s assistant until 1936 when he and his wife Louise purchased the business.

Hauger is the only merchant still in business who was a business man during the Black River Flood on October 6, 1911.

He and Louise Patzwald of Fall Creek had just been married on August 13 of that year and were living in an apartment over Johnson’s store on Main Street. When the telephone message that the Hatfield Dam had given way on that Black Friday morning.

Hauger stayed behind to help remove stock from the flooded basements. Within a few hours the Black River began cutting a new channel north of the dam and soon the business section of the little community was being swept down the river, the Andrew Johnson large, double building, included.

Johnson was the first merchant to rebuild after the Flood and the Hauger’s Clothing Store still occupies a portion of the building.

Hauger has been very active in community and civic service. He served 14 years as Mayor, several terms on the City Council, is a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, and a Past Patron of the Eastern Star.

Hauger was born in Black River Falls on June 26, 1882, the son of Hans and Mary Hauger.

Mr. and Mrs. Hauger have one daughter Lois, Mrs. Richard Wolff of Seattle, Wash.; two grandchildren, Miss Toni Wolff, Seattle, and Fritz of Renton, Wash.; and two great-grandchildren, Jesse and Anna Wolff.

In August the Hauger’s are planning a trip to Seattle where they will attend the wedding of their granddaughter, Toni, which will be held on August 17.