Peter Fagg

Peter Fagg
Born	Template:Birth date Vlissingen, Kingdom of the Netherlands
Died	December 10, 1917(1917-12-10) (aged 80)
Occupation(s)	Law enforcement official, retail clerk, debt collector, temperance advocate, colporteur, politician
Years active	1850s–early 1900s
Known for	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Milwaukee County's 2nd district; temperance activism

Peter Fagg (January 14, 1837 – December 10, 1917) was an American figure known for his diverse roles as a law enforcement official, retail clerk, debt collector, temperance advocate, colporteur, and politician based in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. He served a single term in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Milwaukee County's 2nd district as part of the Reform Party—a coalition formed in 1873 that united Democrats, reform-minded and Liberal Republicans, and Grangers. This alliance supported Governor William Robert Taylor’s election and gained several legislative seats but was short-lived.

Background

Born Pieter Fagg in Vlissingen within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, he was the son of Captain Johannes Gerardus Fagg, a ship owner and merchant who operated an extensive grocery business, and Sara Jacoba Smith, who hailed from a notable English-Dutch lineage. His father, an English speaker exclusively, passed away at age 34; afterwards, his mother took over the family enterprise before marrying Frederick T. Zetteler, son of a royal tailor. Following Zetteler’s second bankruptcy, the family emigrated to the United States in 1848 and initially settled on a farm near Milwaukee.

In 1853, Zetteler moved the family to Madison to establish a general store. While managing the store and holding various state government posts, Zetteler’s wife and children assisted; Peter gained experience working in former Governor Leonard J. Farwell’s office. After their property was destroyed by fire in 1858, Zetteler returned to Milwaukee to pursue real estate ventures.

Peter married Tyistke ("Mary") Tillema on May 3, 1859. The couple relocated to Alto in Fond du Lac County in 1861 where he found employment as a retail clerk and was elected both justice of the peace and county supervisor. In 1865, Fagg took a position as a prison guard at Wisconsin State Prison; two years later he returned to Milwaukee serving as a police officer under Chief William Beck. He subsequently worked as deputy sheriff under Sheriffs Parsons and McDonald until his resignation in October 1873. Following this period, he operated as a notary public and engaged in debt collection.

Assembly

Fagg won election in 1874 to replace fellow Reformer Joseph Hamilton under the "Democratic Reform" banner by securing 995 votes against Independent Republican Thomas Armstrong’s 451. He achieved re-election in 1875 as an "Independent Democrat," defeating Democrat George Tyre with a tally of 763 to 534 votes. During his tenure alongside his stepfather Frederick Zetteler—a Democrat from Milwaukee—Fagg played a crucial role in a fragmented Assembly by shifting his allegiance to Republican Sam Fifield for Speaker, which enabled Republican dominance. Following this shift, Fagg became identified with the Republican Party, especially within Dutch American circles.

He chose not to run again in 1876 and was succeeded by Hamilton, who contested the seat as a Democrat.

After the Assembly

Following his legislative service, Fagg briefly held the postmaster position for the Wisconsin State Senate before obtaining a clerical appointment at the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands through Republican Governor William E. Smith. He maintained this role for nine years until 1886 when his fervent temperance and religious activism resulted in his non-renewal. A dedicated teetotaler, Fagg redirected his efforts toward Prohibition lectures and worked as a sales agent distributing books and Bibles. He also assumed leadership positions within fraternal organizations such as the Independent Order of Good Templars, Knights of Pythias, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

By 1895, financial hardship led Fagg to employment as a day laborer at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Additionally, he held roles at both the State Historical Society library and the Secretary of State’s office. In 1900, he served as an agent raising funds for wounded Boer soldiers during the Second Boer War. Although his active political involvement waned over time, his presence remained symbolically significant; when reforms proposed replacing party conventions with primary elections, media commentary noted his diminishing yet noteworthy participation in party affairs.

Peter Fagg passed away on December 10, 1917 after enduring a lengthy illness accompanied by six months of blindness. He was survived by his wife and six children.