Bio: Fournier, Mons Wencesles (1914)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org.

Surnames: Fournier, Couet

----Source: History of Eau Claire County Wisconsin (1914) pages 713-714

Mons Wencesles Fournier, musical director and proprietor of Fournier's Dancing Academy and Auditorium, was born at St. Thomas, Canada, in 1853. His father, John Fournier, who was born in France, lived for a number of years in St. Thomas, Canada, and after his death in 1857 his wife and family returned to France.

After returning to Paris, France, with his mother in 1857, Mons Wencesles Fournier there received his education, and his musical and dancing instructions were received at Felix Le Coupee Conservatoire, and after his graduation in 1873 he came to America and for one year taught dancing in New York City; he then moved to Detroit, Mich., and was there engaged as musical director and dancing teacher, one of his pupils being the well-known dancing master Straus, of Detroit. After spending eleven years in that city he came to Eau Claire in 1894, where he has since been successfully engaged in the teaching of music and French and all branches of dancing. In l900 he purchased his present auditorium, 100x150 feet in size, to which he has subsequently added 100x150 feet, making his hall, which is the only up-to-date building of its size in northern Wisconsin, a place for all large meetings. He has a model dining room, and the fine dancing floor is a pleasure for his pupils and those engaging the academy for private parties, etc.

In 1873 he married in Detroit Elizabeth Couet, of Saissons, France. Prof. Fournier is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, and is also a member of the Catholic church.