20 Facts About Gervase Hephner

Gervase Andrew Hephner was an American farmer, lobbyist, and Democratic politician from Chilton, Wisconsin.

Gervase Hephner served ten terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Calumet County from 1967 to 1987.

Gervase Hephner was born in a beetweeder's shack on his family farm in the town of Rantoul, Wisconsin.

Gervase Hephner attended parochial schools and graduated from Chilton High School.

Gervase Hephner mustered out with the rank of specialist in 1956.

Gervase Hephner became active in politics with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin during this era, and made his first run for public office in 1962, running for treasurer of Calumet County against Republican incumbent Merlin Zahn.

Gervase Hephner was elected secretary of the Calumet County Democratic Party.

Gervase Hephner won a narrow victory in that election, prevailing by just 203 votes, but he went on to substantial victories running for re-election in that district in 1968 and 1970.

In 1972, Gervase Hephner ran for election in the new 6th State Assembly district, comprising all of Calumet County along with much of rural eastern and small portions of northwest Sheboygan County and northern Washington County.

Under that plan, Gervase Hephner resided in the 82nd Assembly district, which then comprised most of Calumet County, parts of the city of Appleton, and several small municipalities in southeast Outagamie County.

Gervase Hephner survived in the new district, defeating a Democratic primary challenge and a Republican opponent in the 1982 general election.

Gervase Hephner's district was renumbered as the 3rd State Assembly district under the 1983 plan.

Gervase Hephner began openly campaigning to be appointed state secretary of agriculture after the December 1985 resignation of incumbent La Verne Ausman.

Those operatives did see opportunity for Gervase Hephner to seek higher office, and considered him a strong candidate to challenge Republican congressman Tom Petri.

Ultimately, the incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, James T Flynn, announced he would not seek re-election, and Hephner quickly declared his candidacy for that office.

Gervase Hephner came in a distant second in the five-person primary field.

Gervase Hephner was the third of five children born to Marshall Hephner Sr.

Gervase Hephner's younger brother, Patrick, was a career United States Navy officer, served three deployments to Vietnam, and retired with the rank of captain.

Gervase Hephner ultimately inherited the family farm, which was established by his great-grandfather in 1866.

Gervase Hephner died at Calumet Medical Center on June 26,2011.