Poland to Pine Creek, Wisconsin

John (Balakarski) Bialachowski

2012-01-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

John (Balakarski) Bialachowski was born between June 1836-1839 in Poland. John’s father was listed as Thomas Bialachowski on his marriage record.

John immigrated to the United States in about 1865 possibly as a single man.

Marianne Fandower was born in 1850, but her maiden name may be Janka or Janek from her death Records.

John (Balakarski) Bialachowski and Marianne Fandower were married on 16 Jan 1866 in Winona, Winona, Minnesota, USA. They had the following children:

1 Alexander Balakarski was born in 1866 in Minnesota.

2 Martin Bialachowski was born in 1870 in Wisconsin.

Marianne died on November 19, 1872 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, at the age of 25.

John Bialachowski and Paulina Narloch were married on 20 Jan 1873 in Winona, Winona, Minnesota, USA. They had the following children:

1 Ortelia Balakarski was born in 1873 in Wisconsin.

There is a Paulina Bialachowski who died on March 5, 1875, but no age or relationship is listed.

This is most likely John’s 2^nd wife.

John Bialachowski and Petromelia 'Nellie' Jacek were married on July 26, 1875 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin.

Petromelia 'Nellie' Jacek was the daughter of Thomas Jacek was born in May 1843 in Poland.

John and Petromelia had the following children:

Albert Balakarski was born in Apr 1876 in Wisconsin. He died on 14 Aug 1946 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, USA.

Antonia Balakarski was born in 1878 in Wisconsin.

Andrew Balakarski was born in 1883. She died on 27 May 1957 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, USA.

John died on 14 Jan 1904 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, USA.

Petromelia 'Nellie' was living with Albert in 1910, and died on 29 Jan 1917 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, USA.

Mathias Kistowski and Veronica Zynda

2011-04-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mathias Kistowski was born between 1797-1800 in Koscierzyna area of Poland.
Mathias married Veronica Zynda sometime before 1834; she was born between 1800-1802 in Koscierzyna area of Poland. They had the following children born in Poland before emigrating to the United States.

Parish / Registry office Year Child Forename Fathers Forename Fathers Surname Mothers Forename Mothers Surname

Kościerzyna
1834 Catharina Mathias Kystowski von Veronica Żynda

Lipusz
1839 Jacob Mathias Kystowski Veronica Zynda

Kościerzyna
1845 Josephina Mathias Kistowski Veronica Zynda

Kościerzyna
1849 Marianna Mathias Kystowski Veronica Żynda

Kościerzyna
1853 Julianna Apolonia Mathias Kystowski Veronika Żynda
http://www.ptg.gda.pl/index.php/certificate/action/searchB/

The family came to in US sometime between 1860 and 1865, possibly 1862 and they were on the 1865 Minnesota State census in Winona under the spelling Chistofski. At this time some of the children were already married and living with their own families.
In 1870 Mathias and Veronica were living in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. I am connecting Mathias and Veronica’s daughter Marianna to Mary Kistowski who married John Wika son of Jacob Wika and Magdalena Palubicka. John was born in about 1829 and came to the US in about 1859 and married Mary Kistowski in about 1863. John and Mary were on the 1870 census under the spelling WICKLY.

Jacob Kistowski born 11 Jul 1839 married Anna Catherine Eichman daughter of Frank Eichman and Catherine Maszk. I didn’t locate Jacob in 1870, but he is listed with his parents in 1880, under the spelling
Jacob KISTOSSTI
Mathias Kistowski and Veronica Zynda had the following children:

1. Catharina Kistowski was born in 1834 in Koscierzyna, Poland.
2. Jacob Kistowski was born on 11 Jul 1839 in Lipusz Parish, Pomorskie, Poland (Lippusch, Berent, West Prussia). He married Anna Catherine Eichman before 1865. He died on 24 Jun 1907 in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
3. Francisca Kistowski was born on 17 Sep 1840 in Lipusz Parish, Poland.
4. Micheal Kistowski was born on 06 Aug 1842 in Lipusz Parish, Poland.
5. Josephina Kistowski was born in 1845 in Koscierzyna, Poland.
6. Marianna Kistowski was born in 1849 in Koscierzyna, Poland. She married John Wika in 1863 in USA (16/9). She died after 1930.
7. Julianna Apolonia Kistowski was born on 27 Feb 1853 in Koscierzyna, Poland. She died on 31 Jan 1905 in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.

Paul Rudnik

2009-10-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Paul Rudnik was born between 1815 and 1820 in Prussian Poland. Paul married Carolina Borszyzkowska on January 24, 1847 in Studzienice, Ugoszcz Parish, West Prussia. Carolina was born between 1823 and 1824 in Prussian Poland.
Paul Rudnik came to the U.S. in May of 1857 and filed for certificate of Intent in Winona, May 11, 1860.

On the 1870 census Paul is farming in Trempealeau with his wife, Caroline, and his children except the oldest Anna who was already married to Andrew Losinski and the younger childern which were not yet born.

Rudnick Rudnix Paul 55 1815 Pruzsia
Rudnik RUDNIX PAUL 55 1815 M PRUS
Borszyzkowska Caroline 46 1824 "
Louis 14 1856 "
John 11 1859 "
Mary 8 1862 Wis
Frances 5 1865 Wis
Charley 3 1867 "

On the 1880 Census Place: Dodge, Trempealeau, Wisconsin Paul and Carolina were living with there son Louis.

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Louis RODNICK
Self M Male W 25 PRUSSIA Farmer PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Mary RODNICK
Wife M Female W 20 MN Keeping House PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Paul RODNICK
Father M Male W 68 PRUSSIA PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Caroline RODNICK
Mother M Female W 58 PRUSSIA PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Louretz RODNICK
Brother Male W 14 WI Laborer PRUSSIA PRUSSIA

The children of Paul Rudnik and Carolina Borszyzkowska are:

1. Anna Marianna Rudnik, born September 12, 1848 in Studnitz, Ugoszcz Parish, West Prussia; died March 12, 1925 in Dodge twp, Trempealeau co, WI. She married Andrew Losinski 1865 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin; born November 1832 in Czapiewice, Bydgoszcz, Poland (Czapiewitz, Konitz, West Prussia); died 1911 in .

2. Louis Rudnik, born August 07, 1855 in Oslaw Dombrowa, Ugoszcz Parish, Poland. He married Mary Pelowski October 23, 1877 in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, WS; born 1861 in Minnesota.

3. John Rudnik, born January 26, 1858 in Oslaw Dombrowa, Ugoszcz Parish, Poland; died August 19, 1924 in Texas. He married Victoria Eichmann April 28, 1879 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin ; born December 19, 1856 in Borowice', Lipusz Parish, Prussian Poland; died February 12, 1928 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau Co, WI.

4. Mary Rudnik, born 1862 in Dodge, Trempealeau co, WI; died January 1926 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. She married Joseph Thomas Pellowski February 10, 1879 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin ; born 1848 in Czapiewice, Bydgoszcz, Poland (Czapiewitz, Konitz, West Prussia); died 1929 in Filion, Huron co, MI.

5. Frances Rudnik, born 1865 in Wisconsin; died 1877.

6. Lawrence Rudnik, born Abt. 1866 in Wisconsin. He married Anne Blaszkowska February 01, 1892 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin .

7. Charles Rudnik, born 1867 in Wisconsin.

Paul died 1881 in Dodge, Trempealeau co, WI.
Carolina died 1891 in Dodge, Trempealeau co, WI.

Frank Wejer

2008-11-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

Frank Wejer

Frank (Weyher) Wejer was born about 1831 in Kalisz, Lipusz Parish, Poland. Frank married Anna Krefft in about 1855; Anna was born in about 1831 in Kalisz, Lipusz Parish, Poland which at that time was West Prussia. The family came to America in August of 1859 on the ship Donau with a group of Lipusz Parish families.

First Name Last name Occupation Age Sex Arrived Origin Ship
Franz Weiher Farmer 28 1831 M 25 Aug 1859 Germany Donau
Anna Weiher Wife 25 1834 F 25 Aug 1859 Germany Donau
Michael Weiher Infant 9 m M 25 Aug 1859 Germany Donau
U Weiher Infant U U 25 Aug 1859 Germany Donau

On the ship a daughter Susanna was born. The family with a number of other Lipusz Parish families landed in New York and came to Winona, Minnesota. On the 1860 census for the City of Winona, Winona County, Minnesota, Frank is listed as a day laborer and was living with the Paul Libera family.

1860 Census Winona City, Winona County, Minnesota

VARAH FRANCES	40	1820	Poland	Day Laborer
Wejer Anna	26	1834
Michael	4	1856
Susanah	1	1859	MN
Lebezzce Paul	27	1833	Day Laborer
Libera Caroline	26	1834
Albert	1	1859	MN

In about 1863, Frank and a number of other Polish families moved to the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River. Frank settled south of Pine Creek, by the Trempealeau River, on government land. Initially the family lived in a tent, while constructing a log house and barns and Frank sold hay and lumber in Winona.

1870 Census Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Wier Frank 53 1817 Pruzsia
Annie 35 1835 "
Michael 13 1857 "
Susie 11 1859 At Sea
John 7 1863 Minn
August 5 1865 Wis
Pauline 3 1867 Wis
Julia 1 1869 Wis

1880 Census Dodge, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Frank WIRE Self M Male W 62 PRUSSIA Farmer PRUSS PRUSS
Annie WIRE Wife M Female W 49 PRUSSIA Keeping House PRUSS PRUSS
Michael F. WIRE Son S Male W 23 PRUSSIA Laborer PRUSS PRUSS
John WIRE Son S Male W 17 WI Laborer PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
August WIRE Son S Male W 15 WI Laborer PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Juli WIRE Dau S Female W 11 WI PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Jacob WIRE Son S Male W 7 WI PRUSSIA PRUSSIA
Mary WIRE Other S Female W 4 WI PRUSSIA PRUSSIA

Frank and Anna aided the John Kulas family (Anna's sister Josephine married John Kulas), to come to this country in about 1873 and settle in the Pine Creek area. They also aided two of Frank's relatives, Mike and Martin to come to this country.

Frank and Anna had nine surviving children:

1. Michael F. Wejer, born September 26, 1856 in Kalisz, Lipusz Parish, Poland. He married Catharina Brzezinski February 13, 1882 in Trempealeau County, WS; born 1864 in Poland (MN).
2. Susanna Wejer, born 1859 in at sea. She married Joseph Brzezinski February 21, 1878 in Trempealeau County, WS
3. John Wejer, born 1863. He married Marianna Szlagowski; born 1870.
4. August Wejer, born 1865; died 1897.
5. Pauline Wejer, born 1867; died 1879.
6. Juliana (Weir) Wejer, born April 17, 1869 in South of Pine Creek; died April 02, 1905. She married Paul Brzezinski January 26, 1891 in Trempealeau County, WS; born June 26, 1871 in Trempealeau County, WS.
7. Stanislaus Wejer, born 1871; died 1880.
8. Jacob Wejer, born 1873; died 1888.
9. Marianna B. (Weier) Wejer, born March 16, 1876 in Wisconsin -listed as other on 1880 census; died July 1969 in Dodge, Trempealeau co, WI.

Frank passed away in 1892 and Anna and 1924.

Where is anna in 1900?
Annie Krefft in 10/4. She was born 1835 in Kalisz, Prussia -imm 1859, and died 1924.

Polish and Bohemian Settlers

2008-11-24T04:34:00.000-08:00

Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:

"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":

Chapter 10:

Polish and Bohemian Settlers

-As transcribed from pages 150 - 152

It is impossible to obtain the exact date of the day, or even month of the year, when the first Polish or Bohemian people came to this county, for the reason that there cannot be found anyone that kept any kind of data, and there are only three left in this county of the very first ones that came here - two men and one woman. Those that are alive are all past the age of eighty and their memory is beginning to fail noticeably, and what information I was able to gather is such as these people were able to give me from recollection only, except in one instance, that of the woman I just mentioned. She fixes the dates of their arrival by the age of one of her daughters. She has the names of all her children and the date on which they were born written down on the inside cover of a prayer book, and she seems to be sure that the age of the girl I mentioned was three weeks.

It seems that the Polish and one Bohemian family settled in two localities in this county at about the same time, and as near as I have been able to learn, they did not know of the existence of each other at the time, nor for a good many years after - the length of time no one seems to be able to tell.

During the winter of 1862 and 1863, there came to what is now known as Pine Creek, in the town of Dodge, several Polish families, as follows: Paul Lessman, Paul Libera, Mike Lessman, Frank Weyer, Joseph Lubinski, Joseph Wnuk, and some others whose names I did not get. Of these, all but Paul Libera are now dead. With them came one Bohemian family, that of Math Brom. He is still living, although past eighty years of age and quite feeble. All of these people came from the city of Winona, Minnesota.

You notice that there are several families that came at the same time and they settled in close proximity and formed a colony of their own. They claim the distinction of having the second oldest colony in Wisconsin, one in Polonia, Wisconsin, being older, and they claim their colony as the third oldest in the United States, one in St. Mary's, Texas, being first.

The other settlement that took place, which I mentioned before, was in the Town of Arcadia, what is now known as North Creek, and in what is now known as the Town of Burnside.

Lessmann

2008-11-23T08:50:00.001-08:00

There are three Leszman families who settled in Pine Creek and were on the 1870 census together: Paul Lessman, Michael Lessman, and Anton Lessman. These three may all be from Brusy, West Prussia and could be brothers.

Michael Lessmann married Clara Studzinska in 1848, Brusy Parish Poland; he later married Susanna Brunke in 1854 and she may be related to the Bronk family of Winona, Minnesota.

Paul Lessmann married Catharina Stenzel in 1855 in Brusy, Parish and they came to the Untied States and arrived in New York on August 29, 1860 on the ship Shakespeare. Also on the ship was Anton Lessmann listed as a laborer the same as Paul and August Bambenek who also settled Pine Creek.

Michael Lessman was born September 1825 in Turowiec, Brusy Parish, Poland. Michael it is not known when Michael came over possibly between 1854 and 1868 Sussana may have come over with him as three childern were born in Wisconsin. Susanna may have died between 1868 and 1870 because in 1870 Michael married Josephine Robinski or Zabinski in Pine Creek.

Anton Lessman was born Bet. 1830 - 1833 in Prussia Poland, and died between 1876 - 1880. Anton married Josephine after coming to the United States and Josephine was born about 1845 in Prussia Poland.

Paul (Pawel) Lessmann was born March 23, 1829 in Brusy, Pomorskie, near Turoweiz, Poland (Bruß, Konitz, West Prussia). Paul was one of the founders of Pine Creek mentioned in the histories and died January 12, 1899 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin. Paul’s wife Catherine Stencel was born January 02, 1839 in Poland, and died November 04, 1879 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Wisconsin.

Paul Libera

2008-11-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

Paul Libera was born about 1834 in Prussian Poland and may be of Kaszubian decent.

The name Libera is very common in Wiele and Brusy Poland and he may be from that area.

There is a marriage record for Paul Lybera and Antonina Dolna in 1857 in Brusy Parish Poland which seems to be the correct family. Antonia Dolna was born about 1837 in Poland and maybe related to the Dolny family from Winona.

Antonina and Paul came to the United States shortly after their marriage in about 1858 and were of the first set of Polish families in Winona, Minnesota.

On the 1860 Census Paul and Antonina Libera were living with the Frank Wejer family.

Between 1862 and 1865 Paul and Antonina were one of six polish families to move from Winona to Pine Creek, Wisconsin to farm. They moved to Trempealeau County, Wisconsin with their son Albert who was born in Winona in January of 1860.

The family was on both the 1870 and 1880 Trempealeau County, Wisconsin census, but Paul and Antonina moved back to Winona in about 1884.

Paul died January 01, 1916 in Winona and Anotonina died in 1920, both are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Winona, Minnesota.

Children of PAUL LIBERA and ANTONINA DOLNA are:
1 ALBERT P. LIBERA, b. January 16, 1860, Winona, Minnesota; d. 1920; m. MARY (KROTCH) KRECZY, January 19, 1880, Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin .
2 MARY LIBERA, b. 1862; m. JOHN PLATTA, January 14, 1879, Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin .
3 VALERIA LIBERA, b. 1865; m. JOHN LITERSKI; b. 1860, Poland.
4 MICHAEL LIBERA, b. September 29, 1865, Dodge, Wisconsin; d. 1934, Winona, Minnesota; m. (1) JULIA ROLBIECKI, 1886; d. April 08, 1931, Winona, Minnesota; m. (2) AUGUSTA TRIPPE, September 1932.
5 MAMERT LIBERA, b. 1867.
6 FRANCISCA LIBERA, b. 1870.
7 JOSEPHINE LIBERA, b. 1873.
8 JOSEPH R. LIBERA, b. 1875, Dodge, Wisconsin.
9 JOHN LIBERA, b. 1879.

History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917

2007-12-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":

Chapter 8:

Dodge

-As transcribed from pages 87 - 88

Dodge was settled in the middle fifties from Trempealeau, Trempealeau Prairie and the Tamarack Valley. The portion first settled was that lying tributary to Tamarack Valley and that lying in the Trempealeau River flats and small cooleys adjacent to West Prairie. In 1855 Martin Whistler crossed Whistler Pass and settled in the Pine Creek Valley, and within a year Ichabod Wood had settled in section 14. Other early English and American settlers in the vicinity of Whistler Pass were John L. Sanderson, Almon A. Johnson, Joseph Utter and Charles Keith. The first Polish settler in Dodge was Michael Chisin, of Winona, who, in the spring of 1862, settled on the abandoned claim of John Banner.

It was probably about 1862 when the Polish people began to settle in Pine Creek. They were induced to locate here by John Schmangle, a man who spoke English, German and Polish. The first six families were those of Paul Libera, Paul Leishman, Paul Rudnick, Joseph Zabrinsky, Anton Zabrinsky and Felix Kamarowski. These Polish families were living in the valley when Mathias Brom, a native of Bohemia, settled there in 1863.

In 1863 there were no improved roads into Pine Creek. The market points were Trempealeau Village and Fountain City all the year around, and Winona when the river was frozen. With no improved road over the ridge communication with Arcadia was most difficult.

A mill was built on Pine Creek in the sixties. It was washed out by a flood in 1872 and was not rebuilt.

The first German settler in the Trempealeau Valley in Dodge township was George F. Staflin, who settled in section 11, east of the present village, on March 10, 1857. About the same time came Casper Walwand, the first settler in the immediate vicinity of the present village.

Above Dodge one of the first settlers was John Latsch, afterward a prominent wholesale grocer of Winona. He came here in 1856 and settled near a creek at the mouth of the valley that now bears his name. In 1865 Frank Pellowski settled in the same valley, and in the next five years there arrived so many settlers from Hungary that the valley came to be called Hungary Valley. The name of Latsch Valley is being gradually resumed, especially for that part of the valley near its mouth.

HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY WISCONSIN
Compiled by
FRANKLYN CURTISS-WEDGE

Edited by
EBEN DOUGLAS PIERCE, M.D.

ILLUSTRATED
Chicago and Winona
H. C. COOPER, JR., & CO.
1917

Marcin Reszka

2007-12-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

In 1855 the first Polish settlers came to Winona, Minnesota. Records of most of the original Polish settlers at Winona show that they were citizens of Prussia or Germany and many of them had served in the German army. Some could speak German better than Polish. These first Polish families were an advance party for many more Polish people to come later. The new families wrote letters to their Polish friends in Europe to tell them what a fine place Winona with its surrounding farm area was. The poles took up residence in the east end of Winona. Their letters were well received in Europe, with the result that many more Polish people became interested in Winona.
Newspapers also promoted settlement in the Minnesota Territory and over one thousand steamboat arrivals in St. Paul, filled with settlers. On May 11, 1858 Minnesota becomes the thirty-second state admitted to the Union of the United States of America.

In 1857 an estimated twenty-five more Polish settlers, some of them with their families, came to Winona following the route through New York and St. Louis. When the 1857 group came to Winona they also settled in the east end, building shelters on the open prairie. Their little east end group settlement was called "Warsaw" by themselves and by other Winona settlers.

Martin Reszka was among another group of Kashubian Poles to come to America, and settle in the Mississippi Valley in 1859. Martin left his village of Dywan, Lipusz Parish and travelled to the Port of Hamburg. Martin with his wife Eva Nosinska, a six month old baby and their three children, boarded the Donau, on its way to America. The Donau arrived in New York on August 25, 1859. Other Kazubian passengers were Franz Pelowski, Joseph Kukowski, Joseph Ganski, J. Czapiewski, and Peter Pelowski among others. Martin and these immigrants are listed as farmers on the ships list and their families followed a similar history, settling the same areas of the upper Midwest as did many Kaszubian Poles who followed them.

Ships list Donau:
1859 -Franz Pelowski, Wentki, Lewandowsky, Lorbietzky, Reschke, Weiher, Rekowska, Zolowski, Kruszicki, Kaldunski, Rollbieki, Kukowski, Peter Pelowski, Zowitz, Czapiewski, Perschik, Ganski

Martin arrived in Winona for the 1860 census, and they where recorded as living in the third ward, house 653, 616th family. Later on in November of that year, Martin applied for citizenship in the United States.

Martin was a day laborer, probably employed in one of the many lumber mills in town, which served as way for immigrants to save money to buy land after several years in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. Contact Larry Reski for a complete history.

Kaszubian Poles to Pine Creek, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

2007-12-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

Poland to Pine Creek is dedicated to family research of Kaszubian Poles who came to Pine Creek, Wisconsin between 1860 and 1880. The Kaszubian Poles are a distinct ethnic group living south west of Gdansk, Poland. The Families who came to the United States were from the Parishes of Ugoszcz, Brusy, Wiele, and Lipusz. They first came to Winona, Minnesota , before settling across the Mississippi river in Dodge Township , Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.