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Entire Contents Copyright ©2004-2005
The Bandera County
Courier
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Real Estate Review and Community Board
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(Proof corrections Noon Monday)
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to back. |
Bandera County Family Histories in
this section of the Courier:
| A
letter to Polish Descendants & Residents of Bandera County
|
Published Jan.
5, 2006 |
| Franz
Jureczki and Jacob Jureczki |
Published Jan.
5, 2006 |
Franz
Kalka Family
Part One |
Published Oct.
13, 2005 |
Franz
Kalka Family
Part Two |
Published Oct.
20, 2005 |
Felix
Laskowski Family
Part One |
Published
Sept. 29, 2005 |
Felix
Laskowski Family
Part Two |
Published Oct.
6, 2005 |
Ludwig
Morawiets (Moravietz) family
Part 1 of 2 |
Published
Sept. 15, 2005 |
Moravietz
family, Part 2
Continuation of the children of Thomas,
Catharina, Anna, and Maria Morawietz. |
Published
Sept. 22, 2005 |
| John
Dugosh (Jan Johann Dlugosz), Part 1 |
John
Dugosh (Jan Johann Dlugosz), Part 2 |
| Albert
Haiduk (Part 5) |
(Part 6) |
| (Part 7) |
Casper
Kalka (Part 8) |
| Helen
Mazurek (Part 13) |
|
A letter to Polish
Descendants & Residents of Bandera County
by Elenora Dugosh Goodley
Published Jan. 5, 2006
The first time
I asked the Bandera County Courier if they would print the
histories of Bandera’s Polish Immigrants for the 150th
anniversary of St. Stanislaus Catholic Parish, without
hesitation, the answer was a quick "Yes." The Polish
descendants and residents of Bandera and Bandera County should
know that Gail Joiner, the Publisher- Editor of the Courier
donated space for almost one year to this project. Without the
Courier’s generosity, these Polish histories would still be on
my computer waiting to be printed. I have received many
letters since the first history appeared in the Courier. Many
people are sending me pictures and information. The
information for Bandera’s Polish histories keeps
growing.
The Polish Genealogical Society
of Texas was pleased to get Bandera’s Polish histories and has
featured them in their Summer 2005 Periodical Edition. A
Special Edition dedicated to Bandera, Bandera County, and St.
Stanislaus Catholic Parish history. A copy has been sent to
the Library of the U. S. Congress. If anyone is interested in
purchasing this book, please call Elenora Goodley at
210-695-3958 or Annette Schulte at
830-796-4566.
When I received my copy of
the Polish Footprints, the Bandera Special Edition, and after
reading through the book, I found that I had sent the Jureczki
workshop transcript, not the corrected and updated version.
After checking the history I had sent to the Courier, it too
was the Jureczki workshop transcript. Again I called Gail
Joiner and she immediately told me to send her the corrected
transcript and she would run the full story
again.
To the Jureczki family, I
apologize and deeply regret this mistake. I have printed
correction sheets that will be included with each Polish
Footprints copy.
There is some exciting
news for the Jureczki descendants. After the Jureczki history
was first featured in the Courier, a picture of Thecla
Matyszek Jureczki was sent to me by Theresa Batto Helbert.
Theresa’s great-grandmother, Frances Jureczki Pyka, daughter
of Thecla Matyszek Jureczki, had this picture. This is a
picture of one of Bandera’s first Polish settlers. It is a
rare find. Thecla Matyszek married Jacob Jureczko in
Jemielnica, Poland. She was born Sept. 20, 1825 in Grodzisko,
Poland and baptized Sept. 22, 1825 in St. Michael Catholic
Church in Rozmierz, Poland. It is not known when this picture
was taken but it had to be before 1910. Thecla Jureczki died
in 1910 in Bandera. She was 85. The Polish Genealogical
Society of Texas, the Panna Maria Historical Society of Panna
Maria, Texas, and the Father Leopold Moczygemba Foundation are
excited to have a picture of Thecla Matyszek. So thank you,
Theresa Helbert!
The corrected Jureczki
history is published
below.
| |
Franz Jureczki and
Jacob Jureczki
by Elenora
Dugosh Goodley
Published Jan. 5, 2006
|
Thecla
Matysek Jureczko wife of Jacob Jureczko Born September
20, 1825, in Grodzisko, Poland. Picture taken before
1910 | Franz Jureczki
(Jureczko) was the son of Jacob Jureczki and Sophia Graca. He
was born April 19, 1828 in Laziska, Poland. Franz married
Caroline Koza of Jemielnica, Poland on Nov. 25, 1851. They had
two children born in Poland, Hayacinth and Johana. Hayacinth
was baptized on Aug. 22, 1853 and died five days after birth.
Hayacinth was buried in Jemielnica,
Poland.
Johana (Annie) was born Aug. 29,
1854 and was five weeks old when Franz and Caroline sailed for
America. Franz and Caroline spent their first Christmas in
America in Panna Maria. They left Panna Maria and settled in
Bandera in early 1855. In 1856, Franz purchased two lots in
Bandera and 40 acres of land on the Julian Creek. Franz and
Caroline had four more children born in Bandera: Ignatz
(Ignatius), Joseph, Maria and Albert. Franz’s signature was on
the 1856 petition to form Bandera County. In 1860, Franz was
listed as a farmer and grocer. He owned five milk cows, two
working oxen, and 11 other cattle. Franz became a U.S. citizen
in the spring of 1860. His application stated "…Francis
Jurecko has resided in the United States five years at least,
…and during this time he has behaved himself as a man of good
moral character."
During the War Between
the States in 1862, Franz served in the Third Frontier
District as a private under Captain Bladen Mitchell. The
roster listed his weapon as a shotgun. Franz used to walk from
Bandera to San Antonio and back and usually took his dog with
him. One time his dog did not go on the trip. During the walk
back to Bandera that night, Franz was getting tired. He turned
off the road to get some sleep. Soon, a party of Indians
passed by. Franz said that if his dog had been with him, its
barking would have given him away and he would probably have
been killed. Franz took an active part in the community,
serving as constable and grand juror. He was also the St.
Stanislaus Church sexton and took care of the general
maintenance of the church. In 1876, Franz built a beautiful
two-story limestone house on the town lot in Bandera across
the street from St. Stanislaus Church. It was an
Alsatian-style home, suggesting the influence of the homes in
Castroville. The Jureczki house was officially listed in the
National Register of Historic Places by Don and Peggy Tobin in
January 1980. Franz died Jan. 9, 1897 and Caroline died June
5, 1902. They are both buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in
Bandera.
Johana (Annie) Jureczki was
born in 1853 and married John Anderwald, the son of Franz and
Elizabeth Anderwald, in 1872. Their children, John C. and Mary
Magdalene, were featured in the Anderwald article. John died
in 1929. Annie died in 1935.
Ignatz
(Ignatius) was the first child born to Franz and Caroline in
Bandera in 1857. Ignatius never married and moved away from
Bandera at a young age. He returned to Bandera for occasional
visits but eventually his family lost tract of him; however,
in the 1880 census, Ignatius was shown as being 23 years old
and living at home with his parents.
Joseph Jureczki was born about 1859 in Bandera. Additional
information has not yet been found on Joseph. Mara Jureczki
was born in 1866 in Bandera. She was baptized in St.
Stanislaus Catholic Church in June 1866. Additional
information has not yet been found on
Maria.
Albert Jureczki was born in 1868
in Bandera. Albert played baseball and was on Bandera’s first
baseball team in the 1880s. For a short time, Albert lived in
Boerne and carried the mail from Boerne to Bandera. He
returned to Bandera and was engaged in ranching. In 1896,
Albert married Joanna Czerner. Joanna was the daughter of
Albert Czerner and Renate Ibrom, who emigrated from Poland in
1855 and settled in Panna Maria. By 1880, the Czerner family
was living in Bandera. Albert and Joanna had three children:
Henry I, Thomas and Ignatius. For many years, Albert was a
cattle buyer and drove cattle to market in San Antonio. He
sold his ranch to Dr. J. O. Butler and the ranch is now known
as the "Flying L Ranch." Albert served for over 50 years in
Bandera as a law enforcement officer. He was deputy sheriff
under sheriffs Tom York, Sam Smith, Henry Stevens and Billy
Burnes. In 1945, Albert was honored for 50 years of service by
members of the court and courthouse officials. He loved his
work and served as door bailiff for two years when Johnny
Faris was sheriff. Albert also worked for the sanitary board
as tick inspector for a number of years. Albert was an
outstanding citizen, serving Bandera well. Annie died in 1954
and Albert died in 1957.
Henry was born
in 1896. Henry married Thelma L. Duff in Bandera in 1924.
Thelma L. served as county treasurer of Bandera County for 26
years. She was a member of the Professional Women’s
Association of Bandera. Henry died in 1959 and Thelma died in
1993. Henry and Thelma L. had two children, Harvey and Thelma
Jean. Son Harvey was stillborn. Thelma Jean attended grammar
school and high school in Bandera. She moved to Colorado in
the late 1950s and married Charles Kuhn. Thelma J. and Charles
have four children: Jeffery, Lisa, Kevin, and Joanna. After
Thelma Jean’s daughter Lisa was born, Thelma Jean discovered
that her grandmother’s name was Joanna. She loved the name
Joanna and said, " if I ever have another daughter, I will
name her Joanna." A number of years later, Thelma J. and
Charles had another daughter and named her Joanna. Just
recently their daughter, Joanna, discovered that her
great-grandmother was born in 1871. Joanna was born in 1971,
100 years later.
Thomas was born in
1902. Thomas served honorably in the U.S. Army in WW I and WW
II. While serving in WW ll, Thomas was a Corporal in the Corps
Detachment of Patients, 1803rd Service Command Unit in Europe.
Thomas lived in California and later moved to Bandera where he
spent the rest of his life. Thomas died in
1960.
Ignatius (Naish) was born in 1906.
Naish left home at a young age. He went to Arizona where he
worked at the Grand Canyon for a number of years. He moved to
California and lived out the rest of his life in Pacific
Grove. He was married and has a daughter, Lynda Gail. Ignatius
died in 1983.
Jacob Jureczki (Jureczko)
was born in 1823 in Laziska, Poland. Jacob was the son of
Jacob Jureczko and Sophia Graca and was the older brother of
Franz Jureczki. He was baptized in St. Michael Catholic Church
in Rozmierz, Poland. Jacob married Thecla Matysek in
Jemielnica, Poland in 1849. Jacob and Thecla’s seven children
were all born in Poland: Leonard, Polycarp, Jacob Jr., Francis
Albert (Franz), Annie (Johanna), Frances (Franzka) and Joseph.
Jacob Jr. died in 1854 in Poland. The Jacob Jureczki family
received their document of dismissal from Prussian citizenship
in Opole, Poland July 7, 1856. They sailed to America on the
ship Suwa and arrived in Galveston in January 1867. Jacob and
his family settled in Bandera where Jacob’s brother, Franz,
was living. In 1867, Jacob registered his cattle brand and in
1868 Jacob purchased 60 acres of land for $100 on the Medina
River near Bandera. By 1880, the Jureczki farm appreciated to
$250. Jacob became a U.S. citizen Oct. 31, 1883 in Bandera.
After 20 years, the value of Jacob’s property steadily
increased when he paid taxes on 60 acres valued at $300. Jacob
paid taxes on a wagon assessed at $10, two horses or mules
valued at $30, 15 cattle worth $60 and a hog for $1. Jacob
died Nov. 19, 1888 and Thecla died July 2, 1910 in Bandera.
They are both buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery.
Leonard Jureczki was born Aug.
12, 1850. As a young man, Leonard worked as an ox-team
freighter hauling supplies between Bandera and San Antonio.
Leonard had many encounters with Indians but was never
attacked. Leonard met Rosalie, the daughter of Albert and
Josephine Haiduk. Leonard loved Rosalie but had been slow in
asking her to marry him. In the early 1870s, when the Medina
River flooded the Haiduk’s house, Leonard braved the flood to
come and rescue Rosalie and her family. By the time he got to
the Haiduk’s house, Rosalie had already rescued her family.
Leonard assisted the Haiduk family through shallow water for
two miles to the farm of a neighbor where they were given dry
clothes and food. Afterwards, Leonard asked his beloved
Rosalie to marry him. He married Rosalie Haiduk in 1873 in
Bandera. Leonard was a hard worker. He hauled the stone used
in the construction of the Bandera Courthouse from his farm.
Leonard and Rosalie had 12 children: Joanna, John, Kate,
Urban, Frank, Rose, Thomas, Albert, Stella, Lucille, Cecila
and Matilda. Leonard died in 1941.Rosalie died in
1947.
Annie (Joanna) was born in 1873
and married John William Anderwald in 1891, the son of
Valentine and Josephine Anderwald. Annie and John were the
parents of eight children: Frances, Mark, Susan, Jerome,
Albina, Barbara, Angelinta and George. Annie died in 1926.
John was born in 1874. John never married and lived with
Leonard and Rosalie in Bandera. He died in
1951.
Kate was born in 1877. Kate left
Bandera and lived in San Antonio.
Urban
was born in 1879. Urban married Mary Josephine Kalka in 1916.
Urban and Mary were the parents of five children: Emil, Urban
August, Alice, Ignatius Howard and Mary Gladys. Mary died in
1935. Urban died in 1956.
Emil was born
in 1917 and married Retta Mary Baker in1944. Urban August
(Coby) was born in 1919. He married Estela Lopez. Coby and
Estela had six children: Mary Ann, Coby Charles, David, Stella
(Elaine), Daniel, and Lawrence. Mary Ann (Ruskin) had three
children: Helena, Teran, and Charlie. Coby Charles was killed
by a drunk driver. David and wife Elaine live in Leon Springs.
They have one son, Bryan. David is a building and remodeling
contractor. David remembers when his dad used to plow the
fields in Bandera. David would bring his dad the lunch his mom
prepared. It was frustrating for his dad because along the
way, David would stop now and then noticing all the hidden
treasurers underground. Sometimes his dad would take David
with him to plow. The idea of having to get up before the sun
was up, gassing up the tractor and greasing the equipment was
pure misery for David. Now when David looks back, he remembers
these as special times between father and son and believes his
dad was teaching him responsibility and the reward of hard
work. David was enlightened by the soft side of a very tough
man, his dad Urban August. David’s sister Elaine (mother of
Shelia, Chante and Royce) is married to Ed Barnes. Daniel and
his wife Debbie live in Florida and their children are Savanah
and Blaine. Lawrence and his wife, Karen, live in Johnson
City. Their children are Kalyn and
Kelya.
Ignatius Howard married Ruby
Singleton. They had two children, Cynthia and Howard. Cynthia
married Louis Martin Clements. Their children are Christoper,
Collin and Brandon.
Frank was born in
1896.
Rose was born in 1884. Rose left
Bandera and lived in San Antonio. Albert was born in 1889.
Albert married Helen Mazurek. Albert and Helen were the
parents of nine children: Leonard (Leo), Beatrice, Lloyd,
Gervasius, Richard, Mildred, twins Agatha and Ametia, and
Charles (Frankie). The twin babies, Agatha and Ametia, died
after birth in 1928.
Leo’s first
marriage was to Alice Spratt in 1939. Leo and wife Mary Ann
had two children, Steve, who never married, and Angela, who
married Brian Cummings. Leo is 90 and still lives in
Bandera.
Beatrice married Paul Laskowski
in Bandera in 1936. Paul gave Beatrice $5 to buy a wedding
dress and some personnel items. She had enough money left to
get her hair permed. Beatrice and Paul had four children:
Gladys, Betty, Edward and Tommy. Beatrice met Paul in Bandera
and it was a Polish love story at first sight. From their
first Valentine’s Day together, Paul courted Beatrice with a
box of Valentine chocolates every year. Gladys said he
probably bought close to 70 boxes before his death in 2003 and
always told Beatrice how beautiful she was. Every night Paul
looked at their wedding picture that set on the dresser next
to the bed, and then looked at Beatrice and smiled. Beatrice
died in April, 2005. Gladys married Johnie Schmidt. They live
in Bandera County and their children are Vivian, Gergory,
Daniel, Lorielle and Timothy.
Betty
married Kenneth DeSpain. They had three children: Kenneth
(Kenny), Robert, and Daphine. Betty and Kenneth live in
Wyoming. Edward and wife Annette Miller live in Montgomery and
their children are Tamberlyn, Edward and Jason. Tommy and wife
Janice Whitaker live in Nevada and their children are Shelley
and Shawne. Lloyd married Lillie Miller in 1940. Their
children are Loretta and Kenneth.
Richard served his country from 1942 to 1945 during WW II.
Richard was a PFC in Battery C, 951st Field Artillery
Battalion. Battles fought were Normandy, Northern France,
Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.
Mildred married Elden Collier. Elden served his country during
WW II. Elden died in 1981.
Mildred lives
in Wyoming.
Charles Frank married Nancy
Williams. Charles and Nancy settled in Albuquerque,
N.M.
Stella was born in 1891. Stella
married Charles Stephens, a Greek immigrant. They had one
girl, Eunyse, who married Edwin Riley. Eunyse and Edwin’s only
child, Edwin Jr., founded Riley Mack Sales and the Mack Truck
distributing company.
Lucille was born
in 1894. Lucille left Bandera and lived in San
Antonio.
Cecilia was born in 1897.
Cecilia married Dan Cannelis, also a Greek immigrant. Their
children were Arthur, Nellie, Constantine, Howard, Velma,
Dorothy and Lloyd.
Matilda was born in
1900. Matilda married twice. Her first husband was Mr. Ennis
and her second husband was Charlie McHugo. Matilda died in
1988.
Polycarp Jureczki was born Jan.
23, 1852. He married Maria Czerner in 1875. Polycarp and
Maria’s children were: Bernard, John, and Mary. Bernard
married Mary Jones and their children were Maria, Angeline,
Marian, Louis, Alice, Bernard Stephen, and Dorothy. Bernard’s
son, Louis, married Lorian Ballaghan.
John married Albina Adamietz and their children were Margaret,
Joseph, Frances, George and Walter. Albina died in 1943. John
died in 1954. Their daughter Margaret married Thomas (Tom)
Mazurek and their children were Elmyra, Thomas C., William,
Walter and Margaret.
(Franz) was born
Aug. 3, 1855. He married Frances Kalka in 1879. Francis Albert
and Frances’ children were Genevieve, Hedwig, Casamir, Antone,
Policarp, Agatha, Josephine and Victoria. Their five daughters
left Bandera and went to live in San
Antonio.
Casamir married Myrtle
Lewis.
Antone married Lucy Anderwald and
they had a daughter, Helen.
Agatha
married John R. Duffin. Agatha and John’s nine children were
Helen, Dorothy, Leonard, Lawrence, Beatrice, Frances, Robert,
Jack and Gail. Agatha and John’s son Leonard married Rosalie
Wendland. Leonard and Rosalie’s children were Patricia, Paula,
Michael and Leonard.
Leonard and
Rosalie’s daughter Paula married Douglas
Piper.
Victoria married Charles Lambert.
The Lamberts were the parents of Eugene, Charles (Bubba),
Genevieve and Marjorie. Frances Albert died in 1879. Frances
dies in 1936.
Johanna (Annie) was born
in 1857. She married Charles Haiduk in 1873. Annie and Charles
had five children: Marciana, Felix, Simon, Frances and Mary
(children were featured in the Haiduk story). Charles
disappeared in 1922. Annie died in 1938.
Frances (Franzka) was born in 1860 and married Frank Pyka in
1883 in Bandera. The children of Frances and Frank Pyka will
be featured later in the Pyka story.
Joseph was born in 1863. No additional information has yet
been found.
The Jureczki brothers worked
hard and were successful in building a new life in Texas. They
were active members of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and two
of Bandera’s outstanding Polish families. The Franz Jureczki
home on the corner of Cypress and 7th Street in Bandera is a
monument to their hard work and
achievements.
| |
Franz Kalka
Family
Part
One
by Eleanora Dugosh
Goodley
Published Oct. 13, 2005
|
Anton and
Ella Kalka, no date.
Sister
Chantal (Mary Elizabeth Kalka), daughter of Franciszik
and Franciska Kalka.
Picture of
Valentine (Slim) Kalka, son of Albert and Elizabeth
Anderwald Kalka
L-R, Frances
Kalka Jureczki, Rose Kalka, and Victoria Kalka
Morawietz. Daughters of Franciszik and Franciska Lycek
Kalka. | Franciszek
Franz (Frank) Kalka was born in Prussia (Poland) Jan. 25,
1825. He married Franciska (Frances) Lycek in Poland. It is
believed that they came from the small village of Broaczy in
Southeastern Poland south of Zywiec. Broaczy is located in a
beautiful valley surrounded by the Broaczy Mountains. Frank
and Frances had eight children born in Poland: Peter, Anton,
Albert, Frances, Mary Elizabeth, Charles, Rose, Joseph Frank.
Frank and Frances, with their children, came to America
sometime in the early spring or late summer of 1876. No ship
records have yet been found. They stayed in Cat Springs where
their daughter Victoria was born. After a few months, Frank
and Frances decided to leave Cat Springs. They arrived in
Bandera in 1877. They were surprised to find that a few Kalka
families were already living in Bandera, but they did not know
anyone in these families and could not establish a common
identity.
Frank and Frances purchased
land for farming in Bandera County south of the Medina River,
later know as the Oak Mound Farm. While building a two-room
rock house, the Kalka family lived in a two-story log cabin
that belonged to Frank Jureczki on what is now known as the
Flying L Ranch. The following years were difficult. A terrible
drought occurred shortly after they arrived and there was very
little food. Frances would cook a big pot of mush with
molasses for dinner. Acorns were parched and ground to make
coffee.
Learning the ways of a new
country, a new language and trying to save money was not easy.
They dug a well, built a rock cattle pen and a log corncrib.
They planted corn, cotton, and sugarcane. The farm animals
included horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens and pigeons.
Livestock was driven to San Antonio to market and cotton bales
were hauled to Center Point. On one of the trips to Center
Point a tragedy occurred. Frank and son Joe were going up a
hill. The cotton bales began to shift in the wagon. Frank
stopped and tried to move the bales back when a bale fell and
crushed him. Joe drove the wagon with his injured father back
to Bandera. Frank received the last rites before he died Dec.
1, 1891. Frances died April 3, 1898. They are both buried in
St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Peter Kalka was
born in Poland. Birth records have not yet been found. It is
not known if Peter stayed in Poland or perhaps died
there.
Anton Kalka was born about 1857.
He is supposed to have died of pneumonia in Mexico Feb. 15,
1904, where he worked in a mine. He married Ella M. (last name
unknown) in Bandera. Anton and Ella had a daughter, Katherine
Kalka.
Albert Kalka was born April 21,
1860. He married Elizabeth Anderwald Nov. 19, 1894 in Bandera.
Albert died Feb. 16, 1944. Elizabeth died March 11, 1946. They
were both buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery.
Albert and Elizabeth had seven
children: Sebastian, Mary Magdalen, Barbara, Florentina,
Lusianaus, Cunegunda (Gundy) and Valentine
(Slim).
Sebastian married Irene
Skibinski. No birth date or death record has yet been
found.
Mary was born July 9, 1896 in
Cestahowa. She married Thomas Stephen Laskowski in San Antonio
April 6, 1921. Thomas was the younger brother of Felix
Laskowski. Mary and Thomas had a son, Gilbert Ignatius, born
in San Antonio Feb. 1, 1922. They settled in Bandera where
Thomas sold insurance. Two children, Eugene and Lucille
Gladys, were born in Bandera. After living in Bandera for
several years, Thomas moved his family to Del Rio. Mary died
in 1994 in Del Rio. No death record has yet been found for
Thomas Laskowski.
Gilbert lived in
Bandera as a young boy. He grew up in Del Rio. Gilbert married
Magdalena Suer May 14, 1958. Gilbert and Magdalena settled in
Alexandria, Va. Gilbert died Feb. 26, 2004. Magdalena still
lives in Alexandria. They had four children: Patricia, Thomas
Jacob, Suzanne, and Jessica Maria. Patricia married Richard
Kristobek and their two children were Andrew and Natalie.
Thomas Jacob married D'Ann Leggett and they had four children:
Julia, Emily, Thomas Jacob Jr. and Chris Anne. Suzanne married
Michael Collier and they had two sons, Michael Jacob and
Christopher Thomas. Jessica Marie married Stephen LaFlamme and
they had two children, Nicholas and
Grace.
Eugene was born in 1924 in
Bandera, died in 2000. He married Gladys Smith May 14, 1958.
They settled in Dallas. No children have yet been
found.
Lucile Gladys was born in 1925 in
Bandera. She grew up in Del Rio. Lucile married Robert
Williams Jr. Oct. 15, 1949. They had seven children: Robert
Joseph, Mary Lynn, Elizabeth Ann, Thomas Clayton, Patrick
Eugene, Teresa Marie and Michael Christopher. They live in
Killeen.
Barbara was born Dec. 4, 1898
in Bandera County. She died March 28, 1957 and was buried in
St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Florentina was
born in Bandera County Sept. 21, 1903. In 1938, she married
Floyd Dornstin at St. Mary's Catholic Church in San Antonio.
No children have been found for Florentina and Floyd. No death
record has yet been found for
Florentine.
Lucianaus was born Dec. 29,
1905 in Bandera County. No death record has yet been
found.
Cunegunda (Gundy) was born Dec.
29, 1906 in Bandera County. She died March 22, 1984 and was
buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Valentine (Slim) was born Oct. 27, 1909. He died Jan. 19,
1979. He went to St. Joseph's School and graduated from
Bandera High School. Slim married Magdalen Dugosh, the
daughter of Kasper and Josephine Dugosh, in St. Stanislaus
Church Sept. 5, 1940. Slim worked for Western Electric in San
Antonio. Later, he returned to Bandera and operated a lumber
company with Tom Anderwald. It was located next to the old Ice
House. Slim started his electric shop, Kalka Electric, in
1945. He wired many of the buildings in Bandera. Slim was very
active in St. Stanislaus Parish. He did all the electrical
work for the church barbecues. He was on the St. Stanislaus
Board of Trustees for 16 years and the Cemetery Association
for 12 years. He received the Archbishop Furey Award at San
Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio. Slim was also a member of
Knights of Columbus and the Holy Name Society. Their four
children were Valentine Jr., Gregory Thomas, Justina J. and
Kenneth. They adopted a 10-day old baby girl named Donna
Antoinette. Valentine Jr., Gregory Thomas and Justina J. died
in infancy.
Kenneth was born in 1942. He
attended St. Joseph's School and graduated from Bandera High
School. In 1964, Kenneth graduated from St. Mary's University
in San Antonio with a BBA degree in finance. Kenneth served
his country for two years in the U.S. Army. His tours included
El Paso and Korea. In 1977, Kenneth married Janet Stovall.
Janet had a son, William Robert. Kenneth and Janet have two
children, Valerie Leigh and Melissa Dawn. Kenneth and Janet
live in Mesquite.
Donna Antoinette was
born in Portland, Ore. in 1956. Donna married Greg Gleenon.
Their children are Kerry, Brian and
Claire.
Frances Kalka was born Sept. 28,
1855 in Prussia. She married Francis Albert Jureczki Aug. 25,
1879 in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Francis Albert died in
1918. Frances died Aug. 8, 1936. Their eight children were:
Genevieve, Hedwig, Casimir, Antone, Policarp, Agatha,
Josephine and Victoria. Most of the children of Frances and
Francis Jureczki were featured in the Franz Jureczki history.
Their daughter, Hedwig, who married Alex Pyka was featured in
the John Pyka history. Genevieve was born Jan. 3, 1881 and
died in Sept. 1929. She married Minor Wilkes. Genevieve was
buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in
Bandera.
Mary Elizabeth Kalka was born
Aug. 2, 1856 in Prussia. She grew up and went to school in
Bandera. When Mary was 26, she entered the Sisters of Charity
of the Incarnate Word Convent in San Antonio and was professed
Sister Chantal on Aug. 15, 1884. She made her perpetual vows
March 19, 1891. Sister Chantal served in Catholic schools,
hospitals, orphanages and in 1921 taught school at St.
Joseph's School in Bandera. She was a nun for 40 years before
her death on Nov. 17, 1924. Sister Chantal was buried in the
Incarnate Word Convent Cemetery in San
Antonio.
| |
Franz Kalka
Family
Part
Two
by Elenora Dugosh
Goodley
Published Oct. 20, 2005
|
Charles and
Julia Frances Grodzelik Kalka, no date.
Joe Frank
Kalka and Mary Annie Anderwald, Feb. 11, 1896.
L-R, Joe
Frank, Mary Annie, Emelia, Cecelia, Frances, Christine,
Anthony, Frank John, and Ignatius.
1984, Annette
and Jean Kalka receiving the Texas Land Heritage Award
from John Hightower, in Austin, Texas.
| Charles Kalka was born March 27, 1858
in Prussia. When Charles was a young man, he left Bandera and
traveled throughout the United States working in various
places. He was only five feet and weighed about 135 pounds but
helped construct a drawbridge across the Mississippi River and
also worked in coal mines. After living in America for 20
years, Charles received his certificate of naturalization Nov.
16, 1896 in the Minnesota District
Court.
Charles married Julia Frances
Gordzelik in Peoria, Ill., Feb. 23, 1886. Julia was born in
Szedrik, Germany, in 1862. Charles and Julia moved to
Fairmont, Minnesota, where their four daughters were born:
Belle, Martha, Rose and Helen. In 1892, his wife Julia
developed rheumatism. The winters in Minnesota were extremely
cold and were not good for Julia's health. They decided to
move to Nebraska where Charles farmed to support his family.
Six more children were born in Nebraska: Julia, Louis,
Frances, John, Charlie (lived only one day) and Edward
(Eddie).
In 1907, because of his wife's
rheumatism, Charlie decided to move his family to Mc Lean. He
leased some land and began farming. In 1915, Charles purchased
a section of grassland seven miles northeast of White Deer for
$10 an acre. He bought a two-story house that was built in
1913 near White Deer and moved it to their section of land in
McLean. Charles enjoyed milking cows. One day, when he was
milking cows in the barn, a windstorm took the roof off and
threw it against the house, breaking many of the windows.
Charles ignored everything and kept on milking. When Charles
was 70, he purchased a new car and learned to drive. He had a
hard time remembering how to operate the brakes and clutch.
Instead of putting on the brake, he would accelerate through
the garage and out the back. His son Eddie tired of repairing
the back of the garage and added two doors across the back.
Charles turned over the operation of the White Deer Ranch to
son Eddie.
Charles and wife Julia
decided to travel, often making trips to the hot mineral baths
around the country for Julia's rheumatism. On August 4, 1934
on one of their trips to New Mexico and California, Charles
Kalka was killed on highway 60. His son-in-law, George Tulare,
who often drove them, escaped injury, but Julia had serious
internal injuries with deep cuts that required 138 stitches.
Julia died July 3, 1935. Charles and Julia are both buried in
the Sacred Heart Cemetery in White Deer. Most of their
children married and stayed in the White Deer area. Charles
and Julia Kalka had 40 grandchildren.
Belle was born Dec. 1, 1886 and died January 15, 1975. Belle
married Thomas Skibinski Nov. 18, 1907. They lived in White
Deer. Belle and Thomas had seven children: Irene, Evangeline,
Isabel, Margaret, Geraldine, Dorothy and
Daniel.
Martha was born April 13, 1888
and died Jan. 30, 1968. Martha married John Warminski Oct. 25,
1910. Their three children were Alice, Charles and Jean.
Martha and John also lived in White
Deer.
Rose was born Dec. 27, 1889 and
died April 4, 1959. Rose married Edward Czerner on Jan. 22,
1912. They had six children: a stillborn baby boy (name
unknown), Cecilia, Gladys, Wilma, Alvin (deceased), and
Claudine. Rose and Edward lived in White Deer. Helen was born
March 28, 1892, died Nov. 28, 1972. She married Ed Warminski
June 19, 1917. Helen and Ed also lived in White Deer. They had
six children: Lawrence, Albert, Lucille, Lillian, Mildred and
Donald.
Julia was born Feb. 2, 1894 and
died Nov. 7, 1986. Julia married George Tulare. They moved to
Oregon where George bought shares in a gold mine. Julia and
George had no children.
Louis was born
Aug. 26, 1896. Louis with his brothers, John and Eddie, rode
horseback and drove cattle between two ranches in McLean and
White Deer, camping out on the prairie at night. Louis married
Mina Waldrop March 10, 1920. He bought the McLean land from
his father, Charles, for $14 an acre. Louis and Mina had six
children: Leonard, Beatrice, Dorothy, Carroll, Bill and
Johnny. After Louis died on May 27, 1953, the McLean Ranch was
left to his son Johnnie and daughter
Beatrice.
Frances was born Dec. 3, 1898
and died Jan. 15, 1987. She married Samuel Mazurek Oct. 24,
1922. They moved to Amarillo and farmed. Frances and Samuel
had five children: Kenneth, Wanda Mae, Samuel Jr., Lois and
Martha Ann.
John was born Dec. 27, 1900
and died Jan. 31, 1980. He bought some land southwest of
Panhandle. John married Lucille Gaston. They settled on his
land in Panhandle. They had no children. John and Lucille
divorced. John later married Alice Cooper, and they had no
children.
Eddie was born June 21, 1905
and died April 17, 1982. He married Rose Kotara Nov. 15, 1927.
Eddie and Rose lived with his parents, Charles and Julia, on
the White Deer Ranch. They had six children: Mary Ann, Evelyn,
(deceased), Edward Charles, Patricia and twins Alvin and
Robert. Eddie began a 50-50 partnership with his father in
farming and ranching.
Rose Kalka was
born Aug. 5, 1867 in Prussia. She never married. Rose died
Sept. 3, 1952, and was buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in
Bandera.
Joseph (Joe) Frank Kalka was
born March 19, 1870 in Prussia. As a young man, Joe Frank
helped his father operate the family farm in Bandera. After
his father's death, Joe Frank continued operating the family
farm. He stopped planting cotton because of the boll weevil.
He put in a fruit orchard, planted sugar cane, and made
molasses. Rev. J. Robert married Joe Frank and Mary Annie
Anderwald Feb. 11, 1896 in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
They were active members of St. Stanislaus, riding in a wagon
or sometimes walking to church. On Sundays the family packed
their lunch and ate it after church in the Sunday house across
from the church. The men in the neighborhood gathered at Gabe
Anderwald's, John Anderwald's or Frank Pyka's place on Sunday
afternoons and played cards. Joe Frank loved to play the
violin and sing with his family. Many neighborhood dances were
held at the Kalka home with Joe Frank, Albert and Anton
Jureczki playing the violin and guitar. Joe Frank died March
16, 1930. Mary Annie died July 6, 1946. They were both buried
in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Bandera. Joe Frank and Mary
Annie were the parents of seven children: Emelia, Christine,
Frank John, Anthony Joseph, Frances, Ignatius Theophil (Nick)
and Cecelia.
Emelia was born Dec. 30,
1896 in Bandera and died July 26, 1984. She was buried in St.
Stanislaus Cemetery.
Christine was born
March 10, 1900 in Bandera and died March 29, 1991. She was
buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Frank
John was born Aug. 27, 1904 in Bandera. As a young boy, Frank
helped his father with the planting of crops and harvesting
fruit. After his father passed away, Frank continued to
operate the farm. He bought the first family tractor and disc
plow. He started a dairy, milking cows by hand twice a day for
40 years. In the morning Frank would load the truck with
bottles of fresh milk and drive across the Medina River up the
hill into Bandera. He delivered fresh milk to many of the
residents in Bandera. The name "Oak Mound Farm" was given to
the Frank Kalka farm to distinguish it from other Kalka farms
in Bandera. Frank married Evelyn Postert Dec. 30, 1935 in
Saints Peter and Paul Church rectory in New Braunfels. Frank
died March 21, 1980.
Evelyn died June 5,
1988. They were both buried in Stanislaus Cemetery. Frank and
Evelyn were the parents of two girls, Lois Annette and Nelda
Jean. After Frank died, the ownership of the Oak Mound Farm
was passed on to their daughters. In 1984, Oak Mound Farm was
accepted into the Family Land Heritage Program sponsored by
the Texas Department of Agriculture in recognition for
continuous family farming for 100 years or more. The family
received a certificate from the Commissioner of Agriculture,
John Hightower, in a special ceremony at the Capitol in
Austin, Texas.
Annette was born in
Bandera. She attended St. Joseph's School and graduated from
Bandera High School and Incarnate Word College in San Antonio
with a BA in Education. She married Charles (Sonny) Schulte
March 11, 1984. They have no children. Annette and Sonny
continue to operate the Oak Mound Farm and are active members
of the Bandera community. Annette was a schoolteacher and
taught 8th grade at Washington Irving Middle School in San
Antonio. She retired in 1995. Annette is a member of the St.
Stanislaus Historical Committee, the Bandera County Historical
Commission, the Bandera County Retired Teachers Association,
and past member of the Frontier Times Museum
Board.
Nelda Jean was born in Bandera.
She attended St. Joseph's School and graduated from Bandera
High School. After graduating from high school, Nelda Jean
worked for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in San
Antonio and then for the postal service in Bandera. Nelda Jean
married William Neuman in Bandera. They had three children:
Dawn, Leanne, and Paul. Dawn married Dale Ramsey and their
three children are Garrett, Logan, and Lauren. Paul had a son,
Christopher and is married to Judy Hicks. Nelda Jean lives in
Bandera and is a bus driver for the Bandera Independent School
District.
Anthony Joseph (Tony) was born
April 22, 1907 in Bandera. He married Louise Leferve in
Bandera. Anthony died in 1977. Louise died in 1999. They were
both buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Frances was born Feb. 8, 1913 in Bandera. Frances married
Dewey Wilson Morrow. She died Dec. 12, 1966 and was buried in
St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Ignatius Theophil (Nick) was born in
Bandera Feb. 8, 1910. He married Virginia Howard June 10, 1944
in St. Stanislaus. Virginia died Sept. 9, 1975. Nick died Nov.
16, 1978. They were both buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery.
Cecelia was born July 29, 1916
in Bandera. Cecelia never married. She died Sept. 23, 2005 and
was buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Victoria Kalka was born in 1877 in Cat Springs. Victoria's
mother, Franciska, was glad to leave Poland because she was
embarrassed to be 50 and pregnant. Victoria married Joseph
Moravietz Jan. 19, 1904 in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in
Bandera. Victoria died Sept. 22, 1970. Joseph died Dec. 10,
1965. They were both buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery.
The Franciszek Kalka family
came to America searching for a better life. They were a
loving family that willingly helped their neighbors and
church. Their sacrifices and hard work created a good life and
secure home in Bandera and many friends. Descendants of
Franciszek Kalka still live in Bandera and the Texas
Panhandle.
| |
Felix Laskowski
Family
Part
One
By Elenora Dugosh
Goodley
Published Sept. 29, 2005
|
Wedding
picture of Felix and Annie Brzozowski Laskowski,
November 28, 1897.
Picture of
Anton and Anna Laskowski taken on their 50th wedding
anniversary. Taken in the early 1920's
Picture of
Laskowski Family, taken between 1930 & 1935 Top row
L-R, Paul, Catherine, Theodore, Gertrude, Vincent, and
Leo Bottom row L-R, Frank, Annie, Felix, and
Sophie | Felixium
(Felix) Laskowski was born in Chicago, Ill. June 9, 1873. His
parents were Anton Laskowski and Anna Grajewski of the Kingdom
of Prussia (Poland). His grandparents were Laurence Laskowski
and Julia Morkowski of Prussia. Felix's parents, with their
sons Constant and Franz, sailed to America on the S. S.
America from Bremen, Germany. Anton was listed as 29 and his
occupation was a farmer. Their son Franz died and was buried
at sea. Anton, Anna and son Constant arrived at Ellis Island,
N.Y., March 28, 1873. They settled in Chicago, and lived in a
small wood house behind a factory. Making a living in Chicago
was difficult. Anton worked long hours in a furniture factory
for little money. Anton and Annie had heard of large
settlements of Polish immigrants in Panna Maria. When Felix
was about a year old, they left Chicago and settled in St.
Hedwig. Anton and Annie had 13 children: Constant, Franz,
Felix, Teofil, Mary, Michael, Nicholas, Rosalia, Hedwig,
Albina, Joseph, Leon and Thomas. Anna died in 1912. Anton died
in 1926.
Felix met Annie Brzozowski in
Gonzales County. Annie was a beautiful girl. She was born Feb.
4, 1875 in Poland. Her parents were Thaddeus and Juliana
Barton Brozozowki of Lublinetz (Lubschaw), Prussia.
Six-year-old Annie and her sister Clara (11 months) came to
America with their parents. They arrived Nov. 3, 1881 at the
port of New York. The family traveled to Texas and settled in
Guadalupe County. Later, they moved to Gonzales County.
Thaddeus had been a butcher in Warsaw, Poland. He worked for a
period of time in a New Braunfels butcher shop. Thaddeus and
Juliana had 10 children: Annie, Clara, Paul, Edward, Louis,
Emma, Joe, Otto, Alois, and Thado. Annie remembered this story
her mother had told her many times. "We had boarded the ship
to come to America. My mother was sad because she did not get
to say goodbye to my grandmother. She did not come to see us
off. As the ship was pulling away from the dock, grandmother
appeared with feather comforters and pillows that she had made
for us to take to America. My grandmother was screaming and
waving her hands for the ship to come back. But the ship did
not go back. With tears in our eyes and waving goodbye, this
was the last time that my mother and I saw my
grandmother."
Father P. M. McMakon
married Annie and Felix Laskowski in St. James Catholic Church
in Sequin on Nov. 28, 1897. Soon after their marriage, Felix
and Annie rented a small two-room house on a 100-acre cotton
farm in Gonzales. They could speak only Polish. Felix raised
cotton and made a decent living for his family. The family
managed to put aside some money for a rainy day. Annie was
tiny and petite, but could do the work of many. Felix and
Annie had nine children while living in Gonzales: Theodore
Paul, Gertrude, Vincent Alexander, Paul John, Clement, Emma,
Leo, Catherine and Frank. About 1916, after many years of
cotton farming and saving money, Felix started looking for
some land. He learned from a neighbor in Gonzales that land
was selling in Bandera County for $4 to $5 an acre. After
checking out the land prices, Felix learned that the $4 and $5
specials were mostly hills and not good for farming. He
checked into some land along the Medina River and purchased
235 acres at a cost of $17 an acre in Bandera County. It was
located a few miles north of the Medina River and about 10
miles east of Bandera. A wood frame house and two barns were
included. Felix did not have enough money to pay cash for it.
He got a federal loan and bought the land in 1917. Finally,
the Felix Laskowski family had the home they had dreamed
about. The assets of the farm included; farm machinery
(tractor), two wagons, four horses, milk cows, sheep, and some
chickens. They planted cotton, wheat, hay, corn and large
vegetable gardens. Felix and his sons sheered sheep for
hire.
In 1920, Annie gave birth to a
daughter, Sophie Hedwig, in Bandera County. Felix and Annie
were active members of St. Stanislaus Church in Bandera. Felix
and son Paul made trips to San Antonio to get supplies for St.
Stanislaus, sometimes taking three days or more. Annie baked
cakes, pies, and homemade breads for the priests of St.
Stanislaus and the nuns of St. Joseph's School. Felix donated
his time, skills, and made repairs whenever the church needed
it. Felix was a trustee for Dug Springs School in 1926 and
1927. After most of their children married and moved away,
Felix and Annie sold their farm and purchased a small house on
3rd Street in Bandera. Son Frank lived with them until their
deaths. Felix died Dec. 6, 1960. Annie died Feb. 21,1965. Both
Felix and Annie were buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in
Bandera.
Theodore (Ted) Paul Laskowski
was born March 26, 1899. In his young life Ted worked long
hours in the fields helping his dad with the farm. He did not
attend school and was educated by his younger sister,
Gertrude, who attended school and taught him what she had
learned. Ted was a skilled rock mason and carpenter. In 1921,
during the building of St. Joseph's school, Ted worked in a
rock quarry in Bandera. Ted repaired and helped build many of
the older houses in Bandera. He cut wood for fireplaces and
stoves and sold it to many residents in Bandera. Ted married
Rose Mary (Rosa) Adamietz Feb. 3, 1927 in St. Peters Catholic
Church in Boerne. They settled in Bandera, bought a lot, and
built a house on the corner of Cypress and 4th Street. The
house is still there with the rock face that Ted never found
time to finish. Rosa made some of the best potato salad in
Bandera. Ted helped cook the barbecue for the annual St.
Stanislaus Catholic Parish picnic in Mansfield Park. Ted died
March 18, 1966. Rosa died Aug. 30, 1970. They were both buried
in St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Ted and Rosa raised four children:
Frances, Susie, Fred and Louis, who were all born in Bandera,
attended St. Joseph's Grammar School, and graduated from
Bandera High School.
Frances Agnes was
born Jan. 5, 1928. She died April of 1998 and was buried in
St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Frances was a happy girl and was
loved by her classmates in St. Joseph's School. After Frances
graduated from high school, she moved to San Antonio and was a
chef at a prominent restaurant in San Antonio. Frances had a
son, Roger Charles. Frances and her son Roger moved back to
Bandera. They lived in her father's house on 4th Street.
Frances worked at old Pollock's Corner Drug Store on Main
Street. She was once voted the "Town Grouch" in Bandera,
received a plaque, and often bragged about it. Frances' son
Roger graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree
in electrical engineering. Roger married Theresa Lazo. They
had two children, Jennifer and Christopher. Roger and Theresa
live in San Antonio. Their daughter Jennifer married Steven
Cortez and they had a daughter, Alyssa.
Susie Bridget was born Dec. 1, 1930. She was popular among the
students in the Bandera schools. After high school, Susie left
Bandera and went to live and work in San Antonio. She married
Marvin Leo Thomas June 29, 1957. Marvin Leo died June 22,
1992. Susie lives in San Antonio with her daughter, Marie.
Susie and Marvin raised five children: Marvin Jr., Marie,
Theodore Thomas, Rose and Daphna. Marvin Jr. married Reagen
Hennessey in 1981. They had two children, Marvin II and
Mariana. Marie married Mario Diaz in 1987. Their four children
were Susan, Janelle, Mario Jr. and Joseph. Theodore Thomas
married Gloria Carces in 1992. They had four children: Corey,
Victoria, Tyler, and Justin.
Rose
married Robbie Castro in 1983. They had a daughter,
Rachel.
Daphna married Victor Romas in
1979. They had five children: Stephanie, Victor Jr., Xanthie,
Tiffanie and Theresa.
Fred Alex (Freddy)
was born Feb. 11, 1933. Freddy spent most of his young life in
Bandera helping his family. He was happy, kind and loved by
those who knew him. His mother taught him to cook. Freddy
served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean
War. He was an Air Force cook. Later, he moved to San Antonio
and worked in construction. Freddy never married. He died Aug.
26, 1973. He was buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in
Bandera.
Louis Ted was born Aug. 17,
1937. In his young life, Louis loved to play baseball. Louis
served his country in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1960. He
was a Teletype operator. His tours included Montgomery, Ala.,
Oson, Korea, and Biggs Air Force Base in El Paso. Louis
married Betty Pomeroy June 18, 1964. They settled in San
Antonio and raised three children: Cathy Sue, Cindy Lea and
Richard Henry. Cathy married Perry Buff and their three
children were Lindsey, Logan and Lauren. Cindy married Kirk
Stephenson and they had a daughter, Cybill Ella. Richard is
not married. Louis was an electrician and retired from the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 60, in
San Antonio. Louis and Betty still live in San
Antonio.
Gertrude Clara Laskowski was
born Feb. 11, 1901. Gertrude helped care for her brothers and
sisters when the family lived in Gonzales. Gertrude grew to be
taller then her father. She was very strong, but gentle and
sweet and loved to laugh. She worked in the fields and planted
vegetable gardens with her brothers. She could do the work of
two men. Gertrude attended Dug Springs (Lone Star)
schoolhouse, located four miles south of Bandera with her
brother Paul. She learned to speak and read English. She
taught her mother and father to speak English and taught her
brothers Ted and Vincent what she learned in school. Gertrude
took care of the finances for the family farm. She was famous
for her chicken and dumplings and apple pies. Father Peter
Boivin married Gertrude and Joseph Arthur Kalka March 17, 1922
in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. They moved to Boerne and
built their rock home. In 1965, Gertrude and Joseph adopted
Karen and Larry Laskowski, children of Gertrude's younger
bother Leo, who had died. Gertrude died Oct. 2, 1982. Joseph
Arthur had diabetes and both his legs were amputated. Joseph
died in a nursing home in Boerne on March 3, 1996, five months
before his 100th birthday. Gertrude and Joseph were both
buried in
Boerne.
| |
Felix Laskowski
Family
Part
Two
by Elenora Dugosh
Goodley
Published Oct. 6, 2005
|
Picture taken
in the late 1950s of Leo Laskowski and Frank Laskowski
(Brothers)
Wedding day
of Theodor (Ted) Laskowski and Rosa Adamietz. L-R, Paul
Laskowski (brother), Ted, Rosa, and Hedwig
Adamietz.
Catherine
Agnes Laskowski and Hubert Dugosh taken on August 19,
1931.
Sophie
Laskowski Mazurek holding her doll and her sister's
Catherine's doll. Taken about 1926.
| Vincent Alexander Laskowski was born
Jan. 21, 1903. As a young boy, he helped his father and
brother work in the fields. Vincent did not attend school and
was educated by his older sister, Gertrude. He was a kind man,
always had a smile on his face and loved to laugh. He worked
with his brothers as a carpenter in construction and was
always willing to lend a helping hand to a neighbor or friend.
He was everyone's "Uncle Vincent." Vincent charmed all the
single girls in Bandera. He never married and lived with his
sister, Gertrude, in his later years. Vincent died in 1986 in
Boerne. He was buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery.
Paul John Laskowski was born
Jan. 23, 1905. As a young boy, Paul helped his dad on the
farm. He helped the family move from Gonzales to Bandera
County when he was 14. Paul went to Dug Springs School. He
learned the carpentry trade and started his own business of
repairing houses. Paul met Beatrice Rose Jureczk, the love of
his life, in Bandera. He was several years older than Beatrice
and had to do a lot of talking to get her mother and father to
let him court her. With his kind ways, a box of Valentine
chocolates, and wonderful smile, Paul won the approval of
Beatrice's parents. Paul and Beatrice were married July 1,
1936 in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. They bought property
across from Paul's parents farm in Bandera County and built a
small wooden house. Beatrice helped Paul with his business and
painted the interiors of many houses in Bandera and Bandera
County. In his later years, Paul was a storyteller. He told
many stories of the early days and the life he lived. Paul and
Beatrice were active members of St. Stanislaus Catholic
Church. Paul had a bad heart and died Aug. 14, 2003. Beatrice
died March 29, 2005. They were both buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery. Paul and Beatrice raised four children: Gladys Ann,
Betty Jane, Edward Paul and Gervas Thomas. All the children of
Paul and Beatrice attended St. Joseph's School and graduated
from Bandera High School. They were featured in the Jureczki
history.
Clement Laskowski was born Nov.
23, 1906. It is believed that he was a stillborn baby or died
in infancy. No death certificate has yet been found for
Clement.
Emma Laskowski was born Sept.
13, 1908. It is believed that she died in infancy or was a
stillborn baby. No death certificate has yet been found for
Emma.
Leo Anton Laskowski was born June
22, 1911. Leo was 6 years-old when his parents moved to
Bandera County. Leo also went to the Dug Springs School. He
helped his brothers and father on the farm. Leo served his
country during WW II. He was a nurse. Leo learned the
carpentry trade and worked in construction. He met and married
Fay Maurine Grover Sept. 2, 1948. They were married in St.
John's Catholic Church in Orange Grove. Leo and Fay settled in
Bandera. They lived on his parent's place, on 3rd Street, in a
converted garage. Fay was very young and tiny. They were the
parents of six children born in Bandera: Carolyn Rose, David,
Shirley, Jimmie, Larry and Karen. Leo and Fay divorced. Their
six children lived with Leo in Bandera. Leo was a good father
and loved his children. He took his sons fishing and hunting.
Leo died Dec. 31, 1964 and was buried in St. Stanislaus
Cemetery. Leo's parents and younger brother Frank cared for
his children. Larry and Karen were adopted by Leo's older
sister Gertrude and husband Arthur Kalka. The four older
children went to live with Fay's sister, Pearl Grover, in San
Antonio.
Carolyn Rose was born Sept. 11,
1949. Carolyn went to St. Joseph's School in Bandera and
attended Bandera High school. After her parents divorced,
Carolyn lived with her father and grandparents in Bandera.
When her father died, Carolyn tried to keep her brothers and
sisters, whom she loved, together. Carolyn, her two brothers
and sister, went to live with their mother's sister, Pearl
Grover, in San Antonio. Carolyn married Harold Brooks Jr. They
had a son, Harold Brooks II (little Brooks). Carolyn is
divorced and lives in San Antonio. She owns and operates a
hair salon.
David Wayne was born Nov.
25, 1950. He lived with his father and grandparents in
Bandera. David went to St. Joseph's school until his father
died. He was about 15 when he went to live with his Aunt,
Pearl Grover, in San Antonio.
Shirley
Ann was born Nov. 21,1951. Shirley attended St. Joseph's
school in Bandera. She loved her father and was greatly
saddened when he died. Shirley was 13 when she went to live
with her Aunt Pearl in San Antonio.
Jimmie Roy was born Aug. 20, 1953. Jimmie attended St.
Joseph's School. He loved listening to his Grandpa Felix tell
stories. His father died when he was only 11 years-old. Jimmie
left Bandera with his two sisters and brother to live with his
Aunt Pearl Grover in San Antonio.
Larry
was born June 3, 1956. He lived with his adopted parents in
Boerne. Larry was a member of the Boerne Boy Scout Troop #
145. He was a good student and graduated from Boerne High
School. After high school Larry left Texas and traveled
throughout the country working as a laborer. He lived in
Washington State and then settled in Florida. Larry never
married. He died in July 2004 in Florida where he was
buried.
Karen was born Oct. 5, 1957. Her
adopted parents in Boerne raised her. Karen played the piano
and participated in recitals. She graduated from Boerne High
School. After high school, Karen went to live with her brother
Larry in Florida. She married Mr. Shreve in Florida and they
had a son, Jackson. Karen divorced Mr. Shreve and later came
back to Texas with her young son. They lived in Comfort. In
1997, Karen married David Peterson in St. Stanislaus Church in
Bandera. Karen, her son Jackson and husband David settled in
Lakehills.
Catherine Agnes Laskowski was
born April 30, 1913. She was only 4 years-old when the family
made the journey from Gonzales to their home in Bandera
County. Catherine loved to play with her porcelain doll that
she got one Christmas. Catherine remembered a day when Indians
came to their house asking for food. She was very young and
scared because her father and brothers had gone to
Bandera.
Her mother Annie, with a
shotgun by her side, gave them some bread, eggs and chickens.
The Indians were pleased and left their house. Catherine was a
beautiful girl. She attended school at the Dug Springs School.
When she was old enough, her father let her ride a horse to
school. Riding a horse to school in those days was like
driving a car to school today. Sometimes she would let her
friends ride the horse after school.
Catherine married Hubert Dugosh Aug. 19, 1931 in St.
Stanislaus Church. They settled in a small house on SH 173,
south of Bandera and the Medina River. A few years after
Hubert's father Dominic died, Hubert and Catherine moved to
the Johann Dlugosz homestead. Hubert and Catherine planted
corn, maize, sugar cane, and made
molasses.
They were the parents of 13
children: Rosalie, Ignatius, Conrad, Elenora, Elizabeth,
Albina, Josephine, Loucile, Richard, Mary, Genevieve, Roy and
Danny. Rosalie died from double-pneumonia when she was 13.
Conrad lived only five months.
Catherine
developed a tumor on her spinal cord when she was 42. She lost
the use of her legs and was confined to a wheelchair for the
rest of her life. Despite this handicap, Catherine continued
to care for her children with the help of husband Hubert. She
sewed clothes and cooked meals. Catherine was an artist and
painted many pictures of the Texas Hill Country and wild
animals. Catherine's husband, Hubert, died in tragic
automobile accident Oct. 24, 1968. She lived with her son,
Roy, who cared for her until she needed special care in a
nursing home. Catherine died April 1, 1992 in San Antonio.
Hubert and Catherine were buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Ignatius, their oldest son, died from a heart attack in 2003.
The children of Catherine and Hubert attended St. Joseph's
School and graduated from Bandera High School. Most of them
live in Bandera County. The Dugosh children were featured in
the Johann Dlugosz history.
Frank Edward
Laskowski was born Oct. 1, 1917. Frank was a baby when his
family traveled from Gonzales to Bandera. He grew up in
Bandera and lived with his parents on 3rd Street. Frank
attended Dug Springs Schoolhouse. Frank was a handsome, kind
and gentle man. He served his country in World War II from
1941 to 1945 in the 171st Engineer Combat Battalion. Frank was
in the Aleutian Island battle. He received the American
Defense Service Ribbon with Bronze Star and A. P. Service
Ribbon with Bronze Star. After the war, Frank worked for the
REA Electric Company in Bandera. Later, he started his own
business, Frank's Electric Company. Frank never married. He
cared for his aging mother and father and helped raise Leo's
(his brother) children. Frank died Feb. 23, 1974. He was
buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.
Sophie Hedwig Laskowski was born May 11, 1920 in Bandera
County, where she grew up. Sophie remembers Christmas when she
was a young girl. Her mother would put the turkey in the oven
on Christmas Eve before they went to church. After church, her
mother took the turkey out of the oven and the family would
all cut a piece of the turkey and eat it. Sophie said that
this was the best turkey she ever ate. She remembers the
delicious pies her mother used to make. Sophie was sent to
live with her older sister, Catherine, so she could go to
school in Bandera. Catherine and Hubert Dugosh lived closer to
Bandera and cared for Sophie during her school years at St.
Joseph's Grammar School. She loved to go to school and
received good marks. After Catherine and Hubert moved to the
homestead of Johan Dlugosz, Sophie was unable to attend High
School and continued her education at
home.
Sophie was one of the most
beautiful girls in Bandera. Sophie helped her mother wash and
iron the family's clothes. She met Anton John Mazurek in
Bandera. Father F. S. Strobel married them Feb. 5, 1940 in St.
Stanislaus Catholic Church. It was one of the most beautiful
weddings in Bandera. Sophie and Anton settled in Bandera and
lived in a small one-room house on Anton's parents' farm.
Sophie and Anton were the parents of six children: George,
Margaret, Eleanor, Stephen, Virginia and Michael. Their son,
George, died Dec. 7, 1943 from to-mane poisoning. Stephen died
Sept. 19, 1977. Michael was stillborn Nov. 13, 1951. Anton
worked in construction. About 1950, Sophie started a laundry
business across from Stein's Clothiers on 11th Street in
Bandera. The children of Sophie and Anton were featured in the
Thomas Mazurek history. Anton died Jan. 11, 1992 and is buried
in St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Sophie is 85 and lives with her
daughter, Virginia, in Pipe Creek.
The
Laskowski family worked hard and was successful. Felix and
Annie were always willing to give a helping hand to St.
Stanislaus Catholic Church and anyone in need. Their door was
always open and there was always room at the dinner table for
one more.
| |
Ludwig Morawiets
(Moravietz) family
Part 1 of
2
by Eleanora Dugosh
Goodley
Published Sept. 15, 2005
|
Picture of
Thomas Morawietz and Frances Haiduk. Married in San
Antonio, Texas May 8, 1862
The picture
above was taken about 1912 of the Morawietz family in
front of the home of Thomas and Frances
Morawietz.
Frances
Morawietz at her 100th birthday with her favorite Lamb
Cake. Taken in 1945.
| LUDWIG MORAWIETZ (Moravietz,
Morawiec, Moravits) was born August 25, 1802 in Kamien Slaski,
Silesian Poland. His parents were Urban Morawietz and Marianna
Noparlik. Kamien Slaski is located in beautiful southern
Silesia next to a nobleman's castle. Ludwig married Marianna
Rudolf September 20, 1829 in St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in
Kamien Slaski. Marianna was also born in Kamien Slaski and was
the daughter of Sebastian Rudolf and Rosalia Grabowsky. Ludwig
and Marianna grew up together and were baptized in the same
village church (SPII). Ludwig and Marianna had eleven children
born in Poland and baptized in St. Hyacinth Catholic Church:
Joseph, Thomas, Catharina, Anna, Franzka (Franziska), Johan
Nepomucen, Lucia, Maria (1), Jacob, Maria (2), and Franz. Only
five children survived : Franzka died 14 March 1842, Johan
died 21 May 1843, Lucia died 2 5 December 1844, Maria (1) died
14 April 1846, Jacob died 27 July 1848, and Franz died 27
October 1852 (LDSM). All six children were buried in the
Kamien Slaski village in Poland. Ludwig and Marianna had heard
of many Silesian families who left Poland and settled in
Texas. With sadness in their hearts, they made the decision to
leave their homeland and come to Texas. No records have yet
been found to determine what ship they sailed on and when they
arrived in America. The Morawietz family came to Bexar County
and settled on Martinez Creek, now know as St. Hedwig,
Texas.
On September 13, 1856, records
show that Ludwig registered his cattle brand at the courthouse
in San Antonio, Texas (BCD). Afriend of Ludwig's, John
Sczodrok from Kamien Slaski, also came | | |
