CategoriesCemeteriesTombstone Tuesday

Tombstone Tuesday: Olivine Laurent

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Click for larger version

This week’s tombstone is that of my 3rd great-grandmother, Olivine Marie (St. Louis) Laurent. Olivine was born in Yamachiche, St. Maurice, Quebec, Canada in 1835 to Ephraim and Marie (Manseau) St. Louis. She married my 3rd great-grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Laurent in 1857 and then immigrated to Outagamie County, Wisconsin in 1860. Olivine was the first school teacher in Phlox, Wisconsin.  The school is now torn down.

I am grateful to the volunteer who took these photos for me via RAOGK a few years ago. I do plan on making a trip up north to visit this area. Many generations of my family from my maternal grandmother’s side lived and died up in the Outagamie and Langlade County area.

The headstone is located in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Norwood, Langlade County, Wisconsin. I have uploaded the information to Find-a-Grave.

CategoriesMilwaukeePolishTell Me ThursdayZalewski

Tell Me Thursday

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Click for larger image

Wordless Wednesday’s Photo is labeled “trokas&szultas” in my list. Unfortunately, when I first scanned a few photos from my grandmother, I didn’t label them very well. Though, it was probably labeled something like that in the album itself. There are only two people I think I can pick out. My great-grandfather, Joseph Zalewski, in the middle of the back row and my great-great-grandmother, Clara (Szulta) Troka, third from the left in the middle row. I’m hoping to meet with my grandma and maybe go over some of these photos and see if she knows who they may be.

CategoriesCemeteriesThielkeTombstone Tuesday

Tombstone Tuesday: Johann Thielke

Johann Thielke
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The headstone this week is from my great-great grandfather, Johann THIELKE. Johann was born on 26 Oct 1843 in Württemberg, Germany. He married my great-great grandmother, Wilomene “Minnie” RATHKE on 21 June 1891 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That marriage date makes him 47 when he married Minnie and she was married previously. This makes me wonder if Johann was previously married also, but I have yet to find any evidence of this. Johann passed away on 24 Apr 1927 in Grafton, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. He was buried at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Grafton. Below is an image on the back of his headstone with some German writing. I can’t make it out, but if any of you can, let me know what you think it says.

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Click for larger image

[ Johann Thielke’s Information | Find-a-Grave Entry ]

CategoriesTell Me Thursday

Tell Me Thursday

Wordless WednesdayWordless Wednesday’s photo is a picture of my grandfather Richard Zalewski (in the back) and my great-great grandparents, Joseph & Clara (Szulta) Troka. I don’t have a date down for it, but I assume it’s sometime in the 1950s. Clara passed away in 1959 at the tough ol’ age of 83. Joseph died in on New Year’s Day in 1962 at the age of 90. He probably would have lived much longer, but he was hit by a drunk driver on his way to church in Milwaukee. You can read an excerpt from the newspaper article on my family tree site. Both Clara and Joseph were born in the Poland area and immigrated to the United States. They were married in Milwaukee in 1894.

CategoriesCemeteriesGermanTombstone Tuesday

Tombstone Tuesday: Augusta Last

Augusta (Luedtke) Last
Augusta (Luedtke) Last

Headstone of Augusta Johanna Wilkelumire (Luedtke) Last. She wins for having the longest name of my ancestors and for living the longest. Augusta died just shy of two weeks past her 100th birthday. I posted about an article in the local paper mentioning her 100th birthday.

The headstone is located in Union Cemetery in Port Washington, Ozaukee Co., Wisconsin. It’s also near her husband and also some of her children and extended family.

[Link to headstone on Find-a-Grave]