52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 4 "Favorite Photo"

BALBINA KORCZ

Part of being a genealogist and researching one's own family is the opportunity to collect photos of ancestors.  The further back one goes in their research the more difficult it is to obtain photos.  If one is fortunate, photos will come from unexpected sources.

I, of course, have many photos of my parents and also many photos of my four grandparents.  I was blessed to have known all of my grandparents and while I was only 12 when my maternal grandfather passed away, I was an adult when I lost my other three grandparents.  Thus, many photos, many memories!

In the course of my 40+ years of research I have been able to uncover photos of my eight great-grandparents.  Some were easier to find than others but it is always a joy when a new photo emerges.

Going back to one's 2nd great grandparents the search is exceedingly difficult; after all there are 16 2nd great-grandparents and in my case all 16 were born either in Germany or Poland.  To make it even more difficult five of my 2nd great-grandparents stayed in their homeland and never immigrated to the US.

However, photos can emerge from the least expected source.  Such was my good fortune in being able to obtain a photo of my 2nd great-grandmother, Balbina Korcz.

I have had this genealogy blog since 2008.  In addition I do have my family tree on Ancestry.com.  Occasionally I will receive e-mails from either source when someone has come across a person in my tree that they feel is part of their tree as well.  

Some years ago I had an e-mail from a gentleman in Arizona who told me he was from the family of my 2nd great-grandmother's son from her second husband.  Together we compared our data as follows:

Balbina Korcz was born about 1828 in Poland.  

On 1 October, 1854 in Tulce, Poznan, Poland she married Thomas Kijak (1812-1865).  

Together, they had 5 children:

Michael Kijak (1855-1857)

Hedwig Kijak (1857-1920)

Joannes Albert Kijak (John) (1861-1945) - my great-grandfather

Adalbertus Kijak (1863-1871)

Laurentius Kijak (1865-1866)

Thomas Kijak passed away on 13 January, 1865 in Taniborz, Poznan, Poland.

Balbina then married a second time to Casparus (Casper) Kowalak  (1830-1900) on 10 February, 1867 in Tulce, Poznan, Poland.  She brought her three remaining children, Hedwig, John and Adalbertus, with her into her new marriage.

On 18 October, 1868, Balbina gave birth to son, Martinus (Martin) Kowalak, with new husband, Casper.  Martin would become the ancestor of my newly found correspondent from Arizona.

Eventually Balbina, Casper and son, Martin, immigrated to the US and settled in Bay City, Michigan.  At separate times Balbina's two adult children from her marriage to Thomas Kijak - Hedwig and John - immigrated as well to Bay City.

One day I had an e-mail from this Arizona correspondent and discovered he had attached a photo.  He explained that he had been visiting family in Detroit and a photo was shared with him.  He, in turn, shared the photo with me.  This was a family group photo taken in Bay City, Michigan undoubtedly in the late 1880's/early 1890's and showed Balbina and Casper Kowalak with their blended family.  

To be able to see a photo of my 2nd great-grandmother, Balbina, was an unexpected pleasure but to also see a youthful photo of my great-grandfather, John, as well as a photo of his sister, Hedwig, was really exciting.  For some reason I had always pictured Balbina as a large woman with a stern face but she was definitely not those things.  She had the loveliest and sweetest smile and I do believe my own mother inherited her personality from her great-grandmother.

I would have to call this my favorite photo as it certainly was one that I never expected to find.

Standing Back Row L-R:  John and sister, Hedwig Kijak, Martin Kowalak

Seated Front Row: Balbina Korcz Kijak Kowalak and Casper Kowalak

Bay City, Michigan

My Kijak ancestors were very short in stature and it is easy to see that John and sister Hedwig definitely had the Kijak genes.  Then there is half brother, Martin, who is obviously very tall - obviously a Kowalak trait.  Also interesting is the fact that Balbina is sweetly smiling which is not often seen in photos from that period of time.  Most photos seemed to show stern faced women - perhaps evidence of the hard life they had.

Pictures are a treasure to have but also another tool in our research.  When we are fortunate enough to find a new photo it adds to our history and brings that person to life in our thoughts.  This photo does just that! 

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 3 "Namesake"

HER NAME IS WHAT?

My maternal grandmother, Ella Kolberg Kijak, was a very talented person.  She had a wide range of interests and a loving and pleasing personality.  She also had a bit of a theatrical flair.

She was very loyal to her church, Trinity Lutheran in St. Joseph, Michigan, and took part in many of the organizations and activities there.  One of her activities was to be a member of the Ladies Aid Society.  

On more than one occasion over the years the Ladies Aid would present a little skit to the members as the entertainment for that month.  My grandmother came up with a unique presentation multiple times for this group.  

She found a men's tuxedo at a rummage sale and she would put on the tuxedo and recite the following poem to the delight of the ladies in the group.  She would also do it with a bit of a German dialect which added to the performance.  Here is her poem:

I vill tole you bout dat gal of mine

She looks so neat, she dress so fine

She came from Deutchland on the Rhine

A couple of vks ago.

She crossed de salty water sea

Und come unto America

She left her own dear Germany

Because she loves me so.

Her eyes ver blue like green

She's the sweetest ever seen

Und I love that gal completely

Und I know she loves me too.

So give me your attention

Und a couple of facts I'll mention

I vill tell you my intention

Ist to stick to her like glue.

She's got such a funny name

But she ist not to blame

It's a name dat she got from her Vater all da same.

It's Katerina, Wilhelmina, Leibensteina, Magdalena, Dinglingsbender, Hochenbenzenslager vas her name!

Her Vater he don't like me

Ven I come around he fight me

Mit a great big club he strike me

Und he hit me on de mouth.

But I love dat gal like life

I vill make dat gal my vife.

Goodness, gracious, ain't it nice

Don't you vish dat you vas me

For she ist my whole attraction

I'm as happy as can be!

Over the years I heard my grandmother recite this poem many times until I was able to memorize it and can do so to this day.

Ella Kijak playing organ

In 1993 when I made a trip to Germany to visit my brother and his family who were stationed there I remember teaching my 10 year old niece this poem as well.  

Memories - carried down from generation to generation! 

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 2 "Family Legend"

JOSEPH KIJAK

My memories of my maternal grandfather, Joseph Kijak, are limited.  I was born in St. Joseph, Michigan, where my grandparents lived, but when I was 18 months old my parents and I moved to the Detroit suburbs where I grew up.  We only came to St. Joseph once or twice a year to visit.  The memories I do have of my grandfather are of a very small man, quiet and easygoing who was always happy to have us visit.  One year he promised my younger brother that on the next visit he would take him fishing off the pier on Lake Michigan.  My brother was very excited about that but unfortunately my grandfather passed away soon after when I was just 12.

So what makes me consider my grandfather a legend in our family?  An experience he had in 1929 which could have altered his life and the lives of his family forever.

One year when I was in high school an article appeared in the Sunday "Parade" magazine that came out with the Detroit Free Press.  The cover of the magazine and accompanying story told of the anniversary of an incident involving a henchman of Al Capone, named Fred Burke.  When my mother saw the article she told me that her father, my grandfather Joseph Kijak, had had a part in the story of Fred Burke in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Al Capone???  What could my quiet, gentle grandfather have to do with Al Capone and his organization?  Much, as it turns out.

Al Capone is a well-known figure in history.  Most people of a certain generation have heard of Al Capone and perhaps studied his organization and the crimes committed by his group.  Perhaps, not so well known, was one of his henchmen, Fred "Killer" Burke.

Fred "Killer" Burke was a participant in the infamous St. Valentine's day massacre.  He then hid out in Stevensville, Michigan, the neighboring village to St. Joseph.  On December 14, 1929, in downtown St. Joseph, Fred Burke happened to be driving.  He struck a car driven by a resident, George Kool, and Mr. Kool approached the car of Mr. Burke.  Mr. Kool demanded payment for the damages to his car and an argument took place.  A police officer, Charles Skelly, approached the car and in the ensuing argument, Fred Burke picked up his revolver, fired three times at Officer Skelly and killed him.

Fred Burke then fled the downtown area of St. Joseph in an attempt to escape and soon abandoned his car after he struck a telephone pole.  When the police later found his car and registration the paperwork showed the car was registered to a "Fred Dane" who was later identified to be Fred "Killer" Burke of the Al Capone "family".

Enter my grandfather who was driving along Cleveland Avenue in St. Joseph on his way home.  While driving, my grandfather noticed a man hitchhiking.  In those days in 1929 it was not uncommon for people to frequently pick up hitchhikers (these were all country roads at the time and farmland) and my grandfather picked up this man.  He later recounted to my grandmother that they spoke briefly, the rider telling him he needed to be driven several miles down the road which my grandfather did.  At one point, near Glenlord Road and Cleveland Avenue, the rider suddenly announced "let me out here" and that was the last my grandfather saw of his hitchhiker as the man went through the farmland and disappeared from view heading toward Lakeshore Drive and Lake Michigan.  Thinking nothing of it my grandfather returned home.

When the next local newspaper came out there was the report of the shooting of Officer Skelly including a photo of the man accused of the murder - Fred "Killer" Burke.  My grandfather immediately recognized the photo as belonging to the hitchhiker he had transported days before.

Sometime later Fred Burke was arrested, convicted of multitudes of crimes and imprisoned where he later died.

Whether this incident propelled my grandfather into discontinuing driving OR whether the effects of the Great Depression had a part (they lost their farm and property in the depression), my grandfather later sold his car and never drove again.

Joseph and Ella Kijak

Over the years books have been written about Fred "Killer" Burke and his part in the history of St. Joseph.  Life as my mother knew it (she was only 4 at the time) could have been tragically different if the automobile ride my grandfather gave Fred Burke had not ended safely.

In 2014 I read in the St. Joseph newspaper that a book was being written about this incident in local history.  The book "A Killing in Capone's Playground" by local author, Chriss Lyon, was advertised to be in the process of completion.  Chriss and I connected and I shared with her my grandfather's part in these events which she included in her book after verifying that my facts matched up with the research she had undertaken.

Fred Burke's Stevensville home today?  It is still on Lakeshore Drive and Glenlord Road but is now an office of Coldwell Banker, a local realtor.  In 2019 an historical land marker was unveiled and dedicated at the location to bring history alive and pay tribute to Officer Skelly and his family.

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 1 "Beginnings"

CHARLES ERNST WELLHAUSEN

Charles Ernst Wellhausen was my 2nd great-grandfather.  While I did not know him, he was the impetus for my beginning genealogy research in the mid-1970's.

At that time my paternal grandmother was still living.  She came to visit one day and the conversation turned to HER ancestors.  I had known her mother (my great-grandmother Wellhausen) who passed away when I was 16 and I had many photos and memories of "great-grandma".  In the course of that conversation with my grandmother she talked about HER grandparents and it piqued my interest.  I was living in the same area of Michigan as her grandparents had and I decided to do some research on her grandfather.

Charles Ernst Wellhausen was born on 24 July 1833 in Alt Kentzlin, Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.  He was married on 23 March 1860 in Hohenbollentin, Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany to Christina Graumann.  They later immigrated to the US and settled in Mt. Clemens, Michigan in Macomb County.  He passed away there in Mt. Clemens on 13 April 1909.

At the outset of my research, of course, I did not know all the above information.  I did visit the cemetery where he is buried and was able to learn some basic dates.  It was, though, during a visit to a local library that I uncovered an extraordinary book that referred to Charles Ernst Wellhausen.

In the St. Clair Shores library in Macomb County there was an 11" x 14" hard cover book that was for sale.  It had been advertised in the local newspaper and I went there on a whim to see the book.  The book was entitled "1859 Wall Map, 1875 Atlas Map, 1895 Atlas of Macomb County, Michigan".  In looking through the 1895 Atlas section I found something that excited me.  This section included a page by page listing of 15 local residents' farms or businesses with small pictures of the husband and wife on the top of each page.  In that section I found a page titled "Residence of Charles Wellhausen, Section 20, Clinton Township".

Charles Wellhausen home and farm, 1895,

Clinton Township, Michigan

Needless to say I purchased the book.  I'm not sure anymore how much the cost was but probably no more than $20 or $25.  I remember taking the book and driving to my grandmother's apartment where I showed her the photos and asked her "is this your grandfather Wellhausen" to which she concurred it was, adding "my grandfather looked like one of the Smith brothers from the Smith brothers cough drop company"!

Not only did I now have photos of both Charles and Christina Wellhausen but I had an actual photo of their farm and home as well as the location.  It was a very exciting find and a great way to start my genealogical journey.

In more recent years I have learned that the Wellhausen home is still standing although over the years the farm property was sectioned off and more homes were built.  I have had contact with the family now owning the home and there are many similarities in its appearance today to the way it was in the 1890's.

Former Home of Charles Wellhausen, Moravian Drive, Clinton Township, Michigan, 2016

I believe that Charles Wellhausen would be pleased that the home he had in the 1890's is still standing, in good condition, today.

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte 

A New Year - 2021

It has been over 4 years since I last posted on this blog.  Where have the years gone? Time seems to slip by faster since I retired, and while I always said that I would focus 100% on my genealogy after retirement, that isn't always possible.

Life does interfere with the best laid plans.  In these last 4 years I have had many "life" situations.  My mother, who had lived with me for 20 years, became ill and I cared for her during her final months.  During those 11 months we moved to a more appropriately situated home that would be suitable for her restrictions.  My career as a home based medical transcriptionist was slowing down with the advent of "Electronic Medical Records" and I contemplated retirement earlier than I had planned.  Life was hectic and stressful.  I lost my mother when she was 91 and a week later a very close friend also passed away from cancer.

As the months went by, retirement, budget planning, moving again to a smaller home and other stresses were evident.  It has taken some time to settle into a new life and a new home.

I have been considering getting back to blogging and have determined to put this into action starting today.  Even though I haven't been blogging in the last 4 years I have continued my research and have made some tremendous genealogical discoveries which will be excellent material for future blog posts.

I am sure by now I have lost all my followers (though I can always depend on my cousins, Roy Kolberg and TK Sand, to graciously follow my posts) though I'll have to write them to remind them of their obligation!!

Starting today I am going to take part in a genealogy challenge entitled "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks".  Each week I will select an ancestor and write a post about him/her.  I may include a photo or two, a document or just a small bit of information about this ancestor.

I'm excited about starting this challenge.

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte