Regina Lucille Lorbetske

Aunt Lucille was born on November 9, 1913 in Bevent Wisconsin - she was the fifth child born to Frank and Amelia and the fourth daughter.

Like most of the children of farmers - as soon as she was old enough to help on the farm she did so....probably helping with chickens and the garden - maybe with the cleaning and laundry - farm kids learned how to work at an early age.

Lucille and Clara

By 1933 Lucille and her older sister Clara were working at the Hotel Wausau and living at 911 6th Street.  In 1930 Lucille's older sister Bertha married Omar Delonay - and it is rather likely that it was through Bertha that Lucille met Omar's younger brother Milton.

February 12, 1934

Lucille and Milton were married at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Wausau Wisconsin - it was in Wausau where they remained for the rest of their lives.  Milton worked and Lucille raised their family - which quickly grew to 8 children - one of Milton and Lucille's daughters - Anne died in infancy.

Taken at Christmas in 1949 - this photo does not include their youngest son - Milton yet to be born

Neupert Avenue must have been a busy place !!!

In later years after Lucille  'married off' all those kids - she found a new passion - she served as a crossing guard for the neighbor children and not only was she diligent in her duties - she was darn proud of how she protected the kids on their way to and from school.

Grandpa and Grandpa Lorbetske lived a short walk to the east of Milton and Lucille - they lived in a big house which they no longer needed in their older years.  So Frank and Amelia wanted to build a smaller, more functional home to live in - they 'found' a spot of land that was owned by Milton and Lucille and they built their new home there - on Delonay Street !!  

For us that didn't live in Schofield we don't know what it was like - but with Grandpa and Grandma, Lucille and Milton, Carl and Esther, Emmy and Joe and Lucille's daughter Yvonne and husband Norman all living within a stone's throw of each other it must have been cool !!!

Aunt Lucille died in 2001 and is buried in St Joseph's Cemetery in Wausau Wisconsin.  

By the numbers.....

Frank and Amelia had 16 children - 14 of which lived to adulthood and married - those 14 marriages resulted in 67 grandchildren.

I am fairly certain that none of those 67 grandchildren will be having anymore children....so.....those 67grandchildren produced 151 great granchildren.

Now this is where it gets a bit murky because it is more than likely that I do NOT know all the information I need to know to have an accurate count...so the best I can do is those 151 great-grandchildren have produced 172 great great grandchildren...with more to come.

So far, to the best of my knowledge those 172 great great grandchildren have produced 17 great great great children - and they are just getting started....lol

The following is a breakdown of what I know or what I think I know....

Bertha      9 children   33 grandchildren     41 ggrandchildren       12 gggrandchildren
Clara        4                   7                             4                                   0
Lucille      8                 26                           37                                  1
Rose         4                 12                           14                                  0
Pauline     7                   9                           13                                  4
Matilda     3                  4                              2                                  0
Anton        6                11                           12                                   0
Raymond  9                 24                           24                                   0
Eleanor     4                   6                             9                                   0
Emmy       4                   7                             5                                  0
Harry        4                   7                            11                                  0
Evelyn      2                   3                              0                                  0
Earlyne     3                   2                              0                                  0

               67                  151                         172                                17

Ok....so now if you look at each of your own families and I have numbers wrong - that means I do not have the correct information so PLEASE holler at me

Frank Lorbiecki - Amelia Dallman

October 28 1905, Bevent Wisconsin, St Ladislaus Church

Carl Lorbetski - Esther Wysocki

August 20, 1955, Mosinee Wisconsin, St Paul's Church

Omar Delonay - Bertha Lorbetske

July 19, 1930. Wausau Wisconsin, St Mary's Church

Edwin Nehring - Terese Clara Lorbetske

December 26, 1935, Rhinelander Wisconsin, St Joseph's Church

Milton John Delonay - Regina Lucille Lorbetske

February 14, 1934, Rhinelander Wisconsin, St Joseph's Church

Peter John Stefonek - Rose Mary Lorbetske 

September 7, 1936, Sugar Camp Wisconsin, St Kunegunda's Church

Clements Kunda - Pauline Lorbetske 

September 21, 1933, Sugar Camp Wisconsin, St Kunegunda's Church

Julius Emmett Philipp - Matilda Frances Lorbetske

September 27, 1941, Rhinelander Wisconsin, St Joseph's Church

Anton Lorbetske - Philomena C Kunda

January 20, 1940, Sugar Camp Wisconsin, St Kunegunda's Church

Raymond Michael Lorbetske - Rayona Arlene Jolin

June 15, 1946, Oshkosh Wisconsin, St Mary's Church

Loren Dale Eckert - Eleanor Lorbetske

June 1, 1946, Wausau Wisconsin, St James' Church

Joseph Guy Pigeon - Emelia Lorbetske

October 4, 1947, Wausau Wisconsin, St James' Church

Edward Harry Lorbetske - Lorraine Mary Louise Eckert

June 5, 1948, Milwaukee Wisconsin, St Anthony's Church

Dale Herbert Wendorf - Evelyn Eva Lorbetske

May 20, 1950, Wausau Wisconsin, St James' Church

John Joseph Connolly - Earlyne Margaret Lorbetske 

August 11, 1956, Rothschild Wisconsin, St Therese's Church

Aunt Clara the fourth child born to Frank and Amelia was born on Oct 16 1911.  1911 – the Model A was 3 years old and the Titanic wouldn’t sink until the following spring – Women wouldn’t be allowed to vote until Clara was 8 years old – well except maybe in Chicago where voting laws were always just advisory.  Terese Clara was 17 years old when the world was thrown into the Great Depression. 

In the middle of that Depression Aunt Clara married Edwin Nehring; the day after Christmas in 1935 they exchanged vows at St James Church in Rhinelander. 

By the time World War II began they were living in Wausau – both working at the Wausau Hotel.  They had four children – all born in Wausau.  Eventually they moved to Three Lakes, at first in town just as County A comes into town from the west, and then out on Hwy 32 – past the Northernaire (they both worked there) – I do not know the address – but what I do know is that this house was OUR DISNEYWORLD.

We weren’t lucky enough to be able to travel when we were kids.  There weren’t trips to the Dells and certainly not to Disney or the beach, but we went ‘up north’ a lot and I wouldn’t exchange those trips to the cottage for anywhere else.  The wonders of the lake and the woods and the family we visited while we were kids is cherished to this day.  The treks to the many weddings when we were kids – well those were our always anticipated.

But, on top of all that, the day we would visit Aunt Clara was a treat – the deer and then the opportunity to ride the horses was very special.  Cousin Frank was in his glory showing us the horses and getting them ready for us ‘city slickers’ to ride – a trip to Dairy Queen was usually on the agenda as Frank would always want to take us there. 

Aunt Clara was always sweet and kind – and always made us feel special.  Aunt Clara died in 1996.

Amelia Dallman Lorbetske

I have been thinking of this day for awhile - and I have been struggling with my thoughts about Grandma.  I really didn't know her all that well.

Like so many of us we only saw Grandma a couple of days a year - she didn't really care to go 'up north' or as she put it - "The Sticks" so I would only see her around her birthday or maybe that time between Christmas and New Year's and then for a week or so when us Eckert's  'invaded' the Pigeon home !!!

Amelia was born in 1888 in Bevent Wisconsin.  Her father Vincent died the previous spring, so obviously she never knew him.  Her Mom, Emelia held the farm together with the help of relatives.

Amelia met and married a young man named Frank Lorbiecki on October 28, 1905 at St Ladislaus Church in Bevent.  Everyone reading this knows the results of that marriage.

If you don't know SOMEONE in this picture you clearly found the wrong blog.....lol  Grandma, clearly did not have the word "headache" in her vocabulary.  As the Lorbiecki's were farmers, I often wonder what would have happened if a few more boys were born amongst those early children. Farmers needed boys (sorry to you feminists) to work the farm - that said I am certain that the girl's did work this farm - they had to.

In the early 1930's Frank moved the family to Sugar Camp - to say the least Amelia was NOT happy...somehow Grandma was a 'city girl' - I have no clue where that came from, unless it was from stories her Mother must have told her about life in Germany. So, before Grandma would agree to go she was promised that this living "in the sticks" would only last 10 years.  Grandpa, along with help from WWII kept his promise.

Grandpa and Grandma first moved to a farm they rented just off of Pine Lake Road (where the turn in the road heads straight south - just west of the land on Haven (Mud) Lake.  They then moved to the farm above at the end of Rolling Acres Drive.  Pauline and Clements bought this farm when Frank and Amelia moved to Milwaukee.

Social Security was 'invented' in 1935 and in order to collect benefits a person had to work a certain number of 'quarters' to be eligible for benefits upon retirement.  So with that, and the need for workers to support the War Effort, Grandpa and Grandma moved to Milwaukee for work.  I believe Grandma was very happy with this arrangement and Grandpa?  I cannot imagine how much a fish out of water Grandpa was in the 'big city'

They moved back to Wausau - first living on the north side of Wausau and then to Ferge Street and finally Delonay Avenue.

The above is the house I remember as a kid -  Uncle Joe and Aunt Emmy living in the house (not in this picture yet) just to the north - and then Uncle Carl and Aunt Esther living there after Emmy and Joe moved just to the east on Normandy Street.  Yvonne and Norman living just to the south of them. Uncle Milton and Aunt Lucille living a short walk away on Neupert Avenue - it was the center of the Lorbetske Empire !!!  Such fun.

But, what do I remember of Grandma as a person - truthfully not very much...I remember having to be well behaved, especially inside that house.  I am sure that the Pigeon and Delonay kids have a clearer picture of what Grandma was like - and hopefully they will make comments.   I always thought Grandma was stern - but then again I was probably naughty as all heck and needed to be 'reminded' often...lol

Pictures I have of her are mostly serious with few smiles - that was probably more a 'thing' - as most pictures I have of her generation across many families show a more serious side to everything. The pictures show me a very proud woman - who was quite comfortable in her skin.

I guess in retrospect, to me Grandma was an icon - she 'mothered' the Greatest Generation and for that she was and is to be revered.

Please - Please - Please add comments with your own thoughts below in the comment section - use the Anon button if you don't have a google account...but please sign so we know who you are....lol

So....what's in a name??

Lukasz Rolbiecki was born in Poland around 1786 - he married Ewa and they had 5 children - all of which maintained their proper last name - Rolbiecki.

However, in 1859 whilst Anton (Lukasz' son) was travelling  to the USA - someone decided to throw the letters of his name in a dice cup and what came out was Lorbiecki.  Anton's brother Peter who followed 3 years later to the US - well he decided to keep his name Rolbiecki, as did his descendants.

So as early as 1862 we have both Rolbiecki's and Lorbiecki's living in the United States.

Anton's son also named Anton was born as a Rolbiecki but died as a Lorbiecki - all of his children were Lorbiecki's at birth.

But, the Lorbiecki's apparently had a penchant for change as by 1895 Land Record records indicate Anton now as Lorbecke, and when his son Frank married the name morphed to Lorbetski.

The name again changed to Lorbetske - and only Frank and Amelia's eldest, Carl maintained that name the remainder of his life.  His brother Anton also used the Lorbetski name but eventually changed it to Lorbetske.

Anton (Frank's father) had a brother August - some of his children changed their name to Lorbeck.

It may be interesting to note that these name changes didn't require going to the Courthouse or anything like that...all one had to do is just start using their new name.

First names weren't immune - apparently the eldest daughters of Frank and Amelia, namely Bertha and Clara 'changed' many of the names of their siblings....hence we have Aunt Clara who was born Terese - Lucille who's first name was actually Regina - Harry was actually Edward and Earlyne who was called Margaret -  she actually had it added to her name legally prior to getting married.

All of this makes for an 'interesting' challenge when trying to sort out who was who back 'in the day'.

The Rolbiecki's weren't an anomaly - there are Dahlmann's - Dahlman's - Dallmann's - Dallman's; Stefoneck's - Stepaniak's - Stefonick's and Stefonek's.

One short anecdote - Aunt Earlyne, Aunt Evelyn and Gwen Nehring travelled to Poland and while there they had a driver take them to the ancestral town of our ancestors.  The driver stopped to ask a pedestrian for information on the family name - as luck would have it they were excitedly transported to a home of relatives of ours.  Through tortured translating they were taken to the local cemetery where they were shown the grave marker of a "Rolbiecki"  - confusion set in - but the 'locals' were insistent they were in the right place - Aunt Earlyne for one was not happy !!!  She just couldn't believe that her last name was once something else....

                                                 Emelia Mathilde Klawitter (1850-1928)

Emelia was born to Karl and Wilhelmine Klawitter in Konitz, Germany.  Konitz was a small town located about halfway between Berlin and Frankfurt.

On her trips into the market district of Konitz she met the son of a local shopkeeper - Vincent Dallman.  Sometime during the late 1870's Vincent and Emelia were married and they had their first two children - William and Marianne.

Europe, especially Germany and France were entangled in war - does anything ever change.  Two of Emelia's brothers fought for the Germans in the Franco-Prussian War.  After their service they both decided to leave for the United States arriving in 1873.  In addition, two of Vincent's brothers also decided to emigrate to the United States in the early 1870's.  It was easy then for both Emelia and Vincent to want to also leave for the USA.

What was happening in the USA after the Civil War helped motivate many Europeans to come to America.  The Homestead Act of 1863 promised virtually free land - 160 acres!!! - to anyone who wanted to farm the land.  160 acres must have sounded like a Kingdom to those living in Europe. And so, with the dream of the promised land many - including the Dallman's and Klawitter's set sail for America.

It was on this ship that Emelia and Vincent and their two young children sailed from Hamburg to New York City.  Upon arrival in New York they made their way to Wisconsin - settling in Marathon County.

There they build their lives farming.  Vincent's two brothers lived nearby and they would help each other when the need arose.  Emelia and Vincent had three more children - Theophilus (Charles) Francis and Amelia.

Vincent died in April of 1888 - Amelia was born in October of that year, sadly she never knew her father.  As an aside her husband to be - Frank Lorbetske's mother died shortly after he was born.  I often wonder if the fact that they each lost a parent at such an early age isn't what drew them together.

Emelia relied heavily on her two brother-in-laws to help with the farm - William her eldest was only 10 when Vincent died - and he could only do so much.  Helped by her family and the entire community - that is what folks did back then - the farm continued.  A young man who lived nearby also worked on the farm - a guy named Frank - we all know how that turned out.

Emelia was quite resourceful, it seems a businessman had moved into the area and was trying to start convince the local population that they needed to start using his product to build their homes - brick. Emelia apparently talked this man into GIVING her the bricks to build her new home - he then could show anyone interested what a grand house he had built - quite the lady.

Her sons now old enough to work the farm life went on in Bevent.  Each of her children married in the early 1900's and went on to work their own farms - only Frank did not farm he moved to Seattle Washington and became a police officer.

Emelia did all she could to stay connected to her family - both her children and her brothers - making trips visit them when she could afford.

In 1928 Emelia died - she is buried in St Ladislaus Cemetery in Bevent Wisconsin

Note:  There are two books written by family members - Aunt Emmy wrote a short historical account of the Dallman/Lorbetske's and Yvonne Delonay Madden wrote a novel entitled Emelia.  Check with your parents/grandparents to see if they have a copy of Aunt Emmy's book that you might be able to borrow....as to Yvonne's book, if you are interested let me know and I can get you in touch with her daughter.

                                                         Happy Birthday Aunt Evelyn !!!

This picture was taken in 1929 and is one of the very few pictures I have of Aunt Ev when she was young - this seems to be a normal phenomenon the further down the line from the oldest son or daughter the less pictures there are - check your own 'files'

Aunt Evelyn had a rather eventful arrival - when born she was not expected to survive - THANK GOD she did !!!  From best I could tell from hearing a few stories  she was a 'blue' baby.

Evelyn was the second to last child of Frank and Amelia Lorbetske that survived to adulthood - her one 'little' sister was Earlyne - the two of them had a bond that lasts to this day - even though Aunt Earlyne is no longer with us - I bet there isn't a day, heck an hour, goes by that Aunt Ev and Aunt Earlyne are 'together'.

Aunt Evelyn met her future husband Dale Wendorf - thanks to the 'efforts' of Tony Delonay - Omar's son.  Tony introduced a lot of our future Uncles to our Aunts...I swear he was on retainer from Grandpa Frank to get those girl's married off !!!   So welcome Uncle Joe, Uncle John and Uncle Dale.

Ev and Dale married in Schofield Wisconsin in 1950 and  then moved to Milwaukee where they lived and worked until they moved to the Hartford area.  Shortly after their new home was finished they gave us two of our youngest cousins Dean and Kim.

Aunt Ev holds a very special place in my heart she was and is one of the most generous people I have ever known.  From when a 12 year old kid would sell her the school fundraising candy bars that got caught in the spokes of his bike, to the lending of the money to buy his first car, she was always there.  But money was nothing compared to what she 'gives' everyday to her children and family.  She gives her all in selfless devotion.

As I write she is living with my Mom - words can't describe what she does for her and the tears make typing this impossible....Aunt Evelyn is Love - pure and simple.

Percy Delbert Generous

Percy was born on this date in 1901 - he was the first cousin of Omar and Milton Delonay.  Percy enlisted in the US Navy and by the time of World War II he was a Lieutenant Commander.

On 21 Jan 1945 aboard the USS Hancock, a Ticonderoga Class Aircraft carrier, Percy was killed along with 50 other sailors.  He was later buried at sea.

Pauline Lorbetske

Can you imagine making bread and rolls - yes from scratch - every Saturday night for over 40 years....

As was often the case during deer hunting season, I would try and visit as many of my Aunts and Uncles as I had time for, in retrospect, I wish I had MADE more time for that.

When visiting my Aunt Pauline one Saturday night - she was busy in the kitchen making bread - teased her about just going to Trig's but she would have none of that !!  Throughout the course of talking about bread she reported that she has been making  bread and rolls on Saturday night for over 40 years....at the time that didn't sink in....upon reflection,  since that day I think of the love and dedication she must have had for her family - like so many others she could have easily have made that trip to Trig's.  But she didn't as that would have not made sense to her.

Pauline Lorbetske was born on this date in 1916 - Europe was embroiled in WWI, women in the USA had to earned the right to vote, there were 48 States and in a few years the Great Depression was about to engulf the country. Pauline was born in Bevent Wisconsin the seventh child of Frank and Amelia.  Sometime in the early 1930's her parents moved to Sugar Camp Wisconsin where she met and then married Clements Kunda on the 21st of December 1933 at St Kunegunda's Church.

The Kunda's lived in southern Vilas County for a few short years.  As WWII was starting Pauline and Clements bought the family farm on the end of Rolling Acres Drive from her father Frank.

Pauline and Clem had 6 children.  After farming they moved to Mill Lake, at the end of Mill Lake Road; an area which became "Kundaville" (my words) as most of their children also built houses there.

Aunt Pauline died in 2006 and is buried in St Kunegunda's Cemetery - she was survived by her 6 children, 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Like a lot of folks - we own an IPOD, and I keep ours on 'shuffle' - always amusing to hear a song by Ozzy followed up by the Benedictine Monks only to get Willie Nelson next.

Routine has us waking up, easing (and I do MEAN easing) into the day - first the coffee pot and then the Ipod shuffle and then the laptop...."so what?"  right ...lol

This morning the IPOD took us to Neil Diamond - don't know which album but it didn't matter - Neil Diamond always takes my mind to Earlyne Margaret Lorbetske.  Aunt Earlyne 'loved' Neil Diamond - albeit she indeed had LOTS of 'loves'.

Anyone who ever visited Aunt Earlyne's house in Huntsville Alabama soon came to realize that she had a passion for lots of things - did I say LOTS of things.  Aunt Earlyne didn't just casually do anything - she absorbed it, she lived it, she loved it.

So thanks to my IPOD and your shuffle for making me reflect, if even briefly, on one of my favorite people.

Going to give this a shot - hopefully I can stick with it.  My intention is to try and post a little more detail than a facebook post.  Also I would like to relate anecdotal items - funny, interesting and no doubt some sad stories.  We shall see how it goes