Bio: Herrick, Jack & Anna

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Herrick, Horacek, Pintar, Petkovsek, Linde, Hollowell, Steward, Jelercic, Malnar, Dolence, Cesnik, Kirn, Snedic, Routar, Webber, Murphy, Turner, Hawley, Smith, Noah, Yartz

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Jack Herrick was born in Mrkupalj in Croatia, on July 27, 1879. The name was Horacek. There were nine brothers. Jack came to America on July 4, 1900. He arrived at what is now Ellis Island in New York. Jack at first settled in Pennsylvania and worked there as a ditch digger.

As he ran out of work, he migrated from one part of the United States to another. He worked in Texas where he made barrel staves. He then moved on to Kentucky where he worked in the coal mines.

Jack saved his money and was later able to buy a ticket for his brother, Peter, to come to America. When Peter arrived in America, he walked around New York carrying his satchel with all his worldly goods. Someone directed him as to what to do to get to his brother who was now living in Kentucky.

Walking around the city, he spotted a fruit stand and what he thought was beautiful apples. Reaching for this "apple", someone stopped him as Peter thought this fruit was free. He then paid for the "apple" and sat in the street to eat it. His first bite he spat out as it was not the apple he expected but was his first encounter with a "tomato" which Peter had never tasted before.

Jack and Peter lived together in West Mineral, Kansas. Jack there met Anna Pintar who was born April 3, 1885 and who also arrived in Kansas to live with her brother from Crni Lug. She was then sixteen years old and came to help her sister-in-law with the house work and to help with the boarders.

Jack and Anna were married July 26, 1902 in West Mineral, Kansas. Mary Yartz was their bridesmaid who also moved to this area. Mary Yartz and Jack and Anna remained best of friends for their entire lifetime. It was noted in 1952, when the Herricks celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, Mary Yartz and Jack Herrick did the polka.

There were six children born in Kansas. Anna, who later married Andrew Petkovsek, lives in Peoria, Illinois, Joe married Myrtle Linde and lives in St. John's, Newfoundland. Eva married David Hollowell from Reno, Nevada. They now live in Greenwood. Mary is married to Philip Steward and lives in Santa Monica, California. Jack married Emma Jelercic and lives in Afton, Min¬nesota. Florian married Marcella Scherer and lives in Colby.

About this time Mr. Herrick saw an ad in the Croation paper about all the good land in Wisconsin. Mr. John Dolence, Mr. George Malnar, and Mr. Herrick came to Willard to look at the land with Mr. Cesnik. He bought 60 acres of land at $13.00 per acre in February 1914. The men purchased this land and when they arrived back in Kansas the wives were anxious to hear about where theif land was. The men tended to evade the questions as they had hoped to be next door neighbors but were spread apart.

In April 1914, Dolences, Malnars, Herricks and Mrs. Malnar's brother Jack, and Jack Herrick's younger sister Apolonia arrived by train to Willard. Mr. Cesnik had a large building (one room) where they all cooked and slept. After a few days we moved to John Kirns which is now the Mima Dolina (Peaceful Valley) owned by John Snedic and family.

A small house was constructed as temporary living quarters until the land was cleared and the crops were in. A house was built later the same year.

Happy Routar built the basement and Anton Debevec Sr. built the house. In March 1915 Frances was born in Willard. The baby was delivered by Franca Jelercic.

Fran married Dean Murphy. They live in Marshall, Il¬linois. Charlie married Millie Webber and lives in Green¬wood.

Edward married Hazel Turner and lives in Bossier City, Louisiana. Lucille married Harold Hawley. They have retired and live in Greenwood. Donna married Oliver Smith and is in St. Paul. Bob married Marian Kirn and lives on the original Herrick farm. Joan lives in Green¬wood and is married to Dick Noah.

Mr. Herrick worked in Illinois in the coal mines during the winter months to help supplement their income for five years. Franca Jelercic was mid-wife for the Herrick children and Mrs. Herrick did the mid-wife duties for the Jelercics and other neighbors.

The land was brush and stones. These pioneers cleared the land and made it what it is today. When Mr. Herrick was hauling furniture that had arrived from Kansas, the mules suddenly stopped on the road. Mr. Herrick could not get them to go. He then investigated the cause and found a large pine snake stretched across the entire road the size of a stove pipe.

There were also many forest fires and in the 1918-1919's thousands of acres were burned northwest of the Herrick farm. The smoke, it was told, was so thick that the residents and the horses both had to wear dampened gunny sacks around their heads so they were able to breathe. These fires continued off and on until around the 1930's at which time a fire tower was erected and since this time there were very few forest fires. The burnt land produced many blueberries. It was told that the people were able to pick berries by the milk can full at a time.

Jack Herrick passed away on December 27, 1965 and Anna passed away on February 3, 1974.

We will always remember the lessons in life that they taught us.

Marian Herrick