Bio: Lesar, Frank & Frances

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lesar, Smolc, Cesnik, Morgal, Florence, Pearson, Lunka, Francel, Champa, Kosmosky, Koschak, Fazio, Govek, Bogdonovich, Ojala

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Frank Lesar was born in Grahovo near Cerknica, Slovenia March 20, 1871. His father was a wholesale wine dealer. His mother died when he was quite young and the father re-married. Frank and his sister Mary had to leave home to make a living for themselves. Frank was hired by a man who operated a saw mill. It was heavy work but he was healthy and strong and often told how he enjoyed working in the woods.

Like most young men in Slovenia he was inducted into the army. After serving his term he decided to go to America. He came to Ely, Minnesota in 1893. For about four months he was unable to find work. Finally, he was hired as a laborer at the Chandler iron ore mine and was paid 75C for ten hours of labor.

Frances Smolc was born in Dolenje Laze near Ribnica, Slovenia on April 10, 1870. At an early age she was apprenticed to a seamstress. In return for her apprenticeship, she took care of the young children in the family. Also she would have to rise early in the morning to took rutabagas and turnips for the hogs and care for the cows before going to school.

Frank and Frances were acquainted in Slovenia. In the summer of 1892 Frank sent her money for the fare to America. The ocean crossing took 30 days and the weather during much of that trip was stormy. Many of the passengers had fish for their meals and the smell of the fish combined with the rocking ship made her deathly sick. For many years she could not eat fish.

On November 10, 1895 they were married in St. Anthony's church in Ely. They lived in Ely for 16 years. He worked in the mines and she sewed, making wedding dresses for many Slovenian brides in Ely. She also took in boarders. They had several cows and sold whatever milk was not used by the family.


Eight children were born in Ely: Frank, Mary, John, Frances, Joe, Anna and two daughters who died in infancy. In 1903 Frances's mother came from Jugoslavia to live with them. She was very homesick and arrangements were made for her return but the grandchildren had become so attached to her that she changed her mind and remained with them until her death on June 26, 1930.

After the first few years, conditions improved somewhat. Lodges were organized, mostly for insurance purposes but they also united them socially. In spite of the language barrier, they communicated well with neighbors of other nationalities. The neighbors next door, Pearsons, were especially well liked by the children. After the Ladies Aid meetings, Mrs. Pearson would fill a basket with cakes and other goodies and hang it over the Lesar fence. The children were on the lookout for these treats - fancy bakeries were rare, but then, Elmer Pearson couldn't get his fill of Lesar's corn bread.

A registered nurse, Mrs. Florence was a close friend of Frances giving her much nursing information. Frank was a member of the Slovenian men's choral group which sang for many local events.

Many injuries and deaths occurred in the mines and Frank also was injured in a cave-in. When he heard of land for sale in Wisconsin he decided it would be a better life for him and his family. He bought 60 acres of land from N.C. Foster at $17.00 an acre through land agent Ignac Cesnik in the area later named Gorman.

In 1909 Frank and his nephew Joe Ule came to Gorman to build a log house for the family. They stayed with the John Morgal family until they could move into their own house. On April 1, 1910 the family rented a box car for their belongings which included some cows and chickens and with the Frank Lunka, Frank Francel and Frank Champa families, arrived at the Gorman depot to begin their new lives. There were no roads — each family set out on paths through the woods to their own homes. They had bought adjoining land.

The contract with N.C. Foster stated that five acres of land had to be cleared by April 1, 1910 and five acres each year for the next four years and a house and barn built. Their work was cut out for them. Everyone helped with the clearing of the land — sawing, brushing, burn¬ing brush piles, piling cordwood into box cars for shipment, etc.

Meals those first years did not include much meat. Zgance and sauerkraut were a part of the daily diet. Cornmeal and buckwheat flour were cheap and it was food that "stuck to the ribs" which was what was needed to be able to do the heavy work. Kraut was made in fifty gallon barrels. They also grew lots of beans which were dried and shelled. Coffee was cooked in a two gallon coffee pot adding "Frank's" chicory thus being able to use less coffee.

Flour, sugar and other necessary groceries were bought at Willard by some member of the family walking down the railroad track and carrying them home. Peanut butter was packed in large tin cans and the store keepers would give these to people who stored beans or whatever in them — what a treat it was for the kids when they didn't clean out all the peanut butter from the tin.

In spite of the hard work and careful spending, there was not enough income to make ends meet, so Frank returned to Ely to work in the mines during the winters of 1916 and 1917.

Three children, Louis, Ed and Agnes were born in Gorman.

26 acres of land at $18.00 an acre were bought in 1923 and an additional 80 acres in 1935.

During those early years Frank served on the Town, I Church and School Boards. They were difficult years but much was accomplished.

Frank (father) passed away on August 14, 1944 and Frances (mother) on August 31, 1945.

Frank J. Lesar married Vern Kosmosky who died in 1949. Frank passed away at his home in Willard on November 30, 1970.

Mary has operated a general merchandise store in Willard since December 2, 1939.

John served as post master in Willard from 1942 until his retirement in 1970. He married Mary Koschak. John passed away September 27, 1974.
I
Frances lived on the home farm with Anna and Agnes. When the farm was sold to Jim and Kate Fazio in 1973, they moved to Willard to the F.J. Lesar home. She passed away on August 6, 1981.

Barney (Joe) was substitute mail carrier for 42 years.. He married Mary Govek. They moved to Hartford and then to West Bend, Wisconsin where he passed away February 11, 1970.

Louis moved to Ely, Minnesota. He married Eva Bogdonovich. Ed moved to Ely also. He married Ellen Ojala. Ed passed away November 25, 1966.

Mary, Anna and Agnes live in Willard.

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE