For over 150 years, Milwaukee has been home to a large community of people of Polish descent. The Milwaukee Polonia Project hopes to show the interweaving, intertwining family trees that resulted in this community. It is hoped that, eventually, all the families can be connected to one another. The Milwaukee Polonia Project is also a means to explore our common history and celebrate our shared heritage.

THE ACTUAL DATABASE OF THE TREE IS NOW LOCATED AT THE MILWAUKEE POLONIA PROJECT TREE at Tribal Pages. (We still have much work to do, so don't assume that families are shown completely.) YOU DO NOT NEED A PASSWORD TO ACCESS INFORMATION ON DECEASED INDIVIDUALS.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Featured Profile #36 - Sylvester Wabiszewski

Sylvester John Wabiszewski (1865 - 1962)

originally published in the Milwaukee Journal


The following comes from Memoirs of Milwaukee County, edited by Jerome Anthony Watrous, Western Historical Assoc. 1909, at pages 714 -715:



The preceding article appeared in 1909 at which time, Sylvester was 44.  One would think that at middle age, Mr. Wabiszewski might have been content to rest on his many laurels.  Not so.

In 1917, at the age of 52, he became president of the Maynard Steel Electric Casting Company, an industry wholly unrelated to the masonry and concrete trades in which he had spent his entire lifetime.  Maynard Steel was in financial difficulties when Sylvester became president.  However, under his guidance, it rose to become the second largest steel casting foundry in the midwest.  It went from having 50 employees to over 500.

But Mr. Wabiszewski's interests were not just confined to industrialism.  He was vice-president of the Mitchell Street Bank from 1907 to 1923, and its president from 1923 to 1929. He gave freely to charities, including the American Relief for Poland at the end of World War II.  He was also active in his religion, so much so, that in 1948, Mr. Wabiszewski was made a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Pius XII.  During his life, he was also praised by the Governor of Wisconsin, feted by the Polish National Alliance and received by the President of Poland.  Not bad for a bricklayer who had one silver dollar in his pocket when he landed in America and who started work at $2/day.

Mr. Wabiszewski and his wife, went on to have two more children than those mentioned in the above article: daughters Sophie and Florence.  Florence married a doctor in Stevens Point, and Sophia married Leo B. Hanley, later a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.


originally published in the Milwaukee Journal in 1941.


Sources:

"Industrialist - Patriarch Wabiszewski, 96, Dies," Milwaukee Journal, September 14, 1962, p. 1

"Wabiszewski Estate Filed," Milwaukee Journal, March 3, 1964, p.10

"Wabiszewski, Ex-Bank Head, Dies at 96,"  Milwaukee Sentinel, September 15, 1962, p. 20

"Wabiszewski Honored at Annual Polish Fete,"  Milwaukee Journal, October 25, 1948, p. 20.

"What a Night for Wabiszewskis as Papa, Mama Mark 50 Years!" Milwaukee Journal, January 8, 1941, p. 16

Relation to Nearest Featured Profile: Michael Wabiszewski, Featured Profile #35):  Brother

Path From Nearest Featured Profile:  Michael Wabiszewski > brother, Sylvester Wabiszewski

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Status Update - January, 2014

Family Names Added Since Last Update:
 
Antkowiak
Bialas
Bromberek
Jarlaczynski
Jaskowiak
Jendrzejewski
Kapaczewski
Lopacinski
Losos
Maj
Malejewski
Miszczak
Niedzwiecki
Niemojewski
Nierzwicki
Pawelski
Priess
Reich
Sergocki
Stankiewicz
Stanzezynski
Szkudlinski
Szuszalski
Tessmer
Tohum
Trochinski
Wachinski
Winiecki

Profiles Added Since Last Update:  284 

New Intra-Connections  (Lucht to Fons):

 215)  …. Joseph Czaskos > father, Jacob Czaskos > brother, John Czaskos > wife, Catherine (Maciolek) Czaskos > brother, Ignatz Maciolek > daugher, Janet (Macioleck) [Rybacki] Fischer > husband, Harry J. [Rybacki] Fischer > sister, Sylvia (Rybacki) Petroviak > husband, Joseph J. Petroviak > mother, Mary (Napientek) [Petroviak] Piotrowiak > brother, John Napientek > wife, Angeline (Rosploch) Napientek....

216)  ….Roman Mogilka > brother, Bernard Mogilka > wife, Helen (Poniewaz) Mogilka > brother, Leon Poniewaz > son, Max Poniewaz > wife, Felice (Tatera) Poniewaz > father, Joseph Tatera > sister, Martha (Tatera) Latus > brother, Joseph Latus....

217)  ….Donald Dembinski > father, Sylvester Dembinski > sister, Ciel (Dembinski) Kusz > husband, Anthony Joseph Kusz > brother, Leon Kusz > wife, Stella (Zielinski) Kusz > brother, Edward John Zielinski > wife, Rose (Galasinski) Zielinski....

218)  ….Frank Rakowski > sister, Valeria (Rakowski) Kaminski > husband, Stanislaus Kaminski > brother, John Kaminski > daughter, Cecelia (Kaminski) Wabiszewski > daughter, Colette (Wabiszewski) Kornacki....

219)  ….Ralph Brzycki > daughter, PRIVATE (Brzycki) Petroviak > husband, PRIVATE Petroviak > father, Martin Roger Petroviak > father, Mike Petroviak > father, Martin Petroviak > wife, Mary (Napientek) Petroviak > brother, John Napientek > wife, Angeline (Rosploch) Napientek....

220)  ….Walter Eskowski > sister, Catherine (Eskowski) [Michalski] Baginski > daughter, Sophie (Michalski) Kroll > husband, Raymond J. Kroll > sister, Florence (Kroll) Lisiecki > husband, Raymond Lisiecki > sister, Sophie (Lisiecki) Dombrowski > husband, Victor P. Dombrowski > sister, Helen (Dombrowski) Kitzke > father, August Kitzke....

221)  ….Leo Stocki > brother, Thadeus Stocki > wife, Stephanie (Wojcik) Stocki > mother, Mary Ann (Orzechowski) Wojcik > brother, Walter S. Orzechowski > daughter, Janette (Orzechowski) Stachowiak > husband, Frank C. Stachowiak > father, Edward [Ladislaus] Stachowiak > sister, Monica (Stachowiak) Marcinski....

222)  ….Marian Szukalski (I) > son, Anthony Szukalski > wife, Helen (Walentowicz) Szukalski > brother, Casimir Walentowicz > wife, Esther R. (Spirewka) Walentowicz > father, John Spirewka > sister, Stella (Spierewka) Laabs....

223) ….Irene (Bilicki) Michalek > sister, Helen (Bilicki) Jeske > husband, Anton F. [Jarlaczynski] Jeske > sister, Helen (Jarlaczynski) Surdyk > husband, Anton Surdyk > mother, Anna (Bilicki) Surdyk > brother, Martin Surdyk....

224) ….Michael Spirewka > wife, Mary (Boinski) Spirewka > brother, Stephen Boinski > daughter, Lorraine (Boinski) Litzow > husband, Henry Litzow > brother, John Litzow....

 PCN:  2.9
(For an explanation of the PCN - "Project Completeness Number") see Status Update - February, 2012 and Status Update - March, 2012)
 
 
 
 
Historical PCN Data:
January, 2014:  2.9
December, 2013:  4.11
November, 2013:  3.89
October, 2013:  2.14
September 2013:  2.9
August, 2013: 2.71          
July, 2013: 4.28
June, 2013:  3.01
May, 2013: 6.33
April, 2013: 3.33
March, 2013:  8.2
February, 2013: 2.1
January, 2013:  8.0
December, 2012: 3.29
November, 2012: 6.0
October, 2012:  12.25
September, 2012:  6.4
August, 2012: 3.89
July, 2012:  4.57
June, 2012:  7.75
May, 2012:  9.33
April, 2012:  16.67
March, 2012:  16
February, 2012:  12.8
January, 2012:  19

Newly-Discovered Changed Names:

Jarlaczynski to Jeske
Mikolajewski to Michaels
Surdyk to Surdick
 
New Alternate Spellings:
 
Baranowski Baranoiski
Boinski Boinske
Dyksnski Dykcinski
Kaczmarek Kacznarek
Kaminski Kaminsky Kaminske
Karasch Karas
Kucharski Kucherski
Lopacinski Lopcinski
Mezydlo Merzydlo
Neuman Neiman
Nierzwicki Nierzwicki Eniezwicki Nierschwitzler
Olbinski Oblinski
Petroviak Pietrowiak
Rewolinski Ruvolinka
Slezinski Slazinski
Stachowiak Stahowiak