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.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Featured Profile #41 Jacob J. Litza, Jr.

Jacob Litza, Jr. as published in the Milwaukee Journal

Jacob J. Litza, Jr.  (1879 - 1922)

Somewhat surprisingly, of the two Jacob Litzas (father and son) it is the younger which appears in  Memoirs of Milwaukee County, (edited by Jerome Anthony Watrous ).  Here is his entry which appears at pages 999-1000:



Some of you may remember that his father mentioned in this article was Jacob J. Litza, Sr, (Featured Profile #40.)

Memoirs of Milwaukee County (from which the above article was taken) was published in 1909.  However, it was almost out of date as far as Jacob, Jr. (or "Jake") was concerned.  Despite the fact that it states Jake never aspired to public office he, in fact, did.  Jake started his political climb in 1910 when he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Milwaukee.  He served in that capacity for two years and then was elected to the State Assembly.  He served one two-year term and then went back to his restaurant/bowling alley business.  His 'joint" soon became the hang out for the Polish politicians on Milwaukee's south side.  He also got more involved in his favorite sport, baseball, and by 1918, he was managing the Kosciusko Reds, the team formerly led by Louis Fons (Featured Profile #7)

Despite the fact that Jake., had served as a Deputy Sheriff, he was not immune from having his own scrapes with the law.  While serving as state assemblyman, he was arrested as part of a large raid at a cockfight.  (See, Big Collar at the Cock Fight). Later, during Prohibition, he was arrested in a massive sweep to stem the illicit trade in alcohol.  Finally, in 1921, the room above his café was raided as being a gambling parlor, although Litza himself appears not to have been arrested.

It was just about that time (1920), that Jake got out of the café business, and became president of the Berthelet Pipe and Supply Co.  He served in that capacity for just two years before his death in 1920.

The following is his obituary which appeared in the Milwaukee Journal on November 6, 1922:



Relation to Nearest Featured Profile: (Jacob J. Litza, Sr., Featured Profile #40):  Son.

Path From Nearest Featured Profile:   Jacob Litza, Sr.> son, Jacob Litza, Jr.

 Sources:

"Jake Litza Denies Rumor He'll Retire,"  Milwaukee Journal,  May 9, 1919, p. 27.

"Koskys Go to Sheboygan for the Sabbath,"  Milwaukee Journal, September 15, 1918, p. 25

"Litza, Gus Miller, Olinger, and Eleven Other Plead Not Guilty After Arraignment,Milwaukee      Sentinel, January 5, 1921, p2.

"Nab 20 in Litza Café Building," Milwaukee Journal, May 4, 1920, p. 2

State of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1913 p. 673

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Status Update - July, 2014

New Family Names Added Since Last Update:


Cyskowski
Donarski
Dretzka
Filipowicz
Hallmann
Kaczorowski
Kamoske
Kolczynski
Marach
Niemczyk
Pawłowicz
Pogodzinski
Szelmeczka
Warras

Profiles Added Since Last Update:  171

New Intra-Connections  (Lucht to Fons):

255)  ....Harry J. [Rybacki] Fischer > mother, Pelagia (Steinke) [Rybacki] Fischer > mother, Mary Anna (Rosciszewski) Steinke > brother, Vincent Rosciszewski > wife, Maryanna (Paradowski) Rosciszewski > sister, Michalina (Paradowski) Fennig....

256)  ….Anna (Rosciszewski) Steinke > brother, Boleslaus Rosciszewski > son, Hubert Rosciszewski > wife, Florence (Piskula) Rosciszewski > brother, John Piskula....

257)  ….Vincent Rosciszewski > son, Edward F. Rosciszewski > son, Raymond Rosciszewski > wife, Esther (Rozga) Rosciszewski > sister, Celia (Rozga) Baranczyk....

258)  ….Vincent Rosciszewski > daughter, Josephine (Rosciszewski) Duszynski > husband, Martin Duszynski > brother, John Duszynski > wife, Stella (Rosciszewski) Duszynski > brother, Edward F. Rosciszewski....

259)  ….Edward F. Rosciszewski > wife, Petronela (Marach) Rosciszewski > father, Adam Marach > second wife, Mary (Pogodzinski) [Suminski] Marach > daughter by first marriage, Helen (Suminski) Piszczek > John J. Piszczek....


PCN:  3.00
(For an explanation of the PCN - "Project Completeness Number") see Status Update - February, 2012 and Status Update - March, 2012)
 
Historical PCN Data:
July, 2014:  3.00
June, 2014:  2.44
May, 2014: 4.5
April, 2014:  4.67
March, 2014:  3.0
February, 2014:  10.5
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
 
New Alternate Spellings:
 
Chojnacki Choynacki
Cyskowski Ciskowski Jeka
Diedrich Diederich
Kloss Klose
Knapinski Krapinsky
Mudlaff Muddlof Muddlaff Muttlaf
Pawłowicz Pawtowicz Pawlowicz
Piszczek Peszczek Pisezek
Rosciszewski Rorciszeuski