Our Ancestors before us loved us. They were survivors.
Descendants of Kasper (spelled Casper in U.S.) Gryniewski
Kasper Gryniewski: Born in Poland in1841 and lived in Thorp, Wisconsin. He died in Gilmore, Wisconsin 10/16/1921. (Died of “carcinoma of the intestines” at age 79) lived with his son Frank and wife Mary, before he died. He is buried in SS Peter and Paul Cemetery, known also as Meadowbrook, located S. of Gilman on Cty. Hwy B)
Helen Melan Trohawrowicz: 1852-1922 Born and married in Poland, died in Thorp, Wisconsin. She lived with Mary Gryniewski Dubicki the last years of her life. Apparently she and “Pa” did not get along well in the last years of their lives.
Kasper and Helen had four sons born in Poland before they immigrated to the United States in the late 1880s:
Frank Walter Gryniewski (married 1912 in Thorp, Wisconsin at St. Hedwig’s Church)
Mary Hedwig Artabasy Gryniewski (1893 – 1960, born in Joliet, Ill., died in Gilman) They had 10 children, but only 6 survived.
John Gryniewski (born about 1883 in Poland-died April 28, 1928 in Wisconsin)
Married Anna Rahrbick, born in Poland, and they lived in the Gilman area for
at least a few years. .
After John’s death Anna became unstable and not able to care for their four
children. She was place in the Clark County Mental Hospital (County Seat at
Neilsville), Withee, Wisconsin. Joanna (Jenny) lived with Adam and Mary Gryniewski Dubicki family, (John’s sister) on their farm in Thorp, Wisconsin. Barnabas lived with various farmers then joined the CCC. Adolph lived with the Szaponus family. They visited Anna at the hospital until she died there. (It may have also served as the County Poor Farm. Some of the residents worked the farm.)
Jacob (“Jack”) Gryniewski (born about 1885 in Poland-died Oct. 23, 1933 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) Married Victoria Sienka (died April 6, 1945 in Minneapolis)
The family was very poor. They had no electricity, but used gas lights. Jacob played the harmonica. Richard remembered sitting in his lap while he played.
( Victoria’s mother, Anna, spoke some English. Her father, John, spoke little English. At Christmas Anna would make bread fro gifts. Vera Blosky, her granddaughter, would go over to help her with the laundry. Grandpa would get ice cream after the laundry was done for all three of them.
Victoria’s siblings were: Walter (Wally) who married Clara and they had no children.
Her sister was Helen Sienka Blosky.).
Jacob and Victoria’s children:
1. Henry Gryniewski (1912-1985 died in Minneapolis) Married to Martha Janowiec in 1943. (1915-2006)
2. Walter Gryniewski (Changed to Grineski) (1914-died in the late 1980’s in Minneapolis. Married to Josephine (died about 1963 (possible correction to1983? does anyone have more info on this?) in Minneapolis)
3. Dorothy Gryniewski (1916-1993 in Minneapolis) When Aunty Dorothy was 50 years old she married, for the first time, Curtiss Axell, whose wife had died of cancer.
Her friends at work arranged for them to meet at a work picnic, by inviting
Curt, and then introducing them. It was almost “love at first sight”, and they
were married for nineteen years before Curt died of cancer.
4. Edmund John Gryniewski (1917-1997 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) Married 1942 to Pauline A. Dutkiewicz (1920-2005)of Mellvile, Saskatchuan, Canada.
5. Chester (Chet) John Gryniewski (1922-2000 in Minneapolis) Married 6/5/1944 to Dorothy Bernice Baker (1923- )
6. Richard Gryniewski (1924-2005 in Minneapolis) Married 10/02/1948 to
Gladys Bednark (1926- 2009 )
Thomas Gryniewski (born about 1886 in Poland-died in Cleveland in 1949) It is said that when the family moved to Thorp, Thomas stayed in Cleveland and married there. One son, Edward, (1912-1993) is mention although they could have had more. Little is known of this family.
Mary Gryniewski Dubicki (1890-Dec.24, 1965) Married to Adam Dubicki (died 1938)
1. Wanda Dubiciki (1913- deceased) (born in Ohio) Married Stanley Jakus (deceased) 2 daughters
2. Stanley Dubicki (1914-deceased) (born in Ohio) Married to Helen
3. Aloys Dubicki (1918-deceased) first wife, Mary, no children
Mary Gryniewski married again to Joe Maciewicz. Mary got dementia. Joe was not liked by family but he took care of Mary.
Agnes Emley Gryniewski Thornsjo (1896-Dec 1968, died after Christmas in Park Nursing Home, St. Louis Park) Married Adolph Fredric Thornsjo (1892-1974)
1. Oreland Adolph Thornsjo (1920- ) Orly, wife Lucille
2. Douglas Fredric Thornsjo (1927- )
Where do you fit into the family history? Do you have additions or corrections to this document? email me... mski@zoominternet.net
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