Person Page - 71

     Felix Kolsinski married Rosalia Armatowska on 22 November 1909 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Ernestina Konig married Guilelmius (Fred) Webie.¹

     Anton Konkel married Helena Kirschling, daughter of August Kirschling and Elizabeth Zynda, on 14 June 1910.^1,2

     Albina Konkol married Francis Martinka on 25 November 1890 at St. Casimir Church, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Alois Konkol married Barbara Glodowska on 6 November 1907 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Joseph Konkol married Augustina Sztolz on 21 November 1904 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Otylia Konkol married Peter Martinka on 16 November 1891 at St. Casimir Church, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Anastasia Konopacka married Marcel Wanta on 30 October 1905 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Anastasia Konopacka married Leon Stankowski on 3 March 1908 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Helen Konopacka married John Ostrowski on 12 February 1901 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Helen Konopacka married Valerian Ropela on 14 February 1911 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Helena Konopacka married Marcel Koziczkowski on 11 February 1884 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Josafina Konopacka was born circa 1849.² She was the daughter of Michael Konopacki and Elisabeth Biernat.² Josafina Konopacka married John Hinza.¹ Josafina Konopacka died on 1 July 1878 at Portage Co, WI.² She was buried on 3 July 1878 at St. Casimir Cemetery, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.²

     Marianna Konopacka was born in February 1824 at Rybacki, Pomorskie Province, Prussia.^2,3 She was the daughter of Stanislaus Konopacki and Margaretha Piechowska.³ Marianna Konopacka married Joseph Platta on 21 January 1845 at Koscierzyna, Koscierzyna, Gdansk, West Prussia.⁴ Marianna AND Joseph emigrated in 1858 aboard the S. S. Atlantic having departed from Bremen, Germany. They came from the village of Skorzewo in the "powiat" (county) of Koscierski in what was then called West Prussia. Also listed on the passenger list was, Johann, Victoria, Marianna and Catharine. The ship arrived at the Port of New York on 9 Aug 1858.⁵ Marianna Konopacka and Joseph Platta appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Ellis, Portage Co, WI, enumerated 23 June 1870, reporting the family owned real estate valued at $500 and personal property valued at $280. Joseph is listed as being a citizen of the United States.. Their children Veronica, Michael, Peter and Frances were listed as living with them.⁶ Marianna Konopacka and Joseph Platta appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of an unknown place , enumerated 21 June 1880. Their children Michael, Peter and Frances were listed as living with them.⁷ Marianna Konopacka and Joseph Platta appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Town of Sharon, Portage Co, WI, enumerated 9 June 1900, in the household of their son Mike. The census also states that Marianna and Joseph had 11 children, 6 of whom were alive in 1900.⁸

The following narrative appears in the book Women of Vision: Reflections on Notable Women of Portage County, 1999.

It was back in 1858 that I stepped foot in Stevens Point. I don't think I am particularly famous. Have you ever heard of Marianna Konapacka Platta? I was one of the first Polish settlers in your country. You may know some of my descendants, they are still in the area. I came from the Old Country. I called it Poland, but I was a Prussian citizen. You see, even before I was born, my country didn't exist. There was a lot of political maneuvering, and in the end, the Prussians, Russians, and Austrians partitioned the land. In my lifetime, which was over 82 years, Poland did not exist.

After Joseph, my husband, and I were married, we lived in a little village named Skorzewo. We had a small plot of land and a couple of animals. We grew all our own crops and prayed for good weather. Oh my, we had good times in the village, but our children were growing and we could see that there would not be any future for them. Our taxes were so high and every year the government made up new rules. The young men had to serve in the army. We couldn't talk in our Polish language in public. My first son had to have a German name before the priest would baptize him. We chose Johann, though at home we called him Jasiu.

We had heard about Michael von Koziczkowski going to America. We decided to join him there and so, with the Klesmith family and the Zinda family, we sold our farm, packed up our trunks and said goodby to our families. I cried so hard and was so scared to leave everything behind. What if we didn't make it to America? What if we would die there homeless? We put everything in God's hands.

Our ship was named the Atlantic and it was very crowded. We slept in the hold in makeshift bunks. I was glad for the Zindas and Klesmiths. Our children could play together and we could talk to people that we knew. I was so sick on the journey. It didn't help that I was in the first few months of a pregnancy. The children were well behaved on the journey and when we saw the shoreline of New York, they looked like they belonged to this new land. Joseph, he arranged everything for us. We didn't stay too long in that big busy city. All of us stayed pretty close together and then we took a train to Buffalo. That's where the train ended. But the men knew how to get us on the boat to take us to Milwaukee. This journey was a little nicer and everyday we knew we were getting closer to our new home. Finally, after another train ride and stagecoach ride, we pulled into Stevens Point. It was a town of about 200 people and they all seemed to know where the Koziczkowski homestead was. According to Michael, people used to stop at his farmhouse just to take a look at him. They wanted to see what a Polish settler looked like! As if he was from the moon!

Michael and his wife, Frances, were wonderful. They set up and helped find Joseph a job on a farm. That German language came in handy now. There were many German settlers already in the area. Everyday Joseph learned a little more of how to make a good life for us in America. I am very proud too that I had the first child of Polish immigrants to be born in America. My little Veronica was a true American. Joseph, too, wanted to become an American, so the next year he filed an intent to naturalize. With that document he could buy land, but also with that document he could be called up for a war, and there were battles already starting in places like Virginia. We all heard about the Battle of Bull Run. It seemed so far away.

Life was getting better and better in our area. Finally, we got a church. It was called St. Martin's and I see the little church is still standing out there on what is now Highway 66. In my time, that little town was known as Poland Corners. So many of us Poles were coming to live on the land. My parents and my sister and her family came and really, it felt like we were at home, all speaking Polish.

Even so, conditions were very hard. There was the never-ending job of picking rocks and trying to get the stumps out of the ground. The land was so sandy too. We worked as hard or harder than we did in Poland, but we knew we were free. My oldest, Johann, was called to the war. He served as a private in Company B of the 12th infantry. My little Jasiu. His English was pretty good by then and every day I prayed for the end of the war. I don't know if God heard my prayer, but in 1865, the war was over and my Jasiu came home. It just so happened that his sister Victoria was getting married and he was in time for the wedding. It was a double celebration!

It took us over seven years to save money from the farm we rented, but finally we had enough to buy some land from Jacob Helbach and to start our own farm just north of what is now Ellis. My family grew strong in America. All together, Joseph and I had eight living children. Our families were large because there was a lot of work to be done. When everyone pitched in, we could make a good living for ourselves.

I'm not a famous figure in this county's history. I wasn't an innovator or a leader. But I was one of the many immigrant women who left our homelands, raised healthy families, and worked hard to make America a good place to live for our children. I think we did our job well.

As of yet, Marianna Platta's story has no ending. The facts of her life were researched by Adeline Sopa, a genealogist specializing in Polish immigration. Marianna is listed as a survivor in her husband's obituary in 1906. Her death record or a burial record has not been found. Most likely, she went to live with her children or grandchildren and died in their care.

     Matilda Konopacka married Martin Stanislawski on 16 February 1904 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Valeria Konopacka married Francis Molski on 27 November 1876 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹ Valeria Konopacka married Francis Molski on 27 November 1876 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Adam Konopacki was born on 15 February 1890 at Portage Co, WI.¹ He was baptized on 15 February 1890 at Portage Co, WI; private baptism.¹ He was the son of John Konopacki and Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹ Adam Konopacki died on 15 February 1890 at Portage Co, WI.¹ He was buried on 19 February 1890 at St. Casimir Cemetery, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Alex Konopacki was the son of John Konopacki and Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹ Alex Konopacki married Anna Szacht, daughter of John Szachta and Rosalia Blawat, on 13 May 1895 at St. Casimir Church, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.²

     Anastasia Konopacki was born on 11 September 1880 at Portage Co, WI.¹ She was the daughter of John Konopacki and Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹ Anastasia Konopacki was baptized on 19 September 1880 at St. Casimir Church, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹ She died on 30 September 1882 at Portage Co, WI, at age 2.² She was buried on 1 October 1882 at St. Casimir Cemetery, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.²

     Bernard Konopacki married Matilda Kozyczkowska on 6 February 1882 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹ Bernard Konopacki married Matilda Kozyczkowska on 6 February 1882 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Boleslaus Konopacki was born on 14 March 1886 at Portage Co, WI.¹ He was baptized on 15 March 1886 at St. Casimir Church, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹ He was the son of John Konopacki and Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹

     Charles Konopacki married Eleanor Wojak on 17 April 1893 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Francis Konopacki married Helen Kluczykowska on 11 May 1909 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Ignatius Konopacki married Martha Konopacki on 27 January 1904 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     John Konopacki married Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹ Note: This family can be found in the 1880 Federal Census, Portage County, WI, Hull, page 18, line 7.

     John Konopacki married Anna Norenberg on 16 June 1909 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     John Konopacki was born circa 1873 at West Prussia.¹ He was the son of John Konopacki and Rosalia Jutrzonka.¹ John Konopacki died on 2 January 1895 at Portage Co, WI.¹ He was buried on 4 January 1895 at St. Casimir Cemetery, Town of Hull, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Joseph Konopacki married Fran. Kluczykowska on 17 January 1876 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Maria. Konopacki married Leon Glodowski on 23 November 1909 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹

     Martha Konopacki married Ignatius Konopacki on 27 January 1904 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Polonia, Portage Co, WI.¹