52 Ancestors - Week 24 Same Name

For this week’s prompt “Same Name”, I am reposting a blog post first published on July 24, 2012. It is the story of two John Burbachs, one my grandmother’s brother, the other her cousin Johnny. There have been some changes and revisions made for this post.

It began with the answer to a question I asked my Grandmother when I was about eight years old.  "Bockie" I had asked "why don't you ever go swimming when we are at the lake?"  She relied that she was afraid of the water since her brother had drowned as a child.  I accepted her statement at face value and moved on.

Years later when I began researching our genealogy and recording census forms, her answer to my question came to mind.  My grandmother was the youngest of six children, two girls and four boys.  Which of the boys had died?  As I was using HeritageQuest online one day I happened on one line from the diary of a Milwaukee policeman.  The line said only "Burbach's boy drowned today".  This I felt totally substantiated my grandmother's statement.  It was true.  Of course, in my excitement, I neglected to cite the source!

I still didn't know which of her brothers had drowned and to complicate matters further there were two related families with children of similar ages.  Brothers John and Herman Burbach operated a butcher shop in Milwaukee in the 1880s and 1890s.  Both men were raising families at the same time.

I used books.google to find the quote "Burbach's boy drowned today" and this time I cited the source and noted the date of the occurrence.[i] 

“5-8-1892 Went to SS with the childre. Then went out walking with Minnie. Called at Rohdes and found no one at home. Went to Foster's and staid a while. When we got back found Christie Roder and her cousin at the house. Burbach's boy drowned this PM.”  

Next I checked the Wisconsin Death Records online at ancestry.com for the family name and year of 1892.  I found the name John Burbach as having died on May 8, 1892.

Using obituary records from Milwaukee German Language newspapers (ordered from and translated by Gary Rebholz) I found obituaries for both a John and a Johnnie,  Burbach cousins, both aged 11. The death dates were 1892 and 1895. Who was who?

Using the 19th century newspapers online, Milwaukee Archdiocese Cemeteries online, and the Milwaukee City Directories online to determine which John/Johnnie lived at which address with which father, I was able to document the story of my grandmother's brother John.  An additional nugget or information disclosed in the 19th Century Newspapers was the fact that John Burbach had made his confirmation at St Joseph's Church on the morning of his death.

On Sunday afternoon the Burbach family, living at 1535 Walnut Street, has been affected by a sad blow.  The 14 year-old John Burbach, and two companions 16 year old Peter Altman and 14 year old Frank Berninger, hired a boat for a fun ride on the Milwaukee River.  When the trio arrived in the vicinity of the Schlitz dam, the boat was caught in the strong currents prevailing there, causing it to sway and tip over, so that the three occupants of the saame fall intothe water.  While Altman and Berninger were clinging to the boat until help arrived, the young Burbach was swallowed by the waves and never again appeared.  The police were notified of the accident, and the patrol wagon rushed to the scene and brought the wet, cold, shivering boys to their homes, respectively. Up to this point, Burbach's body had not been found.[ii] 

John Burbach drowned on May 8, 1892 in the Milwaukee River.  His two friends were rescued but John's body was not recovered for two weeks.  He was finally buried on May 22, 1892 in Calvary Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Sadly, the other John ”Johnny” Burbach “died following a long illness on 18  Aug 1895 also at the age of eleven years 5 months, and 5 days.”[iii]

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[i] William Bramwell Sizer Diaries May 1892, Milwaukee County Police Department

[ii] Excelsior! Fur den Katholischen Familien Kreis (Catholic Weekly) 12 May 1893, pg 8 col3

[iii] Germania (daily ed.), 19 Aug 1895, pg 5, col 7

Father's Day Homily at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church

This is a guest post from my cousin Pat Connery Koko as delivered in a homily at the Masses on Father's Day at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois. Published with her permission.

Photo courtesy of Paul Koko

Happy Father’s Day to all Fathers – Biological or related such as uncles, grandfathers, elder brothers, family friends, teachers, priests and others.

Today I would like to reflect on some special folks.

Michael Joseph Connery was born in Ireland on June 5, 1861, the  5th son in an Irish Catholic family of 7 boys and 3girls. In 1893 he married an Irish lass whom he met and courted on a return trip to the old sod. She followed him to the States and they began a family on the West Side of Chicago.

Thomas Joseph Connery was born in Chicago, August 21, 1903.  He was a middle child in this strong and loving Catholic family of 11 children. He grew up in St. Mel Parish, just east of here, served as an altar boy, completed his sacraments and finished 8^th grade there before trying Quigley He soon found being a priest was not his vocation. He completed High School at Campion Jesuit HS in Prarie du Chien WI (bording schools were a family tradition) and eventually went to work in his Father’s business also just east of here.

Paul Gregory Koko was also born in Chicago on August 8 1940.  He was the oldest child of three born to a family on the South East Side of the City.

What do these three men have in common besides playing a critical role in my life? --- being great Fathers.

When I was asked to do the Father’s Day reflection, I planned to share about my Father who was such a strong influence in my life, and because of circumstances in the lives of many cousins.

After reading the scriptures for today I realized that my Grandfather and husband, like my own Father shared similar traits.  Their patience, ethical standards and willingness to allow their children to grow, make mistakes and to help them to learn from these to move on are all shared characteristics: Characteristics of a good Father.  

In other words, and mirroring the readings, they seemed to know how to plant the seeds and watch them sprout. Helping when/if necessary but allowing their children to flourish.

My Grandfather affectionately known by many as “Papa Dear” imparted his Faith and ethics to his children – 2 daughters became Adrian Dominican nuns while 5 other children gave him and my Grandmother 23 Grandchildren.  He died when I was only 9 so most of my cousins did not get to know him but were raised by a parent whom he influenced (as Ezekiel wrote…making trees bloom). I retain a lasting impression of a loving, caring man.

When my parents married, my Father was 39 years old and Mom was a younger 29.  For the pre-WWII Era, that was late to become parents but I was born in 1942.  Although Dad had come from a large family and Mom was one of 8 girls, neither had much experience being parents.  One of the “experts” in those days was a medical doctor, Dr. Spock. So Dad bought his book and started to learn intellectually how to be a Father.

At one point, early on, I must have done something naughty and he seemed at a loss. He said, “Patricia what am I going to do with you”? Being a somewhat precocious child, I replied, “what does Dr. Spock say?”  He started to laugh and we sat together, read the chapter, he sent me to my room for a few minutes and he put the book away and never consulted it again.  He had the instinct to be a good Father and with his strong Faith and gentle nature (and a great wife to help) I grew up in a loving home.

They made sure I went to a Catholic Grammar School (the same one Dad had attended), received all the sacraments and grew up knowing right from wrong. I attended a Catholic High School, Mt. St. Mary Academy (another family tradition)  and Rosary College. Through all this, my Father was the calm anchor to whom I could turn.

I met Paul and though we became engaged after a week and scheduled our wedding here at St. Catherine’s less than 10 months later, my Dad (perhaps typical of a Father for whose only daughter no man was good enough) came to accept this new person in my life and I feel his gentle ways and deep Faith nurtured what was already in Paul to become the wonderful Father he is today. My Dad adored his only Grandchild, our daughter, Marie.

Again, seeds sprout and grow and flourish.

We only had my Father in our lives for a short time. There is a story to that which can be shared at another time but God blessed me with a person who set me on the right path, welcomed and appreciated my choice of husband and was a fine Grandfather to our daughter who got to know and learn from him until she, too, was 9 years old.

This special man made such an impression on all of us so that now, 40 years after his death, we all remember him fondly. He shared his firm Faith and trust in God which resonates within me and so many other cousins. And will, I hope, continue in stories and memories to influence future generations of our expanding family clan.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 24 Father’s Day

Since I have previously written about my Dad and both of my Grandfathers as well as my Father-in-law, this post will be about my children’s father, my husband.

Dave Peterson was a man of love, character, religion, discipline, loyalty and honor.

He was the kind of man who sent his daughter roses upon her birth. He was the father who went to the kindergarten class as Santa Claus to the delight of the five-year-olds. Too bad our daughter recognized his boots.

He was the dad who kept balloons in his desk drawer so he could “fix” a broken one.

When a scout leader was needed, he was the one who stepped up so the boys could have a troop. He started with the 7-year-old Cub Scouts and stayed with them until they finished and earned their Eagle Scout rank. He went to Jamborees and the Boy Scout Ranch as well as white water rafting with his scouts.

He was the dad who umped summer softball at the grade school field. He stood on the side lines cheering the cross-country team on wet cold Saturday mornings.

Dave was someone who ran for election to the village board and accepted the responsibility of police commissioner and also served on the water and sewer committee for the village, showing his belief in community service.

As a faithful member of his church, Dave not only participated on a weekly basis, he volunteered there too by assuming the duties of both a lector and Eucharistic Minister.

Dave didn’t lecture our children, he taught by example. He showed them how to be good citizens of the world by showing them how. He listened to them with respect, never belittling their viewpoint or ideas. He didn't talk down to them.

Both of our children have learned well from their father’s example and are teaching others by example. These values are being passed on to his grandchildren and Dave couldn’t have left a more valuable legacy.