Franciszek (Francis) Xavier Mlodzik (Młodzik)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52209592

born : (near) Naklo nad Notecia (Wyrzysk), Bydgoszcz, Poland

Frank Xavier and Josephine Mlodzik: Frank Mlodzik was born December 3, 1871, and was the son of John and Hedwige Mlodzik who lived in Poland. He.came to the United States at the age of 16 during the time that Poland was under German rule. Frank died February 12, 1958.

Josephine Mlodzik was born in 1870 and was the daughter of Tom and Mary Thomas. She came to the United States at the age of 9. Josephine died in 1955.

They were married at Millerville, MN in April 1894 and farmed near Millerville a few years. He read in the paper that one could get a homestead around Greenbush. They used two horses and a wagon and drove to see the land around the year 1900. They had a cow tied in back of the wagon. They liked the place and decided to stay at rural Greenbush located in Barto Township. There was a one room log cabin on the place with an upstairs. They cleaned it and stayed there and later Frank added a kitchen to the house. A great-grandson, Brad Blawat, owns the original homestead place.

They attended the St. Aloysius Church at Leo which was about two miles away. The school was in the open prairie and the children didn't get much schooling as it was too far to walk and there were no roads. After a few years the school was moved near a better road so the two youngest attended, but the roads were still very poor. Frank held the office of clerk in his township.

After a few years, Frank could claim the land as his and he had to go to Crookston to prove it. There was much brush to clear on the farm and many stones to be picked. The farm was 160 acres. After several more years, a new house was built and the old one moved out and used as a chicken house. There was no Greenbush as it is now, so when something special was needed, Frank and Josephine drove the team to Pelan which was about ten miles away to get the things. There was a store and post office at Pelan so they got their mail there. After several years Greenbush was built up.

There were nine children born to Frank and Josephine. They were May (Dan Kalka); Walter (Marion Zabrocki); Vincent (Martha Chrzanowski) and John (Elizabeth Pietruszewski). Walter, Leon, Anna Rosalie, Anna Katherine, and Cecelia died in infancy. By Lorraine Blawat.