Gracian Harry Zabrocki

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190185220

Gration Zabrocki was born December 18, 1879, to John and Frances (Czewiska) Zabrocki in Poland. His parents had been married in Poland on February 11, 1879, and they came to America in 1884 with their first three children, Gration, Julia, and Julius. They settled in the Winona, Minnesota area. Subsequently, five more children were born to this family: Felix, Stephen, Frank, Isabel, and Mary. Later the family, except for Gration, moved to the Miles City/Glendive area of Montana.

Pelagia Stanislawski was born March 11, 1883, to Joseph and Augustina (Mizek) Stanislawski, Pelagia's siblings were John, Joseph, Elizabeth, Stanley, Peter, Steven, and Frances. This family also settled in Winona, Minnesota.

Gration and Pelagia were married in Greenbush, Minnesota, on February 16, 1903. They raised a family of nine: Joe, Clara, Harry, Nora, Marion, Albin, Florenee, Leonard, and Raymond. Pelagia, through consultations with Gration, "ruled the roost," in most decisions of major importance, such as large purchases for house or farm and decisions for sales from the farm. Small purchases--groceries, clothes for the kids, gifts--were entirely left to her. She was also the disciplinarian of the family. If any choice did not meet with her approval, she would explain the error in a few sentences. If that didn't work, the problem was reported to Gration. In a few sentences, he could usually bring an instant resolution to the problem. Neither used corporal punishment; they bad a superior method.

Gration was a farmer who wore bib overalls, but he also was a salesman who wore a two-piece suit and a tie. He worked as a W. T. Raleigh salesman. His sales job involved going on the road for a few days at a time. In winter, he drove a team of horses with the products in an enclosed sleigh. The cab up front was equipped with a glass windshield, beneath which were two holes for the reins to slip through. The cab was heated with a tiny stove made from a . five-gallon paint can. The fire was fed with wood pieces cut to the proper size. In summer, he drove a two-door car with the rear seat removed. Pelagia, an excellent cook and baker, never let anything go to waste and maintained the kitchen inventory so the necessities were always available. She sewed most of the clothes for the family and was in charge of sausage making, meat curing, and raising the poultry. When the children were old enough to help, she assigned chores to them to help with these tasks. According to Albin, she was an excellent housekeeper, homemaker, counselor, and just a perfect mother. Pelagia died on August 14, 1972, at the age of 89. Gration died on December 10, 1974, at the age of 95.

By Eunice Korczak. Condensed from Story of My Life by Albin Zabrocki.