Category:Pauline Wilhelmina Lieske
From CowTales
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Short Biography
Memories
Written by Myrtle Jaus:
Aunt Polly was put in charge of managing the Lieske household after her older sister, Alvina, was married in 1902. She developed her skills as cook, baker and seamstress - skills she used the rest of her life. She sewed the dresses for the 1917 family photo. They were a big, happy family who also enjoyed the company of their Fred Lieske cousins, Polly's friend and confidant being Annie. They attended many social functions together, and it was here where they met William Bergschmidt. William was a carpenter who built barns in the area. Annie was married to William in 1900 and settled in Superior, WI. Annie and William had two daughters, Alva and Irene. Aunt Polly went to Superior to "help out" after Annie died in 1916. She stayed with the family during the school year, but during the summer she would take Irene and go back to Henderson, MN. She continue doing this until 1921, the year she and William were married. Phylis was born to them in 1922.
Uncle William, a carpenter, built two houses in his spare time, one for Annie and the second one when he was married to Aunt Polly. Alva was married to Max Reffke by this time. They had a girls, Maxine Reffke, who was killed in an auto accident at a very early age, and a boy Alvin Reffke. Alvin and Alva still reside in Superior. Irene, who never married, continued to live with the parents. She remained with Aunt Polly until the time of her death.
Aunt Polly was an active member in the Ladies' Aid at their church where she helped cook for church suppers and participated in many other money raising events for the church. She also enjoyed playing cards and entertaining.
During the depression, when work was hard to find, she supplemented the household income by baking and sewing for neighbors. Irene played the church organ. Aunt Polly sewed the dresses, two for each of us, that Marvel and I wore when we sang at the Jaus Golden Wedding in 1934. Phyllis said that our mother had sent enough material so that she, too, had several new dresses.
Event took place in 1935 that changed their lives. Aunt Polly's Aunt Pauline Forrer, Grandpa Lieske's half-sister, suffered a stroke and needed help about the same time they got an offer to sell their house. The aunt lived in a large house in Minneapolis, MN and said she would welcome anyone to live with her if they would care for her. The house in Superior was sold, and they moved to Minneapolis to live with, and care for, the aunt. The aunt died the next spring, after which the Bergschmidts rented a house.
The following year Uncle Louie and Aunt Ella came to live with them while Uncle Louie was looking for work. He and Aunt Polly decided to start a bakery business. This business was sold after a year when Uncle Louis found a job. Aunt Polly's "at home" time was cut short when Uncle William fell off a scaffold and suffered some broken bones. She then found a job baking pies and rolls in a tea room near the University. She bought the business when the lady decided to sell, and named it "Polly's Pantry." It was a family-run business. Aunt Polly did the planning, baking and cooking, Irene made the sandwiches and salads. Uncle William washed dishes and Phyllis was the waitress. They served only noon lunches, mainly to University students. The tea room was in a large house, so they moved into the second floor. Aunt Polly received a cut while opening a can of food which caused a severe infection that necessitated the amputation of her left arm at the elbow. After a lengthy recovery, she overcame her handicap and resumed her cooking and baking, even rolling her won pie crusts.
Other events also occurred at Polly's Pantry. University students were hired as waiters and dish washers, one of them being Floyd Michelson. He and Phyllis were later married and moved into the third floor. Aunt Polly and Uncle William also cerebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary in the tea room.
Uncle William suffered a stroke and died in 1948 when Aunt Polly decided to retire. Together with Phyllis and Floyd, a duplex was purchased near the University campus. Pam was born that spring. They lived together for two years, after which Floyd took a job in Sheboygan, WI. The second floor was then rented to nurses. Aunt Polly enjoyed trying out new recipes, so kept herself busy baking goodies for the nurses and neighbors. "Never to old to learn."
Aunt Polly had one of the first hip replacements when she fractured her hip in the early 1950s. She was soon back on her feet and went on camping trips with Phyllis and family. She loved the outdoors, and usually did the campfire cooking. She also kept close ties with her family in Henderson through the years. She would travel from Superior to Henderson when help was needed to care for Grandma Lieske when she was ill.
While managing the household before leaving home, she had taught her younger sisters how to bake and cook. During a visit to Henderson, Aunt Rose baked a ground cherry pie. When Aunt Polly asked her why she browned the crust she replied, "because that's the way you taught us."
Aunt Polly was giving some thought to moving back to Henderson. Her plans were to buy the old school house from Uncle Albert and put a trailer on the land. The plans, however, never materialized. Her last attempt at doing a good deed ended in tragedy August 19, 1967. She and Irene were on their way to Superior where Aunt Polly was going to spend some time with Alva after her husband's death. They were involved in an auto accident, and Aunt Polly died of the injuries she received, one month after her 85th birthday.
(Most of the forgoing information was received from Phyllis Bergschmidt Mickelson.)<ref> source:Lieske History</ref>
Related Links
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References <references/> Family Histories: Harms -- Jaus -- Lieske -- Hinderer -- Baur --
Genealogy Sites
- WikiTree.com
- FamilySearch.org
- TheKleistPage.com
- RobertFGray.com
- Geni.com
- MyHeritage.com
- MN Historical Society people search
- Teamster.org Teamster History
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