FRISKE/FRISK/NICKEL
Searching for ancestors of Micael and Christina (GEBAUER - OBST) FRISK(E).Here's some information:
1.MICHAEL1 FRISK(E) was born Abt. 1845 in Russia (Poznan), and died Aft. 1891 in Almena, Wisconsin.He married CHRISTINA GEBAUER February 12, 1867 in Roschischtsche, Wolynskie, Poland (Poznan).
Notes for MICHAEL FRISK(E):
Michael had a brother John FRISKE.
This short history of the "Michael Friske family was written by Grandson John E. Friske of Oak Hill, West Virginia, October 4, 1972.
The following is a resume of facts pertaining to the Michael Friske family and their exodus from Poznan, now Poland) and their early life in the United States based upon recollection of conversation of members and relatives of the Friske family.The original spelling of this family was FRISKE, Gustav left the "E" off somewhere along the line.
The Frisks' were landowners and farmers in Poznan, a rich agricultural section of what is now Poland.The names of the parents of Michael Frisk are not known but he had a brother John who came to this country at about the same time as did the Frisks. They were all farmers in Germany and living close to the Russian border they spoke German and Russian, but learned English as time went by.
The information at the Immigration office states that this family was destined to go to Mississippi from Baltimore.However, after stopping at Ellis Island, for some reason they went directly from Baltimore to the northern peninsula section of Michigan, to a little town of Engadine.Here they settled on homestead land and immediately began clearing the land and building homes.They started working in the woods cutting crossties for the railroads.The women worked in the woods along with their husbands.This was their cash until they could get their farms going.The family names of Elsner, Hepner and Brockman kept turning up in conversations, whether these families came to Engadine before or after the Frisks is unknown.One of the first things they did was organize a Lutheran Church along with other German families in this area.Michael and Christina remained there only a few years and then moved to Wisconsin to settle on Government land.This land was theirs in a three year period if they built a home and farmed the land.All the German immigrants stayed in close settlements and helped each other all they could.
According to family history, Michael Frisk was traveling from his home to some city in Poland, when he got off of the train there was a woman sitting upon her baggage with several children around her.She had two daughters and two sons and she was crying and seemed to be in trouble.In reply to his inquiries she told him that her husband had come to this city to work, he had sent for her and the children to come and join him.When she arrived she found that he had died and had been buried.The circumstances connected with his death or what their names wee are not known but the outcome of this affair was Michael married this woman.Her name was Christina, she was four years his senior.
Because of severe hardships imposed upon the German people, who were in the minority in Poznan at the time by the Russian Government, they were forced to leave.They had to leave their homes at night with anything they could carry, wade a river to get out of the country and it was necessary to bribe the border guards in order to slip out of Poland into Germany.From Germany they came to the United States.
The Firsks landed at Baltimore, Maryland December 20 1891 on the S/S Nuremburg.According to the records of the Immigration Service there was Michael Frisk, age 46, Christina his wife, age 50.The children were Gottlieb 18, Gustav 16, John 11, and Elizabeth 9.According to information they also had the two stepsisters along.Their names and ages are unknown however, they are reported to have married an Elsner and a Brockman at Engadine.The two stepsons went to Brazil.Grandfather Michael sent each of his children a cash settlement of part of his estate and he had also sent some money to the two stepsons in Brazil.
Of the three sons and one daughter of Michael and Christian Frisk, Gottlieb the eldest son died first, (froze in lumber woods).Gustav the second son died next, at Hilltop, West Virginia March 13, 1924 because of a stroke.John the third son lived all his life at Engadine, Michigan where he died about 1960.How many children he had is not known but he did have two sons Herman and Fred.They moved to Booneville, New York.Herman died of a heart attack about 1970 and Fred is still living in the state of New York.
Elizabeth married Uncle Martin Nickel.They lived on a farm near Almena, Wisconsin.They had a son Edward and a daughter Eva.Edward is dead, however Eva married a George Kunkel and they both still live near Almena.Uncle Martin Nickel died when the children were still small.Aunt Elizabeth remarried, this time to a man by the name of Machinsky, they had several girls.Their names are unknown.Aunt Elizabeth died about 1950.Machinsky is also dead, his given name is unknown.
All of these people were farmers in Michigan and Wisconsin.Gustav died at the age of 49.He came to the coalfields of West Virginia about 1900, became involved in the labor movement, and was an organizer for the United Mine Workers for a number of years.Was an elected board member of District 29, U.M.W. of A.He worked in Red Star Coal Mines for the longest period and Sumerlee at the time of his illness.The fact that he fought so hard for the miners organization caused him to be blacklisted by most of the coal companies in this area.This probably was the reason he was refused citizenship papers the first time he applied, which was in 1909.He was granted his citizenship papers the second time he applied which was in 1912, Fayette County.His party affiliation was Socialist and he voted for Eugene Debs for President, even though Debs was serving time in the penitentiary, this was about 1920.
Marriage Notes for MICHAEL FRISK(E) and CHRISTINA GEBAUER:
The St. Petersburg Lutheran Evangelical archives published by the LDS (Film/Item Pge Reg - 1884090/2 465 21) lists 21 Feb 1867 as the marriage date of Michael Friske and Christina (Gebauer) Obst.This date conflicts with the birth date of Christina Obst (28 Feb 1867) to Christina and her first husband Gottlieb Obst.In addition, daughter Pauline was born in 1871.Though the LDS film lists Michael Friske as the father, all other data, and oral history list Pauline as daughter of Gottlieb.Perhaps Michael and Christina's wedding date was after 1871 and before 1873?
Children of MICHAEL FRISK(E) and CHRISTINA GEBAUER are:
i. GOTTLIEB2 FRISK, b. May 03, 1873, Helenow, Poland.
2. ii. GUSTAV FRISK, b. August 10, 1875, Province Rubland zu Halinof (or Halenof) Helenow; d. March 13, 1924, Hilltop West Virginia.
3. iii. JOHN FRISK, b. Abt. 1880, Helenow, Poland; d. Abt. 1960, Engadine, Michigan.
iv. ELIZABETH "LOUISE" FRISK, b. February 08, 1882; d. Abt. 1950; m. MARTIN NICKEL.
Notes for ELIZABETH "LOUISE" FRISK:
Multiple documents, including St. Petersburg Lutheran Evangelical archives published by the LDS name her as "Louise".But we know her as "Elizabeth". Film/Item Pge Reg - 1897596/1 712.
v. PAULINE FRISK, b. February 14, 1871, Helenow, Poland; m. JOHN ELSNER.
Notes for PAULINE FRISK:
Pauline is listed in the St. Petersburg Lutheran Evangelical archives published by the LDS as Michael and Christina's daughter.All other researcher's data, and oral history identify Pauline as an Obst, daughter of Gottlieb and Christina.
Generation No. 2
2.GUSTAV2 FRISK (MICHAEL1 FRISK(E)) was born August 10, 1875 in Province Rubland zu Halinof (or Halenof) Helenow, and died March 13, 1924 in Hilltop West Virginia.He married EVA NICKEL August 05, 1899 in Lawton (formerly Greenwood) West Virginia, daughter of FRIEDRICH NICKEL and LOUISE GERSDORF.