Kaskie, Michael 1852-1912 & Mary Churske Family

KASKIE, CHURSKE, SMITH, KITOWSKY

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/1/2022 at 00:10:22

Kaskie, Michael 1852-1912 and Mary Churske

This story was taken from pages 102-103 of the Rock Valley St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book written for the centennial of the church in about 1982(?). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

MICHAEL and MARY KASKIE homesteaded on a farm seven miles west of Rock Valley and spent most of their lives there. Michael was born September 12, 1852 and died on August 22, 1912. Sometime later Mary moved into Rock Valley and died in the spring of 1931. They were the parents of ten children, Martin, John, Joseph, Ollie, Henry, Teresa, Paulline, Frances (see Langan), Lucille (see Friesen) and Leo.

1. MARTIN was married and farmed at Gary, South Dakota until his death. He had no children.

2. JOHN never married and made his home on the farm.

3. JOSEPH farmed at Madison, South Dakota for many years and later moved to California. He married and had two step-children.

4. OLLIE and Anna Gacken were married on February 24, 1925 at West Point, Nebraska. They made their home on the same farm where Ollie was born, until his death on December 30, 1962. They had been members of St. Mary’s for 36 years. After Ollie’s death, Anna moved to Canton, South Dakota where she still resides. They were the parents of six children, Bernice, Albert, Paul, Francis, Davis and Rose Ann.
a. Bernice and Nels Braaten were married in 1948 at which time he was employed by Lincoln County Highway Department and she was running a small café. Later he owned Braaten Construction and she is employed by the Canton Public School as a baker. They have three sons all born in Canton, and they attended school in Canton, Larry, Alan and Bruce.
Larry is employed by Amoco and married Kimberlee Jorgenson of Lennox in 1973. They have two children, Timothy and Amy.
Alan is employed by Bidwell Corporation and married Julie Tiezen of Lennox in 1975. They are the parents of two children, Matthew and Rebecca.
Bruce is manager of the Canton Lumber Company.
b. Albert married Alice Hoffman of Harrisburg, and after serving in the Army they made their home in the state of Washington. They are the parents of seven children.
c. Paul, after serving in the army, married Cathryn Van Beek of Hawarden and made their home on his parent’s farm. They have seven children.
d. Francis (Frank) married Hermina Ver Mulm of Rock Valley and have farmed in South Dakota and Iowa. Later in life, they moved to Hawarden where he owns and operates a welding shop. They are the parents of seven children.
e. Matthew Davis was a career man in the Army and served in the United States and overseas. He married Patricia Hill of Hawarden. After retiring from the service, they moved to Colorado where he was killed in a car accident. He is buried in Colorado.
f. Rose Ann married Alvin Bowyer of Canton and they make their home in Chicago, Illinois, where they own and operate a health food store. They are also talented musicians. They have three daughters, Alatice, Joyce and Maylyn and one son, Andrew, who is a mechanic and a mason.

5. HENRY lived in Rock Valley all his life and was janitor at St. Mary’s for many years and later worked for the railroad. He never married and passed away in Rock Valley in 1967.

6 & 7. THERESA and PAULLINE were lifelong members of St. Mary’s and made their home with their brother, Henry. Paulline died in 1962 and Teresa in 1963.

10. LEO was born on his parent’s farm on September 26, 1896 and served in the Army in WWI. He was married to Kathryn Grant at Howard, South Dakota, on October 26, 1926. They lived on a farm west of Rock Valley until they moved into town in 1942. Leo passed away on August 28, 1956 and Kathryn lives in Lennox, South Dakota. They were the parents of four children, Bernard, Donald, Leonard and Marcella.
a. Bernard and Joyce Johnson were married in St. Mary’s on October 25, 1949 and lived here until they moved to Lennox, South Dakota in November, 1962. He was employed by Land O’Lakes in Sioux Falls for 18 years and is now working for the Lennox Schools. They have four children, Marilyn, Charlotte, James and Rita.
Marilyn is married to Marlyn Jacobson, has two daughters and is a clerk in a store. Charlotte works in an office and lives in Fullerton, California. James is married to Valorie Forde, resides in Sioux Falls, and is employed by Pam Oil Vo. Rita is married to Darrell Bulles and lives on a farm near Parker, South Dakota; they have one son.
b. Donald spent four years in the Army after graduation from high school. He married Patricia Packard while in the service. Donald is an office manager and they now live in Forest, Mississippi. They have eight children.
Leonard Eugene was born on January 18, 1936 to Kathryn Grant Kaskie and Leo Kaskie. They lived on a farm on the 7 mile corner west of Rock Valley on Highway 18. At the age of five, Leonard and his family moved into the town of Rock Valley. He attended Public Grade School and High School and graduated in 1955. Leonard and Dolores Soldatke of Grenville, South Dakota, were married in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on June 8, 1963. They made their home in Rock Valley until September of 1963, when Sioux Falls, South Dakota became their home – Leonard worked as a salesman for a lumber yard. On February 14, 1968, they moved back to Rock Valley, where Leonard worked for Thornburg Co., and they became members of St. Mary’s Parish. In 1972, c. Leonard became a businessman of his own for five years – during this time, he also served as custodian of St. Mary’s for a year. Dolores worked at the Rock Valley Bee Newspaper and did part time bookwork for St. Mary’s Church. Interest in another business moved them to Sutherland, Iowa, where they owned the bowling alley for four years. At the present, Leonard does Interior-Exterior painting and wallpapering. Dolores works as secretary-bookkeeper for the Catholic Church under Father Ronald J. Reicks. They are members of the Sacred Heart Church in Sutherland.
d. Marcella is married to Edward Paul and lives in Sioux Falls. They have one son.

RESEARCH NOTES: added by Wilma J. Vande Berg
The above list of children was not complete and in birth order, from a family report on ancestry.com the children were listed as follows:
1 . John Richard Kaskie born Apr 2, 1883 Fairbanks IA died 30 Oct 1948 Rock Valley IA.
2 . Martin J. Kaskie born 27 Sep 1885 Iowa died 17 Mar 1920
3 . Joseph Kaskie born Jun 1888 died ?
4 . Lucille ‘Lucy’ Kaskie born Jan 27, 1890 Rock Valley IA died Aug 1980 Belen Valencia NM Husband John E. Friesen 1885-1931
5 . Frances Kaskie born 22 Dec 1891 Rock Valley IA died 17 Jan 1991 Brookings SD
6 . Teresa M. Kaskie born Nov 1894 Iowa died Nov 2, 1963 Rock Valley IA
7 . Aloysius Kaskie born 2 Jan 1895 died 30 Dec 1962
8 . Oliver Kaskie born 2 Feb 1895 Iowa died Dec 30, 1962 Rock Valley IA
9 . Leo Francis Kaskie born 26 Sep 1896 Rock Valley IA died 28 Aug 1956 Lennox, SD
10. Pauline Anna Kaskie born Nov 1898 Iowa died 1962 Rock Valley IA
11. Henry Paul Kaskie born 21 Mar 1900 died Oct 28, 1967 Rock Valley IA.

The parents of Michael Kaskie were listed as Andrew Kitowsky 1810-1885 and Emma Anna Smith 1820-1900. (The submitter recalls doing some extensive background work on this family quite a few years back and originally the family came from Czechoslovak in eastern Europe and the family name was quite long and unusual so it was shortened as the family immigrated to the USA

OBITUARY OF MICHAEL KASKIE
From the Rock Valley Bee, August 30, 1912:
MICHAEL KASKIE DEAD
Sioux County Pioneer Dies From Heart Failure Thursday Afternoon August 22nd. Michael Kaskie, one of the pioneers of Sioux county who lived seven miles northwest of Rock Valley died very suddenly last Thursday afternoon of heart failure. During the fore part of the day and until shortly before his death he had felt as well as usual, though he had not been in good health for the past two or three months, but was able to be up and around and help some with the work on the farm. He had always been a hard working man and it was hard for him to see the others work and not take hold himself.
On the afternoon of his death he had driven over to the A. Trebon farm, a short distance south of his own farm. He put his team away and started to cross a pasture to where a force of men were digging a well some forty or fifty rods distant. When he had almost reached the place he sat down apparently exhausted with the effort he had made. Mr. Trebon who was at the well ran to him. He died shortly after Mr. Trebon reached him. Dr. R. Huizenga was called who pronounced the cause of his death heart failure.
The subject of this sketch was born in Germany, September 12, 1852, and was at the time of his death fifty-nine years eleven months and ten days old. At the age of ten years with his parents he came to this country and lived in Indiana about two years when he came to Buchanan county, Iowa, where he lived until 1888 when he came to Sioux county and settled on a farm northwest of Rock Valley which was his home until death claimed him. Before coming to Sioux county, in May 1882 he was married to Miss Mary Churske who still survives her husband. To this union were born twelve children, ten of whom are living and all were present at the funeral of their father. The children are Martin of Gray, S.D., John, [word obscured], Ollie, Leo, Henry, Lucile, T[word obscured], Pauline and Mrs. Jos. Langen. All of them live near Rock Valley except one.
Besides the wife and children the deceased leaves to mourn three sisters, Mrs. Kuhnert of Cameron, Mo., Mrs. Reith of Goshen, Indiana, and Mrs. A. Trebon of Rock Valley.
Funeral services were held Monday at ten a.m. in St. Mary's Catholic church in Rock Valley, conducted by Rev. Father O'Reilly, and the remains were buried in the Catholic cemetery south of Iowa. The bereaved family and relatives have the sympathy of many friends and neighbors.
=========================
Source: Alton Democrat issue of 31 Aug 1912, Hudson column.
Mike Kaskie died of heart failure last Thursday and was buried at Rock Valley. He was an old settler and has a large circle of friends and relatives to mourn his loss.
=========================
Source: Alton Democrat issue of 31 Aug 1912, Rock Valley column.
Again we are reminded of the uncertainly of life in the sudden demise of Michael Kaskie Thursday Aug. 22, 1912, of heart failure. The deceased had occasion to visit the farm of his brother-in-law Adolph Trebon, who was repairing a well, and when ready to return home he fell and Mr. Trebon went to his assistance, but life was extinct. The summons came without the slightest warning and he passed to that bourne from whence none ever return. He was taken to his home and prepared for burial. His companion, who was at Gary, S.D., visiting a son was notified and returned home immediately. The subject of this sketch was a native of Germany and born September 12, 1852, age 59 years, 11 months and 10 days. In 1862 he immigrated to America with his parents, where he grew to manhood. He was married May 20th 1882 to Miss Mary Churske at Fairbanks, Iowa. He was the father of twelve children, two of which precede him to the spirit world, In 1888 he came to Sioux county and located on a farm seven miles west of Rock Valley and by thrift and economy he acquired a competency to sustain him and his dependents in the decline of life. He was a good neighbor, a good father, and performed the duties of life as he saw them.. He was a devout member of the Catholic church. He leaves a companion, ten children and three sisters who mourn his passing. Funeral services occurred Monday at the Catholic church conducted by the pastor. Rev. Father O'Rielly, in the presence of a large concourse of sympathizing friends, after which he was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery south of town. The bereaved have the sympathy of the community in their hour of sorrow.
=========================
OBITUARY OF MARY KASKIE
Rock Valley Bee (9-4-1931)
Born: March 23, 1858
Died: September 1, 1931
Mrs. Mary Kaskie passed away at her home in Rock Valley at ten o’clock Tuesday morning following a lingering illness with cancer. Mrs. Mary Churske was born in Germany March 23, 1858, and had attained the age of seventy-two years, five months and eight days.
When she was eighteen years old she came to this country and lived near Fairbanks, Iowa, for about four years. She was married there to Michael Kaskie, who preceded her in death several years ago. They moved from Fairbanks to Sioux County and settled on a farm northwest of Rock Valley where they resided for over thirty-five years. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Kaskie moved to Rock Valley to make her home.
Mrs. Kaskie was a woman who was highly respected by all who knew her. She was kind to her family and they will greatly miss her and she will also be missed by her many friends and neighbors who have known here these many years.
Mrs. Kaskie was the mother of twelve children, nine of whom are living. They are John, Ollie, Leo, Theresa, Pauline and Henry of Rock Valley and Mrs. John Friesen, of Beresford, South Dakota, Mrs. Joe Langen of Aurora, South Dakota and Joe Kaskie of Madison, South Dakota. Besides other relatives and friends, he also leaves eleven grandchildren.
Funeral services were held this Thursday morning at nine o’clock in St. Mary’s Church in Rock Valley, and the remains were taken to St. Mary’s Cemetery for burial.

Funeral Card -- Michael Kaskie, 1852-1912
 

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen