"The Gamroth Family"
For better understanding of the subject, the following information is given:
Silesia – a large area now incorporated into the Republic of Poland. For several centuries, it had been a part of several nations. Silesia was divided administratively into Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia. The Gamroth’s and other immigrants who settled in and around what is now Independence, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin came from Upper Silesia and came from the Silesia were often referred to Silesians, rather than Poles.
Poppeleau was a small village near the Oder (Odra) river in Upper Silesia. Poppelau is German and the Polish equivalent of PopJelof or Popjelowo. From Poppeleau the Gamroth’s and many others who settled in and around Independence.
Schalkowitz (German) was a village near Poppeleau. The Polish equivalent is Siolkowice (Showkoverze). It is also on or near the Oder River. From there came many who settled in and around Independnece.
The Oder River forms the boundary between Poland and East Germany and flows to the Baltic Sea. The name Prussia and Germany are used synonymously. Prussia became a state in the German Empire in 1871. It seems that it was always the more ambitious of the Germanic States (and warlike).
Austria is a Germanic state but independence. At one time, it was a vast Austo-Hungarian Empire but disintegrated at the end of World War 1.
Bohemia is now part of Czechoslovakia.
Independence is the central part of Trempealeau County in western Wisconsin. Independence began in 1876 when the land was planted and the first lots were sold. However, it remained a part of the Township of Burnside until 1886 when it was incorporated as a village. It became a 4th class city in 1942.
New City, up until 1873, was a small hamlet about a mile south-west of present Independence. It had stores, a postal station, a blacksmith shop, a saloon or two, and a flour and feed mill. Its decline began when the railroad came through and a depot was established at Independence. New City is just a memory now.
The Gamroth’s and other immigrants who settled in and around Independence, Wisconsin area were considered to be Polish. However, their dialect was not of the true or classical Polish language. Their culture was, also, somewhat different. Many could speak German and their Polish dialect had many German idoms. Their surnames did not seem to be of the usual Polish origins. All this was probably the result of centuries of foreign domination of the Silesian area from whence the immigrants came. Briefly, the situation was as follows:
Poland became a nation in the 10th Century. From the start, it’s western areas known later as Upper and Lower Silesia became the bone of contention between Bohemia and Poland. Eventually Silesia came under the control of the Polish Piasts. They invited immigration of German peasants thus causing gradual Germanization of parts of Silesia.
In the 14th century, Silesia came under the control of the Bohemian king. In the 16th century, Bohemia, including Silesia came under the domination of the Austrian kingdom (a Germanic state). In 1742, Prussia, Austria, and Russia took away certain areas of Poland. The second partition by these powers was in 1793 and the last and final partition ceased to exist as a nation.
Germany and Austria were defeated in World War 1 (1914-1918) and the allied powers restored Poland to full nationhood. At the same time, Poland acquired a part of Silesia. However, most of Upper Silesia was kept by Germany. Final settlement of the vexing Silesian matter was to be made in later years. World War 2 (1939-1945) saw the defeat of Germany. This time all of Silesia was restored to Poland including the area from whence came the Gamroth’s. This was partially based on the idea of compensating Poland for loss of large western areas which were annexed to the Soviet Union.
Thus, we see that Upper and Lower areas of Silesia were not under the control of Poland from the 14th to the 20th centuries. Such foreign domination for so lengthy period was bound to have great influence on the people, their language, outlook, and culture. So the Gamroth’s and other Silesians who settled in and near Independence were from generations subjected to the same foreign influences.
This was most apparent in their dialect, which as previously stated, was unlike the true Polish language. Their Polish nationalism was not strong. When speaking of the old country, the immigrants almost always referred to the “Deutschland” meaning Germany. However, they still considered themselves to be part of the Polish ethnic. It can probably be arrived that there was some intermarriage between the different nationalities, thus the different surnames which are not typically Polish.
In the late 1860’s and early 1870’s, three sons and two daughters of Jacob and Eva Gamroth immigrated to America from the Village of Poppelau, Upper Silesia, Prussia (Germany). Their names were; Frank, Albert, Jake, Maria, and Barbara. They came with their spouses and children and settled in the area of present day Independence, Wisconsin.
Their mode of travel was by steerage across the Atlantic Ocean. At that time, there was a large movement of immigrants from the village of Poppelau and nearby village of Schalkowitz. Some took sailing ships and some took steamships. The voyage was slow and in some cases lasted about sixty days, particularly if the sailing ship was used. Regarding this slow travel, I heard some of the early settlers relate their experiences while on the water. Additional information was gathered from historical data. Apparently the Gamroth’s came by steamship, starting in Hamburg, Germany and landing in New York, Ellis Island.
According to the information given to me, the Gamroth’s and other immigrants bound for Wisconsin traveled by rail to Chicago, thence to Milwaukee and then to La Crosse, Wisconsin. The later marked the end of the rails up to that time. Then they boarded a Mississippi River steamer and sailed up the river to Trempealeau. The later village near a very important landing point for immigrants and for commerce. From the village of Trempealeau, the immigrants, including the Gamroth’s, walked or rode by ox teams and in rare instances by horse drawn wagons. They went north over the prairies and steep hills and valleys.
The roads were poor but they managed to reach the Independence area which was largely uninhabited. Much of the land had never been touched by plows and was covered by a lot of brush. There was not much timber, in contrast to the present situation. The first action was to build shelter for the families. In many instances, dugouts were built into the slopes of hills. Timber was gathered and crude log houses were also put up.
Invariably, the immigrants were very poor and had to struggle hard to survive. Horses were scarce and for a time, oxen were the beasts of burden. Trading centers were at Trempealeau, Black River Falls, Winona, Eau Claire, all more than 30 miles away. A trip to them was an adventure lasting two or three days. There were no medical facilities nearby and doctors were a long way off. The railroad did not come through Independence area until December 1873 and Independence did not come into feeble being until 1876. Banking facilities were far away so borrowing was on a very limited scale. Sometimes the immigrants were able to borrow from the earlier settlers who had come from the eastern states who sometimes were referred to as Yankees.
Interest rates were at 10% or higher, discounted. That meant if the loan was for $100, the borrower would get $90 but have to pay interest on the $100.
Schools and churches were few and far away. School terms were just a few months of the year because the children were needed to help on the farm.
The immigrants for the most part could read and write the Polish language and some German but not English. Eventually, they picked up a smattering of English and thus could make themselves understood.
Most of the immigrants engaged in farming. The Gamroth’s took up farms south of present day Independence and some later went to other areas.
For the immigrants, the struggle was hard. They came to a strange land, largely a wilderness. The form of government and culture were foreign to them. In spite of everything, they achieved a measure of success and their children and grand-children carried on the higher levels of achievements.
The religion of the Polish immigrants was Roman Catholic. Services were held in various homes when a visiting priest was available. In 1869, the SS Peter and Paul Parish was organized in Independence, Wisconsin.
Clarence Gamroth – “The Gamroth Family”
Silesia – a large area now incorporated into the Republic of Poland. For several centuries, it had been a part of several nations. Silesia was divided administratively into Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia. The Gamroth’s and other immigrants who settled in and around what is now Independence, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin came from Upper Silesia and came from the Silesia were often referred to Silesians, rather than Poles.
Poppeleau was a small village near the Oder (Odra) river in Upper Silesia. Poppelau is German and the Polish equivalent of PopJelof or Popjelowo. From Poppeleau the Gamroth’s and many others who settled in and around Independence.
Schalkowitz (German) was a village near Poppeleau. The Polish equivalent is Siolkowice (Showkoverze). It is also on or near the Oder River. From there came many who settled in and around Independnece.
The Oder River forms the boundary between Poland and East Germany and flows to the Baltic Sea. The name Prussia and Germany are used synonymously. Prussia became a state in the German Empire in 1871. It seems that it was always the more ambitious of the Germanic States (and warlike).
Austria is a Germanic state but independence. At one time, it was a vast Austo-Hungarian Empire but disintegrated at the end of World War 1.
Bohemia is now part of Czechoslovakia.
Independence is the central part of Trempealeau County in western Wisconsin. Independence began in 1876 when the land was planted and the first lots were sold. However, it remained a part of the Township of Burnside until 1886 when it was incorporated as a village. It became a 4th class city in 1942.
New City, up until 1873, was a small hamlet about a mile south-west of present Independence. It had stores, a postal station, a blacksmith shop, a saloon or two, and a flour and feed mill. Its decline began when the railroad came through and a depot was established at Independence. New City is just a memory now.
The Gamroth’s and other immigrants who settled in and around Independence, Wisconsin area were considered to be Polish. However, their dialect was not of the true or classical Polish language. Their culture was, also, somewhat different. Many could speak German and their Polish dialect had many German idoms. Their surnames did not seem to be of the usual Polish origins. All this was probably the result of centuries of foreign domination of the Silesian area from whence the immigrants came. Briefly, the situation was as follows:
Poland became a nation in the 10th Century. From the start, it’s western areas known later as Upper and Lower Silesia became the bone of contention between Bohemia and Poland. Eventually Silesia came under the control of the Polish Piasts. They invited immigration of German peasants thus causing gradual Germanization of parts of Silesia.
In the 14th century, Silesia came under the control of the Bohemian king. In the 16th century, Bohemia, including Silesia came under the domination of the Austrian kingdom (a Germanic state). In 1742, Prussia, Austria, and Russia took away certain areas of Poland. The second partition by these powers was in 1793 and the last and final partition ceased to exist as a nation.
Germany and Austria were defeated in World War 1 (1914-1918) and the allied powers restored Poland to full nationhood. At the same time, Poland acquired a part of Silesia. However, most of Upper Silesia was kept by Germany. Final settlement of the vexing Silesian matter was to be made in later years. World War 2 (1939-1945) saw the defeat of Germany. This time all of Silesia was restored to Poland including the area from whence came the Gamroth’s. This was partially based on the idea of compensating Poland for loss of large western areas which were annexed to the Soviet Union.
Thus, we see that Upper and Lower areas of Silesia were not under the control of Poland from the 14th to the 20th centuries. Such foreign domination for so lengthy period was bound to have great influence on the people, their language, outlook, and culture. So the Gamroth’s and other Silesians who settled in and near Independence were from generations subjected to the same foreign influences.
This was most apparent in their dialect, which as previously stated, was unlike the true Polish language. Their Polish nationalism was not strong. When speaking of the old country, the immigrants almost always referred to the “Deutschland” meaning Germany. However, they still considered themselves to be part of the Polish ethnic. It can probably be arrived that there was some intermarriage between the different nationalities, thus the different surnames which are not typically Polish.
In the late 1860’s and early 1870’s, three sons and two daughters of Jacob and Eva Gamroth immigrated to America from the Village of Poppelau, Upper Silesia, Prussia (Germany). Their names were; Frank, Albert, Jake, Maria, and Barbara. They came with their spouses and children and settled in the area of present day Independence, Wisconsin.
Their mode of travel was by steerage across the Atlantic Ocean. At that time, there was a large movement of immigrants from the village of Poppelau and nearby village of Schalkowitz. Some took sailing ships and some took steamships. The voyage was slow and in some cases lasted about sixty days, particularly if the sailing ship was used. Regarding this slow travel, I heard some of the early settlers relate their experiences while on the water. Additional information was gathered from historical data. Apparently the Gamroth’s came by steamship, starting in Hamburg, Germany and landing in New York, Ellis Island.
According to the information given to me, the Gamroth’s and other immigrants bound for Wisconsin traveled by rail to Chicago, thence to Milwaukee and then to La Crosse, Wisconsin. The later marked the end of the rails up to that time. Then they boarded a Mississippi River steamer and sailed up the river to Trempealeau. The later village near a very important landing point for immigrants and for commerce. From the village of Trempealeau, the immigrants, including the Gamroth’s, walked or rode by ox teams and in rare instances by horse drawn wagons. They went north over the prairies and steep hills and valleys.
The roads were poor but they managed to reach the Independence area which was largely uninhabited. Much of the land had never been touched by plows and was covered by a lot of brush. There was not much timber, in contrast to the present situation. The first action was to build shelter for the families. In many instances, dugouts were built into the slopes of hills. Timber was gathered and crude log houses were also put up.
Invariably, the immigrants were very poor and had to struggle hard to survive. Horses were scarce and for a time, oxen were the beasts of burden. Trading centers were at Trempealeau, Black River Falls, Winona, Eau Claire, all more than 30 miles away. A trip to them was an adventure lasting two or three days. There were no medical facilities nearby and doctors were a long way off. The railroad did not come through Independence area until December 1873 and Independence did not come into feeble being until 1876. Banking facilities were far away so borrowing was on a very limited scale. Sometimes the immigrants were able to borrow from the earlier settlers who had come from the eastern states who sometimes were referred to as Yankees.
Interest rates were at 10% or higher, discounted. That meant if the loan was for $100, the borrower would get $90 but have to pay interest on the $100.
Schools and churches were few and far away. School terms were just a few months of the year because the children were needed to help on the farm.
The immigrants for the most part could read and write the Polish language and some German but not English. Eventually, they picked up a smattering of English and thus could make themselves understood.
Most of the immigrants engaged in farming. The Gamroth’s took up farms south of present day Independence and some later went to other areas.
For the immigrants, the struggle was hard. They came to a strange land, largely a wilderness. The form of government and culture were foreign to them. In spite of everything, they achieved a measure of success and their children and grand-children carried on the higher levels of achievements.
The religion of the Polish immigrants was Roman Catholic. Services were held in various homes when a visiting priest was available. In 1869, the SS Peter and Paul Parish was organized in Independence, Wisconsin.
Clarence Gamroth – “The Gamroth Family”