Nowicki, Martin (1830 - 1898), Clark County, Wisconsin History

Surnames: Braun, Rauen, Heineman, Ruder, Meyer, Stein, Wehner, Becker, Riehle, Pañasee, Ranithiser, Chesak, Gehten, Wilger, Helke

Reference detail - Martin Nowicki, was a violinist in Europe came to this country in 1877 with his wife the former Kathryn Socha. They had nine children-- Johanna (Zobrak), Pauline (1st wife of Andrew Miller), Michael, Anna (Kreft), Josephine (Teresinski), John, Frank, Andrew and Antonette (Wojciechowski). From him, some of his children acquired an interest in music namely, Michael, John and Andrew. A family orchestra came into being consisting of Martin as 1st violinist; Michael a clarinet player; John 2nd violinist, Andrew a coronet player and a cousin John Wichlacz a Cello player. They practiced many an evening usually after all the evening chores were finished and played for many weddings in the surrounding areas.

As John's son Art recalls, his father told him that it was usually proper in those days for the orchestra to lead the bridal couple with music to church. The musicians had a horse driven surrey, and at one particular wedding the horses stopped unexpectedly. Andrew with his trumpet, did not expect this, - lost his balance, fell into the new big Cello and broke it. For the moment, a few sad moments followed, but they quickly went back home to get their old Cello and they proceeded with their playing. There were home weddings held all day and all night until about three or four in the morning, with lunch served just before their departure. Most of the invited guests walked home in time for the morning chores. The musicians sometimes continued on to the next wedding with the horses being their only transportation.

The talent of music in the Nowicki family had touched many descendants who have pursued their talent to some degree. The following chart illustrates this by generations. Note that the musically gifted parents are in parenthesis next to their children. If parents were not gifted, genealogy is tracked back to Martin's children with the parent beneath.

Mlcnae; NOWICKI
Clarinet and other
instrument player
Violinist
Coronet Player
Nowicki - Six Generations of Music
First Generation
Martin Nowicki
Second Generation
Andrew Nowicki
John Nowicki
Michael Nowicki
Anna (Nowicki) Kreft
Josephine (Nowicki) Teresinski
Antonette (Nowicki) Wojciechowski
Frank Nowicki
Pauline (Nowicki) Miller
Johanna (Nowicki) Zobrak
Third Generation
Arthur Nowicki (John)
Joseph Nowicki (Michael)
Tony Nowicki (Michael)
Celia (Nowicki) Albrecht (Michael)
Allie Kreft (Anna)
Michael Teresinski (Josephine)
Frank Teresinski (Josephine)
Joe Teresinski (Josephine)
Leo Teresinski (Josephine)
Fourth Generation
Jeanette (Nowicki) Riehle (Arthur Nowicki)
Helen (Nowicki) Bogaczyk
Phyllis (Nowicki) Mader Joseph Nowicki)
Teresa (Nowicki) Schwartz
Patricia (Albrecht) Niewolny
John Albrecht Jr. (Celia (Nowicki) Albrecht)
Delores (Albrecht) Osterbrink
Lawrence Witucki
Ralph Witucki (GC - Michael Nowicki)
Lorraine (Witucki) Soltes (C - Rose (Nowicki) Witucki)
Lucy Witucki
Raymond Myszka (GX - Michael Nowicki)
David Myszka (C - Mary (Nowicki) Myszka)
Joan (Socha) Seagraves (GC - Michael Nowicki)
(C - Lucy (Nowicki) Socha)
Mary (Kreft) Nowacki
Gladys (Kreft) Paul (Allie Kreft)
Dolores (Kreft) Krebs GC - Anna (Nowicki) Kreft
(C - John Kreft)
Marlene (Kraft) Schlegel GC - Anna (Nowicki) Kreft
C - Sylvester Kraft
Joan (Tessmer) Sonnenberg
Lynn (Karow) Steem G C - Antonette (Nowicki) Wojciechowski
Cheryl (Karow) Eckert C - Emma (Wojciechowski) Karow
Fifth Generation
Tiffany Riehle (Jeanette (Nowicki) Riehle)
Beth Bogaczyk
Becky Bogaczyk (Helen (Nowicki Bogaczyk)
Gary Nowicki
Ronald Nowicki G C - Tony Nowicki
Fifth Generation (con't)
Michael Nowicki C - John Nowicki
James Nowicki
Jacqueline Sjoberg (Dolores (Albrecht) Osterbrink)
Steven Witucki
Mary Witucki (Ralph Witucki)
Linda Witucki
Sharon Witucki G C - Michael Nowicki
Connie Witucki C - Walter Witucki
Lisa Witucki
Laurel Heier G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Dolores (Witucki) Heier
Janice (Myszka) Buchberger (Raymond Myszka)
Dennis Myszka
Mary Kay Myszka (David Myszka)
Jean Myszka
Kenneth Myszka
Janet Sikorski G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Regina (Socha) Sikorski
Pamela (Murkowski) Stencil
Debra (Murkowski) Seubert G G C - Michael Nowicki
Brenda (Murkowski) Schoessow C- Raymond Murkowski
Kenneth Zarling G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Leona (Murkowski) Zarling
Gloria Berens G G C - Michael Nowicki
Roseann (Berens) Hoffmann C - Teresa (Murkowski).Berens
Jean Murrow G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Thomas Murrow
Mary Lou (Murkowski) Koranda G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Howard Murkowski
David Kreft
Debra (Kreft) Menoni G C - (Allie Kreft)
C - (Harry Kreft)
Maureen (Towey) Locker G C - (Allie Kreft)
C - (Leona (Kreft) Towey)
Nancy (Kreft) Banks G C - Allie Kreft)
C - (Florian Kreft)
Karen (Nowacki) Gotsch
Kathy (Nowacki) Griffin (Mary (Kreft) Nowacki)
Stacy Krebs
Gregory Krebs (Dolores (Kreft) Krebs)
Jean (Kraft) Stenzel G G C - Anna (Nowicki) Kreft
C - Dennis Kraft
Kim Tessmer G G C - Antonette (Nowicki) Wojciechowski
C - Jerome Tessmer
Sixth Generation
Diane Drewek G G G C - Michael Nowicki
C - Gloria (King) Drewek
*NOTE:
G G G C - Great, great, grandchild
G G C - Great, Grandchild
G C - Grandchild
C - Child of

Records show that Daniel Johnson and wife Eleta and Fred Rietbrock and his wife Helen sold a 120 acre tract of land to Martin Nowicki and wife Kathryn (Socha) who came from Europe in 1877. They came with a few other settlers, namely: Switlick, Lewandowski, Wojciechowski and Waskowiak families. Living together with the Switlick's for a few days, they cleared for themselves a little space where they built a log house and later a barn. They had nine children.

Martin who was a musician ironically died at an early age of a heart attach while playing at a wedding. He left his wife Kathryn and family to clear the lands.

As money was needed, Mike, as a young man, and his older sisters walked to Wausau to work. Those were long and tedious hours. Many times they would stop in at the Waskowiak's on the way to rest and then continue home. They raised sheep to supply the wool for the family needs. Cows were kept according to how much feed they had from the cleared lands. The cream was skimmed from the milk by hand and what they couldn't use themselves they fed to the animals. When creameries came into existence they could then sell the cream to creameries. They had their own separator which was driven by a tread mill operated by a dog, sheep or goat. Threshing of grain was done by flail. Whatever products they had extra were taken by the younger brother John and their mother to Wausau. On their way they left the wheat or rye to be ground into flour at the Rib Falls mill, only to be picked up on their way back. As the years went by the flail threshing of grain was replaced by a six-horsepower grain machine - consisting of a cylinder and sieves. One man cut the bands on the bundle while one or two men fed the bundles into the machine. Then one would shovel the grain away in bushel boxes while the other men carried the grain into the bin. Few others carried the straw to the mow. Later the thresh machine came into existence which was driven by a steam engine. This machine took the bundles as they were and separated the grain from the straw and blew the straw out onto a stack or mow.

Mike assumed the responsibilities of operating the farm. As it was a custom to have an agreement made those days, Mike would have to pay off the rest of the children as they left home and support his mother until her death.

Mike married Mary Kropidlowski, November 16, 1891. They had a family of twelve children: Anna (Murkowski), Helen (Murkowski), Frances (Nowacki), Anton, Mary (Myszka), Lucy (Socha), Joseph, Julia (Witucki), Rose (Witucki), Celia (Albrecht), Peter, and Thomas.

All living children of Mike Nowicki: Celia (John Albrecht), Lucy (Frank Socha), Rose (Joe Witucki), Joseph, Julia (Andrew Witucki), Tony. Front Row: Thomas, Mary (Jacob Myszka), Frances (John Nowacki), Helen (Leo Murkowski), Anna (Peter Murkowski).

A tread mill was used to operate a cream separator - powered by a dog. With the help of the family, Mike cleared the rest of the land and located the buildings where they are now. As the years progressed and the children married and settled elsewhere, Joseph who married Stella (Handlowski) October 25, 1932, purchased the property from his father in November 14, 1932. The following spring of March 1933, after their marriage, Joseph's father passed away leaving the mother in his care. He lived to a nice age of 81 years, passing away April 18, 1952. Joseph and wife Stella have nine children: Maryann, Helen (Bogaczyk), Phyllis (Mader), Joseph Jr., Theresa (Schwartz), Edward, Richard, Christine (Delago), and Bernice (Manhardt). Joseph and Stella have moved to live in Athens, Wisconsin selling their interests to son Edward and Edward & Mary (Guden) Nowicki present owners of Century Farm. Children L-8: Greg Tamara, Ellen Kelly.

wife Mary (Guden) on October 2, 1968. This couple with their children, Greg, Tamara, Ellen, and Kelly have done extensive modernizing on this homestead which they operate today.

Martin Nowicki, white, married farmer
father's birthplace : Poland
mother's birthplace : Poland

Household Members
self Martin Nowicki M 50 (1830) Poland
wife Catharine Nowicki F 30 Poland
son Michael Nowicki M 14 Wisconsin, United States
daughter Anna Nowicki F 8 Wisconsin, United States
daughter Josephina Nowicki F 6 Wisconsin, United States
daughter Johanna Nowicki F 5 Wisconsin, United States
son Frank Nowicki M 2 Wisconsin, United States
son John Nowicki M 0 Wisconsin, United States

Anthony Krefta
bride's name: Anna Nowicka (Nowicki)
marriage date: 17 Apr 1891
marriage place: Marathon, Wisconsin
groom's father's name: Adelbert Krefta
groom's mother's name: Josephine Wesotowska
bride's father's name: Martin Nowicka (Nowicki)
bride's mother's name: Catharine Socka

Michael Nowicki
bride's name: Mary Kropedlowski
marriage date: 19 Nov 1891
marriage place: Marathon, Wisconsin
groom's father's name: Martin Nowicki
groom's mother's name: Catharine Socha
bride's father's name: John Kropedlowski
bride's mother's name: Catharine Becklawe

Nowicki Burials in the Holy Family Catholic Cemetery, Poniatowski, Wisconsin

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