Bio: Konieczny, Frank (96 Years - 1975)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Konieczny , Hider, Rohland

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/04/1975

Konieczny, Frank (96 Years – 24 November 1975)

Frank Konieczny enjoyed a family get-together at the Thorp Care Center to celebrate his 96th birthday. He tells his friends he has a Thanksgiving birthday, which really falls on November 24.

Konieczny was born near Pozen, Poland, had lived in the Twin Cities, where he became a citizen at the age of eight with his father. The family moved to Thorp when he was 19.

After spending late summers in the western harvest field for a number of years, he set out on his own at the age of 30 years. During this time, he worked from the central states to the west coast and then became a motorman on the electric trolley in the Twin Cities, when 500 miles of track was transportation in the growing cities. There he married the former Sophie Hider, and they moved to Thorp, where a new farm was started. They had been married 42 years when she died.

In times of need for extra money, Konieczny would return to the city “after only the potatoes and sauerkraut were left to harvest,” as he put it. With his first job on the trolley he earned 32 cents an hour with a 13-hour day and no overtime. He recalled the rule to get signatures and addresses on the witness cards which they carried whenever there was an accident. People were always trying to collect from the company.

For a nickel fare you could ride all day.

The Konieczny’s had two daughters, Mrs. Otto (Agnes) Rohland and Mrs. Fred (Margaret) Rohland both of Withee; and four sons, Frank, Jr., of Thorp; Stanley of Withee; George of Marshfield; and Thomas at Menasha. There are also 26 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Although he has never worn glasses, Konieczny still likes to read his newspaper. A delightful bit of birthday reading was a letter from the public relations department of the trolley company. The Minnesota Transportation Museum is restoring some of the trolley line.