Bio: Auman, John (Emigrated from Jugoslavia)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Auman, Burger, Buick, Godina, Fortuna

----Source: Family Scrapbook

John Auman was born in Dvorje, Yugoslavia on June 14, 1879. He came to the United States in 1908, and settled in Ely, Minnesota. He was a carpenter by train in Jugoslavia, and so he went to work as a carpenter in Ely. He married Mary Burger in 1910.

He came to Willard in 1916 and lived with his brother Frank for several years. They bought four acres of land from Anton Fortuna. This four acre place adjoined Frank Auman’s property. He built a home on his property and settled there. He worked as a carpenter in the Willard area. He was one of the first to own a car in his neighborhood. This was a big luxury in those days, but to John it was a big help in the business that he was in. At first the roads were no more than trails through the woods, but it wasn’t long before the town put in better roads, as the automobile was getting quite popular.

John too had his hardships, soon after he was married to Mary she became very ill and spent most of her life in a sanitarium. Mary passed away in 1925.

In June of 1929 John and his brother Frank set out with sleigh and horses. They went to Thorp to bring back John’s new wife. It was in the month of January and before they got back they were caught in the worst snowstorm of the season. John married Louise Buick in January of 1929. Louis passed away in 1937.

In 1938 he married Francis Godina. She was originally from Jugoslavia, but when she married John, she was living in Chicago. Everyone in the neighborhood marveled at the beautiful home she kept up. She had a green thumb. Her flowers were the talk of the neighborhood.

As the years passed by and John and Frances were growing old, John could no longer take on any more carpenter jobs, and they had to give up all of their animals. The garden and flowers became a thing of the past.

John left his home and was placed in the Clark County Home in Owen. After living there a short time, John passed away. He died in the years of 1964 in the month of February, the 21st day. In 1963 Frances went to live in a nursing home at McHenry, Illinois. She passed away in the year 1966.

Their little home and four acres of land were sold to a party from McHenry, Illinois.