Bio: Lunka, Frank & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lunka, Klanchar, Lesar, Ule, Ulesich, Bogdonovich

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Frank and Mary (Klanchar) Lunka were born in Zerovnica. Mary was born in 1869 and Frank in 1862. They were married in Zerovnica in 1892. A son, Joe was born to this union in 1893. Sometime later Frank went to America to seek his fortune, leaving his wife and son Joe in Jugoslavia. After working in coal mines in Pennsylvania for two years he returned home, planning to take his family with him to the U.S.A. He stayed in Jugoslavia a year. During this time, a daughter, Marie, was born in 1896.

'Promoters' were busy talking glowingly of Brazil so the family went to Brazil with friends, Joe Ule and family. Marie was only three weeks old when they sailed for Brazil. Conditions in this land were very poor. They lived in houses with dirt floors. They worked long, hard hours on coffee plantations using 5 inch hoes all day long. They told of encountering pythons. They also had to put up1 with an insect that would sting them and then maggots would set in. They would have these maggots between their toes and folds of skin as around the waistline, etc. Marie had 32 around her ear when she was less than a year old.

After four years they decided to go to America, having saved barely enough money. But luck was against them. They got on the wrong ship which took them to Marseilles, France. They then crossed France by train to LeHavre via Paris to board a ship for New York. In Paris, Marie was kidnapped for a short time. When they arrived in New York they were flat broke. The Ule family, who were travelling with them had relatives in Ely, Minnesota, namely Frank Lesars to whom he telegraphed for money for both families. Mr. Lunka said, "Well, since I owe money in Ely we may as well go there too". They had planned to go to Pennsylvania.

They lived in Ely 13 years, Frank working in iron ore mines. His wife, Mary, tended three cows, chickens a id boarders. Three more children were born there, Frances in 1902, Anne 1904 and Frank Jr. in 1909.

About this time a land agent from Willard, Wisconsin was advertised in Slovenian papers which interested a good number of Slovenians in Ely as all who worked in mines were anxious for some other occupation. In the fall of 1909 Frank and the oldest son Joe, came to what is now known as Gorman and began the project of clearing their land to have an area a house and a little clearing where eventually they could start farming.

The Foster and North Eastern (F&NE) Railroad was operating in those years and the wood that was cut hid to be hauled from the woods to the railroad, and then shipped to Eau Claire to be sold. This was a big helped to have the transportation to get the wood to market and get some earnings from their work. There were many others that were doing the same and all were eager to get a log cabin built so they could have a dwelling place. Upon doing this they returned to Ely to bring their per¬sonal possessions back, including wives, children, cattle and whatever their belongings were.

In the spring of 1910 they set out for their new home. They arrived in Gorman on April 1. Frank Lunka brought his three cows and 20 chickens in a freight car along with their furniture and other possessions. His son Joe and friend Frank Lesar Jr. rode in the 'box car' with the cows and chickens so they could take care of them. They watered them at train stops. At one of the train stops they lost some chickens.

Mr. Lunka bought uncleared land so again it was rough going. With much hard work by all the family they made a nice farm of 180 acres which they passed on to their son Frank Jr.

Children attended the one-room school house that was a little distance from the Gorman depot. Families walked to the Catholic Church and stores in Willard which was four miles away. On some occasions they would ride the train to Willard and Greenwood.

Mr. and Mrs. Lunka lived on the farm until their deaths. Frank died March 11, 1951 and Mary September 22, 1942.

Joe was married. He passed away in 1969. Marie is married and lives in Redfield, South Dakota. Frances is married and lives in Westmont, Illinois. Anne (Mrs. Joe Ulesich) lives in Greenwood. Frank was married and farmed the home farm until 1954 when he sold it to Robert Bogdonovich. He later retired in Florida. Frank passed away in 1976.