Bio: Trost, Joseph & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Trost, Jelercic, Buettner, Marn

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Joseph and Mary Trost came from St. Vit, by Proprava in Austria, which is now Jugoslavia, where their children Ann, Joe and Frank were born. They came to the United States in 1905 with their children Ann and Joe and settled in Lorrain, Ohio.

I remember my grandfather Joseph, who was a big man, grandmother was a little woman. Our grandfather had a vineyard and garden and a horse and wagon, and would let us children ride along. He was the only man in the village that owned a horse and wagon and would do work for other people. I also remember the house, where underneath grandfather would make the wine.

Our mother told us the voyage was very rough when dad came to America. She said the passengers would give their coats, shirts, hats, or anything that would hold the water out of the ship. A year or so later we came across. The captain of our ship told us that as long as porpoises (they called them sea dogs at that time) were following us, we would be safe. We were all quite ill by the time we arrived at Ellis Island.

There were a couple other families on the ship but I don't remember them but I think there was Vincent Jelercic and his bride to be and a John Butcher and wife who had no children then.

I can still taste the soup that was served to us when we arrived, I don't know what kind but it was good. We stayed there a couple days then left by train for Cleveland, Ohio. There our dad met us and we went to Lorraine, Ohio where dad worked in a Tube Mill. He had rented an apartment on the same street as he worked. We soon moved to a new apartment which was owned by Vincent Jelercic. It had two large rooms downstairs and a large bedroom upstairs with four beds where we all slept. Angeline and Mary and Albert were all born there. Mary died there.

Dad got hurt in the factory and developed lung problems. In the meantime Vince Jelercic bought a parcel of timber in Willard where he built a small house. Then dad bought six acres in 1910 (where the house stands now). On November 14, 1912 we came to Willard and stayed with the Vince Jelercic family until a house was built for us. It was not complete when we moved in, we lived in a "shell" as you would call it and we completed the inside and doors and windows. I was 11 years old, Joe was 9 and Angie and Albert were babies.

The good neighbors each gave us two chickens so dad built a small chicken coop adjacent to the house. One night a weasel got in and killed eight of the chickens.

The first few winters were very rough for us but dad always managed to find a way. He even went to Cleveland to work making wine for some large restaurant and hotel. They were Slovenian people too. Our neighbors in those years were Paul and Mary Marn and his brother Jack. Jeanie, Pauline, and Victor were born on the farm.

Written by: Ann (Trost) Buettner