Bio: Nikolay, Jacob & Anna

Surnames: NIKOLAY ARCHAMBO HESS GIESVOLD DRAVIS STUDINGER STETZEL MITCHEL TALASKA

----Source: ABBOTSFORD, WIS. CENTENNIAL BOOK - 1973

Nikolay, Jacob & Anna

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Nikolay moved to Abbotsford, April 13, 1929, with their eight children. They traded their farm at Medford for a bowling alley – tavern – pool hall, located on the site of the present Hutt Electric. The building extended from the Main Street to the alley.

Mr. and Mrs. Nikolay operated the business until August 13, 1929, when the building, with all its contents, was destroyed by fire. The family had to jump from the roof at the rear of the building as the only stairway leading to the home above the tavern was engulfed in flames. Franklin Terrio, a former Abbotsford resident, alerted the family of the fire. The oldest child, Helen, fifteen, was not at home at the time, being employed at Stratford.

Several families from Abbotsford took the children to the former Beil Mercantile Company and outfitted them with clothes, as the only possessions they saved were their night clothes. Mr. and Mrs. Nikolay put their children in their car, the only other possession they had, and drove to Rozellville, where Mrs. Nikolay’s relatives lived.

After being outfitted by the relatives, the family came back to Abbotsford and moved into the house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hans Amacher. Mr. Nikolay operated several taverns in Abbotsford, all of which have been replaced by new buildings.

In 1935, Mr. and Mrs. Nikolay had another child, Anne. The two oldest children were married in 1935. Helen was married to Royal Archambo. They lived in Sheboygan for ten years, coming back to Abbotsford in 1949.

Estelle married Eugene Hess from Adell. She has made her home in or near Milwaukee since her marriage. She has three daughters. Her husband died about ten years ago.

Jacob Nikolay was killed in a logging accident in Michigan in 1937. He was a top-loader; a very dangerous job. The logs gave way and he was crushed to death.

All nine children are graduates of the Abbotsford High School, three of the six boys are graduates of the University of Wisconsin. Frank and Jack, having a law degree, are located in Abbotsford, with offices in Colby and Medford. Frank has twenty-seven years of service with the National Guard and the U.S. Navy. At the present time he is a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is married to Mary Giesvold. They have no children.

Jack is married to Helen Dravis and they have seven children. He is very active in community affairs, besides his law practice in Abbotsford.

James is postmaster in Abbotsford, and married to Cleo Studinger from Medford. They have six children. Jim has managed the city baseball team for many years.

Melvin has been in the National Guard since 1947, his office is in the Abbotsford Armory. He is married to the former Marian Stetzel. They have three children.

George, who is married to Sonja Mitchel from Oxford, is the school administrator at Cambridge. Prior to that he was superintendent of the University of Wis. They have four children.

Alfred, the oldest of the boys, lives in Portland, Oregon. He has two children.

Irene is married to Tom Talaska of Milwaukee and with their three children live in Milwaukee.

Mrs. Nikolay lives alone and is still very active, having outlived most of her friends in Abbotsford.