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Mathias and Katharine [nee. Petski] Harnshire

 

Mathias and Katharine [nee Petski] Harnshire

Members of St. Henry's Church

Children attended St. Henry's School

 

Mathias was born Jan. 25, 1825, in Bohemia to Joseph and Mary [nee. Wartzowa] Hamshire.

 

Katherine was born Sept. 4, 1829 in Austria. 

 

Mathias and Katherine were married in Bohemia in 1850 and emigrated in 1855 by sail boat with a 3 year old and an infant.  The trip took ten weeks, after which they joined other Bohemian families in Watertown.  Upon arrival they had only 11 cents.  Katherine went to purchase flour for dumplings, but the miller gave her the flour free rather than taking her last 11 cents.*

 

Mathias helped to build the railroad between Watertown and Milwaukee.  In October of 1901 they moved to 6396 Hwy 73, the first farm on the right past Clarkson Road just, over one mile north of Marshall.

 

After retiring from the farm, Mathias and Katherine moved to this home on Hubbell Street in Marshall (located in the 800 block).  It was later occupied by their grandson John J. & Laura [nee. Starker] Hamshire.  The home was destroyed by a gas explosion in August of 1965.  The Waterloo Courier identified the home as the "Hamshire House'' when reporting on the explosion .

 

Mathias died July 9, 1910. His grave was the first in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Marshall.  Katherine died Feb. 17, 1915.

 

Children of Mathias & Katherine

 

Michael  1851-1851

Mary (Hrobsky)   1852-1943

Catherine (Benesch)   1855-1942

Joseph  1857-1943

Anna (Walker)   1865-1955

Helen (Flint)   1867-1964

John William   1873-1956

Francis - No Record

Barbara - No Record

Frank - No Record of birth date, died at age 2 from smallpox. 

"4 children died before 1915"

 

*Some verbal details provided by Catherine [nee Hamshire] Woerpel.  Mathias aka Mathew or Matties; Katherine aka Catherine or Catharina; Petski aka Pitzka or Peiski; Hamshire