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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