House #9 as it looked when my daughter
and I visited in October, 2013.
When Johanna was born in House #9 in the small village of Mali Osolnik in 1874, Slovenia was part of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire and before that the Austrian Empire. In fact, Slovenia did not become an independent country until 1991. Each of her nine siblings was also born in House #9, as well as her father and his father. Although the circumstances of her life in Slovenia and reason for her departure are unknown, Johanna immigrated in 1901 and landed on Ellis Island on April 27 with $12 in her pocket. The passenger list states her final destination as a "relative" in Eveleth, Minnesota however, the surname of this relative is illegible. Once in Eveleth, according to my Mom, Johanna briefly worked at a boarding house before her marriage to
on October 6, 1901. As previously written (see Anton Pene post) my grandmother, Anne Hiller, once told me that this marriage was somewhat arranged by a local Eveleth barkeep.
Johanna's birth certificate
Johanna lived on the Mesabi Range (the largest of the three iron ranges in Minnesota) from the year of her immigration until she relocated to Milwaukee around 1948. While on the Iron Range, the Pene Family lived in "location" homes, temporary or semi-permanent company owned homes built in close proximity to the mine, that afforded low rent, usually $8-$12 a month. Missabe, Adams, Spruce, Fayal, Leonidas were all locations they lived each providing somewhat monotonous, relatively well-built housing with wooden walkways. While a little lengthy, the article (The "Locations") below offers accurate insight regarding life in company-owned communities. A few of the Mesabi Range locations, including Leonidas, were incorporated when surrounding towns sought to annex them and I believe this is when my great grandparents became homeowners (still researching this idea, however).
Anton & Johanna with their boys at their
Leonidas home- back row L-R
Al, Louis, Frank, Johnny, front with
button accordion, Matt.
True heartache was an excruciating companion as Johanna and Anton lost four children on the Iron Range. Their first child, Johanna, died at 9 months in 1906, Tony 8 years in 1914, Vida 3 days old in 1915 and Mathew 12 years in 1928 yet Johanna was devout, never lost her faith and found comfort in praying the rosary daily. Despite living in the United States for 60 years, Johanna never learned to speak English thus any communication with grandchildren was through translation by my grandma Anne. She was always busy in the kitchen, wearing a dress, black shoes, thick socks and, of course, an apron. Johanna loved to bake and I regard her as my potica matriarch since she is my link to the "old country." As I bake my own potica each year she, as well as my grandmother, are in my thoughts.
Johanna died unexpectedly. My Mom was a nursing student in Milwaukee and came home for a visit, recognized her grandmother was not well and along with her mother took to her to the emergency room. Very ill, she died within 15 minutes after arriving. In death as in life, she loved her family, never complained and held onto her faith.
Johanna's obituary in Slovene.
Credits/additional resources:
The "Locations" Company Communities on Minnesota's Iron Ranges
