Penne Family

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Uncle Johnny's Nabisco Torte

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John Penne, circa 1942

While organizing my recipes I came across this one from my Great Uncle, Johnny Penne, and knew immediately it should join the “Family Recipes” on this blog. However, after reviewing the recipe, which is written in Johnny’s hand, I could see it was clearly abbreviated AND unreadable on the left margin! Luckily Google provided many similar recipes filling in the gaps.

Uncle Johnny was a mess sergeant during World War II and this was a mess hall favorite! It’s definitely a retro recipe and many of you most likely have tasted a similar dessert. Gelatin has been around since 1845 but it wasn’t until 1897 when a cough syrup manufacturer began experimenting with gelatin that the brand Jell-O was born. Personally, dessert recipes similar to the one below (or Jell-O shots!) should be the ONLY way Jell-O should be used. Take my word on this as someone who lived through the “savory” Jell-O phase before the 1980’s when cooks added coleslaw, carrots, olives, shrimp etc. to unpalatable concoctions. Many a time I sat at the dinner table wondering why my Mom ruined the Jell-O by adding carrots or fruit cocktail! Plain Jell-O in a bowl with whipped cream, that’s how to serve it Mom!!! haha

After reading other similar recipes online here is my extended and more complete recipe, final result photos included! Please comment if you try Uncle Johnny’s Nabisco Torte! Hey it’s way better than Jell-O and carrots!!

For other stories on John Penne and his life check out these links to my blog.

https://www.treeofmanyleaves.com/treeofmanyleaves/2015/02/the-tavern_15.html

https://www.treeofmanyleaves.com/treeofmanyleaves/2015/02/pennes-haven.html

Slovenian Catholic Records from the Archiepiscopal Archives of Ljubljana Now Available Online

In May a miracle happened at the Nadškofijski Arhiv of Ljubljana! Never did I ever imagine this institution, holder of the most important church records in the Republic of Slovenia, would release their vast collection of parish records to the public via Matricula Online. While I completely enjoyed my two trips to the Arhiv to browse through the books of the old parish records in person, having the availability of the records at my fingertips is a game changer.

Genealogy has been my long time interest, 44 years now, and not until last month did I locate the family of my second great-grandmother, Frančiška Novak. I knew Frančiška died in Mali Osolnik in Škocjan parish on 1 December 1888 from the inscription on her gravestone.(Note: It’s very rare to see a 1800’s gravestone in Slovenia as most gravesites are repurposed with the newest family member’s name on the stone.) While visiting Slovenia in 2013, however, a record search at the Arhiv for Škocjan parish was unsuccessful. Then in 2017 I searched the neighboring parish of Rob as suggested by the Arhiv staff and still nothing. My biggest obstacle was frame of reference; not knowing the location and number of parishes near Mali Osolnik. Presuming that Frančiška couldn’t have traveled far to meet her husband Jožef Kocijančič who lived his whole life in Mali Osolnik, I was stumped where to look next.

Fast forward to June 202, the map feature on Matricula Online allowed me to highlight the parishes in relation to the towns with direct links to the parish records!! Clearly I now knew the next parishes to search were Velike Lašče and Dobrepolje and indeed Frančiška’s birth record was found in Velike Lašče.

Edited screenshot from Matricula Online showing Mali Osolnik (circled) and the surrounding parishes in red-Škocjan is northeast, Rob is west and Velike Lašče southeast.

Edited screenshot from Matricula Online showing Mali Osolnik (circled) and the surrounding parishes in red-Škocjan is northeast, Rob is west and Velike Lašče southeast.

Frančiška Novak birth record 29 June 1848 taken from Matricula Online showing her parents Janez Novak and Maria Sluga as well as godparents Jožef Hocevar and Maria Zencic (if I am deciphering the handwriting correctly).

Frančiška Novak birth record 29 June 1848 taken from Matricula Online showing her parents Janez Novak and Maria Sluga as well as godparents Jožef Hocevar and Maria Zencic (if I am deciphering the handwriting correctly).

In the genealogy world adding a new generation with a birth record isn’t just the addition of two new names it’s a lead to the next set of names as well. For example, as I continued to search the same birth record set I was able to find one sibling for Frančiška, Johanna born in 1850, then moving on to the marriage records another sibling, Jožef. Figuring I overlooked Jožef during the initial birth record search, a repeat also came up empty though. Maybe he was born in a different parish? Continuing to follow the records by using the address of Frančiška’s birth, Prhajevo 3 as a hint, Janez Novak’s birth record from 11 December 1817 was located as well as his parents’ names: Franc Novak and Maria Subokovic!

Jožef Novak birth record on line 2 shared from Matricula Online.

Jožef Novak birth record on line 2 shared from Matricula Online.

Considering the above added genealogical information to my family tree, it’s clear these records are invaluable not only to myself but many others of Slovenian ancestry. So now with a to-do list in hand my search continues with theses records. The process is slow, looking page by page, as most record sets are not indexed It seems as the names and records are found, then crossed off the list, even more are added.

Thank you to all the employees at Nadškofijski Arhiv of Ljubljana for digitization efforts!!! If interested you can look here for records in all regions of Slovenia.

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My Heritage™ Deep Nostalgia™ Feature for Animated Photos

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In late February 2021, My Heritage™ released a new, amazing, feature on their website called Deep Nostalgia™ for animating family photos. Upload a photo-my experience is that a portrait-style works best-and within seconds the photo becomes an animated mp4 file. In just one short week after release 10 million photos were animated. Of course, I had to give it a try and the first photo I chose was of my grandma Anne Penne Hiller when she was about 20 years old.

This is the still photo I used for the Deep Heritage™animation and below is the animation.

This is the still photo I used for the Deep Heritage™animation and below is the animation.

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Kind of freaky right? I didn’t stop here though! Below you’ll see my other three grandparents as well as my two times great-grandfather Christian Hiller. Since I was lucky enough to remember three of my grandparents, except for Marie Atwell who died when I was four, using photos from their younger days was enjoyable.

My grandpa Don Hiller, maybe about 7 or 8 years.

My grandpa Don Hiller, maybe about 7 or 8 years.

My paternal grandmother, Marie Willing Atwell. Doesn’t she look adorable in that hat?

My paternal grandmother, Marie Willing Atwell. Doesn’t she look adorable in that hat?

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Harry Atwell, my paternal grandpa.

Harry Atwell, my paternal grandpa.

Christian Hiller’s Civil War era tin-type photo, circa 1864-1865.

Christian Hiller’s Civil War era tin-type photo, circa 1864-1865.

Try it for yourself at My Heritage™! They offer five free animations before you need to choose a membership level. I really love this new tool and of course will add the animations to my genealogy photo files and, yes, I now have a membership to My Heritage™!

PS-All the videos offered after the animations are from my own YouTube videos on genealogy. So now is your time to catch up if you missed any.

Anton Pene's Journey from Veliki Slatnik to America

““… in the heart of every man there is an instinct for
prosperity and greater happiness. Our Slovenian emigrants,
who are leaving for larger cities, either in Germany or in
America, are not pale, drained, hungry and desperate but
are strong, blooming, young men who are full of life and
strength, and the most vigorous women. On the sad road,
taking them out of their homeland they are not accompanied
so much by despair but rather by happy expectations and
the awareness of their own forces and strength… They are
aware of their spiritual and physical strength and that they
could prosper with it. At home they see with sadness that all
their intelligence and diligence are in vain, that it is
impossible to develop one’s powers as they should be
developed and therefore they hurry abroad, where they
intend to attain happiness and wealth more easily.””
— Anton Korošec (1872-1940) studied theology, was an ordained Roman Catholic priest, politician and noted lecturer who became the 7th Prime Minister of Yugoslavia. This quote is taken from a speech at the 3rd Catholic meeting in Ljubljana, 1906.

Using last July’s post as a lead-in, I thought it would be interesting to investigate the process my Slovene ancestors used to emigrate to America focusing specifically on Anton Pene however the process was similar for his wife Johanna Kocijancic. I had big plans to spend hours researching the topic however within the first hour I found a website that had already done all the work-Ljubljana-Crossroads on the Way to the World by Marjan Drnovšek, PhD. as well as an informative PDF. You are welcome and encouraged to browse and read these on your own as I will be referencing them in this post. Many thanks to the author for making these valuable works available online!!

ss KAISER FRIEDRICH built 1897 by Schichau for Norddeutscher Lloyd- source Wikipedia

ss KAISER FRIEDRICH built 1897 by Schichau for Norddeutscher Lloyd- source Wikipedia

Anton Pene started his journey to America in March, 1899 but I don’t think he was alone. I believe he was with Alois Skrlj and Johan Skul, number two and three on the manifest seen below. All three men were from the same area in Slovenia and all traveling to Eveleth, Minnesota. Furthermore, Alois Skrlj was most likely a cousin. Was the idea of traveling to America new or had he been planning it awhile? John F. Kennedy writes, in his book , A Nation of Immigrants, “There were probably as many reasons for coming to America as were people who came. It was a highly individual decision” however generally three main reasons were political oppression, religious persecution and economic hardship (1). Historically the custom of primogeniture (firstborn, legitimate son inherits parent’s entire estate) determined land distribution in Slovenia and Anton was the second born son. His brother Franz would inherit the family home in Veliki Slatnik making Anton’s options limited.

The first portion of his journey would have been the 6 kilometers from Veliki Slatnik to Novo Mesto. Since the rail route from Novo Mesto to Ljubljana was completed in 1894, Anton would have purchased a ticket for the 70 kilometer journey. Had he traveled to Ljubljana before? Could this short trip have been the longest in his life so far? Once in Ljubljana there were many people waiting for emmigration trains and the area was surrounded by shops, pubs and hotels all catering to emmigrants. In some instances, if a man had not fulfilled the military requirement, he would need to avoid Ljubljana and the municipal police patroling the area for illegal migration and use alternate railroad stations outside of Ljubljana.

Assuming Anton left from Ljubljana and browsing his ship manifest record it was then necessary to acquire a ticket to Bremen, Germany and then a rail connection, free of charge, to the port city of Bremerhaven when on March 14 the SS Kaiser Friedrich left port to America. Looking at the railroad maps though Europe during this time, there are two probable train routes Anton would have taken from Ljubljana: Ljubljana-Vienna-Prague-Dressen-Berlin-Bremen or Ljubljana-Frankfort-Cologne-Bremen.

Once on board the SS Kaiser Friedrich he would have made his way to steerage class generally below deck or between decks. The average cost of a ticket in steerage was $30. There is a great deck plan and cabin layout of the ship here. The harsh steerage class was the most economical voyage to America and was usually very cramped and at times the stench was unbearable.

Anton Pene’s immigration record is on line 4. The “ST” in the left column means he was in steerage.

Anton Pene’s immigration record is on line 4. The “ST” in the left column means he was in steerage.

The SS Kaiser Friederich was owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd/North German Lloyd and the route was routine-Bremerhaven to Southhampton to New York City then back again. Departing immigrant passengers have been described as silent and pensive while on deck watching their homelands fall out of view but upon arriving cheers of happiness, most likely for a chance to get off the ship. The ship arrived in Southhampton, England on March 15, took on passengers and promptly departed arriving in America on March 23 after nine days at sea.

“”Upon arrival in New York City, ships would dock at the Hudson or East River piers. First and second class passengers would disembark, pass through Customs at the piers and were free to enter the United States. The steerage and third class passengers were transported from the pier by ferry or barge to Ellis Island where everyone would undergo a medical and legal inspection.”

-https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ellis-island-history”

My great grandfather should have been processed through Ellis Island if it were not for a fire on June 15, 1897. Re-opening wasn’t completed until December 17, 1900, therefore, immigrant processing reverted back to the Barge Office, a processing center from April 19, 1890 until December 31, 1891, located on the southeast tip of Battery Park. There are many accounts of immigrant arrival experiences through Ellis Island but I haven’t been able to find any for the Barge Office during this time.

Barge Office, circa 1900. Photo from The Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection. (https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/det/item/2016808419/

Barge Office, circa 1900. Photo from The Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection. (https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/det/item/2016808419/

Upon arrival to New York, ships stopped at the entrance to the Lower Bay of New York Harbor, the quarantine area, where medical inspectors would board and check cabin passengers for contagious disease. After the inspectors left, the ship was free to continue to the Upper Bay, past the Statue of Liberty and on to Ellis Island or in Anton’s case, Battery Park.

Statue of Liberty from immigrant’s vantage point. Photo used from NPS.com, (https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/the-immigrants-statue.htm).

Statue of Liberty from immigrant’s vantage point. Photo used from NPS.com, (https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/the-immigrants-statue.htm).

Steerage passengers, with their name tag and manifest number attached, would now have to wait, wait and wait for their turn through inspections. The immigration interpreters proved invaluable, most speaking six languages/dialecs, helping the arrivals through the questioning with the registry office, physician and final test with the primary-line inspector who had two minutes per immigrant to verify the 31 questions on the ship manifest although I only count 27 questions on Anton Pene’s manifest. Here I should mention, immigrants names were not changed upon arrival, most likely immigrants themselves changed their names afterward to sound more American. Of course, not every immigrant was cleared and some were detained for further examination and others just deported. In all, about twenty percent of immigrants were detained and only two percent denied admittance. According to the ship manifest is doesn’t appear Anton was detained.

Once receiving a landing card, the next step was money exchange and railroad ticket office. It’s unclear if Anton Pene had pre-arranged a ticket to Eveleth. Some men signed contracts to obtain train and steamship tickets before even leaving their homeland. Looking at the ship’s manifest, however, Anton stated that he purchased his own passage, had $3.00 in his pocket and was joining an “acquaintance” in Eveleth, Minnesota. Perhaps with only $3.00 left he already had the train ticket? Making arrangement for baggage to his final destination was the last detail. With admittage papers, railroad ticket and box lunch in hand Anton Pene had made it to America. Train travel from New York City to Northern Minnesota in 1899 was approximately 1 week, depending on connections. Some kind of route from NYC-Chicago-Minneapolis-Duluth makes sense but in the end there is no way we can know for sure. Anton did make it to Eveleth and began working as an iron miner.

The 1900 United States Census has him boarding with John and Anna Shank along with eleven other men on Missabe Mountain. One, Peter Kerze, would become his brother-in-law and two others Frank and Joseph Blazic were prrobably cousins-Anton’s mother’s maiden name was Blazic!

What an incredible journey! What an incredible story! I’m sure Anton Pene wasn’t thinking about all the future generations lives he was changing when he set off on his journey to America but I am forever grateful for his decision.

Previous posts on Anton Pene-Anton Pene, 50 Years Together, and two really nice video clips in Vintage Christmas Photographs and An Immigrant from Slovenia.


Footnotes

(1) Website, http://www.ohranger.com/ellis-island/immigration-journey

Sources

Earl of Cruise

http://www.revisionist.net/hysteria/german-exodus.html

http://www.aei.org/publication/maps-of-the-day-travel-times-from-nyc-in-1800-1830-1857-and-1930/

http://www.ohranger.com/ellis-island/immigration-journey









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Vintage Christmas Photographs

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic and thought it would be fun to make a gallery of all the Christmas-inspired photographs I’ve collected through the years. These are a mish mash of the Atwell, Hiller, Willing and Penne families, some of which are on previous posts but I do like that they are all in one spot now. I hope you enjoy reminiscing as much as I did while gathering these photos. We can’t turn back the clock but we sure can add to this collection of photo memories so feel free to add your own. Merry Christmas. Vesel božič. Fröhliche Weinnachten.

My Great Grandparents Anton and Johanna Penne

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My Collection of Family Prayer Cards

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I received the first four prayer cards at each of my grandparents’ funerals. The fifth is my uncle and the remainder are all either great grandparents or great aunts and uncles. These cards have all been given to me by family members. Click a card to see a larger image.

For anyone not familiar, prayer cards also known as holy cards are about the size of a playing card and contain a religious scene or saint on one side and a prayer on the other. In the case of “In Memoriam Cards” given at Catholic funerals, the type of prayer cards I have, there is also information about the deceased person such as date of birth, death, sometimes burial date and place as well as serve as a keepsake and reminder of the loved one. Because of their compactness, the cards are handy to transport in a wallet, prayer book or bible and are used as personal devotionals. As a child, I remember my aunt’s prayer book stuffed with prayer cards bound by a rubber band, resembling a stack of baseball cards, and thinking, “that’s a lot of dead people”. Before mass she would take them out of her prayer book and look through them while praying.

However, for purposes of genealogy, funeral cards contain important information especially if you have no obituary or death certificate. Using the dates of death, funeral home or church name will help you obtain the above items. For example, if the date of death or location of an ancestor is unknown but you have the funeral card, use “Google” to find the location of the funeral home/church. Then check the local library in that city and using the microfilm you are able to narrow your obituary search using the date of death from the prayer card. The reference desk at most libraries will do obituary searches if you are unable to travel there but you must have the date of death. Just phone or email them. Likewise, with the exact date of death it will be much easier to obtain the death certificate from the county clerk, which always contains interesting information as well.

In closing, if any of my extended family have additional prayer cards that are not shown here I would love to add them just send me a scanned photo of the front and back. Thanks!

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Silver Wedding Anniversary Album

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Don and Anne Hiller, July 6, 1935

Don and Anne Hiller, July 6, 1935

Eighty-three years ago, this month, my grandparents Don Hiller and Anne Penne were married. I would like to honor that day and their memory by sharing their 25th wedding anniversary book which was given to me by a family member.  Don and Anne were married on July 6, 1935 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My grandmother was Catholic however my grandfather was not thus making a church ceremony impossible.  I believe they were married by a priest but not within the church walls but possibly in the rectory (?).  The album has been scanned, cover-to-cover, with the pages kept in exact order.  I hope you really take time to enjoy all this book has to offer; notes, photos, cards and signatures of family members who attended; my Grandma would be delighted.  Her Catholic faith was extremely important to her (Grandpa got on board with this later) and I know she always wished she could have been married in the church with a traditional wedding dress.  Subsequently, anytime they were able to get their vows renewed inside the church, they did!  This day was very special to them both. My Grandpa died exactly 6 months before their 50th wedding anniversary and although I didn't think about that at the time, July 6, 1985 must have been a sad day for my Grandma.  What a party that would have been!! Polka, polka, polka.

As you glimpse through be sure to hover the mouse over the individual pages for any descriptions.  For ease of reading, an excerpt of pages five and six are as follows:

How Our Day Was Spent

July 6, 1960

Our children Don, Mary Anne and Barbara Anne made the anniversary party possible.

"We went to St. John’s Cathedral to Mass and Holy Communion.  It was the mass for the apostolate of suffering.  It was just beautiful.  We shall never forget it.  We came home at 11:45 am and had lunch and then we started to get some lunch ready for a gathering at Penne’s Haven that night.  We invited all the relatives and friends who had anything to do with the 25th anniversary surprise party they gave us on June 26th, 1960, one of the most memorable events in our married life. Everyone present had a grand time. We have never danced so much as we did that night.  We were told we were going to a wedding shower and we were supposed to bake and tend bar (which we did) HaHa.  I wore a beautiful orchid my husband had a boutonniere so did our children Don, Mary Anne, Barbara Anne, Robert and Bill and my Dad Anton Penne.  Of course the girls had pink carnation corsages.  Our very good friends Catherine Lesatz and Mary Christianson were the ones who really started our party but the family, my brothers, sister-in-laws and friends really pitched in helping, baking and cooking, taking care of the bar and other things that made our party a big success. Thanks to all of them and God bless them always.  They will always be remembered in our hearts.  July 9th we had our marriage vows renewed at St. John the Evangelist Church.  Our grandson was also in church with us, bless him. Again, we wore a beautiful orchid and white carnation.  Father Claude also blessed our rings (this is the first ring my Don had and I placed it on the wrong hand).  Our family and Anton Penne, my Dad, all received Holy Communion and took some pictures outside of the church.  Came home to have breakfast then we all went to Penne’s Haven and left our grandson Robert Jeffery with John and Wanda while we all went to the Black Steer to have a delicious steak dinner.  In the evening we went to Arcadian Inn".  Anne Hiller.

 

 

For Fun:

The Black Steer Restaurant.  Grandma mentioned this restaurant when writing "How Our Day Was Spent".

 

 

Grandma Hiller's Cheese Strudel Recipe......well, sort of.

Phyllo dough cheese strudel after baking.

With the holiday season upon us, my earliest childhood memories of this time includes my Grandmother serving her apple and cheese strudel.  I remember watching her hand stretch the strudel dough with the back side of her hands (she had rheumatoid arthritis and this technique was easier for her) until it was paper thin.  Stretching was complete when the dough hung off the sides of our large dining room table.  It's time consuming and tricky to accomplish this without poking holes in the dough.  So, I am offering an alternative no self-respecting Slovenian would consider...or so I thought.  Prepared phyllo pastry dough!  In Heike Milhench's cookbook Flavors of Slovenia she offers a recipe for both the apple and cheese strudel using phyllo pastry dough.  I won't be posting her recipes since that would be rude and more importantly illegal but I highly recommend purchasing the cookbook as a gift for your favorite Slovenian foodie.  The author nicely blends history, photos and recipes in this entertaining collection of Central Europe cookery.  And so, I decided to blend my Grandma's filing recipe (because it's the best) with the author's idea to use phyllo dough and the result didn't disappoint.  Below are both the original recipes for both strudels as well as the directions for the phyllo dough strudel.

Grandma Hiller's Cheese and Apple Strudel

Dough Recipe:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 beaten egg

1 cup warm water

melted butter

Put flour in bowl and make a well. Mix water, salt, oil and egg together then add to flour.  Knead until smooth and silky about 15 minutes.  Oil dough and place in a bowl.  Cover and rest 1 hour in a warm place.  Place dough in center of floured table cloth.  Using a rolling pin, roll until 30 x 40 inches.  Brush melted butter over dough.  Place hands under the dough and begin pulling from middle outward until the dough is stretched out over the table (or until approximately 3' x 5') edges.  Work slow to avoid tears as it is hard to repair them once the dough gets paper thin.  Trim off thick edges of dough.  Brush with melted butter.  Now you are ready to add the filling, choose your favorite below.

Cheese Filling Recipe:

2 lbs small curd cottage cheese, strain if necessary.  I use Michigan Brand because it's

thick and doesn't need to be strained.

2 eggs beaten

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together.

Spread the cheese mixture on half of the dough, lengthwise.  Start rolling lengthwise on the filling side by lifting the tablecloth slowly to aid in rolling.  This job is best accomplished with helpers for an even roll!  Place the long roll of strudel in a greased jellyroll pan by laying it up and down the length of the pan.  Brush with butter.  Bake 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  Cool in pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Apple Filling Recipe:

11 small or 6 large apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs.  Do this by adding a small amount of melted butter to the crumbs and combine.

1 cup sugar

Cinnamon

Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the dough.  Spread apples evenly over half the dough.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon over entire area.  Roll using same technique as in cheese filling as well as laying in the greased jellyroll pan.  Brush with butter.  Bake 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Cool in pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cheese Strudel Recipe Using Phyllo Dough

1 package phyllo dough.  One package will make about 6 small loaves.

Cheese Filling as above however cut ingredients in half, so 1 lb of cottage cheese, 1 egg beaten,

1. Brushing the phyllo with melted butter.

1 tablespoon of flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Melted butter and pastry brush.

(I used 5 sheets of phyllo dough for each loaf but 4 will work just fine too.)

Take 1 sheet of phyllo dough, lay flat and brush with melted butter.  Top with second sheet and repeat process until you have 4 or 5 sheets.

2. Add the cheese mixture like this.

Add some of the cheese mixture, approximately 1/3 cup, as show in the photo.  Fold in both the side about a half inch and the end closest to the filling as well as seen in photo 3.  Begin rolling at the cheese end and place strudel in greased jellyroll pan.  Repeat the process until you have used all the cheese mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Dober Tek!

3.  Folding in the sides.

4. Rolling the strudel.

April in Slovenia

2013 photo of my 2nd great grandparents headstone, Jošef and Franciska Kočijancic.

I just returned from a 12 day visit to Slovenia, my second in four years.  In 2013 my daughter and I made the journey as a combination vacation and genealogy quest with success finding the cemetery headstone of my 2nd great grandparents and meeting some very distant relatives as well.  Honestly, after the initial trip I had a less-than-optimistic outlook that I would ever see Slovenia again.   Fast forward to January 2017 when my daughter receives a Fulbright Scholarship and relocates to...........Ljubljana, Slovenia for the next 9 months!

2017 photo showing a new headstone.

Being in Slovenia again gave me another opportunity to visit the Nadškofija Ljubljana Arhiv, one of three Catholic archives in Slovenia.  Equipped with 2 other helpers (husband and daughter) we made quick time of the Status Animarum records (parish family books) for the year 1854 and found a number of promising records I am currently evaluating.

We also made a visit again to St. Cantius Church cemetery in Škocjan near Turjak to visit the graves of my 2nd great grandparents (if you missed my post on Jošef you can read it here). and we found something quite surprising, a new headstone since 2013.  Translating the inscription it appears that Jošef's son Anton (1881-1957) as well as his daughter Vida (1921-1999) and her husband Franc Žužek are buried here also, which was probably the case in 2013 and why a new headstone was installed.  Due to limited land in Slovenia, cemetery plots only exist while a member of the family continues to pay the monthly rent and maintain the space.  After that, they are evicted (I didn't ask anymore questions and don't want to know!

Altogether, this visit was more remarkable than the first considering I had my daughter for a tour guide!  Hmmm, I wonder if I will ever return?

What Would Jožef Think?

My daughter in Ljubljana during our 2013 Slovenia trip.

As it turns out, my great, great grandfather Jožef Kocijančić and I have more in common than DNA. We both have had children make the same journey between the United States and Slovenia, with the exception of being in the opposite direction.  Last Friday, I hugged my daughter goodbye as she left for a nine month research and cultural experience in Slovenia.  However, as Jozef's daughter Johanna (my great grandmother) set sail for America in 1901 their hug would need to last a lifetime.  They never saw each other again.  In today's world of international travel, the thought of never seeing your child again seems unimaginable.  I certainly couldn't help but think about Jožef and Johanna as I left my daughter at the airport.  How would you say goodbye to your child forever?  For many of our ancestors that was the grim reality and I am very, very thankful it is not mine.  Someday I hope to know more about this brave man but for now you can read what I do know about Jožef on the Penne page below.

Jožef Kocijančič, Great, Great Slovene Grandfather

Kocijančič Home, Mali Osolnik 9, Škocjan pro Turjaku, Slovenia.

Jožef was born in Mali Osolnik #9 to Janez and Marija (Grebenc) Kocijančič on February 8, 1841 at a time when Slovenia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Historically, in Slovenia, land is inherited by the oldest son, called primogeniture, as a way of keeping land and property in families.  So far, I have documented 4 generations of Kocijančić's born in house #9 with the 5th generation, although not born there, listed as the current owner of the abandoned home.  Jožef spent his lifetime in that home

Jožef probably married Franciska Novak sometime

Jožef Kocijančić, date unknown.

Jožef probably married Franciska Novak sometime in 1871,  the year their first child was born.  I have been unable to locate a marriage record which probably means she was not from Mali Osolnik herself and the marriage took place in her village. Together they had 10 children:  Tomaž, Jože, Johanna, Franciska, Janež, Jožef, Anton, Franc, Ana and Katerina.  Jože, 10, died in September 1874 just three days before my great grandmother Johanna was born.  More tragedy followed when Franciska died on December 1, 1888 followed by two of her children Janež on December 2 almost 11 years and Katerina on December 4 age 1 most likely from some type of infectious disease, possibly cholera.  Johanna, Franciska and Ana immigrated to Eveleth, Minnesota, Jožef immigrated to Joliet, Illinois, Anton stayed in Slovenia and inherited house #9, Tomaž remains a mystery.  Tomaž also most likely died as a child or he would inherited the house as the firstborn son.  The hardships, adversity and suffering my Kocijančič ancestors lived through breaks my heart.

My knowledge of Jožef's life is very minimal.  However in a settlement near his home called Škocjan (formally known as Staro Apno) sits a Catholic church

St. Cantius and Companions

called St. Cantius and Companions.  The church dates to medieval times, approximately 1260, and has gone through many renovations and architectural styles-Romanesque, Gothic (First and Second) and Baroque.  Of note, during one of the remodeling the original medieval chapel was uncovered.  The parishioners of St. Cantius are proud of the fact that Primoz Trubar, the first person to translate the Bible to Slovenian, was baptized in this chapel in 1508.  Then in 1891, preparations began for an extensive church remodel and Jožef was one of six chosen to be on the building committee.  It wasn't until 1906 when work finally began on the church and almost exactly a year later  the "new"

Medievel chapel, circa 1260, where Primoz Trubar was baptized in 1508.

church was consecrated on October 27, 1907.  "And why all the effort for this selfless work? Because, as the valiant sons of the Church may now say with pride: This is the work of our hands, this is truly our church! This is a monument to our faith, taken from the fathers inherited from ancestors, a monument to the late centuries speaks to grandchildren: Stand firm in the faith, true to his God as me! wrote Fran S. Finžgar, a catholic priest and popular Slovene writer, in a blessing published on November 15, 1907 (at least I'm fairly certain this was his quote as I am translating the Slovenian report! Apologies if I am incorrect).

In 2013, I had the privilege to set foot inside St. Cantius Church, the church of my ancestors.  And very near the church through a gate and down a set of stairs sits a beautiful cemetery.  This is where I found my great, great grandparent's Jožef and Franciska.

Jožef and Franciska's gravesite.

Their grave site is the oldest in the cemetery. Jožef died on May 11, 1916 but he lived long enough to see his new church.  

Bog jim a daj vecni mir in pokaj - God Give Them Eternal Peace and Repentance

is written on their headstone.   Amen to that, you both have earned it.

50 Years Together

Anton and Johanna Penne celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 6, 1951

Anton and Johanna Penne celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 6, 1951 with a formal event the next day.  The occasion began at 10 o'clock mass at St. John the Evangelist church in Milwaukee and included songs "Oh Beautiful Mother Mary Help Us" and "Oh Mary Through the Life" in Slovenian.  St. John the Evangelist was founded in 1916 by Slovenian immigrants and just last week celebrated their 100th anniversary.  At the time of its founding, it was one of eight slovene parishes in Wisconsin.   I attended the church as well as a child, often listening to the priest speak in some kind of slovene/english combination, when visiting my grandparents however by that time it had relocated from Walker's Point (just a couple blocks from my grandparent's home to Greenfield.

Johanna, Anton and Father Sipek at the dinner hall.

In the afternoon, their children Anne and Don Hiller (my grandparents), Frank and Mary Penne, Al and Olga Penne, Louis and Fran Penne, Johnny and Wanda Penne and son-in-law Frank Zupancic (Mary, their oldest daughter had died the previous year) gave a reception held at the Collins-Meyer Post Hall.

About 400 relatives and friends were present for this memorable occasion-much larger than even most weddings these days.

Anna Kerze (Johanna's sister and Carolyn's grandmother), Johanna, my mother, Barb Hiller and one of her cousins.

A few years back, I was gifted a box of 8mm film and film projector from John Penne's estate. Most of the film has been digitized now and one reel contained scenes from the anniversary celebration.  You will see everyone leaving the church and greeting my great-grandparents-my mother and her twin sister at the very beginning, my grandparents and all my great aunts and uncles.  I recognize many faces however many I do not.  (Any help would be appreciated, just comment below.)

What a treasure this box of film reels has been!

Another photo from the day

Although this event happened ten years before  my birth, I've been able to "time travel" to that joyous day when my great-grand parents, along with family and friends, gathered on October 7, 1951 to celebrate the vow they made to each other fifty years before.

Newspaper announcement in slovene (Johanna never learned English).

References

St. John the Evangelist anniversary:  http://washington.embassy.si/index.php?id=814&L=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=28440&cHash=c97735dc03dcb20c5388aaa19be43ed2

A Golden Anniversary

One unexpected result of being the family genealogist is that I've also become the family's "archivist".   Any photo, 8 mm film, letter, newspaper clipping, memento, etc. that is no longer wanted by my family finds it's way to my doorstep.  And I appreciate ALL of it!  Recently a cousin, one of those distant and removed kind of cousins, sent me an envelope of beautiful remembrances  pertaining to my great grandparent's golden anniversary celebration.  One of the items included provided details of the day and out-of-town relatives and friends who attended.  Of great importance to me were these additional names that I can use in my "cluster" research of my great-grandparents.  This is how Wikipedia describes cluster research:

 "Cluster genealogy is a research technique employed by genealogists to learn more about an ancestor by examining records left by the ancestor's cluster. A person's cluster consists of the extended family, friends, neighbors, and other associates such as business partners. Researching the lives of an ancestor's cluster leads to a more complete and more accurate picture of the ancestor's life".

I hope you enjoy all my gathered media celebrating Anton and Johanna's special day, available on the Penne Family page.  A special "thank you" to Carolyn for sending all the items my way!

Vintage Photos of a Life Before Marriage

Years ago, my Grandma Hiller handed me her photo album, "You should have this" she said, "because you have all the other old family photos".  I was honored she chose me to be the family archivist despite, at the time, having no idea what I would ever do with this album.  We never had a chance to label all the photos and consequently many remain unknown today. My best guess in dating this album would be 1929-1932.  Grandma's brother Matt who died in 1928 is not present in any of the photos and by 1933 she was living in Milwaukee. These photos are most definitely from Grandma's hometown of Leonidis,  a mining community next to Eveleth, Minnesota in the Iron Range and this is where most of the photos were taken.  This photo album was important to her and, therefore, it is important to me as well.  All these years, I've kept it in a safe place and today it's been digitized and shared with all of you. I haven't removed any photos and any empty spaces were there on the day she handed me the book. I think it was her way of letting me know she had a life before marriage, children and grandchildren.  A life that, as someone ages, rarely is spoken about with grandchildren.  I am sure she never imagined the people and places of her youth would be posted on the Internet in a family history blog for all the world to see!  You can find the complete photo album on the Penne Family page.

Younger Days: Anne Pene's Vintage Photo Album

Circa, 1929.

Circa, 1929.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-1.jpg

Top Row: Middle, Grandma is on the left.  Bottom Row: Grandma is in both photos wearing the same outfit.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-2.jpg

Top Row:  Left and Bottom Row: Right are both Grandma. 

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-3.jpg

Left, Possibly Rudolph Valentino, every girl had one of these, right? Top right, Grandma in the middle.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-4.jpg

Top Row: Left, Grandma is in the middle.  Bottom Row: Right, she's on the platform on the far right.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-5.jpg

Top Row: Left, Grandma's parents Anton & Johanna Pene; Middle, her brother Albert;  Right, her brothers Louis and Frank. Bottom Row: Left, brother Johnny, Johanna and Louis. and Right, Grandma.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-6.jpg

Top Row: Middle, Grandma.  

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-7.jpg
Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-8.jpg

Top Row: Middle, Louis.  Bottom Row: Left, Louis and Grandma Middle, Grandma on left, Right, Grandma in middle.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-9.jpg

Top, Grandma holding child and also in the photo below.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-10.jpg
Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-11.jpg

Top Row: Middle, Johanna at their Leonidas home; Right, Valentino again. Bottom row: Middle, Grandma; Right, Grandma on left.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-12.jpg

Top row, Right with her father, Anton.  Bottom right, her mother, Johanna, at their home (notice the fencing which was typical for "location" homes in mining communities in the Iron Range).

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-13.jpg

Bottom Row:  Her family, back L-R Johnny, Anton, Johanna, Frank. front, Louis and Albert

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-14.jpg

Top Row: Right, Anton & Johanna.  Bottom row: Grandma.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-15.jpg

Top Row: Left, Grandma, Right, Grandma.

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-16.jpg
Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-17.jpg

Top Row:  Left, Anton; Middle, her sister Mary. Bottom Row: Louis and Johnny

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-18.jpg

All three are photos of my beautiful Grandmother!

Grandma Hiller's Photo Album-19.jpg

Potica!

Traditionally, during the Christmas Season (Christmas Eve-Božični večer and Christmas -Božič) any Slovenian woman will tell you that means it's time to make potica. The Slovenian Union of America writes in their current cookbook The Slovenian-American Table that potica "is as Slovenian as apple pie is American".  Potica (nut roll) is a pastry made from a sweet yeast bought rolled out very thin, then spread with a ground nut paste mixture and finally tightly rolled into a log shape and baked.  Slovenian immigrant women, like my great grandmother Johanna Kocijančič, brought their recipes to the United States.  I've no doubt that that our current receipe was

My Universal grinder was purchased about 8 years ago and is still available for under $35.00.  My Mom still uses my Grandmother's original grinder.

either memorized by or carried with Great Grandma Johanna and then modernized over the years.    I grew up learning to make potica from my Grandmother, Mother and Aunt and since it freezes well, also eating it at most family gathering throughout the year.

Potica artwork!  If you choose to follow this recipe there is a slight error in the first paragraph-1 tsp. sugar NOT 1/2 cup.

Although there are many different varieties of potica both sweet and savory, my family has always made only one kind, orehova potica or walnut potica, one way, with one nut grinder and with one recipe.  I believe the key to making potica is my Universal nut grinder which produces finely ground walnuts, without turning them to paste like a food processor tends to do, allowing for a tight roll.  About 5 years ago now, my niece, Danielle, found an artist named Marcella Kriebel to turn our family recipe into a work of art and surprised each of the women in our family with a copy.  One of the BEST gifts I have ever received.  Our family recipe for potica can be seen on the Family Recipe page.  Enjoy.

Thirteen Day Voyage to a New Life

Johanna Kocijančić on her wedding day, October 6, 1901.

Never having a chance to meet my great grandmother wasn't necessary to surmise she was a very brave and gutsy woman.   Just a little research regarding women who immigrated to the Minnesota Iron Range in the early 1900's reveals a difficult life which included long work days and substandard living conditions.  For most, pre-immigration perception of the United States was much different than the reality.  There were no streets paved with gold and in the Iron Range most were just red ore dust. In all likelihood, it was the promise of a husband that encouraged my great grandmother to board the SS Königin Luise in Bremen, Germany on April 14, 1901 with her cousin Franc Ščurek.  Eventually her sisters, Ana and Franciska, would also immigrate, marry and raise families in Eveleth.  Johanna's story can be seen on the Penne Family Page.

Franc Ščurek, who became Frank Stark in the United States, with Johanna's sister Ana Kocijančič Kerze.

Bob Dylan, legandary songwriter and singer, was born in Duluth, Minnesota and raised in Hibbing, the heart of the Iron Range.  North Country Blues is a song he wrote about perils of the mining industry and there are plenty of versions of this on You Tube if you would like to listen.  Bruce Springsteen also wrote a tribute to miners in his song Youngstown. 

Youngstown,

From the Monongahela Valley

To the Mesabi Iron Range

To the coal mines of Appalachia

The story's always the same.

Johanna Kocijančič (CO-tsee-YAN-cheech)

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

Anton Pene

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.

Flancati, Flancati!

Traditionally, flancati is a dessert made with dough, deep fried and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar and that's how, I'm told, it was always made by my Grandma Hiller.  However, while searching through her old recipes I found this written in her hand- Oven Baked Flancati.  As a child, I was never privileged to a taste her flancati but my Mom and Aunt made them with her often and they confirmed deep frying was the process she used.

Results of my oven baked flancati.

Probably at some point my Grandma moved away from the time-consuming flancati to rosettes (a Swedish cookie) because I definitely remember eating those.  Rosette ingredients are very similar to flancati, a combination of eggs, flour, vanilla, milk (instead of sour cream) and a little sugar.  A special tool is coated with the batter mixture then held in the heated oil until the rosettes fall off the tool.  When cooled, like flancati, the rosettes are sprinkled with confectioner's sugar.   Every culture has figured out how to fry dough, top it with sugar and call it a dessert/pastry.  Whether you're eating flancati, rosette, churro, beinet, zeppole, bugne, funnel cake, or doughnut in the end it's all fried dough! Yum.

The original, handwritten recipe can be seen on the "Family Recipes" page.

Changes to Posted Videos

Last week, I became aware that the videos I've previously posted are not able to be viewed on iPhone mobile devices or iPads.  With the changes made today this should no longer be an issue.  If these are the only devices you use to access my blog, you are now able to view the effected videos on the Penne Page, "The Tavern" and the Blog Page, "An Immigrant From Slovenia".

Thanks/Hvala!