An Immigrant from Slovenia

Anton Pene and Lee Ann 1961.

As a child, I would look through old family photo albums and was always curious about photos like this one of me posing with a person that I didn't know.   When I asked my Mom she would say "That's Grandpa Pene he was a miner in Minnesota" and that response seemed to satisfy me for a long time.  But, thankfully, I know so much more now.

With all the genealogy websites available now, it's easy to gather records and create time lines for my ancestors.  My files are filed with United States Census, Immigration and Naturalization records on Anton Pene but learning more personal information is the tricky part.  For example I found out, thanks to my parents, that for breakfast Great Grandpa Pene liked to put soda crackers in his coffee and that he smoked Wolf Brothers Crooks Cigars (Anton would ask my Dad, who wasn't married to my Mom at the time, to go to the store and buy them for him).  I understand to most people these details would seem insignificant but this is the type of information I want to know.  As I've mentioned before on this blog, I "inherited" (I say "inherited" because no one else wanted them) a box of 8mm home movies from my great Uncle Johnny (Anton's son).  Having my great grandfather brought to life through film is a true treasure for me.

Watching the film clip above, I'm able to see Anton's personality shine through as he celebrates with his daughter Anne at the tavern, playfully teases his wife Johanna and, below, during a birthday celebration (circa 1948), him delighting in his birthday kisses and wishes (circa 1960). So, it goes without saying, I'm so happy these films didn't end up in the trash and they made their way to me.

More about Anton Pene can be found on the Penne Family page.

Well-wishers in order:

1.   Johnny Penne, Anton's son

2.   Anne Hiller,  daughter

3.   Al,  son

4.   Don Hiller, son-in-law

5.   Don Hiller, grandson

6.   Geri (Al's wife), daughter-in-law

7.  Wanda (Johnny's wife), daughter-in- law

8.   Bob Boschke, grandson-in-law

9.   Carol Penne, granddaughter

10. Bobby Boschke, great grandson and Mary Anne (Hiller) Boschke, granddaughter

Citations:

Photo of Wolf Brothers Cigars obtained from http://69.16.194.131/tagged/Wolf-Brothers-Western/images.

Anton Pene

Anton Pene, 1901.

Anton's immigration record.

 One could say Anton Pene risked everything in 1899 when he left the small village of Veliki Slatnik, Slovenia (then Austria-Hungary) at the age of 26 aboard the Kaiser Friedrich and landed at Ellis Island with $3.00 in his pocket.  Or, you could say he got out in the nick of time.  For if he had stayed, he mostly likely would have been drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army and possibly fought during World War I at the Battle of Kobarid, historically one of the deadliest battles ever fought on Slovene land.  World War II would follow and Anton would have seen his country trisected and completely annexed to Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and Hungary (see citation below).  Of course, he knew none of this when he left. 

Anton & Johanna's wedding, October 1901.

After arriving in America, his final destination would be Eveleth, Minnesota where, presumably, a mining job was waiting for him.  Mining Company recruited Slovenes, among other nationalities to work the strip mines around the Mesabi Iron Range.  Immigrants already employed on the Mesabi Range sent letters and money back to family which also attracted more immigrants to the iron range.  Upon arriving in New York City, my guess would be that the mining company either paid his rail fare, loaned him the money or filled a "cattle" car with immigrants headed for Minnesota because I hardly think $3.00 would have been enough for train fare.  In any event, Eveleth would be his home for the next 50 years.

In 1900, Anton lived in a boarding house and was working as a miner at the Mesabi Iron Range for the Oliver Iron Mining Company.  Over the years he worked in the Adams, Fayal and Spruce Mines holding jobs as a driller and timberlander.  In July 1907, the first organized mining strike occured on the Mesabi Range.  The miner's main complaints were ethnic discrimination, low wages, dangerous working conditions and long work days.   In early August strikebreakers were brought in and by mid-August there were enough strikebreakers that the strike officially ended.  Ultimately, the strike was not successful because the miner's demands were not met, however, everyone working the Mesabi Range at the time would have been affected in some way, including Anton.  Although I do not know the exact date he retired from the mines by 1930 at 57 years old he was working for the City of Eveleth and later the Health Department before relocating to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The story told to me by my grandmother is that a local (Mesabi Range) tavern owner named Jance told Anton he knew someone back in Slovenia who had a daughter that would be perfect for him.  Apparently, letters were written and Johanna Kocijančič arrived in April, 1901, with her sister, and by October of the same year she married Anton.  

In 1912, the family became naturalized American citizens.

Anton and his son Matt, circa 1924.

Baby Johanna's funeral photo. This practice was common during this time and often, with children, their only photo ever taken.

Anton and Johanna's would have 10 children:  Johanna in 1902 and who died before she turned a year old, Mary Anne in 1903, my grandmother Anna/Anne in 1905, Anton in 1906 and who died in 1914 from septicemia/pyaemia of the elbow, thigh and knee, Frank in 1908,  Albert in 1910, Louis in 1912, John and Vid were twins born in 1915 but Vid did not survive the birth and Mathew in 1916 who he died in 1928 from complication from pneumonia/heart issues.

By the mid-1940's, Anton and Johanna had relocated to join their children who all previously removed to Milwaukee.  Their new home was an apartment shared with their daughter and son-in-law attached to the tavern.  Even though almost 70 years old, they both worked in the tavern, Anton performing odd jobs and keeping the kegs organized and tapped and Johanna cooking and cleaning.  After Frank and Mary sold the tavern, they bought a home on W. Greenfield Avenue.  They shared the lower level with Anton & Johanna and rented the upper level to Mary's brother (Anton's son) Louis and his wife Fran.   Family was an integral part of their life including parties at the tavern to Sunday dinners at the Zupanchich/Pene home with grandchildren and "Ma and Pa" were the center of it all.

Anton & Johanna Pene date unknown.

Anton's obituary in the Milwaukee newspaper.

The untimely death of Anton and Johanna's daughter Mary in 1950 followed by Frank in 1959 and then Johanna in 1960 caused another relocation for Anton when he went to live with his surviving daughter (my grandmother), Anne on Walker Street in Milwaukee.   This was his last home and also when I was lucky enough to be photographed with him.

It's not important that you cannot read the obituary written in Slovene on the right.  My translation would be:  "Today we lost a loving, amazing,  and hard-working husband, father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather who took a journey across the ocean and lead the way for generations of his descendants to be born Americans.  We are all forever grateful for the sacrifices you made and we will never forget you.  

Additional information:

Visit http://www.thegreatoceanliners.com/kaiserfriedrich.html for history and photos of the Kaiser Friedrich.

Information regarding immigrants to the Mesabi Range http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/27/v27i03p203-215.pdf

Information on the Iron Range Company Communities/Locations http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/48/v48i03p094-107.pdf

For more information and photos of Minnesota's early iron range history visit this link to Minnesota Historical Society http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/52/v52i07p246-263.pdf and http://www.miningartifacts.org/Minnesota-MInes.html

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Citations:

History of Slovenia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia and Gregor Joseph Kranjc (2013).  To Walk With the Devil, University of Toronto Press Scholarly PUblishing Division, p. introduction 5.

Oliver Mining Company recruitment.   

https://books.google.com/books?id=n3Xn7jMx1RYC&pg=PA233&lpg=PA233&dq=Oliver+Mining+Company+recruiting+slovenes&source=bl&ots=gHllCFxR7d&sig=BN9lM5lFzmBW0Ngp--hahbwwIds&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fWljVZ-mNoeNNq_5gcAE&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Oliver%20Mining%20Company%20recruiting%20slovenes&f=false

"The Tavern"

Frank Zupanchich, date unknown.

According to the Wright's Milwaukee City Directory, Frank Zupanchich purchased the tavern in 1931.  However, during that year and the next, due to Prohibition, he is "listed" as selling only soft drinks but in reality he was selling booze from the back door, which continued until the end of Prohibition.

Uncle Johnny Penne behind the bar, circa: unknown.

 By 1932 Frank has married Mary Ann Penne (my grandmother's only sister) and by March 1933 FDR signs the Beer-Wine Revenue Act and "Frank & Mary's Place", a legal tavern is born.

Penne's Haven, front to back:  Wanda, Johnny, my Grandma Anne Hiller, unknown man.  Circa 1950's.

Unbeknownst to Frank, the purchase of this property not only provided a home (there were living quarters attached) and a social circle for many members of my grandmother's family but more importantly it provided them with employment.  Beginning around 1933 the whole Pene Family relocated from Eveleth, Minnesota to Milwaukee, beginning with my grandma, Anne and her sister, Mary and ending with their parents Anton and Johanna who arrived in 1941.   They lived a number of years at the tavern with Frank and Mary before moving with them to a new home at 3921 W. Greenfield.  Both my great grandparents were hard workers and even in their golden years were earning their keep.  Throughout the years, my grandmother Anne and her brothers Al, Louis and John all worked the tavern as well.   It's also where my grandmother met her husband, Don Hiller.  Eventually, Al and Louis found other employment and John was drafted in WWII, however, off and on all three worked as bartenders.

Some celebration at Penne's Haven, circa 1960's. Wanda is behind the bar, my Grandpa Hiller is in a suit and my mother next to him in a white coat.

Johnny returned from the war in December, 1945.  In trying to recreate a timeline, I am taking a guess that sometime around between 1946 and 1950 Frank sold the tavern to his brother-in-law, Johnny who renamed it "Penne's Haven".  Johnny and Wanda were married in 1950 and lived and worked at the tavern, 1501 W. Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, full time.  My mother and aunt both remember walking to Uncle Johnny and Auntie Wanda's tavern on Saturday mornings to help clean sea crabs which were then sold for a quarter that evening.  This would make three generations working at the tavern.

 When my parents would bring us to the tavern for a visit, I remember not ever wanting to leave.  I loved that place and thought my great uncle and aunt had the best life ever, but I was just a child.  Now I know they both worked long hours which is probably why they also lived where they worked.  When we visited, I would help Uncle Johnny load empty beer bottles into the old thick cardboard beer cases which we then stacked in the garage.  The kegs were kept in the basement, loaded down from a trapdoor and ramp on the sidewalk above, however I don't recall helping with the kegs, only the bottles.

The tavern was sold before 1977 which was when Wanda died of cancer. Johnny couldn't work and drive her to her chemotherapy appointments, something he continued to do for other patients even after Wanda's death.

When Johnny died in 2009, I was given a box of his old home movies, some of which I have digitized.  The clip here is dated 1947 and titled "Hard Time Party" - I have no idea why.  As you watch, look for a man in a straw hat, that's my Grandpa Don Hiller and in front of him, my Grandma Anne (she has a red flower in her hair).   Mary Zupanchich, wearing a traditional Slovenian dress like my grandmother, can be seen in the middle of the film and toward the end where she starts to polka with another woman.  I can also see quick glimpses of my two of my grandma's brothers but they are hard to point out.  

I still love taverns, the smell of beer-stale or otherwise and remembering all the fun I had at Penne's Haven!

Special thanks to Barbara (Hiller) Atwell and Mary Ann (Hiller) Boschke for their recollections and my husband Ray for helping me with an historical timeline.

News stories about John Penne 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19831116&id=tAMiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5E4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2198,3521122

and 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19860405&id=wwYqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3555,7821167

For more interesting reading about Milwaukee during and after Prohibition read "The Day Beer Returned to Milwaukee" in Austin Frederick's blog-Making History Since 1990 

https://austinfrederick.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/the-day-beer-returned-to-milwaukee/

Citation:

Music in clip by Kevin MacLeod, "Four Beers Polka", Creative Commons License Deed 

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer–Wine_Revenue_Act

Ancestry.com Wright's Milwaukee City Directories, 1929-1950

Penne's Haven

Penne's Haven Wurlitzer jukebox. Photo courtesy of my cousin, Tony Boschke, who is lucky enough to own this beauty now.

When visiting my grandparents in Milwaukee one of my childhood highlights was a trip to Penne's Haven, a tavern owned by my great Uncle Johnny and his lively wife Wanda.  I know, it seems strange even as I write this,  but it was the candy and endless nickels for the jukebox that elevated the tavern to "highlight" status.  Auntie Wanda always let me and my siblings go behind the bar where she kept a rack of candy bars, gum and Life Savers hard candy rolls - 5 Flavors, Butter Rum, Pep O Mint among others.  Anyone who knows me, knows I love candy BUT it was all about the jukebox during those visits.  Elvis Presley sang about a Hound Dog, Bobby Vinton of Blue Velvet and America's Polka King Frankie Yankovic about a girl who's too fat for him!  The beautiful blue Hawaiian beach scene, the multi-colored front panel lights and of course the movable stack of 45 records was mesmerizing.

When Penne's Haven was sold in the early 1970's my only questions was "What happened to the jukebox?" and I was delighted to hear my Uncle Bob was the new owner.  That was over 40 years ago and it's still in the family today.

More about the owners and history of the tavern can be seen on the Penne Page.

Grandma: Anna to Anne

Grandma was known as Anna Pene when she was born July 23, 1905 in Eveleth, Minnesota and also on her 8th grade graduation certificate.  Later, after she moved to Milwaukee, The Milwaukee City Directories of 1933 and 1934 list her as Anna Pennee and Anna Penne, respectively.  But just one year later on her wedding day, July 6, 1935 she became Anne Hiller when she married my grandfather, Don C. Hiller.  

In an effort to improve my genealogy citations, I sent for Grandma's birth certificate and was surprised to see her listed as "Anna" and after questioning her children, it became obvious that this was a surprise to them also. Everyone had always thought her name was "Anne", pronounced "Ann" not "Annie", she didn't like that. As much as my Grandmother liked to talk and fill my notes with family history, she didn't speak much of herself or her early life and I guess I always thought there would be plenty of time, until there wasn't. She died in 1995, outliving her husband by almost ten years.

This situation is a perfect example of how important it is to ask the "right" questions when interviewing for genealogical purposes.  I missed my opportunity with my Grandma and now am trying to piece the information together with documents. Little is known about her decision to move from Eveleth, Minnesota to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The 1930 United States Census does not show her living in Eveleth.  In fact, I haven't found her listed in 1930 anywhere yet.  She shows up next in Milwaukee in 1933 working for Reliance Laundry & Cleaning Company and living at 1501 W. Greenfield Avenue, the home of her sister Mary and her husband Frank Zupancic who owned a tavern, Frank & Mary's, at the same location.  The Milwaukee City Directory of 1934 shows a change of employers for Grandma, National Family Laundry Company, where she was a press operator and still living with her sister and brother-in-law.  

By this time, her brothers Louis and Albert Penne had also moved from Eveleth and were employed by Frank at the tavern.  Eventually, Frank moved all Grandma's siblings and her parents from Eveleth to Milwaukee.  

Family members have told me that my Grandmother may have also worked in the tavern, maybe as a waitress and that is where she met my Grandfather.  

So, as of today, my research continues for information about my Grandmother's journey from Eveleth to Milwaukee and the few years she spent there before getting married.  Once married, she and my Grandfather made Milwaukee their home for the remainder of their lives.

Grandma Hiller

Anton Pene Family: Back L-R:Louis, Frank, Grandma, Mary, Al, Johnny; Front L-R: Johanna, Mathew, Anton.

It is only fitting that my first post (view it under Penne label) would be about my Grandma Hiller who was born and rasied in Eveleth, Minnesota to Slovenian immigrants Anton and Johanna (Kočijančič) Pene along with 10 siblings, four of whom would not live to adulthood.  She spoke fondly of her childhood which was filled with Slovenian music and customs.  Her mother's two sisters lived in Eveleth also so there must have been some family gatherings on the "Kočijančič side" but she never spoke specifically on this subject. Eventually,  in the 1930's they would all relocate to Milwaukee where they would spend the remainder of their lives.

Grandma's home in Eveleth (Leonidis), Minnesota, with her "Pa and Ma" standing on front steps.  

Graduating from the 8th grade was a proud achievement for my Grandma and she mentioned this often when we would talk about her early life.  She was promoted to high school but never attended.  My Aunt Mary Anne recently shared Grandma's diploma with me and I post it here  for you all.  This would make her happy.