#52 Ancestors Friedrich Sternitzky

Hi everyone!  Now that I am over the flu and a cold I need to catch up on my #52 Ancestors writing!!  I hope this finds you all doing well.  This posting is about my fourth great grandfather Friedrich Sternitzky.  He was the first of this line to come to the United States!  As always, I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave me any comments!

            My fourth great-grandfather Friedrich Sternitzky was born on 26 October 1806 in Klein Ujeschuetz, Silesia, Germany.  His father died when Friedrich was young.  According to one biography he did serve in the military.  In 1831 he married Helena Vietz (or Dietz) in Klein Ujeschuetz. 

            They stayed in Germany until 1840 before coming to America.  Joining Friedrich and Helena were their children:  Charles, Susanna, Gottlieb (James), and Wilhelm.  On 16 September 1840, they arrived in the Port of New York aboard the Bark Washington.  They made their way to Buffalo, New York, before settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  While in Milwaukee their family added another six children:  Johan, Ernest, Johanna, Julius, Edward and Albert. 

            In 1844, Friedrich declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States.  The family stayed in the Milwaukee area until 1856 when they, along with a couple other families, decided to go north to central Wisconsin and settle in Clark County.  According to the History of Clark County which was published in 1918, it took the family three weeks to make the journey and for the last three miles they had to cut through thick forest to make their way to their land.  Son Charles had purchased two hundred acres for the family from the government.  For his family, Friedrich built a two room, 18 foot by 28 foot log home.  Their nearest neighbor was two miles away.  Friedrich farmed the land until his son Henry (Julius’s nickname) took over. 

            Friedrich was a German Lutheran and when he got to Clark County church services were often held in his home.  Later on, he helped to establish a German Lutheran church in town. 

            The last eight years of Friedrich’s life were confined to bed.  Friedrich died on 25 October 1901 – one day shy of his 95^th birthday.  He outlived four of his children and his wife.  He was a well respected member of the community and beloved by his large family.  At the time, his funeral was the largest the community had ever seen.  Over sixty of his descendants were there and friends came from miles around.  Friedrich Sternitzky is buried next to his wife at the Zion American Lutheran Cemetery in Granton, Clark, Wisconsin.