Anton Mohelnitzky & Mary Ruskauff

Mary Christine Ruskauff Mohelnitzky Milfred
Summary of her life 

Mary Christine Ruskauff Mohelnitzky Milfred was born June 28, 1854, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to German immigrants, Johann Conrad Ruskauff and Anna Elisabeth Freker. Johann Ruskauff and Anna Freker emigrated from the county of Osnabrück in Niedersachsen, Germany, sometime before their November 17, 1846 marriage in Pittsburgh.

In 1865 at age 11, Mary Ruskauff, her parents and her 8 siblings left Pennsylvania and moved to Richland County, Wisconsin, settling on a farm in Westford Township. Two more children were born to Johann and Anna (Freker) Ruskauff in Richland County.

At age 17, Mary was married to her first husband, Anton Mohelnitzky, on February 6, 1872, at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church in Germantown, Richland County, Wisconsin.

Anton Mohelnitzky was an emigrant from Bohemia (possibly from Seltschan, Bohemia which is now known, in 2007, as Sedlicanech/Sedlcany, Czech Republic) and was placed in St. Aemilian's Orphan Asylum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in March 1858. He left the orphanage in May 1859. His sisters, Julia and Mary Mohelnitzky were also placed in orphanages at the same time, but at St. Rose Orphan Asylum in Milwaukee. Anton became a harness maker and worked in Chicago a short time near the time of his marriage to Mary.

On January 4, 1874, Mary's father, Johann Ruskauff died in a tragic accident while holding a team of frightened horses. He was about to begin unloading railroad ties when the team of horses became frightened by a passing train. "To prevent the horses from running off, he stepped in front and took the horses by the bits; they dashed forward about 20 feet, throwing Mr. Roscoff with such force on the frozen ground as to break in his skull and otherwise injure him. He was taken up by those present, and supposed to be dead, but came to partial consciousness, in which state he was taken to his home by his friends, and died on Sunday evening." [Reedsburg Free Press (Reedsburg, Wisconsin)]

Mary and Anton became the parents of nine children: John Mohelnitzky, George Mohelnitzky (died at age 7 in 1885), Julia Mohelnitzky Braun, Theresa Mohelnitzky Williams, Frank Mohelnitzky Mohr, Frances Mohelnitzky Kussman, Abalonia Mohelnitzky (died in infancy in 1887), and Henrietta Mohelnitzky Duren. The family lived in Westford Township, LaValle and New Lisbon for a time, while Anton pursued his occupation as harness maker.

The family then moved to Milwaukee and lived at 457 17th Street and then 1404 Cherry Street. Anton became ill and died of pneumonia at age 45 on December 22, 1893. Anton was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Milwaukee. Mary and her 7 children, ranging in age from 19 to 5, remained in Milwaukee, and from the years 1894 to 1901, they lived in various homes: 722 Galena, 540 10th Street, 648 10th Street, and 550 10th Street.

In 1900, Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky's widowed mother, Anna E. Freker Ruskauff (age 72), was a border in the Peter & Hanna Milfred household in Westford Township, Richland County, Wisconsin. Peter's parents, George Milfred (age 72) and Margret (Martin) Milfred (age 75) also lived in the household. George and Margret had another son named George Milfred (a widower with several young children, the youngest being 8 years old). Perhaps Anna Freker Ruskauff told her widowed daughter, Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky, that George Milfred would be a good catch and needed a mother figure for his children. In any event, George Milfred and Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky joined together in marriage in 1903. Unfortunately, Mary's mother did not live to see the wedding since she died on January 15, 1902.

Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky married her second husband, George Milfred, on May 26, 1903 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The church was located at 11th and Cherry Streets. Georg Milfred, a farmer, took his bride, Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky, back to Richland County, Wisconsin, where they resided in his new home on a farm located about 4/10 mile from Germantown on Highway V in Westford Township (fire number 1108 West). No children were born to this union, but Mary became a step-mother to Georg's children from his first marriage, and Georg became a step-father to Mary's children, two of whom were already married by this time.

George M. Milfred was born September 12, 1852 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Georg's first wife was Anna Maria Braun whom he married on October 19, 1875 at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church in Germantown, Richland County, Wisconsin. George and Anna had 11 children, their birth years ranging from 1876 to 1892. George became a widower in December 1894 when his first wife Anna died in Westford Township, Richland County, Wisconsin; their youngest child was only two years old.

Newspaper accounts tell of the many visitors and travels that Mary and George enjoyed, including Mary's illnesses, marriages of their children, and remodeling of their home and barns.

Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky Milfred, who was ill for some time, passed away on March 14, 1936 at the age of 81. Funeral services were held at St. Anthony's Church and interment took place at St. Anthony's Cemetery in Germantown, Richland County, Wisconsin. Surviving were her husband George Milfred, and six children from her marriage with Anton Mohelnitzky: John Mohelnitzky of Wausau; Mrs. Frank Braun of Ironton; Mrs. Henry Williams, Madison; Mr. Frank Mohr of Milwaukee; Mrs. Arthur Kussman, Los Angeles, Cal.; and Mrs. Frank Duren of Cazenovia, as well as twenty-six grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Peter Duren, Sr., Milwaukee; and three brothers, Frank, Herman, and George Ruskauff, of Los Angeles, Cal. Pittsburg, Penn., and Madison, Wis., respectively. Those from out of town who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. George Ruskauff and children, Irene and John; and Mrs. Henry Williams, all of Madison.

George Milfred died November 14, 1940 at the age of 88. George and Mary are buried next to each other in St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Cemetery.

Mary Ruskauff tombstone

Familien-Chronik

Anton Mohelnitzky und
Maria Ruskauff geheiratet
den 6ten Februar 1872.
Conrad Sebastian geboren 12 Sept [illegible - 1874]
[ditto marks for "geboren"]
Johan Anton 3 Feb. 1876
Georg Heinrich 8 Dec. 1877
Julia Maria 26 Aug 1879
[illegible - Theresa] E. 10 Feb. 1881
Frank Florence 15 Oct. 1882
Francis Chri[Christina?] 3 Jan. 188[illegible - 1885]
Abalonia 8 May 1887
Mary Eda 22[illegible 29?] May 1888
Mary Mohelni[page torn] [born?] 1854 [Mary Ruskauff Mohelnitzky]
 

[Note: the dates are written in this Bible using the English style "Dec"/"May"/"Oct" - the German language changed the spelling to "Dez"/"Mai"/"Okt" about early 1900.]

Cazenovia, Wisconsin 

This is where Anton Mohelnitzky and Mary Ruskauff lived when they were first married; the house is located in Cazenovia, Sauk/Richland County, Wisconsin. 

Anton and Mary were married on February 6, 1872 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Germantown, Richland County, Wisconsin. 

Anton had his harness shop here.

The top photos were taken on February 23, 1975; the bottom photos were taken July 19, 1992 (after remodeling).

If anyone has other photos of Anton and Mary's house, please let me know.

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 Anton and Mary's children

Disclaimer: I am not 100% sure of this information, but it is as accurate as I have been able to determine at this time. Research in progress:

Click here to see a Family Group Sheet

I have written to the church in LaValle for baptismal information, but did not receive a reply.  Research in the Juneau County courthouse in Mauston found no registrations for Mohelnitzky births.

A baptism record for Henrietta Mohelnitzky was found at St. Paul Catholic Church, New Lisbon, Juneau County, Wisconsin; date of baptism June 16, 1888.

1880 US Federal Census 

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Town of Westford, Richland County, Wisconsin

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Tony Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 31
Estimated birth year: abt 1849
Birthplace: Austria
Relation to head-of-household: Self (Head)
Spouse's name: Mary
Father's birthplace: Austria
Mother's birthplace:     Austria
Neighbors: Sebastian Wenker
Occupation: Harness Maker
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male

Name: Mary Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 26
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Birthplace: Prus
Relation to head-of-household: Wife
Spouse's name: Tony
Father's birthplace: Prus
Mother's birthplace:     Prus
Occupation: Keeping House
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Female

Name:  Conrad Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 6
Estimated birth year: abt 1874
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relation to head-of-household: Son
Father's name: Tony
Father's birthplace: Austria
Mother's name: Mary
Mother's birthplace:     Prus
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male

Name:  John Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: abt 1875
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relation to head-of-household: Son
Father's name: Tony
Father's birthplace: Austria
Mother's name: Mary
Mother's birthplace:     Prus
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male

Name:  George Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relation to head-of-household: Son
Father's name: Tony
Father's birthplace: Austria
Mother's name: Mary
Mother's birthplace: Prus
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male

Name:  Julia Mohinskey
Home in 1880: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin
Age: 10M
Estimated birth year: abt 1879
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relation to head-of-household: Daughter
Father's name: Tony
Father's birthplace: Austria
Mother's name: Mary
Mother's birthplace: Prus
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Female

Household Members:     
Name     Age
Tony Mohinskey     31
Mary Mohinskey     26
Conrad Mohinskey     6
John Mohinskey     5
George Mohinskey     2
Julia Mohinskey     10M

Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Cazenovia, Richland, Wisconsin; Roll: T9_1445; Family History Film: 1255445; Page: 199.3000; Enumeration District: 243; .