Thomas Wirkus

Thomas Wirkus was born July 12, 1836 in Brusy, Pomorskie, Poland (Bruß, Konitz, West Prussia), to Johann Wirkus and Regina Sigmanska or Zygmanska. Thomas married Frances Mary Bruska 1861 in Bruss, Bydgoszcz, Poland. Francisca was born March 11, 1838 in Poland. The marriage record was found at the:
Pomeranian Genealogical Association

Brusy 1861 Thomas Wirkus Francisca Bruska

Thomas was the half brother to the Gerszewski brothers who settled Walsh county and he came to the United States before them. Sometime between 1867 and 1870 the family came to the United States and was on the 1870 census for Winona, Minnesota.

WILCOSE THOMAS 35 1835 PRUS WINONA 3-WD WINONA 1870
Frances 32 1838 Prussia
Dominica 9 1861 Prussia
Julius 6 1864 Prussia
Mary 4 1866 Prussia
Tefel 12-Jun 1870 MN

In about 1872 Sara or Celia was born in Winona and then the family moved to Buffalo, Wisconsin where three children were born. It appears that Thomas was on the 1880 census in both Wisconsin and the Dakota Territory.

1880 Census Place: Buffalo, Buffalo, Wisconsin

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Thomas WIRKUS
Self M Male W 40 POL Farmer POL POL
Francis WIRKUS
Wife M Female W 40 POL Keeping House POL POL
Mary WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 13 POL POL POL
Sara WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 8 MN POL POL
Alexander WIRKUS
Son S Male W 5 WI POL POL
Francis WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 2 WI POLAND POLAND
WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 1M WI POLAND POLAND

The John, Joseph, and Anton Gerszewski brothers may be on the 1875 Winona census

Of note is Julius and Dominica (Minnie) are missing on the Wisconsin census but both appear with the familiy on the 1880 Dakota Territory Census. The 1 month old Daughter from the 1880 Wisconsin census is missing on the Dakota Territory census, but appears as Cornelie on the 1885 Walsh county census.

John Paschke ties into the Gerszewski family by his wife and he was in Swift County, MN in 1880.

Need to find John Paschke and Frank Narloch on the 1870 census
John Winona, to Wisconsin, to Appleton, Swift county MN may be on 1875 maybe get all of swift county, new posen.

Frank Narloch with John Paschke, Julius Riskey, and Thomas Wirkus came to the Dakota Territory. They made some hay, each built a sod house and they returned to Wisconsin and Minnesota. Confirm all were from Wisconsin and were the others on both censuses?

Along with Thomas on the Dakota Territory Census where his three Gerszewski half brothers.

1880 Census Place: Township 155, Harriston, Grand Forks, Dakota Territory

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Thomas WIRKUS
Self M Male W 43 POLAND Farmer POLAND POLAND
Frances WIRKUS
Wife M Female W 41 POLAND Keeping House POLAND POLAND
Minnie WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 18 POLAND At Home POLAND POLAND
Julius WIRKUS
Son S Male W 16 POLAND At Home POLAND POLAND
Mary WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 13 POLAND POLAND POLAND
Celia WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 8 MN POLAND POLAND
Alex WIRKUS
Son S Male W 5 WI POLAND POLAND
Frances WIRKUS
Dau S Female W 3 WI POLAND POLAND


Obit for Julius

Land records Mary not sure if married

WIRKUS JULIUS 15137 12/10/1895
WIRKUS MARY 13284 11/02/1889
WIRKUS THOMAS 832 06/01/1888

Name Age (Birth) Relation Occupation Nativity ED
Wirkus,Thomas
50 1835 Head Farmer Poland 04-019-39
Wirkus,Frances 48 1837 Wife Poland 04-019-40
Wirkus,Mary 19 1866 daughter Poland 04-019-41
Wirkus,Theofela 13 1872 daughter MN 04-019-42
Wirkus,Alexander 9 1876 son WI 04-019-43
Wirkus,Frances 7 1878 daughter WI 04-019-44
Wirkus,Cornelie 5 1880 daughter WI 04-019-45
Wirkus,Julius 22 1863 Head Poland 04-019-46
Geshefski,John 21 1864 servant Poland 04-019-47


Thomas died September 30, 1889 and Frances died on October 19, 1906. Both are buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Warsaw ND.

Children of Thomas Wirkus and Frances Bruska are:

1. Dominica (Minnie) Wirkus, born Bet. 1861 - 1863 in Poland. She married Leon Brzezinski October 31, 1880 in Pine Creek, Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin ; born Bet. April 09, 1853 - 1857 in Poland.
2. Julius A. Wirkus, born January 1864 in Poland; died December 1938. He married Mary Pella (Pelowski) 1887; born December 1867 in Winona, Winona County, Minnesota (Wisconsin); died January 31, 1925 in Walsh County, North Dakota.
3. Mary Wirkus, born 1866 in Poland.
4. Theofela (Celia) Wirkus, born 1872 in Winona, Winona County, Minnesota. She married Bernard Niezalewski.
5. Francis Alexander Wirkus, born July 13, 1875 in Pine Creek, Wisconsin; died June 03, 1959. He married Matilda Mary Galefski January 27, 1903; born September 14, 1881 in Warsaw, Ardoch Township, ND; died April 19, 1956 in Los Angeles, California.
6. Frances Wirkus, born 1878 in Wisconsin. She married George Kozlowski.
7. Corneie Wirkus, born 1880 in Wisconsin.