John Riske

John Riske was born July 1, 1841 in Prussian, Poland.

John was married to Augusta Betka in the villiage of Studnitz on February of 1870 in Bernsdorf Parish, Pommerania.

Augusta Florentina Betka was born in February of 1845 in Studzienice (Studnitz), Ugoszcz (Bernsdorf) Parish, Poland, to Jacobus Betker and Anna Wirkus.

John, realizing that he could not earn enough in his native land to support his family, emmigrated to America with his wife and their baby emigrated in 1873.

Below is a ships list record for the ship available online at castlegarden.org

Johann Reiske	Unknown	31	1842	M	Germany
Auguste Reiske	Unknown	28	1845	F	Germany
Josef Reiske	Laborer	24	1849	M	Germany
Auguste Reiske	Unknown	9m	1872	F	Germany

Johann Reiske age 31 arrived in the United States from the port of Bremen, Germany April 8, 1873 on the ship Koeln. With him was his wife Auguste age 28, child Auguste 9 months, listed as female. On the same ship was Josef Reiske, age 24 listed as a labourer and may from be the same family as John. Joseph Reszka later lived in Winona, Minnesota at the same time as John and his family.

Another History states that John Riske came from Poland when there was a war between Germany and Poland. John came when he and his wife were 25, and his wife was pregnant. When John came to America his cousin Martin, who was living in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin was supposed to meet him, but after waiting for awhile Martin left.

Martin’s son Julius Riski also settled in Walsh County on a ajoining claim to John.

Since there was no sponsor for John and his wife they were going to be sent back to Europe. A women in Erie, Pennsylvania decided to sponsor John if he worked in the coal mine for a year so John signed the papers. After a year was up John and his wife and baby got on a ship to go to Lake Superior. When they arrived in Winona, Minnesota which they lived before they bought a horse and wagon and then went on to North Dakota.
John had no brothers but, one sister Petronella Sikorska, which was her husbands name. John’s sister and brother in law Jacob Sikorski later settled in Walsh County.
From the family history, John could not speak English, and when he landed in New York, had just one dollar in his pocket. From another story Martin, a relative of John’s was supposed to meet them and bring them to Winona, Minnesota, but Martin was unable to arrive in time, so John and his young wife set out for the mining state of Pennsylvania, working their way as they went.

John and Augusta’s daughter Mary is listed as being born in either Minnesota or Pennsylvania depending on the census in about 1874, but most likey she was born in Pennsylvania based on the history.

John found employment in a Pennsylvania mine and all was going well, when a terrific explosion occurred injuring him so seriously that he was ill for weeks. During this time the family felt the pinch of poverty but they struggled on. Eventually they made their way to Winona, Minnesota where they had relatives, and Augusta found work in a factory. Soon after their arrival a new sorrow fell upon them, for their baby died.

According to Winona City records August Reisky died May-15-1875 age 4 and his father is listed as John.

On the 1875 Minnesota Census in Winona is John and Augusta Reska with a daughter Mary, but there are also five more children listed that may be from another Reska family.

John Riska is listed on the 1877 City directory as a labourer living at West Chatfield. From 1876 to 1880 three more girls were born in Winona, Minnesota. During this time John may have scouted for land in the Dakota Territory, with his cousin Julius Reszka who was living across the Mississippi in Pine Creek, Wisconsin.

Between 1876 and 1880 the first settlers were venturing into the Red River Valley of the North. According to the family history, John learning of lands that could be had for settlement, left his wife and their new baby in Winona and started in 1875 for Dakota Territory by ox team. After weeks of slow travel he came to what is now Walsh County and “squatted’ on land in Ardoch Township. His homestead was on the Forest River and he set out to build a log house. Game was abundant. Deer could be had for the shooting and occasionally scattered bunches of buffalo were seen Indians roamed the plains. On his land was one of their burial grounds, and down by the river a place where they had met for their tribal dances. Winters were severe and men and beast suffered from exposure. Grand Forks was a supply station, consisting of a few rude shacks flinging the Red River. Communication with the outside world was by river or ox cart. The first spring John broke a small ground, broadcast, cut his crop with a scythe, …un it with flails, and hauled it with oxen to Pembina, the nearest market. Later a mill was built at Drayton which shortened the haul across the plain.

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
John RISKI
Self M Male W 28 POLAND Farmer POLAND POLAND
Augusta RISKI
Wife M Female W 28 POLAND Keeping House POLAND POLAND
Mary RISKI
Dau S Female W 6 MN POLAND POLAND
Frances RISKI
Dau S Female W 4 MN POLAND POLAND
Anna RISKI
Dau S Female W 2 MN POLAND POLAND
Paulina RISKI
Dau S Female W 4M MN POLAND POLAND

John filed for Naturalization Apr-7-1885, Walsh County, ND

John and Augusta appeared in the 1880 and 1885 Dakota Census, but sometime after John’s wife Auguta died.

Augusta Betka died sometime after 1885 in Warsaw, Walsh County, ND.


1885 State Census: Walsh County, North Dakota

Name Age (Birth) Relation Occupation Nativity ED
Areski,John
39 1846 Head Farmer Poland 04-013-20
Areski,Augustine 40 1845 Wife Poland 04-013-21
Areski,Mary 12 1873 Daughter PA 04-013-22
Areski,Frances 10 1875 Daughter MN 04-013-23
Areski,Annie 8 1877 Daughter MN 04-013-24
Areski,Pauline 6 1879 Daughter MN 04-013-25
Areski,Rosy 4 1881 Daughter Dakota 04-013-26


Children of John Riske and Augusta Betka are:
1. August Reisky, born About 1871; died May-15-1875 in Winona.
2. Mary Riske, born Dec-1874 in Pennsylvania. She married Felix Kamrowski 1893; born Jan-1873 in Wisconsin.
3. Franciszka C. Riske, born Jan-28-1876 in Winona, Winona County, MN; died Mar-5-1935 in Warsaw, Walsh, North Dakota. She married Wincenty Gerszewski Oct-24-1893 in St. Stanislaus Church, Warsaw, ND; born Feb-8-1872 in Warsaw, Poland; died Jun-18-1949 in Warsaw, Walsh, North Dakota.
4. Anastasia Anna Riske, born Apr-13-1878 in Winona, Winona County, MN; died Oct-9-1896 in Walsh County, ND. She married Joseph Lizakowski Oct-26-1894; born Mar-19-1871 in Rush Lake, Chisago, Minnesota; died May-13-1932 in Walsh County, ND.
5. Pauline Antonie Riske, born Jan-17-1880 in Winona, Winona County, MN.
6. Rose Riske, born About 1881 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota. She married August Meshefski 1903; born About 1879 in Germany/Poland.

John was twice married; his second wife was Mardella Rolczinski, also a native of Poland. Mardella was born Jan-1861 in Poland, and died 1944 in Minto, Walsh County, ND.

Children of John Riske and Mardella Rolczinski are:
1. Cecelia Riske, born Nov-1886 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota; died Oct-14-1917. She married Jagielski.
2. Julia Riske, born May-1889 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota; died 1974. She married Joseph T. Reszka Nov-11-1914; born Nov-1881 in Detroit, Michigan; died 1932 in Detroit, MI.
3. Lawrence F. Riske, born Aug-9-1890 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota; died Oct-6-1978 in Polk County, MN. He married Helen Mary Reszka Jul-19-1915 in St. Stanislaus Church.; born May-4-1892 in Warsaw, Walsh County, North Dakota.
4. John F. Riske, born Jun-6-1892 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota; died Dec-1977. He married Amelia Paschke Nov-19-1919; born 1900.
5. Helen (Paulina) Riske, born Jun-1893 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota. She married Frank D. Kosmatka Nov-12-1919; born Sep-1893 in North Dakota.
6. Michael Max Riske, born Sep-9-1897 in Minto, Walsh County, North Dakota.
7. Clara Riske, born Aug-9-1899 in Ardoch Twp., Walsh County, North Dakota; died Sep-1992. She married Frank Weskel; born Oct-5-1895; died Jun-1972.
8. Amelia Riske, born 1900 in ND. She married Mishkavich.
9. Johanna Riske, born 1902 in ND. She married Tibiatowski.
10. Theodosia Riske, born May-19-1904 in ND. She married Wickstad.

As time passed and he prospered, substantial buildings replaced the log structures of pioneer days. Mr. Riske never forgot his kinfolk in Poland, and because he believed that they should have the chance that he had found in America, sent passage money to a sister and two brothers and three brothers and two sisters of his wife.

The story about John having no brother’s conflicts with other family histories, but this information was the key to tracking John back to Poland through his wife’s family.
Julius Betker was the brother of John’s first wife Augusta and Julius Betker lived in Winona, Minnesota and was from Ugoszcz Parish where the marriage and birth records are found.
Jacob Sikorski who came to Walsh County in 1892, was married to Petronella Reszka, who would be John Reszka’s sister and who was also married in Studzienice like John was.
John Riske was a real pioneer. He came to the Northwest not in quest of adventure, but to make the living for his family, denied him in his native land. His is the life story of a sober, industrious man who overcame poverty and through hard work and right living acquired a competency and won the respect of all who knew him. John disposed of his farm and bought the home in Minto where he lived three years before his death.

John Riske died Sept. 22, 1922, and funeral services were held from the Polish Catholic Church in Minto, and later from St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Warsaw, of which he was a charter member.

When John Riske died he was buried in a glass casket drawn by white horses with white plumes on there heads pulling a wagon.