Antoni Orbik

(1863-1940)

Biography

Antoni Orbik was born in Barglow Koscielny on 28 July, 1863. He was the son of Franciszek Orbik and Krystina Kosciuk.

Antoni Orbik immigrated to the US in March, 1890. It appears that before settling down in Ashland, Wisconsin, Antoni Orbik was working in Denver in 1893 and 1894 for the Union Pacific Railroad. He appears on the 1893 Denver city directory as Anton Orbik and in 1894 as Anton Orbeck.

 

 

Union Pacific Logo 1890s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Logo

 

Antoni Orbik applied for naturalization in Ashland Wisconsin on 30 March 1896, exactly 6 years after reaching America. He was granted citizenship on 4 Aug 1906.

Antoni appeared in the city directory of Ashland beginning in 1897, as Anton Orbick, a laborer for Keystone L. Company, and residing at 1015 E. Front Steet.

He appears in the 1899 Ashland City Directory as Anton Orbick, laborer, residing at 1013 St. Clair St..

He appears in the 1901-02 Ashland City Directory as Anton Orbick, a laborer with the C Reiss Coal Company. His brother Jakob appears for the first time as Jacob Orbet [sic] a laborer boarding at 1400 Water St.

In 1903, Antoni appears as Anton Orbeck, a car repairman for Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, residing at 1214 St. Clair. His brother Jacob appears as Jacob Orbek, a laborer for DW Mowatt Est., boarding at 1400 Water Street.

In 1905-06, Antoni appears as Anton Orbick, a laborer for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad oar dock, residing in the rear of 1214 St. Clair. Jakob Orbik is no longer listed so he may have already moved to work in Hurley Wisconsin by this time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antoni Orbik married Elizabeth Choroszewska in Ashland Wisconsin on February 21st, 1898. She was the daughter of Adolf Chomszewski and Michalina Strugulewska. Augustow parish records show the marriage of Adolf Choroszewski to Michalina Krupinska in Zarnowo in 1873.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

114 13th Avenue East Today -2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashland Ore Dock Today -2011

 

Antoni Orbik and Elizabeth Choroszewska had 10 Children:

  1. Rozalia,  born in 1898 in Ashland, Wisconsin. She died on Dec 12, 1930 and is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35.
  2. Bemaus, born in 1900 and died of cholera on 19 Aug 1901 in Ashland.
  3. Julius, born 11 Feb 1900, died May 1973 in Ashland. He is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35. He has no headstone.
  4. Boleslaus (Benjamin), born 30 Aug 1902, died Feb 1986 in Ashland, and is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35.
  5. Josephine, born 18 Dec 1904 and died Aug 1971 in Ashland.
  6. Walter, born Jun 1907, died 23 Sep 1907 in Ashland.
  7. Maggie, born 1911, died in 1980 in Chicago.
  8. Edward, born 5 Oct 1912, died in Chicago on 30 Dec, 2003. He was living at 3240 W. 55th Street. He is buried in Ressurection Cemetery in Chicago with his wife.
  9. Yolanda, born 12 Feb 1914, died 2 Feb 1989 in Chicago. She was listed as a waitress living 725 West Montrose. She was an inpatient at Columbus Hospital and had dimentia at the time of her death. She was cremated at Park Crematorium in Park Forest, IL.
  10. John, born 4 Feb 1920, died on June 30th, 1987 in West Salem, La Crosse, WI. He is is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35. He has a headstone.

Apparently some of these Orbiks migrated south to Chicago. The 1931 Chicago phone directory lists Rose Orbik (telephone operator) and Madge Orbik (clerk) living at 4041 Melrose Avenue.

Antoni Orbik died in Ashland Sep 2nd , 1940 and is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35. He has no headstone, but the family plot has a stone under the name of Orbik.

Antoni's wife Elizabeth Choroszewski died March 14, 1958 and she is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Lot 33, Block 35. She has no headstone, but the family plot has a stone under the name of Orbik. According to the burial records at St. Agnes Church, now Our Lady of the Lake church, it was Elizabeth Orbik who purchased the family plot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Agnes Cemetery, Ashland, Wisconsin. Orbik Family Plot and Footstones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 1909 Ashland City Directory, Antoni apperars as Anton Orbik, a labrorer for Clarkson C & D [Coal and Dock] Company, residing at 114, 113st Ave E., where he would live for the rest of his life. In this directory also appears Joseph Orbik, also a labrorer for Clarkson C & D Company, and boarding at 1215 E. Front Street. It is believed that this is the same Joseph that appears in the 1920 census as Joseph Orbeek, a 59 year old single man, a lumberjack working in a lumber camp in Bay Mills, Michigan.

In the 1920 census, Antoni Orbik's family lived at 114 13th Avenue East in the 9th ward of Ashland, WI.

In the 1931-32 Ashland City Directory, living at house 114 13th Ave., E., is Anton and Elizabeth Orbeck, laborer, Benjamin and Edward Orbeck, laborers, and Julius Orbeck, a fireman at the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.