Pytereks in Steven's Point Wisconsin

Recently, I found records of a Pyterek family living in Steven's Point Wisconsin in the 1890s. I visited the Portage County library and the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point library and searched through their genealogy and local history records.

These families are connected to the Chicago Pytereks.

I found several families named Pyterek living in the area. There was a couple named Jan and Agnes Pyterek living on a farm in Hull, a small village just north of Stevens Point. There were also two sons who raised families nearby. They were Jacob Pyterek and his wife Alwina and Stanislaw Pyterek and his wife Katarzyna.

See a map (circa 1870s) showing Jan Pyterek's  (J.Petrick) plot of land near St. Casmir's church in Hull.

On local records they spelled their names Petereck and Petrick but all their gravestones in the St. Casmir Cemetery in Hull say Pyterek.

Below is Jan Pyterek's Obituary from the Steven's Point Daily Journal 1905

JOHN PETERECK DIES IN HULL

Lives Over Four Score Years and Passes Away Suddenly - Served as Town and School Treasurer.

John Petereck, one of the oldest citizens in the county, died at his home in the town of Hull, last Thursday morning, his death coming most unexpectedly. Although 88 years of age, he was able to be up and around every day, and that morning walked outdoors and partook of a hearty breakfast. At 7 o'clock he sat in his chair and within a few minutes passed aay without a struggle, death being due to heart failure, or a complete wearing out of the human machinery.

May 2, 1818, John Petereck was born in the the village of Golz, Province of Posen, Prussia, and was therefore 88 years of age the day before his death. He was married in his native land 56 years ago and the family came to America in 1859. For several years they lived at Buffalo, Syracuse, Dunkirk, and Salamanca N.Y., and came to Portage County in 1873, locating on a farm in the town of Hull, about one mile west of Casmir Church, which had been the family home ever since and where the aged couple lived with their youngest son Jacob. Mr. Petereck served as district school treasurer in Hull for 18 years and for one year was town treasurer. He was a man universally respected and was a father of an estimable family. He is survived by his widow, who is ten years his junior, two sons and three daughters. These are Stanislaus and Jacob, of Hull, Sister Catherine of the Order of St. Francis, located at Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. Margaret Munch and Mrs. Annie Wotonowski, both of Ironwood, Mich. The grandfather of the deceased is said to have served under Napoleon Bonaparte as a soldier for 19 years.

The funeral took place from the Catholic church at Casmir, Rev. W. B. Polacczyk officiating, at 9 o'clock last Saturday morning.

The index from "Germans to America" shows arriving on October 7 1857  on the ship "Pator Barth" from Marseilles to New York with the passengers Johann Pytereck - 39, Agnes - 30, and their children Stanislaus - 3, and Marianna - 6 months. All of this data is consistent with the data from John Petereck's 1906 obit except the date of immigration.

The 1860 NY census shows a John Peter living in Dunkirk, NY on page 454.This was not the same family.

The 1870 New York census shows a John Pyterck - 54, Polish, living in Sheridan in Chautaugua County. The record is in series M593 Reel 913, Page 650. I found this record online (1870 NY census- Sheridan in Chautaugua County page 9) and it has detailed information. Living at house number 58 in Sheridan NY.

They listed Real Estate value as 600 dollars and Personal estate at 160 dollars

A check of my research records from Gulcz, parish of Lubasz, shows that this family from Steven's Point is in fact the one from Gulcz and they are related to the Chicago Pytereks. On Jan Pyterek and Agnes's marriage record in 1849, her maiden name is listed as Sauerman. On the later birth and death records of her children, she is listed as Zurman and Zurkowski.

After searching church, obituary, census, and immigration records, I show the above children for Jan Pyterek and Agnes Sauerman (aka Zurman). Still investigating! - JO 10 May 2003.

From my records, Jan Pyterek from Stevens' Point, born in 1818, was the 1st Cousin, once removed from the brothers Alexander, Joseph, and Walenty Pyterek from Chicago.

Sister Mary Catherine's (Bridget Pytrerek) obituary on 25 Nov 1952 (Steven's Point Daily Journal) lists her as a cousin to Father Peter Pyterek (Chicago) Father Ervin Jurascheck (Austin, Texas) and Hipolit Pyterek (Chicago). The obit also lists nieces and nephews Mrs. Clara McCarty, Barny Petrick (Milwaukee), Mrs Frank Woldarski (Dewey), Mrs Ben Shuda(Hull), Mrs Tom Borchardt and Mrs. Viktoria Shuda (Steven's Point).

This is St. Casmir's church in Hull, just north of Stevens Point. The cemetery is behind it.
	This is the headstone of Jan Pyterek and his wife Agnes Zurman. See Jan Pyterek's obituary.
This is Jacob Pyterek and his wife Albina Bilka's headstone. See Jacob Pytereks' obituary.
	This is Stanislaw "Ed" Pyterek's headstone. See Stanislaw Pyterek's obituary.
This is Stanislaw "Ed" Pyterek's wife, Katarzyna Szuleszewski's headstone. Her grave is actually two places over from her husband. There is someone else buried in between.