Anton Rossman was born on the 25th of September, 1850 in Putzig, Prussia - known now as Puck, Poland. As with many of my ancestors who emigrated to the United States, I do not know much about Anton's life in Prussia.
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| The Circassia |
At that time, Anton and Anna made a decision to move their new family to the United States. They boarded the Cumberland, in Hamburg, Germany and headed for Leith (now just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. From Leith, they traveled to Glasgow, Scotland where they boarded the Circassia for New York. They left Hamburg, Germany on the 19th of March, 1880, and arrived in New York on the 12 of April, 1880.
Shortly after arriving in New York, the Rossman family moved to Chicago. Six more children followed Juliana very quickly. Marciana (Maggie), born 1882; Rose Josephine, born 1885; Frank, born 1887; Apollonia (Polly), born 1889; Sarafine, born 1892; and possibly Elzbieta and Hedwigis, both born in 1894, though I have not been able to verify the last two.
While the 1890 census was destroyed by a fire in the 1920s, and I cannot rely on that for information about the family, it is evident that Anton Rossman was active in his community, and in particular, his church.
Anton and family attended the Catholic parish of St. Joseph's in Chicago. In 1895 a very strongly worded letter was published in the Dziennik Chicagoski - a Polish Language Newspaper. The Newberry Library has a translation of the article available in their Foreign Language Press Survey collection. There was apparently a horrible scandal surrounding the priest of St. Joseph's at the time, the Reverand M. Pyplatz, and Anton was part of a group of men who were made "an addition to the board of trustees" to take inventory of the parish's financial status and investigate the charges that were brought up against the priest. They found nothing untoward. It is well worth reading the entirety of the letter, but I'm only going to include the first and last paragraphs here:
Dear Editor: Perhaps hell itself has poured out its ire during the past few days so that the respectable name of our pastor and all peace-loving parishioners have been defiled by the surreptitious stories that have been conveyed to the reading public through the medium of the local American press. This campaign of lies has been going on for some time....
...The more dastardly lies have been exposed and presented for the general public to judge. Let the opinion of the honest sons of Poland pass its judgement. The sowers of these lies have brought infamy to our parish, rent many brotherly hearts, and they should be despised by every Pole and adjudged by the justice of God.
Other Polish papers are requested to reprint this article.
[Signed]:
Andrew Ciudaj, Anthony Rus, Andrew Skonieczaj, Joseph
Jankowski, Joseph Rusch, John Wiza, Michael Andrzejewski,
Anthony Rossman and Stanislaus Goniakowski.
In 1900, Anton and family were living at 4812 Marshfield Avenue in Chicago's notorious Back-of-the-Yards neighborhood. Still at home were Maggie (age 18), Rose (age 15), Frank (age 13), Polly (age 11) and Sarafina (age 8). Anna was staying at home with the two youngest, but Anton, Maggie, Rose and Frank were all working in the Stockyards. Anton as a general laborer, Maggie and Rose as Meat Trimmers, and Frank as a Butcher. If you want to know a little more about their work at the yards check out this link from the Chicago History Museum. Their daughter, Juliana had married and moved out in 1897 and was living a few blocks away.
By 1910, Anton and Anna and family had moved to 4814 Marshfield Ave in Chicago. Anton would remain at this address for the rest of his life as they owned their home instead of simply renting. All the residents of the home, from Rose down to Sarafina were working at the Stockyards or in packing houses. Rose was a Trimmer, Frank a Laborer, Polly was a "can-wrapper" and Sarah was a "sausage packer."
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| Anton Rossman ca. 1915 |
Six years later, on the 24th of October, 1919, Anton's beloved wife, Ana, died at age 66.
Anton wasn't lonely though. The 1920 census showed that Anton had a full house. His daughter Polly's family (husband John Miotke, and children, Gertrude and Floryan) were living with him. Also in residence was his daughter Rose, her husband Frank Paluch, and their daughter Evalyn. Anton was also caring for Joseph and John Krause. (I am not sure where Rose Krause went at this time.) His son Frank was living a few doors down. Juliana and her family were a block away.
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| Anton's Obituary Published in a Polish Language Newspaper |
At the age of 69, Anton was still working at the stock yards, though other members of his family appeared to have found employment in other sectors, with box-makers, woodworkers, and general laborers listed on the Census.
In 1929, Anton's daughter, Juliana passed away.
In 1930, it appears that Anton transferred ownership of 4814 Marshfield to his daughter Rose and her husband as they are listed as the owners of the property and Anton, at age 78, is a "Lodger." The Miotke's and Joseph Krause had moved out, though John was still living with Anton.
At the age of 83, Anton passed away on the 28th of April, 1934. He died in his home, 4814 So. Marshfield Ave. He was buried in Resurrection Cemetery, in Justice, IL.
As evidenced by the census records, Anton Rossman was a dedicated family man. He was a man of faith and active in his church.
Anton Rossman is my 3rd Great-grandfather on my father's side.
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