This is an excerpt from “Faith and Family,” 150 Years of History and Tales of the Ed & Irene (Lamie) Fleis Family in Leelanau County, by Ruth Ann Smith. Continued from March 27.
My great-grandparents were resourceful, living on land that had rolling hills and valley, mostly thick with hardwood trees.
“The first home Tomasz built was a log cabin near a spring with clean water. They had to have water to survive,” my father wrote in a letter.
“Cut wood was their only fuel source. Their lives were further sustained by hunting game and catching fish in a nearby lake, and harvesting rye, potatoes, oats, beans (scarlet runners), sweet corn, and peas. Raising cattle was not profitable because pasturage was poor and there were no meadows,” said author Jakub Rosinski Sr., in an Isadore book of early history.
They observed Sundays as the Lord’s Day, a day of rest from their laborious week. They would have attended church services held in a private home or spent time praying and singing hymns at home. A meal might have been shared with relatives, as the day brought great joy to everyone. My greatgrandfather would have picked up his violin and played a few tunes from the old country to entertain the family. He had music in him for sure. He didn’t bring his treasured instrument all the way from West Prussia for it to sit idle in its case. Besides, my father’s late memories revealed that he heard his grandfather “play the violin a little.”
Tomasz and Josefina received a written document, dated November 20, 1880, from President Rutherford B. Hayes, that a land grant of 160s acres was issued to “Thomas Fleas.” They had fulfilled all the requirements. Tomasz’s brother, Frank and John, also earned homestead properties, which are recorded in the 1881 plat book of Centerville Township, Leelanau County.
••• There is no limit of faith and sacrifice shown to us by our ancestors. The Polish settlers in Isador were determined to build their own church and school. As it happened, “When a larger number had flocked there, they decide to build their own little church in order to have some place to worship God,” Rosinski said in his book. “The biggest farmers go in on the consultations; those being Tomasz and his brothers, Frank and John, among A. Dziengielski, G. Czichacki, S. Niemczynski, J. Stefaniak, S. Zientek, S. Nowak, A. Skiba, F. Bodus, J. Rosinski, Sr., and a few others. After talking them matter over they gathered the necessary funds to buy five acres of land, and to build in Isadore; first, a house of God, and later when there were more of them, a rectory and a school.”
Another parish booklet, “Diamond Jubilee Memoirs,” published in 1983, provided additional information: “Word got out to the Polish community that the five acres of land was donated by John Szudowski,” who then owned what is now the John Miller farm.
“In 1883, the first church was built in Isadore: a wooden structure in the shape of a cross, referred to as a “mission church” built by Aloysius Piotrwoski and many volunteers. Upon its completion, Rev. Father Ignatius Mrak (a former missionary and later a bishop) was the first to celebrate mass and bless the new, little church on Aug. 16, 1883.” Holy Rosary School centennial booklet also stated that, “A large stove in the rear of the church, beneath the choir loft, heated both the worshipers and the bricks or water crocks which the faithful used to keep their feet warm on their sleigh rides back home on frosty days. Pm the south side of the church was a row of posts for hitching horses which pulled the buggies, wagons or sleighs.
“For the next 10 years, priests from Manistee, Petoskey, Traverse City, or Provemont (Lake Leelanau) brought the sacraments and celebrated the Holy Eucharist at least once a month. When no priest was available, the parishioners gathered weekly to hear the word of God, as Michael Gatzke would read the Gospel and the Epistle. Leo Peplinski directed the singing, and Adam Cerkwoski (Tomasz’s brother-in-law) with his booming voice, would often lead the rosary.
“The first presiding pastor, newly ordained Reverend Father Stephen Nowakowski, didn’t arrive until 1892. That same year, a new school was constructed. The dream of having their own school had finally come true, nine years after the church was built. Unfortunately, the school burned down two years later. The Poles didn’t give up, and another school was constructed in 1896.
“The school became part of the convent in 1898, when the first Felician Sisters arrived to teach the mostly Polish students, who ranged in ages from 5 to 20. The earliest years of schooling only provided three grades, gradually increasing to more grades.
“Five years later, disaster struck again when the second school burned to the ground after a lamp exploded. The community rallied again and built a third school in 1905. This time, it was a two-story building with a chapel, constructed of brink, tin, cement, and lumber.”
