William Blumenthal of Chicago, having tired of being an absentee farmer, sold the old Carlson place. The buyer was Teofil Heronim Grabowski, a 32-year-old Gary lawyer who also served as president of the American State Bank at 17th and Broadway in Gary. Teofil had immigrated from Poland in 1905. He eventually married Wanda Cieszynski (about nine years his junior), and in 1920 they lived in Gary with Wanda's 18-year-old brother, Valerian, a student.
Teofil was evidently a person of great energy: soon after buying the old Carlson place, he set about remodeling the farmhouse, building chicken coops, and making other unspecified improvements. The Gazette explained: "We understand [Mr. Grabowski] expects to engage extensively in the chicken raising business. That is he expects to raise 'broilers' for an eastern market." The Grabowskis intended to live on the Hobart farm, while Teofil commuted to his Gary law office and bank presidency. And indeed they did so at least through 1923; we shall have to wait to see what happens after that.
Sources:
♦ 1920 Census.
♦ Gary (Indiana) City Directory 1923 (R.L. Polk & Co.), from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
♦ "Improving the Old Carlson Place." Hobart Gazette 22 Apr. 1921.
♦ WWI Draft Cards.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
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6 comments:
Teofil and Wanda Grabowski were my grandparents; Valerian, a great uncle. Teofil and Wanda were killed in Hobart in 1930 at a Nickle Plate RR crossing.
Teofil and Wanda Grabowski were my grandparents; Valerian, a great uncle. Teofil and Wanda were killed in Hobart in 1930 at a Nickle Plate RR crossing.
I'm sorry to hear that. If I keep reading the newspaper microfilm, no doubt I will come across the reports of the accident.
Have pics from Gary, New Britain CT, and Polish newspapers. Not a pretty sight. Fortunately, their daughter (my late mother) was not with them that night. Thanks for your reply. r/ D. Conley
Hello,
Teofil was a brother of my grandparent Lucjan. He was from Suchcice in Poland.
After death of Teofil, my father was named Teofil for memory. I am Zenon, I live in Ostrołęka, Poland. I have photos of Teofil.
Greetings
Zenon
Thank you for the information. I would very much like to post photos of Teofil in my blog, if you would be willing to share them and can send me a scan -- ainsworthiana@gmail.com
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