Bio: Gosar, Frank & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Gosar, Kusar, Remzgar, Artac, Trunkel, Sladich, Kuznacic, Stroinski, Cuden

----Source: Family Scrapbook

In Smartna, Dobrova, near Ljubljana, Slovenia stands this house which was the home of Frank and Mary (Kusar) Gosar and birthplace of Frank Gosar of Greenwood. To the left about 50 feet is the church and to the rear, at¬tached to the house, is the barn.

In this house were born 9 children: Frank, Val, Tony, Louis, August, Victor, Mary, Johanna, and Angela.

Frank, the oldest, was born November 12, 1888. He, along with Val and Tony came to Waukegan, Illinois in 1906. There they got employment in the wire mill.

In 1909 Frank married Mary (Remzgar) in Mother of God church in Waukegan, Illinois.

Mary Gosar was born to Anton and Anna Remzgar in Dragomer, Brezovica, near Ljubljana on November 21, 1893. She had two sisters: Josephine and Antonia, three half-sisters: Mary, Frances and Johanna, and .two half-brothers: Roy arid Thomas.

Mary's father, Anton Remzgar came to Waukegan in 1900. In three years he saved up enough money for his daughters Frances and Mary to come here. In three more years he sent money for his daughter Antonia and his mother, Agnes (Cuden) Remzgar to come.

Mary, whose mother died when she was only seven years old, worked as a maid for a boarding house when she was only twelve years old, and until her marriage.

Four years after Frank and Mary were married they bought 40 acres of woodland in the Town of Eaton. Frank and his two brothers Val and Tony built a temporary log house near Co. G to live in while clearing the land. Then Frank built the house which now serves as the home of his son Tony and family.

To Frank and Mary Gosar were born nine children: Frank, who died in infancy; Mary (Artac), Tony, Frances (Sister Antonia), Sophie (Trunkel), Ann (Sladich), Julia (Kuznacic), Cecilia (Shaw) and Angeline (Stroinski).

Frank and Mary were both very active members of Holy Family Catholic: church, Mary being Secretary of the Ladies K.S.K.J. Lodge or 50 years. The officers of K.S.K.J, directed most of the church activities until the present C.C.W. was organized in 1946.

Many hardships were encountered during the early years as Frank would go to work to Waukegan in the wire ' mill in winter months. This left Mary to care for farm and family.

In Spring there was plenty of work picking stumps and stones. The whole family worked. After the corn and beans came up we all had to hoe by hand. There was never any shortage of hoes to go around. The same was true for milking cows, making hay, picking beans etc.

We had some fun times too. A neighborhood of five families held corn husking bees with visiting and singing, after which we enjoyed a delicious lunch — usually apple strudel.

On Saturdays and Sundays there was a 3 mile hike down the railroad track to Willard. On Saturdays we had catechism in the parish house basement. During recess we each had to bring in two or three chunks of wood to last another week or so. The church, on Sundays was usually cold as an icebox. We sat on benches around a potbellied stove at the rear of the church. On real cold days only Mom and Dad went to church. We stayed home and played games like: One Sunday Mom put 'boiled dinner' to cook. We decided to play 'The Three Bears'. By the time each one of us had a turn at the 'porridge' the dinner was gone. Mom and Dad had nothing to eat. We also got our fill of bacon and eggs when we were home alone. My oldest sister cooked enough (sticky) candy for all week which we kept on the beams of the hay mow.

Things got better after 1924 when we got our first Model T. The first time Dad took us out it was raining. He failed to make a turn and went right into the ditch.

However we didn't give up. Each night he had to take us out for a ride. He was learning too as they had no driver's training then.

In 1953 on July 25th Frank unexpectedly died of cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 64. Mary passed away in 1981.

After the death of Frank the farm was taken over by his son Tony and his wife Donna.

At present Tony Jr. and his wife Cindy are running the farm with the help of Anton Sr. They have a small home of their own on the farm.

Submitted by Sophie Trunkel