In the mid 1970s Frank Dushack’s oldest son Jerry was living on the family farm in Hansonville Township. Upon Jerry’s death the family found five pages of memoirs written by Frank Dushack on January 20 and 21st, 1935. The papers consisted of five pages, in two sets. The first set is on preprinted paper and ispaginated in the upper left corners 18, 20, 22. Page 22 is dated January 20th 1935. On page 18 someone else dated the photocopy as "Frank Dec. 8, 1935." The correct order of these pages is not readily discernible, thus they have been ordered to enhance the narrative. The second set is labelled by Frank Dushack as no 1 and no 2 and are dated January 21st 1935. Frank’s brother John Dushack died on January 21, 1935, at Hahntown, Pennsylvania, were he also worked as a coal miner, thus it is more than coincidence that his brother’s death prompted Frank to write his memoirs. Did Frank write these en route to John’s funeral?

This is a nearly verbatim transcription. Noteably, Frank wrote phonetically, that is he wrote as the word sounded in English, thus sayelt for sailed, and rocket for rocked. Punctuation has been left as Frank used it, except in some areas where a period, or comman was used to enhance the flow.

Frank was five when he came to America but it is unclear how much education he had in American schools. Did he attend English speaking schools from the time he arrived until he went into the coal mines?  It is said, that Frank spoke four languages, English, Czech, German, and a working knowledge of Norwegian as he lived near a Norwegian community in Minnesota.

It is curious that there is redundancy in Frank’ listing of his children. He lists his children and their spouses in three seperate places. I believe Frank Duschack was rightly proud of his accomplishments from humble beginnings and the good financial condition his children were in, as second generation immigrants, ie. all had farms.

Memoirs of Frank Duschack
no 1
Remembrens of Frank Dushack and wife children

Arrived in Minnesota from state [of] Pennselvany from Irwin Pa. Arived in Canby Minn on the day May 8th 1884 with my family and wifes Parents. Bought a farm from Nichlous Haldi of 160 acres and setelt down, and stardit farming in the Township of Hansonville Lincoln county Minn. we raised a familie 10 children. 2 wher born in Irwin Pa. and eight where born in lincoln county Town of Hansonville. The children as fawlows-

Ana V. Dushack. husbent Frank Veverka
John A. Dushack. and Martha Moravetc
Edwer Dushack. a singel man
Willem H. Dushack. wife Ema Slama
Ema Dushack. hear Hosbent Joseph Hemish Jr.
Jerry Dushack. singel man living with parents
Mary Dushack. hear hosbent Adolf Kapinos
Frank Dushack Jr. and wife Emie Olson.
[In left margin is also written] allso Cora Dushack hear hubent Charls Schwartz Jr. she paset away 10 years ago left two littil chiltren 7 month and 3 years Arlene Schwartz Gladis Schwartz

all of ower children are Farming their on farms in said Townships Hansonville, Marbel, Forttier, Minn at present my age is 74 years and my wife is 73 years my wifes Parents Joseph Peltc and wife Anna Peltc, they Booth pased away years ago and Buried in our Bohemian Semiterie. They raized 4 children

1) Josephine Peltc, hear Hosbent Mathis Victor passed away
2) Stela Peltc, heare hosbent Hans Peter Olson
3)Mary Peltc. heare hosbent Anton Moravetc
They are all living and farming in the Naberhood
4) Barbora Peltc and hear husbent Frank Dushack St.
Datet January 21st 1935

We Amigratet from Checkoslovakie Bohemia in the year and Month Sep 5th 1865. Bordet a Sayling vesel and sayeld acros the atlantic ocean for 9 wheeks sayling to our destination Citie of Baltimore Maryland. i must say i cannot make out how thoes passengers how they maid their Jurney in that littel saml sailboat. i spoes it Rocket like a baby cradel. when mother rocket the baby it went to sleep. so it was whith our ship when the wind Blue the boet whent along the Jerny.

After reasiding or living 9 years in Baltimore when desiedet we whould move to state of Pennsivanie ouwer destination was Irwin, Whestmoreland County Pa, In the coal mine region. i startet to work in the coal mine when i what 13 1/2 years old. my worke containt as a traper in the mine i was taking care of two trap doors fore vantilaiting sirten parts in the mine when the driver that came in the entries i had to open the dor to let him in the entry the[n] shout the dor and had to let the driver out then shutt the [door] after. iwas paid 75c per day. after then i drove a mule, hauled coal. then after i dug coal. i was 16 years old and had a mans place. it was hard work in the mines.

Canby Minn
January 20th 1935

History of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dushack

I was born in chech of Slovakie May 25 1860 in village of Tabor. my parents left fore Unitet states of Amerika in the year 5th Sep 1865 cam on a Sailing vesel on sheep 9 wheeks landing in Baltimore Md. in year 1866. Lived in Baltimore 9 years -

[In?] the Familie Mother Father Sister Mary, Brother John and Frank Dushack Jr.

After 12 years living in Balltimore my Sister Maried Joseph Sistek and after the[y] moved to Satet of Pennsivanie Pa, and taken me along. Brother in law Joseph Sistek and my selv worked in the Coal Main, Pennilvanie Coal Compani. i worket in the coal Maine fore 12 years under ground 210 feet below the ground.

The first work i did in the coal mine i door traper and a Flagman. mule drivers that was hawling coal wagons to the Bottom of the shaft whear it was liftet by a kaysh [ cage added above] to the top of the shaft and then dumpet in the Railroad cars. I was 13 years old when startet to work in the Mines. i was paid 75 cts a day. after i had a raise dollar a day. During that time i was Burent by a Gass explosion. their wher 5 of us Burnt in that gass explosion. I whas laed up fore 3 month so after i was abel to go to work again i begain to drive a mule and Hawll coal to the Boottom of the shaft. i did that whork for number of years, my sallry was $2 and fifty cents a day. so this is what experents I had in coal mining.

The Miners whent on a stri and we left the State of Pa and saying good by to all the Folks

Frank Dushack wife Barbora Peltc
Raised a family of ten children
1 Mrs. Annie Dushack wife of Frank Veverka
2 Ema Dushack Joseph Hemish Father
3 John Dushack wife Martha Moravtc
4 Edwerd Dushack singel man
5 William H. Dushack wife Ema Slama
6 Jerry L. Dushack singel man
7 Frank Dushack Jr. wife Emi Olson
8 Cora Dushack wife of Charly Schwartz Jr.
9 Mary Dushack wife Adolf Kapinos
10 Loreta Dushack unmaried
23 Grandchildren
3 Great grandchildren

[A line here indicates seperation of above listing and the continuation of his narrative]

Arived from Pensilvanie to Minnesota in the year in the spring of April 1884. Frank Dushack and his wife and two children[,] Grandfather and Grandma Mrs. Anie Peltc and Mr. Josph Peltc and children Joesie Peltc Mrs. Matt Victor, Stela Peltc, Mrs. Stella H.P. Olson, Mary Peltc wife of Anton Morvtc in Town of Hansonvill in Lincoln County Minnesota.

Bought a farm from Nick Haldi in Section 14 in Town of Hansonville Fore the sum of 1000 Dolers wich we paid down 600 Doller, Ballens taken a loan fo 400 Dollar. Paid interest on load for 8 years befor Paid up the Morigich. i must say it was slow Farming thoes days with one yoke of Oxsen. i must state their was a little house on the farm that we Bought. 12x16x161/2 fit Post that containt Kitchen dining rkom and Parler and a pantry and Satingrum. we lived two families in that little Parlor for many years and had to be contendet. cuttent ben better

Frank Dushack any my wife and 2 children And my Fatrher in law his wife and 3 children Joesi Peltc, Stela Peltc., Mary Peltc

Frank Dushack and Wife raised 10 children in all

Mrs Anie Veverk Frank Veverka wife

Son John A. Dushaks wife Martha Moravetz and they raized a Familie of 3 children 2 Girls Doris and Margret and one son Harold [remainder of sentence illegible] of 160 Acers which they reacived after l[eav]ing home to work for themselves -

Son Williem Dushack and Wife Emi Slama are working their 160 Acer farm wich they reacived after leving his home

Son Jerry Dushack oldest son is working his parents farm wich in time will Fall to be the Soul owner of the farm

Son Frank Jr. Dushack and Wife Emmy Olson They have one Son about one year old t hey are farming their fathers farm

Joseph Hemish & Wife Ema Dushack Farming in Town of Fortier Township and have 3 Boys and four Girls Boys Richert, Walter, Adrian Girls Lillie, Emilie, Virgie, Gladis They are Farming their 1/2 Section of land

Charles F. Swartz Jr. Wife Cora Dushack [illegible word] they where farming in Town of Hansonville Township on his Fathers farm. after living on said farm Cora the Mother of two children had paset away and lef 2 small girls, Gladis 3 years old and Arlene was 7 months when mother died

[The End]

by Kurt Kragness

Frank Dushack (1860-1936) worked in Penn Gas and Coal Company Shaft #2 (Penn Gas No. 2 Mine) from 1873-1884. He worked as a trapper boy, mule driver, flagman and coal miner. He was injured in a gas explosion and was laid up for three months. He lived in Hahntown and married Barbara Peltc in 1879. In 1884 he quit mining and moved to Hansonville Township, Minnesota and became a farmer.

John Dushack (1856-1935) mining experience. Began working in Penn Gas and Coal Company Mine around 1873. Injured by a fall of coal which injured his ear drum causing deafness. After his injury the company gave him a job on the slate dump,as a slate dump larry operator. This he did until he was 70 years old. After that the company gave him a job keeping the shower room clean, as the shower room attendant, he retired at 75 years of age.

John Dushack, Coal Miner, Penn Gas No. 2 Mine

I assume my father must have started work there (Penn Gas #2) about the same time [as Frank Dushack}. My father told me he was in the same explosion as Uncle Frank, however he escaped thru a entrance, the way they drove mules in and out of the mine, known by miners as a slope. There he mined coal for a number of years. There he was hurt by fall of coal from the above roof top that broke his ear drum caused him to be deaf. After his recovery from the injury the company gave him a job outside of the mine on a slate dump. That is slate mixed with coal not saleable. This material was hauled in a large wood car cabled up on incline to top of a hill and then it [was] dumped down a valley by my father and helper. This he done till he was 70 years old, after that the company gave him a job keeping the shower room clean, he was retired at 75 years. At that retirement I got in touch with a mine superintendent I explained that he had 55 years of continous service never lost a days work unless he was sick, that was not very often. Father was lucky he got this very little pension of $15 a month.Well at least it was pipe tobacco money. No man at that time with that compnay ever got anything.

I must tell you father was a shoemaker, a trade he learned I don’t [know] when. But he never got into this business. He did make boots for some of the farmers around here. That to was before my time. Of course we always had good repaired shoes. Father was deaf when he married my mother [Anna Wokutch Dietrick]. I could not carry a continous conversation with him because I had to shout to make him hear. "Oh" how I wished I could have.

P.S.. This coal mine that we have been writing about was located in Hahntown one mile from Irwin, PA. This coal mine has been sealed shut as it has been worked out years ago.

Adams Hill, Rich in Coal Patch History, Penn Gas No. 2 Mine (Adams Mine),
Hahntown, North Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland Co., PA

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