Lublin History

Steve Lencz came to Lublin in 1908 from Radowicz County, Golitz. His last name was originally spelled Lencio. He became a citizen in 1902. Mr. Lencz worked on a contract job on the road in 1911 along with other early residents. He started the general store in 1912, he cut pulp in the winter while Mrs. Mary Lencz tended the store, later their children helped. The also farmed from 1912-1916. There was a barn in back of the store for horses and a few cows. In 1916 the structure completely burned. They then rebuilt the store in the same place.

Mr. and Mrs. Lencz were unable to speak English, they learned to speak English in the store, as Mary Lencz put it, "without schooling".

The Lencz's leased out the store from 1929-1933 to W. E. Stranz and Krakowiecki and they rented a farm and farmed during that time. Then the Depression hit and Lencz's had to mortgage and borrow money to get back into the store.

Everything in the store was bought and sold in bulk and had to be weighed when sold. This was a general store that had everything, even hardware. Deliveries were made to the store by train. Train deliveries were gradually discontinued and replaced by truck deliveries in the 1940's. Hub City Jobbing Company always serviced the store. In the 40's the hardware was eliminated.

Some of the store prices in the 1920's before depression times are interesting:
Six Crackers for 2 cents
Bologna 9 cents per lb.
Lard 8 cents per lb.
Sugar 25 cents per 4 lbs.
Cookies 25 cents per 3 lbs.
Sardines 5 cents a can or 6 for 25 cents
Coffee 15 cents per lb. ground in store

Electricity came in '26 or '27 and telephone service reached Lublin in the 20's. In 1947 the store was remodeled and the locker plant was added.

Steve Lencz retired in 1954 and sold the store to Harry and Pauline Lencz. They celebrated the stores 50th year in 1962. The store is still in operation.

The first post office at Lublin was in the Railroad section house. Mr. Stadler was the first postmaster, he was also the first section boss on the railroad. The succession of postmasters follows, Clara Hamon, Stanley Lisowski, Frank Kulwiec, Bruno Rojewski, Francis Kulwiec, till 1933 and Casey Jaron who is presently postmaster.

Postcards cost 1 cent to mail, and letters cost 3 cents to mail.

There was one route in Lublin. There was one employee for a rural carrier, and one employee for clerk. From 1925 until 1940 Sylvester Krakowiecki delivered mail by horse and buggy. Mail delivery was everyday, and was a twenty-seven mile round trip. When he ended his route he had about thirty-seven miles of traveling.

Frank Nowak was a rural carrier in 1922 and Sylvester Krakowiecki took over rural carrier in 1925, and retired in 1969.

Since a small number of people couldn't read, the postmaster helped to address the cards and letters. Most people knew how to read and write.

Fourth and Third class Post Office was in the Kulwiec house which is presently Suidaks Tavern. Later the post office was in Casey Jaron's building and a new post office, the present post office building was dedicated Sunday, October 25, 1965.

Five hundred people gathered in the village for the dedication. The dedication took place in the Lublin School gym with the Gilman High School band providing music. Pam Witek, the four year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Witek recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. About one hundred people attended a dinner by reservation at Marion Scizors hall, west of the village at 5:30 p.m.

The first Lublin bank opened December 19, 1919. It was robbed November 22, 1932. Nine hundred ten dollars was taken. Peter Baum was apprehended and charged with the robbery. The bank closed soon after, in 1933.

After the Lublin Bank closed, people who had money deposited in the bank got only some of it back, but people who owed loans were forced to pay them. Very soon after the bank closed Milo C. Hagan, Peter A. Cleary, and S. N. Shafter, Commissioners of Banking for the State of Wisconsin, operating out of Abbotsford began collecting loan money. Payments were not accepted--all money had to be paid at once. People were taken to court and the sheriff came telling them that their land would be sold if they did not pay.

One family had been farming for many years when they were told that they had to pay up or lose their land. They owed $997.17. They were taken to court. The abstract recorded the courts decision:
Recites: That personal service was had on each of the named defendants and after due hearing he sheriff was ordered to sell according to law if not redeemed.
By the Court
G. N. Risjord
Judge

The judge was fair, however, and got the family a loan from the Land Bank so that they did not lose their farm.

The new Lublin People's Exchange Bank opened May 1, 1972.

In the early 1900's, land developer Marion Durski advertised land for sale in Lublin and its vicinity. The first of the Carpatho-Russian to heed this call was Daniel Majkowicz, who arrived here from Mississippi while the village was still in its infancy. He in turn served as an assistant to the land developer Marion Durski to persuade his fellow countrymen who temporarily settled in the East, mainly Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and also Mississippi to come to this area to buy farms and to supplement their income by working in the forest in the winter.

Most of the original parishioners in Lublin were under the influence of the Unia, coming from the area of Galicia, southeast of Sanok; which was known as Carpatho-Russia. Today Sanok is located in the extreme southeastern corner of Poland.

Whatever might have been the desire of these early emigrants, mostly in their 20's or early 30's-- married and single, to secure material benefits and comforts, it never solaced them in the more trying period of their lives. They were willing to make sacrifices which would secure to them the form of worship that accorded with their faith.

Their first concern after settling in the vicinity of Lublin was to provide a place where they might worship and baptize and educate their children. This is shown by the fact that in 1908, shortly after Daniel Majkowicz's advertisement was fulfilled, youthful emigrants arrived. Immediately they met to discuss and to organize an Orthodox Community in their new homeland. Among the early pioneer-founders and organizers were: Daniel Majkowicz, Theodore and Simeon Dubiak, Stefan Lencz, Harry Kucynda, Elias Koruc, Wasyl Kawalkiewicz, Tinko Hnat, Stefen Kahan, Tinko Kon, Sylvester Pogar, Ambrose Peleschak, Andrew Bahur, Osafat Sweda, and Theodore Polonczak.

A very small chapel, only large enough to accommodate this small group, was built on two acres of land donated by Marion Durski. This chapel was dedicated to St. Demetrios, and was built in 1908 under the skilled carpentership of two brothers Simeon (Sam) and Theodore (Frank) Dubiak. Every parishioner gave a helping hand in one way or another, physical and with contributions since all the material for this wooden building was purchased from a local lumberyard.

Within a five year period, with the arrival of new emigrants, this building became to small for the community which necessitated the enlargement of the chapel to double it size. Being without a belfry, a bell was purchased, mounted on a concrete slab and was manually rung.

For the period 1908-1917, St. Demetrios Orthodox Church was served by a missionary priest from Minneapolis. However, in 1918, a resident priest was assigned to serve St. John's Orthodox Church, Huron and St. Demetrios. The priest and his family resided with parishioners for two weeks and then traveled by horse and buggy to Huron where he would reside and serve for the next two weeks.

During the time the community was in a missionary status as well as when the priest was at his other parish, laymen services were conducted on feast days as well as on Sundays, under the talented and musically-inclined psalmist, Averky Kosheluk, whose melodies are still being used at the present time.

Once again the community outgrew their chapel. In 1927, the present church was built. Most of the lumber was donated by Daniel Majkowicz, an Simeon and Theodore Dubiak were once again the main carpenters. Each member had to contribute at least twenty hours of labor. The shape of the new church was like a ship facing East with one large cupola, topped with a three-bar cross, built by the Dubiak brothers. The bell was removed from the slab and was mounted permanently in the fifty-foot belfry.

The Slavonic Holy Gospel, Service books, chalice, candelabra and brass enameled banners were imported from Russia in 1913, while the shroud (Plaschenitza) was imported from Jerusalem and is used at Good Friday services to the present time. In 1961, the crystal prism or chandelier was imported from Czechoslovakia, and was installed.

The parish belongs to the Diocese of Chicago/Minneapolis, whose present Diocesan bishop is His Eminence, Archbishop John (Garklavs), a Latvian by birth. The diocese belongs to the former Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America, which was granted Autocephaly in 1970, and is now known as The Orthodox Church in America. On the parish level, the parish council is headed by a starosta ("elder"), Daniel Majkowicz served as the first starosta, Joseph Pawlik Sr. is the present starosta. However, Simeon Dubiak and his son Frank Dubiak have served as starosta numerous times.

Special recognition must be given to the pioneer, a cappella, choir director, and psalmist, Averky Kosheluk, who loved his work and put into it his entire soul, effort and knowledge from about 1913-1950's, commuting either on foot or horse and buggy, seldom absent for a feast day and Sunday service and serving without pay, and to our present choir director, Mrs. Irene (Peleschak) Jasinski, who continues with the work that her predecessor established.

The Sisterhood of the parish serves a very important function in the life of the church. Traditionally and currently, it organizes and operates fund raising and fellowship dinners, and maintains the church linens.

The church had operated a Russian school in the 1920's and 1930's. The classes were taught by the pastor to read, write, and sing in Russian, Church Slavonic, the language in which the church services were served. Gradually and unfortunately, this class disappeared as a church function. Since the services are served in the vernacular of the people, which is English, the church school replaced the Russian school.

In 1931, the chapel was converted into living quarters for the priest. It was moved to its present location, and was double in size, and placed on a foundation. The downstairs of the rectory serves as the church hall and all purpose room.

The community celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary Jubliee in 1933, under the spiritual leadership guidance of Fr. Jeron Dutski. The Pontifical Service was followed by a Jubliee Banquet and dance. In 1958, the fiftieth Anniversary Jubliee was held. Pontifical services were conducted by His Eminence, Archbishop John of Chicago, assisted by Fr. Karp Pateyuk, Clayton, Wisconsin, and Fr. Stefan Nafranowicz, Host Pastor.

Holy Assumption (Dormition) Cemetery with its triple-barred Cross Monument and tombstones facing east, is north of the church and contains approximately 120 Orthodox faithful adults and infants, who have been buried in the last 68 years. It is also a final resting place for S/Sgt. Harry Shewczuk, who lost his life in Italy during World War II, and several of the pioneer founders, including: Daniel Majkowicz, Simeon and Theodore Dubiak, Ambrose Peleschak, Stefan Lencz, Stefan Kahan, Theodore Panlonczk, and Elias Koruc. The first infant and first adult had been buried in 1908.

In 1969, the parish was assigned its first American born priest, Fr. James Jorgensen, a convert from the Roman Catholic Church during whose pastorate the liturgical use of English was accepted for most of the Divine services, and new church furniture was purchased.

With the assignment of Fr. James Blomquist, a convert from the Episcopal church, the interior took a new look. The entire church was carpeted and a new Iconostasis was constructed. The icons in Medieval Russian style were painted by the Iconographer, Fr. Hilary Madison, a convert form the Roman Catholic Church to Orthodoxy, who presently lives in Kansas City, Kansas.

In July 1975, the present pastor, Fr. David Black, a convert from the Congregational Church, assumed the pastorate of the parish. During the same year, the highest Orthodox Church layman award, the Gramota, was awarded to Mary Wasylko, parish Secretary and director of the Church School, for her service to the parish and the Orthodox Church in America.

The life of Holy Assumption has been one of struggle, sacrifice and toil; one of joy, love and accomplishments and surely of spiritual, moral, and material growth and progress. Every member from infant to adult has been and is an important link in the history and life of the church.

Today, under the spiritual guidance of Fr. David Black, we look upon Holy Assumption not merely as a structure of wood, but also one of the living flesh, blood and spirit as well. From the tiny group of God fearing emigrants holding services in a tiny chapel nearly sixty-eight years ago, we look forward to new and larger horizons of spiritual and material accomplishment.

In January of 1926 the Polish National Catholic Church, overcoming many difficulties, came to Lublin. The first service, said by Rev. John Ziemba, was said in a home owned by P. Latas. The home still stands; a brick house just north of the Russian Orthodox Church.

During the rectorship of Rev. A. Radzik, lots for the new church and cemetery were purchased.

When Rev. J. Siembida became pastor, the plans for the construction of the new church were formed. Working along with Rev. Siembida, a committee comprised of F. Kinas, A. Skrzypczak, J. Galarowicz, A. Judycki, A. Kaczmarek, W. Sleczka, J. Novak, S. Szemraji, W. Wisniewski, and a special building committee consisting of S. Skrzypczak, J. Majzla, and Mike Staniec.

In a relatively short time the construction was brought to completion in 1927. The result was St. Mary's Polish National Catholic Church.

Two years later a new rectory was constructed on land donated by Raymond Dobrzanski.

On August 15, 1929, Rt. Rev. Leon Grochowski of Chicago, Illinois dedicated the new church.

After Rev. Siembida left the parish, the following priests served the parish: Rev. Joseph Bronski, Rev. Frank Wozniak, Rev. Martin Dymsza, Rev. P. Williamowicz, Rev. Phillip Kedzierski, and then Rev. John Palaszewski, who served the parish for 21 years.

On December 19, 1956, the parish suffered a disastrous fire, which burned the church building to the ground.

Services were held in St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church until a new church was constructed.

The construction of the new church was started under the rectorship of Rev. J. Palaszewski, and it was completed under the rectorship of Rev. Stanley Tyburski.

After the disastrous fire, parishioners from Polish National parishes throughout the United States and Canada came offering to aid in building a new church. During contruction of this church the following committee members were important: Walter Staniec, Donald Syryczuk, Stanley Pawlowicz, Walter Ruda, Frank Knusta, Jess Bandor, Edwin Judycki, Mike Novak, Frank Zuber, and Steve Shewczyk.

The building committee was comprised of John Szemraji, Louis Luzinski, Ed Fryza, Mary Novak, Wanda Losiewicz, Jess Bandor, and Teodosia Burzinski.

With cooperation of all members and the pastor a new church now stands.

In 1965 a new rectory was built to replace the old rectory.

After Rev. Stanley Tyburski, the following priests served: Rev. Leon Dobrzanski, Rev. Martin Wachna, Rev. Antony Matla, Rev. Hearst, Rev. Matthew Buba, Rev. Falkowski, and the present pastor, Rev. Stephen Krawiec.

1976 marks the Polish National Catholic Church's 50th year in Lublin.

Immigrants from Europe came to Lublin and settled in this small community. In 1902 the small community was organized into a small village.

The settlers then wanted to start a church because the closest Catholic church was in Thorp, 12 miles away.

Finally, in 1908, the bishop gave his consent to build a Catholic church.

The first pastor of the church was Father T. F. Malecki. Pastors that came to serve the people and the church were Rev. B. J. Barca, Rev. Stanislaus Topolski 1911-1916, Rev. L. S. Nowacki 1916-1917, Rev. P. Raczaszek 1917-1922, Rev. John Balcer 1922-1931, Rev. Joseph Rapala 1931-1946, Rev. Thaddeus Augustyn 1946-1950, Rev. Eugene Konopka 1950-1961.