Misc. Notes
He was born in Tanca Gora (known as Tannesberg at time of his birth while part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.) His house name was Lilkov, which means it was originally built by Mr. Lilkov.
29 He had some elementary schooling as he read and spoke Slovenian and learned English. He wrote a fine neat hand, spelled quite well and was adept at arithmetic. He emigrated to the USA in 1890 per the 1910 Ely Census
30, 1891 per the 1900 Ely census
31, or 1892
29, first to Cleveland?, Manistique?,
29, Ishpeming?, Michigan for 10 months working in saw mills, then to Ely, Minnesota by 1891. He is listed living in Ely in the 1895 Minnesota Census as a single miner having lived in Ely for 14 years 0 months as of June 24, 1895 (he did not live with any Matkovichs, Lovsins, Tomazins at that time). October 22, 1896 he made his Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen before the Clerk of U.S. Court , Duluth, Minnesota. In 1899 he is a miner for the Zenith mine, Ely. The 6 June 1900 U.S. Census lists him as a miner, living with his wife Johanna, and no children in house he owned with no mortgage in the First Ward, City of Ely, Minnesota. Also living with them as boarders were his brother Joseph Matkovich, single, age 21, born April, 1879 in Austria (who emigrated in 1899); Mike Bronskella, single, age 27, born June, 1872 in Austria; Louis Lovshin,age 30, born April, 1870 in Austria (he was married for 5 years but no wife is listed ) and he emigrated in 1899; and a domestic servant, Mary Loushin, age 14, born February 1886 in Austria (she emigrated in 1895).
31 In 1901 he is a teamster for the Slovenian Croatien Stock Company r n s Sheridan 4 w of 1st. Avenue. He became a US citizen on 9 June 1902 at the District Court, St. Louis County, Minnesota. In 1903 he is a clerk. In 1905 he is a teamster and lives at Sheridan Street, First Ward of Ely with Johanna and children John and Joseph per the June 1-7, 1905 Minnesota Census. In the 1905 Census he said he had lived in Ely for 14 years 0 months, so may have arrived in 1891.
29 In 1907 his residence is on Sheridan Street. From 1905-16 he is a teamster and clerk for R. S. Miller Grocery store in Ely until it burned and went out of business in 1916. On the 18 April 1910 U.S. Census he owned his home on Camp Street in Ely and lived there with his wife and 4 children. He moved to Virginia, Minnesota in 1916 and bought the house (built in 1903) at 314 3rd Street South, on May 29, 1917, and lived there with Johanna and Anthony the rest of their lives (until last several years in a nursing home). Their daughter Alberta and son in law Benedict Patka and their family lived in the upstairs apartment until their deaths in 1988. In 1917 he is a driver for Jenia Brothers, Virginia. In 1921 he was a clerk. He started a grocery store in 1922 at 207 2nd Avenue South, Virginia,
29 and operated it at least through 1924. He worked for the City of Virginia Street Department from April 1, 1936 (age 65) (shopman 1941-54 and laborer 1954-6) to August 15, 1956 when he retired at age 84. S.S. #468-52-3234 He was one of the Founders of the South Slavonic Catholic Union (renamed The American Fraternal Union in 1941), a fraternal benefit society, in Ely, Minnesota 18 July 1898 and covered by life insurance policy 2210 in the amount of $1000. He belonged to Ely Lodge No.1 from 1898 until transferring to Virginia Lodge No. 164 on 31 August 1926. He was also a charter member of the Ely Court No. 1027 of the Catholic Order of Foresters, a fraternal benefit society covered by a life insurance policy for $1000. Also a member of KSKJ Lodge.
Spouses
Birth24 Apr 1877, Ribnica 15, Ribnica Parish, Dolenjska, Slovenija 45° 44’ 19” N 014° 43’ 39” E26,32
Christen25 Apr 1877, Ribnica, Ribnica Parish, Dolenjska, Slovenija 45° 44’ 19” N 014 43’ 39” E26 Age: <1
Death11 Feb 1974, Virginia, St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA28 Age: 96
Burial13 Feb 1974, Virginia, St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA28
OccupationHousewife
ReligionRoman Catholic
Cause of deathBronchopneumonia28
Misc. Notes
Ribnica was known as Reifnitz while a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Her house name was Betank
29 S.S.#s 468-60-9149 and 468-68-5232. She left home at about age 14 after the death of her father, Anton, and went to Ljubljana to live with a relative, perhaps an uncle, Anton Jerman. He was employed by the government and of some stature in the city, as they lived in a luxurious apartment. She was treated like a member of the family, learning to cook and keep house, and was quite happy. She must have had an elementary education as she spoke and read well and wrote a neat hand, crossing her sevens in the German manner. This ended with the death of one of the guardians, or perhaps as a result of the tremendously destructive earthquake that struck Ljubjlana in 1895. A distant relative, John Gouze, of Ely, arranged for her to emigrate to Ely in 1899. The 1-7 June 1905 Minnesota Census said she had lived in Ely for 6 years and 3 months which would place her immigration about March 1, 1899
33 29. The 1900 Ely census says she emigrated in 1899.
31 The 1910 Ely Census says she emigrated in 1898. She traveled alone, at age 21. She married John Matkovich in Ely on 18 June 1899. She was probably a naturalized citizen because her husband was naturalized, but no certificate has been found to date. The 1920 Census says she is a naturalized citizen. She was a member of the South Slavonic Catholic Union, a fraternal benefit society established in Ely, 18 July 1898, (renamed The American Fraternal Union in 1941) from 30 January 1906, insured by life insurance policy no. 80230 in the amount of $500. She was also a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters Court No. 563 R 400 Certificate Number 277711, a fraternal benefit society from 25 February 1920 with $500 life insurance coverage. She was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic church, across the street from her house.
Family ID16
Marriage18 Jun 1899, Ely, St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA34,17