Part 2: Peter and Juleana build a life in America

Andrzej Peter and Juleana were 27 and 22 respectively when they left their Pomeranian village of Wiele. The couple came from a humble background, and their financial means were likely limited. The Peplinski name had some significance in the region, with Andrezej's great great grandfather Wojitech, having been granted a large track of land from the King in the 1680s - a small village between 2 Pomeranian lakes - with their name keepsake - Peplin. The gift was in loyal service to the King's guard in service for various raiding parties, all too common to the time in this region. The land had been ravaged by a Swedish invasion earlier in the century and the land was considered of poor quality. With grit and determination, the land was cultivated and produced decent farming yields, and with the neighboring lakes, became a fishing commerce as well. Why Peter's father, moved from the Peplin area, to Wiele - a distance of 22 KM, is still under research by Arbor Genealogy.

Peter and Juleana's parents were both farmers in the Wiele area. Their financial wellbeing was likely average at the time in 1872 Pomerania. The family farm was likely primarily wheat, and a combination of various hand picked vegetables of which would have been to sustain the families needs, and the surplus sold at the local market. Dairy cows and goats for milk and cheese, and a small gathering of chickens and pigs to provide additional basic sustenance. Peter's service in the Franco-Prussian war would have likely provided the necessary one time backpay as a blessing for the funds needed for passage to America.

Many Peplinski distant Aunts, Uncles, and cousins had recently emigrated to the United States by the early 1850s. These true pioneers were likely drawn by other brave Polish countrymen and a promise of free land, opportunity, and true freedom from the oppression of their fatherland conquerors which had been carved up various ruthless invaders. The destination of the Peplinski's, was the Midwestern United States and appealing to Poles for many reasons. Specifically, Michigan and Wisconsin. The reasons for this destination were many. First, the climate and terrain was, for the most part, similar to Poland. Prominent cycle through the four seasons of nature prevail. The winters are long, wet, and a good mix of snow. The terrain consists of a mix of decent soil (arguably better in the glacial silt filled dirt of the Great Lakes), a good amount of lakes and rivers, and level or rolling forested hills. The fishing and gaming must have been legendary to the first arrived to the area and letters back home to loved ones. Additionally, was the opportunity for land grants. The United States was quickly expanding West and land grants to families willing to move and settle the Midwest, clear the land, and make the land productive, was enticing. Typical land grants at the time consisted of 40 to 100 acre tracts. Couple all of this with freedom,and absence of the Prussian oppression, and it was no wonder why this was an appealing path for a young couple such as Peter and Juleana.

At the time of their arrival, Bay City MI was the 2nd largest city in the state, standing only behind Detroit. The city had seen phenomenal growth since 1850, driven from the abundance of lumber, and the proximity to rivers and the Great Lakes for distribution. With the lumber industry came the rise of massive saw mills on the Saginaw River banks, and a budding ship building business lead by Wheeler and Davidson. Downtown settled on the banks of the Saginaw River and was peppered with a long stretch of rough saloons. When the lumberman were finished for the winter, the saloons would overflow with drunken men with money, looking to let off steam from months on end of back breaking work in the wilderness. Seeing this dynamic for the first time must have been a stark contrast to the small farming villages for Peter and Juleana.

Upon arrival, they rented a room, not far from downtown on South Sheridan Street. At first, they had shared a place with Martin and then seemed to get their own place according to the 1873 city directory. Peter joined Martin and took a job at the Miller & Lewis company which made pre-cut/pre-order homes. They both were listed as "general laborers". It is unknown where Juleana worked, but she likely did take at least a part time job to get ahead.

Children came soon after. Matilda was the first in 1874 and she was quickly followed by 6 others: Theophila in 1875, Frances 1876, Joseph in 1877, Antoni in 1888, Veronica in 1890, and Dominica in 1892. After the birth of Frances in 1876, the couple had saved enough for the first piece of land - a 35 acre parcel in Williams township just West of the city a few miles purchased for $300. The land is now near the corner of Fraser and Wilder Roads. Note the location of the Kawkawlin River which will be key to our faithful tale in subsequent stories.

Next up - an unexpected life event which will forever change the families direction.