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Note: Anton was a veteran of World War I. He enlisted at Hurley, Wisconsin on June 25, 1917 and was discharged on June 19, 1919 at Jefferson
Barrack's, Missouri. Anton trained with the 23rd Infantry of the
Second division at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Later he trained with
Troop A, 13th Cavalry, at Fort Riley, Kansas. Upon being transferred
to the Ambulance Corps, Company 360, he was sent to San Antonio,
Texas, for further training and from there to Camp Mills, Long Island,
for overseas equipment. He sailed June 2, 1918, and after 21 days on
the ocean was landed at Liverpool, thence going to Southhampton,
England, and La Havre, France. In France he was transferred to the
Engineer Corps. His rank was Wagoner.
Anton was in action July 18, 1918 at Belleau woods. He participated in the Puvenelle Sector from August 22 to September 11, 1918; in the
first American drive at St. Mihiel September 12 - 16, 1918; the
Meuse-Argonne during September 26, 1918; October 17 - 29, 1918 and
November 1 - 11, 1918. In the Argonne, he was wounded in the hip and
gassed.
After the armistice he was sent to Coblenz with the army of occupation, in which he served from December, 1918, to April 23, 1919.
He reached the States July 9, 1919, was discharged at Camp Mills July
12, and was greeted at Hurley, Wisconsin, six days later.
Anton also served in the Minnesota Army National Guard from April 2, 1924 to April 1, 1925. He was a private in Headquarters Company, 1st
Battalion, 206th Infantry.
Immediately upon his return to Hurley, Anton resumed work on the farm of which there were 70 acres. In addition to carrying on general
farming he made a speciality of high grade Holstein cattle and
Poland-China swine. He was a shareholder in the Barron Co-operative
Creamery and a member of the Knights of Columbus at Hurley and the
Knights of Pythias at Barron.
Anton's career on the farm did not last long. Sometime in 1923 he moved to St. Paul where he was employed by the Great Northern Railway
at their machine shops near Como and Snelling Avenues. He lived at
2116 West Como Avenue. He continued to work for the Great Northern
Railway until 1928 or 1929. He moved to a boarding house in downtown
St Paul about 1924 and it was there that he met his future wife. This
was at 535 Robert Street.
For a time, George sold carpet sweepers "door to door." He was later employed by Madden Brothers where he was a driver hauling new cars
from the Ford Assembly Plant to various parts of the area. During the
Depression, Madden Brothers went out of business and Dad lost his job.
I believe that it was during this time that the family was on Relief.
This may also have been the time that the Town Market Furniture Store
was going to reposses some furniture that Mother and Dad had
purchased. Aunt Barb (Barbara Moselle-Johnson) came to their rescue
and made payment. In 1936 Dad was employed by the Ready Mixed Concrete
Company and the family slowly got back on their feet.
He and his family resided at 32 21st Avenue in an 8-room house owned by Ready Mixed Concrete Company.
At work, Anton was called Tony by his co-workers and George by his family and friends. During World War II George was employed by the Guy
F Atkinson Company. They were one of the builders of the Alcan
Highway. George worked in Alaska for a period of two years, from 1943
to 1945. While George was in Alaska, his wife, Margaret drove a 1933
Buick.
It was in Alaska that George met Henry Mavencamp. The two families became close friends after the return of George and Hank from Alaska.
George returned to the employ of Ready Mixed Concrete Company and Hank
returned to his farm near Maple Lake, Minnesota.
Sometime in the 1940's, George was employed by William Brothers Construction Company. They were a world wide construction company and
held a contract with the Minneapolis Gas Company to lay pipe for their
natural gas lines. It was probably about this time that the family
finances were much improved as a result of the wages being paid by
William Brothers. George was in their employ until his retirement in
1960, a retirement cut short with his death in November 1960.
Stories I recall my father and mother telling included George's playing semi-professional baseball in and around Barron, Wisconsin. He
apparently boxed some as well. He was an outdoors man as a result of
his farm upbringing and loved to fish. He did some hunting as a young
man. After his marriage, he and Margaret often attended dances and
bowled together as well. George was an exceptional dancer the polka
being one of his specialties. Frequently those on the dance floor
would stop and watch George and Margaret as they glided across the
dance floor, George often lifting Margaret off of the dance floor as
he made his turns.
George enjoyed a good laugh and a good joke. He would sometimes engage in practical jokes as well. His co-workers often teased him and
of course he had a word or two for them as well, He was well liked by
all who knew him.
Anton and Margaret lived at several locations in Minneapolis. These included 3622 East 50th St.; 5338 40th Ave S.; 5202 42nd Ave S.; 1817
S. 7th Street and 32 21st Ave. S. In 1948 they purchased a house at
617 17th Ave. SE. This was the family home until the Univesity of
Minnesota purchased the property and Mother and Roger moved to
northeast Minneapolis.
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