JULIUS PETER RISKI
Julius Riski was born to Marcin Reszka and Eva Nosinska, in Kaszubia, West Prussia on June 15, 1849. He immigrated to Winona, MN with his parents, two brothers and a sister in August of 1859. After arriving in Winona for the 1860 census, Julius's family moved to Trempealeau County, Wisconsin for the 1870 census. On February 14, 1876 Julius married Rosa (Ctibor) Skibor, being a minor she had to gain the consent of her father. The marriage certificate was from the Winona District Court and states that Rosa was duly presented by her bother to be joined in marriage to Julius Riske living in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. The ceremony was witnessed by Frank Reszke and Ludovicus Liberski and officiated by a Catholic Missionary priest, Romould Byzewski. Julius's wife Rozalia, was of Bohemian descent and immigrated to Winona with her parents, Matthew and Anna Ctibor in 1870.
Almost a year after their wedding, a son, Valentine, was born, but died soon after. A second son, Francis Zavier Riszka, was born on December 31, 1878, in Winona. Another family history states that Julius moved to Walsh County with his wife Rosalie Stebar and their son Frank, who was three months old.
Julius and his family came by train with all their possessions including: a team of oxen, a wagon, a plow, a milking cow, 10 chickens, and several sacks of oats and some wheat for seed. By rail boxcar, they could only go as far as Fisher's Landing, now Fisher, Minnesota. From there they had to trek to Ardoch Township and made their first home in a river bank with swamp grass for a roof.
1880 Census Place: Township 155, Harriston, Grand Forks, Dakota Territory
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Julius RISKI
Self M Male W 30 POLAND Farmer POLAND POLAND
Rose RISKI
Wife M Female W 19 POLAND Keeping House POLAND POLAND
Frank RISKI
Son S Male W 1 MN POLAND POLAND
They did little farming the first years, breaking at most only about ten acres a year, subsisting on wild game, fish, along with milk and vegetables they grew. They started with 80 acres of land, grubbed out, tilled, and planted. After a few more years, more land was obtained in Walshville Township, where a six acre tree claim was planted and cared for and after six years it was owned by them.
During the winter Julius trapped game and sold pelts, going by foot to the trading post. At harvest time, he walked sixty miles to work on the threshing crews, on the bonanza farms near Casselton. The money he earned there went to buy provisions until he could afford to build a log house. Several children were born in their log house and in 1910 a beautiful home was build where they continued to raise their family. There were fifteen children born to the couple: Valentine, Frank, John, Joseph, Julius, Anastasia, Leo, Susie, Felicia, Martin, Amelia, Agnes, Steven, Sophia, and Effie. Valentine died soon after his birth in Winona; Julian died at the age of six months; and Sophie died in 1905, at the age of three months.
1885 State Census: Walsh County, North Dakota
Name Age (Birth) Relation Occupation Nativity ED
Areski,Julius
30 1855 Head Farmer Poland 04-013-33
Areski,Rosy 27 1858 Wife Poland 04-013-34
Areski,Frank 7 1878 Son MN 04-013-35
Areski,John 5 1880 Son Dakota 04-013-36
Areski,Joseph 3 1882 Son Dakota 04-013-37
Areski,Julius 3/12Mar Son Dakota 04-013-38
Covaliski,Joseph 24 1861 servant Poland 04-013-39
Miller,Peter 35 1850 servant Poland 04-013-40
Julius and Rosalie retired from farming and moved to Minto in 1920, and their son Martin took over the farm.
Julius died at the age of 76, on February 22, 1925. Rose then lived with her daughter Effie, until she died in 1950, at age 91. Both are buried at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, in Minto, with their head stones carved in Polish.
