1. Taken from the Ellis Island passenger list records:
“Marie” Sumicek arrived in America on 6 Aug 1908 on board the Kronprinz Wilhelm, departing from the port in Bremen, Germany. She is listed as age 3 upon arrival. Place of residence is listed as Babice, Moravia, Austria (part of Czechoslovakia at the time). Ethnicity is listed as Bohemian. Also listed on the ship’s manifest were the following names: Sumicek, Frantiska, female, age 25, married; Sumicek, Bohunsir, male, age 2; Bubenicek, Karolina, female, age 25, married. Frantiska Sumicek would have to be Mary’s mother, Frances Sumicek. Bohunsir is Mary’s brother, Godfrey Sumicek. Karolina Bubenicek at age 25 and married would be possibly an aunt to Frantiska Sumicek (who’s maiden name was Bubenicek). Another guess on my part. Karolina’s ethnicity is listed as German, where the rest are listed as Bohemian.

2. Taken from an article about her life in the Senior News Feb 1990 issue: “When she was two, her father moved to America to work the docks in New Jersey. The family followed the next year. They moved to Montana in 1915, due to the health of her mother. The polution in New Jersey was not good for her, the doctor said. The family homesteaded outside Bridger, Mt.. Mary and her brother, Godfrey worked the ranch, while her father worked in the Bridger coal mines. When her mother died, the family moved to Bearcreek, Mt., where the mining was more productive at the time. She remained there until the mine disaster in 1943, then moved to Billings, where her daughter was attending business college. Since her retirement, she has traveled the the US and Canada. She has done volunteer work for RSVP, and is a regular attendee at the Billings Community Center and OAKS dances. She has five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Today, she is living in Billings, Montana with her daughter, Frances.”

3. UPDATE (29 Jul 2001): This afternoon I received the following email from Robert Lee “Bob” Wakenshaw:

Mark,
We will be heading back to MT Monday 7/30 as my Mother passed away this morning, 7/29 at about 1:30 AM. She passed away at her home very peacefully. I will be calling your Grandmother Bea to tell her. We'll keep in touch. Bob

I must say, I was saddened by the news of Mary’s passing. Never having met her, it is very hard for me to write a fitting tribute to her here. I have been working on this family tree for only two months now. It started as just a part time hobby, but when I found Bob and his family in Washington (and subsequently, Mary), it sparked a fire in me. Finding the Wakenshaws out west was the best thing to happen to me since starting this project. Bob’s stories of the mining days in Montana, and other little things about the family, have kept me on the edge of my seat for a month. Now, I have really gone head first into this family tree. Talking to relatives about the “old days” and learning all kinds of interesting things I never knew. What a great experience I am having, learning so many things about the family. And not just the Wakenshaws, but my entire family on both sides. I have a renewed interest in the whole genealogy thing. Finding relatives I didn’t know I had, and learning of their lives through stories told to me by others, and through my own research on the internet. One important thing I have found out so far is this:

Memories, they say, are forever. But this is not true. Memories must be passed down to the next generation to be real memories. Talk to your parents and other older relatives more often. Listen to what they say and remember it, so you can pass it along to your generation. Take lots of pictures whenever you can (and PLEASE write on the backs of them when you do). Learn from the hardships your parents, and their parents, endurred in their lives. And brag of their achievements to your own children. Much information is missing in a lot of people’s family trees for the simple fact that it was forgotten, or never passed down along the way. Be proud of your history and where you came from, and share that information with the rest of your generation, so others may know in the future where they came from.

Mary Sumicek Wakenshaw Morgan led a long and fruitful life. She has more than earned her place amongst the branches of this tree, and others will know of her because of it. I was so sorry to hear the news today. I had just found this family less than a month ago, and already I have lost one of them. From the very little I know, Mary left a fine and loving family behind. I’m sure she will be missed by all. And now... remembered by all.

1. The triplet boys were born prematurely in Jan of 1924. They lived about 1 1/2 hours and all died. They were named after their father and grandfathers, Adam, Robert, and Frank. Their grandfather, Adam Lee Wakenshaw made one casket for the three of them, said to be the size of a cigar box. They were all buried together in the same grave marked “Wakenshaw Babies” in the Bearcreek Cemetery.

2. 1930 US Census, Montana, Carbon County, Bearcreek, District 33, Sheet 4A, Enumerated 5 April 1930:
Robert L. Wakenshaw; Head; Rents Home; Monthly Rent - 11; Age 26; Age at First Marriage 19; POB - Montana; Father POB - England; Mother POB - Scotland; Occupation - Track Layer; Industry - Coal Mine; Employment - No; Line Number for Unemployed - 49; Veteran of US Miltary - No
Mary Wakenshaw; Wife; Age 25; Age at First Marriage 18; POB - Czechoslovakia; Father POB - Czechoslovakia; Mother POB - Czechoslovakia; Language Spoken in Home Before Coming to US - Bohemian; Naturalized - Yes; Speaks English - Yes
Fannie Wakenshaw; Daughter; Age 5; Attends School - No; POB - Montana; Father POB - Montana; Mother POB - Czechoslovakia