Bits and Pieces on the Motzko Family

Maria Motzko (far left) was my great grand-mother, Hattie Motzko (next to her) was Maria's 4th child, Helen Motzko (middle) was the wife of John Motzko (one of Maria's 10 children), Catherine Motzko (2nd from right) is Maria's oldest daughter, and finally, Mary Motzko (right) was my grandmother and Maria's 3rd child.

Helen Sergeant Motzko was one of my mother's, Margaret Troyer (Mary Motzko's daughter), good friends.  Frank and Viola Motzko also had a daughter named Helen Motzko (I say this to help keep from any confusion over the two Helens)

The picture on the right is of an unidentified Motzko girl taken in 1922.  She is probably the grand-daughter of Philippe and Maria Motzko. The last of Philipp and Maria's children was born in 1899.  (I'm hoping someone will come across this blog and can help in identifying her)

When Maria Fietzek Motzko came from Prussia to the United States with her husband it is said that her sister Francesa Fietzek Reh and her husband came at the same time, or shortly thereafter. (I'm so glad because I cannot imagine being 24 years old with a husband and new baby and traveling to a new land thousands of miles away to start a new life! This way at least her sister was somewhere nearby).

Mary Post Warren

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved





Philipp and Maria Motzko Family Recap

(note: picture is dated 1896 two children are missing - Frances and Philipp Jr. had not been born yet)

Well, I finally finished the Philipp and Maria Motzko family!  All posts are in my 2010 blogroll.  Next week I will move forward with the grandchildren of  Philipp and Maria.  Doing my postings on the Motzko family I was surprised to see there were not more grandchildren... 

  1. Catherina had one child Raymond Herman
  2. Johanna had no children
  3. Mary had two children, Margaret Troyer (Post) and Dorothy Helen Troyer (Haines)
  4. Hattie had three children John W. Gleason, Thomas J. Gleason, Mary Ellen Gleason (Normoyle)
  5. Theresa had one child Rena Marie Olsen (Coelho)
  6. Frank had one child Helen Bernice (Kaufman)
  7. Thomas no children (to my knowledge)
  8. John had no children (to my knowledge)
  9. Frances had four children: Susan (Martin Grier), Nola (George Grier), Louis, William
10. Philipp Jr had no children (to my knowledge)

I also found it interesting that each child was born almost exactly two years apart.  I cannot imagine 20 years of being pregnant and/or nursing.  On the other hand if Philipp and Maria had not spent 20 years having children there would be a lot of people not here today....including possibly myself and my children.

It's been a pleasure to research these people.  There is much information still missing although I am still researching.  Special thanks to those who helped gather this information - specifically Greg Gleason (grandson of Hattie), the amount of information he provided is worth its weight in gold.  My mother and her sister (daughters of Mary) also left me a rich inheritance of diaries and photos.  Irreplaceable information.

I truly feel blessed to be a part of the Motzko family.  

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

 Mary Post Warren

John Joseph Motzko

Born February 2, 1894 John Joseph Motzko (d. 3/22/1956 Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Co., California) was the third boy and eighth child of Philipp and Mary Motzko.  Born in Barnsville, Clay County, Minnesota)

John went to St. Mary's College in Pennsylvania and Marist Seminary in Washington D.C.  While at St. Mary's he played hockey; while at Marist Seminary he played hockey and baseball.  To my knowledge and with the information I have thus far John was the only Motzko to go to college.While his original intent was to become a Catholic priest somewhere along the line he met Helen Sergeant and they married on June 15, 1925.  To my knowledge there were no children.

© copyright 2010, all rights reserved

 Mary Post Warren