GED4WEB version 4.22 For privacy reasons, Date of Birth and Date of Marriage for persons believed to still be living are not shown.
Vorachek Leo J. [Male] b. 16 MAY 1912 Menominee, MI - d. 15 DEC 1984 Iron Mt., MI
Source
Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1974919281
Source
Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1974919281
Source
Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1974919281
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Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1974919281
Source
Title: http://www.iarelative.com/czech/sea0800a.htm
Source
Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1582120428
=======Re: Frank Voracek (Vorachek) born 1807 in Bohemia
Janice Lane (View posts) Posted: 24 Sep 2005 12:20PM
Classification: Query
Surnames: Vorachek, Voracek, Worachek, Wholasek, Woraeck, Horazek
Hi Tammy,
Thanks for your response. I do have the registration of death for both, #1137 for Frank and #1405 for Barbora - neither show parents names. Also have obituaries from local papers and do know they are both buried in St. Adelbert's Cemetery in Casco. No sure exactly when they settled in Kewaunee Co. Have Land Grant Certificate #25,227 in the name of Franz Horazek dated January 3, 1860. The earliest census I can find them is 1870 under Wholashek. I also found them in the 1880 census under Woraeck, living with their son Albert. What I've been told is that Frank came to the country around 1848, settled land, then brought his family here (wife Barbora, sons Albert (b. 1841) and Frank (b. 1844) and daughter Anna (b. 1854? - mother Barbora would have been 51). I have naturlization documents for son Frank dated 2/9/1876 indicating he arrived in US through New York in July 1857. Most obituaries for family indicates 1857 arrival. Also haven't been able to find out much about daughter Anna.Have indications she may have married a Thomas (Wenzel) Blahnik and they had 9 sons and 1 daughter named Frances, who first married a Bunk and then later a John Adams. Son Albert's descendands are under the name of Worachek and son Frank's are under Vorachek - both have many spelling variations. My great-grandmother was son Frank's daughter Anna, who died in Pine County Minnesota in 1899. Pine County genealogical society was very helpful. Do you do research and how much do you charge? Or do you have any suggestions? I live in California, so Wisconsin is a bit of a distance from here.Thanks for any help.Janice
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Source
Title: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1166520/family?cfpid=-1582120428
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: 1920 census
Source
Title: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wikewaun/newcems.htm
Source
Title: obit
Source
Title: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wikewaun/newcems.htm
Source
Title: obit
United States Census, 1900Name: Katie Sticka
Titles & Terms:
Residence: Kewaunee city, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Feb 1867
Birthplace: Bohemia
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Spouse: Frank J Sticka
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Father:
Father's Titles & Terms:
Father's Birthplace: Bohemia
Mother:
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace: Bohemia
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name: Frank J Sticka
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 13
Estimated Marriage Year: 1887
Mother How Many Children: 3
Number Living Children: 3
Immigration Year: 1871
Enumeration District: 0057
Page: 10
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 197
Reference Number: 41
Film Number: 1241794
Image Number: 00631
Household Gender Age
Spouse Frank J Sticka M
Katie Sticka F
Child Alfred F Sticka M
Child Edward J Sticka M
Child Emeline Sticka F
========
Name: Frank Stika
Event: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Algoma, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Age: 68
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1862
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household: Lodger
Father's Birthplace: Czechoslovakia
Mother's Birthplace: Czechoslovakia
Enumeration District Number: 0002
Family Number: 301
Sheet Number and Letter: 11B
Line Number: 78
NARA Publication: T626, roll 2576
Film Number: 2342310
Digital Folder Number: 4547884
Image Number: 00834
Household Gender Age
George Demense M 34
Adaline Demense F 28
Ruth Demense F 12
Ethel Demense F 10
Orville Demense M 6
Lila Demense F 4
Pearl Demense F 2
Eli Demense M 32
Frank Stika M 68
=======
45 STICKA Mother xx xxx 1867 xx xxx 1923 ossw/Frank(father)/aka Stika/Lot 76 3rd Add
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Source
Title: obit
Source
Title: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wikewaun/newcems.htm
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Title: obit
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: 1905 census
Source
Title: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wikewaun/newcems.htm
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Name: Alfred Stika
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 07 Sep 1887
Birthplace: Mil., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Frank Stika
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Katy Rote
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02465-7
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1305107
Reference Number: item 2 p 243 1910 census Kewaunee, WI
Name: Alfred Sticka
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Residence: Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Marital Status: Single
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Austria
Family Number: 400
Page Number: 19
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank J Sticka M 41y
Parent Kathrine Sticka F 43y
Alfred Sticka M 23y
Evelyn Sticka F 14y
Robert Sticka M 7y
-----------------
1900 Kewaunee Co census
Name: Alfred F Sticka
Titles & Terms:
Residence: Kewaunee city, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Sep 1887
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Spouse:
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Father: Frank J Sticka
Father's Titles & Terms:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother: Katie Sticka
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace: Bohemia
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name: Frank J Sticka
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Years Married:
Estimated Marriage Year:
Mother How Many Children:
Number Living Children:
Immigration Year:
Enumeration District: 0057
Page: 10
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 197
Reference Number: 42
Film Number: 1241794
Image Number: 00631
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank J Sticka M
Parent Katie Sticka F
Alfred F Sticka M
Edward J Sticka M
Emeline Sticka F
================
Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1820-1907 for Alfred Stika
Name: Alfred Stika
Event: Birth
Event Date: 07 Sep 1887
Event Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Reel: 0161
Record: 000884
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Source
Title: Biography of Vice Admiral Joseph Edward Stika, USCG (Retired)
Source
Title: Biography of Vice Admiral Joseph Edward Stika, USCG (Retired)
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Name: Joseph Edwards Stika
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 21 Sep 1889
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Frank Stika
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Catherine Taylor Rath
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01450-9
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1012600
Reference Number: v 123 p 116 no 5639
--------United States Census, 1930
Name: Joseph E Stika
Event: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Manhattan (Districts 1001-1249), New York, New York
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1890
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Bohemia
Enumeration District Number: 1172
Family Number:
Sheet Number and Letter: 1A
Line Number: 8
NARA Publication: T626, roll 1545
Film Number: 2341280
Digital Folder Number: 4638831
Image Number: 00517
======
In 1975, Chief Marine Science Technician Dennis L. Noble interviewed retired Coast Guard Vice Admiral Joseph E. Stika about the early years of his remarkable career in the nation's oldest sea service. VADM Stika joined the Revenue Cutter Service, the fore-runner of today's Coast Guard, in 1908, and served his country through two World Wars, compiling an admirable service record before retiring in 1951. Chief Noble, who retired from the Coast Guard as a Senior Chief Marine Science Technician and later earned a Ph.D. in history, captured the only interview we now have on file of a veteran of the Revenue Cutter Service and it is fortunate that he did, as Admiral Stika passed away the year after this interview. A noted author and historian of the Coast Guard, the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service, and most recently the small boat stations of the Coast Guard, Senior Chief [& Doctor] Noble has left us a priceless legacy that is unsurpassed in its importance to our history and we would like to thank him for his efforts.
This interview is so important because, as I mentioned earlier, it is the only interview we have on file of a veteran of the Revenue Cutter Service. VADM Stika lets us glimpse a world long past, of a small fleet of cutters, dedicated to the service of their country, that had been sailing the nation's coastal waters as well as on the high seas since the spring of 1791. Stika describes how, after seeing the gleaming white hull of a cutter on Lake Michigan during his summer vacation in 1908, he decided to join the Revenue Cutter Service. Read about the old "School of Instruction" in Arundel Cove, Maryland, the predecessor to today's academy in New London, Connecticut. Stika details what life was like as a cadet in the years prior to 1910, and he also describes the time when the School of Instruction moved from Arundel Cove to Fort Trumbull, Connecticut. Stika provides us with small details that bring that time to life, details such as the lack of running water in the old Army fort in Connecticut; the cadets actually had to ask permission to go to a hotel in downtown New London just to bathe. He describes what the instructors were like, men such as the aptly-named Horatio Nelson Wood, and what it was like to shovel coal on board the cadets' training ship, the old coal-fired cutter Itasca.
Find out what it was like to be a new third lieutenant, sent out to the fleet after a little more than two years at the School of Instruction. Here Stika carried out duties that the Revenue Cutter Service had been doing for decades, duties that made this sea-going service unique. These included searching for any vessels and sailors in distress, checking fishing boats and their catches, patrolling sailing regattas, breaking ice, and sailing on winter cruises. He also sailed the Great Lakes, where the cutters would lay up in port during the winter months. Then it was on to the Bering Sea Patrol, where he and his compatriots protected fur seals from marauding poachers in an early example of the federal government protecting a natural resource and in this case probably saving these valuable marine mammals from certain extinction. They also delivered medical care to the local natives and enforced the law as well. During the winter months in Alaskan waters, they braved the ferocious gales that tossed ships around as if they were toy boats in a bathtub. Despite such excitement, however, life could get dull and the food monotonous, but there was always a chance to fish for salmon or hunt for caribou to supplement the daily rations. To break the boredom, they would play poker with locals or set up rowing races with the crews of other cutters. Stika describes all of these activities and more, providing a complete picture of what it meant to serve on board a cutter in the Revenue Cutter Service prior to 1915.
Stika was there when Congress merged his "old" service with the civilian Life-Saving Service to create today's Coast Guard, and he describes his thoughts about that reorganization, one of the largest the government had undergone up to that time. Find out too what some of the more famous characters of the Revenue Cutter Service were like; men like Elmer "Archie" Stone, the service's most famous aviator, and Captain (later commandant) Ellsworth Bertholf. This is history as it was lived, remembered by a man whose vivid memories bring that time alive for us.
The Coast Guard Historian's Office is pleased to bring this important interview to the attention of the men and women of the Coast Guard, to researchers, and to the general public. Thanks again for your efforts, Senior Chief [& Doctor!] Noble! Read on, then, and take a trip through time; learn what life was like in a service long gone and little remembered--although its soul still exists in today's Coast Guard.
Scott T. Price, Assistant Coast Guard HistorianEditorDecember 2002Biography of Vice Admiral Joseph Edward Stika, USCG (Retired)
Vice Admiral Joseph Edward Stika was born on 21 September 1889 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended the public schools in Milwaukee and Kewaunee, Wisconsin, and, on 19 October 1908, was appointed a cadet for training at the School of Instruction, Revenue Cutter Service. Progressing through the various grades of the Service, he was promoted to rear admiral on 30 January 30 1948.
His first duty assignment was on board the Androscoggin on duty in the North Atlantic in December 1910. Commissioned as a third lieutenant in the Revenue Cutter Service on 18 January 1911, he continued service on board the Androscoggin, with a short period of temporary duty on the Itasca. In April 1913, he was transferred to the Tuscarora, on duty on the Great Lakes. A year later, Stika moved to the Snohomish, homeported at Port Angeles, Washington. Assigned from April 1916 to March 1917 on the Unalga, he made two Alaskan cruises. Afterward, he served a short tour of duty on Tuscarora before telegraphic orders sent him to the Yamacraw. These, however, were soon superseded and he transferred to the Itasca on duty at San Juan, Puerto Rico.
After the US entry into World War I, Stika transferred to the New York Division from San Juan in February 1918. On 7 October 1918 Stika earned the Navy Cross, "for heroic conduct on the occasion of the fire at the shell-loading plant, Morgan, NJ, when, with others, he moved a train of nine cars loaded with high explosives to a place of safety through an area where fire was liable to break out at any moment." With five enlisted Coast Guardsmen and two soldiers, all volunteers, he laid down rails and directed the moving of the cars filled with TNT to safety.
In November 1918, he was transferred to duty at the Coast Guard Depot, Baltimore, Maryland and a year later to the Apache, then to the Yamacraw, and in May, 1920, to command of the Manhattan during the Lipton Cup Races off New York. In July 1920, he was assigned to outfitting the Chillicothe. He assumed command of it and had interesting duty during the enforcement of prohibition on the Canadian border. In January 1922 he was given temporary duty on the Seneca and in December of that year was assigned to duty on the Ossipee in the North Atlantic. In March 1923, he was assigned to the Modoc for three ice patrol seasons off the Grand Banks.
He was made executive officer of the Conyngham in June 1925, and in July of the next year, made commanding officer of the Roe, operating out of New York. In May 1929, he was assigned to duty with the New York Division, and promoted to the rank of commander, effective 1 September 1930. In March of 1932 he was given command of the Seneca, which was on duty at San Juan. In June 1934, the Unalga replaced the Seneca at Puerto Rico and he assumed command of that vessel. Vice Admiral Stika was commended by the Swedish government for "the good work and excellent seamanship displayed by the Commander, officers and crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Unalga" on the occasion of the accident which occurred to the Swedish training ship A.F. Chapman in the harbor of San Juan on 18 July 1934.
In January, 1935, he was appointed Purchasing Officer, Coast Guard Store, New York, followed in July of that year by assignment as Ordnance Officer at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. Under his supervision many improvements were made in Lifesaving Ordnance, including the Lyle Gun. The system of training all law enforcement divisions of the Treasury in revolver shooting was instituted and put into working condition under his administration, avid he also promoted the efficiency of the Coast Guard rifle teams.
In May 1937 he was assigned to duty as executive officer of the Coast Guard Academy, where he remained until June 1940, when he became Commanding Officer of the Bibb, which was on Atlantic weather patrol. With the U.S. entry into World War II, Stika held a number of different posts. From 1941 to 1943, he served simultaneously as Commanding Officer, Alameda Base, Purchasing Officer, Pacific Coast, and Superintendent, Merchant Marine Training Station, Government Island, Alameda, California. In May 1942 he was also appointed Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Training Station at Alameda. He returned to the East Coast in September 1943 for duty as District Port Security Officer, Fifth Naval District, Captain of the Port, Norfolk, Virginia and Assistant District Coast Guard Officer at Norfolk.
With the war's end in September 1945, he resumed duty at Government Island, Alameda, California, as Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Group, which included the Operating Base, Supply Depot and the Training Stations. Vice Admiral Stika was assigned to duty as Commander, Thirteenth Coast Guard District with headquarters at Seattle, Washington on 8 July 1946. He went to San Francisco on 13 March 1949, as Commander, 12th Coast Guard District and Commander, Western Area. He retired 1 October 1951 with the rank of Vice Admiral.
Vice Admiral Stika died on 15 July 1976 at the Marine Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia.Chief Noble: Good afternoon, Admiral. I would like to start out by asking you what made you interested in the Revenue Cutter Service?
Admiral Stika: The reason I became interested in the Revenue Cutter Service was because I lived on the Great Lakes and right on the seashore of Lake Michigan. I could look over the lake and every now and then, in the summertime particularly. I'd see the Tuscarora--the Revenue Cutter Tuscarora --sailing by. Especially in the hot summer, it was a glorious picture to see that white ship sailing through that cool-looking water while I was up on top of a load of dried peas with a lot of thistle in it trying to stomp it down and keep it loaded properly while some full grown man pitched it up to me. A most uncomfortable job for me, but that cutter out there was a delightful sight. Of course, I was interviewed by Admiral [Preston H.] Uberroth just before I entered the Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction, [as] they called it in those days. He was kind enough to bring his shipin--he was the commanding officer of the Tuscarora--into Kewaunee Harbor and asked me to come down and talk with him, which I did, and he arranged for me to get into the Service. The Congressman at that time was Kusterman, Representative Kusterman, with a home in Green Bay and his daughter married a Kewaunee man who was a friend of ours--Doctor Wochos.
Noble: So you'd say, basically, what really got you interested in the Revenue Cutter Service was seeing the Tuscarora sailing by?
Stika: Yes.
Noble : I imagine that would be impressive while you're there sweating.
Stika: A beautiful sight.
Noble : Some of these questions I'll ask you, Admiral, might seem a little strange, because I'm orientating this toward a person that has never heard of the Revenue Cutter Service. On October 19, 1908, you were accepted as a cadet in the Revenue Cutter Service, and you were sent to the School of Instruction, as you said. Could you tell me, for the record, where the School of Instruction was located?
Stika: Arundel Cove (right), just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, at what is now known as the Coast Guard Yard, in part of that area. We had a few wooden buildings for classroom work and we lived on the Oriole and the Chase, hulks that were laid up alongside the pier. The Oriole was the old Navy Dale and the Chase, of course, was the old training ship, sail-rigged, for Revenue Cutter cadets. We had a little drill field. We had gymnastics before breakfast every morning, except Sunday. When the weather was right, or when it wasn't too icy, we'd have rowing drills in place of calisthenics. That meant handling a pine tree oar that was very, very heavy and sitting on thwarts that were wet from the night's dew and that meant that most of us would line the inside of the back of our pants with newspapers to keep the water from soaking through and making us feel uncomfortable.
Noble: How long was the school, Admiral?
Stika: In those days it was two years to three years. It was just during the transition from two to three years. My class came in two sections. The first section came in May 1908, and made a cruise before my section joined them and we had to catch up and stay with them for the rest of the time. I spent two years and two months before I was graduated. But part of my class had spent from May until October in addition to that. We were moved from Arundel Cove to Fort Trumbull, Connecticut, under Captain W.V.E. Jacobs (right), [who was the] superintendent at that time. We lived in the fort casemates which were in the stone fort in New London, Connecticut, while Congress was studying what and how to build a new academy. So we were graduated from Fort Trumbull, New London.
Noble: I didn't know that. What's something that slipped by me in my research.
Stika: Yes, well it's just a detail. The moving from Arundel Cove to Fort Trumbull was cumbersome. We, of course, had our own personal effects to pack and carry on to the Itasca, the training ship at that time. Besides that, we carried as much of the school equipment, such as the shore study room study tables and chairs and so on, which was quite a job. We had to not only load it, but unload it in New London. At Fort TrumbulI, for a time, we didn't have running water in the casemates so we had permission to take our baths periodically, at least once a week, at the hotels in New London. We had to have special permission to go there and use them for that purpose. Later on, of course, we had running water and could do that in the casemates.
Noble: How was your school year divided, Admiral? Winter classes and summer cruising?
Cadets drill on the parade ground at the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction, Fort Trumbull
Stika: That's what it was, yes. We'd have our classroom work in either Arundel Cove or Fort Trumbull during the wintertime. In the summertime we had the cruising time on the training ship Itasca, in those days. We made a Mediterranean cruise during my time and we made a Cherbourg--London cruise another time. I had only two cruises but, as I said before, the first section of my class had three cruises.
Noble: How large was your class Admiral?
Stika: We entered with 35, first section and second section, and we finished with 16. Nineteen dropped for various reasons, mostly for lack of a high enough percentage in classroom. Those were very small classes compared to what they have now.
Noble: Still, that's 35. I didn't really expect that large a number.
Stika: Well, that was to begin with. We dwindled down to 16.
Noble: Was the school strictly for line officers, or did engineering officers go there also?
Stika: My cadet period was just during the transition. We used to have engineers and line cadets, but gradually we merged and it's hard for me to remember just when the engineer cadets disappeared. But it was during my time, somewhere just around 1910.
Noble: Prior to that it was just for line officers then?
Stika: Prior to that we had engineer cadets. A separate corps.
Noble: Were they in the same place?
Stika: Yes. Their classroom work of course was somewhat different, but messing was for all and morning exercise the same way. Lots of those things were combined when the classroom work was different. Beginning in 1910, why, it was all the same classroom work.
(Photo, right: cadets of the School of Instruction's Class of 1913 on board Itasca; Stika is second from right)
Noble: Staying right on the subject of classroom, do you recall what the basic thrust of the curriculum was and what was your best subject?
Stika: Well it was not quite as technical as today. We had, as I recall it, theoretical seamanship, navigation, mechanical engineering, ordnance, physiology, under a Public Health Service doctor. Of course, we always had a lot of signal practice, electricity, physics, history--world history. That's about all I can recall.
Noble: That's a pretty well-rounded curriculum. Do you remember what your best subject was, or what would you consider your best subject?
Stika: Oh boy! There was so much of it. Ordnance and gunnery, I guess, was my most interesting subject. That I forgot. We did a lot of work in what, at that time, we called gunnery. I loved it. I believe that was my favorite subject.
Noble: Were the instructors professional teachers or officers assigned these duties or a combination of both and how would you rate them?
Stika: Yes, we had one civilian instructor for French and he was very good. How he ever got anything through us in the little time that we had for it, I marvel. He was very good, Mr. Mason. The rest of the instructors were Revenue Cutter Service officers. In engineering we had Wood, I think his name was Horatio Nelson Wood, an instructor in engineering--marine engineering. We had John J. Hudson for some of the subjects. C.G. Crapster taught us navigation and seamanship. S.V. Parker I think was the ordnance instructor. E.D. Jones (right) had the rather civilian-side subjects, like civil government and history.
Noble: Is there any instructor that still stands out in your mind?
Stika: Well, of course, I liked E. D. Jones very, very much. He was more easily contacted from a personal standpoint. Stanley V. Parker was an excellent instructor, but he was harder to reach. In other words, he was not as likeable personally to most of us as E.D. Jones. J.J. Hudson was tops--I loved him. He was wonderful, and so was T[hadeus] G. Crapster (left), although Crapster was very sharp about keeping us held down to doing our best. He was not as popular as the others.
Noble: Well, to get away from the classroom, let's turn to training on board a cutter. What type of cutters did you train on?
Stika: The Itasca (photo, below).
Noble: What was she?
Stika: She was a former Navy training ship for naval midshipmen. She was triple expansion; coal burning; twin screw. Steam, of course. She had some sails for storm use, fore and aft sails, square rigged on the foremast.
Noble: Could you tell me basically what a cadet did aboard these training cruises and maybe a little bit about a routine day?
Stika: Well, we did practically all of the things that had to be done on a ship by enlisted men. Also such jobs as officer of the deck. We had some enlisted men in the organization, but most of the work was done by the cadets. We stood bridge watches. That is, we stood lookout watches and we stood fantail watches and we stood officer of the deck watches, but always under the supervision of a commissioned officer. In port we stood gangway watches, checking people in and out as a quartermaster would do in a ship without cadets. In short, we did all the things that were supposed to be done by the ship's company, including engine room watches and fire room watches. We actually shoveled coal. Yes. The coal burning Itasca had to be coaled. We not only helped in coaling ship, but we also shoveled coal out of the bunkers onto the floor plates and from the floor plates into the boilers. That, I remember, was very, very interesting and I used to laugh about it because I was a good shoveler. I came from a farm in Wisconsin and when it came to shoveling coal, why, that was meant for me. I didn't mind that a bit. Sometimes we had bad coal and it meant using many a shovel full to keep that thing going. I remember one load of coal we got in Ban, Italy, on the Adriatic, and that coal was hard to burn and when it did burn, why, it wouldn't produce much heat, so it meant using a great deal of coal in order to get the power that we needed. I had a good mark in engineering, during the cruise! I could shovel well. I sort of joked about it.
Noble: Was this your first time out to sea Admiral? If this was your first time, what was your impression?
Stika: Well, it was a feeling of pleasure as I remember it. I remember leaving Norfolk for the first cruise and I was assigned to the wheel watch. Oh, boy! I saw those cadets passing out while I steered. Why, they were popping off like buttons! Seasick in the waterways. But I felt fine. I was exhilarated--until I went off watch. When I came off watch I went down below and first thing you know I felt that humid air down below and lack of ventilation, no air conditioning in those days, and I was seasick myself. But that is the last time I remember being seasick, the first time and the last time. The rest of the time it was sort of a pleasure. I liked the open air jobs on training ship very, very much. And I didn't mind the engine room watches and I didn't mind the coal shoveling. Drills were gun, manual of arms, signal, boat (oars and sail) and abandon ship.
Noble: Do you remember any possible strange thing or something out of the normal during the practice cruise? I understand you ran into something a little special when you were in the Mediterranean.
Stika: No, I don't remember anything special. It may have happened to the first section when they had that cruise, which I missed. I don't remember anything drastically interesting one way or the other.
Noble: I see. One other very general question. Is there any event or experience or personality that you really remember during your period at the School of Instruction? Something that really sticks out in your mind?
Stika: I was especially friendly with [Russell Lord] Lucas. Lucas was a classmate. Also [John Merrill] Trilck, [Jr.] and we were known as "the Triumvirate," the three of us, Stika, Lucas, and Trilck. During study hall we would sneak next door to the empty study room in order to be alone. Lucas took command and he rated us. In those days we had "Boys"--the mess attendants were boy first class, boy second class and so on. He would give us enlisted "Boy" ratings and on up into quartermaster. Sometimes we even made chief under his management! But our point was that we could concentrate better by ourselves. Somehow or another we were fond of each other. I might say that, or friendly--friendlier than was the rest of the class. Strange to say, both Lucas and Trilck committed suicide. So I'm the only one left of triumvirate. That was a strange thing to me, I couldn't understand it. Lucas was strong physically. On the Oriole he could grasp the up and down stanchion and raise himself straight out on his arms and his biceps would stick out. He was a marvel of a physical specimen.
Noble: He'd have to be to do something like that.
Stika: Yes. He was a red head, curly haired man. Very, very likeable sort.
Noble: So you graduated from the School of Instruction in 1910 as a third lieutenant.
Stika: Yes, in December.
Noble: I mentioned "third lieutenant" to somebody a little while ago, and they didn't even know what a third lieutenant was. It was basically, I think, like our ensign.
Stika: That's it. We were commissioned third lieutenants until Congress met next month in January. A third lieutenant at that time had second lieutenant, United States Army, equivalent. Later on, of course, it came about that they changed the name of the rank.
Noble: Even nowadays, a lot of people really don't know what the Coast Guard is.
Stika: That's true.
Noble: I'd like to ask you, what did you consider yourself and your fellow officers when you graduated from the School of Instruction; did you consider yourselves civil servants or military officers?
Stika: I had pride in the Revenue Cutter Service. I had ambitions before entering the service [through] an appointment to West Point or Annapolis, but I couldn't make it. The Congressmen were too busy with their own people and so I was grateful to have an appointment to the Revenue Cutter Service. I felt that I was following my original desire of becoming a member of the United States military services. It was a little bit later that it became necessary to transfer the Coast Guard to the administration of the Navy without any trouble for war purposes. I was rather proud of the fact that I was part of the military forces of the United States.
Noble: I think most people do. But a lot of times, as I said, some people ask, even today, "What are you, military or civilian?" It's kind of nice to know how you felt about it.
Stika: Yes, being so small, naturally we had an up-hill fight to more or less make people believe that we were part of the uniformed services of the United States, part of the military forces of the United States. Our work during peacetime was so closely connected with civilian business. In other words, we worked both peace and wartime. With the Navy and Army people it is training for wartime only.
Noble: After you graduated, from the School of Instruction, your first assignment was the Androscoggin out of Portland. Could you sort of describe what kind of cutter she was? And what were her primary duties?
Stika: Yes. She was a slow, wooden ship and in rough weather, why, she opened up under the transom and leaked. We had to keep pumping her. She broke ice, such as there was in Castine Bay and other places in the Northeast and did it very well. She had iron plates riveted to the sides of her bow so that it wouldn't dig up the wooden hull. She was slow. Our first rescue job on the Androscoggin was the Cavalier, that's a picture of her there just in line with the lamp. The Cavalier was a fisherman out of Gloucester that had lost all her sails and had been more or less wrecked for navigating on her own power. We found her 225 miles east-southeast of Cape Ann and towed her back into Gloucester, Massachusetts. They were delighted to see her back; they thought she had perished and they made us Master Mariners. Anyone in Gloucester that became a Master Mariner was tops among the fishermen and we were gratified in being included as Master Mariners after towing in the Cavalier. Icebreaking, of course, in the wintertime for the Androscoggin, and winter cruising. In those days they called it winter cruising. Instead of waiting in port for a rescue call we were supposed to be out at sea. I remember Christopher Gadston Porcher was engineer officer. He used to say it's just like a fire engine cruising the streets of a city in order to find a fire instead of waiting at a central point from which you could hurry to a disaster when it was reported. He didn't think much of this winter cruising. In the summertime, of course, we had more pleasant weather and we patrolled races and tried to take care of shipping in trouble.
Noble: What were your duties as a third lieutenant aboard the Androscoggin?
Stika: Standing duty in port and standing bridge watch at sea and commissary officer. I was responsible for the crew having enough food on board and ordering the stuff and paying the bills. Strange to say, when I was promoted one grade to second lieutenant, well I was still commissary officer, because they changed the laws; a regulation that the second lieutenant was the fellow that had more experience and he's to be the commissary officer.
Noble: Couldn't get away from it.
Stika: No. And of course, depending on how many other officers we had--junior officers--one of us had to be in charge of the navigation department and another one the ordnance department, commissary and then the engineers, of course, had their own social department.
Noble: When you were underway, Admiral, what type of drills did you have? Were you drilling constantly?
Stika: Well, we had daily quarters on weekdays and during those times we had drills of various kinds. Even manual of arms on deck, 3
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Source
Title: obit
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926Name: Evelyn Or Ellaner Dorthy Stika
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 18 Nov 1894
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Frank Stika
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Katy Or Katherine Roodt
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01792-3
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1012908
Reference Number: 289 1910 Kewaunee WI
Name: Evelyn Sticka
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Residence: Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Marital Status: Single
Race : White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Austria
Family Number: 400
Page Number: 19
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank J Sticka M 41y
Parent Kathrine Sticka F 43y
Alfred Sticka M 23y
Evelyn Sticka F 14y
Robert Sticka M 7y
Source
Title: 1920 census
Source
Title: 1905 census
Source
Title: 1930 census
Source
Title: Kewaunee Enterprise
Source
Title: obit
Source
Title: Kewaunee Enterprise
?
Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 for Robert J StikaName: Robert J Stika
Prefix:
Suffix:
Event: Death
Event Date: 28 Jul 1988
Event Place: , , Wisconsin
Residence: 0745, Wisconsin
Gender:
Age:
Certificate Number: 019157
======
Wisconsin State Census, 1905 for Robert Stika
Name: Robert Stika
Residence: Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Age: 2y
Estimated Birth Year: Abt 1903
Birthplace: Bohemia
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Place of Birth: Parent 1:
Place of Birth: Parent 2:
Family Number: 292
Page Number: 174
Line Number: 99
Film Number: 1020452
Digital Folder Number: 4236858
Image Number: 00406
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank Stika M 43y
Parent Katy Stika F 38y
Alfred Stika M 17y
Edward Stika M 15y
Evelyn Stika F 10y
Robert Stika M 2y
==============United States Census, 1910
Name: Robert Sticka
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Residence: Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Marital Status: Single
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Austria
Family Number: 400
Page Number: 19
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank J Sticka M 41y
Parent Kathrine Sticka F 43y
Alfred Sticka M 23y
Evelyn Sticka F 14y
Robert Sticka M 7yUnited States Census, 1920 for Robert StikaName: Robert Stika
Residence: , Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1903
Age: 17
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Bohemia
Film Number: 1821990
Digital Folder Number: 4391501
Image Number: 00990
Sheet Number: 12
Household Gender Age
Parent Frank J Stika M 57y
Parent Katherine Stika F 53y
Robert Stika M 17y
=============
United States Census, 1930 for Robert W Stika
Name: Robert W Stika
Event: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Fort Eustis, Warwick, Virginia
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1903
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Czechoslovakia
Enumeration District Number: 0008
Family Number: 197
Sheet Number and Letter: 19B
Line Number: 87
NARA Publication: T626, roll 2464
Film Number: 2342198
Digital Folder Number: 4547862
Image Number: 00192
Household Gender Age
Robert W Stika M 27
Spouse Ella M Stika F 25
Ralph A Moihl M 24
Raymond Tomlinson M 25
Source
Title: Wisconsin Marriages, 1836-1930
Wisconsin Marriages, 1836-1930 for Josef Stika
Groom's Name: Josef Stika
Groom's Birth Date:
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name: Katharina Tolacky
Bride's Birth Date:
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date: 18 Aug 1891
Marriage Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Groom's Father's Name: Josef Stika
Groom's Mother's Name: Maria Stika
Bride's Father's Name: Josef Tolacky
Bride's Mother's Name: Aloissa Tolacky
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M01251-6
System Origin: Wisconsin-ODM
Source Film Number: 1013984
Reference Number:
==========
Milwaukee, Wis 1900 census
Name: Kate Stika
Titles & Terms:
Residence: Milwaukee city, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Nov 1873
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Spouse: Joseph Stika
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Father:
Father's Titles & Terms:
Father's Birthplace: Austria
Mother:
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace: Austria
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name: Joseph Stika
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 9
Estimated Marriage Year: 1891
Mother How Many Children: 4
Number Living Children: 4
Immigration Year:
Enumeration District: 0122
Page: 16
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 282
Reference Number: 12
Film Number: 1241804
Image Number: 00412
Household Gender Age
Spouse Joseph Stika M
Kate Stika F
Child Frank Stika M
Child Joseph Stika M
Child Annie Stika F
Child Albert Stika M
=========
United States Census, 1910 for Kate Stika
Name: Kate Stika
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Residence: Milwaukee Ward 14, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marital Status: Married
Race : White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Family Number: 229
Page Number: 13
Household Gender Age
Kate Stika F 36y
Child Frank Stika M 18y
Child Joseph Stika M 14y
Child Annie Stika F 12y
Child Eddie Stika M 10y
Child Charles Stika M 7y
============
United States Census, 1920 for Kate Quanstenberg
Name: Kate Quanstenberg
Residence: , Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1874
Age: 46
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Gender: Female
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father's Birthplace: Bohemia
Mother's Birthplace: Bohemia
Film Number: 1822005
Digital Folder Number: 4391998
Image Number: 00225
Sheet Number: 19
Household Gender Age
Spouse John Quanstenberg M 52y
Kate Quanstenberg F 46y
Child Arthur Quanstenberg M 27y
Child John Quanstenberg M 25y
Child Carl Stika M 17yMaria Stika in entry for Josef Stika and Katharina Tolacky, "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930"
Name: Josef Stika
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name: Katharina Tolacky
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date: 18 Aug 1891
Event Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Father's Name: Josef Stika
Mother's Name: Maria Stika
Spouse's Father's Name: Josef Tolacky
Spouse's Mother's Name: Tolacky
Race:
Marital Status:
Previous Wife's Name:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00660-9
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
GS Film number: 1292297
Reference ID: 2862
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: 1900 census
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Source
Title: 1900 census
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926Name: Anna Stika
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 25 Mar 1898
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race: White
Father's Name: Joseph Stika
Father's Birthplace: Amer.
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Catharine Talacko
Mother's Birthplace: Amer.
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C00323-0
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1305121
Reference Number: 2054
====United States Census, 1900 for Annie Stika
Name: Annie Stika
Titles & Terms:
Residence: Milwaukee city, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Mar 1898
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Spouse:
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Father: Joseph Stika
Father's Titles & Terms:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother: Kate Stika
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name: Joseph Stika
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Years Married:
Estimated Marriage Year:
Mother How Many Children: 0
Number Living Children: 0
Immigration Year:
Enumeration District: 0122
Page: 16
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 282
Reference Number: 15
Film Number: 1241804
Image Number: 00412
Household Gender Age
Parent Joseph Stika M
Parent Kate Stika F
Frank Stika M
Joseph Stika M
Annie Stika F
Albert Stika M
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926Name: Frank Stika
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 14 Jul 1890
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Joseph Stika
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Kate Talaska
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01798-5
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1013717
Reference Number: 477 cn2773 ---------
United States Census, 1900 for Frank StikaName: Frank Stika
Titles & Terms:
Residence: Milwaukee city, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Jul 1892
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Spouse:
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Father: Joseph Stika
Father's Titles & Terms:
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother: Kate Stika
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name: Joseph Stika
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Years Married:
Estimated Marriage Year:
Mother How Many Children:
Number Living Children:
Immigration Year:
Enumeration District: 0122
Page: 16
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 282
Reference Number: 13
Film Number: 1241804
Image Number: 00412
Household Gender Age
Parent Joseph Stika M
Parent Kate Stika F
Frank Stika M
Joseph Stika M
Annie Stika F
Albert Stika M
========
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRY4-77LJoseph Stika in entry for Frank Stika, "Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926"
Name: Frank Stika
Gender: Male
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Birth Date: 14 Jul 1890
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Joseph Stika
Father's Birthplace: Kewaunee, Wis.
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Kate ...Alaska
Mother's Birthplace: Milwaukee
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C01151-5
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
GS Film number: 1305631
Reference ID: v 75 p 1129
Source
Title: Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Source
Title: 1910 census
Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
Name: Carl Stika
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date: 10 Sep 1902
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Joe Stika
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Kate Tuckalsky
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01797-0
System Origin: Wisconsin-EASy
Source Film Number: 1013702
Reference Number: 5830
=============
United States Census, 1920 for Carl Stika
Name: Carl Stika
Residence: , Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Estimated Birth Year: 1903
Age: 17
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Step Son
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Mother's Birthplace: Wisconsin
Film Number: 1822005
Digital Folder Number: 4391998
Image Number: 00225
Sheet Number: 19
Household Gender Age
Parent John Quanstenberg M 52y
Parent Kate Quanstenberg F 46y
Arthur Quanstenberg M 27y
John Quanstenberg M 25y
Carl Stika M 17y
Source
Title: Bob Blahnik research
Source
Title: Bob Blahnik research
Source
Title: Bob Blahnik research
Source
Title: Bob Blahnik research
Source
Title: Bob Blahnik research
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