This branch of the Austrian Hesch family is descended from Johann Hesch and his wife Marya (Schlinz) Hesch, who came to America from Oberschlagles, Bohemia with three sons: Paul, Mathias, and Anton. +++Johann & Marya settled in Buffalo County, Wisconsin but moved to Pierz, Mn in about 1885. .+++Mathias settled in Waumandee, Wisconsin and moved to Pierz in 1911. +++Anton never married but farmed with his dad in Agram Township, where he died in 1911.+++And Paul, my great grandfather, settled five miles away, in Buckman, Minnesota. He died there in 1900.

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Sunday, November 12, 2017

Firing up a steam locomotive

Dad's uncle Frank Hesch was a fireman on the railroad, and eventually an engineer (out of Duluth, I think).  In the years that Frank's brother Math was reporting the Buckman News, he often mentioned that Frank stopped home to visit their mom. 
When you hear "fireman on the RR", it brings to mind the infernal backbreaking labor of shoveling coal into the firebox of an engine for miles on end--and here's a video that shows the 6-7 hour job it was to fire up an engine, condensed to 37 minutes.  If you prefer to see only what Frank did, check minute 11, and again at minute 16 or so.  Made me sweat just to watch.  The last few minutes are fun cuz the guy toots the whistle, and moves the locomotive out of the shed.  Wow!

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