THE PERHAM BULLETIN

PERHAM, OTTER TAIL COUNTY , MINNESOTA

Thursday, November 12, 1896

        George Belka and Miss Francis Luszkowski will be married next Tuesday in the Polish church.

THE PERHAM BULLETIN

PERHAM, OTTER TAIL COUNTY , MINNESOTA

Thursday, November 26, 1903

                Mr. Francis Bucholz and Miss Helena Belka, two of the most popular young people in the town of Gorman , were married at the Polish church in this place one day last week. The wedding reception occurred at the handsome residence of the brides parents during the afternoon and evening, and was largely attended by friends and neighbors. The presents received were numerous and costly, and the daintiest of refreshments were served. The congratulations and well wishes of all is extended to the happy young couple.

PERHAM ENTERPRISE BULLETIN

PERHAM, OTTER TAIL COUNTY , MINNESOTA

September, 2000

WEDDING: Olson - Belka
       Denise Olson and Richard Belka were united in marriage Sept. 2, 2000. At 4 p.m. family and relatives from Iowa , Calif. , Ill. and Wis. were there to help celebrate this wonderful event. A dance and bonfire followed the wedding and a good time was had by all.

EAST OTTER TAIL COUNTY VOL. II 1994

OTTER TAIL COUNTY , MINNESOTA

Page 19

THE BELKA FAMILY

        Around the year 1875 � the families of Leopold Belka and his wife Magdalena Adamski both arrived in the United States from Poland . They first settled in Stevens Point , Wisconsin . Leopold and Magdalena had 9 children. Leopold and Magdalena moved to Perham and settled in what was known later as the Joe Belka farm. The farm is located in Gorman Township and presently the house and barn still stand.

        Leopold Belka was born in 1847 and died in 1926. Magdalena Adamski was born in 1851 and died in 1914. Both are buried in St. Stanislaus cemetery in Perham.

        The children of Leopold and Magdalena were Mike Belka (born 1873 � died 1957) and married Anna Jezewski (born 1878 and died in 1971).

        George Belka � born 1875 and died in 1947 � he married Frances Luschewski (born 1878 and died in 1948). George and Leopold helped build St. Stanislaus church.

        Felix was the 3^rd son and he was born in 1877 and died in 1945 � he married Anna Czapewski (she was born in 1902 and died in 1979). Felix lived out in California . He later married Dora Lonski.

        John was their 4^th son � he was born in 1880 and died in 1953. John married Martha Sczygiel � she was born in 1886 and died in 1977.

        Anna Belka was the 5^th child � she was born in 1881 and died in 1975 � Anna was known in the Perham area as Sister Mary Helena. She worked at the St. James Home in Perham. Anna took the name of her Sister Helena as her name after she took her vows as a nun.

        Helena Belka was their 6^th child � she was born in 1884 and died in 1910 � Helena married Frank Bucholz � he was born in 1878 and died in 1960. Helena died at the age of 26 � and Frank later married his wife�s younger sister, Mary Belka � who was the 8^th child of Leopold and Magdalena . Mary was born in 1888 and died in 1945.

        The 7^th child was Vincent Belka (born 1886 and died in 1962). Vincent married Martha Wilcowski, she was born in 1896 and died in 1978.

        The 9^th child was a son, Joe � he was born in 1890 and died in 1952. Joe married Hattie Palubicki � she was born in 1896 and died in 1978.

        All of the above children with the exception of Sr. Helena and Felix are buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery in Perham.

        Most of the Belka descendants remained in the Perham area.

Submitted by Dorothy Belka

EAST OTTER TAIL COUNTY VOL. II 1994

OTTER TAIL COUNTY , MINNESOTA

Page 19

GEORGE BELKA

        George and Frances Belka were married in 1899 and always lived in the Perham area. George and Frances lived in Gorman Township on the north shore of Little Pine Lake . (George Belka and Ed Siebels used to own most of the north shore of the lake in the early 1940�s). They were the parents of seven children. Mary/Nick Jaroszewski; Clementine/Herman Steffes; Andy/Ann Belka; Pauline/Lester Erdmann; Anna/Paul Steffes, Cecelia/John Lambert and Clem/Dorothy Belka.

        Clem and Dorothy are the parents of seven children. Clem was born in Perham on June 13, 1920 and Dorothy (Cole) Belka born February 21, 1921 and married Clem on September 27, 1939. Their seven children include Colleen (Mrs Bill Huebsch) of Osage, Iowa �parents of nine children and twelve grandchildren. Richard and Barbara (Parker) Belka of Mt. Carmel, Illinois�parents of three sons and three grandsons. Darrell and Shirley ( Westland ) of Glyndon , Minnesota �parents of three children (one deceased). George and Judy (Andersen) of Dilworth�the parents of three sons. Sherry and Neil (Tobkin) of Perham�parents of four children. Clem and Dorothy had two girls, which died in infancy.

        Clem and Dorothy have been life-long members of the Perham and also St. Stanislaus Church. Clem passed away in October of 1982.

        Dorothy has been an enthusiastic grandmother, and become known as the Bungi Junping Grandma.

Submitted by Dorothy Belka

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