WALTER LITKE, Recorded by Ruth Litke from various family sources
Walter Litke was the fifth child born to Joseph Litke & Maria Gardzielewska. His birth is recorded in McLeod County, Minnesota as "Walenty Litka, male, white, son of Joseph & Maria, born 10 Feb 1881 in Hale Twp." Baptismal records at St. Adalbert's Polish Catholic Church in Silver Lake, Minnesota show Walentius Liedkie, born 10 Feb 1881 and bap. 27 Feb 1881. Parents are Joseph Liedke and Maria Driedrewska. Godparents are Johannes Pokornowski and Joanna Kostrowska. His mother died when he was four years old and the family moved from McLeod County to Morrison County, MN when Walter was about ten.

Some of the family stories told about Walter when he was a young boy are as follows:
"When Walter was a young boy, his folks told him to go chop a hole in the creek and haul in a pail of water. Walter, being a typical young boy and a bit on the lazy side at times, decided to get a little help with his work. So he tied his wooden bucket full of water to the steer's tail expecting that the steer would transport his water to the house for him. Needless-to-say, there wasn't much left of the water in the bucket by the time the steer got done with it.

Another time, Walter was asked to take eggs to Buckman on his bicycle and sell the eggs there. Well, some of the neighbor kids were hiding in the ditch and when he came by they started throwing stones at him. Walter finally decided that his only means of retaliation was to throw something back and the eggs were the most readily available ammunition, so he fired away. That didn't leave much egg money left from his trip to town."

Walter Litke married Marcella Westfall on June 23, 1902, in St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Gilman, MN. The Westfalls were neighbors who farmed in Sec 26 of Morrill Twp. Both families were of Polish origin. Marcella and Walter started out their married life on a farm in Morrill Twp. Walter eventually had a rather large dairy operation. In the beginning, he sold milk to the creamery in Morrill, but later he bought a U. S. Seperator with a big bowl. Then they were able to sell cream at a better price to the creamery in Buckman. Walter said this seperator was a "man-killer!" The two oldest children, Lawrence and Theresa, were born while the family lived on this 80 A. farm in Morrill Township.

Another story Walter always told the children goes as follows: "Walter and Marcella were hauling hay and in those days it wasn't tame hay, but "wire-grass hay." They were going around a curve in the road with a full load of hay on and Marcella slid off. Walter never noticed this until she finally got his attention and there she laid in the pile of hay on the road. Every time they took that road, dad would always say 'Ma, that's where you slid off the load of hay.'"

After this the family moved to North Prairie, Minnesota (west of Royalton). They owned a saloon there, in partnership with Walter's sister, Julia (Litke) Cassidy. According to another story told by Tom Czech (a neighbor), the Litkes were quite successful in this venture and there was a rival bar owner in North Prairie who was not too happy about their operation. According to Tom, this person burned the Litke Saloon down in a fit of jealousy. After the saloon burned down, Walter and Marcella moved to Fessenden, North Dakota, near Steve and John Litke (Walter's brothers). A son, James Litke, was born here on Sep 29, 1908, but he did not survive past infancy.

Later, the family returned to Minnesota and lived in Little Falls. Walter was janitor at the Hawthorne School for many years. He also rented a roller rink in Brainerd with a man named Loren Martin. Two addition children, Mathew and Dolores, were born here in Little Falls.

After awhile, the family decided to return to farming. They rented land east of Lastrup, Minnesota. This particular piece of land later belonged to Tony Ellering.

Then, Walter and Marcella purchased land in Hillman Township. Actually, the buildings were in Hillman Twp. and some of the land was in Pierz Twp. Gertrude was born on this farm in 1919. The Plat Book shows the Walter Litke property in Sec 18 of Hillman Twp. By the Fall of 1932, they were renting the farm "on halves" to son Lawrence and his wife, Evelyn. Walter and Marcella then moved back to Little Falls and rented a house on 7th St. NE. They lived there only a couple of months and then bought the house on 3rd St SE and remodeled it.

Sometimes they went to North Dakota during the summer to work in the fields shocking grain around Fessenden, North Dakota. There are some pictures from this period.

Marcella always told about the time when she had to go pick up Walter from work when they were in Dakota. She would hitch up the buggy and take Lawrence and Theresa with her. Once she got too close to the railroad track when a train was approaching. The horse got scared and she had a run-away, just like in the old western movies.

When Lawrence and Evelyn moved off the farm into town, Walter and Marcella rented the house in Little Falls for a time and moved back to the farm. Then, they decided to rent the land and moved back to Little Falls again. Also, for a brief period of time, Walter and Marcella went out to Vancouver, WA where Walter worked in a shipyard. Paul and Dolores were out there at the time.

After returning to Little Falls, Walter rented a gas station on lst St SE in Little Falls. However, after renting the land out for some period of time, the farm got so run down that they had to move back to the farm again, about 1936. They farmed the place until 1943 when they sold out at an auction sale and returned to their home in Little Falls. A copy of the auction notice is dated Jun 17, 1943.

1922 Plat Map of Hillman Township, Morrison County, Minnesota. Sec. 18., W. Litke.

Other items of interest:
At one time, Walter Litke and Loren Martin ran a roller rink. Ruth Litke has a copy of a ticket to the Brainerd Roller Rink, Admission and Skates 25 cents on which the owner's names appear.

A news clipping from Little Falls Transcript, 20 May 1964 features an article about the first shipment of 1915 Buicks to the area. Paragraph six states: "Art sold 19 Buicks in 1914 and set a unique record for repeat sales and service which frequently included instructions in driving. Dr. Noel Dumont bought the first car. Others who purchased from him that year were: Frank Bourassa, L. O. Wessel, Dr. C. F. Holst, Dr. E. W. Kaliher, R. L. Palmer, Pantzke Brothers, J. C. Patience, Sprandel Brothers, Ernest LaFond, I.L. Warren, "Walter Litke", T. H. Dewey and C. A. Chapman. Three of these orders were placed the day he obtained the agency. Of this group only Dr. Kaliher and Wessel had owned any other make."

Auction Notice: Thursday, June 17, '43. Having sold my farm, I will sell at public auction, at the farm 5 miles east and three-quarters mile north of Genola, or 18 miles southeast of Little Falls or 26 miles north of St. Cloud on state highway No. 218, then 5 miles east and three-quarters mile north - beginning at 12:30 o'clock, the Following Described Property: Horses: 1 Bay gelding 11 years old wt. 1600 lbs; 1 Gray gelding 15 years old, wt. 1600 lbs.; 1 Black mare 16 years old, wt. 11 lbs. Cattle: 1 Guernsey cow 7 years old, has just freshened; 1 Guernsey cow 4 years old, milking, to freshen Jan 15, 1944; 1 Guernsey cow 3 years old, milking, to freshen Jan 16, 1944; 1 Red cow 4 years old, milking, to freshen Dec 27, 1943; 1 Red cow 3 years old, milking, to freshen Mar 10, 1944; 1 Holstein cow 6 years old, milking, to freshen Oct 21, 1943; 1 White cow 4 years old, milking to freshen Dec 17, 1943; 1 Roan cow 3 years old, was fresh 1 month ago, 1 Roan cow 4 years old, was fresh 6 weeks ago; 1 Roan cow 2 years old, just fresh; 1 White heifer 2 years old; 3 Guernsey heifers, 1 year old; 1 Red heifer, 1 year old; 1 Blue roan bull, 5 months old; 1 Roan heifer; 3 months old; 1 Red and white heifer, 4 months old, 1 Cattle dog. Poultry-Sheep-Hogs: 19 ewes, 1 buck, 13 lambs; about 70 Leghorn hens; 10 Rhode Island hens, 3 sows; 14 pigs. Machinery: 1 walking plow; 1 3-section wood drag; 1 Vega cream seperator, like new; 2 4-wheel trailers; 1 2-wheel trailer; 1 wagon with hay rack; 1 Hay rake; 1 grain drill; 1 McCormick-Deering Farmall tractor, F-12; 1 I.H.C. tractor and gang plow; 1 McCormick-Deering field quack grass cultivator; 1 wood sawing rig; 1 Minnesota grain binder, like new; 1 Minnesota mower; 1 John Deere cultivator; 1 Galvanized water tank; 1 grind stone; 1 tank heater; 1 wheelbarrow; 1 bob sleigh; 1 two-bbl water tank; about 250 white oak fence posts; about 150 bu. barley; about 70 bu. buckwheat; some wheat and rye succotash; about 420 bushels oats; 50-ft. 5-8 cable; 1 snowplow; some woven wire; 15 cords of wood; some pole wood. Household Goods: 1 9 x 12 Olson floor rug, new; 1 living room suite, couch and chair; 1 kitchen sink; 1 kitchen cabinet; 1 kerosene stove, dishes, pails, cream cans and other articles; some clothes; writing desk; 1 radio, also chairs. Miscellaneous Articles: water spout with pipe; hay slings; 1 1/2 set of harness with collars; about 1500 ft. of lumber, including dimensions.
Nelson Lunch Wagon will be on the grounds. WALTER LITKE, OWNER, O. F. Glazier Auctioneer, American National Bank, Little Falls, A. A. Barton, Clerk.
Contributor: Ruth McDonald Litke (50025174) • [email protected]