Anton Florian Zielinski was born on May 14, 1896 in Menasha, Wisconsin, the second child of Frank Peter Zielinski and Margaretta "Sophie" Brodzinski. At the time, Frank was 24 and Sophie was 25. Their first child, son John, had been born about 16 months earlier. Anton was baptized at St. John's Catholic Church on May 24, 1896 by the Reverend Lucas Pescinski. Sponsors were Julian Pogalinski (relationship not known) and Elizabeth Zielinski (grandmother?).

Anton's Civil Birth Record	Anton's Baptism Certificate

According to the Menasha City Directory of 1895, the family resided at the northwest corner of 3rd and Depere Streets. On April 16, 1908, Frank and Sophie purchased a lot a few blocks north in a new subdivision. There, they built the house at 631 5th Street, where they would reside for the rest of their lives. In this house, Sophie gave birth to 9 children. Tragically, 3 of them passed away at young ages.

NW corner of 3rd and Depere - 1889	631 5th Street 1889	Warranty deed for purchase of property at 631 5th Street

At some point, Anton Florian became known as Lawrence. He had been called by his middle name - Florian. But, with the Polish dialect spoken at the time, gradually it began  to turn into an Americanized "Lawrence". On the 1905 Wisconsin state census, he is listed as "Floydice". But, on the 1910 U.S. federal census, he is listed as "Lorens".

Lawrence only attended school for one day. The story goes that a nun came to the house and suggested to Frank and Sofia that Lawrence should attend school. They agreed, and the next day Lawrence was sent to school. In the days following, he did not return to school, and again, the nuns appeared at the house questioning why Lawrence was not attending school. Frank and Sofia exclaimed that he had attended. The nuns then explained that he should attend school every day, not just once! But, they would have none of that, and Lawrence never again attended school.


1910 U.S. census depicting the Frank Zielinski family
As a teenager, Lawrence took a job as a Hooper at the Menasha Wooden Ware Company. Just as the name implies, he made hoops for wooden barrels. The Great War had begun in 1914, and by 1917 was raging throughout Europe. The United States had maintained its neutrality, but on April 6, 1917, Congress declared war on Germany.

On May 9, 1917, five days before his 21st birthday, Lawrence joined the Wisconsin National Guard. In a few months, the entire Wisconsin National Guard was absorbed into the U.S. Army, and Lawrence became an artilleryman. He was assigned to Battery B of the 121st Field Artillery Regiment of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade of the 32nd Division. That's Lawrence seated at bottom-left.



His unit fought in many of the greatest battles of World War I, including Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. He survived them all, and returned home on May 20, 1919 to a hero's welcome. Lawrence never spoke much of the war. His story is an impressive one, however, and I have authored a detailed book accounting for all of his exploits from the time he joined the Guard until his return home.

You can read the entire book in pdf form and follow along with a Google Map of his whereabouts in France here:

"Grandpa's War"  by Mark Zelinski

Google map of Lawrence in France

Upon returning to Menasha, Lawrence took up his old job at Menasha Wooden Ware Company. The 1920 U.S. federal census records him living at home at 631 5th Street. On this census, his name was recorded as "Toney", an Americanized version of his middle name, Anton.


1920 U.S. census depicting the Frank Zielinski family

One very special day around the year 1921, Lawrence met Lena Jankowski at his home when Lena accompanied her Aunt Apolonia Danowski on a visit to Lawrence's mother, Sophie. Lawrence and Lena dated for three years, and the rest, as they say, is history...



see the Lawrence and Lena page for the continuation of this story...