Sophia Tureck

Notes:

Sophia came to America through Hamberg, Germany in 1894 at the age of 5. Her father Ludwig Tureck was already a farm worker in South Dakota. So her mother Lucy (Luchia) Pach Tureck brought the five children, Helena, 14; Hugo Ludwig, 11; Alexis, 8; Sophia, 5; and Max, 3; they settled on the farm near Millbank, South Dakota where Ludwig Tureck worked. 1896 About the second year they were here Sophia was offered an opportunity to attend school in Big Stone South Dakota. A childless, middle aged couple provided her with room and board and a chance to go a bigger school. They were very good to her, but she was often extremely lonesome. About this time Ludwig Tureck, was accidentally killed in a farm accident. He fell from the front of a wagon load of grain when the horses became startled. The wagon wheels ran over his chest, he survived only two days. 1897-1898 A year or two later immigrants were offered free land claims in North Dakota, widow Tureck took her children and meager possessions and joined a caravan of South Dakota immigrants and traveled to Anamoose, ND where she filed claim to 160 acres (quarter section) of land. 1900- family in the 1900 ND census; Sophia was 12 years old. 1906 When Sophia was seventeen she stayed with her older sister in Martin ND (Helena Breitzman(n)) Helena's husband Franz Breitzmann was employed by the Post Office in Martin ND. While there, she was shot in the neck by a burglar whom she had startled. Later this "night watchman-turned burglar" was brought back from the state of Washington to stand trial. Several times she had to go by train with witnessess and guardian, to the county seat. Interestingly, this whole episode seemed to leave no lasting psychological scars. Sophia was neither superstitious nor unduly fearful. 1909 While in Martin Sophia met Lyman Pressnall who was working in a " Blind Pig " (saloon) He had recently come to ND from Indiana by " riding the rails" and this was the only job open. After a couple of years of courtship, he and Sophia eloped to Moorehead, Minnesota. wher they were married on Feb. 13, 1909. While in Poland she learned to read and speak German. She used the Bible as a reader. While in Minneapolis, she used to read German poetry from a small book to the Grandchildren.

Sophia married Lyman Floyd Pressnall on 13 Feb 1909 in Moorhead, Clay, Minnesota, USA. Lyman (son of John Franklin Presnell and Emeline Frances Linville) was born on 26 Nov 1882 in Fountain City, Fountain, Indiana, USA; died on 19 Mar 1961 in Minneapolis, Anoka, Minnesota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ione Pressnall was born on 29 Jan 1913 in Pingree, North Dakota; died on 8 Oct 1992.
2. Willard Edison Pressnall was born on 14 Jan 1915 in North Dakota; died in Mar 1974.
3. John Franklin Pressnall was born on 8 May 1921; died on 4 Dec 2009 in Sulphur Springs, Benton, Arkansas.
4. Paul Eugene Pressnall
5. Irving Ellsworth Pressnall was born on 20 Sep 1910; died on 15 Nov 1975.
6. Lyman Leroy Pressnall was born on 26 Nov 1909 in Minnesota; died on 2 Sep 1988 in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico.
7. Hugo Everette Pressnall was born on 19 Dec 1917 in North Dakota, United States; died on 22 May 2004 in El Cerrito, Contra Costa, California, United States.

Ludwig married Luchia Pach. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]