Melinda Sheridan

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 4E9A5E4F29AE4EE5A5238197FF03AB578354

Family/Spouse: Gustave Kowitz. Gustave was born in Unknown; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: E34C07EF43E349CB81387C6E5F0C84170868
• Alt. Birth: 1 Mar 1881, , , Wisconsin, USA

Notes:

Obituary from the Winona Republican-Herald, 17 Feb 1913, p. 6:

Clara Melenda Hovitz was born March, 1882, in the town of Wells, Monroe county, Wisconsin, and there received her education and grew to womanhood. She was united in marriage August 31, 1904 to Wallace W. Wilson of Dakota, Minnesota, and for the next three years resided at Newry, Wisconsin. Following that they lived for two years at Marathon, Wisconsin and for the past three years they resided in Pickwick, Winona county. Mr. Wilson having charge of the Pickwick Co-operation creamery there. For the past seven weeks Mrs. Wilson had been seriously ill from an attack of gall stones and was finally removed to the La Crosse Hospital where she passed away on the morning of February 11. She leaves to mourn her unexpected passage her husband, Mr. Wallace W. Wilson, her paraents, Mr. and Mrs. Gustave Howitz of Sparta, three little girls, Mildred, aged seven, Melinda, aged six and Helen aged three, two brothers, E. G. Howitz of Sparta, Frank of Ekalaka, Montana, two sisters, Mrs. J. I. Menor of Sacramento, California and Miss Lottie Howitz also of Sparta. Mrs. Wilson was a member of the local chapter O.E.S. was also its treasurer and was highly esteemed by all who knew her. She was ever willing to do her part; was a kind and loving mother and a faithful wife and will be sadly missed in the community. The remains were taken to Sparta, Wis., where appropriate services were held Thursday, February the 13 at the home of the parents, with internment in Mount Hope cemetery, Rev. Harding R. Hogan of the congregational church officiating. Among those from Pickwick and vicinity attending the funeral were: Mrs. Clarence Wilson of Dakota, Mr. and Mrs. D. Griffin, Misses Jessie Dykeman and Rosie Pieger, Mrs. J.A. Johnston, J. M. Rutherford, and John Griffin and Mrs. S. L. Jamison of La Moille, Giles Brown and Loyd Wilson of Dakota.

Clara married William Wallace Wilson on 31 Aug 1904. William (son of James Gardner Wilson and Sarah Brown) was born on 25 Aug 1865 in New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village; died on 9 Apr 1922 in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, USA; was buried in New Hartford Township, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota Village, Dakota "Brown" Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Resided: Milaca, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, USA
• _UID: 83CB116469D045DE92DBA6CAF952C22E3762

Mildred married Martin Roswell Daley in 1922. Martin was born on 4 Sep 1891 in Ovid, Clinton County, MIchigan, USA; died on 27 Jul 1965. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: E2FC1553CC2443058C5E0A471D2776188BA6
• Alt. Birth: Abt 1908

Melinda married Thomas Joseph Marsolek on 8 Aug 1927 in Claremont, Dodge County, Minnesota, USA. Thomas was born on 20 Dec 1894 in , , Wisconsin, USA; died on 3 Nov 1966 in Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota, USA; was buried in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA, Fort Snelling National Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 29BF9ABBEBEB46B3B39EA0CE8AE58CC48A33

Notes:

Article in Winona, MN, Daily News dated 2-22-1955 indicates that she was an ex-communist. (Source: notes from Louis Wilson given to Larry Wilson refers to her as Helen Wood. Another place on note is the name, Helen Wood Birnie).

Larry Wilson Received the following on 11/3/01 in e-mail from Patrick Wilson:

As Helen Wood Birnie, Helen Wilson wrote the booklet "The Broken Wall" detailing her life as a Communist Party organizer in the 1930s and her subsequent abandonment of the Communist Party to become a civil rights activist and later a Christian activist. The book was published in July, 1954. Helen testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee to speak out against the Communist Party.

Helen used the name Helen DeMark in 1934 as an International Labor Defense Organizer for the Communist Party.

An excerpt from "The Broken Wall" (I added items in brackets):

I had polio when I was three years old. Now, obviously, I am not the only person in America who had polio, not the only person who suffered from it. It so happened, however, that I was the only individual in the village in Minnesota where I lived that had it at the time. And so I was marked as different. I felt the difference, and I did not appreciate it either. I did not like the idea that there were things that other children could do that I could not do. It made me unhappy because I could not romp up and down the hills with them or skate on the mill pond with them. I was always tagging way behind. These things began to stimulate bitterness and resentment in my heart. Of course, there were other reasons, too. We did not have a normal home life. My father [Wallace W. Wilson] was a man who suffered from bitterness because having married late in life and dearly loving my mother [Clara], he lost her when I was just three-and-a-half years old. I had two older sisters [Mildred and Melinda]. These girls, of course, were just as marked by this unfortunate circumstance as I ever was. But it shall be said that their reaction to it was different. We were scattered at the mercy of kindly neighbors and relatives who took us into their homes. My father remarried [Helen], but he was always a man who maintained a sober yet unhappy attitude. Everything that makes for a home was missing in the one in which I grew up. I do not say this because I want to cast reflection on anyone in my family or anyone in my community. But it is true that I did not have a positive understanding of Christian values as a child because they were not taught and presented to me in my home. Now it is easy for people to jump to a conclusion and say, "She's only making excuses." I can appreciate that, and I do not feel unkindly toward you if that is the way you feel. I am telling this story in the hope that people who are asking the question "Why do Americans take up with Communism?" will be honest enough to examine my life and see if, perhaps, it does not contain the answer.

My father died when I was twelve years old. I had the good fortune, however, of being reared close to a man who had a keen appreciation of human life [Clarence E. Wilson]. He was a country doctor, and my father's older brother. A fine and noble man as far as his convictions toward mankind were concerned, he was the kind of a country doctor that people were given to taking for granted, the kind you read about, the kind that folks would pay with pumpkins, rutabagas, cordwood and tomatoes in season and, not so often, money. My uncle was very near and dear to me because he was determined that I should not become one of those thwarted and unhappy individuals known as cripples. He did everything he could to make it possible for me to become a normal human being. He died a tragic death at his own hand when I was fifteen years old. This left an indelible mark upon my life. It caused me to be very bitter, because as I looked back across the years and remembered his faithfulness to his family, his community and to me in particular, I was made aware of the faithlessness of others to him in his hour of need. This led me to say in my heart: "I will not be as other women; I will not be a school-teacher; I will not be a nurse; I will not be a farmer's wife. I am going to be different, I am going to make my difference felt." I said something else in my heart, "You wait, I'll make you sorry you ever knew me. I'll make you hate me so you'll never mention my name." And that I did, for my name was one that was seldom ever spoken except in disrespect, for years and years in the lovely, beautiful community in Minnesota where I began my life.

Member:
John Birch Society

Member:
Communist Party

Family/Spouse: Charles Edward Dennison. Charles was born in 1907; died in 1942. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sylvia married Rev. Charles L. Wood between 1942 and 1945 in Southern California. Charles was born in Unknown; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sylvia married David Birnie about 1947. David (son of Johan Birnie) was born on 25 Jul 1903 in , , , Holland; died on 16 Jan 1986 in Bellview, King County, Washington, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 10F8B3FA7E0742A5955F1FD65DD6A1795774

Notes:

Mary Lou Eisen, age 79, of Milaca, died January 21, 2008 at the Foley Nursing Center. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. Tim Bauer officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 PM on Wednesday at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca and 1 hour prior to the service at church on Thursday.
Mary Lou Eisen was born February 28, 1928 to Thomas and Melinda (Marsolek) Wilson in Owatonna, MN. She grew there and graduated from Owatonna High School. She married Roger Eisen on October 26, 1948 in Winona, MN. The couple made there home in Owatonna for a few years before moving to Milaca. Mary Lou worked at Neuman's Jewelry and Stewart Jewelers and at Frank's Pharmacy in Milaca. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Milaca Legion Auxiliary. Mary Lou enjoyed reading, going fishing and spending time with her grandchildren. For the last year and a half Mary Lou had resided at the Foley Nursing Center where she received excellent care for the staff.
She is survived by her husband, Roger; son, David Eisen of Princeton; grandchildren, Brianne Eisen, Tamara Eisen and Daniel Eisen; sisters, Maureen and husband Don Drabant of Wahkon and Shirley and husband Pete Patterson of Cody, WY; son-in-law, Dale Madsen of Milaca; sister-in-law, Geraldine Marsolek of Owatonna; also by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter, Cynthia and brother, Richard.

Mary married Roger Vernon Eisen on 26 Oct 1948 in Winona, Winona County, Minnesota, USA. Roger was born on 24 May 1924; died on 14 May 2015 in St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA; was buried in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA, Fort Snelling National Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: EA5D767475234C4D808275A87CA3FA56F0CC

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Occupation: "chor-bishop" in the Assyrian Church of the East.
• _UID: D4EFBE121EB74660AC007E734C80C777B538

Notes:

Occupation:
This church is historically from Persia/Iraq and dates from the time of the earliest apostles.

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _STAT: Never Married
• _UID: 96933924D3E841558BBF52AC703E2A403739

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• _UID: C4605CC7E28549089CD6F571D5C1D4CE0F2E

Ruth married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]