The Proctor Wall
John Lebo, Sr., Austria/Hungary
John Lebo, Sr. came to the U.S. from the Black Forest region of Austria/Hungary, married and had 2 children. He worked for the VT Marble Co. in the company’s deepest quarry in Florence as an operator of the channeling machine, which was used to remove the marble from the quarry. At one time in the 1950s he and his son, John were stranded with a group of men in that same quarry. They were all safely rescued.
Rudolf H. Hollmann, Germany
Rudolf H. Hollmann was born in Bremen, Germany in 1903. He immigrated to the U.S. to start a new life with his family and settled in Vermont, eventually going to work for the VT Marble Co. both in the Rutland location and in Proctor, where he worked as a sawyer and marble finisher. Rudolf was disabled in 1969 after being struck in the head by a piece of marble, which fractured his skull and forced his retirement.
John Baron, Poland
John Baron emigrated from Poland, where his parents owned a farm, arriving in the U.S. around 1910. He moved to Proctor where he had relatives, married and had seven children. They lived in a company duplex housing unit on Willow Street, which neighborhood was referred to as “The League of Nations” due to the broad diversity of the residents. John worked for the VT Marble Co. where he operated a huge machine called a Rubbing Bed with one other man. The machine utilized special sand and water to bring the slabs down to the proper size.
Fritz Gollstrom, Sweden
Fritz Gollstrom immigrated to the U.S. in 1914 when he was 19 years old. He initially moved to Chicago where he joined the U.S. Army. After serving for 2 years he came to VT to Work for the VT Marble Co. wherein he held numerous position, and actually participated in the project of “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”. He eventually became a Boxer at the company’s Center Rutland Location.
Axel Anderson, Norway
Axel Ingvald Anderson was born in Kristiania, Norway in August of the year 1900. He came to the U.S. in 1923 to go to work for the VT Marble Co. as a Planer and Draftsman and he also worked in the quarries. When the Company went on strike in the 1930s the workers became so violent that Axel’s wife, Imogene actually hid their 3 sons under a bed.
Antonio Manganelli, Italy
Antonio was born and raised in the town of Santa Paolina, Province of Avellino, Italy. He immigrated to America on Jan 15, 1898 and worked as a stonecutter, sculptor, and mosaic maker. Antonio and his wife, Giovanna had four sons and three daughters. He had little formal education but was very accomplished. He was a shoemaker, carpenter, wine-maker, sculptor and gardener extraordinaire; having two huge gardens in Proctor- one at his home on Garden Street and the other on the west side of town. He and his wife were extremely self-sufficient and never complained. They lived their lives with enormous pride and dignity.
Axel Sarcka, Finland
Axel (originally Albinus Saarinen) was born in Korpilahti, Finland in 1861. The Russians, who dominated Finland at the time, wanted to conscript him into the Russian army. His father had disappeared after being forced into the Russian Army, and Axel was determined not to suffer the same fate. He obtained a passport under an assumed name (Sarkka) and came to Proctor in 1893 where he had friends. Two year later he had saved enough money to send for his wife, Louise (originally Lovisa Saltbacka) and their four children. Eventually there were 10 children - Ellen, Wayne, Earle, Louise, Elma, Ann, Alma, Jack, Andrew and Theodore. Axel played the guitar and sang, and loved to garden. Ellen later married Waldemar Sirjane (see notes).
The entire family worked for the Vermont Marble Company in one capacity or another. The family was enterprising, and picked berries, gardened and fished to help feed the large family. Axel operated a drill on the quarry floor for $1 a day, where chips were thrown up by the machine. He lost one eye and eventually became almost blind. The children's work became crucial to the family's survival. Wayne, the eldest boy, started part time work in the quarry at age 8. At 13 he began to work full time, starting as a gofer, and with the encouragement of the Italian sculptors, eventually became a sculptor in the Monument Department.
Several boys were excellent athletes. The Proctor family helped them get an education, arranging for two of the boys to go to West Point, and two of the girls to go to nursing school. Louise died in 1928, and Axel in ---------. They are buried in the Proctor cemetery.
Wayne and his wife, Elizabeth, founded Spring Lake Ranch, a residential therapeutic community, in Cuttingsville in 1932. His autobiography, a copy of which is in the Proctor Library, describes their early life in Proctor and working for the VMC.
Andrew Macek, Czechoslovakia
Andrew Macek left his young wife and newborn daughter to travel from Kokava, Czechoslovakia to Bremen, Germany and boarded the ship, Kronprinzessin Cecilie in June of 1911, one of 1,074 third-class passengers. He arrived at New York’s Ellis Island on June 20, 1911 and made his way to Proctor to meet his brother and go to work for the VT Marble Co.. He was quickly put to work in the Hollister quarry where he worked until an injury forced him to stop working in the 1950s. His wife, Julia and daughter Susannah arrived in February of 1921. They set up house on the Hollister Quarry Road and raised 5 more children there until their move to Proctor in the 1940s. Andrew and Julia happily lived out their lives in Proctor.
Arvid E. Johnson, Sweden
Arvid Emmanuel Johnson was born in Ekebyorna, Sweden on March 11, 1880. He traveled to America on the SS Commonwealth (Canopic) and arrived in Boston Harbor on Dec. 29, 1902. He settled in Center Rutland and began working for the VT Marble Co. soon after. Arvid married Anna Josefina Johnson. They bought a house from the VMC for ten dollars and consideration on 1/30/42. There they raised 10 children and the house still remains in the Johnson family. Professor Leonard A. Johnson currently resides there. Arvid worked for the VMC his entire life as a hand-polisher in Center Rutland and Proctor. He worked on the Lincoln Memorial and the Radio City Music Hall. Arvid’s uncle, John Levine was an authority on domestic marble. He and Senator Proctor traveled all over the country for the VMC. In 1935 the workers went on strike but Arvid could not afford to stop working because of his large family. A large group of men came down the hill and stoned Arvid’s home, breaking windows. His wife and children hid in the basement.
Waldemar Sirjane, Finland
Waldemar Sirjane (originally Heikki Valdemar Syrjanen) was born in Artjarvella, Finland in 1881. He came to Proctor in his late teens, probably to escape induction into the Russian army. He worked for the Vermont Marble Company as a stonecutter and polisher.
He married Axel and Louise Sarcka's eldest child, Ellen (originally Elli Saarinen), with whom he had four children, Francis, Reinold, Hester and Emily. Waldemar was an avid fisherman and hunter.
Waldemar took the family fishing on weekends, where they would get together with other Finnish families and enjoy themselves. He loved to sing and dance.
After Axel and Louise Sarcka died, the Sirjanes moved into the Sarcka home on South Street. Waldemar and Ellen eventually moved to New York City where their daughters lived. Waldemar died in 1945, and Ellen in 1955. They are buried in the Proctor cemetery.
The Sirjane children moved away except for Reinold (Ray), who worked at Spring Lake Ranch in Cuttingsville, VT for the greater part of his life. He married and had five children, Chris, Sarah, David, Jeff and Julie, most of whom live in Vermont. Francis had one child, Rhys, who lives in Alabama.
John Peter Lind, Sweden
John Peter Lind was born in Skagern, Sweden on November 17, 1885.
He came to the United States in the early 1900’s where he met Anna Lundstrom, also from Sweden. They married on October 25, 1911 in the Center Rutland Swedish Congregational Church, raised seven children: Lawrence Henry (1912), Robert Godfrey (1915), Ruth Kristine (1917), Elmer Theodore (1919), John Henry (1923), William David (1926) and Doris Virginia (1930), while he worked for the Vermont Marble Company for his entire working career.
John Peter worked primarily in Center Rutland, Vermont at the Vermont Marble Company shop, where he operated machinery that polished marble. He also traveled for many years to locations around the United States to install finished marble, including many government buildings in Washington, D.C.
During his long career at Vermont Marble, John Peter and Anna also operated a small diary farm on Bump Road in Clarendon until he retired in the mid 1950s and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. John Peter died on September 24, 1958 at the Proctor Hospital. He was 73 years old. Many of the children, grandchildren, and great grand children of John Peter and Anna Lind continue to live in the Clarendon, Proctor and Rutland area.
Otto V. Gustafson, Sweden
Otto Vilhelm Gustafson was born in Tidaholm, Sweden on November 24, 1884.
Otto came to the United States on March 5, 1902 through Ellis Island in New York City. Otto married Anna Bernardina Spargren, who had emigrated from Sandhem, Sweden. They were married in Whitehall, New York on November 17, 1906 and settled in Proctor, Vermont where they raised their family of four children: Joseph Valdemar (1907), Bertel William (1909), Margaret Eleanor (1913) and Dorothy Maria (1920).
Otto worked in Proctor at the Vermont Marble Company shop, where he polished marble and operated the overhead cranes. His brother, Oscar, had also moved from his family’s home in Sweden to Proctor, Vermont to work for the Vermont Marble Company. Later in life; Otto was a custodian for the Vermont Marble Company office building. He enjoyed gardening and he cared for the beautiful tulip beds at the main office building. After he retired, Otto and Anna continued to live in Proctor until he died on May 18, 1958 at the age of 74.
Some of the children, grand children and great grand children of Otto and Anna Gustafson continue to live in the Proctor and Rutland area. Family members travelled to Tidaholm, Sweden in 2004 to visit the Gustafson family homestead and farm, which had been in the family from the mid 1800’s until 1995.
Oscar A. Gustafson, Sweden
Oscar Arvid Gustafson was born in Tidaholm, Sweden to Klara Larsdotter and Gustaf Andersson on April 22, 1879. As one of nine siblings, Oscar left Sweden seeking a better life in the United States.
Arriving at Ellis Island in New York, not speaking the language and with little resources, it is assumed that Oscar connected with businessmen from the Proctor Marble Company who not only offered work but also travel to Proctor, Vermont. Thus, in the early 1900's he began his life in this country and his life long career working, alongside his brother Otto, for the Vermont Marble Company in Proctor, Vermont.
It is believed that Oscar soon returned to Sweden to marry Jenny Lundgren bringing her to Proctor where they would spend the remainder of their life together, raising three children: Oscar Ivar (1906), Alice Linnea (1908), and Fletcher Eric (1923). They were hardworking and frugal people and in 1908, they purchased their home at 24 Gibbs Street, Proctor for under $2000. They never owned an automobile or a credit card and they paid for everything with cash. At one time Oscar worked both for the Proctor Marble Company and as a Travel Agent selling tickets for passage to Sweden from his home.
They became proud Americans who never forgot family left in Sweden. They corresponded regularly with that family, frequently sending money to help where needed. The Proctor Marble Company gave them an opportunity in this country and they were forever grateful for all that they received from the Marble Company and the Proctor family. Oscar passed away on August 30, 1958 at the age of 79.
John Alfred Johnson, Sweden
John Alfred Johnson was born April 18, 1854 in Sodermanland, Sweden.
In April 1893 he arrived in Proctor to work in the mill for the Vermont Marble Company. He was a charter member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
John was married to Hilma Charlotta Lindholm, and had nine children: Annie, Bernhard, Judith, Hilmer, Herbert, Inez, Gertrude, Edith and Bertha. He died on March 27, 1922.
Three more generations of the Johnson family went on to work in the marble industry. John's son, Herbert was also employed by the Vermont Marble Co., attaining the position of Chief Marble Expert. His son, Herbert Johnson, Jr. (Hoby), worked as a marble setter and later as a Foreman in the shop. In 1981, Hoby and Oliver Danforth purchased a portion of the Vermont Marble Company’s Novelty Dept. and started Marble Gifts, Inc.. Today, the business is known as Johnson Marble and Granite, Inc. located in Proctor and is owned and operated by Herbert Johnson, III.
John Edwin Jacobson, Sweden
John Edwin Jacobson was born in Karlstad, Sweden in 1872.
As a young man, he came to work in the Vermont Marble Company mill.
He met and married Edla Sophia Svenson and had three children: Axel, Anna and Hilmer. John contracted tuberculosis and spent several years in the Pittsford Sanitarium. He died in 1914 at the age of 42.
John's daughter, Anna, married Herbert Johnson, son of John Alfred Johnson.
Louis Alexander King, Canada
Louis A. King was a Vermont Marble Company employee, formerly from Canada. When his son, Louis D. King was in Proctor High School, he was asked by his Mom to bring his Dad some sandwiches down to him at the shop where he was working overtime.
To young Louis’ amazement he found his father doing the lettering on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s monument which is now located at FDR’s resting place in Hyde Park, NY. Louis A. King also did the lettering on hundreds and hundreds of monuments of World War II soldiers.
Swan Olaf Mattsson, Sweden
Swan Olaf Mattsson was born in Karlsham, Sweden in 1900. He was a seaman on a Danish freighter along with Eric Anderson. They both jumped ship when it came to port in New York City in 1924. The Vermont Marble Company had representatives there at the docks and both men ended up going to work in Proctor, VT. He became a U.S. Citizen in 1941. Swan Mattsson and Eric Anderson raised their families and lived out their lives in Proctor.
Carl S. Hector, Sweden
Carl was born in Motala, Sweden in 1872. He came to the United States on the ship St. Louis in 1900. He worked for the Vermont Marble Company in their Center Rutland shops as a rubbing bed operator. In 1903 he married Albertina Carlson. She was also born in Sweden in 1865 and came to the United States on the ship City of New York in 1892. They had four children, Elsie, Albert, Edward and Paul all of whom worked in the marble industry. Carl died in 1966 and his wife Albertina died in 1941.
Oscar L. Johnson, Sweden
Oscar was born in Vargarda, Sweden on December 1, 1881. He was a machinist who immigrated to Proctor around 1900. For most of his working years he was superintendent of the large Vermont Marble Company machine shop in Proctor. In 1904 he married Hilda Oscarson who had immigrated to Proctor in 1902 from Motala, Sweden. Three of their children, George, Alice and Paul worked for the Vermont Marble Company, George as Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance, Alice as a Secretary, and Paul as an Accountant.
Antoni Tatarinowicz, Belarus
Antoni moved to this country around 1910. He came from Belarus which at that time was a part of Poland. Belarus was also a part of Russia at one time. He met and married his wife Mary and together they raised seven children. Antoni worked hard as a Boxer in the Building Shed at the Vermont Marble Company for many years. A few of his children went on to work for the company also. He retired at the age of 70 and loved spending his time walking around town and visiting his relatives who also came to town to work for the Vermont Marble Company.
Boleslaw Tatarinowicz, Belarus
Boleslaw came to this country after World War II as a D.P. (displaced person). Instead of going to fight in the war he was sent to Germany to work for a farmer whose own sons had gone off to war. After the war was over a group of men were gathered together as D.P.‘s. They could try to go back home or to hopefully get a chance to come to America. Luckily they were able to travel to New York with a group of farmers and other businessmen. Boleslaw was chosen to go to Minnesota to work on a farm where he was required to stay for six months. When that time was up he moved to Proctor to live with his Uncle Stanislaw and Aunt Anna. Very soon he was hired by the Vermont Marble Company to work on the Rubbing Bed. He worked
hard at his job until his retirement at the age of 65. He liked to go fishing and drive his car and he was able to drive and take care of himself until he died at the age of 90.
Stanislaw Tatarinowicz, Belarus
Stanislaw came to this country to work for the Vermont Marble Company. After a few years and after saving a little money he was able to bring his wife, Anna here. He worked hard at the shop and she in her garden. He had many friends and relatives to visit after he retired from the company at the age of 65.
John Gallus, Sr., Slovakia
John and his wife, Julia came to this country in the early 1900’s. They settled in Proctor and raised four sons. Their home country was called Czechoslovakia at that time which later was changed to the Czech Republic and Slovakia as it is known today. John worked for the Vermont Marble Company as did all of his sons over the years. He worked hard at the company holding many different positions until his retirement at the age of 65.
Ivan Illinski, Czechoslovakia
Ivan Illinski was born on October 18, 1881 in Chornij Potok, Czechoslovakia. He emigrated from Fiume, Italy on the S.S. Aurania and arrived at Ellis Island, NY on March 8, 1904. Ivan began employment with the Vermont Marble Company in 1904 at the Double Road Quarry as a quarryman and blacksmith. He was transferred to Sutherland Falls and then to the Exterior Finishing Shop in 1929 and was a crane operator until his retirement in 1946. Ivan married Mary Evancha on May 24, 1906 in Proctor. She emigrated from Chornij Potok, Czechoslovakia in 1906. They had nine children: Ivan Jr., Maria, George, Sophie, John, Mary, Charles, Ann and Helen. Ivan and Mary lived at The Boarding House on East Street and on Patch Street before purchasing their Patch Street home in Proctor in September of 1942. Ivan passed away in February of 1952 and Mary in January of 1969.