Besalke Family Collection

This collection features materials from the Besalke family. William Besalke was born in Europe in 1879 to Daniel and Caroline Besalke, and came to the United States in 1894. He married Augusta Bomball on February 8, 1900 in Decatur. Mr. Besalke worked as a coal miner at the Decatur Coal Company until he was seriously injured in an accident in 1923. He was one of five men on a mine elevator cage the plummeted 100 feet to the bottom of No. 2 mine shaft. The men were trapped in the elevator for 6 hours before machinery was repaired, and the men could be brought back to the surface. Mr. Besalke suffered a broken leg. William Besalke retired from the Wabash Railroad in 1945 after working for 46 years as a blacksmith welder. He passed away on April 11, 1954 at the age of 74. William and Augusta had 6 children: Carl W., Arthur H., Herman (Swede) W., Ruth, Margaret, and an unknown daughter. Herman W. “Swede” Besalke was born on March 17, 1907 in Decatur. He married Laecilia (Lucille) Wittke on July 14, 1926. Together, they had two children: Edward A. Besalke and Dorothy Besalke Hale. Herman worked as the building superintendent for the Decatur Herald and Review for 19 years. Before that, he worked as a boilermaker at the Wabash Railroad. He passed away on July 18, 1968.