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Frank and Jenny Litera Betlach |
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| Wedding, Circa 1881 |
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| Jess, son of Frank and Jenny married Elvira Jernell Their children were: David, Elvira, Lois and John. Jess was a commercial artist in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was responsible for the famous painting of the Indian Maiden that came to signify Land O' Lakes Butter. |
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| Jess Betlach in his Minneapolis Studio |
In 1924, Jess was the illustrator for a book written by Millie Bock Jacobson, "Martha of India" published by Augustana Book Concern I have a copy of that book and I will post the illustrations on this page soon. This painting on the right was done by Jess Betlach and was given to me by his grandaughter, Connie Betlach Cleary |
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From the Stillwater Daily Gazette, June 12, 1899 "Handled Spurious Bills" Convicts Lodged in Prison* Who Had a Big Roll of Counterfeit $10 Bills Frank Betlach and John Rudd have been received at the state prison under sentences for having sundry $10 counterfeit silver certificates in their possession. There were 80 of the bills and when arrested they were going about the small towns and passing them on storekeepers. Two years ago they passed one upon a druggist at Wykoff, Minnesota. While they were lodged in the jail at Winona two years ago to await trial, they and another man cut a hole in the jail roof and escaped. After being recaptured, Betlach was confined in the jail at St. Paul. There he acted so strange that he was sent to the U.S. hospital at Washington D.C. Some people believed he simulated insanity. He was a very wily man and was said to be one of the cleverest forgers in the country. It is asserted that he made the dies used in making the silver certificates and got Rudd to pass the bills. Betlach was well known in Chicago in Bohemian circles, and traveled for years giving tent shows in Bohemian settlements. Both men were put to work in the twine factory this morning. Betlach was sentenced for five years and Rudd, one year. A fine of $100 was imposed upon each. They were convicted at the Winona term of the federal court last week. It is believed that the bogus $10 bills found in the possession of the men when arrested were only a small part of the supply of green goods they had at their command. Counterfeiting newspaper articles #1 #2 |
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After his release from Stillwater Prison, Frank moved to Leoti, Kansas and married Miss Mary Preyer. <><><><><><><><><><> The family is not sure if Frank had previously known Mary,.... perhaps from his days on the road touring the Bohemian settlements putting on puppet shows. He and Mary had 4 children: William, Otto, Susie and Elsie <><><><><><><><><><> William married Helen Rose Kreitzer Otto married Ruth Garnes Nothing is known at this time about Susie Elsie married first: Frederick Wymann and then she married: Werner Carby <><><><><><><><><><> If anyone has any further information on this branch of the family, I would love hearing from you!! |
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STILLWATER PRISON The last two remaining buildings of the original Stillwater Prison were destroyed by fire on September 3, 2002. One building was used for years as a twine factory; the other building was a one story warehouse. Both building were built in 1890. Three men were arrested and booked on first-degree arson charges a few days after the fire. The prison, which was Minnesota's first prison, opened in 1853 before Minnesota became a state. It closed its doors in 1914, six years after a new facility was opened in Bayport, Minnesota. The prison once housed the Younger Brothers: Cole, Bob and Jim, members of Jesse James' Gang, who attempted to rob a bank at Northfield, Minnesota in 1876. The building which housed the twine factory was on the National Register of Historic Places. |
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| Frank Betlach & Family |
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Frank and Jenny Story, Continued From stories I have heard and read, Frank certainly may have had many girlfriends, and exactly how many marriages he had is a mystery. I'm sure that Frank's family members and Jenny must have been embarrassed by Frank's carryings on and that is why she listed herself as a widow of Frank Betlach, in the Minneapolis City Directories for 1890-1894, and then as Miss Jenny Litera for the year 1894-1895 directory. Frank was not yet in prison, so he may have still been on the road with his marionette show or quite possibly he had already became acquainted with the counterfeiting business. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Jenny eventually remarried. This time she wed John Wittliff and they had a daughter,Geneva, born circa 1895. John, Jenny and Geneva lived in Little Falls, Morrison County, Minnesota.. Jenny died in 1925 at the age of 59, from pneumonia and is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Minneapolis. John died in 1946 at the age of 81 from coronary heart disease. He is also buried at Hillside Cemeter in Minneapolis. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> There are copies of John and Jenny's obituaries and death certificates on the Litera Vital Records page. |
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| Left to Right John Wittliff, George Fisher, Jess Betlach Jenny (Litera Betlach) Wittliff, Geneva and an unknown woman Thank you! to Connie Betlach Cleary for this photo. |
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| The Frank Betlach Family photo is through the courtesy of the Leoti Kansas Historical Society The other Betlach Family photos on this page are through the courtesy of Connie Betlach Cleary The stories about Frank and Jenny and the Litera Family were written by Elvira Jernell Betlach, and appeared in the Sun Argus Newspaper, Circa 1960's ~~Many thanks to you!!~~ |
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| "Secrets Untold" used by permission and is copyright 2004Bruce DeBoer |
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| Francis and Mary Litera Francis (John on his death certificate) and Mary Schimon Litera had 9 known children: Several others did not survive the rigors of birth. The surviving children were: Jennie, the oldest, born 1865; married (1) Frank Betlach, (2)John Wittliff Mary born 1872; married Julius Gardner Julia born January 1875; married George Fisher Anna October 1875; married Albert Sharpsteen Caroline born April 1977; married Miles Fisher Francis born June 1879; Mina born 1883 George born September 1886 (Mary died, as did George a short time after his birth. They opened Mary's grave and buried George with her) The son, Francis was to have changed his last name to one that sounded more attractive to him and proclaimed for him French ancestry. I believe he changed it to Le Terre. I have found death records for Frank LaTerre, his wife Ovidia and a baby boy. They are also buried at Hillside Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I now believe that Frank may have been married first to a woman by the name of Anna. (She died in 1908) If anyone has any information on Frank please contact me. To read more about the Litera Family, click below; if text appears too small, pause mouse over text and click the arrow that appears at the bottom of the page. |
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