John Langner Biography

John LANGNER was born 17 Mar 1867 in Posen, Prussia, Germany. His father’s name was also John LANGNER. His mother’s maiden name was Magdelena PERVNIAK. He lived with his German parents near the Polish border. When orphaned at an early age, John was taken in by a Polish family.

John married a Polish girl, Maryanna MICHALAK, in 1890, in Posen, Prussia, Germany. Maryanna was born in June 1867 in Posen.

They came to the United States with their infant son, Henry, in 1893. John was Naturalized in 1900.

While living in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois, seven more children were born: Joseph (1894), Alice (1895), Martin (1897), Veronia (1900), Frank (1901), Stella (1904), and Wlada (1908).

"The Langner children didn’t live long. Of John and Mary’s eight children, Elsie lived the longest. Veronia didn’t reach adulthood. Wlada lived until she was 30. Joe died when he was only 35. Stella was 45. Frank died when he was 46. Hank and Marty died when they were 51. Elsie made it 60 years! All of her children died before their mother. She died of cerebral thrombosis due to generalized arterio sclerosis which was a condition she had for fifteen years." [*DLS]

Circa 1923
Wada (Lottie Wladyslawa LANGNER)
with her father, John LANGNER

Grandpa John LANGNER
holding Ray and Marie LANGNER
with Florence ANDERSON in front

John was a gentle, quiet, hard-working man. He was a foreman at the quarry on 31st and Cicero Avenue in Cicero, IL. He was blinded in an accident on the job. There are two versions of the story. The second version has been told by more people.

Version #1: Someone set the dynamite and it did not go off. Being foreman, John had to go and check it out. Just as he got close, the dynamite did go off and he was blinded.

Version #2: John’s boss felt the crew was blasting too slowly and too inefficient. So, his boss was going to show him how to do a better and faster dynamiting job. His boss died in the process and John was blinded.

John LANGNER died of typhoid 06 Jun 1927 in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois. His funeral was held at St. Mary of Czestochowa Church in Cicero, and he was buried in Ressurection Cemetery in Justice, Cook County, Illinois.

“I remember him with his cane. I was only four when he died. I guess that cane stuck in my mind thinking I better behave or he might just use it on me.” [*DLS]

John LANGNER

17 Mar 1867 - 06 Jun 1927