This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/RGB.2ACI/404 Message Board Post: Hello List, Can someone recommend a book(s), a website or any other source that discusses the employment of seasonal workers in the lumber industries in the time frame around 1875-1885. My g-gf purchased a farm in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin in 1878 and was a farmer for his entire life. He raised seven children on his farm, and six of them were born there. However, his first child was born in Menominee, Michigan on 21 Apr 1879 (as is recorded on her marriage record and her death certificate). My g-gf was born in Bohemia and his family background was in agriculture not lumbering or fishing. He was 29 years old in 1879 (his name was Ondrej Savlik = Andrew Shavlik, other variations are Sawlik, Schawlik, Schavlik and Schaflik). It is my theory that my g-gf went to Menominee to work the lumber industry during the winter to earn money. I do not think he had many animals on his farm and if he did, he probably could have left them with a neighbor. I do not know if there was much work to be done on the farm, the ground would be frozen, there was no machinery to maintain...so it seems logical that he would look for other work. I assume the winter was the busy season in the lumber industry for felling trees and hauling them to the river banks. There were no other family members in the US at this time, so he was not visiting family. I do not know if Menominee County had much of a Czech community back then, such that he may have been visiting friends. I appreciate any help....Tom ----- email: pan_mila@yahoo.com