I don't remember much of my great-grandma Bieke, she died when I was 8 years old at about the age of 85. She was born in Poland and we don't have any information about her birthdate, what town she came from, etc. I don't remember her saying much, mostly just observing and smiling. She used to hang out alot at my Grandpa Bieke's, across the street from us on Wilshire, and once or twice I remember going to her house on Field Street. She had a coffee can full of pennies and she would let us kids grab a whole handful whenever we came over, which wasn't very often.
My Mom has more stories about her, I'm sure. I do know that she taught my Mom how to make home-made chicken noodle soup. That is good stuff, too! Apparently, way back in the day, wives would have to learn how to cook like the groom's mother, with just the right spices and stuff. So my great-grandma had to learn from Sophia Bieke how my great-gradnfather Daniel Maternis Bieke liked his chicken noodle soup. Sophia probably learned how to cook in Germany, or at least from her first-generation parents. So whenever my Mom makes homemade chicken noodle soup now, she is spicing it like the way they did in Germany way back when. I asked my mom to make a video of her making this soup so I can learn to make the chicken noodle soup the way she makes it!
The one story my Mom tells is about how my great-grandma had a nervous breakdown and isolated herself for a year following the death of her oldest son, Sonny. My Mom wasn't around then, so I don't know how she would know this, but she does.
My grandpa Goeddeke used to hang around with a Joe Bieke, who was the grandson of the Joseph Bieke who immigrated with Frank and Augustin Bieke. Both grew up in the St. Joe's/Eastern Market area, and both had houses on Kilbourne Street as adults with children. In fact, Joe Bieke was the godparent of my Aunt Carol. Anyway, one day when I was a kid, on one of the trips to Belle Isle with my Goeddeke grandparents, my grandpa pointed out a tree on Belle Isle and said one of my relatives died in a car crash when his car hit that tree. He tried to explain how I was related but he couldn't explain it. But it was Sonny Bieke, my grandpa Bieke's brother. It makes sense now that Grandpa Goeddeke would know which tree it was. He was about 25 when it happened, and hanging around with Joe Bieke, probably thought it was him when he first heard of it. But he probably found out from Joe Bieke it was the Joseph Bieke from other branch of the family. And everyone in the city probably knew which tree it was, too.
There were a couple times I saw Sonny's grave, at Mount Olivet, which had a portrait photo encased and glued to the headstone.
Anyway, everyone in the family knew that Sonny Bieke died in a car crash on Belle Isle, but nobody ever showed any documentation. Further, nobody seemed to agree on where it happened. One day, I decided to find out.
I went to the Detroit Public Library and found the newspaper articles.
Detroit Times, March 1, 1927, front page:
"BELLE ISLE CRASH IS FATAL.
Two men are dead, one is in serious condition and another is held today on a charge of negligent homicide as result of traffic accidents.
Joseph Bieke, 19, of 3754 Field avenue, was killed instantly when he crashed into a tree on Belle Isle shortly after midnight.
Elmer Pokorny, 28, of 3734 Van Dyke avenue, nephew of Edward Pokorny, friend of the court, one four passengers with Bieke, was injured seriously. He was taken to Receiving Hospital.
William Johnson, 20, of 3530 Parker avenue, Paul Liss, 19, of 3641 Townsend avenue, and Donald Agens, 21, of 3523 Townsend avenue, the other three members of the party, were treated for bruises and cuts. Their injuries were minor. None could give a reason for the crash."
Detroit Free Press, March 1, 1927, front page:
"Crashes Into Tree
In the other accident, Joseph Bieke, 19 years old, 3754 Field avenue, was killed when the machine he was driving at the western end of Belle Isle crashed into a tree as he was turning onto the bridge approach. Elmer Pokorny, 19 years old, 3724 Van Dyke avenue, seated in the front seat with Bieke, probably was fatally injured. With three other boys riding in the rear seat of the machine he was taken to Receiving Hospital for treatment.
The other three, who [unreadable] are Paul Liss, 19, 3641 Townsend avenue, William Johnson, 20, 3530 Parker avenue, and Donlad Agens, 21, 3523 Townsend avenue."
Detroit News, March 1, 1927, Front Page:
"DRIVER KILLED ON BELLE ISLE
Unidentified Man Standing in Safety Zone Struck by Hit-and-Run Motorist.
An automobile driven by Joseph Bieke, 20 years old, 3754 Field avenue, skidded into a tree on the north shore of Belle Isle near the bridge early today. Bieke was killed instantly and four other youths who were riding in the car were injured.
According to police, Bieke failed to observe a turn in the road to the east of the bridge in time to change the course of his car. When he applied the brakes, the car skidded.
Elmer Pokorny, 3724 Van Dyke avenue, suffered a fracture of the skull and he is in the Receiving Hospital in a serious condition. The others, who suffered minor injuries, were treated at the hospital and went home. They were: Paul Liss, 19, of 2641 Townsend avenue; Donald Agens, 21, of 3522 Townsend avenue, and William Johnson, 20, of 3530 Parker avenue.
Bieke was the son of Daniel Bieke, 3754 Field avenue, a letter carrier and the father of 10 children. He had been employed by the Ainsworth Manufacturing Co."
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that 5 young men, cruising in a car after midnight on Belle Isle, were probably drinking or at least speeding, maybe racing, but in any case, up to no good. This is a clear example of how a carful of young men out for fun leads to no good. In this case, it cost at least one person his life, and the remainder of a lifetime of sorrow for his mother.
As I was browsing newspaper articles yesterday for the creamery story, I ran across another incident like this from May 1934. But in this case it was a couple of married couples, the husband of the driver died when the car hit a tree by the recreation fields and overturned.
I don't see how anybody can go over 20 MPH on Belle Isle unless they are up to no good.
I vaguely remember hearing or reading the Sonny Bieke car was a Buick. If so, I wonder if it was bought at Decker Buick, at 8740 Mack, which was fairly close to the Field Street house, and my grandpa later bought the building to use for his Erie Paint store?
Anyway, the moral of this story is don't drink and drive!
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