Wanda S. Ussatis Wolsky was born in a prairie home somewhere between Kensal and Pingree, North Dakota, in Stutsman County as Wanda Semke, the third child of a pioneer family Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Semke.
While she was an infant her parents homesteaded a farm five miles south of Kensal near the little post office of Esler, North Dakota. She recalls walking through the prairie to this little post office that was serviced twice per week by a mailman named William Homuth of Kensal. Her childhood and early adult years centered around that community with its rural Lutheran Church as the hub of their activities. Wanda's father and two other pioneers built their beloved church for $250.00 which included the price of hiring a carpenter. In July 1917 Wanda married Gustav A. Ussatis. This marriage was ended when after twenty months the husband died of the wartime flu. Wanda was left with a six month old son Harold, and an unborn child Adeline, who was born three months later. Without any assistance she reared these children by keeping house for her brother Herman Semke of Kensal. She always raised a big garden and preserved much food. With the money that she got from her eggs and butter that she sold, she kept her family together. In 1927 Wanda married Fred Wolsky of Kensal. They made their home in the same community until 1932 when they moved to a farm east of Carrington, North Dakota. During the five years that they lived at that location they never once pulled the binder out for harvest. The Great Depression was in full force. In 1937 the family moved to Barnes County to a farm three miles south of Leal, North Dakota. Mr. Wolsky passed away in November 1963. Since that time Mrs. Wolsky and her son Arlan have continued living in Sanborn. Children of Wanda and Fred are: Loren, Eleanor (Mrs. Orice Pawluk) and Arlan.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 274