Philomena was born to French immigrants John and Magdalena (Criqui) Knaus on August 12,1854 in Buffalo, NY. By 1860, the Knauses settled in Stearns County, MN by way of Iowa. Henry was born to Joseph and Elizabeth (Bruining) Yunck in 1855 in Taos, Missouri. By 1865, their family also moved to Stearns County. Eventually, Philomena and Henry met and married on August 9, 1873. Their first child Marie was born in 1874.
The young couple moved to Bismarck, Dakota Territory in 1878 and operated a boarding house at the Bismarck steamboat landing. Lodging was in short supply with the start of construction of the Missouri River bridge for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Philomena cooked meals for the bridge building crew and Henry worked as a laboror on the landing. And their second child Joseph was born.
They crossed the Missouri River in 1879 and started a new business in the new city of Mandan. By January of 1880, the Yuncks celebrated the grand opening of the Merchants Hotel situated across the street and just down the block from the first Northern Pacific Railroad depot (located at the T-intersection of today's Main Street and Collins Avenue.)
1883 Stoner City Line Sketch - Mandan DT
Theordore Roosevelt was a familiar figure at the hotel in the early 1880s. Philomena had also cooked meals for the Marquis De Mores. In 1883, De Mores was jailed behind the hotel awaiting trial for murder. Philomena would often take in immigrants; feeding them and giving them rooms.
Henry would eventually become one of the first city councilman and a well respected business man. In 1883 the third child, a son named John, was born. Dealing with lingering effects of tuberculosis (refered to at the time as "consumption"), he died in 1884. As members of St. Joseph Catholic Church, he and his 10-year old daughter Marie are likely buried in (now) unmarked graves in Old St. Joseph's Cemetery northwest of Mandan or possibly Greenwood Cemetery south of Mandan.
The pioneer business and two small children were left in the hands of Henry's widow, Philomena.
Henry Otto Yunck
Henry's brother Herman was born in 1855. He came to Mandan in 1878 from Minnesota with the rest of the family. He had worked for D.R. Taylor and the NP Railway, came to Philomena's aid and assisted with the daily activities of running the hotel.
As was common to the time, the younger brother took on the responsibility for an older brother's family. On November 18, 1886, Philomena and Herman were married.
Herman Yunck
In addition to running the hotel with his wife, Herman was one of the founders of the volunteer fire department and led the Mandan Fire Department's Hook & Ladder Company. Herman suffered from a heart ailment for 15 years and passed away in November 23, 1913.
In total, Philomena would be mother to seven (7) children including Marie Catherine {1874-1884}, Joseph Henry {1878-1951}, John {1882-1948}, Theresa Agnes {1887-1921}, William B {1889-1929}, Wilhelmina {1891-1964} and Katharina {1893-1969}.
Philomena continued to operate the hotel until 1920 with help from her daughter Minnie (Yunck) Block, wife of Polish immigrant Emil Block. Her son-in-law subsequently opened a class tailor shop in the front of the building and the building then operated as a boarding house.
Philomena passed away on November 24, 1925. She is buried beside her second husband Herman Yunck in Mandan's Union Cemetery.
As denoted in ND State Historical Society records compiled by the ND Federation of Women's Clubs between 1929-1932 for the ND Pioneer Mother Project (which were typically written by a family member), Philomena's entry concludes "Her death was a general breakdown due to age. Mrs. Yunck was a kind mother to many a plainsmen, and her advice was a turning point in many lives. This kindly woman pointed the way to higher ideals and success to many struggling souls."
The Society would like to thank Laine and Laura Pope for sharing information on her great grandparents with us.
The MHSoc's museum and office is located at 3827 30th Avenue NW; Mandan, ND 58554 Contact us at info@mandanhistory.org
