The only information we could confirm is that Sylvester Robowske (also spelled Robowski in some records) appears in the 1904 La Porte city directory as the proprietor of a saloon at 409 Tipton Street. Beyond this listing, very little is documented about his time in La Porte, and more research is needed. If you uncover anything else about this bottler, please let us know. He does NOT appear in the 1902 directory as an individual or under saloons.
The 1900 U.S. Census provides the most reliable personal details about him. It records that he was born in December 1870, immigrated from Germany on August 20, 1890, and married Anna Robofske in 1897. At that time, he was working as a cabinet maker and living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It is unclear when he relocated to La Porte, but based on the census and the 1904 directory listing, his saloon business there likely operated sometime between 1901 and 1904, ending with his death on December 30, 1904.
1902 – Not listed.
1904 – Robowski, Sylvester (Anna) saloon, 409 Tipton.
Sylvester Robowski’s gravestone at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in La Porte, Indiana.
Born December 7, 1870
Died December 30, 1904
Note: The U.S. Census record spells the name as Robofske with the same birth month and year.
Gravestones and census records often differ in spelling because names were not always standardized, and census takers typically wrote them as they sounded, with families rarely correcting the record. Many surnames also evolved over time or had multiple accepted forms, especially among immigrants whose names were adapted into English. Gravestones were carved using whatever spelling the family provided, and errors could occur if the handwriting was unclear or if the family had begun using a slightly different spelling by that time. For these reasons, it is common to find several variations of the same surname in historical records.
