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Vornamen: Eva |
Geschlecht: weiblich  |
Geburt:
Ja Tod: Ja |
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Besucher:
Eva (Unbekannt) (I44884)
Besucher:
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  Verwandtschafts-Ereignisse | |
| Geburt | Ja |
| Tod | Ja |
| Letzte Änderung | 29. Dezember 2006 - 15:20:59 Zuletzt geändert von: dcoplien |
 Anmerkung |
A Tale of Two Szelag Brothers By: Kathy Szelag, December 2006 John (Jan) Szelag was father to Charles (Karel) Szelag, father-in-law to Margaret Alice Knowlton Szelag and grandfather to their two children, Judy (1949) and Russ (1950). For many years, John lived with them after his wife died, and he and his children (who all lived nearby) would tell stories of the “old days” in Poland. As was customary in those days, little if anything was ever written down. But Russ and Judy can remember tales of coming to the United States shortly before WWI, of the village “Sanok” and of another town whose name sounded like “Tremish”. And – they know the story of John’s brother Michael (Michal) who accompanied John’s wife and children to the US, then left for Chicago and was never heard from again. This is what I have been able to learn so far of the fate of those two brothers and their families. Some of the birth and death dates should be viewed as approximate, since various records differ by a year or two. It seems, in particular, that some of the Szelag women might have, later in life, claimed to be a year or two younger than they really were. The Szelags were from a region of what is now Poland called Galicia. Galica had been a free state of Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox Catholics, and Jews; it was annexed by Poland in 1772. It is in Southern Poland and is bordered on the west by Austria/Bavaria and on the East by the Ukraine. There is a small village named Sanok in Galicia and a larger town (that dates from 900 AD) named Przemysl (pronounced Premish) near the southern border. The people speak Polish, but, since Poland allowed Galicia a great deal of self-rule, many residents prior to WWI thought of themselves as “Galicy”, not Poles. By 1905 a woman named Eva Szelag, living near those towns, had lost her husband (first name unknown). The family was Roman Catholic. In 1900 the Galician government conducted a full census of the area; records could be ordered from Sanok or Przemsyl to learn more. By 1905, the entire area of Galicia was in significant economic hardship. The area had never been particularly developed, and a long recession starting in about 1880 forced literally hundreds of thousand of Galicians to leave for either the US or Brazil. When they left, they would sometimes list themselves as Polish, but other times as Gallician or Bohemian. In 1905, Eva had at least two children – Jan (born in 1873) and Michal (born Sept. 17 1882 in Przemysl.) Jan was already married to Franciszka (born 1877 in Galicia and with a possible last name of Dabrova), and had three children. The three were – Stanislaw (born 1903 and later known as Stanley), Emilia (born 1904 and later known as Millie) and Zafra (born in 1905 and later known as Sophie.) Like many others, Jan (later known as John) decided to leave for the United States. He left his wife and children behind with brother Michal (later known as Michael.) The plan was for him to save money and send for them as soon as possible. John identifies him self as a “Galicy”, of Polish nationality. John left for Bremen Germany, probably by train. He arrived in New York in 1905, sailing on the ship Grosser Kurfurst. He lists himself as traveling alone, although there were other Szelags and many others from that region who had left Galicia in the last few years and he may have intended to meet up with them in New York or New Jersey. In 1907, John sends for Francis, his children and Michael. His mother Eva is still alive since Michael lists her as his closest relative still living in Galicia. Michael says that their last place of residence in Galicia was a village named Cabrowa, although I can find no information on it. (Later John will tell his grandchildren that he exchanged letters with Eva until sometime during WWI, when he could no longer locate her.) The five Szelags sail on ship Oldenburg, arriving in New York (Ellis Island) November 22. At that point, the family story is that there was some sort of “falling out” between brothers John and Michael, and that Michael set out for Chicago. The following traces them each separately. My guess is that there may have been other siblings left behind with Eva, since one would have thought she would otherwise have joined Michal in 1907. John’s Story The first record of John and his family in the US is when he (along with 24 million other men) must register for the draft in 1915-1917. He and his family (which has grown, as you will see) are living in “Chrome”, New Jersey (a section of Cartaret) and he is a machinist in a chemical factory named “Metal and Thermit”. The family then shows up in the 1930 census (the last census for which records are public.) The parents and six children are living in Cartaret, where he is still a machinist. There are three children who have been born in the US – John (1909), Charles Herman (1912 – still in High School) and Helen (1917 – also in school.) The other 4 children are all working – he lists Stanley as an “inspector” (probably at IT Williams Lumber). This, of course, is the beginning of the depression and money is very tight. Sometimes John will bring home a 30-pound sack of potatoes and that is what the family eats for the next week. Eventually, son John, Stanley and Charlie all work at IT Williams. I believe that Stanley marries first (see data sheet below), followed by either Millie or John. Millie’s wedding photo is attached. Charles (Charlie), Stanley, and Helen are all in the wedding party, which probably occurred in the 1930’s. Brother John (known as Babs) is not in the photo. When WWII occurs, Charlie enlists in the Navy (We have his military records here but have not been able to find them online.) The other brothers are married with children and do not enlist. Charles serves on the USS LST 495 and receives a commendation for his participation in the invasion at Normandy. Francis dies in approximately 1940; Helen cares for her in her final days. Helen told me once that her mother died of a “cyst”, although Helen later thought it might have been cancer. After Francis’s death, John lives with several of his children, spending his last years with son Charlie and his family in Linden, NJ. He likes to go in the basement, smoke unfiltered cigarettes and listen to a Polish radio station. At Christmas, he wants to spend Christmas Eve visiting all his children, who all live within a few miles of each other. John dies in the late 1950s, but does not show up in the Social Security death Index. (It is possible he did not have a Social security number.). They are both probably buried in Rahway, NJ. Michael’s Story Michael apparently does arrive in Chicago, although it is not clear exactly when. He does not show up in the 1910 census and, like John, the first record we see of him is when he also registers for the draft. He says on that form that he is “in good health” and married to “Katie”. Katie is “Catherine Joworski”, born in Poland about 1890. By the 1930 census, they are renting a home in the 15th ward in Chicago and have five children – Clara (age 15), Julius (13), Henry (12), Jennie (8) and John (6). Michael works as a “porter” in a grocery store and Katie washes dishes in a restaurant. When WWII occurs, all 3 sons (Julius, Henry and John) enlist in the army during 1942. Katie dies in 1963 and Michael in 1966. In Katie’s obituary in the Chicago tribune, Jennie has changed her name to Joanne and John does not appear to be living. Katie is buried in Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in Chicago. Name Born Married Died John Szelag 1873 Francis Debrova late 1950s Francis 1877 194? Stanley 1903 Mary 1988 Millie 1904 Joe Makwinsky 1994 Sophie 1905 Mike Shutello 1989 John 1909 ? First, then Anne 1985 Charles 1912 Margaret Knowlton 1980 Helen 1917 Joe Tandyrak 2004 Michael Szelag 1882 Catherine Joworski 1966 Catherine 1890 1963 Clara 1915 Joseph Gale 2002 Julius 1917 Helen 1984 Henry 1918 June Kersten 1998 Jennie 1922 Marvin Stingden ? John 1924 ? Before 1963? |
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