A Tale of Three Sisters

Today I’d like to tell you a story about three sisters, Mary, Anna, and Filomena.  They are the daughters of Jozef and Antonina (nee Nowicka) Inda, my great grandparents.  Much of this information was told to me by my mother, Loretta Kolodzinski (nee Szostek).

Mary, my grandmother, the 3^rd child and oldest of the girls, was born in March of 1894.  Anna, the 5^th and middle child, was born in 1897.  Philomena (later called Minnie), the 8^th child and youngest daughter, was born in 1906.

As all young girls of that era, the Inda daughters were taught “woman’s work” by their mother.  Mary was taught to crochet.  Anna learned the delicate art of tatting.  Minnie was taught how to knit.  They all were shown how to do embroidery.  Antonina herself knew how to do all of these things.

The three sisters were also different in looks. Mary had beautiful auburn hair (her daughter, Loretta, had found a braid of Mary’s hair in a cedar chest).  Anna, I’m told, was a darker blonde in her early years, while Minnie had warm brown hair.  Later in life all three sister’s hair turned a light silvery gray.

Anna, Minnie and Mary

Mary fell in love with a very handsome man, John Bochyniak, when she was just 18. The couple married in November of 1913 at St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in Chicago. What a wonderful day for the happy couple! Their joy continued and in October of 1915, a baby boy, Edward, entered their life. The happiness of this couple was not to last.  In January of 1917, John was killed by a train. Mary was left alone with a young son to raise. The family had many relatives, friends and coworkers who tried to help during this terrible time. One of them, Stanley Szostek, had loved Mary but had never said or done anything, knowing she was married. I don’t know if Mary did fall in love with Stanley or not, but he did love her. The couple married in September of 1918.  Stanley pledged to Mary that he would raise Edward as his son.  He loved the child and soon adopted him as his own. The couple added three more children to their now happy family. Monica (called Phyllis), was born in 1919, Loretta, my mother, born in 1921, and Helen, born in 1928. 

Anna did not marry as quite as young as her sister, Mary. She fell in love with John Bross. They married when Anna was 22, about 1929. The couple never had children but spent many happy times with Mary and Stanley’s family.  Anna and John had many happy years before John died at the young age of 55. Anna lived in their same apartment they had shared for the rest of her life. She enjoyed playing bingo at various Church carnivals and functions. I think of her independence and how forward thinking she must have been. She is fondly remembered attending all of our family events.  

Minnie was the youngest sister. Minnie grew up on her parents “farm” in Franklin Park, IL.  She married Stanley Jagielski when they were both 18. The couple waited a couple of years to enlarge their family. In 1930, a daughter, Dolores (called Dolly), was born. Two years later their son, Donald (called Sonny) was born. The couple eventually moved to Elmwood Park, a Chicago suburb.  I will always remember the squirrel monkeys and other animals they kept as pets! They enjoyed many happy years together until Stanley died at the young age of 51. It was some years later that Minnie moved to Arkansas with Dolly, Sonny and both of their families.

Minnie Jagelski, Mary Szostek, Anna Bross 1949

The First Inda Immigrants - Settling in Arkansas and Oklahoma

Ten branches of the Inda families have been identified emigrating from Poland to the United States.  All had lived within 40 miles of each other while living in Poland.  All seemed to have left family, parents, siblings and cousins, behind in the old country.  They had lived in an area of Poland that was part of Prussian Empire. 

The first to group to immigrate did so in 1868.  They were Peter, Frances (Peter’s wife), and Josepha (Peter’s sister).  Peter was about 29 years old.  He had married his wife in Grylewo, Poland in 1866.   Their marriage record shows Peter was living in Golancz and Frances in Rybowo.  Frances was about 5 years younger than Peter.  The following is a copy of their marriage register (top of page).

Sailing across the vast Atlantic Ocean on the S.S. Marco Polo, they arrived at the Castle Garden Immigration Center in New York City on the 1^st of June in 1868.

  What brave souls they were, arriving in a new country, not believed to know anyone there.  They came to find a better life, to find freedom, freedom for themselves, freedom for their children and freedom for their grandchildren. The USA ended the Civil War three years previously.  President Johnson had been impeached and Ulysses S. Grant was new President. 

Peter and Frances first settled in Michigan.  The couple had five children born to them there, sons Joseph Stanley in 1870, Michael Lawrence in 1872, John Andrew in 1873 and Valentine in 1878  Their first daughter, Johanna, was also born in Michigan but her birth is recorded in Wyandotte in 1876.  The next record found on the family is in Arkansas in 1880, it is the birth of their son, Casmier Nickolas who was later known as Jasper.  The couple also had a daughter, Pauline, born about 1884.  It is possible there were more children but no records have been found at this time.  Peter believed in his new county and became a US citizen in 1872.

It is with their daughter Pauline’s family, that Peter and Frances spent the rest of their lives.  They are buried in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Joseph would marry Catherine Ang Blockowiak in 1899.  They would give birth to two daughters, Frances and Louise.  They raised their children and grew old together in Pulaski County, Arkansas. 

Michael would marry Bridget M. Masham about 1909.  Mihael would be found living in Colorado before 1918 but by 1930 the couple would be living in Grant, Custer, Oklahoma.  Here they would settle.  Both are buried in the Anthon Cemetery in Custer County, Oklahoma.

John would marry Agnes Victoria Makowski in 1900. They would live with Agnes’ parents for a short time prior to moving to Oklahoma.  In 1910 they live in Bales but by 1920 they would have placed roots in Guthrie.  This is where the couple raised their three children, Frank, Floyd and Margaret.  John and Agnes are buried in Saint Theresa's Catholic Cemetery in Harrah, Oklahoma.

Johanna would marry John J. Yanniger in 1893.  They would continue to live and raise their three children, Joseph, George and Louise, in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Johanna, who also went by Jane, and her husband are buried there.

Valentine or Vall, died at age 28.  It is believed he had not married.

Jasper would be living in Oklahoma by 1905.  It is here we find his marriage to Louise C. Drew.  The couple have five children, Theodore, Louis, Cecelia, Constance and Josephine before Louise died in 1942.  In 1944, Jasper married Katie B. Whittington in Arkansas.  It was here he would live until his death in 1965.  Jasper was well loved by both of his wives.  He is buried next to Katie in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas but he also has a headstone next to Louise in Calvary Cemetery in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Pauline married Michael Peter Wilkiewicz.  The couple stayed in Arkansas and had five children, Thaddeus, Frances, Louise, Constance and Sylvester.  Pauline and Michael are buried in Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock. 

So far, no further record has been found of Peter’s sister, Josepha Inda.  She was born about 1847.

My American Grandmother, Mary Inda Szostek

Mary was the third child and first daughter born to Jozef and Antonina (nee Nowicki) Inda.  She was born in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois in 1894.  Since she was my only grandparent born in the USA, I had always thought of her as my American Grandmother.  She completed 8 years of school in Chicago and was fluent in both English and Polish.  Her daughter, Loretta (my mother), told me of finding a long braid of auburn hair in a trunk in her parents' home.  She was told this was Mary's hair which she had cut about in the sometime after her marriage.

Mary Inda 1907 First Communion



  In the 1910 US Census, Mary is living with her parents and eight siblings at 1736 Wood Street, Chicago, which is part of the area known as Bucktown.  She was already working as a seamstress in a tailor shop and would eventually do piecework for a company called Smoler Brothers.  Sewing was a skill she was taught by her mother along with crocheting and embroidery.

Her uncle, Sylwester Inda, was living with his family at 2124 Berlin Street.  Living in the same building was a man by the name of John Bochyniak.  In all probability this is were Mary met John.  He was a very handsome man, tall with blond hair. The couple would fall in love and marry on 26 November 1913 in St Hedwigs Catholic Church.  On 3 October 1915, Mary would give birth to their first child, Edward.  There happiness would not last.  John was what is called a "ladies man".  He was not a faithful husband and because of this tragedy would befall the once happy couple.  John was diagnosed with syphilis and was being treated.  He told Mary that both she and their infant son would need to be treated also.  The shame he felt lead john to despair.  On 8 January 1917 John threw himself under a train in Franklin Park and died at the age of 30 years, 11 months.

Mary's sorrow knew no bounds but she had a child to raise.  She moved back in with her parents who now lived at 3344 Edgington in Franklin Park.  She would not be a single parent long.  John had been a moulder in Chicago.  He had a friend by the name of Stanley Szostek.  Stanley had also immigrated from Poland and now worked with John.  He was often invited to the Bochyniak home.  Over time he fell in love with Mary but had never let her know since she was married to his friend.  After allowing for a time of morning, Stanley approached marry.  He told her of his love.  He then asked her to marry him and told her he also loved her son and would adopt him legally and raise him as his own.  Mary and Stanley wed at St Gertrude Catholic Church in Franklin Park on 24 September 1918.

On 5 July 1919, Mary would give birth to the couple's first child, Monica Phyllis Mary.  Their daughter, Loretta Mary, would follow on 21 November 1921.  Their last child was also a daughter.  Helen was born on 16 September 1928.   Stanley did legally adopt Edward.  The family lived at various addresses prior to their purchasing their own home in the early 1940's at 2535 North Springfield Avenue in Chicago.  It is interesting to note one of the homes rented by the Szostek's about 1928 was owned by Michael and Maryanna Kolodzinski, my paternal grandparents.  That is a story for another day.

Mary was a wonderful sewer and never used a pattern just cutting the material and creating clothing for her children.  She would dress Phyllis and Loretta as twins since they were so close in age.  She did not have patience to teach her daughters how to sew feeling she could always do it faster.  Her daughters were taught embroidery and Phyllis learned crocheting.

Mary and Stanley's happiness continued as their children married and they would enjoy the arrive of their grandchildren.   Then on 20 September 1955, tragedy again struck Mary as the husband she grew to love died of a stroke.  Now Mary would move into the home of her daughter, Phyllis Szostek Wegrzyn.  At various times she would be living with each of her three daughters' families.  The following picture was taken in 1959 outside of my parents home at 2866 North Woodard in Chicago.  We lived near a neighborhood shopping district and Mary did enjoy shopping.

Mary enjoyed spending time with her family.  As her children grew they would visit many times during the year.  Some days were very special and would mean all of the families would gather.  These would include Christmas Day and one day in the summer for a family picnic also every Easter we would celebrate both Easter and her birthday even though the day of this event would in reality change yearly. 

My grandmother carried on the tradition of teaching needlework.  I fondly remember sitting by her when I was about six and learning how to embroider.  Yes, it was simple embroidery stitches but she taught me and instilled my love of the needle arts by doing so.  The first piece I embroidered was a quilted potholder with Humpty Dumpty on it.  Mary continued to sew and altered both her clothes and that of her daughters if they asked.  She enjoyed her soap operas especially All My Children and As the World Turns.  You were not allowed to interrupt her during her favorite soaps!  As far as she was concerned there were no commercials.  She assumed they were just a part of the show so you needed to save conversation until they had finished, commercials and all.

Mary Inda Szostek died in Chicago on 10 February 1977.  She is buried next to Stanley at St Josephs Catholic Cemetery in River Grove. 

How We Relate to History

Yesterday I watched the Inauguration of President Barack Obama on television and thought about the other Inaugurations I had lived through.  Each of of lives and destinies are formed by our families and the land we live in, its government and relationship to the world.  I was born during the middle of President Harry Truman's term in office, yes, I am dating myself.  I was a toddler during the first Inauguration of Dwight D Eisenhower.  The Inauguration of John F Kennedy was the first I truly remember.  These men have influenced me and how I live as have the men who followed them in office.

 

 

 

This made me think of my ancestors.  They immigrated from Europe and did not experience a democracy until they arrived in the USA.  Who were the Presidents when they arrived?  What was happening in the United States?  This would have influenced the lives they lived in, they would be part of this history.  What other historical events happened the year they arrived?

 

My paternal grandfather, Michael Kolodzinski, arrived in the USA in January of 1908.  Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the USA (William Howard Taft was elected to succeed him in 1909).   Henry Ford produced his first Model "T".  Wilbur Wright flies 30 miles in 40 minutes.  Yes, his history continues to influence my world and life.

 

My maternal grandmother was Mary Czmur (we thought her maiden name was Smulski but that is a story for another day) immigrated in January, 1901.  William McKinley was the 25th President of the USA when she arrived but in September of that year he was assassinated to be replaced by Theodore Roosevelt.  Queen Victoria of England had died and was succeeded by her son, King Edward IV.  Cuba becomes a US protectorate.  The first Nobel Prize ceremony is held in Stockholm, Sweden. 

 

My maternal grandfather, Stanley Szostek, immigrated in April of 1907.  Theodore Roosevelt was President.  The RMS Lusitania makes its maiden voyage from Liverpool, England to New York.  Marconi initiates the first commercial transatlantic radio communications.

 

My maternal grandmother, Mary Inda, was born in Chicago, IL.  Her parents, Jozef and Antonina Inda arrived in April of 1891 and her grandparents, Jan and Anna (nee Schleichert) Inda arrived in May of 1892.  Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the USA.  In 1891, the first escalator is patented, Wrigley Company is founded, Edison unveils the kinescope (a precursor to our motion picture camera), and the first Sherlock Holmes story is published.  In 1892 Ellis Island opens its doors to immigrants, the first official basketball game is played,  Thomas Edison receives a patent for a two way telegraph and the University of Chicago holds its first class.

 

 

For my cousins I would also like to add some of their ancestors years of immigration and a bit of history. 

 

Albert Schleichert (my half brother of Anna Schleichert) immigrated in 1882 and 

Catherine Inda Manicki (sister of Jan Inda) immigrated in June of 1882.  Chester A Arthur was the 21st President of the USA. 

 

Valentine Inda (cousin of Jan Inda) immigrated in July of 1872.  Ulysses S Grant was the 18th President of the USA.  The Great Chicago Fire was the previous year (no wonder Valentine settled with his family in LaSalle, IL)

 

Julius Drozek immigrated about 1889.  Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the USA succeeding Grover Cleveland in March of 1889.  North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington become States.  The Coco-Cola Company is incorporated in Atlanta, GA. 

 

Paul Porebski immigrated about 1910.  William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the USA. The Boy Scouts of America are founded.  The first filmed version of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein comes out.  The Mexican Revolution begins.

 

For my Inda cousins having ancestors settling in Waushara County, WI:

Frank Inda immigrated about 1881.  His sister, Josepha Inda Korleski, immigrated in April of 1883.  When Josepha Korleski immigrated with her family Chester A Arthur was President.  Not knowing when in 1881 Frank Inda and his wife arrived it is hard to know who was the President.  Rutherford B Hayes was the President until March of 1881.  He was succeeded by James A Garfield who was then assassinated on 19 Sept 1881.  Chester A Arthur succeeded him.

 

For my Inda cousins having ancestors being in Michigan and before settling in Arkansas:

Peter Inda immigrated in June of 1868.  Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the USA.  He was sworn into office upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  The Civil War had ended and it was time of Reconstruction.

 

For my Inda cousins in who had ancestors settling in Branch County, MI with many moving to Nebraska:  Anthony A Inda immigrated between 1870-1880, his sister, Anna Inda, immigrated about 1873, and brother, Martin Inde,  immigrated about 1874.  Ulysses S Grant was the President.

 

For my Inda cousins having ancestors settling in Huron County, MI:  Jacob Inda immigrated about 1884.  Chester A Arthur was President of the USA.  The first eight hour work day is proclaimed by Federation of Organized Trades and Unions in the USA.  May 1st is called May Day or Labor Day.

 

For my Inda cousins in who had ancestors settling in Buffalo, NY:

Peter and his brother, Wojciech (Albert or George) Inda immigrated in 1890.  Benjamin Harrison was President of the USA.  Idaho is admitted as the 43rd State, Wyoming as the 44th.  The Wounded Knee Massacre happens in South Dakota.

 

For my Inda cousins in who had ancestors settling in Milwaukee, WI and Cheektowaga, NY:  Anthony Inda immigrated in 1887 and his brother, Jacob Inda, in 1893.  Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States serving between 1883-1889 and then again from 1893-1897.  Benjamin Harrison was the 23ed President between 1893-1897.

 

For my Inda cousins in who had ancestors settling in Milwaukee, WI:  Valentine, Michael and Catherine Inda immigrated about 1874.  Their father, Anton Inda, immigrated in 1879.  Ulysses S Grant was President until 1877 when Rutherford B Hayes was sworn into Office.

 

History was never one of my favorite subjects in school, it was just memorization of dates and events.  When I see how it relates to my family it becomes enthralling!

Am I Really Polish American?

My family lived in Chicago but we were of Polish descent.  I grew up in an area of the city that would be dubbed "Little Warsaw".  It was so named since it had as many Polish people living there as Warsaw, Poland. Many people spoke Polish as a first and sometimes only language.  My parents, Ed and Loretta (née Szostek) Kolodzinski were born in Chicago but were fluent in Polish.

 Both of my father's parents, Michael and Mary Kolodzinski, were immigrants and only spoke their native tongue at home. Michael spoke 9 languages in all but did not care to learn English. He did not want his children speaking English in his home until his wife, Mary, stated, "how can I learn English if they do not speak it at home?"  My dad first learned to speak English when he attended school.  Neither of my paternal grandparents ever learned to speak English before they died.  Loretta's parents were Stanley and Mary (née Inda) Szostek. Stanley was an immigrant from Poland. Eventually he would learn to understand English but never to speak it. Mary was born in the USA and fluent in Polish.

One would think all of my grandparents immigrated from Poland but this is not true. Even though Michael Kolodzinski spoke Polish he stated he was born in Lithuania. During research this was found to be partially true. When he immigrated to the USA in 1908 the area he lived was part of Russian Empire (between bout 1795 until the Treaty of Versailles in 1918, the country we call Lithuania did not exist). After finding the passenger of his immigration I found he had lived in Dykshuy (Dokshytsy), Russia which is now part of Belarus!

My paternal grandmother, Mary Kolodzinski, could not read or write.  Her two daughters would write letters for her and send them to the family in, no, not Poland but Vienna, Austria!  When Mary immigrated to the USA in 1901 the passenger list stated she had been living in Zapolocz, Hungary.  When she died in 1936, my grandfather gave Czechoslovakia as the place of her birth.  Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were all part of the Austrian Partition between about 1795 until the Treaty of Versailles in 1918.  The countries no longer appeared on maps.

Stanley Szostek immigrated to the USA in 1907.  The passenger list states he had lived in Gromiec, Galicia prior to immigration.   Galicia was an area in the Austrian Partition and today is part of Poland.

My maternal grandmother, Mary Szostek, was born to Jozef and Antonina (nee Nowicki) Inda, both immigrants.  Mary knew her parents were from Posen.  At the time Jozef and Antonina immigrated (1892) Posen was part of the German Partition, the Polish spelling is Poznan.  At times this area was called Preußen or Prussia.  Also, my Inda ancestors did not come from the city of Posen but from the Province of Posen.  Currently this area is part of the Wielkopolska Province also called Greater Poland.

The map below shows the various partitions of the region.  The first occured about 1792.  Some countries disappeared off of the world map but most remained in the hearts of their citizens.  If you are interested in learning more about the various Partitions of Poland I would suggested reading the following website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_of_Poland  Here you will also be able to see a larger and better view of this map which was on the site.

 Even though the boundaries of the lands changed and they owed allegiances to different monarchs, my ancestors considered themselves Polish Americans and so do I.  

The Quest

My aunt and godmother, Mary Kolodzinski Porebski, had always been interested in finding information about her ancestors.  She had spent hours in the Cook County Courthouse (Illinois) looking for records.   Frustrated since neither my father, her older brother, Edward, nor their older sister, Anna Kolodzinski Drozek, would tell her anything about their parents lives in Europe.  

 

 

Her research always intrigued me.  I had researched the history of a building and found it fascinating and informative.  This made me decide to research the history of my family sine it would no doubt be fascinating and informative, too.  The quest began!

 

 

Both my paternal grandparents were born in Europe and immigrated to the USA in the early 1900's.  My grandmother, Marianna Smulska Kolodzinski, died of pneumonia in 1936 at the age of 53.  My grandfather, Michael Kolodzinski, died from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1940at  the age of 61.  Both had been laid to rest at St Adalberts Catholic Cemetery before my parents married.

  

 

I was never to meet them but remember many of the stories my dad would tell me.  They were fascinating tales to a young child and I will tell you some of them in future posts.

 

 

My maternal grandparents were slightly easier,or at least my grandmother side was easier.  Her maiden name was Mary Inda.  She was born in Chicago, IL, in the mid 1890's.  Mary married my grandfather, Stanley Szostek, in Chicago.  He had been born in Poland, immigrating in the early 1900's and finally settling in Chicago.

 

  

Her parents and grandparents immigrated from Poland in the early 1890's.  She was not told much about her family's life in Poland but records found in Illinois filled in much of the tree branch prior to immigration.  

 

 

It was my mother's older sister, Phyllis Szostek Wegrzyn, who helped fill in many gaps in my materal branch.  

If you are starting to trace your family's history start with what you know.   Then remember to ask your oldest living relatives what they can tell you about your family.  They won't always be around to relay their knowledge, write it down while they are still there to tell you the family stories.....