Remebering Helen Schifko Piszczor (Boskovich)

This is MY Aunt Helen. A close friend to my mother Josephine and closest person I had as second mother into my teens. I stayed at her home quite often and going back there at any time is like returning home. She made that house a warm and welcoming place to anyone that had the chance to stop by. She was a person who talked straight to me but still allowed me space to be a bit stupid at times, though not enough space to really get myself hurt! My Aunt Helen was a generous person. I fondly recall the times she took me shopping in Uniontown when I was a child. She was enjoyable to be with even when she was laying down the law. She taught me a lot that I didn't even I realized I was learning until later in my life. I could also say she had the patience saint and strong willed, though when you come down to it you could say that about any the women who married a Piszczor.

Helen L. Piszczor Boskovich, 91, of New Salem, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 6, 2007, in the Uniontown Hospital with her loving family by her side.

She was born April 2, 1915, in Lamberton, the daughter of the late Frederick and Julia Kaminski Schifko.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Joseph Piszczor, her second husband, Frank Boskovich, son, Donald J. Piszczor, and brothers and sisters, William, Henry, Fred, Jr., Edward, Mike and Elmer Schifko, Martha and Elizabeth Schifko, Mary Kolinsky, Emma Olschesky and Margaret Trumpka.

Helen was a member of Saint Thomas Roman Catholic Church in Footedale, a lifetime member of the Loyal Order of Moose, a member of the former Saint Theresa Guild and Saint Thomas 55+ Club.

She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Left to cherish her memory are sons, Bernard F. Piszczor and wife, Martha, of New Salem, and Thomas S. Piszczor of Canonsburg; grandchildren: Donald Pezar, Jr. and wife, Pilar, James Pezar and wife, Rebecca, Steven Piszczor and wife, Toni, Joanne L. Watkins, Kim Croci and husband, Kevin, Bernard Piszczor and wife, Lauri, Jennifer Harvey and husband, Kenneth, Jr., Joseph Piszczor and Michael Piszczor; great-grandchildren: Jakob an Seth Pezar, Stephanie and Monica Piszczor, Bethany and Adam Croci, Sarah Piszczor, Megan Liptak and Kenny Harvey III; and many special nieces and nephews.

Burial: Saint Thomas Roman Catholic
Footedale, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA

You can view more photos of Helen by clicking here to see her album.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Cemetery List, New Salem

Just wanting to continue the head stone listings I aquired on our trip through the cemeteries where I knew I had relatives. This list is from the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cemetery on the south side of New Salem. I didn't get that many from this trip due to our time constaints and a long weekend. Like with the St. Thomas Cemetery I plan to get more informationon my next trip!

SURNAME GIVEN DOB DOD
BELLISH Andrew C. 3/19/1915 - 12/25/1975
BERDAR Frank Sr. 7/16/1915 - 1/23/1969
BERDAR Mary Tittnich 5/13/1923 - 4/20/2006
BERDAR Michael Charles 2/17/1947 - 8/28/2005
BRYAN Mike 1908 - 1976
ELISH Charles 12/28/1924 - 3/23/1944
KALLONICH Metro unknown - 1958
KARWATSKE Anthony S. 11/24/1924 - 1981
KARWATSKE Helen Sabo 4/24/1925 - 7/10/2005
KOTT Dora Stranak 9/15/1903 - 11/11/2004
KOZUP Andrew Jr. 10/22/1905 - 12/14/1992
KRINGETA Sophia Bryan 11/16/1916 - 11/26/2002
MAGDA Frank 6/6/1947 - 1/31/2006
MANZUK Andrew 11/18/1931 - 6/20/1982
MANZUK Anna Glagola 10/23/1913 - 7/15/2004
MARTINEWSKY Daniel unknown - 3/15/1970
MARTINEWSKY George unknown - 2/2/1960
MIGYANKO Alex 1888 - 1978
MIGYANKO Alex, Jr 1914 - 1998
MIGYANKO Anna M. 1915 - 1986
MIGYANKO Anna J. 1921 - 2001
MIGYANKO Catherine 1895 - 1962
MIGYANKO Charles 1913 - 1974
MIGYANKO Frank 12/12/1948 - 6/13/1992
MIGYANKO George 7/14/1922 - 5/3/1995
MIGYANKO John M. 1916 - 1989
MIGYANKO Kathryn 10/2/1939 - 3/1/1996
MIGYANKO Mary 1915 - 1986
MIGYANKO Nicholas 1926 - 1970
MIGYANKO Phillip 5/1/1939 - 2/21/1977
MIGYANKO Steve 12/31/1917 - 1/7/1988
MONESTERSKY Michael A. 12/2/1917 - 4/3/1976
MORTICHESKY Inez Lasagna 1/2/1925 - 4/5/2004
MORTICHESKY John C. 1918 - 8/15/1957
MOTIL Samuel Sr. unknown - 1/1/1959
SEVOLLA John J 10/31/1916 - 11/21/1986
SIDUN John 1/1/1927 - 1975
SINKO Frank P. 8/16/1927 - 6/7/1968
STROMICK Charles 12/24/1929 - 3/16/2005
VATERBACK Charles (Vasil Vorobok) unknown - 2/21/1965

St. Thomas(Tomasza) Catholic Cemetery List

Again I regress, but seeing how much I would be looking for listings like this for family research I decided to post the names I had of those interned at St. Thomas, so far Im at 164 names of those at rest here. Just wait until I get back to New Salem and take pictures of all of these.
But to those of my family that check in... I'm still scanning and adding to the photo albums!

SURNAME GIVEN DOB - DOD
? Audrey - 1914
ALBANI Christopher 7/20/1966 - 7/22/1966
AUGUSTINE Helen C Wojcik 2/19/1908 - 6/11/2006
BANASZAK Thomas W. 9/22/1934 - 8/19/1995
BEDOCK Walter E. 11/7/1920 - 1/29/1994
BEZILLA Joseph 3/19/1908 - 4/13/1965
BEZILLA Mary Radovich 10/13/1915 - 2/7/1979
BOBBISH Rosemarie Rondelli 10/31/1944 - 5/17/2007
BOLAS George J. 8/6/1922 - 5/22/1988
BOLAS Joseph B. 1/14/1921 - 1/14/1977
BOSKOVITCH Evelyn A. 1929 - 1967
BOSKOVITCH Faith Ann - 7/16/1964
BOSKOVITCH Frank W. 1913 - 1995
BOSKOVITCH Helen M. 1918 - 1995
BOSKOVITCH John J. 1888 - 1963
BOSKOVITCH John T. 1906 - 2002
BOSKOVITCH Mary L. 1915 - 1980
BOSKOVITCH Sophia A. 1892 - 1976
BOZEK Leo Peter 2/2/1926 - 9/1/1978
BURKE, JR. William 12/18/1923 -
CHRISTOBEK John A. - 5/6/1950
CLARK John P. 12/28/1927 - 11/17/1993
CORTES Joseph F. 5/28/1927 - 812/2005
CROUSE Joseph A. 11/2/1908 - 12/5/1979
CZUCHAN Edward W. 11/13/1923 - 11/30/1990
DEDO Peter P. 6/25/1921 - 6/26/1992
DOBEK Walter S. 2/7/1915 - 2/14/1969
DOUGLAS Mrs - 8/6/1919
DRZAZGOWSKI Louise 1930 - 2002
DRZAZGOWSKI William M. 1/16/1923 - 3/13/1983
DUNN, SR. Ronald A. 6/13/1941 - 2/12/1996
DUPEJ Stephen A. 4/14/1916 - 8/23/1991
FIGAS Andy J. 1/1/1909 - 11/23/1961
FRANCZYK Stanley A. 3/10/1920 - 4/21/1990
GAFFEY Joseph L 8/23/1923 - 11/13/1987
GAMON, JR. John P. 11/8/1918 - 1/2/1969
GEWAK John M. 9/3/1918 - 7/23/1944
GUSH Joseph J. 7/15/1917 - 6/16/1944
GUY Frank 4/11/1918 - 6/28/2005
HAJEC Martin - 7/4/1920
HAJEC William - 7/4/1920
HANUSHOCK William J. 9/29/1917 - 2/19/1970
HIXON James Thomas 12/22/1939 - 11/7/2005
HOIST John M. Jr. 5/5/1919 - 11/12/1986
HOIST Joseph W. 8/24/1908 - 11/22/1974
HOIST Sylvia A. 12/22/1916 - 10/6/2005
JACOBOSKY John 1915 - 1918
JACOBOSKY Victoria 1917 - 1918
JASIEN John V. 12/24/1915 - 4/12/2006
JASIONOWSKI Konstanty 1873 - 1928
KAPARIC George R. 4/22/1928 - 6/15/2006
KARLOWITZ Edward J Kindervater 6/6/1924 - 5/15/2006
KASOVICH Bernard S. 12/15/1925 - 1/14/1992
KASOVICH Edward S. 1/1/1924 - 4/7/1946
KAZMIERCZAK Joseph I. 11/25/1907 - 10/23/1979
KITTA Victoria R. 8/31/1909 - 8/19/2004
KNAPEZCZYK Stanley W. -
KOHA Andrew J. 12/24/1919 - 10/12/1944
KOIS Charles J. 1/28/1915 - 4/9/1993
KOLDYS Stanley -
KOZA Anna Chrzaszcz 7/4/1910 - 6/17/2004
KOZA Raymond B. - 12/31/1947
KRET Theodore 9/15/1913 -
KUBICA Edward A. 10/7/1995 - 10/27/1995
LAPENTA Dominick A. 10/25/1906 - 3/26/1991
LORENC Anton 7/31/1903 - 2/10/1904
MALACHIN Stanley J. 2/20/1917 -
MARKOVICS John - 7/31/1976
MARTO John 10/19/1908 -
MARVA Bernard P. 10/4/1928 - 7/1/1981
MICHALSKI Anthony S. 1/19/1924 - 3/16/2007
MICHALSKY Edward J. 9/12/1923 - 7/20/1985
MICHALSKY Ruth A. - Kakos 3/8/1923 - 8/15/2005
MIHALSKY Adolph 11/30/1929 - 10/19/1993
MINDEK Andrew J. 4/17/1932 - 4/1/1983
MOLEK Edward Steve Sr 10/20/1930 - 6/10/1988
MOLEK Robert J. 3/9/1932 - 7/18/1989
MOLEK, JR. John A. 9/27/1925 - 12/20/1944
NABOZNY Mary Kokesh 3/20/1909 - 4/2/2004
NABOZNY Thomas E. 9/3/1929 - 12/23/1980
NESNET John 1/20/1924 - 1/21/1988
NEUDSKY William - 12/9/1969
NOVAK John S. Sr. 4/17/1916 - 4/20/1993
OLEVENICK Marion J. 10/7/1907 - 12/6/1965
PIEKARZ Maryanna 1926 - 1940
PIEKARZ Michal 1928 - 1940
PISZCZOR Andrew J. 11/13/1886 - 06/26/1967
PISZCZOR Anna Szczypta 11/17/1879 - 10/28/1962
PISZCZOR Bernard 08/20/1940 - 10/03/2007
PISZCZOR Donald J. (Pezar) 11/23/1935 - 08/28/2005
PISZCZOR Francis 1917 - 1918
PISZCZOR Helen Schifko 04/02/1915 - 03/01/2007
PISZCZOR Joseph 02/15/1911 - 10/23/1971
PLEBAN Valentine - 9/21/1960
POLUCK Frank 10/24/1914 - 5/9/1942
PRINSKEY Edward 7/7/1926 - 7/1/1968
PRZYBYCIEN Catherine 1896 - 1970
PRZYBYCIEN John 1891 - 1962
PUDLOWSKI Ludwik 1884 - 1914
RADOVICH John A. 8/7/1912 - 5/2/1970
RADOVICH Stella Dolores 10/24/1919 - 8/17/2006
REPA Julia 12/25/1903 - 7/25/1904
REPA Władysława 1913 - 1918
REPARSKY Peter 9/10/1919 - 7/17/1978
ROSKY Felix T. 9/3/1918 - 3/22/2006
RUDZIENSKY Lois Jean 5/1/1944 - 1/12/1945
RUSSIN Franciscus - 1913
RUSSIN Josephine 1879 - 1930
SABALA Francis J. 11/12/1924 - 4/6/1972
SABALA John S. 5/7/1915 - 1/22/1943
SABARESE Margaret F 5/3/1922 - 5/9/2006
SABARESE William P. 8/5/1915 - 2/12/1973
SAGOSKY Peter 6/29/1918 - 5/12/1984
SAGOSKY Richard 9/17/1947 - 5/27/1983
SEBROSKY Andrew 11/10/1913 - 5/29/1980
SEFCHECK Walter J. 7/28/1924 - 10/24/1977
SHUBA Henry J. 3/13/1927 - 8/7/1995
SHUMAN Andrew P. Jr. 1/23/1949 - 3/5/1989
SHUTTY Joseph - 3/21/1972
SKOCHELAK Paul 8/8/1923 - 11/15/1989
SKOCZELAK Francis 10/12/1917 - 6/12/2006
SKOVRAN Andrew 6/26/1920 - 1/2/1993
SKROBACZ Michal 1892 - 1927
SLOAN Catherine - 4/12/1930
SMYTH, JR. Thomas J. 4/3/1910 - 7/1/1967
SODLOUSKI Stanley A. 1/1/1915 - 3/13/1947
SOFRANKO George M. 10/2/1937 - 1/30/1995
SOLARCHICK Alex 2/6/1932 - 5/16/1984
SOLARCHICK Lorraine Soblotne 10/16/1932 - 2/2/1996
SOLARCZYK Jozefa 3/16/1912 - 1924
SREDINSKI Josephine A. Kois 1/28/1919 - 9/22/2006
STANISZEWSKI Louise Molek 11/19/1915 - 12/21/2005
STANLEY Walter -
SULIK John J. 3/15/1915 - 10/28/1970
SULIK Michael J. 8/30/1925 - 5/20/1946
SULLIK John M. 3/14/1923 - 8/25/1946
SWITALSKI Frank J. 1/14/1927 - 10/20/1984
SYREK John N. Jr 10/20/2020 - 5/3/2000
SYREK Anna M. Matalik 10/8/1922 - 6/26/2006
SZCZEPANA J 6/10/1879 - 5/26/1926
SZCZYGIEL Ann D. 1914 - 2001
SZCZYGIEL Walter L. 1909 - 1981
TARRACE Joseph 12/7/1913 - 12/24/1915
TASSONE Casimo 4/12/1911 - 11/17/1912
THOMAS Albert J. 7/24/1923 - 5/5/1964
TIBERI Nello -
TOKISH Frances L. Guy 11/10/1929 - 8/25/2006
TROSIEK Michael M. Sr. 11/19/1921 - 7/17/1991
TULLEY George F. - 6/28/1974
VALIGURSKY Joseph J. 4/18/1920 - 9/2/1970
VARSHOCK Floyd 5/19/1918 - 12/11/1945
VARTO Theresa 1904 - 1905
VELOSKY Charles J. 2/11/1916 - 6/6/1944
VISH Mike J. 9/26/1910 - 2/6/1963
VOYTEK Andrew M. 11/30/1921 -
WIETZ Theodore t. - 1/1/1986
WOJCIK Edward C. 2/29/1920 - 1/8/2006
YOKOBOSKY Jerome 10/2/1952 - 6/5/2006
YURCZAK John F. 12/3/1914 - 7/22/1993
ZAVILINSKY Walter 1921 - 1928
ZAWACKI Charles B. - 7/11/1975
ZAWELENSKY Pete J. 5/9/1927 - 4/27/1995
ZUCHELKOWSKI Francis J. 5/16/1924 - 10/7/1992
ZUCHELKOWSKI Agnes C. - 6/28/2006

Migyanko - Holy Trinity Orthodox Cemetery, New Salem

Lest I not mention this, there was one other cemetery that Sandy and I stopped at. This was the picturesque hillside Holy Trinity Orthodox Cemetery. It was almost an afterthought, but when I was young every once in awhile we would attend this church with my uncle, Andrew Jr. As things happen my uncle Andy fell in love with this beautiful woman, one Helen Sinko, whose family just happened to be of the Russian Orthodox faith. Somewhat like in the movie 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' (though I'm sure without all the hilarity) he loved her enough to accept her faith as his own. But I digress.

Knowing there probably was some connection to the family in there we searched about for the winding and hidden entrance until we found our way in. Unlike the St. Thomas cemetery, this is built right up the hillside without much of what you could call roads through it. By this time, after a long day and just recently having heart surgery a few weeks previously, this was not the time I would be roaming through headstones. But as fortune would have it as we drove around the small loop road that did exist I noticed a familiar name. Migyanko! I recalled that my uncle's younger daughter, Betty Lou Piszczor, married a Migyanko... Charles Jr. by name! Now I don't believe I've seen her since 1994, and that's partly my fault, so I think I best do something about that soon. As you will see in the album I did run across a grave site for a Charles and Mary Migyanko, so I wonder if I found his parents. Next time I will be certain to get a better picture overlooking the cemetery and how it just fits into the landscape.

Click here to see the Migyanko head stones I was able to document!

St. Thomas Cemetery - Footdale, PA Headstones

The one thing we did on our trip to the Uniontown area was to stop at the cemeteries where I knew we had family buried. As we stopped at the grave site of my grandparents, Andrew Piszczor Sr and Anna Szczypta, my wife Sandy began to notice some of the other headstones and was taken by all the unique Polish names that she saw. The next thing I knew we were wandering about the St. Thomas Cemetery in Footdale checking out the markers that caught our interest and taking pictures of them.

Of the family I know of buried there besides my father's parents are my aunt and uncle Joseph Piszczor and Helen Schifko; another uncle (the first Francis Piszczor) who died as an infant and buried in an unmarked grave from the 1918-19 Spanish Influenza; my cousins the brothers Donald Sr and Bernard Piszczor and Helen Schiko's second husband Frank Boskovich.

It was late and we only had two days so we only had about an hour but on the way home I thought about other family researchers that would have an interest in these grave markers. With that in mind I decided to place all the pictures we took in the photo album and plan on my next time back to take more in hope this can be helpful to others. Meanwhile I have begun to contact the church who has taken over care of the cemetery since the closing of St. Thomas and see if I can get the full list of those buried there and publish it here.

To see all the markers we recorded this trip come over to the album and see.

We all Started Small

I can't speak for everyone but it still challenges my paradigms when I see pictures of all these people that were older than me as I was growing up. My mind freezes when I'm typing the photo titles and find it odd to put "Sr." in there.

Hell, I'm baffled even looking at the pictures of my kids or even my own baby pictures. Digging through these boxes of old pictures I'm scanning and finding these just pictures has me looking at my grandchildren and wondering about how they are going to look like when they grow up.

So far I have about 16 and know I'm going to be adding more as I keep scanning. Now granted, there is a number of me and my sister, but until others help me out here with more from their collections it going to be just a bit biased. So get me your best to put in here!

Of course if you want to see all that I have come look at the photo album. Oh, and come back from time to time to see what else I uncovered.

Back on the old farm

Still scanning pictures and uncovered a little bound pack of photos taken at Andrew Piszczor's farm in McClellandtown, PA. I figure they were taken roughly 1958 by seeing the people in them and some of the vehicles.

So far I have eleven found photos of the farm from when Andy owned the place, but as I find more I will place them in the album. You can see them but clicking here!

Citizenship process, a load of information

Most of you have not seen these types of documents, but here are all the fillings submitted by Andrew Piszczor Sr. in becoming a citizen of the United States! He was in the country for 18 years before he began the process that took about three years to complete. (The story I was told by some of my uncles is the primary reason he became a citizen is he wanted to get some dogs and the State of Pennsylvania at the time would only issue dog licenses to United States citizens! Can't say if that's the truth or not, but knowing my grandfather I could believe it.)

Some interesting items of note is from all information I had about his home town being Ciche here he lists Czarny Dunajec, about six miles north; the family moved three times in those three years (Footedale, Prospect and McClellandtown); and in each document our name is spelled different!

I have a copy of all the documents in the photo albums (click here)....

Remebering Josephine Ann Piszczor

Josie was the second oldest cousin of the third generation of Andrew Piszczor Sr. and oldest daughter of Andrew Piszczor, Jr. A fun person to be around, I didn't get to know her as well as I would have liked to as she moved around the country with the work her husband, Irvin, had in the aeronautical industry. I used to mainly see her in passing through from Long Island and Louisville as well at family gatherings.


VANSICKLE, "JOSIE" A., 69, of Naples, FL, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, June 24, 2007. She was born December 13, 1937 in New Salem, PA. She moved to southwest Florida the spring of 1995 and was an active member of St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Naples, FL.

Her brother, Daniel Piszczor; brother-in- law, Robert Benedek and a nephew, Charles Migyanko, III, predeceased her. Her beloved husband, Irvin; son, Jeffrey; and daughter, Jennifer Paplaczyk; grandchildren, Andrew, Amy, and Oliva Paplaczyk survive her. Also, a sister and brother-in-law, Betty Lou and Charles Migyanko; sisters-in- law, Sandy Willis and Barbara Benedek; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Carol and Dan VanSickle and brother-in-law, Cloyde VanSickle, survive her. Also nieces, Danielle Gundling, Sabrina Turpak, Tina Horvath, Sharon Wise, Lori Barr, Lee Anne VanSickle and Sarah VanSickle; and nephews, Maxwell and Ray Lee VanSickle survive her.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Saint Michael Orthodox Church, at the corner of Furman and Hikes Lane. Burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 - 9 p.m. Friday at St. George Chapel at St. Michael Church. Trisagion prayers will be said 8 p.m. on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Josie's Memorial Fund for Beautification of the Church Interior of St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2425 Rivers Road at Immokalee Road, Naples, FL 34120. Ratterman & Sons, 3800 Bardstown Rd. is in charge of arrangements. Published in The Courier-Journal from 6/27/2007

Remebering Donald Joseph Piszczor

Don was the oldest of the third generation of Andrew Piszczor Sr. Don was the one who taught me about house painting, or more accurately getting some paint on a house while I covered myself in it. I got to know him very well when he lived in the apartment upstairs of my parents house. He even "rescued" me from a Boy Scout reservation one time out of the blue and spirited me off to his home for one of the best meals I had in quite awhile. Even though he was about 20 years older we used to pal around after I graduated from college and was there whenever I came back east for a visit when I lived on the West Coast.

Don was not a shy fellow and was usually in the middle of the action at family gatherings; if you ever needed to find Don at a wedding you could find him behind the bar, being the bouncer or taking the cash during the Money Dance. He married Mary Ann Rahija of Akron, OH in April of 1957.

Donald J. (Pezar) Piszczor, age 69, of Rowes Run, (Redstone Township) Pa., formerly of New Salem, Pa., passed away peacefully Sunday, August 28, 2005, in Tara Hospital, at Brownsville, Pa., with his loved ones by his side.

He was born November 23, 1935, in McClellandtown, Pa., son of Helen Schifko Piszczor Boskovich and the late Joseph Piszczor.

Don was a member of the Saint Thomas Roman Catholic Church of Footedale, Pa., a former employee of White Motors, a retired employee of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Sheriff's Department, a member of Fairbank Rod & Gun Club and a former member of Newboro Indians Club.

He is survived by his mother, Helen Boskovich; his children: Donald J. Pezar, Jr. and his wife, Pilar of Malysia, James A. Pezar and his wife, Rebecca of Perry, Ohio, Steven C. Piszczor and his wife, Toni of Clayton, N.C., and Joanne L. Watkins of Orlando, Fla.; his fiance, Dorothy Ladina, and her daughter, Julann Onderko, and her husband, Joseph and their three children, Justin, Kayla and Moe, all of Rowes Run; his grandchildren: Jakob Pezar, Seth Pezar, Stephanie Pezar and Monica Piszczor; his brothers: Bernard F. Piszczor and his wife, Martha of New Salem, Pa., and Thomas S. Piszczor and his wife, Katherine of Washington, Pa.; and his nieces and nephews: Kimberly A. Croci, Bernard J. Piszczor, Jennifer L. Harvey, Joseph M. Piszczor and Michael R. Piszczor.

Finding These Distant Relatives

How do you find that information (or even the existence) about about your parents, parents parents that stayed back in Poland? In short a lot of research and luck.

The first place is to see if you can find that old family bible, which unfortunately in my case was given to someone after my grandfather's passing and we haven't been able to figure out to whom now 40 years on. If you are fortunate enough to have access to it it was a tradition to list all the family events (births, deaths, marriages, etc) on the inside covers.

There are great places to begin searching on the Internet, of course. The first I would recommend if you believe your forefathers came through New York the the Ellis Island web site (http://www.ellisisland.org/). It's free but you do have to register. There you can just begin typing in surnames at the very least and results will appear. Keep in mind that the more information you might have, such as year of arrival, will get you better results. But on the flip side you just don;t know how those registrars entered these eastern European names. I have found our name as Piszczor, Pescor, Piszczur, Piszcsor - just to name a few. When you locate someone you believe is in your line and select the entry you will first get a summary of general information, but you will also have access to a copy of the actual manifest!

This is the official record from the ship Captain of everyone aboard the ship. It will also tell you a bit about the person; the town they came from and a family member there, their final destination and who they plan to stay with. Be aware that most of these records go across two pages, so be sure to look for both!

Above is an example of the arrival of Andrew Piszczor Sr on the S.S. Wiemer in 1904. This is the first page of the record and he is listed on line # 7.

I continue next time with other places to search!

Family in the Military

We have had so many family members in the Armed Services and the list below is only who I know for certain. These are all from the list of relations I have in my database so some of these may be unfamiliar to many but still connected. I will be adding to this as I find them and please if you have any additional names please let me know:

U.S Army
Jess Piszczor Sr.
Mike Piszczor Sr
Bernard F. Piszczor
Bernard J. Piszczor
Josef Piszczor
David Latham
Anthony M. Semik
Robert C. Towner

U.S. Marines
Mike Piszczor Jr
Errik Piszczor
Francis Durtche

U.S. Navy
Carl Durtche Jr
Mary Semik
Teresa Durtche

U.S. Air Force
Kevin Croci
Walter Piszczor Sr (USAAF)
William J. Brundage (USAAF)

Polish Army in France (WWI)
(also known as Haller’s Army)
Wojciech Piszczor

There are a few pictures in the album at this time, but I know I have a few dozen in the boxes and will be adding them in the next few weeks.

Cousins and Removed - What does that mean

Here I am throwing names and family lines all over the place and I bet you might wonder from time to time; how does this person relate to me?

Don't be all confused about it because I was, and still am now and then! But is a fairly straight forward explanation.

At the basic; your cousin (or more formally FIRST cousin) is the child of your aunt or uncle who is a sibling of one of your parents.

If you have a child, your child is a SECOND cousin to your FIRST cousin's child.

If your cousin has a child, that child is a FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED to you. (i.e. one generation removed from being a first cousin)

Now if your first cousin has a grandchild, that grandchild is a FIRST COUSIN TWICE REMOVED to you and a THIRD COUSIN to your grandchild.

If I can get all these lines connected somewhere we would have a 12th cousin somewhere and their grandchild would be a TWELFTH COUSIN TWICE REMOVED to you.

When I fill in more of the blanks someday I will have an example going here!

Old Group Pictures

I am sure you have these around; some general group shots you found that you don't know why or when they got together and just maybe you might know one or two of the people in the photo. Well I ran into a load of these and I'm putting them on line in the hope you can help.

Misc Group Pictures

Click the picture to see all of the photos I found so far...and I will be adding more as I find these in the stacks.

Obit Search Finds

I was scanning some old photos I uncovered of people I knew but not exactly when and why they all got together. Then on the last one I noticed a small pencil note that just said "John's wedding" and now I knew what it was but not when. So I began to search the Internet and came across a site that didn't answer my question but found a lot more information I wasn't expecting.

I stumbled onto the Cleveland Public Library Necrology File. It's the alphabetical card file containing local cemetery records and newspaper death notices gathered by the staff of the Cleveland Public Library. It is a bit hit and miss and only goes up to 1975 but it is a free public database. You can go to it by clicking here. (Just don't forget to come on back.

Here is a sample of hit I have of some of my family:

Id#: 0673911
Name: Piszczor, Frank S.
Date: Oct 14 1958
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #145.
Notes: Piszczor, Frank S., age 39, Monday, Oct. 13, former residence, R.D. 1 Painesville, O., husband of Monica Helen, father of Paulette Ann and Susan Marie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Piszczor of McClellandtown, Pa., brother of John, Jesse, Michael, and Walter of Cleveland, Joseph of New Salem, Pa., and Andrew Jr. of McClellandtown, Pa. Friends may call at Mulqueeny Bros. Funeral Home, 99 E. Erie St. (Rt. 20), Painesville, 2-4, 7-9 Tuesday. Funeral Wednesday, Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m., St. Mary's Church. Burial All Souls Cemetery, Chardon.

Id#: 0673910
Name: Piszczor, Barbara Ann
Date: Oct 18 1973
Source: Plain Dealer; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #145.
Notes: Pisczczor. Barbara Ann Piszczor, beloved daughter of Michael and Julia Piszczor, dearest sister of Michael Jr., also survived by grandmother and aunts and uncles. Funeral Saturday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m. at Mosinski Funeral Home, 3675 E. 65th St. Services 9 a.m. at Holy Name Church. Interment Calvary Cemetery. Visiting Hours Thursday And Friday 2-5 And 7-10 P.M.

Id#: 0673909
Name: Piszczor, Ann
Date: May 18 1957
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #145.
Notes: Piszczor, Ann, of 27699 North Miles Rd., beloved wife of John, daughter of John and Anna Gabick, sister of Mary Fabis, Vera Hodges, John Slosar, Margaret Marvnowski, passed away Friday, May 17, 1957. Funeral Monday, May 20, from the Mosinski Funeral Home, 3675 E. 65th St., at 9:15 a.m., St. Jude's Church at 10 a.m. Burial Calvary Cemetery.

Id#: 0717310
Name: Semik, Victoria
Date: Jan 23 1967
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #154.
Notes: Semik. Victoria Semik (nee Zadora), age 78, formerly of Fowler Ave., beloved wife of the late Martin, dear mother of Stanislaw, Francisick, Nora Martinez, Josephine Pesczor(Piszczor), John, Walter, Joseph, Mary Durtche, Anthony and Helen Apone, grandmother and great-grandmother, sister of Mary Zadora, of Poland, passed away Saturday, Friends may call at The B. J. Rumplik & Son Funeral Home, 5337 Dolloff Rd., Monday 2-5 And 7-10 P. M., where services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 8:30 A.M., St. Stanislaus Church at 9 A.M. Interment Calvary Cemetery.

Id#: 0789252
Name: Wolinski, Eva
Date: Aug 23 1951
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #168.
Notes: Wolinski, Eva, of 4025 E. 144 St., beloved wife of Anthony, dear mother of William, Sophie Betlejewski, Veronica Lewandowski and Monica Piszczor, sister of Joseph Lashinski, and grandmother, Tuesday. Funeral Saturday, Aug. 25, at 8:30 a. m., from Mosinski Corlett Funeral Home, 4035 E. 141 St., St. Mary's Church of Corlett at 9 a.m. Interment Calvary Cemetery.

Id#: 0789250
Name: Wolinski, Anton
Date: Aug 15 1957
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #168.
Notes: Wolinski, Anton, of 20734 Bowling Green Rd., beloved husband of the late Eva., dear father of William, Sophia Betley, Virginia Lewandowski, Monica Piszczor and grandfather. Friends received at Mosinski Funeral Home, 4035 E. 141st. Funeral Friday, Aug. 16, at 8:30 a. m., Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 9 a.m. Burial Calvary Cemetery

The shortcoming is the search is based only on the deceased name and not any other names in the body of the obit. But then is is just another tool if you have leads in the Cleveland, Ohio area.

Frank Basiorka, son of Antonina Piszczor

I remember first meeting Frank Basiorka at my grandmothers' funeral, that of Anna Szczypta, back in 1962. He was my dads' cousin and that was a difficult thing to comprehend for an eight year old. From my view I had cousins and they were all, well, kids! But I do remember him as a nice, kind man and my father and Frank seemed to had a good time together.

Frank Andrew Basiorka passed away at 3am on the morning on 30 March 1995 at Green ville Regional Hospital at the age of 80.

Frank was born in Mt. Pleasant Township in Westmoreland County, PA on 7 Oct 1914, one of nine children of Josef Basiorka and Antonina Piszczor (Piscur).

He married Anna Elizabeth Smith on 29 July 1944. Anna passed away 4 Aug 1982. Frank remarried on 17 Aug 1985 to Jean Sutherland Leyden.

In addition to being a farmer he worked for over 20 years in the Westmoreland County coal mines and retired from the Greenville Steel Car Co in 1979 after 29 years of service.

At his death in 1995 Frank was survived by his second wife Jean, his daughter Anita Powell of Clarks Mills (PA); his stepson Patrick Leyden of Denver; his sister Catheryn Sroka of New Kensington, Pa; three grandsons; four step grandchildren and two step great-granddaughters.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Anna; his sister Mary Sczschowicz; his three grown brothers, James, Thomas and John Basiorka; and three infant siblings whose names I have yet to discover.

More old wedding Pictures

Came across a few vintage wedding photos I received from Jean Basiorka some years ago that I misfiled and need to get back to her. They all include Frank A. Basiorka, son of Antonia Piszczor and Josef Basiorka. Some may contain some other family members and if if you recognize anyone please let me know.

This one in particular is intriguing. (Click on the image to see full sized) The photography studio listed on the folder wedding picture is the East 71st St. Studio (later Grand Studio) from Cleveland, OH in the 1930s, but whose wedding? The Bride and groom look so similar to Helen Sinko and Joseph Piszczor from pictures of that era, but what would they be doing in Cleveland getting married?

What I know is that Frank A. Basiorka is top row, 2nd from left. The fellow 5th from left looks very similar to Jesse Piszczor Sr. but not certain. Anyone help?

Click here and see all I have on the web so far!

Pictures from Uniontown - The Piszczor Farm

This page will not mean that much to most people but to a small group of us this is where our fathers called home, the old family farm in McClellandtown, PA.

You can click here to go to the web page and to the photo album for the rest of the photos.

New descendant group - Joseph (Joss) Piszczor

Time to get a new descendant group on the site. I found a three generation line from a Joseph (Joss) Piszczor. I have not yet found what town he came from in Poland but he arrived in the U.S. about 1895 and was living in Chicago at 125(?) Augusta Ave. in 1920 with his wife Julia and five children. His grandson, Josef Piszczor, is the only member of the family I have so far found that had given his life in servie to his country.

To see what I have documented so far just click over to his page.

New documents on Jacob Piszczor of Ciche

Was rummaging around the library account and found some new documentation on one Jacob Piszczor, my Great grandfather. This was his third trip to the U.S. and he returned back to Poland some time after June 1910 (can use this date due to his listing in the 1910 census!).

You can catch up on what I have on Jacob and links to the documents at his page on the web site.

Sorry for the lag.. but have some sad news

Was sent back into the hospital last week for a few days but all looks well now and working to catch up on life things, so have not been able to build on the site for awhile. With me being home bound on doctor orders I should be able to spend more time on this.

On a sad note, while I was in the hospital Bernard (Bernie) Piszczor passed away. Bernie was one of my most favorite cousins, more like the big brother I never had. I loved the man even though I haven't been able to see him in over ten years. At least had the opportunity to spend some time with him and his family two weeks ago. I am just sad I wasn't able to attend his funeral due to my health.

Bernie was a fellow who always had time for you. When you were at his home you felt like you were the most important person there was. Restoring cars was one of his favorite hobbies. It was Bernie who taught my son Errik how to shoot a rifle, who went on to qualify Expert in the U.S. Marines.

His sister-in-law Mary Ann was kind enough to send me a copy of his obit that I would like to share with you:

10/05/2007
Bernard F. Piszczor

Bernard F. Piszczor, 67, of New Salem, Pa., passed away peacefully Wednesday, October 3, 2007, in his home with his loving family at his side, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was born August 20, 1940, in New Salem, the son of the late Joseph Piszczor and Helen Piszczor Boskovich.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Donald (Pezar) Piszczor and his stepfather, Frank W. Boskovich.

Bernie was a member of St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church in Footedale. He was a welder with Boilermakers Local 154, Pittsburgh, for over 35 years, a former employee of Fruehauf Corporation, former co-owner of P-Zar's Bar and Grille, a member of General George C. Marshall AMVETS Post 103, Hopwood, Ridgeway Elks 872, The Rough Riders, Connellsville Slovak Club, Sons of Italy 231, Uniontown, and the Summit Mountain Early Iron Car Club. Bernie was an avid golfer, hunter and craftsman. He loved vacationing and spending time with his family and friends.

Friends will be received in DEARTH FUNERAL HOME, New Salem, Pa., on Saturday, October 6, 2007, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Sunday, October 7, 2007, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Monday, October 8, 2007, until 10:30 a.m. when prayers will
be said in the Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church, Footedale, with the Rev. Father Peter Peretti as Celebrant.

Interment will follow in St. Thomas Church Cemetery, Footedale.
Wake Service will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions
may be made to American Cancer Society and St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church.