Family Object
Return to Home page	My family heritage is two-fold. My father is first generation American. His mother's family is from Italy; his father's family migrated from Poland. I have limited amount of information on the history of these two families. My mother is also first generation American. Her family will be my focus. My grandfather was born in 1896 in Jursce, Portopiuko, Yugoslavia. Due to poor economic and employment conditions, his father was no longer able to sustain a family of eight in Yugoslavia. In hopes of a better life and employment opportunities, the family planned on moving to the U.S.A. However, the cost of sending the family was too great. Being the eldest of six children (at the age of 13 years), my grandfather and his father would go to America and send money to the family. The plan was, as funds permitted, the family members would also migrate to the U.S. In 1910, my grandfather and his father took a grueling voyage to New York City, NY, U.S.A. The men were unskilled, uneducated, and unable to speak a word of English. They became lumberjacks. They lived in boarding houses and sent money to their family in Yugoslavia. Three years later, Frank's father - "healthy as an ox" (so I've been told), was out drinking and got hit by a train. Frank was left uneducated and alone in the United States. The former plans of sending for the family were dissolved. At the age of 27, he married my grandmother, also from Yugoslavia. She and her family survived by taking in boarders. Upon hearing the news of steady and plentiful work, the couple uprooted to Pennsylvania so my grandfather could work in the coal mine. It was there that they had 10 children. Although working in the coal mine paid very little, my grandfather continued to send money to Yugoslavia for his family. My grandparents' children were not taught to speak the Slovenian language. They were taught to be "proud" Americans. Remarkably enough, all ten children graduated from high school. They worked in blue collar jobs and supported families of their own. Today, their grandchildren are not attending college. Learn your family heritage! The stories told by my family have helped me learn more about my family history. I learned about the suffering that occurred in hopes of better lives for future generations...I thank them!
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Family Object

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My family heritage is two-fold. My father is first generation American. His mother's family is from Italy; his father's family migrated from Poland. I have limited amount of information on the history of these two families.

My mother is also first generation American. Her family will be my focus. My grandfather was born in 1896 in Jursce, Portopiuko, Yugoslavia. Due to poor economic and employment conditions, his father was no longer able to sustain a family of eight in Yugoslavia. In hopes of a better life and employment opportunities, the family planned on moving to the U.S.A. However, the cost of sending the family was too great. Being the eldest of six children (at the age of 13 years), my grandfather and his father would go to America and send money to the family. The plan was, as funds permitted, the family members would also migrate to the U.S.

In 1910, my grandfather and his father took a grueling voyage to New York City, NY, U.S.A. The men were unskilled, uneducated, and unable to speak a word of English. They became lumberjacks. They lived in boarding houses and sent money to their family in Yugoslavia. Three years later, Frank's father - "healthy as an ox" (so I've been told), was out drinking and got hit by a train. Frank was left uneducated and alone in the United States. The former plans of sending for the family were dissolved.

At the age of 27, he married my grandmother, also from Yugoslavia. She and her family survived by taking in boarders. Upon hearing the news of steady and plentiful work, the couple uprooted to Pennsylvania so my grandfather could work in the coal mine. It was there that they had 10 children. Although working in the coal mine paid very little, my grandfather continued to send money to Yugoslavia for his family.

My grandparents' children were not taught to speak the Slovenian language. They were taught to be "proud" Americans. Remarkably enough, all ten children graduated from high school. They worked in blue collar jobs and supported families of their own. Today, their grandchildren are not attending college.

Learn your family heritage! The stories told by my family have helped me learn more about my family history. I learned about the suffering that occurred in hopes of better lives for future generations...I thank them!

Return to Migration & Culture home page.