Month: October 2018

1958 coloring contest

In 1958 my mom and her sister Kathy entered a coloring contest sponsored by the Buffalo Evening News.  They both won a wire puzzle.  I have no idea what a wire puzzle is.

I have never seen my mother do anything artistic.  No drawing, painting, or sculpting.  I know others in the family deed needlepoint and crocheting.  Something happened to her at some point where she just stopped being who she was as a child.  Someday I may hear some stories but as the years go by the chances diminish.

PUZZLE CONTEST
WINNERS NAMED
Winners of the sets of wire
puzzles offered as the prizes for
the 15 best entries in the leaf coloring
contest published Wednesday,
Oct. 1, are: Dennis Patro. 7; Ruth Szymczak. 10:
William Mossop. 7, and Jerry Gilewski.
8, all of Buffalo: April Lynn Bower.
7. Akron: Rochelle Wright. 12. Angola:
Joan Alajko, 12, and Kathleen
Alajko. 11. both of Cheektowaga:
Elaine DePasquale. 11. Depcw: Jacqueline
Weiss . 9. Eden: Beverly Schattner.
11. Elma: Kristi Kaushagen. It: Gregory
L. Huyck. 9. and Carol Jurnack.
I. all of Kenmore. and Jeanette Hummel,
11, Lancaster.
The prizes will be delivered to
these winners within a shortly.

 

 

 

Source:

http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201958%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201958%2520a%2520-%25202186.pdf%23xml%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.fultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffff81b36f15%26DocId%3D4784572%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cDISK%2520X%26HitCount%3D2%26hits%3D41b%2B41f%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201958%2FBuffalo%2520NY%2520Evening%2520News%25201958%2520a%2520-%25202186.pdf&xml=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fultonhistory.com%2FdtSearch%2Fdtisapi6.dll%3Fcmd%3Dgetpdfhits%26u%3Dffffffff81b36f15%26DocId%3D4784572%26Index%3DZ%253a%255cDISK%2520X%26HitCount%3D2%26hits%3D41b%2B41f%2B%26SearchForm%3D%252fFulton%255fform%252ehtml%26.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false

 

My Alajko line

I’ve seen videos and photos of the long lines at Ellis Island.  Below is the passenger manifest of my great grandfather coming here at Baltimore.  I knew my family hated long lines but I think skipping Ellis Island may be taking it too far.

The US Cassel arrived at the Port of Baltimore on July 5, 1905.  It had left Bremen, Germany on June 22.  Three relatives were on that ship, they were Polish but listed last residence as Russia.  There stated they were going to 478 Fillmore Ave. Buffalo, NY.  That is where my great great grandfather Stanislaus lived.

Wiktorya Alajko 36 wife of Stanislaus

Jozef Alajko 22 Oldest son of Wiktorya and Stanislaus.  Only 14 years younger than his mom.  I know on some of the genealogical sites that age is usually called into question.  In this case it is correct as far as we know at this time..  He is 30 years younger than his father.  He is listed as a farm hand so I wonder if there was a family farm in Poland/Russia.  If so could there have been a first wife for Stanislaus that died young?  It has been seen before where there is a young second wife to care for the children from the first wife.  Of course that information is in Poland and that is one of my brick walls.

Pauline Alajko 19 the couple’s second child.

It say none of the three were able to read or write, or had ever been to the US.  Stanislaus came to the US in 1893.  I don’t know if he made multiple trips, if not he did not see his wife or  children for 8 years.

I often marvelled that marriages lasted such large times apart.  It also makes me think that many Not Parent Expected events occur because of it.  I haven’t seen that yet but it is something to keep in mind for future research.

Jozef Alajko in the Baltimore, Passenger Lists, 1820-1964.jpg

Alajko research

My biggest brick wall has been connecting the different Alajko lines.  As I posted earlier there may now be a third US line to add to the mix.  The pieces to the puzzle are all over the place and in Polish which I never learned and was rarely spoken in the home.

In Find A Grave I have found three cemeteries in Poland that have Alajko listed.  All of them are in Kolno, Podlaskie, Poland.  The first is Poryte Cemetery and has four Alajko listed:

  • Aleksander Alajko
    BIRTH unknown
    DEATH 1899
  • Anna Alajko
    BIRTH unknown
    DEATH 1890
  • Marianna Alajko
    BIRTH unknown
    DEATH 1896
  • Rozalia Alajko
    BIRTH unknown
    DEATH 1892

All four show parents StanisÅ‚aw and Wiktoria(WÅ‚odkowska) of Zaskrodzie.

Next is Cmentarz Komunalny w Kolnie which has one Alajko.

  • Katarzyna Grala Alajko
    BIRTH 1875
    DEATH 20 Feb 1937 (aged 61–62)

Third cemetery is Cmentarz Komunalny w Zabiele also with on Alajko.

  • Stanislaw Alajko
    BIRTH 1936
    DEATH 23 Dec 2006 (aged 69–70)

Right now I have very little to connect these to my line.  The first four were probably siblings and I can use that and their parents names to continue.  It “seems” that Katarzyna is the daughter of one of the siblings. Stanislaw could be a great grandchild of one of the siblings.  I need to learn more of Polish naming conventions.  I believe the wife would take the husbands name but change the last letter.  If so, AND Alexander is the only male from that time frame then Katarzyna is probably his daughter and Stanislaw he great grandchild.  Katarzyna could be Stanislaw’s great aunt. But I need more information to continue that line of thought.

There are a total of twelve Alajko listed in Find A Grave.  Besides the seven listed here there is on in New Jersey and Four In New York that I created.  It doesn’t seem possible that there are so few Alajko that can be found.  I grew up thinking my family was secret agents.  Now doing research I think they may have been very good at their jobs.