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My grandfather worked for an undertaker in the old country as a grave digger. He immigrated to the United States aboard the, "SS Konigin Luise" at he age of 32, on December 6, 1912. He stayed with his half brother, Julius in Ford City, Pennsylvania.
In 1913 he sent for my grandmother and their four children. Katherine, age 8, Charles, age 7, Emil, age 6, and Josephine, age 2.
My grandmother Julianna sailed for the United States on the "Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm" at the age of 30 and landed at "Ellis Island" on May 5, 1913, pregnant with four children in tow. They traveled in
Steerage
the lowest deck on the ship. Because she was seasick the whole voyage, Katherine had to look after the baby. The two boys had the run of the deck.
Before I go on with the story, I want to tell you that my cousin
Debbie, Aunt Josephine's daughter, is having our grandmother's name engraved on The Wall of Honor at Ellis Island. And I'm adding my Dad's name. As of this date Grandmother's name hasn't been placed yet. We're hoping they'll placed side by side.
Update
Grandma and Dad's names have been inscribed on panel "674" at the Ellis Island "Wall of Honor" as of this date, June 1, 2000
Grandma and Granddad, lived in Ford City for a while with his half brother, Julius Slama. They lost their baby daughter Josephine, who died of measles two or three weeks after their arrival. Two more daughters were born while living there, Ann and Mary. ( copied almost word for word from the post.) :-)
The family left Pennsylvania and moved to Akron, Ohio. They moved again to Red Brush Rd, in Ravenna, Ohio and had two more children, Joseph, and Josephine, the baby of the family. They moved again to Mantua St, in Kent, Ohio.
Granddad was a carpenter by trade, a mechanic, and a good farmer. Any job he tackled he did to perfection.
Grandma spoke four languages, Low German, Hungarian, Croatian and very broken English. She was a housewife and mother plus being a very good cook. Aunt Ann told me that Grandma said, "anyone can be a good cook if they have the ingredients but, a great cook can put a meal on the table with virtually nothing in the cupboard." One meal she prepared was a sort of soup. She would take bacon grease, add water and toasted bread croutons. I wonder how many people could survive today under such hard times as
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