Name: Longine
“Louis” RASZEWSKI
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Birth: 1883
Death: 1955
Misc. Notes
It has been
difficult to find older historical records for Longine Raszewski. In the 1930
census, he reported that he came to the USA in 1907, but we have not been able
to find immigration or naturalization records. In no small part, this may be
because the name is subject to highly variable spellings.
Found a 1927
directory for Glassport, PA, at “http://home.comcast.net/~glassportpahistory/glass27q.htm”.
It indicated was a laborer, and that he lived at 401 Iowa Avenue in Glassport,
PA. That shows he was going by the name “Louis Raszewski”. I found a current
real estate listing for this house, and it was apparently quite new in 1927:
“This is a Single-Family Home. 401 Iowa Ave has 3 beds, 1 bath, and
approximately 1,427 square feet. The property has a lot size of 3,000 sq ft and
was built in 1925.”
1930 CENSUS, PENNSYLVANIA, ALLEGHENY
CO., GLASSPORT:
(This search
was a challenge. Finally searched for everyone with the first name of Longine
or Longin in Pennsylvania -- there weren’t a lot of those!)
Family is
indexed under “Longin Raszewska”. Longin is 46, Kathie is (36 or 38). They own
their home (at 401 Iowa Avenue), worth $2000, do not own a radio, do not have a
mortgage. They were married when he was 30 and she was 21. He is not able to
read and write, but she is. They and all their parents were born in Poland, and
they spoke Polish before coming to the USA. He came to the US in 1907, she came
in 1911. They are both American Citizens, and both are able to speak English.
His job is as a helper in a foundry, and he is currently employed.
There are
six children living at home. Vera is 14, Laura is 13, Joseph is 11, Stanley(?)
is 9, Jennie (?Genevieve?) and Paul are both 6 (they were twins). The four
oldest have been attending school, and the three oldest can read and write.
1940 CENSUS, PENNSYLVANIA, ALLEGHENY
CO., GLASSPORT:
They own
their home, worth $3000, and it’s the same house as in 1935, and the address is
still 401 Iowa Avenue. Katherine is gone, Lewis is age 57 and born in Poland.
His citizenship status is “Alien”. He is a laborer in a steel mill, and worked
40 hours the week of March 30. However he was unemployed for 26 weeks in the previous
year. He worked 26 weeks is 1939 and earned $300. At home are Vera (age 25),
Joseph (21), Stanley (18), Genevieve (16), Paul (16), and Dorothy (7). Lewis
says he has a fifth grade education, the kids all have no more than eighth
grade. Joseph and Stanley say their occupation is work in a glass factory
– but they have been unemployed 52 weeks.
BURIAL RECORDS:
See http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/cemeteries/stmarypolishalpha.txt. This is a survey of St. Mary's Polish
Cemetery located at the corner of Lower and Upper Heckman Roads, McKeesport,
PA. (Memo: There are 2640 markers recorded in this survey – this
is a big cemetery, as shown on satellite image.)
Survey
order, name, Birth, Death, remarks:
1725,
Raszewski, Longin T, 1883, 1955, Stone is falling In - ground is sinkin in
2128,
Raskewski, Katherine, 1894, 1936
COMMENT FROM SANDRA: “Regarding
my maternal grandparents, I am shocked and very pleased to see that you've
found their burial sites. My mother
never really talked much about her parents and is quite closed-mouth on the
subject, wouldn't even tell me where they were buried. I don't know why. Thank
you so much because now I can go pay my respects. Obviously I never met them.”
Marriage: abt 1914
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Spouse: Katherine
WOLLEN
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Birth: 1894
Death: 9 Oct 1936
ELLIS ISLAND RECORDS:
Arriving
November 8, 1911, on the ship “Kroonland”, from Antwerp, Belgium. The passenger
is Katarzyna Wolan (indexed as Katsezywn). She is from Austria, and is Polish.
The home town appears to be Wosola, Austria. She is 19 years old, can read and
write, occupation “servant”. She is travelling in steerage class.
(I think the
manifest home town “Wosola, Austria” is, on today’s map, probably “Wsola,
Poland”. This village now has a population of about 1500 people. I went to the
Mormon (LDS) web page, and they do have microfilms (3 rolls) of church records
for Wsola, but they only cover the years 1810 – 1859, which is too early to
cover this immigrant.)
OBSERVATIONS FROM MANIFEST:
She is going
to visit a cousin (name illegible) in McKeesport, PA. (If I were forced to make
a guess on the name, I might say “Masej Wamarski, or Wamiarski”?) (The previous
3 people on the manifest also appear to be going to McKeesport, and they all
came from Wosola, And it looks like all 4 are all giving the same address,
which I read to be “808 4th Street” in McKeesport. I think they are all travelling together? The
other names got indexed as Pieto Pawel Kroeviak (age 24), Josef Kroeviak (age
25), and Telkia Skiba (female age 23).)
THE SHIP:
Built by
William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilders, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1902. 12,760
gross tons; 600 (bp) feet long; 60 feet wide. Steam triple
expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 17
knots. 1,537 passengers (343 first class, 194 second class, 1,000
third class). Built for Red Star Line, British flag, in 1902 and
named Kroonland. Antwerp-New York service. Under Belgian flag 1908-11. Laid up
in 1926; scrapped in Italy in 1927.
FROM SANDRA BELLAS COFFEY, SEPT.
2003:
When I was
in ninth grade (1986), on my mother's birthday, October 9th, I was flipping
through The McKeesport Daily News. The
historical section always documented occurrences on that specific day in decade
increments. Since it was a special
occasion, my mom's birthday, I wanted to see what had happened fifty years ago,
ten years ago, etc. To my surprise, in
the fifty years ago section, I read of my grandmother's death in an explosion
on my mother's fourth birthday.
Apparently the hot water tank exploded, killing her instantly. I often asked my mom what it was like to grow
up without a mother but she said she didn't really notice since she was the
youngest of 8 and always had a brother or sister looking out for her.
(Memo for
future reference: “The McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center”, http://mckeesportheritage.org/home,
1832 Arboretum Drive
McKeesport, PA 15132
ph: 412-678-1832
reports they
have Copies of the McKeesport Daily News on microfilm from 1884 to the present.
They also have a lot of city directories, tax records, and other resources.
Might be good for future research?
CHILDREN:
(1) Longine RASZEWSKI (1883 - 1955) & Katherine WOLLEN (1894 - 9 Oct
1936)
(2) Vera RASZEWSKI (abt 1916 -
)
(2) Laura RASZEWSKI (25 Oct
1916 - 7 Jun 1996) & Emil RUSSEN (17 Jul 1914 - Feb 1957)
(2) Joseph A “Lon” RASZEWSKI
(4 Mar 1919 - 18 Jan 2012) & Anna KOVALEV (5 Sep 1925 - 26 Aug 2003)
(2) Stanley RASZEWSKI (9 Jul
1921 - Feb 1984)
(2) Genevieve (“Aunt Peanuts”)
RASZEWSKI (18 Dec 1923 - 17 Jan 1994) & Charles FIORE
(2) Paul RASZEWSKI (18 Dec
1923 - 16 Dec 1967)
(2) Dorothy Louise RASZEWSKI
(9 Oct 1932 - ) & Frank Raymond BELLAS (26 Feb 1936 - )
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Please report
corrections or additions to FredCoffey@aol.com