1906 - My grandparents Anna Cetnarowski and Andrew Gawron, with my aunts Estelle on the left and May on the right. Andrew had immigrated from Brzezanka Poland around 1900, while Anna came in 1902 from Szymbark Poland. These relatively small villages, comprised mostly of family farms, were about 25 miles away from each other in the southeastern part of Poland. There is no evidence that they knew each other in Poland though I have seen over and over in my familys genealogy that people from the same areas in a country tended to settle in the same areas in the United States. Since my grandfather was one of the founding members of St Casimers Church and since I believe that they resided around the corner from each other (Clinton St and Riverdale Avenue) I presume that they were introduced in Yonkers by Polish friends associated to the growing Polish community and burgeoning church. They married in 1903. This was before the completion of St Casimers Church, so they married as was common in their community at the Chapel of the Church of the Immaculate Conception (St Marys). I am sure that they took this picture to send back to their family in Poland. Men, regardless of the ethnicity, usually belonged to some quasi-military/social/religious organization. My grandfather...the 4th Battery, Polish Artillery Society and the Terrace City Camp Modern Woodmen of America. Hence the sword. Why did they immigrate. Well, at that time there was famine in Poland and illnesses going around. Also, America was the land of opportunity. Unless you were lucky enough to inherit the family farm or marry into a family with a house it was probably tough to make it over in the old country. I like this photo because it shows their great strength and pride and that they wanted to show their family back in Poland that they had made it.
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 01:33:46 +0000
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