Clarence Mallick was born on 18 June 1924, to Vincent and Agnes Sieg Mallick. His parents were married in 1910 in Oglesby and already had four other children by the time Clarence was born. Clarence’s paternal grandparents were Nicolaus and Catharina Smolter Mallick—a couple who emigrated to LaSalle County in about 1870 from the Dębowo area in northwest Poland—a small community located about five miles northwest of Nakło. After arriving in the Illinois Valley, the Mallick family took up farming and had at least two more children one of whom was Clarence’s father Vincent. The Mallick farm was located about…
Author: familyhistorian
Ship’s Cook 2C Casimir Andrew Leszczynski Service No. 3010825
Casimir Andrew Leszczynski was born on 3 January 1925, in LaSalle, Illinois, to Andrew and Stella (Rydz) Leszczynski. Casimir was the eighth child born to the couple. At the time of his birth his family was living at 337 Buck street on the southeast side of LaSalle. His father, Andrew, was working at the zinc factory. Both of his parents and his oldest siter, Antoinette, were born in Poland. Andrew left Poland for the U.S. in 1912; he was 22 years old. His wife and Antoinette followed the next year; at the time, Stella was 21 and Antoinette was 18…
PFC John Tomazin Jr., Service No. 36297456
John Tomazin Jr. was born on 6 July 1916, to John and Frances Savric Tomazin. Both of John’s parents were born in what is now southeastern Slovenia—an area which was considered part of Austria when they left their homeland in the early 1900s for America. John’s mother Frances arrived in New York aboard the SS Alice with her mother Maria Savric on 27 August 1913. Traveling with them were Maria Savric—sister to Frances—and Elizabeth—two-year-old granddaughter to Frances’ mother Maria Savric; Frances was 28 years old when she made the journey. John Tomazin was born in 1880, possibly in Catez ob…
Seaman 2C Robert August Koehler, Service no. 9450770
Robert August Koehler was born on 28 September 1918, in Peru, Illinois, as both war and a flu pandemic were raging across the world. While the war would cease a month and a half after his birth, the pandemic would go on for another year. In the midst of this turmoil, Robert’s parents, August and Elsie Elizabeth (Pyka) Koehler, were raising Robert and his two older sisters Mildred and Gladys in a home they owned at 2315 Main street in southwest Peru. August Koehler was supporting his family by working as a buffer at Westclox—a local clock factory. Two years…
T/SGT Eugene Joseph Kieras, Service Number 36480578
Eugene “Gene” Joseph Kieras was born on 14 November 1924, in LaSalle, Illinois. He was the third child of John and Mary Theresa (Brzygot) Kieras. Their two older children were sons Stanley and Edward. Gene’s parents were both born in the area and married in LaSalle four years before his birth on 20 April 1920. After Gene, John and Mary Kieras had two more sons: Ernest and Raymond. Around the time Gene was born his family was living at 1220 Eight street in LaSalle, but they moved several times throughout his childhood. Their longest stay during his life was in…
PFC Eugene Joseph Kellner, Service No. 36690379
Eugene Joseph Kellner was born around 1922/1923 to Josephine Halasiak (aka Hallas). As a toddler, Eugene most likely lived on the east side of LaSalle at 508 Blackstone with his mother and grandparents Martin and Maggie Halasiak. Eugene’s grandfather Martin supported the family by working as a coal miner. Martin and his wife had married in 1891 and left Poland for America in 1892. They had at least nine children including Eugene’s mother Josephine. When Eugene was about three or four, his grandfather passed away in the summer of 1926. Around this same time, his mother Josephine married John V.…
PFC Ludwig Frank Hrovat, Service No. 36445593
Ludwig Frank Hrovat was born on 6 August 1923, in LaSalle, Illinois, to Frank and Caroline Misjak Hrovat. Both of Ludwig’s parents had immigrated to the United States from Slovakia and married in LaSalle on 17 June 1901. A few months after their first anniversary they had their first child—a son who they named Frank Hrovat Jr. Over the next several years, the couple had at least six more children before having Ludwig in 1923. Throughout this time Ludwig’s father Frank supported his family by working as a miner. On 13 February 1931, when Ludwig was seven years old, his…
Seaman 1C John Joseph Iwanicki
John Joseph Iwanicki was born 5 January 1922, to Xavier and Frances Koprowski Iwanicki. His parents had been married for almost 20 years when he was born and had 11 other children—5 boys and 6 girls—prior to John’s birth. However, not all had survived—at least two children passed away before he was born. Xavier, John’s father, was an immigrant who in his mid-teens left Poland for the U.S. in the mid to late 1890s. John’s mother, Frances, was born in 1883 in Peru, Illinois, to parents who had immigrated as young adults from Poland to the U.S. While John would…
Seaman 1C Stanley Joseph Iwanicki
Stanley Joseph Iwanicki was born 27 May 1919, to Xavier and Frances Koprowski Iwanicki. His parents had been married for 17 years when he was born and had 10 other children—4 boys and 6 girls—prior to Stanley’s birth. However, not all had survived—at least two children passed away before he was born. Xavier and Frances welcomed one more child after Stanley—a boy, John Iwanicki, who was born in January 1922 when Stanley was two. Xavier, Stanley’s father, was an immigrant who in his mid-teens left Poland for the U.S. in the mid to late 1890s. Stanley’s mother, Frances, was born…
Stories Behind the Stars – A Rewarding Volunteer Opportunity
This year when I attended Roots Tech, I attended a virtual session by Don Milne who talked about Stories Behind the Stars (SBTS) – a volunteer effort he founded. Don and those who sign up to help him are “telling the stories of 421,000 US World War II fallen.” I was really impressed and interested in the work they were doing so checked into it, listened to the training videos Don has provided, and started contributing. I have been researching other people’s family history for about 20 years now and my own for most of my life so the project…