George Valko wrote: > > I believe this to be an important thread and also have asked my self the > question... > Why did they end up in Chicago. Obviously jobs. In searching my family history > I discovered that many of the Slovaks from the area around Brezova pod Bradlom, > Nitra, Slovakia came to Chicago to work in the tanneries. For almost three > hundred years there was a tannery near Brezova in Slovakia. In Chicago the > famed stockyards produced hides and thus Chicago had many tanneries > around the turn of the Century were many Slovaks worked. > It is interesting that my great grandfather who came to Chicago DID NOT > work in the tanneries in Brezova. One of the 1900s Slovak neighborhoods; > Chicago Avenue near Ogden & Milwaukee Avenues was not far from the > tannery district along the Chicago River at Division. (to Armitage Ave). > It is my guess that Chicago had enough factory work to accommodate > immigrant workers, although some Slovaks who came were professional > people. > > Momentum must also play a role in where they migrate to. A group of > some must attract others. > > I would be interested in hearing from others on this subject. > > >Why? I know about the coal mines in central PA. But why there, or > >Chicago? (As opposed to New York City, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, or > >somewhere else?) I *know* they went where there were jobs, but why *those* > >jobs? Why *those* areas? > > >Was there an organized effort? I know there was the effort to get > >Polish/Russian Jews to enter the US through Galveston, TX, and then settle > >in Texas, Colorado, etc. Was there such an effort in Galicia to assist > >Polish Catholics? My grandfather-in-law KAMYKOWSKI came through Baltimore, > >and moved to Minersville, PA. Why did he go through Baltimore, stay with a > >family named JENKINS (doesn't sound like *they* were relatives), and move? > >Why did his cousin enter Baltimore, and go directly to Chicago? > > >Can we discuss some of the cultural/societal issues? Can we discuss some > >of the 'color' - some of the 'fabric' of these immigrations? These people > >were more than names and dates and descendants. > > George Valko > Chicago, IL > 71160.117@compuserve.com > > searching VALKO, Lutheran family Brezova pod Bradlom, Senica, Nitra, Slovakia > >1892-1893 Chicago, > other spellings, Valco, Volko, Walko > > also searching Rechtoris, Kostelny from Brezova pod Bradlom - > > other surnames in chart- Barosko, Cano, Danko, Janiss, Golosinec, Karlik, > Katlovsky, Kopecky, Kriho, Kucerka, Vrana Hi! In the case of my maternal grandparents who started out in upstate NY, they followed friends to Toledo who found jobs plentiful there related to the then-new auto industry. Regards, Bonnie Cieslukowski Weisman