The time frame you stated includes the period when NW Indiana was starting to develop as a major industrial center for the U.S. Gary became a city in 1906, I believe. Of course, its major employer was the forerunner to U.S. Steel. Many Eastern and Central Europeans came to the area to work in the steel mills. Also, your relatives living in Whiting could have found employment in the Chicago area as well. There are a number of good books at various local libraries which describe NW Indiana's growth in the early 20th Century. Ken Curtis Wanatah, IN KERTESZ, ASZMONGYA, TOTH, PENTEK, DEMBOSKY, BARRICK, VAN WORMER