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Interviews with Family and Friends
***** Interview with Jean (Jenny/Yohanah) Gruss Rohaly *****
This is Janette Gruss. I’m interviewing Jean, Jenny, (Gruss) Rohaly who is my husband, Jim’s, aunt. We’re in her home in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It’s May, 2024. Aunt Jenny is an older sister to Jim’s dad, Steve Gruss, who passed in 2011. Aunt Jenny is 104 years old and doesn’t look a day over 70.
Aunt Jenny, I’m just going to ask you some questions about growing up and your life in general. I think it will be so interesting and important to carry on old stories and knowledge about the family.
Q... Okay, Aunt Jenny, what is your full name?
A... Jean Elizabeth Rohaly. They used to call Jenny. My mother used to call me Yohanah so I had all kinds of names.
Q... Do you know of any reason your parents named you Jean?
A... They didn’t name me Jean. They named me Yohanah.
Q... Oh, okay that’s the name they gave you.
A... But then they called me Jenny, so I don’t know where they got that. All the kids called me Jenny. I didn’t want Jenny and I didn’t want Yohanah, so I went ahead and put my own name.
Q... That was smart, that’s the way to do it. What is the day of your birthday and where were you born?
A... My birthday was September 8th and I was born in Benscreek (PA) at home. There was a midwife there. But my father took care of everything before the midwife came. And right before my mother had me, she was digging potatoes in the yard. And then she had her labor pains. Then she went in the house and that’s when she had me.
Q... Oh my goodness. And September 8th is Jim’s and my wedding anniversary.
A... Really?
Q... And isn’t that the Blessed Mother’s birthday or something?
A... Yes, it is.
Q... That’s so nice. And what year was that?
A... 1920.
Q... Wow.
A... That’s a long time ago. I can’t believe I’m still here.
Q... If I could record how good you look, I would. I have a dad who is 96.
A... Oh my. How is he?
Q... He is in very good health but he can’t really hear and he has really bad macular degeneration in his eyes.
A... I had that and it was dry. But now it’s wet and I have to get those injections and, oh, they’re horrible.
Q... Yeah. My aunt has that too.
A... And George had the wet.
Q... That’s tough.
A... Yeah, it is.
Q... Do you know when your family came to live here in the United States?
A... Oh, they told us, but I can’t remember. Well, my mother was only17 when she came to America. Dad came to live with his brother and my mother came – my mother didn’t go live with her sisters who lived in Benscreek. The priest at the parish there notified a priest in Pittsburgh on Dixon Street. So they sent her to that priest and she was the lady of the house, I guess. She took care of the priest and two kids. And then she was real lonesome. And she lived in Pittsburgh. She didn't want to live there anymore because she was too lonesome. So that priest in Pittsburgh notified the priest in South Fork (near Benscreek), so that’s how she got to South Fork and she stayed and helped that priest and there were two kids. She cooked for them and took care of them. Then, my father, he knew my mother, but he didn’t talk to her. My mother – there were five daughters in their family and my mother’s father was pretty well established. He had a nice big – lots of ground. And he had big wagons that he had helpers come and help him. And my dad was one of his helpers, and he had his eye on my mother.
Q... Awe.
A... Because there was five daughters there. So then when my father found out that she’s working in South Fork, he wanted to visit her. So the priest in that parish allowed him to come and visit. So he used to go from Benscreek to South Fork every Saturday to visit her.
Q... That’s so nice. I never heard that story before.
A... Well, now you know.
Q... Yes, that’s great. That’s why I like to do these things. And I just want to add here something Andy’s Ginny told me once. She said she was peeling potatoes with Baba and Baba would always scoop all of the potato out from the peelings after they were peeled. And while they were doing that Baba told Ginny, “My dad wanted me to marry a pig farmer. I said, “I not marry no pig farmer! I go to Merica!” And she did. That’s funny! So, Aunt Jenny, what was your mother’s maiden name?
A... Lesko.
Q... That’s interesting. My father’s family had some Lesko in their family too. Whenever your dad came to this country, were there other relatives around that he knew of, or he just came ---
A... He just came to his brother’s. He stayed with his brother for a while.
Q... Okay.
A... Until he met my mother, and then he married my mother.
Q... Right.
A... He courted her for a long time. From Benscreek to South Fork, he walked it.
Q... He really liked her!
A... He did. So then, after that, she got to go to the parish in Portage. She worked there for a while. So that was much more convenient for my dad.
Q... Oh yeah. What was your house like that you grew up in, like what kind of house?
A... Let’s see. We had two bedrooms upstairs and there was eleven of us. The girls had one room and the boys had the other room. We got along real good. Didn’t have any problems, you know. In fact, I missed it so much when I left I cried. I cried every night.
Q... Awe.
A... I felt so bad for my sister Anne, because she had to put up with me. But it worked out.
Q... Yeah. And you were, what, only 14?
A... Yeah.
Q... That would be hard.
A... Yes, it was hard
Q... Did your dad have enough land that there was a garden?
A... Yeah. They had two pigs. They had two cows. We had lots of milk, lots of buttermilk. Lots of butter. That was one nice thing about it. And then they had a garden. They had potatoes, tomatoes. We had plenty to eat.
Q... So you could mostly provide for yourselves.
A... Right.
Q... Was there electricity or indoor bathrooms?
A... No indoor bathrooms. And there was no electricity. I remember there was these oil lamps hooked onto a wood there, and that would come on. And then later on they got electricity. But the bathroom didn’t come in til way later.
Q... And you probably didn’t have a telephone til way later.
A... Oh no, no telephone.
Q... Were there any special things in the house that you remember – like special pictures or special statues or whatever? It’s just one of the questions I ask when I do interviews.
A... No, I can’t remember of anything special. We had a coal stove, you know. And we had a coal furnace. And, my sister Anne was the first born. Then my sister Mary, then me. There were three girls came first and then Joe and Andy.
Q... Jim always says that his dad imitated Zedo (Grandfather Gruss) by saying “Annie, Mary, Jenny... then Joe come!” (transcription note: “Dzedo” is Slovak for Grandpa.)
A... That’s right, that’s the way it went.
Q... What is your earliest or favorite childhood memory?
A... I had a lot of nice memories. I remember my dad used to play the accordion all the time. And he would tell me to dance. So, I’d bring my girlfriend down and we’d dance and he’d play the accordion.
Q... Jim’s dad used to play the accordion too. That was fun.
A... Yeah, he did.
Q... What were your family’s personalities like? What was your mom like, your dad like and maybe some of your siblings – things you remember.
A... Well, my mother always had a switch – we had an oven on the top, like. And the coal was there. And my father would always have a switch for her. She’d have it up there. And if you were bad and didn't listen, she’d get that switch out and smack you with it.
Q... Oh, I bet.
A... But you know what? I was never hit with it.
Q... Oh, wow.
A... But Verna said “boy, I was hit so many times.”
Q... You must have been really good.
A... I must have been good. I remember, too, when I was about eight or nine years old all the neighbor kids like, Mary Popchak, John Seaman, Andy, John – we’d all play together. We didn't have any problems. And when the wagon would come, the guy had a wagon. And in that wagon, he sold ice cream. And we’d all run after him. So we’d all hang on that truck on the back of the wagon. In the coal mine, they had these big trucks that they’d haul logs back and forth. Well, I ran out and I got run over.
Q... Oh no.
A... But I got up and I started running home. And all the neighborhood women come running after me, because they thought I was hurt.
Q... Yeah.
A... My mother come out and she says “what’s the matter?” They said “the truck run over her.” She says “Oh my God.” And where did I run? I ran into the toilet outside the house. And I sat in there. I didn’t want no one coming near me. So my mother knocked on the door, she says “Yohana, what’s the matter?” I said “Nothing’s the matter; I don’t know why they’re all coming up here.” The only thing happened was that I had long hair. And all the hair on my one side was pulled off. The truck didn’t hurt me.
Q... Yeah, thank goodness.
A... So I was lucky. That’s what I remember real well.
Q... So, you had Annie and Mary older than you, right?
A... Uh-huh.
Q... Did they – were you guys all kind of close and played together?
A... Yeah, we did.
Q... What kind of games did you kids play when you were growing up?
A... We played with cards. I think it was piggy, you know?
Q... Uh-huh.
A... And something else, I can’t remember.
Q... How did piggy work?
A... I can’t remember all of it. But I remember one time we were playing cards and my brother, Andy, beat me. And I was mad that he beat me because I would always beat him. So on the table was one of those lids, you know, for like a candy jar.
Q... Yeah.
A... But those lids were not the kind we have now. They were like metal around and glass inside. I took that lid and I threw it at him. And it chipped his tooth and I felt terrible!
Q... Awe.
A... That’s what I remember real well. Later on as I got older, I said, “I want to pay for that tooth.” He says, “get out, I had that done a long time ago!”
Q... We all do things that we wish we didn’t. You guys probably didn’t have a lot of actual toys.
A... No we never had nothing like that. In fact, I never had a doll. I don’t remember ever having a doll.
Q... You were able to play just by your imagination.
A... Yes.
Q... I don’t know if they had movie theaters when you still lived with your parents.
A... Then, I never went to a movie.
Q... Maybe when you moved to Pittsburgh you’d go to the movies?
A... We did.
Q... Did you have any special chores in the family, growing up or did everybody do all the chores?
A... We always had to do the dishes. And when my mom would have children, I would be, like, there to help. And Mary and Ann was already gone. They were working. So I had to milk the cow, make bread and do all that stuff and take care of the others.
Q... Right. Right. Did you ever help at the labor when your mom was having babies? Or was it just the midwife.
A... Midwife.
Q... Do you remember who the midwives were?
A... Mrs. Kromshal was one. She did for most of them. After I was gone, I don’t remember.
Q... These days, kids often receive an allowance. I doubt that you did.
A... No way. We were very fortunate to have what we had. That’s the trouble these days sometimes, I think. Kids get allowance and then they don’t want to go work. And when they’re 16, they should go out and do something.
Q... Something, right. What was school like? Now, you did go to school at least to a certain grade, right?
A... Eighth grade. I graduated Eighth grade and that was it. I liked school. I didn't mind going to school. In fact, we used to do homework around the table. I remember some of the kids in the neighborhood would come and we’d all sit around the table and do our homework. That was nice.
Q... What was your favorite subject? Did you like math, or ---. Did you really have a favorite?
A... I didn’t really have a favorite, no.
Q... I know I couldn’t do math. I was not good at math.
A... My sister Anne was very good at math. And Andy was good at math.
Q... I wasn't too good.
A... Me neither.
Q... What was the name of the grade school?
A... Benscreek School. But you know I never went to high school. The reason why I didn’t --- I wanted to go, but they didn’t want me to go because I’d have to walk and I’d wear out too many shoes, so I’d better just not go.
Q... Yeah.
A... So then my sister, Anne, was working in Pittsburgh. The people she worked for, they were going to Wilkes Barre one time so they dropped her off. And you know what was funny? They came in the house, and my dad gave him beer. And he said “This beer’s kind of warm.” And my dad says, “Well, we don’t have a Frigidaire!” And then they picked her up to go back to Pittsburgh and they asked if I wanted to go with them. I says, “Yeah, I’ll go.” But I never knew what was in for me. So she worked like downstairs, and I worked upstairs for his brother and family. But oh, did I miss home.
Q... I bet.
A... We’d go in a stairway ---. After they left --- they’d go out every night, well most of the nights. And I would cry my eyes out. Poor Anne had to listen to me.
Q... That’s understandable. What was the house like that you went to work in? Were they wealthy people?
A... Well, they were Jewish. Anne got along well with the people downstairs, the brother and family. But the ones that were upstairs that I worked for, I had to get used to them. She kept me, like, at a distance. And then, like, when we’d eat, she’d fill my plate. When they had chicken, you know what she’d throw on my plate?
Q... What?
A... The neck.
Q... Oh my.
A... The neck and maybe a couple pieces of potato and a vegetable. She was very funny. Now, when I worked when they went to Atlantic City, they wanted me to go with them. I said I didn’t want to go. They said, “Well, what are you going to do?” I said, “I’ll stay here.” They rented their house to another family and the lady that was renting that house, she asked me if I would stay. Well, she was the best person I ever worked for. She treated me like a sister. She let me wear her clothes, her shoes. She was wonderful. And I never wanted to leave her, she was so nice. And I ate with them, and I ate what I wanted to eat.
Q... Did she have kids?
A... She had one boy and he had a heart condition. When I think about it, I was 15 or 16. Well, he liked music and so did I. There used to be a Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, if you remember?
Q... I’ve heard of it.
A... Well, they used to have big orchestras come in there. He wanted to see them, but she didn’t want to go with him. So she asked me if I’d go with him. So they’d get a cab. Him and I would get in the cab and we’d go to Pittsburgh and see the orchestra and then we’d come home. But that was so nice. Who would do that now?
Q... That’s so great.
A... I saw Benny Goodman and that guy with the horn ---
Q... I can’t think of his name, but I know who you mean.
A... He was really good.
Q... Wow, you got to see a lot of nice things.
A... Yes, I did. And then, I met George and the big orchestras used to be up in Kennywood. So he would take me up there and we’d dance. Then, the nice lady I was working for was moving to Florida. She wanted me to go with them in the worst way. Well, I was already dating George.
Q... Right.
A... And George was able to come up to the house and sit there and do whatever he wanted to. In fact, they had a big party one time and George was the bartender and I was the maid. And she got me a uniform, like a French girl.
Q... How cute.
A... So we had a real nice time with them. But I didn’t want to go to Florida because I had met George.
Q... Right. I’m sure they understood that.
A... They did. They were very nice.
Q... My own dad’s family was very big. They were Polish and his older sisters also were maids or nannies in New York City.
A... My cousin went to New York, Katie Borenish.
Q... And they sent for my dad, who was maybe ten and they said, “We’re gonna let you get on a train and you’re gonna come visit us.” So he got there, and the first thing my aunts did was take him for new clothes because he looked like a country bumpkin.
A... That was so nice.
Q... Oh yeah, he had a good time and they took him to a Yankee’s game. Okay, do you remember any special kind of fashion at any time, hats or the way people wore their hair?
A... Well, we wore hats to church, I remember.
Q... People don’t really do that anymore.
A... But you know what? We went to a tea yesterday and a lot of girls had these big ugly hats (laughs) But we didn’t want tea, but we wanted coffee, so they made us some coffee.
Q... What were your favorite songs or music? Polkas?
A... Roll out the Barrel we like. There was one that was mine and George’s favorite and every time it played we had to get up and dance. But I can’t remember that song.
Q... I don’t think you guys had any pets growing up?
A... We had a dog but he wasn’t allowed in the house. Oh, and we had a cat. And I used to carry that cat around. And my mother used to say “Don’t carry that cat.” Well, my mother made all our clothes. And she made big pockets. So one day I’m carrying the cat and the cat poops in my pocket.
Q... That’s funny!
A... Well, I never carried that cat again.
Q... What was your religious life like?
A... We had to go to church every Wednesday or Thursday night. And we went to church every Sunday. And then we went to catechism every Saturday. And we had to walk to Portage and back.
Q... That was quite a walk.
A... But that was okay. But it wasn’t okay for me to go to school.
Q... I know what you mean.
A... Because I wanted to go to high school but it didn’t work out that way.
Q... Right.
A... That’s the only thing I regret.
Q... And it was the times, you know?
A... Yeah. But you know what? I learned on my own how to do a lot of things. I learned how to make my income taxes out after we got married because George didn't want to do anything with that. Then we started getting investments and I told him I didn’t know how to do any of that. So we ended up going to the tax guy.
Q... Yeah, there's a lot of things you learn from experience in life. What was the church your family went to while growing up?
A... St. Mary’s in Portage.
Q... Is it still there?
A... I think it is. Maybe they made it into something else but I think the building is still there.
Q... What was your favorite holiday?
A... Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving. We liked all the holidays.
On Easter Monday, I remember my Uncle – Mr. Borenish, do you remember?
Q... I know the name.
A... He used to come down and that was “duckin” day for women. So he would get my mother – my mother would have to put her head like this and he would get her wet. Then she’d have a towel and dry herself off. He didn’t bother us. But every holiday for Christmas, he’d come down and he’d have his pockets filled with walnuts and when he’d see us he’d throw them at us, so we’d all duck.
Q... That’s funny. My grandma used to get little pieces of hard candy and walnuts on the Epiphany and she’d throw it out on the floor. But she didn’t throw it at us.
A... Well, he used to throw it at us. He wanted to hurt us a little bit.
Q... That’s funny. Do you remember any special friends when you were growing up in Benscreek? Well, you had your sisters.
A... Yes, we were real close. There was Mary Popchak that was close. I think she was the closest. And there was Susan Buchi, but she was further down so I didn’t see her that much. And Helen Kuntz, she was our neighbor. Helen Kuntz was my best friend.
Q... That’s great. Did you ever have a chance to keep in touch with her?
A... Later on, when we went to a dance, she was there and she come over and she talked to me. That was years later.
Q... Yeah. Were there any world events that had a big impact on you, like for instance wars, etc.?
A... I remember Roosevelt being the president and he was in a wheelchair.
Q... And I think he came through Johnstown.
A... I think he did but we never saw him.
Q... What were your typical dinners like? Like maybe Sunday dinners were the best?
A... Yes, as soon as we came home from church, we had a big lunch. We had chicken, stuffed cabbage. And soup. We had soup all the time. We had like a beef vegetable soup, but not cut in small pieces. They were hunks of meat and potatoes and carrots. My mother used to make that.
Q... And bread, of course?
A... Bread was always there. But you know, lately when I’ve been making Paska, they haven’t been turning out good for me. They wouldn’t raise.
Q... That’s a shame.
A... And when I used to make cream puffs, they’d come out big. Now they come out small. I don’t make them anymore. So now I make cream puff cake. You’ll have that tonight. Have you had that?
Q... I never did. Can’t wait.
A... Oh, well you’ll love that.
Q... I’ve never tried to make cream puffs either.
A... Well, they're so easy to make. Anyone could make them.
Q... I’ll have to get a recipe from you. You were talking about Paska. Our daughter, Leah, she really enjoys baking, and for Easter she makes the braided bread.
A... We used to do that.
Q... How is the world different now than it was when you were growing up?
A... Oh gosh, what a difference. Oh my. We had a radio we’d only listen to on Sunday nights. Jack Benny was on. We didn't listen to anything else, really. That was a long time ago.
Q... You used to have to work for so many things – go out and get your water, heat it on the stove.
A... When you took a bath, you had a big pot of water on the stove and take it in a basin and carry it to a private room.
Q... A lot different from today, that’s for sure. Who is the oldest relative that you remember as a child? You never met your grandparents, I’m sure.
A... No. My Uncle, Mr. Berchak, I remember him.
Q... Now, how was he related to you?
A... He was my mother’s sister’s husband. And I remember Mr. Novtney. He was my mother’s sister's husband.
Q... So, are there Leskos in Portage or the Pittsburgh area?
A... Well, they were all in Benscreek.
Q... Did your parents ever talk about the old country and what it was like?
A... My dad and mother talked about it. My mother used to make fun of him because he was in a lower district and she said, “you were the Gypsies.” Because she was in a better class section.
Q... My dad and mom were both Polish and dad’s family was from the mountain area and I guess they were called “hillbillies.” Kind of the same thing. Did Baba have a trunk that she brought over?
A... She had a real big trunk, and she had beautiful clothes. And my dad came with a little trunk.
Q... That’s funny.
A... When my mother came, she had a lot of nice things in there. Then when our Aunt – I think our Aunt was like 17 – so my mother went in the trunk ad got her this suit out that she came to America in. It was a beautiful black suit. I think it was home made, it must have been tailored. And our aunt would wear it for a while. But then she outgrew it. My mother only weighed 118 pounds then, like.
Q... Did she or your dad talk about what it was like on the boat coming over?
A... Oh yeah, my dad was sick. I don’t think my mother was
Q... Did they come just by themselves.
A... I think so, yeah.
Q... Well, 17 is pretty young to come on a boat.
A... Yeah, and my dad was either 21 or 22.
Q... My own great-grandmother got really sick coming overe and she had my grandma and a couple other kids and she had money sewn into her skirt. And she opened that up and gave the money to my Uncle John. They knew they were going to meet their dad who was already over here. So she gave him the money and said “get to Winder where daddy is.” She ended up surviving.
A... You know, my mother always used to tell me that Steve looked just like my mother’s father. Oh my goodness. She always used to say that. That he was tall and built like Steve.
Q... That’s so nice. I never heard that before.
A... Well she said all the time “Steve looks like my dad.”
Q... Your brother Steve was such a good guy.
A... Yeah, he was.
Q... Are there any certain recipes that came down through your family?
A... They said, "just add a little of this and a little of that." It turned out good for them.
Q... Is the trunk still around?
A... I think it is. Mary had it and kept money it. It’s probably still in my mom’s bedroom.
Q... Margie lives at the homestead, right?
A... Yeah, Margie and Mary were together.
Q... What was your husband’s name?
A... George Rohaly. He had no middle name. They didn’t give them middle names. And he was Orthodox and he didn’t have confirmation.
Q... When and how did you meet your husband?
A... I went to the dances. We’d go to the dances every Thursday. And there was an orchestra there. And he was standing up there by the piano. And he said, “next dance?” I was dancing with somebody else. I said okay. So the next dance, he come over to me and I said “how come you
asked me that way, why didn’t you come ask me personally?” He said, “I thought you wouldn’t accept and I would be ashamed to walk away.”
Q... That makes sense.
A... After that, I had a lot of dances with him. I danced almost every dance with him.
Q... That’s nice. So how long did you “court,” I guess they would say?
A... I was 15 and then I didn’t get married til I was 21. So that was a long time.
Q... What was it like when he asked you to marry him?
A... We were walking and he said, “we’re gonna get married.” He didn’t say, “are you gonna marry me?” He said, “we’re gonna get married.”
Q... But you were ready, huh?
A... Yeah, I was ready. I said “okay, when?” Because he made all the plans. In fact, him and his father made all the plans. I didn't have to write no invitations no thank-you’s.
Q... Where did you get married?
A... The Byzantine church and right next to the church was a hall. And we had a wedding in that hall He invited whoever he wanted. And I didn’t know too many people down there because I was working there. He wanted to get married in Pittsburgh. He didn’t want to get married in Benscreek. So I agreed. I thought, well I’m gonna live out here so ---
Q... Might as well.
A... Right.
Q... What was the first house you and George had?
A... Well, we lived in a three-bed-room apartment when we first got married. And then we went to Squirrel Hill on Welfer Street for quite some time. Georgia was born there. Then we went down to his mom’s because his dad passed away and his mom asked him if he could come down. So we lived down there for about four years. And then we had a home built. You know how much our home cost?
Q... What?
A... $11,000.
Q... Isn’t that something?
A... Now you can’t even buy a car for that.
Q... You can’t. Any special memories from your wedding?
A... It was January 31st but the weather was beautiful. Mom and dad came. Joe was in the wedding and Mary was in the wedding. Anne didn’t come because she was in North Carolina then. Pete was in the service and he was begging her to come down for a long time. I said, “why don’t you
go already?” She said “What will they think?” I said, “nothing.” So some might think Anne started all that “living” with him. But she didn’t live with him. She had her own little apartment.
Q... What was the music like at your wedding?
A... We had one of those upright radios and it played music. And we had records we liked, like Polish songs. And my husband put the Polish songs on. Well, his dad would get mad. He didn’t want them on. He wanted chuddosh’s. Hungarian. Well, he got mad and left and we just stayed there.
Q... Was your husband Hungarian?
A... No, he wasn't Hungarian. His dad just wanted Hungarian music.
Q... What did you admire the most about George?
A... Well, he was very good to me. He was handsome.
Q... That’s always the best start.
A... We danced a lot. I admired a lot about him. There wasn’t anything that he wouldn't do for me.
Q... What do you believe is the key to a good marriage?
A... We just got along real good. Georgia says we made it look so easy. Her first husband said to her, “I’m not your father.”
Q... That’s so funny.
A... And George was protective of Georgia about dating and going out. One time my mother was here and she said to George, “Why don’t you just put her in a cage?”
Q... That’s so funny! How did you feel when you knew you were going to have a baby?
A... I was really happy. It took two years for me to get pregnant.
Q... So were you worried you might not have children?
A... No, I wasn’t worried about that. I knew I’d have them sooner or later. But I had to give up coffee and I love coffee. Before I was pregnant, George used to bring me a cup of coffee every morning before he left for work.
Q... How did you choose the names of your children? I kind of figured out Georgia.
A... Georgia chose the other two. She had a friend Nancy. And for Barbara -- on Riley Knows Best, they had a daughter named Babs. Georgia really didn’t want more kids here (laughs).
Q... That’s funny.
A... And she was supposed to be “George.” When I was pregnant with Babs the doctor said “it’s gonna be a boy.”
Q... What were some of your proudest moments in your life?
A... Well, having the girls was great. I was happy when they married and to see our grand kids. And now Tyler has a little boy. I have two great-grand kids.
Q... What were some family trips you remember with George and the girls?
A... A lot of church things. Like, we took baskets to be blessed the day before Easter, I remember and George ate a bite of kielbasa out of the basket on the way home.
Q... That’s funny. Did you guys go to the Byzantine Church?
A... Yes, but there was a little falling out and then the priest didn’t have time to give George last rights and he passed away the next day. Anyway, it made us fall away from that. I go to the Alliance Church now and love it. Friendly. The minister this year at Easter, gave me a real nice wooden egg.
Q... I’m glad you found a nice place.
A... They still send me the bulletins from down there though.
Q... If you could have any profession that you didn’t have in life, what would it be? You had a great profession as a mother, wife, homemaker.
A... That’s it. That’s all I’d want.
Q... That’s wonderful. What was one of the really important things your parents taught you?
A... When you woke up, you always had to say a prayer and before you ate. And the most important thing, you always had to go to church.
Q... That’s very important Because it starts your day focused on God.
A... And before bed you had to say your prayers and you had to kneel down beside the bed.
Q... Very reverent. If there’s one thing you’d hope people remember about you what would it be? You're too humble, so you wont say it. But I know your daughters say you’re very caring.
A... That’s good.
Q... If you could tell me just a little bit about each of your siblings, what do you remember? And you’ve got ten of them.
A... Ann was the best sister I ever had. I missed her something terrible when she passed away. We talked on the phone almost every day. And when she was sick, I called her up every night. And when the telephone would ring, she’d say “That’s Jenny,” and it sure was me.
Mary was always good to me. She was nice. Mary was a little tougher personality, though.
Joe didn’t like to help me too much. I remember I’d be drying dishes and my girlfriend would be waiting for me. I’d say, “can’t you dry these dishes for me?” He’d say “hell no.” (laughs)
Andy would do the dishes a lot for me. He was very good-hearted and would do anything for you.
Vern was smaller when I grew up. But later we’d talk and she’d say “did mother switch you?” I’d say “mother never switched me.” She said, “well, she switched me a lot.” I said, “you must have been bad.”
When I left home, my mother told me to go to Mrs. Churney. She used to make clothes for people. So, she says to me, “out of the Sears catalog, tear a page out, the kind of dress you want.” So I did. Mother bought me the material. A lady would come with a big sack on her back with all kinds of material. She’d come in the house and put it on the floor and you picked what you wanted. It was all, like, 3 yards, 4 yards. And it was reasonable at that time. So I picked an orchid with a little bit of print in. So I says to my mother, “I think I like that.” She says, “that’s pretty.” So I got that and went to Mrs. Churney and she made me that dress. She used a solid orchid for a trim. She made it really nice. So then when I was telling Vern before I left home, mom had made me go to Mrs. Churney and I had a dress made. Vern said, “she never did that for me!”
Q... That’s funny. Maybe you were a little bit of her favorite.
A... I don’t know what I was. Then I was sorry I told her, because she was upset.
Q... What about John?
A... He was much younger, so I don’t remember too much about John.
And Lizzie and Steve, I don't remember too much about. Because they were younger also.
Margie and Della, the same thing. But I was home when Della was born. I remember that real well. Because my mother was in the bedroom and my father was there with her. But he was hollering to me that he wants scissors. So I went and got scissors and I just threw them in there. He says, “give them to me in my hand.” I didn’t want to go in there. My mother was birthing, you know.
Q... Right.
A... But I don’t remember anything. It was like a blank. When the youngest one, Jerry, was born, I wasn’t there. I was already gone.
Q... Was that a baby that died, then?
A... Uh-huh.
Q... Awe, I didn’t know that.
A... He was the youngest one. I think they called him Jerry, but his name was George.
Q... How long did he live?
A... He didn’t live long. He had scarlet fever, I think. He was real sick.
Q... I heard Steve was real sick at one time too.
A... He couldn't walk then. I think Joe and Andy carried him everywhere. I don’t know what he had. And then after a while he was okay. In fact, he even became a baseball player and we used to go down to the field and watch him play. I remember that really well.
Q... He loved baseball.
A... Georgia loved Steve. She said she had a crush on him. And he had a motorcycle.
Q... How much money did you make when you worked?
A... Three dollars a week.
Q... Oh, my goodness. Maybe it seemed like a lot then.
A... No. But when I got married I had $500 in the bank. So then I went to the bank when I got married and we got some furniture with that.
Q... That’s wonderful.
A... Every pay day George’s mother took a good bit of his. And his dad didn’t really have a good job. He was a huckster. You know what that is?
Q... Tell me.
A... He had a wagon and horse. And on that wagon, he has all kinds of vegetables and goes from door to door selling them. That’s a huckster.
Q... I’ve heard of that. Now, where did George work most of your married life.
A... He was a barber when I first met him. And then he didn’t like barbering. So then his uncle got him a job at the railroad. He worked there 44 years. He had an uncle who was in business doing roofs. So he wanted him. But then the other uncle worked on the railroad and that one lived not far from us. He had five daughters and never had a son. So he was close with him. So he went to the railroad. He did rivets, then an inspector.
Q... Now, where did he grow up? What part of Pittsburgh?
A... Greenfield.
Q... What nationality were his family?
A... They spoke a little bit different than my parents who were Slovak. I could understand some words.
Q... Something I wanted to ask -- Georgia was saying there was a witch in Benscreek. Tell me about that.
A... We used to go out in the evening every night, a bunch of us girls when we were growing up. We’d go down to the main road and just walk around. And there was a lot of boys would be around there too. Just to talk. So one night we were coming home and we saw like a horse running. You could hear the noise and you could see the light. I don’t know if it was a ghost or what. We were so scared, we ran all the way home. We think it was my aunt, Mrs. Gruss (Gruse); she was a witch.
Q... Oh, really? I want to hear that story.
A... There was a lot of cows down below her property. And she’d go down there with a bucket and help herself with milk. She’d milk them cows. And, then, my mother and dad lived --- my mother and dad got married and she (Mrs. Gruss) had a house. And next to her house was another home attached. And there was, like, a kitchen downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. So my mother had a terrible headache all the time. But she says to Mrs. Gruss – that was her sister-in-law – “you better do something about my head. My head is killing me.” Mrs. Gruss took a knife and threw it in the steps of the doorway. She said “you won’t have no more headache.” It went way. She was a real thing.
Q... Do you know any more stories about that?
A... I can’t remember but she did a lot of things my mother used to say. So my mother said she couldn’t wait to move out of that section. So before I was born – I was the first one born up at the house. Where Margie’s at.
Q... Right.
A... So that’s where I was born – up there. My mother was so glad to get out of there.
Q... It probably scared her.
A...` Yeah. She used to say to my husband, “she’s nothing but a Bosorka. I know what a Bosorka is. That’s a witch. So I guess that’s what she was.
Q... Did people go to her if they thought they were sick?
A... No, I don’t remember that. But she lost her husband early. That was my dad’s brother. When he was sick, my dad used to go down there a lot to be with him. And he was really sick that day and my dad kept talking to him. His wife said, “no, no. don’t talk to him. Just let him go.” She wanted him to die. So he died that way. See, my dad always had that against her.
Q... Yeah. Well my grandma used to say that her mother was witch doctor and midwife.
A... When her husband died she started making moonshine. And all the men come in there and buying moonshine. That’s how she earned her living. She had boarders who were miners. That’s how she made her money.
Q... So this was your dad’s brother’s wife?
A... Uh-huh. No witches in our family.
Q... (Georgia is present at the interview) Georgia, you and Patty were the oldest grandchildren. Do you remember much about Baba and Zedo? Or the witch?
A... Georgia: Patty and I would be out there and they’d say “don’t let your eyes meet hers, ‘cause you’ll get a terrible headache.” So I was never looking at her. I was afraid. Zedo was wonderful. He was so much fun. In the yard, he’d have a big hay wagon, and he’d take us and he’d throw us out there. And one time – we always had brand new Mary Janes at Easter and the little anklets. Well, they used to let the cow go up in their woods behind their place. And later, Zedo would go back there with a big stick to bring them home. He’d tell Patty and me, “Okay, get them home.” But we had our Mary Janes on. Well, the cows would gather in this soupy area,
A... Aunt Jenny: A swamp, a swamp.
A... Georgia: Well, the cows wouldn’t come home. So Zedo said, “here I’ll give you this switch. You can go get them.” We went in that swamp and it was terrible. And when we came home, my mother was on one side of the gate and Aunt Anne on the other. He laughed. Oh, did he think that was funny. I remember another time they had a chicken coop. He told me to go inside the chicken coop.
A... Aunt Jenny: Probably Patty was there. She was always there when you were there.
A... Yeah. And he told me to go check for eggs. We came out with lice!
And he always would chew and it always looked like licorice to me. And I love licorice. He said “you want a little bit?” I said, “okay.” So he rolled me a piece and said “put it there.” I thought it made a hole in my cheek! He’d laugh! He was always getting us into trouble.
A... Aunt Jenny: You know when I was little – well I wasn’t that little, maybe 12 years old. I always used to wash the dishes and my mother had these big round crocks. You’ve probably seen them?
Q... Sure.
A... Well, she’d have milk in there. I took this one crock and went outside under the pump and rinsed it out. Well, I fell and it broke. And it cut my stomach bad. It was bleeding something terrible. So I come in the house with blood all over me. Mr. Chernack was there. They were friends of ours. And I was crying and bleeding. I didn't know what to do – I was cut so bad. My father took the chew out and put it on there. Oh, did that burn!
Q... It probably helped somehow.
A... Well, it stopped the bleeding. I had to tell you that one. You know, when George was small, his grandfather lived with them. That’s his mother’s father. He used to smoke a pipe. He, a lot of times, would doze off. So George and Andy (George’s brother) spit in the pipe. So it put the ashes out so it couldn’t smoke no more. They did that real often. So one day the grandpap got mad. He tied them to the dining room table and they had to stay there. Because they spit in his pipe. So when George’s mother came in there, they’re both tied there. She said, “what happened?” Her father said, “they spit in my pipe too many times. They’re not gonna spit no more!”
Q... Now, Georgia, is Mick the same age as you and Patty?
A... Georgia: No, I think he’s three years younger. He and Jimmy.
A... Aunt Jenny: Yeah, they’re the same age.
A... Georgia: And Joey. They’re all around the same age.
A... Aunt Jenny: And one year, five of us was pregnant.
Q... Oh, my goodness.
A... There was Bridget, Pauline, me, Verna and somebody else. Maybe Della with Larry.
Q... Who did you just mention – Jimmy and Joe?
A... Uncle Joe’s Joey. He was always more quiet and not crazy like the other boys. Jimmy was Verna’s son. That’s her oldest son. He lives on an Island somewhere.
Q... Okay, I just don’t remember meeting him.
A... Georgia: I can’t remember the last time he was here. Maybe when Uncle Freddie died.
A... Aunt Jenny: Yeah, that’s when he was here last. He didn’t come much at all. He has three daughters – four daughters. They live in California.
Q... Either Mick or Billy Kuchera told me a story. I don’t know, but he said that one of the relatives had put one of them in a crib up in the bedroom at Baba’s and they went to check on him and he was no longer in the crib, and he was too little to even stand yet. He was out laying in the yard (Note: we later found out it was Billie, and he was out of the crib at the top of the steps, not in the yard!).
A... Who took him there?
Q... They said that nobody had went up there. Maybe that witch was hanging around.
A... Wow.
Q... And I ---
A... Georgia: You mean he was an infant?
Q... Yeah, an infant.
A... Aunt Jenny: Oh, my God. That must have been the witch that did it.
Q... I don’t know, but that’s crazy isn’t it?
A... Aunt Jenny: That witch did all kinds of things.
A... Georgia: I remember when Zedo died. We had to put covers over all the mirrors.
A... Aunt Jenny: Yeah, they did that then.
A... Georgia: And wasn’t one of the windows open, and a black bird came in?
A... Aunt Jenny: Yeah, I think I remember that. And my father had a real good friend, Mr. Frabel. They were very good friends. When he died, my father saw him walking through the yard. He says, “there he goes.”
A... Georgia: If you want to hear some good stories, talk to Alice.
A... Aunt Jenny: Oh, she can tell you some good ones.
A... Georgia: Spirits.
Q... I’m gonna talk to her.
A... Oh, she’s good at it. She knows all kinds of things.
Q... I’m gonna have to tell Jim, “let’s go visit your cousin, Alice.”
A... You can tell her where it came from!
Q... Now, did you say George had a sister Helen?
A... Yes, she was very nice. When the girls were growing up, they’d stay over and she’d take them shopping and out to eat.
Q... Did George have many siblings?
A... Helen, Mary, Pauline, Julia and Olga. Then Mike and Nick and Andrew.
Q... Big family.
A... Wanted to tell you – when we lived up on the farm we had five acres. He grew everything. In fact, Georgia had a horse there and Jeanne had a pony.
Q... Oh my goodness. I didn’t know that.
A... They used to going riding around in the streets. She had a beautiful horse. His name was Dolly.
Q... Where was the farm at?
A... Out in Irwin. And I used to cut the whole front with a walking mower. And George did the whole back with a riding mower. That’s why he didn't want me to go to work. Because I helped him a lot. I was always helping. One time I says to him, “I gotta go get a job somewhere.” He says, “you don't have to go. We have plenty of money.” I said, “But I want to be with people.” Because I’m out on the farm with no one here but the cows. So there was an ad in the paper. He wanted a head person to take care of a restaurant. I says to George, “I’m gonna call that place up and see if I can have an interview.” He said “they’re not gonna take you. You don’t have book experience.” I said, “well, I’m gonna try.” So I called them up and said I’d like to be interviewed.” He said, “sure, when can you come?” I said, “I can come any time.” He says fine. I says “what time do you want me there?” He told me and I said “okay.” I says to George, “I got an interview.” And he wouldn’t take me up there. So I took the bus and he told me the bus stopped right in front of his restaurant. It was in Westmoreland City. I went into the interview and he says, “you’re hired. Start tomorrow.” I worked about two days a week. George hated that. From 5:00 to midnight because that’s when most customers would come. He was supposed to come pick me up but sometimes he’d fall asleep. A lot of people offered to drive me but I didn’t want that. So I just waited for George to come. I worked there two years or so. I think I quit after Nancy got married. We sent Nancy to nursing school. I said to her, “I don’t want you taking no loans, we’ll pay for it.” That’s our job.
A... Georgia: I remember Aunt Della used to take me and Patty out. One time we drove her car and got in a little trouble. My dad wouldn’t be happy! Della was fun.
A... Aunt Jenny: Well, now I’m mostly alone but I have my girls and a few sisters left. So I’m happy.
Q... And I’ve been so happy spending time with you and thank you so much for sharing everything. It’s not often someone lives a long life as you and is able to share it. Thank you, Aunt Jenny, and also Georgia.
A... You are welcome. I enjoyed it too. Now we’ll have supper of spaghetti and meatballs I made myself.
Believe me, it was delicious!
------- For a look at a "Baba and Zedo" story -- https://www.goldynjan.com/portfolio-collections/my-portfolio/stories-of-friends-and-family --------
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Jean's beautiful photo ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
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