From the Archives: Mom's Baby Books

 

Do you have an "archive" closet at home? You know, the place where all the family "stuff" goes to live? Mine is overflowing, and I can manage only one or two steps into it. It is literally a treasure trove filled with boxes of family memorabilia, photos, scrapbooks, documents, and heirlooms, inherited from my parents and grandparents, and Jim's family as well. 

I really need to go through the closet. I'm sure things can be weeded out, and collections can be whittled down. I went to the closet recently, and grabbed a box of my Mom's things, and opened it up. Wise idea?

The first thing I found was my Mom's two baby books. I was lost already! The artwork is so charming, and the details included—written in my Grandma Kozlina's flowing and sometimes tiny hand—are simply wonderful to read. 

So, of course, rather than cleaning, I had to share it! I suspect this will happen a lot as I go through boxes.

Here are some wonderful pages from Baby Days, given to my grandmother by her friend Katherine Kurutz.¹ (Read letters sent from Katherine—an Army nurse—to my Grandmother during WWII here and here.)

Grandma's dear friend Katherine Kurutz gifted her this book.

Title page.

 

Mom was born at her grandparents' home in West Leisenring, Fayette, Pennsylvania. Dr. Karolcik delivered her.

Mom was named Anna Margaret Kozlina. Grandma's mother and sister were both named Anna.

Mom's baby footprints are barely visible on this page, quite faded over time. It looks like Grandma tried to trace Mom's foot or outline her footprint on the lower left.

 

By far some of the book's best pages are those where Grandma recorded all of Mom's first outings to see family and friends, attend church, go shopping, and even attend...a funeral? 

For ease of reading, here's a transcription:

Nov. 21, 1937 St. Johns Church, Uniontown, Pa. 

Grandpap's & Grandma's, Lemont Fce, Pa. 

Nov. 21, 1937 Shopping in Uniontown, Pa. 

Back to Grandma's & Grandpa's, West Leisenring, Pa.

Nov. 28, 1937 St. John's Church 

Uncle Steve's & Aunt Mgt's

Grandma's & Grandpa's, Lemont Fce, Pa.

Back home to Grandma's & Grandpa's in Bute, Pa.

Nov. 29, 1937 Dr. Jan Karolcik, shopping & back home

Dec. 3, 1937 Aunt Barb's & Uncle George's & back home

Dec. 4, 1937 Shopping in Uniontown, Pa.

Dec. 5, 1937 St. John's Church, Uncle Steve's & Aunt Mgt's & back home

Dec. 12, 1937  "         "         "        "         "

Great Aunt Mary Kiliany's place to see my dead Great Aunt 

back home, then to Grandma's & grandpa's, Lemont Fce., Pa., &

Uncle Steve's & Aunt Mgts' & back home.

Dec. 13, 1937 Great Aunt's funeral & back home.

She died Dec. 10, at 6:00 P.M. of heart attack.

 

By way of background:

• West Leisenring and Lemont Furnace are located near Uniontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
• Grandma and Grandpa in West Leisenring refer to Anna and John Simonik, Grandma Kozlina's parents.
• The Lemont Fce (Furnace) grandparents were Frank and Louise Kozlina, Grandpa Kozlina's parents.
• Uncle Steve and Aunt Mgt. (Margaret) were Grandma's brother Steve Simonik and his wife Margaret Snelly.
• Aunt Barb and Uncle George were Grandpa Kozlina's sister Barbara and her husband George Derov.
• The "dead aunt" was Mary Dudra Kiliany, wife of John Kiliany, and Grandma's godmother.²
  

In my next post I'll transcribe a few more pages where I learned even more details about Mom's family.

Until next time...

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This post was chosen as a Friday Family History Find by blogger Linda Stufflebean. Thank you, Linda!

 

NOTES 

¹ Baby Days, baby book presented by Katherine Kurutz to Anna Margaret Kozlina's family, ca. 1937; privately held by Nancy Gilbride Casey, [address for private use,] Tioga, Texas, 2023. Book inherited by author from her mother Anna Kozlina Gilbride, 2010.

² Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, Certificate of Death 116512, Mary Kiliany, 10 December 1937; database and image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4172357:5164 : 18 May 2023); citing County Courthouse, Uniontown. Also: Visitation Church, Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, Registrum Baptizatorum in Ecclesia, p. 86, baptism of Margaretam Simonik, 8 June 1913, sponsors Jos. Hanicak and Maria Kiliany; citing St. Pius X and Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mt. Pleasant. Copy provided to author.