Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Research Questions- Can you Help???

1. What ship did Franciszeck come to the US on?

2. Did Franciszeck come with other family? A sister Caroline?

3. Who are Franciszeck's parents? Grandparents? Other siblings?

4. Aunt Caroline- Who is she? Husband? Children?

5. What ship did Zophia come to the US on? When?

6. Who are the "Noga's"....cousins? How?

7. Who are Zophia's parents? grandparents? Siblings?

8. Edward's Birthdate and Death Date?

9. Where was Edward burried?

10. Was Michael ever really married? If so, to whom?

11. Did Michael ever father a child?

12. When was Joseph Tokarz Jr born? die? Where is he buried?

13. Where are Mary's children now? Are they willing to talk about thier mother?

Please Add Information & Memories!!

I will be adding pictures I have soon, but please, add your pieces of information and/or memories about family members in your comments so we can learn more!

My goal is to have enough information, pictures, and memories, to publish a book about Frank and Sophia and all thier decendents!

If you would like to add information about your own family or would like to be a contributor, please contact me at timcarisa_hetz@yahoo.com . Thank you and I look forward to working together to learn more!

Very Little Known about Edward Tokarz

Three siblings I spoke with; Cas, Josephine, and Mary all recalled a sibling named Edward, born either last or between Mary and Cas who died as an infant, maybe as young as 2 yrs old.

Josephine shared this: " I think he died at about 2 yrs old- I don't know why. The undertaker said take a herse to the cemetary. We didn't because the casket was so small. I sat in back with the casket. Eddie was in the casket with a white silk shirt, shoes, and socks. I think the Cemetary was Catholic one, maybe with a Polish name."

I haven't been able to get any information/certificates yet to validate any birth or death.

I am writing to the Catholic Arch Diocese to see if I can get information from Church records.

What is known about Mary Tokarz

Born Marja Tokarz on Oct 9, 1920, Mary was Frank and Sophia's 7th child and second girl. j

Little is known about Mary. When I had a chance to talk to her on the phone, we weren't able to talk long.

She married Raymond Adamik in 1950 in Illinois. Together they had three girls: Lorraine, Marilyn, and Rosemary. When I talked to Mary, she was living in Chicago. Her daughters married names are Lorraine Farinella who at the time was living in Park Ridge, Ill, Marilyn was divorced and using her maiden name, and her last daughter is Rosemary Metallo, living near Shaumberg, Ill.

According to SSI death index, Mary passed away Feb 27, 2007 and her husband passed away Jan 3, 2003. It is unknown where they were burried.

What is known about Casimire Tokarz

Kazimierz Tokarz was born Feb 22, 1917 in Chicago, Ill as the 6th child of Frank and Sophia Tokarz.

Casimire attended St John of God Catholic school with the rest of his siblings. He was employed by Ford or Chryster working in a manufaturing plant. That is where he met his wife, Vaverne "June" Kohr.

Cas and June were married May 17, 1947 at Grace Lutheran Church in Chicago, Ill. Together they had three children; Curtis, Cassandra (Suzie), and Debbie.

Cas passed away July 22, 2004 while staying with his daughter Suzie. He was buried next to his wife in Evergreen Cemetary in Evergreen Park, Ill.

What is known about Josephine Tokarz

Born Josepham Tokarz on February 28, 1915, Josephine was the fifth child of Frank and Sophia and the first girl.

Josephine recalled that she and all her sibilings attended Catholic school for elementary education and then moved on to the Public school for the remainder of their education.

She enjoyed taking the bus to Lake Michigan where she would walk around, sit in the sand, and run the sand through her hands and feet. She told me a story about doing this one day and getting lost in a upscale neighborhood. She gawked at a nursemaid strolling a baby and thought about what it would be like to be rich. Her favorite childhood games included tag and blind mans bluff.

Her oldest brother, Frank, was her idol. She loved and admired him. He protected her from her other rough siblings, but wasn't above teasing her either.

As a young adult, Josephine decided to get on a plane and fly to Spokane to see her big brother and his family. Everyone thought she was crazy, as passenger planes were not commonly flown on yet. She was scared, but was incredibly proud of herself for doing it. She remembers getting off the plane and seeing who she thought might be Frank (it had been many years since they'd seen each other). She recalls walking up to him and saying " Would you by chance be my big brother?". In response, he said "Honey, I am your big brother!".

In talking with her about her siblings she recalled that she always felt that her younger sister Mary had a beautiful complexion and she was always jealous. She described John as being tall, dark, and handsome. Her brother Joe she described as being a big teaser with a sarcastic sense of humor and very smart. She described Mike as a tender hearted man who struggled with learning.

Josephine spoke with tenderness and fondness about her mother. She said her mother liked to sing to her in polish, tell stories of Poland, and also protected her from her rough brothers. She recalls her mother has dark complected, beautiful, and a great cook.

Josephine recalled her father as being a man good with home repairs and helping with work around the house. He took her to school and picked her up. She said that he made the best Polish sausage. He would start a fire in the coal stove and smoke the sausage. He also made his own saurkraut. He would use whole heads of cabbage, vinegar, and soak it in a large barrel.
She recalled him as being tall and handsome.

Josephine worked as a dressmaker for a time, as well as for Armors Company in the stockyards.
While a young girl, her father brought TB home. The TB damaged her lungs and took several years to recover.

Josephine married John F Grady on October 13, 1951 at St John of God in Chicago. John was in the military and eventually Joesephine and John ended up in Massechusettes. Together they had one son, David.

Josephine died Nov 15, 2004 in Chicopee, MA.

What is Known about Michael (Mike) Tokarz

Born Michael Tokarz on September 2, 1912, he was the fourth child of Frank and Sophia Tokarz.

Little is known about Micheal other than he might have been married briefly, but no record has been found. "Divorced" is listed on his death certificate.

He is described by his siblings, Cas, Josephine, and Mary as being a "diamond" in the rough. A person who had a golden heart, although not always making the best choices. He went against the family grain apparently living with women off and on. He may have had a son with one of them, however, he claimed it was not his.

Mike died suddenly in an accident May 10, 1965 . He was repairing an elevator while working for Crane Company when the cords gave way and the elevator came crashing down. He is burried in Ressurection Catholic Cemetary next to his parents Frank and Sophia. Cemetary records show he was burried on May 14, 1965 at 52 yrs old.