| Petronela Gromniak
Immigration to the United States, 1909 Source: Federal Archives, Waltham,
MA. Microfilm M1464, Manifests of Passengers Arriving in the St. ALbans, VT District
through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports 1895-1954, Roll 108, Quebec Volumes 78-79:
September 25, 1909 to October 24, 1909. (Collected by Patricia Gromniak Bargowski)
Petronela Gromniak immigrated to America via the Port of
Quebec, Quebec, Canada on October 3, 1909. Travel was Third Class aboard the S.S.
Montreal. This ship had originally sailed on September 22, 1909 from Antwerp.
Entry into the United States was two days later on
October 5, 1909 through Rouses Point, New York. Destination is listed as Plymouth,
Pennsylvania to join husband Wicienty Gromniak at 246 Mras Street.
Petronela is listed as being age 38 in 1909 with two male
children accompanying her, Piotr age 3 and Wojciech age 1. Both with brown hair and
brown eyes. Petronela is listed as 5 feet 2 inches in height with fair complexion,
brown hair and grey eyes. Her birthplace is listed as Pupkowica, Russia and the
children are recorded as having been born at Osiek-Radom-Staszow (Russian occupied
Poland). Her sister Maryanna Terapata is listed as a relative left behind in Poland.
Petronela is recorded as being able to neither read or write.
Note-Late in life, Peter Gromniak once remarked that his
Mother had been unable to enter the United States at Ellis Island when the ship had first
arrived because either he or George had contracted an eye infection during the passage.
Because of this, she stayed on the ship until it moored in Canada several days
later necessitating her somewhat round about trip to join her husband. |
| Grave of Jan
(John) Gromniak, killed 27 March 1917 in a Coal Mining Accident Jan (John) Gromniak was likely born in Niekrasow, Poland in
1898. When his father, Vincent left for Plymouth, PA and his mother Petronela (one
"l" in Polish) was left behind; times were tough for the family. Jan
and his brother were sent out to work with neighbor families to earn money. John
worked for a while in Osiek, Poland. Josef worked for the Zyla family for one
year in Grabowiec.
In January 1914, John boarded the steamship,
"Argentina" in Trieste, Italy and sailed for the United States arriving at Ellis
Island, New York City on 16 February 1914. His younger brother, Joseph accompanied him.
Just three years after arriving in the United States, Jan
died in a coal mine accident on 27 March 1917 and was buried in the old St. Mary's
Nativity Cemetery in Larksville, PA. The cemetery is a left turn off Washington
going up from Bull Run-near the intersection with Smolski's Market. The cemetery is
hilly and wooded surrounded by a chain link fence. Jan's stone is on the left as you
enter the graveyard in the first long line of plots. The marker has a bottom
pediment with a rounded rectangler stone topped by a large stone cross. The
inscription reads:
TU
SPOCZYWA
JAN
GROMNIAK
ZYL. LAT
19 UMAR L
27 MARCA
1917
PROSI O
ZDROWAS
English:
"Here lies John Gromniak, 19 years old, Died 27 March 1917, Pray for Him"
Note - Peter
Gromniak named his own son, John in honor of his older brother. Later, at the birth
of his youngest daughter, there was also a twin child that did not survive. Peter
Gromniak obtained a small coffin and buried the un-named child atop his brother's grave.
|
