Michael Berish

Michael Berish Sr

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Michael Berish - Born Mihaly Biroš on September 29, 1867 in Strocin, County Of Saris, Slovakia. Only son of Andrew Biros and Anna Kmetz.

Description

Michael was a lean individual who stood about 5 foot 8 inches tall. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes and wore a thin mustache in his early years. Later, he let it fill out to a handlebar type mustache.

Early Years

Michael Berish was born September 29, 1867 in the city of Strocin, in the County of Saris in the eastern portion of Czechoslovakia , in a primarily farming community. Michael’s actual birth name was Mihaly Biros and he was the only son of a local landowner who was a farmer, and his wife.

Little is actually known of Michael’s early childhood except that his parents were Andrew Biros and Anna Kmetz and they were married on January 7, 1962. Little more is known about his parents except that Michael was orphaned February 11, 1880 at the age of thirteen when his father Andrew died of dropsy in Strocin, Slovakia. Michael’s mother Susan had died four years earlier, on January 15, 1876 of hectica.

There is some confusion as to whether or not Michael was an only child. Family oral histories had him being an only child orphaned at a very young age. However, records in Slovakia indicate he was the oldest of three children. Michael had two younger sisters, Maria and Anna. However, these same records indicate that both sisters died before the age of three years. Maria was born October 8, 1869 and she died on Oct 2, 1870 of comunis. Anna was born September 11, 1871 and she died in June 24, 1874 of typhus.  As with most diseases of those days, there were no treatments available. The individual eventually either survived or slowly succumbed to the effects of the disease.

After the death of Michael’s parents, there were apparently no relatives willing to care for the young boy. Fortunately, the village priest took it upon himself, to take Michael into his care. There he stayed until Michael was old enough to take care of himself. In later conversations with his children, Michael would tell them about his working for a local grain mill operator. And while the job provided him with an reliable income, it unfortunately also was the source of an injury that would hamper Michael for the remainder of his life.

It was during his employment at the grain mill that Michael fell from a tall section of the grain bin and injured one of his hips. [Note: Other references indicate that he injured his leg.] As was common for that time period, no medical facilities exited therefore he was left with no other option but to let his young body heal itself. Unfortunately, the hip never properly healed and left Michael with a pronounced limp. [Photos of him standing seem to indicate the injury was on his left side.] In Michael's later years, a friend of his daughter asked why he limped. The daughter was puzzled by her friend’s question. It had never occurred to his young daughter that her father walked with a limp because that is how he had always walked, at least as far back as she could remember.

In later years, while still in Europe, Michael took a position as a policeman, perhaps a local constable. His duties in the district required him to patrol the local villages on horseback. It was during these patrols that Michael met with many local people and eventually learned several different language as well as various dialects. His interaction with members of these local communities was essential to doing his job. At the time of his death, Michael had learned to speak six different languages and could understand a number of the regional dialects.

Siblings

• Maria Biros
• Anna Biros

Emigration and Immigration

He immigrated to the United States on 23 March 23, 1892 at the Port of New York, New York.

Over the years Michael had acquired some parcels of land, which for that period in European history translated into some degree of financial security. He had come into possession of the land when the owner of the mill for which he had worked as a youth had died and willed some of his parcels of land to Michael. In addition, the village priest who raised Michael had also willed some additional parcels of land to him upon his death. In total Michael had become the owner of seven parcels, four from the mill owner and three from the priest. It is the fact that Michael never developed or sold the parcels of land when he left Europe in 1892 that supports the premise that something more important than wealth led to his emigration. It should also be noted, as told by Michael’s children, that after he settled in America an individual contacted Michael inquiring about purchasing his inherited land. Michael sent word by mail that if the individual was interested, he could acquire the land at no cost. Michael had simply given away the land he had inherited. He had become focused on his new life in America.

Michael’s children were told that he had made at least two trips to America. It is not know exactly where Michael crossed the Czechoslovakian border into Germany but it is known he traveled overland north to the port of Antwerp in Belgium located on the North Sea.

In regards to his trip crossing into Germany, Michael’s children recall him telling them the story about another man who had tried unsuccessfully several times to cross the same border. In each of his attempts the man was carrying a shoulder pack and suitcase. And at each attempt to cross the border, he was told by the border guard to go back home. When the man heard that Michael was leaving the country, he told Michael of his problem and asked if he could accompany him. Michael told the man to leave most of his belongings behind and to put a sandwich in his pocket. He went on to tell him that when they got to the border, he was to walk like he knew where he was going. By looking as if they were merely traveling locally, for they had no visible possessions, both men were allowed to cross the border with no difficulty.

Michael departed from Antwerp, Belgium on the SS Rhynland an ocean-going passenger ship. The SS Rhynland was a four-masted steamship that was owned by the Red Star Line. It was commissioned in 1879 and scraped in 1906. Michael’s actual voyage to America took about ten days. To help finance his passage, Michael, who was 25 at the time, worked aboard ship. [He never disclosed the nature of his duties.] During his journey, he lived in steerage, which was the lowest portion of the ship and therefore was the cheapest form of travel. It was not ,’\ uncommon for immigrants to remain in steerage during their voyage and to be forbidden to interact with the passengers in first class. Class distinction was prevalent in those times.

The US immigration records indicate Michael entered the United States through Ellis Island into New York City on March 23, 1892. As the immigration laws of that period required every immigrant to pass through customs buildings on Ellis Island. The immigration officials asked him where he was destined and who was sponsoring him. He said he had friends in Phillinsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is not known who the friends were or how he actually traveled to Phillinsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Michael’s first job in America was working in a brickyard in Phillinsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is believed that he lived with the same friends who had sponsored his entry into the country. Years later he told his children he left the job at the brickyard because it didn’t pay enough money to pay for his wife Anna’s passage to America. It is not know exactly when he left Phillinsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania, but he eventually he moved to mid-west counties of Pennsylvania become a coal miner. As it was, it took Michael nearly four years to save up enough money to send for Anna in 1895. The fare for her passage was $40.00, which is equivalent to about $1000 in 2010.

Little is known of Anna’s trip to the United States except that she departed from Bremen, Germany and entered the country through the port in New York City, NY. The US naturalization records indicate Anna entered through Ellis Island in 1896, however the US immigration records indicate the date as being 30 Aug 1895 with her arriving on the SS Braunschweig. The SS Braunschweig was a passenger cargo vessel owned by North German Lloyd that was commissioned in 1873 and scrapped in 1896 making Anna voyage on it one of its last.As with Michael, she would have had to pass through customs and declared where she was destined. It is assumed that she said her husband Michael was her sponsor when questioned by the immigration officials. It is not known, however, if Michael was there to greet her.

It’s not hard to imagine that the sights her new home had to offer would have overwhelmed Anna. However, it’s also not hard to image that much of her time would have been occupied by the daily chores associated with trying to run a household and raise a family without all the modern conveniences we take for granted today.

While there were no siblings to join Michael in America, Anna’s brother-in-law John Antos joined his sister-in-law in her new country. John lived with the Berish family in Aultman, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.  He worked in the local mines and sent money back to his wife, Susan (Anna’s sister). He made the trip back and forth to Europe several times. Unfortunately, John could never really adapt to the American way of life and eventually returned home for the last time to his native land for the last time.

Naturalization

Became a naturalized citizen on October 4, 1922 in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

In the early part of 1919 while Michael was working in the coal mines in Clymer, Indiana County, Pennsylvania he began a journey that would prove to be as important as his journey from the home of his birth to his new home in the United States. He was going to begin his journey towards becoming a US citizen. As was common for the times, Michael not only wanted to live in America, he wanted to be an American. With that goal in mind, on April 6, 1919 in Indiana, PA, Michael Berish completed a “Declaration of Intention” to become a citizen of the United States of America and renounce his allegiance to the foreign government of his birth, the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Declaration of Intention, also known the “first paper,” required the applicant to wait for not less than two years before filing a petition for naturalization thus taking the next step on his journey to becoming a citizen of the United States. The only requirements at that time were that the person be at least 18 years old and lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. The person was not required to be able to read, write, or speak English or even to pass any type of examination on the history and form of government of the United States. The applicant could simply sign the declaration, in any language or by use of a mark in lieu of a signature.

Becoming an American citizen was probably not only a point of pride for the new citizens but a matter of practicality. The naturalization process also provided them some very important benefits. These benefits included the right to vote, the right to homestead and, of course, automatic citizenship for his wife and dependent children when the husband/father received his naturalization certificate.

On October 4, 1922 they family traveled from their home in Aultman, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. to the county seat in Indiana, Indiana County, PA where Michael Berish, along with his wife Anna, became U.S. citizens. His son-in-law Joseph Timko, Sr. and son Michael Berish, Jr served as witnesses on his Petition of Naturalization. His Certificate of Naturalization was No. 1746856 and was issued on 4 Oct 1922. At the time of the naturalization hearing, only two of the Berish children did not live at home. One was Anna who had married Joseph Timko and Emma who was not yet born.

Michael Berish’s son Peter, who was age twelve at the time, told the story of his father’s naturalization hearing. When Michael reported to the Common Pleas Court in Indiana County, PA, it was to declare his intentions of becoming a United States citizen. As was not uncommon for the period, judges and their clerks often mispronounced the European names of the petitioners called before them. As the day progressed, the judge called for Mike Biros to come forward but when it came time for the clerk to record his last name it was written as Berish, the supposed Americanized version of the name. The situation was not helped by the fact that Michael and his friends had come to the courthouse a little “tipsy.” They were still enjoying the effects of an earlier celebration of the monumental even. No correction was ever offered to the judge, or more appropriately, to the recording official. From that day forward Michael Biros was officially known as Michael Berish. [While parts of the story may indeed be true, the 1910 Census clearly shows that the spelling of Michael’s last name was Berish twelve years prior to that court appearance.]

Education

Little is known of Michael’s formal education, as with much of his early life, but it is evident that he attended school for a time in Europe due to the fact that he spoke Hungarian. It should be noted that at that time in European history the Austro-Hungarian government forbade the common people from teaching their native Slovak language in schools. Michael was, therefore, required to learn Hungarian, the only language officially taught during that period. In addition, Michael learned to speak German, Polish, Yugoslavian, and eventually English. This was not the case however with his future wife Anna, as she could neither read nor write. There is no record of Anna ever attending school while in Europe.

Family Years

During one of Michael's many patrols as a policeman that he first became aware of the young village girl he would eventually marry - Anna Mudry. She too was born in the County of Saris in Czechoslovakia, on July 26, 1877. She was nearly ten years younger then Michael. No record has been located as yet of the names of Anna’s father and mother. As for other members of her family, the only person Anna ever communicated from the old country was her younger sister Susan. In her later conversations with her children, there was no mention of any other children in the family.

Michael and Anna P. Mudry were eventually married on January 1l, 1892 in Dupline, Hungary. Dupline is a village that lies just south of the village of Strocin where Michael was born. At the time of their marriage, Michael was 25 and Anna was 15. The witnesses to their marriage were Mihaly Michrina and Mihaly Fajak.

The couple had sixteen children: eight boys - Michel George, John Paul, Andrew Michael, Peter John, Joseph, Paul Joseph, and two infant boys and eight girls - Anna Veronica, Mary Louise, Elizabeth Helen, Susan Elizabeth, Theresa E., Margaret Ann, Emma Eleanor and one infant girl. (Three of their children died at or shortly after birth.)

The couple would eventually have thirteen children:

• Anna Veronica Berish
• Michael George Berish
• John Paul Berish
• Andrew Michael Berish
• Mary Louise Berish
• Elizabeth Helen Berish
• Peter John Berish
• Susan Elizabeth Berish
• Theresa E. Berish
• Joseph Berish
• Paul Joseph Berish
• Margaret Ann Berish - Beros
• Emma Eleanor Berish

Residences

Michael lived in "company-owed" houses for his entire time in America.

In addition, as the birthplaces of the children indicate, the life of a coal miner required a great deal of flexibility. As old mines closed and new ones opened, Michael, Anna and their family traveled from coal town to coal town following the work. In their time living together as a family, they lived in Spangler (later incorporated into Barnesboro which is mentioned in some supporting documents), Arcadia, Clymer, Buck Run, Dixonville, Coy and Aultman to name a few. Basically they lived wherever there was mining work.

The “patchwork” nature of the mining communities made for a certain amount of difficulty when it came to locating the address for Berish family. Unlike today with its conventional addresses that include a house number as wells as a street name, the Berish family lived mainly in company houses that were rented to them by the mining companies. The houses were only referred to by their company-assigned number, such as House #40. When someone asked where a particular person lived, they were told to look for a certain house in a particular grouping, such as the fourth house in that group of seven down that unmarked, dusty lane.

Company houses were typically built quickly to meet the ever-growing need of providing housing for the miners and their families. There was very little thought put towards permanence. When the mines closed most were sold to their current renters or anyone interested in purchasing them. While some of these “company houses” have survived to the current day, others were abandoned and later torn down. Thus locating, through official documentation, where the Berish family actually lived during a specific period is problematic at best.

It is almost unimaginable the demands imposed upon not only the parents but also the children during that period. Their oldest son John recalled a time when the family, who had been living in Emigh, PA, moved to Marion Center, PA for presumedly a better job. John recalled they always moved by wagon. On that particular move, John was tasked with leading the family cow, which was haltered with a piece of rope as he followed the family wagon. He recalled they traveled so far one day that the cow, who had became tired, plopped herself down on the road and would go no further until it had rested.

John also recalled that whenever they arrived in a new town and located a place to live, the first thing his father Michael would do would be to setup the kitchen stove so his mother Anna could begin cooking the family meals. As there wasn’t always a store available, or the necessary funds, the family relied heavily on their few cows, pigs, chickens, and perhaps even a few geese to help feed the family. The animals provided not only milk and eggs but on the rare occasion some were butchered. The butchered animals were not only a source of fresh meat but also provided meat that could be preserved for later use in the winter months.

The family also always maintained a vegetable garden, to provide fresh vegetables in the summer months as well as basic root vegetables, such as cabbage, potatoes, etc. which could be stored and used throughout the winter months. Yet even with their stored food, there were times when Michael had to supplement their meals with game meat and fish from the local countryside.

As expected, Anna cooked mainly old world dishes such as stews, soups, bread, Holupki, sauerkraut, and etc. The only “American” food, as she called it, Anna ever prepared was Jello, and even that took her a good many years to get used to making it.

Anna’s role in the household was that of wife, mother and money manager, whenever there was any money left after the monthly bills were paid. Michael’s roles were that of husband, father, breadwinner and disciplinarian.

The Berish family never had the financial wherewithal to own their own house. They always rented their houses, which were typically owned by the coal mine companies. These houses were specifically built to house the miners and their families and were referred to as “company houses.” They usually had two stoves in the house. One in the kitchen used for both cooking and heating while the living room stove was used solely for heating the home in the colder months. The stoves burned both wood and coal. Michael’s youngest child Emma remembers snow blowing through the cracks around the windows of her shared bedroom and accumulating on the windowsills during the winter months. The children wasted no time in dressing in the cold, winter mornings and they often found themselves rushing downstairs to gather around the stove to warm themselves. During particularly cold evenings, Michael and Anna would tend the fire in the stoves all night in an attempt to keep the house warm.

Even with the fires blazing in the first-floor stoves, little heat made its way to the second floor where all the bedrooms were situated. To help fend off the cold, the family had bed mattresses made of fresh straw covered with cloth. Their pillows were made of goose down. A big comforter called Perina was filled with feathers and spread on top of the blankets. These feathery comforters acted as great insulators and helped to keep the family warm during the cold, blustery winter nights.

Working Years

• He worked as a 'sandman' for R & P Coal Company. A sandman spreads grit on the mining tracks to give the mining cars traction when being moved in and out of the mines
• Earlier, in America, he worked in a brickyard in Phillinsburg, Pennsylvania.
• In Slovakia, he worked as a farmer and then later as a policeman.

Personal Life

Michael Berish enjoying his local newspaper.

He loved to side outside in the full sun and read his newspaper.

He was a member of the United Mineworkers of American and, he and his family were members of the “Jednota”, the first Catholic Slovak union. Michael served as its president for sometime in Aultman, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. He also was a member of the Clune Lodge of the First Catholic Slovak Union

Death

Michael died from a heart attack after suffering from chronic myocarditis on December 11, 1949 at the home of his son Paul in Aultman, Center Twp, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

He was buried on December 14, 1949 at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. His grave is located in St. Bernard Cemetery which is located on 200 Clairvaux Drive, about one and half miles northeast of Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.