The Box From Hell (BFH) - #1

[birdie74]

The first one seems like a possibility. It's from a naturalization record.

George Rodak
b. Mar 9, 1892 in Poland
arrived in U.S. Nov 25, 1909 in NY
naturalized Jun 27, 1924
address: Lorimer Rd, Box 816
Brooklyn Station, R.FD. #2
(It said above the RFD #2 Parma, O. The naturalization went through the U.S. District Ct. in Cleveland, and Parma is a Cleveland suburb.)

The witnesses were:

Frank Bernacki
2120 W 11th St.

Adam Paricka
3116 W. 16th St.

If he had come to the US when he was 17, he would probably have some Polish accent, but I've known a few people who came as teens from other countries and have almost no foreign accent, even after being here just a few years.

 

[birdie74]

A couple more possibilities:

George Rodek
1104 Tremont Ave.
Bronx, New York, NY
Age 51
Petition for naturalization: Feb 17, 1949

I think this one is more promising:

George Rodick is on a passenger and crew list on the ship named Korea, listed in the cabin. He left Honolulu Jan 29, 1905, and arrived in San Francisco Feb 2. No age was listed.

 

[KivaSupporter]

I want to add that Kiva did an excellent job with this phone call. We first called when Seka was not home yet. Her mother, who speaks very little English, answered the phone. KS spoke with the mother in her language and we were directed to call back in one hour.[/B]

Sherlock, thank you very much for the kind words. You are a great teacher!!! I will gladly do whatever is necessary to find Anna.

 

[Annasmom]

Originally Posted by KivaSupporter
Sherlock and I talked to Seka in IL tonight. Unfortunately, she is not the right person.

However, she gave us some good suggestions which we will follow. She also oferred to check with her Serbian friends who might be able to help.

I want to add that Kiva did an excellent job with this phone call. We first called when Seka was not home yet. Her mother, who speaks very little English, answered the phone. KS spoke with the mother in her language and we were directed to call back in one hour.

Seka provided a couple Serbian websites to place messages for looking for local people there. These were forwarded to KS, because they look "Greek" to me! She also suggested contacting churches in the SF area which may have records for GB. Perhaps he was the godfather to a child years ago. She suggested some type of Orthodox Church.

After our call was ended, Seka called me back and we talked for another hour and a half. She said she would contact people in Serbia right away to help find the Seka we are looking for. She believes, like KS mentioned, her family was wealthy. She thinks that Seka is probably living in the US and probably still in SF. Seka also explained the name Seka is not really a name, just a word meaning "little sister", kind of like how Anna was referred to "the tot".

Seka also thought GB was an Englishman by the words he used, especially "Cheerio". However, KS explained that when learning the English language in Serbia, the England English version is taught there. And with the knowledge of history GB had about Yugoslavia and Tito, I would lean more toward GB originally coming from Yugoslavia.

I am absolutely certain that GB never set foot in a church, especially an Orthodox church. And I have to reiterate that I heard him drone on hour after hour and he never once had the slightest trace of a foreign accent or anything to indicate that he knew more about any other country, apart from what he might have read in the newspaper.

I think KS's idea of contacting people in that small coastal town who might have known a family with a son (the brother) and a daughter called Seka is a very strong lead right now. Even if Seka means "Little Sister", we have examples of this kind of name here (Sissy, etc.) and if the Georges called her that, chances are that other people also called her that. GB liked to give people a name which he would then use. He called me "Gypsy" (???)

I want to applaud all of you who have been chasing down all this valuable information. Thank you, thank you!:blowkiss:

 

[KivaSupporter]

OMG Look what I found. I tried searching for BRODIĆ which is a logical way to spell it in Serbian.


Social Security Death Index
Results 1 - 3 of 3 for Brodic
Given Name Surname Birth Year Death Year County State More Details
George Brodic 1916 1987 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details
Joseph Brodic 1907 2000 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details
Mary Brodic 1911 1998 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details

Am I on the right track?

 

[SherlockJr]

OMG Look what I found. I tried searching for BRODIĆ which is a logical way to spell it in Serbian.


Social Security Death Index
Results 1 - 3 of 3 for Brodic
Given Name Surname Birth Year Death Year County State More Details
George Brodic 1916 1987 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details
Joseph Brodic 1907 2000 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details
Mary Brodic 1911 1998 Westmoreland Pennsylvania More Details

Am I on the right track?

The birth year for this George Brodic is very close to MK, we know it can't be him because you found these names in the SSDI. Maybe Birdie can look up the Brodic name in census and immigration records.

 

[KivaSupporter]

The birth year for this George Brodic is very close to MK, we know it can't be him because you found these names in the SSDI. Maybe Birdie can look up the Brodic name in census and immigration records.

Yes, I agree. I was just surprised to see there is such Serbian last name and apparently it is not uncommon. I also found it spelled as Brodich.

Maybe that is a lead.

 

[birdie74]

I thought this was interesting. I found another George Brody that came from Czechoslovakia. (I doubt he was our GB because of what Annasmom has said about his accent, but he was likely raised by immigrants, so he may have grown up with some of the customs and spellings of other immigrants.)

This guy's name was typed out as George, but they handwrote parentheses around the name and wrote Juraj beside it. I wonder if that could have been an alternate spelling early on for our GB. This guy, BTW, was a clerk who spoke Hungarian and English, and he was from Hlohovecz, Czechoslovakia. Race or people is listed as Hebrew.

 

[KivaSupporter]

I thought this was interesting. I found another George Brody that came from Czechoslovakia. (I doubt he was our GB because of what Annasmom has said about his accent, but he was likely raised by immigrants, so he may have grown up with some of the customs and spellings of other immigrants.)

This guy's name was typed out as George, but they handwrote parentheses around the name and wrote Juraj beside it. I wonder if that could have been an alternate spelling early on for our GB. This guy, BTW, was a clerk who spoke Hungarian and English, and he was from Hlohovecz, Czechoslovakia. Race or people is listed as Hebrew.

Yes, Juraj stands for George. I forgot about that.

 

[birdie74]

The birth year for this George Brodic is very close to MK, we know it can't be him because you found these names in the SSDI. Maybe Birdie can look up the Brodic name in census and immigration records.

I have to leave the computer a while, but I'll look it up later this afternoon.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Other common variations for Juraj (George): Jura, Jurica

 

[KivaSupporter]

I think KS's idea of contacting people in that small coastal town who might have known a family with a son (the brother) and a daughter called Seka is a very strong lead right now. Even if Seka means "Little Sister", we have examples of this kind of name here (Sissy, etc.) and if the Georges called her that, chances are that other people also called her that. :

Annasmom, I sent an e-mail to the local authorities which I will follow up with a call. I also want to have an article printed in the local paper. Unfortunately, people there often have a "manana" attitude. They drive me crazy.

 

[SherlockJr]

Annasmom, I sent an e-mail to the local authorities which I will follow up with a call. I also want to have an article printed in the local paper. Unfortunately, people there often have a "manana" attitude. They drive me crazy.

KS, I may be able to send you a copy of newspaper article. I have to dig.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Just to let you know I posted messages on two Croatian forums asking for help from someone living in Skradin or willing to go there. There are quite a few hits so far. I am sure someone will respond. I will keep posting on other sites.

 

[birdie74]

I didn't find any more on George Brodic with that spelling, except here are a few more details from the SSDI:
b. 28 Aug 1916
d. Jan 1987 in Rillton, Westmoreland, PA
193-05-7419

I found a few Brodies in census records that list Brodic as an alternate spelling. Only one was in PA, but it was from 1910 before George Brodic was born. I know he's not our GB, but here it is in case it could have clues about ours. It was for Mich Brodic, b. abt 1885, arriving in the US in 1910. (The handwriting looked to me like Brodic, not Brodie like ancestry.com lists it.) His birthplace was listed as Hun. Slovak, and he was a lodger living in Johnstown, Cambria, PA. Most of the boarders where he lived were Hun. Slovak (2 with the last name Radick or Rodick), and the others on the page were clusters of Aust. Croatian, Aust. Polish, and Hun. Magyar.

I found 6 Brodic's in the immigration records, and I don't think any were our GB, but might be related.

One was on a list of detained aliens from the SS Cedric on 29 Nov 1908. His name was typed as Chaie Brodic, and Brody was handwritten above the last name. Most were being held until they could tell family about their arrival. Chaie needed his son informed, Esidar of 68 Ellery in Brooklyn.

Most of the other Brodic immigration records are in German, but I can post it if y'all think it could help.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Annasmom, do you by any chance know what were GB's favorite foods? I know, I know, it sounds strange...

 

[SherlockJr]

Annasmom, do you by any chance know what were GB's favorite foods? I know, I know, it sounds strange...

My guess with ill-fitting dentures, that would be applesauce.

 

[KivaSupporter]

My guess with ill-fitting dentures, that would be applesauce.

hehehe Good one!

 

[KivaSupporter]

I just received an e-mail from a person responding to my message on the Croatian forum. He said that his friend spends every summer in Skradin and that he would tell him to get in touch. I hope it will work out.

 

[SherlockJr]

Wonderful! Keep us posted!