Stepan Barkovich (1891)

Born 26 Dec 1891 in Otočac, Lika-Senj, Croatia, Yugoslavia

Husband of Lora (Dasovich) Barkovich — married 21 Aug 1912 in Virginia, St. Louis, Minnesota, United States

Died [date unknown] in Michigan, United States

Biography

Stephen "Steve" Barkovich was born on the 26th of December 1891 in Otočac, Yugoslavia (Croatia).^[1][2] He was the son of Martin Borkovich and Mary Unknown. Steve migrated with his parents and five siblings to the United States in 1909.^[1][3] Their voyage was board the S. S. St. Paul which routed them through Hvre, France before arriving in New York City, New York.^[1][2][4] They later applied for naturalization, in 1918, in Duluth, Minnesota.^[5]

In the year 1910 they were all living in Virginia, Minnesota.^[3] His father and his brother Joseph were both working for the Norman mine.^[3] On the 11th of March 1911 an horrible accident occurred at the mine. A massive pile of ice and rock, which had repeatedly frozen and thawed, slid down on a dozen of the miners.^[6] Joseph's father was one of the fourteen that died that day, instantly crushed by the 500,000 tons of weight.^[7][8][9] Steve, age nineteen, was now fatherless. His brother Joseph, twenty-three, was now the head of the household.

Steve married Lora Dasovich, who had migrated from Croata six years before him, in Virginia, Minnesota.^[1] The blessed event took place on the 21st of August 1912.^[1][2] Steve and Lora had at least ten children, mostly born in Minnesota.

1. Mary Barkovich b 20 Aug 1914 Minnesota,^[1][2][10] m. 1st Oscar Wilder,^[11] m. 2nd Truman Bossert
2. Steven "Steve" Martin Barkovich b 11 Aug 1917 Minnesota^{[1][2][10][12]}
3. Laura Barkovich b 1917 Minnesota^[10][13] d. 13 Jan 1923 (age 6)^[13]
4. John Barkovich b 1918 Minnesota^{[1][2][10][12]}
5. Franck Barkovich b 5 Apr 1921 Minnesota,^[14] d 10 Apr 1921 (age 0)^[14]
6. Antonia Elsie "Elsie" Barkovich b 23 Jun 1922,^[1][2][12] m. Joseph Peter Benkovich
7. Helen Barkovich b 1 Jun 1924 Minnesota,^{[1][2][12][15]} m. John Nagy^[15]
8. Victoria Barkovich b 1932 Detroit, Michigan,^[1][2][12] m. Clarence Palm
9. Peter Barkovich b 1934 Detroit, Michigan^[1][2][12]
10. Victor Barkovich b 31 Jan 1937 Detroit, Michigan^[2][12]

In 1920 Steve and his family were living in Duluth.^[10] He was paying a mortgage on a home they would eventually own.^[10] At age twenty-six he was working as a butcher.^[10] His wife Mary, twenty-four and listed as an alien, took care of Mary, Laura, Martin, and John.^[10] The next three years were rough for them as Frank was born and died a year later.^[14] Two years after that, six-year-old Laura died.^[13]

Steve filed his Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen on the 28th of March 1935 in Detroit, Michigan.^[1] He was described as age 43, an auto worker, white color, with a fair complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair, standing 5 feet and 6 inches tall, and weighing 162 pounds.^[1] The only visible distinctive mark was a scar on the palm of his left hand.^[1] His race was listed as Croation with a nationality of the country of Yugoslavia.^[1] Steve filed his Petition for Naturalization on the 29th of August 1939 in Detroit.^[2] At that time they were living in Hazel Park, Warren Township, Macomb, Michigan; and had been since the 15th of Jne 1930.^[2]

Steve, forty-eight, and Laura, forty-two, were living in Warren, Michigan in 1940.^[12] Steve was working as a gear cutter for the Chrysler Corporation, while Laura stayed at home.^[12] His adult children, Steve, John, and Elsie, were listed as unemployed.^[12] Helen, Victoria attended school, while Peter and Victor stayed home with their mother.^[12]

Research Notes

• His daughter Elsie's obituary states she was predeceased by eleven siblings.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15} "Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts, Naturalization Records, 1837-1993", database, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve or Stepan Barkovich or Barkovic, 1935.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} " Naturalization petitions and records, v. 510, no. 126751-127000, 1939-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), entry for Steven Barkovich, 1939; citing Michigan, Wayne County, naturalization records.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve Borkovich in household of Martin Borkovich, Virginia Ward 2, St Louis, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 237, sheet 20B, family 203, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 724; FHL microfilm 1,374,737.
4. ↑ "Naturalization petitions and records, v. 510, no. 126751-127000, 1939-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.or : accessed 28 February 2020), entry for Stepan Barkovic, 4 July 1909; citing Michigan, Wayne County, naturalization records. [This document is a Certificate of Arrival and is included with his immigration file]
5. ↑ "Naturalization Record for Steve Barkovich," Minnesota Discovery Center (IronRangeResearchCenter.org : accessed 27 February 2020), entry for Steve Barkovich; citing taconite tax relief record, state records, and mining records, held at the Minnesota Archives.
6. ↑ "Oliver Iron Mining Company - Norman Iron Mine Rockslide," Mine Disasters in the United States, USMineDisasters.MiningQuiz.com, as viewed 27 February 2020. [Original information gained from four articles, listed on the site.]
7. ↑ Staff writer, "Swept to Death By Avalanche," The Montreal Gazette, Montreal, Canada, 13 March 1911, p. 1, col. 7.
8. ↑ "Twenty Track Layers Caught In Pit By Cave-In -- Only A Few Escape," Turtle Mountain Star, Rolla, North Dakota, 16 March 1911, p. 2, col. 2.
9. ↑ "Thirty Miners Are Buried," The Evening Argus, Ossowo, Michigan, 13 March 1911, p. 1, col. 7.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7} "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve Barkovich, Duluth, St Louis, Minnesota, United States; citing ED 139, sheet 27B, line 20, family 510, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 859; FHL microfilm 1,820,859.
11. ↑ Marriage Certificate for Mary Barkowvich and Oscar Wilder, 12 December 1981, Watrousville, Tuscola, Michigan, Certificate # 208, Registration # 79 1406 (1931).
12. ↑ ^{12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve Barkovich, Warren Township, Macomb, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 50-64B, sheet 39A, line 23, family 802, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1784.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990", database, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve Barkovich in entry for Laura Barkovich, 1923.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2} "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990", database, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Stephen Barkovich in entry for Frank Barkovich, 1921.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 February 2020), Steve Barkovich in entry for John Nagy and Helen Barkovich, 03 Aug 1943; citing Steuben, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 005329155.

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