Marcin Czlonka (1886 - 1964)

Born 8 Nov 1886 in Bieliniec, Nisko, Königreich Galizien und Lodomerien, Kaiserthum Oesterreich

Ancestors

Husband of Frances C (Jaworski) Czlonka — married 12 Sep 1916 in Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States

Died 25 Sep 1964 at age 77 in New York, United States

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Martin Joseph Czlonka lived in Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria.

Martin Joseph Czlonka migrated from Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria to United States.

Biography

Marcin was the son of Piotr Członka and Agnieszka Grzyboska. He was the 7th of 14 children born to his father and 2nd of 9 children born to his mother. He was born 8 Nov 1886 in House #65 in Bieliniec. Bieliniec was a village of several hundred people in the district of Nisko in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria in the Austrian Empire. This kingdom was typically referred to as Galicia. He was the last child born in his village that year. The next day, his parents made the 2 mile journey south to their parish church in Bieliny so that he could be baptized. Sometime after his arrival at Ellis Island, he anglicized his name to Martin Joseph Czlonka. ^{[1] [2]}

In March 1906 Martin, aged 19, emigrated to the United States. He departed aboard the SS Amerika from Hamburg, Deutschland on 22 Mar 1906 and arrived at Ellis Island in New York, United States on 1 Apr 1906. Martin likely emigrated for economic reasons (see his father, Piotr's profile for the economy of Bieliniec). His intent was to join a cousin in Dunkirk, NY. ^{[2] [3]}

Martin settled in Rochester, New York. He worked as a tailor and as a part-time musician. On 12 Sep 1916, Martin (age 29) married Frances C. Jaworski (age 19) who was also a tailor in Rochester. Prior to the marriage, Martin lived at 1275 North Street (map) in Rochester. Frances lived with her parents about 6 blocks away at 1 Peckham Street, Rochester (map). Once the couple were married, Martin moved in with the Jaworskis. This was a strongly Polish neighborhood. ^{[4] [5]}

Martin was described as having a light complexion, 5'9" tall, brown hair, brown eyes, 190 lbs. ^{[6] [7]}

On 5 Jun 1917 Martin was 31 years old and registered for the WWI draft. He indicated he was employed as a musician and tailor. He still lived with his Jaworski in-laws at "1 Peckham Street". 1 Peckham isn't a large house. Nine people lived there including Martin and his wife. ^[6]

Martin and Frances began renting a house a few doors down from her parents at 11 Peckham Street (map). The 1920 Census found Martin (aged 33) living there with his young family and employed as a clothing presser. ^[8]

In 1922, Martin naturalized and became a US citizen. ^[9]

In 1925, Martin and his family showed up in the New York State Census continuing to live at 11 Peckham. Martin was employed as a tailor. ^[9]

By the 1930 Census, Martin and Frances purchased a home a few blocks from Peckham Street at the home in which they would live the rest of their lives at 163 St Casimir Street, Rochester (map). ^[10]

In 1940, the Czlonka family all lived in the same house. The children by this time were all adults. Martin worked about 3/4 time as a coat presser for a wholesale clothing manufacturer. ^[11]

On 25 Apr 1942 Martin (aged 56) registered for the WWII draft. ^[7]

In 1950 Martin was 64 years old. He showed up in the census working full time as a tailor/presser for a men's clothing manufacturer. He continued to work in this profession until he retired in 1957 at age 71. ^{[12] [13]}

He passed away 25 Sep 1964 in Rochester, New York at age 77. Services were held at Saint Casimir's Polish National Catholic Church and Martin was buried Saint Casimir's Polish Catholic Cemetery (map). The church has since closed and as of 2023 the cemetery is located in a landlocked strip between the Walmart and NY Highway 104. The cemetery is closed several months during winter. ^{[14] [15]}

Emigration to America
Immigrants to America from Europe in the late 19th century traveled there by steamship. The crossing typically took about 6 days. The largest expense for the immigrant was the ticket for the crossing. In the late 19th century, due to competition, the ticket price was about $20. Add in a few dollars for other expenses and getting started in America and one can see that each immigrant needed about $50. Records from Ellis Island often indicate immigrants showing up with $7 to $20 in their pocket. $50 would be worth about $1,200 in 2020 dollars.

Steamship companies advertised for passengers (as they do in the 21st century). They heavily marketed into the eastern European villages.

Martin Joseph Czlonka showed up at Ellis Island in New York with $13 in his pocket after a 10-day crossing on 1 Apr 1906. In his journey, he had to travel about 600 miles to Hamburg, Germany (probably by train). Then from New York city to Rochester, New York.

Martin came to the United States aboard the SS Amerika. Launched the year before in 1905, the SS Amerika was one of the largest and most luxurious ships in the world. It carried 2,500 passengers. The Holland-Amerika shipping line was the big shipping line in the world and transported millions of immigrants during the period in ships of it's line like the SS Amerika. Holland-Amerika marketed rail-ship packages to potential immigrants all over eastern Europe. Holland-Amerika operated health checkpoints at the German border where immigrants would cross on their way to the ship. Diseases, contagious diseases, and infestations were screened. Then at Hamburg, due to hotel shortages in Hamburg, Holland-Amerika operated a hotel complex that was a gathering point for immigrants. They did a final health check because Holland-Amerika would have to pay for the return trip of the immigrant if they were found to be ill upon arrival. On embarkation day, Holland-Amerika took the immigrant and their possessions to the ship.

Martin's passenger record indicates his accomodation was "Zwischendeck". "Zwischendeck" is affectionately translated as "between decks" or "tween decks". This was an area below the main deck originally built as a hold for cargo. This was commonly referred to in English as Steerage. Steerage class passengers were put below decks in large rooms with closely packed bunks. The steerage class passengers were reasonably comfortable however and got 3 meals per day.

Martin would have been one of the 1,500 passengers in steerage class. He was traveling with a few people from his village including a cousin. The journey was not without peril. Six years later (but also in April), the SS Amerika was the ship that spotted icebergs and then transmitted iceberg warnings 3 hours before the sinking of the Titanic. At the outbreak of WWI, the SS Amerika was seized in Boston and used by the US military as a troop transport ship for many years.

Love of Polish Culture
Martin was very active in the Polish community of Rochester. In 1917, Martin earned some of his income as a musician. He played in a band called the White Eagle Band. The "white eagle" was a popular Polish flag element for members of the Polish diaspora. Polish communists banned the white eagle flag as nationalistic so as not to offend the Soviet Union. While the official 2023 Polish flag is a field of white over a field of red, the white eagle version of the Polish flag is a widely used alternative flag on government buildings. The band likely played Polish folk music or Polka music. Martin sang in the choir of St. Casimir's Polish National Catholic Church. Martin was an honorary life member of the Polish Young Men's Citizens Club. ^{[6] [13]}

Research Notes

Martin's Age and Birthdate
Martin's birth year is reported in various documents as being 1886, 1888, 1889, and 1890. However, the parish birth records in Poland indicate he was born 8 Nov 1886. Many Poles celebrated their birthday on their name day. Martin's name day is 11 Nov. It is unclear why he thought 28 Nov was his birthday. ^[1]

Birth Record (translated from Latin -- note Latinised names):

Born on 8 November 1886 in Bieliniec House No. 65. Baptized on 9 November 1886 in Bieliny, Martinus, son of Petrus Członka, farmer (son of Joannis and Catharina née Hank), and Agnes (daughter of Stanislai Grzybowski, farmer, and Maria Puskarczyk) Godparents: Joannes Białek, farmer, and Catharina wife of Joannis Puskarczyk Midwife: Anna Kupiec. Baptized by parish-priest Adalbertus Harmata^[1]

Emigration with Wojciech Grzybowski

Martin emigrated to the United States in 1906 with a cousin from Bielinic named Wojciech Grzybowski. Wojciech was likely a son of Uncle Kazimierz or Uncle Jan. Both Martin and Wojciech arrived at Ellis Island aboard the ship SS Amerika on 1 Apr 1906. Both arrived with $13. Martin was intending to join a cousin named "Michal Gadaj" in "Dunkirk, NY". Wojciech was intending to join "Michal Zadaj" in "Dunkirk, NY".^[16][17]

Wojciech later returned to Bieliniec to get married and re-emigrated in 1910 along with his wife, "Ladrica". On that return he intended to join "Franz Grzybowski".^[18][19]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Catholic Parish Birth Record. Bieliny Parafia Rzymsko-Katolicka [Bieliny Roman Catholic Parish] (Nisko, Galicia, Austrian Empire) Akta Urodzeń 1886 [Birth Records 1886], Number 21, Martinus Członka, born 8 November 1886, in Bieliniec, accessed at the Archdiocese Archive in Przemyśl, Podkarpackie, Poland.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Ellis Island Arrival - Czlonka 1906. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C. 1906, Apr, 01, Amerika. Year: 1906; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Page: 56; Line: 25. (Ancestry $)
3. ↑ SS Amerika Passenger List - Czlonka 1906. Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 176; Page: 647; Microfilm No.: K_1793, 1906, Direkt Band 176. Line 37. (Ancestry $)
4. ↑ Czlonka-Jaworski Marriage Index. New York State Marriage Index, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY. 1916; Marriage; Page 314; Clonka, Martin J. Certificate 17901. (Ancestry $)
5. ↑ New York, Monroe County Marriage Record Czlonka-Jaworski. New York, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1847-1849, 1907-1936. Monroe County; 1913-1916; Record 4918. (Ancestry $)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} WWI Draft Registration. United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. New York; Rochester City; Draft Board 4; Card Set C; Czlonka, Martin. (Ancestry $)
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} WWII Draft Registration. United States, Selective Service System. Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147. National Archives and Records Administration. New York; All; Cygan, Gabriel - Dahlbeck, Warner; Czlonka, Martin Joseph (Ancestry $).
8. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census - Czlonka, Martin, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1920. T625, 2076 rolls. Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Roll: T625_1124; Census Place: Rochester, Ward 17, Monroe, New York; ED: 190; Page: 12B; Line 69. (Ancestry $) (Family Search)
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} 1925 New York State Census - Clonka, Martin, New York, U.S., State Census, 1925. New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 08; Assembly District: 01; City: Rochester Ward 17; County: Monroe; Page: 21; Line 41. (Ancestry $)
10. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census - Czlonka, Martin, Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.; Film: 2341189; Census Place: New York, Monroe, Rochester (Ward 17); ED: 0114; Page: 23A; Line 28. (Ancestry $) (Family Search)
11. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census - Czlonka, Martin, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.; Roll: M-T0627-02848; Census Place: Rochester (Ward 17), Monroe, New York; ED: 65-205; Page: 6B; Line 76. (Ancestry $) (Family Search)
12. ↑ 1950 United States Federal Census - Czlonka, Martin, Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., 1950. Record Group Number: 29. Roll: 4696; Census Place: Rochester (Ward 17), Monroe, New York; ED: 69-280; Sheet Number: 74; Line 22. (Ancestry $) (Family Search)
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Obituary, Martin J. Czlonka 29 Sep 1964. Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York), 29 Sep 1964, Page 33, Column 5. (Newspapers.com $)
14. ↑ Obituary, Martin J. Czlonka 27 Sep 1964. Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York), 27 Sep 1964, Page 54, Column 5. (Newspapers.com $)
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39588092/martin-joseph-czlonka: accessed 18 January 2023), memorial page for Martin Joseph Czlonka (28 Nov 1890–26 Sep 1964), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39588092, citing Saint Casimir's Polish Catholic Cemetery, Irondequoit, Monroe County, New York, USA; Maintained by Mount Hope NY (contributor 219).
16. ↑ SS Amerika Passenger List - Grzybowski 1906. Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 176; Page: 647; Microfilm No.: K_1793, 1906, Direkt Band 176. Line 33. (Ancestry $)
17. ↑ Ellis Island Arrival - Grzybowski 1906. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C. 1906, Apr, 01, Amerika. Year: 1906; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Page: 56; Line: 17. (Ancestry $)
18. ↑ SS Blücher Passenger List - Grzybowski 1910. Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 218; Page: 18; Microfilm No.: K_1811. Line 19. (Ancestry $)
19. ↑ Ellis Island Arrival - Grzybowski 1910. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C. 1910, Jan, 05, Blücher. Year: 1910; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Page: 130; Line: 20. (Ancestry $)