"From Where Do I Come?"
Skad Pochodzisz?
"From Where Do I Come?"
Skad Pochodzisz?
From the late 1870s into the early 1900s millions of peasants left their beloved homeland for America. They were our mothers and fathers, your grandparents and great grandparents looking for something better than the declining farm system of occupied Poland; all leaving the old country of German, Russian and Austrian domination.
They left with little money, few possessions and much hope for the great, strangely free America, across thousands of miles of Atlantic ocean to a country that would offer much more than they had before. As the old song resounds "Goralu Czy Ci Nie Zal" often heard in Buffalo over the air waves: they came looking for "daily bread".
Katarzyna Slon (born 24 Nov 1869 in Podlesie, Austria-occupied Poland) with husband Franciszek Stobnicki was the first of five children of Jan and Franciszka Slon to come to America. Processed at Ellis Island, they came to Buffalo and settled within the confines of Corpus Christi Church (see Polish Churches) on Clark Street.They resided at 39 Clark Street, Buffalo, New York at time of death.
They had 9 children:
Michael A. (1891-1959)
Mary (Stobnicki) Jaszcz (1893-1981)
Veronica (Stobnicki) Jarosz (1895-1970)
Helena (1897-1897)
Antonina (1898-)
Anna (Stobnicki) Zoladz (1898-1979)
John (1900-1972)
Sophie (Stobnicki)Rentfliesch (1903-1969)
Peter P. (1904-1971)
Katarzyna was a good cook. Irene Cichocki remembers her pierogis, blintzes, polish sausage. The men from the Railroad on Lindberg (now Memorial Drive) loved her sausages.
Later four brothers, Marcin, Stanislaw, Jozef and Antoni Slon followed in their sister's footsteps and came to seek a better life in America.
Ironically, they all wound up on Clark Street; stayed until from their meager savings they bought property within a mile of each other.
Marcin Slon was born 18 May 1876 in Podlesie, Debica, Poland. He married Maryanna Mazdziarz, 31 Jan 1899 at Corpus Christi Church. (see churches) He owned and operated a tavern at 508 Peckham Street. They had 9 children.
Veronica (Slon) Kopczynski(1900-1966)
John "Jan" (1902-1944)
Helen (Slon) Gister (1906-)
Stella (Slon) Mazurkiewicz (1908-1984)
Lillian (Slon) Filipowicz (1914-)
Anthony "Andy" (1910-1981)
Bernice (Slon) Bakowski(1916-1999)
Antoinette (Slon) Sobotka (1912-)
Stanley M. (1904-1975)
Stanislaw Slon was born 8 May 1881 in Podlesie, Debica, Poland. He married Marya Wrobel, Feb. 14, 1905 at St. Barbara's Church, (see churches) Lackawanna, NY; resided on Center Street. Three children, Roman, (died an infant, buried in Holy cross Cemetery) Walter and Stella were born in Lackawanna. Then Stanislaw and family moved to 45 Clark Street and about 1925 bought property on 224 Metcalf Street. This residence throughout the years was a haven not only for 6 children but also sheltered nieces and nephews in their toddler years. Stanislaw and Marya had seven children.
Roman (1906-1906)
Walter Stanislaus (1907-)
Stella M. (Slon) Rozak (1909-1997)
Helen (Slon) Lewandowski (1914-1999)
Edward Francis (1916-)
Irene E. (Slon) Jablonski (1922-)
Richard A. (1927-)Jozef Slon married Zofia Mazur and resided on Thomas Street a block from his brother Stanislaw. They had six children.
Walter (1914-1983)
Mary (Slon) Orefice (-1998)
Stephanie (Slon) Gadomski
Connie
Sophie (Slon) Chojnacki
Stanley (??)Antoni Slon was born 18 Jun 1890 in Podlesie, Debica, Poland. He married Karolina Madej. They resided at 217 Central Ave., Buffalo, NY. They had six children.
Mary (Slon) Mazur (1910-1982)
Walter (1911-1970)
Frank (1914-1978)
Stephen (1915-1985)
Annette (Slon) Piskor (1919-)
Vicky (Slon) Szczesniak (1921-)Thus the second generation, born in United States, comprising 37 members remained in the vicinity of Buffalo.
