Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Matchok Family Blog
First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for participating in this blog! My goal is to finally get the Matchoks to know each other, or as I've learned recently, know OF each other. A good spot to begin would be with information about each of us. Who are we? How are we related? Where have we lived and where are we now? Who are our children? What hobbies might we have? It will be interesting to see what we have in common!
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11 comments:
I am Deborah, Michael Richard Matchok's oldest daughter. He also has two other children: Sharon, my younger sister; and Michael, my brother. We grew up in NJ, moved to a suberb of Ft. Myers Fl called Cape Coral. My mother still lives in the same house I grew up in. I went to USF and NSU, earning degrees in elem ed/leadership. I spent my late teens to early 20's modeling and working as a cosmetologist. I still have the guitar that was given to me on my 12th birthday, and still play! In fact, Tuesday nights is jam session evening - a little bluegrass, folk, and old rock. I am married to Bill, and we have 2 children: Zev and Zane. Zev was a competitive racer up until last year, earning podium finishes and a spot in the coveted Junior Olympics. Zev also plays lacrosse as a long stick defenseman. Zane is musically adept, playing piano, taking violin lessons, and wanting ot play guitar. I will teach him as soon as he has a bit of music theory under his belt! Zane is a bright and sensitive young man, who has been a vegetarian since the age of 2. He loves to draw and spends his weekends skiing at PCMtn.
Hello, I'm Barbara Tracy Bachelier, daughter of Ruth Matchok Tracy. My mom met my father, John J. Tracy, when the Matchok family lived in Quincy, Il. I believe that Michael Matchok was born in Quincy, although I'm not absolutely sure of this. Ruth was 19 when she married my father and shortly after that the Matchok family moved, I think back to N.J. Ruth did not see Michael again until he was 19 and was driving through IL while he was in the Air Force. He stopped and spent a night or two with our family and played monopoly with us. That would probably have been in about 1958 or 59.
There were 7 of us Tracy kids (in order of birth): John D, Clayton, IL---Suzanne Tracy, Palm Desert, CA---Barbara Bachelier, Lake Ozark, MO---David E., Mt. Sterling, IL---Bill deceased---Kathy Ashcraft, Mt. Sterling, IL---and Tom J., Mt. Sterling. I'll let them all write about themselves.
I don't know whether anybody knows about this but Ruth, my mom, had a different father than Dottie, Gene, Ron, or Michael. My mother found this out when she was applying for SS and was told that nobody existed by her last name and in the year 1923, the year she was told she was born. I did find her baptismal certificate from a Immaculate Conception Church in Hackensack & she was actually born in 1922. Her father was Jacob Paskavage. We know little about him and if anyone has any knowledge of him we would like to hear about him. On the birth certificate I got from the State of NJ it lists his name as Paskievtch. I believe he died in the 1930's while the Matchok family was in Quincy. Rudi & Ida were then married in Palmyra, MO., close to Quincy.
Ida's maiden name was Vansaders (VanSaders maybe), possibly Dutch. This is all for now. I'll write things as I remember. I'm very excited about this.
Barbara B
I'm Michelle Caldwell, Barb Bachelier and Kathy Ashcraft are my aunts and Suzanne Tracy is my mom. I have a degree in chemistry and I'm a technical writer. Work at home, love the commute! I have a dog named Hoover that mom gave me for Christmas last year. I rock climb and I did the swim in the Couer d'Alene Trialthlon last year and am planning on doing it again this year. I may even try the run too. We'll see how ambitious I'm feeling. I used to play the piano, but haven't in years.
I am Suzanne Tracy from Palm Desert, California. I am a nurse in the Operating Room and work as the Coordinator for the Orthopedic & Spine Services and also am an RNFA--Registered Nurse First Assistant. All of the Tracy girls went on to become nurses--I think because this was a dream of my mother, Ruth Matchok Tracy, that was never realized for her. My father did not want me to leave home and become a nurse, but Ruth made sure that I had the opportunity by finding a scholarship to cover the tuition. I think this paved the way for my sisters. I have always been grateful to my mother for giving me this opportunity. Otherwise I would have been stuck on some farm in Illinois and never made it to California.
The first time I met any Matchoks (besides my Mother) was when Aunt Dottie came to visit with her husband and two boys, Jackie & Paul. This must have been before 1953 because the three youngest Tracy kids were not here yet.
After that I remember that Granny Matchok (Ida) came to visit several times in the summer. We kids really looked forward to seeing her because she was so fun loving and was up for playing with us outside. We had never had a Grandmother who could play that actively. Our Grandmother Tracy was far more reserved and quite a bit older so she was not up for games with the kids. I have pictures of Ida playing with us and she looks like she was really enjoying herself. ANd we loved how she talked--just like a New Yorker. It was far more exotic than the usual English we heard.
I remember meeting Michael when he was in the Air Force and he came to our house. We kids played Monopoly with him for a long time. I am ashamed to say that we cheated by taking extra money from the bank because we were losing. Eventually he got onto what we were doing. He may have been left with a dim view of our morals!
I remember when Carole & Eugene came to visit but I was working the weekend as a student nurse and did not get to meet them. Carole & Eugene came to my mother's funeral and I will say that they are wonderful people and I was sorry that I had not had the opportunity to know them throughout my life.
Happy Valentines' Day to all my relatives that I hope to meet one day.
I have this information on the VanSaders (Ida's branch of the family)from the 1900 Federal Census:
New Jersey, Bergen County, Hackensack Town, Lodi Township
Borough of Little Ferry, Mehrhof Road
Information gathered on June 4, 1900.
Simon VanSaders:
DOB: July 1874 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: Holland
Occupation: Brickmaker
Reads, writes & speaks English
Rents residence
Suzie VanSaders:
DOB: March 1870 in New York
Father & Mother Born: Germany
Occupation: Wife
Reads, writes & speaks English
Two deceased children
Richard J VanSaders:
DOB: December 1894 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: NJ & NY
Occupation: In School
Johanna VanSaders:
DOB: December 1895 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: NJ & NY
Ida May VanSaders:
DOB: March 1897 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: NJ & NY
In addition there is listed this group of VanSaders immediately above the Simon Van Saders entry (possibly Simon's parents??):
Richard VanSaders:
DOB: June 1833 in Holland
Father & Mother Born: Holland
46 Years in US: 1854
Occupation: Farmer
Reads, writes & speaks English
Owned residence
Johanna VanSaders:
DOB: June 1836 in Holland
Father & Mother Born: Holland
46 Years in US: 1854
Occupation: Wife
Reads, writes & speaks English
One deceased child, nine living
Richard VanSaders:
DOB: January 1870 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: Holland
Occupation: Farm Laborer
Gertrude VanSaders:
DOB: April 1876 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: Holland
Cornelius VanSaders:
DOB: September 1878 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: Holland
Occupation: Farm Laborer
Annie T VanSaders:
DOB: May 1872 in New Jersey
Father & Mother Born: Holland
Hi everyone !
I am Kathy Ashcraft. I am the sixth child of Ruth Matchok Tracy and John J. Tracy. I was named after my grandmother Rose Venvertloh Tracy. I still reside in Mt. Sterling, Il. I am a registered nurse. My husband Steve and I enjoy hunting and the outdoors in general.
I remember a time with Uncle Mike Matchok when my Mom(Ruth) and I went to Fords,NJ to Aunt Dottie's funeral. It was around Dec. 18, 1993. Uncle Mike was diabetic and so was my Mom. Mom had her
glucose monitor with her and checked Uncle Mike's blood sugar level and found it to be very high. (If I recall right it was 400 or 500.) Uncle Mike had an opened sore on his foot. My Mom tried to lecture her brother but I think it fell on deaf ears. I look back on this and find it kind of funny because my Mom was not a 'good' diabetic either. I also remember Uncle Ronnie being there. We all went out together to buy flowers for Dottie's funeral. We stayed at Aunt Dottie's house which later her son John (Jackie) Litchfield moved into. Dottie's other son is Paul Litchfield. I believe Paul still lives in Fords, NJ the last I knew and Jack has moved to New York.
Happy Easter to everyone !
Kathy
Barbara Bachelier here again with information about my family. I live in Lake Ozark, MO. I moved here in 1983 from St. Louis when I married Frank. Frank passed away 3 ½ years ago. We have 2 sons, Brett 24 and Joe 19. Frank operated a floating seasonal restaurant here at the lake when we married. I quickly became involved in the restaurant along with raising two boys (quite different than the life I had as a single operating room nurse is St. Louis). We operated the restaurant until 2000, leased it for a few years and eventually sold the property. That business led Frank into dock repair, most of our customers came by water, and finally shoreline erosion control, rip rap, which Frank brought to the lake. My sons and I continue to operate the business today. We have barges and work boats that go by water to do dock repair, lay the rip rap by barge and skid loader, and are often called upon to deliver landscape material to lake front property too steep to make roadside delivery. People also rent our barges for private parties.
Brett graduated from St. Louis University, is really into biking, we have lots of rugged trails here and not so rugged trails. He also is into riding his PWC in the summertime, when he can. He is the person who calls upon potential customers, the face of the business.
Joe graduated from Midwest Academy in Keokuk, IA in 2007 and works with the crew that places the rip rap. He, too, is into biking. He is saving for a PWC, a must here at the lake.
I am in the office daily and do all the office type work. Gardening is one of my passions but I don’t have as much time for it as I would like.
I hope to hear from Aunt Dottie’s and Uncle Ronnie’s and Gene’s children.
My grandfather was Richard Van Saders, the brother of Ida May VS. They also had a sister, Johanna, whom I have met in the past. Johanna lived in Detroit, MI.
Richard, Johanna & Ida VS were the children of Samuel VS & Susan Esselin. And, their grandparents were Richard VS & Joanna Koman.
When the children were young, their mother Susan died. Samuel remarried to a lady named Christiana (born in Bohemia) & they had 2 children: Joseph & Walter. Joseph & Walter born died in Detroit, MI.
Richard, Johanna & Ida definitely didn't like their step-mother. So much so that Richard left home at about 15/16 yrs of age & joined the Merchant marines. He sailed to different parts of the world & while docked in port in New Carlisle, Quebec, Canada, he met my grandmother & married her in 1920. My mother, who is still alive & 87 yrs old, was born in 1921.
All that Mom could remember about her Aunt Ida is that she thought she lived in Illinois & had 2 daughters, one named Ruth. She thought her husband's name was McIntosh but today I found out it was Matchok.
I don't know if you are aware but at age 16 Ida was abducted. A man named William Vorse had met Ida in Ashbury Park & talked her into accompanying him to New York. Ida had complained of harsh treatment to a Mrs. Cronan, about 2 weeks later, & Mrs. Cronan reported it to the police. Ida's father, Samuel, accompanied the police when they arrested William Vorse. The NY Times newspaper heading was "Held as a White Slaver, Man charged with bringing 16 yr old to this City".
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheryl (Kemp) Taber
Hamilton, ON, Canada
Questions:
1. Did Joseph the inmate have any children? If so, who were/are they?
2. Why was Michael Richard not accepted by his brothers?
3. Why did I hear stories that Michael Richard was "adopted" by Ida and Rudy?
I read the question by Deb about Michael Richard Matchok and why his brothers did not accept him. The only thing I can say is that it was a family who could keep secrets for a very long time. My mother, Ruth, did not find out that Rudie was not her father until she applied for Social Security benefits and was told that there was nobody by her name born in the year that she always thought was her year of birth. By then, both Rudie and Ida had passed away. When she questioned her sister, Dottie Matchok Litchfield, Dottie knew nothing about it. However Dottie did obtain a baptismal certificate from the family church, in Hackensack, that listed Jacob Paskavage as Ruth's father. I think Mom asked her brother, Gene Matchok, about it and he did not seem to want to discuss it or know anything about it. I guess that back in the 1920's you just did not get a divorce. You realize that Ida and Rudie had 4 children after Ida left Jacob Paskavage, and did not marry until 1936, when Ida's first husband, Jacob, died. The Matchok family was living in Quincy at the time and went to Palmyra, Missouri (accross the River from Quincy) where you could get a quick marriage. My sister, Suzanne, and I went to Palmyra and found the marriage license.
Deb, I think that Michael Richard was born in Quincy, IL and I could see if there are any birth records on him or my sister Kathy could because she lives close to Quincy. I see that his date of birth was 01/08/1939. Mom married my dad in 1942 and the Matchok family moved back to New Jersey right after that. That's why I think that Michael was born in Quincy and I think I remember my Mom mentioning that. She told me that Michael was just a baby when the family left Illinois. You know, she did not see him again until he was 19 and traveling through Illinois while in the service. After Mom passed away, Gene Matchok came to her funeral. He and his wife Carol stayed a couple of days and when my sisters and I brought up the subject of Mom and her father it just was not anything he wnted to discuss.
As far as Michael being adopted, I've never heard that. I did know that there was some tension between the Matchok brothers but don't know why. I became aware of that in the late 1970's when my mother, my brother Tom and I traveled to Florida to visit Uncle Gene. We made a visit to Ronnie and over to Fort Myers to visit Michael and his family. I will have to get my sister Suzanne involved in this because, as the oldest, she can remember even more than I do. All for now. Hope it answers some of your questions.
Barbara Tracy Bachelier
I am Denise McCarthy, the niece of John P. Matchok, youngest of three siblings from Paul and Sophie Matchok. I am putting together his family tree and stumbled upon all this great wealth of information from my Uncle Johnny's Dad's brothers (George, Joseph and Rudie) families, for which I truly thank you.
Paul (1891-1966) and Sophie Popeck (1886-1973) had three children, Paul John (1922-2000), Helen (1924), and John Paul (1926). Paul John married Margaret Harrigan (?-1990) and they had a son, Paul Timothy (1952-1999). Helen married John (Jazz) Jozwiak and they had two daughters, Betty and Helen Marie. I have zero information on Helen and her family. I only know that Jazz is deceased. John Paul married Marie Sellarole (my mom's sister), with no children.
Paul John and Paul Timothy are predeceased by Margaret, whom all lived in Bogota, Bergen County, New Jersey. After Paul Timothy's unexpected death, Paul John went to live in a Veterans' Home in Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey. I now live in that home in Bogota.
Helen last known city was somewhere down the Jersey shore.
John and Marie had enough of Little Ferry, Bergen County, New Jersey and moved permanently to Brigantine, Atlantic County, New Jersey about 20 years ago, after making years of weekend trips to their shore getaway home. They have a splendid view of the Atlantic City skyline from their deck.
I welcome any additional information so I may complete my Uncle Johnny's tree on Ancestry.com. Denise
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