1910 U. S. Federal Census for Josef Szczudlo (ZZudlo on form) address is 1741 18th Place, Ward 11, Chicago, Illinois Enumerated on 20-26 April 1910
Leo Joseph Szczudlo was born on Tuesday, July 22, 1913 at 1741 18th Place, Chicago, IL, the home of his parents. Leo was the 4th child of Josef (29 yrs.) and Mary Stuczka Szczudlo (28 yrs.), joining sisters Francis (b 1909) and Bernice (b 1911). Leo’s brother Anton (b 1907) died at age 3yrs 7mos. after a one-week bout of measles that turned into pneumonia. At the time of Leo’s birth, his father, Josef, worked as a bricklayer and mother, Mary, was a stay-at-home mom. Leo was Baptized at St Adalbert’s Church, 1650 W 17th Street in Chicago, on August 3, 1913.
Anton Szczudlo Death Certificate
Mary Stuczka Wedding Photo
In February of 1913, Josef and Mary had purchased land in Section 27 of Juneau County, Wisconsin for the amount of $1,375. I remember being told that the decision to relocate to Wisconsin was because of Mary’s frail health.
See southwest corner of section 27. Jozef Szczudlo 118.66 acres.
It is not known when the family made the move to Wisconsin, but by December 30, of 1915, when Leo’s brother Josef was born they were residents of Necedah. On February 29 1916, Mary died of tuberculosis, leaving Josef with four children under the age of 7, one a two-month old infant.
Birth Certificate of Josef, Jr 30 Dec 1915 and Death Certificate of Mary Szczudlo 29 Feb 1916
How did Josef, Sr. manage with 4 small children? We will never know. Did he have the help of neighbors, or the church? Did he get help from his brother Julian (he lived with them in 1910, per the census)? Was Julian still in the USA? How much help could he have been? Perhaps the children went to live Franciscous (Frank) and his wife Kasmira, who had five small children of their own. That does seem a likely option, however, I have no way to prove that scenario.
The next major event in the life of young Leo was the marriage of his father to Carolina on September 10, 1917. Where did Carolina come from? I cannot find any immigration for her, but I must say that I don’t know if I have the correct spelling of her name. I have two spellings for her surname. First was from the marriage certificate—Szynaszik. Oddly, the surname of the priest that married Josef and Carolina was very similar to hers—Szynerzak. Was she related to the priest or was this a coincidence? Second was from Carolina’s death certificate—Szymaczski.
Josef had three more children with Carolina: Sophie born 22 Jan 1918, Theodore born 9 Jan 1919 and Mary born in 1920.
More to come in part 2.
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