Tom Vajdik's Page

Hi Tom,

Yes glad to hear back. I sent you a private message.

hi tom---- waiting for some pictures---have you forgotten ????   your cousin,  Nancy Cole

Hi Tom,    Thanks for the note.  Yes, there are many people from Swartz Creek who are Czech or Slovak.  My mom's family came there from Ohio and PA coal mining areas in the late 20s.  My mom is now 97 and living with us.  I asked her if she knew of people from Moravia and she said yes, but she couldn't remember any names for me.  I do know that there was a Czech group which was formed many years ago called the Friendship Club, and they had many dances and events thru the 1920s - 60s.   I did not grow up in Swartz Creek myself, so I do not know alot about the "old timers".   Sorry, I couldn't be of more help.  Carol

hi Tom-----By the way, someone found me on Ancestry---this is amazing----do u remember me telling you about my dad's father who walked around the world 1900-1907  --and when he and his wife and daughter got to New Jersey, my dad was born and they left him with people who adopted him. His mom died and dad never came back for him. couldn't ever find his dad. well, they also left a girl baby in a barn in Michigan and never came back for her too. what a story this is. she looks just like my grandma, my dads mom!!!!! i still cant get over this. one of these days i'm gonna write a book.  merry Christmas. cousin nancy

hi tom ---hope all is okay with you and family. haven't heard from you in a couple of weeks. By the way, my grandma agnes hranka rice and grandpa william rice and uncle john hranka are all buried in St.Mary's cemetery in Queens County, i think it's in Flushing, N.Y. I'm not sure if my uncle Bill Rice is there too. i know my mother buried him, but it could be in Calverton National Cemetery out in Long Island, n.y. where my dad's brother by adoption is buried (otto Lorenz) and where we buried my husbands brother, James D.Whallon-Schmitt. Jim was adopted by someone other than the people who adopted my husband (the Coles) Jim died in nyc , Don't know if he had any ins. or $ , but it was winter Dec 3rd, and i had my Mom who was not well, so we couldn't go back, and we made arrangements and had him buried all by phone.take care, cousin nancy

continued---The museum in Chandler had a pair of Mr. Whallon's shoes there. He was the tallest man in town, 6'6" and had size 14 shoes.Charlie is only 6'1", but our son is 6'7" and 2 of our 3 daughters are 6' tall. My oldest daughters 2 sons are 7' and 7'1" tall. So am happy to see my family takes after his real dad. Sure got off track tonight ! getting late, will say goodnight. ,, Cousin Nancy

continued--and it has maps and shows the 160 acres he homesteaded. I pulled the Chain of Title at the Building Dept when we were in Chandler,Ok. in 2002, and found out that his Warrant Deed to the 160 acres was signed by President Mc Kinley. We went to the property (it was down the RED DIRT ROAD !!) and we asked the current owners if we could take pics of the property. She was so sweet, There was 2 artisian lakes on the property. So beautiful !!! They'd built a huge log house in 2002. we went to the cemetery and stood at his dads grave. did it the next year too, in 2003. continued

Hi Tom-2nd cousin-sounds neat ! So, Uncle John came here in 1912,(I think) to look for his dad, and so George must have died before that. Tell me, do you know if George's wife came with him ? It doesn"t sound like it. He came alone ? What happened to his wife.? Did she die in Kuzelov ? What was her name ?Do you know ? oh, I.m full of questions tonight .Charlie's dad was born in Terre Haute,In. in 1858,went to Okla. and was in the "Oklahoma Land Rush" in 1889. I have a copy of the book on the land rush, and his Dad was in it continued-----