SUCHOCKI, Thomas/Tomaz

The Suchocki Family of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

John/Jan Suchocki traveled to America, landing in Baltimore, MD on April 28, 1884. He came with a Martinoski Family who had been his neighbors in Poznan, Poland. Arrangements had been made for the 14 year old young man to stay with a family in McClure, PA while he worked in the coal mines and coke ovens to earn money to bring his four sisters to America. This he was able to do, and while all four sisters did come, their parents remained in Poland. The sisters married and lived in Fayette County, PA for some time, but eventually one relocated to the area of Detroit, MI and another went to Chicago, IL. Agnes, who married Joseph Skoniezny, remained in Dunbar Twp and they are buried in Connellsville just about six miles from Everson. John married and remained in Upper Tyrone Twp, Fayette Co, PA. The sisters: Agnes (1864) married Joseph Skoniezny; Elizabeth (1865) married Michael Lukaszak (changed name to Resney)(went to Chicago); Frances (1861) married Vincent Kaminski(went to Detroit) was widowed and moved to Ohio to live with a daughter; Antonia (1875) married Stanislaw Szwed (changed name to Smith) and resided in Everson Valley near her brother, John, who raised his family in South Everson.

John was born in 1869 and married Agnes Rogalinski in 1893. He was instrumental in establishing the first Polish-Catholic church in the Greensburg Diocese. It was St. Josef's Roman Catholic Church of Everson (Now St. Joseph) and was designed to match those found in Poland. This attracted many Polish families to the small borough of Everson, Pennsylvania. John met and married the daughter of one of these families. They eventually made their home in South Everson where John died while firing the furnace at the South Everson Grade School, where he was the janitor, in October 1939. John's parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and many cousins remained in Poland and were never heard from after World War II.

The photo is John and his wife, Agnes Rogalinska, taken circa 1909.

I was born in the Fay-West area of Pennsylvania and spent my childhood there. (Along the border of Fayette and Westmoreland Counties) My grandfather died before I was old enough to know him. Here is my line of descent from Thomas Suchocki:

1) Thomas/Tomaz Suchocki m. Mary Krolowna (remained in Poland) 2) Anthony/Anthonius Suchocki m. Mary Sulinska/Sulinski (Poland) 3) John/Jan Suchocki m. Agnes/Agneszka Rogalinska/Rogalinski 4) Raymond Michael Suchocki m. Erma Grace Nichelson 5) LaVonne Rae Suchocki (me) m. Donald Emerson Hanlon

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