Thinking of Gus - 11 Nov 1926 - 6 Nov 2016

It’s been a year since you left us to re-join your beloved Wanda and I wanted to learn more about you. I previously wrote about you here. I went back to the 1940 Census to see what I could learn about your family and life in Martins Ferry, Belmont, Ohio.

1940 US Census

According to the census, you lived with your parents Gus, variously called Augustinis, August,Gus,and Gustav, and Mary (Maria) in a rented house at 120 Clay St. in Martins Ferry. The monthly rent on the house was $11.00 per month. Since your father only worked for 14 weeks in 1939, earning an income of $168.00 ($2968.83 in today's dollars) we know that money was tight.

Your father came to the United States from Hungary in 1906 as a 15 year old with a 6th grade education. He initially lived with his brother in Pennsylvania.  By 1917, he was living and working in Ohio. As America went to war in 1917, your father enlisted in the army with the unfortunate result that he was determined to be an enemy alien since he did not yet have his naturalization papers.[i]

By 1920, he was naturalized citizen living in Martins Ferry.[ii] Your father spent the rest of his life in Martins Ferry where he worked in the coal mines to His faith was very important to him and he faithfully attended St Mary's church in Martins Ferry and every night said his evening prayers on his knees. A habit that you also practiced.

Mary Fendrick also came to the United States at about age 16 traveling with her sisters Elizabeth and Julia. On the ship, she was so sick she had to be hospitalized. On her arrival, she took a job in a private household to help her learn the language.

In 1924 Gus Gulyban and Mary Fendrick were married at St Mary’s Church in Martins Ferry.[iii] Following their marriage, Gus and Mary raised their family in Martins Ferry instilling their religious, patriotic and hard work values in their children.


From 1940 you attended Martins Ferry High School, graduating in 1944. That's your senior picture. In your Sophomore year you were a member of the stamp club, a hobby that would stay with you. In your Junior year you were a Hall Guard. 

You entered the US Navy shortly after your High School Graduation. You were stationed on both the USS Lindenwald and the USS Zebra. After the war was over, you settled in Chicago and began to work for A&T in downtown Chicago.  You met and married Wanda Ferguson in 1949. You also acquired two children, David and Patricia, who you would raise with love.

In 1952, your daughter, Susan, was born and you moved your family to Wheaton, IL. where you had built a home.

You and Wanda raised your family with the same values you were taught by your parents example. Hard work, prayer, and a healthy dose of patriotism were the keystones to a successful life.

You were generous, cheerful, hardworking, and honest. You loved music, cooking, stamp collecting, and people. The stamp collecting was a holdover from your membership in the high school stamp club. You embraced learning trying new challenges like doing crossword puzzles in ink and learning to make candles or stained glass. 

Your success in raising your family is a tribute to both you and your parents and I thank you for that. You are honored and missed.

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[i] Ancestry.com images online; U S, Adjunct General Records 1631-1976; Ohio 1917-1918 p 6640 accessed 6 Nov 2017

[ii] “Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:MM9.1.1/K84B-YQW: accessed 13 May 2013, Gustav Gulyban, 1919.

[iii] West Virginia, Marriages, 1853-1970, index FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:MM9.1.1/F19S-HJM: accessed 13 May 2013), Gustav Gulyban and Mary Fendrick, 1924.

Family History Writing Challenge Day 14 - Gus Gulyban my Father-in-Law

 Gustav Joseph (Gus) Gulyban was born on 11 Nov 1926 in Martins Ferry, Ohio.  His parents were Gustav (Augustinus) Gulyban and Maria Fendrik were Hunganian immigrants.  Martins Ferry became the home of many Hungarian immigrants because it strongly resembled their homeland and there was work available in the coal mines in the area.

Gus grew up in Martins Ferry attending the local schools and going to church at St Mary’s Catholic Church with his sister Mary Elizabeth and brother John.  An older sister Irene had died at three months of age.

In 1940 Gus was thirteen years old and had completed the seventh grade. 

By 1945 Gus had joined the Navy and in September of 1945 was serving on the Zebra.  His rate was Fireman 2^nd class and also Electrician’s Mate.  The Zebra was originally launched in Oct 1943 as SS Matthew under a Maritime Commission Contract.  As a freighter traveling the waters of the South Pacific where she was heavily damaged by a Japanese torpedo.  While she was awaiting repair at  Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides as naval officer recognized her potential for service as a net cargo ship.  She was commissioned as such 27 Feb 1944.  During that summer the ship visited Tongatapu; Bora Bora; Tutuila and Upolu, Samoa; and Funafuti. She arrived at Pearl Harbor 15 Dec 1945 where she waited for her next mission which would be to Iwo Jima.  She left for Iwo Jima on 28 February and remained there until 11 April when she returned to California.  The ship returned to Pearl Harbor on 8 September 1945 with Gus aboard and left 12 days later for the Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima, and Saipan.  She departed Saipan on 15 Nov and returned to the United States arriving at the Panama Canal Zone on Dec 31, 1945.  She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on 8 January and was decommissioned on 21 January 1946.  Gus was still on the Zebra at that time as reported by Navy muster rolls for the Zebra.[i]    

                                                                                                                                                                                                      After leaving the Zebra in Jan 1946, Gus served aboard the Lindenwald, a dock landing ship, with missions in Okinawa and the Phillipines.  Muster rolls show that Gus served on the Lindenwald February, March, April, May, and until the 24^th June 1946 when the ship left New Orleans for Bremerhaven.  .[ii]

After Gus left the Navy in 1946 he decided to stay in Chicago where he became comfortable while he was training at the Great Lakes Naval Station.  For a while he worked at the Walgreens Drug Store on State Street.  At the time he was living on LaVergn Street on the West Side of Chicago.

Around 1947 he was hired by AT&T and began working at their Canal Street office.  Working the night shift he met Wanda Peterson and a friendship developed.  Wanda and Gus were married on 2 Dec 1949.

At Gus’ sugestion Wanda and her children, David and Patti, were baptized in the Catholic Church and invoking the Pauline Privilege their marriage was blessed in the Catholic Church.  David and Patti made their First Communion on 6 May 1951.

After the birth of their daughter Susan Margaret, Wanda and Gus purchased a home in suburban Wheaton.  In 1956 Gus and Wanda sold their original home and built a new home at 1111 N Main St where they became members of St Mark Parish.  Gus was active in the parish as an usher at Sunday Mass and also a counter of the money collected during the Masses.  He joined the Knights of Columbus and became a member of the 4^th degree which is the patriotic arm of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Color Corps.  You’ve seen them with their capes, swords, and chapeaux at parades and other functions.  With all this going on Gus remained a loyal AT&T employee even reaching management status. 

In 1982, Gus retired from AT&T, the house on Main St was sold and the move to St Pete Beach was completed. Once retired, Gus began a new life by establishing his own business “Wangus”, a combination of Wanda and Gus.  Wangus was a lawn care and building maintenance company and Gus was busy for several hours a day. 

Over the years Gus had several other hobbies.  He was an avid stamp collector and in the 70s he began making candles.  He actually took orders for and sold his candles.  One year, for Christmas, the table was set with star shaped candles at each place with each person’s name and the year inscribed on it.  I know that my family used their candles every Christmas for many years.[iii]

Gus is currently living in well deserved retirement in Florida and I sincerely hope enjoying himself.

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This blog has been edited to correct military information posted in error.

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[i] Wikipedia Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

[ii] ibid

[iii] Photo gypsybees.com

Family History Writing Challenge Day 13 - My Mother-in-Law Wanda Bernice

Wanda Bernice was born on 10 Aug 1921 in Hunt City, Jasper, Illinois to Murl C Ferguson and Naomi Sempstott. Murl worked as a laborer on the farm rented by his father in Willow Hill, Jasper County, Illinois according to the 1920 census.

By 1923 Wanda had a little sister Garnet.  The little family moved to Chicago to seek better work opportunities.  Murl found employment with the railroad and in 1930 he was a switchman for the Steam Railroad.  They lived next door to Murl’s brother Byrl who had followed Murl from Willow Hill to Chicago.

Although Wanda’s sister Garnet, sadly, died in 1928, there always plenty of cousins around since records show that several nieces stayed with the family over the years and right next door was Uncle Byrl and his family.

Wanda about 14 years

Wanda about 18

On 1 June 1938, having completed two years of high school, Wanda married Harold Peterson who worked as an electrician for the railroad.  One year later, on 1 June 1939, their son David Lee was born. Later came Patricia Ann on 15 March 1942.

During the 1940s Harold and Wanda took flying lessons with Harold’s sister Hazel and her husband Larry.  Photos from that time show the families at the air field.

Unfortunately the marriage did not last and the couple separated about 1947.  Wanda and the children moved in with her parents and Wanda got a job at the telephone company.  Wanda worked nights and eventually met Gus Gulyban who also worked nights at the telephone.

 

                                                           

Gus and Wanda were married 2 Dec 1949. Their daughter Susan Margaret was born 15 Apr 1952 while they were still living in Chicago.  Soon they moved to Wheaton where Wanda continued working for the telephone in Wheaton while Gus kept working in the downtown Chicago offices.

Wanda remained in touch with her southern Illinois roots returning there frequently and often letting David and Pat spend parts of their summer vacations in Willow Hill. Gus had roots in Ohio so the couple traveled in that direction often too.  On one of their trips they were in an accident and Wanda suffered back injuries that caused her to take an early retirement due to disability.

After her retirement Wanda began knitting until arthritis in her hands made it too painful to continue.  Her back injuries required several surgeries which were less than successful.  Wanda used a walker for many years before being forced to move to a wheelchair.

50th Anniversary 2 Dec 1999 with Pat, Susan, and Dave

Even though Wanda survived several bouts with cancer, an attack of shingles forced Gus have her admitted into a nursing home.

Wanda died 21 Jan 2011.

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