Dziak

Miner’s First Name:   John
Miner’s Middle Name:   
Miner’s Last Name:   Dziak
Miner’s Picture:   
Birth Place of Miner:   Chotca
Miner’s Country:   Slovakia (once Austria-Hungary)
Arrived in USA:   3/25/1906

Miner Information:
I think he worked for the #9 or Barnum Colliery in the North Pittston/Duryea area. He was a Greek Catholic. He grew up in a village in the Hungarian Empire, and emigrated to America. He joked that he came to America because he "got tired of eating potatoes" (i.e., because food was inadequate and living conditions were poor in the old country); but it may have had something to do with avoiding the oppressive and corrupt Hungarian government's mandatory military draft policy. In later life he was known as a quiet, honest, kind-hearted family man who was fond of children. He was one of the founding members of St. Michael's Church in Pittston. He worked for a while early on as a "fireman." (I think this means he worked on getting hot water for the laundry room). He worked his way up to being a miner. He had difficulty reading English but was intelligent and figured out how to navigate the mine maps. He had an eye injury caused by a loose pick that he used when he was mining. For some reason he wasn't allowed to work in his usual area on one day, and had to work in another person's work area, with borrowed tools, and the pick had a loose handle.

Place & Manner of Miner’s Death:   Black Lung Related
Died:   11/9/1966
Birth Date:   04/27/1889

Married:   Yes
Place Miner Was Married:   Greek Catholic Church in Slabtown, PA

Wife’s Name:   Rosalia (also known as Helen or Veronica)
Wife’s Middle Name:   
Wife’s Last Name:   Franko
Birth Place of Wife:   Duryea, PA
Wife’s Country:   
Arrived in USA:   
Place & Manner of Wife’s Death:   West Pittston
Died:   6/29/1978
Birth Date:   08/01/1895

Number of Children:   5

Child Name 1:   John, Jr.
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Dziak
Birth Date:   8/2/1913

Child Name 2:   Andy
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Dziak
Birth Date:   12/2/1914

Child Name 3:   Joseph
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Dziak
Birth Date:   

Child Name 4:   Albert
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Dziak
Birth Date:   

Child Name 5:   Dorothy
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Dziak
Birth Date:   

Child Name 6:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Child Name 7:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Child Name 8:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Child Name 9:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Child Name 10:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Author’s Name:   John Joseph
Author’s Middle Name:   
Author’s Last Name:   Dziak
Relationship to Miner:   Grandson