Christening Dress, 1951

Marty's Christening was in the early summer of 1951.  Look, there he is, the cutest Mr. Magoo ever, obviously, in the lap of his great-grandmother Victoria Zdrojewska.  To their left are his grandparents, John and Eleanor.  To their right are his great-grandfather Ludwig and Dad, our EJZ.  Directly behind them is his Mom, our CAMZ, with corsage.

Marty's Christening gown has ruffles in plenty, as well as blue ribbons; you can see blue ribbon on Great-grandmother Victoria's lap, right next to the gown.

                                     
What a fine day!  They photographed 4 generations of Zdrojewski gents.

Clara made that Christening gown.  After the big day, she packed it up in a box, labeled it, and put it away.  It stayed put away for more than 60 years.

Marty last summer brought it over here to the Historical Preservation Society HQ, where I've finally brought it into the photographic studio so we can take a look at it. You ready?

The overdress of gauzy material, ornamented, is worn over a plain, sleeveless undergown of white satin.

A piece of white satin gives shine and substance to the upper part of the overgown yoke; lace borders that part, as well as the collar and cuffs.  White satin bows attach the satin ribbon streamers, two blue and two white, on each side.

Now let's examine the gauzy overdress by itself, followed by a few details.

Clara handstitched lace to satin collar band.

The satin underdress is collarless and sleeveless, with plain yoke and a couple of buttons at the back.  Both pieces have a great big vertical slit in the back, for uninstalling and reinstalling Marty in greatest possible comfort to him as well as ease to the installer.  That is way better than having to draw both long garments over his head.  I hope you are grateful for that considerate detail, Marty.

The box has a top of heavy, textured paper; it is dirty and uncleanable from sitting in attics all those decades.  But not only did it keep the gown quite clean, it also is the original box, which is something, and to top that off, it is labeled in Mom's handwriting.  So we keep the gown in its box.

I've had it hanging around here for a few weeks, so now I am going to miss the sight of it.  Come visit me here at Hx HQ and we can get it out again to give it  more study and admiration.

Zdrojewski Geneologic Detail - A Little Guide to Recent Comments by Elzbieta Nowak

The Eugeniusz photo post  has a comment of 02/28/17 by Elzbieta Nowak, correcting the spelling of "Eugeniusz."

The post "Poznań Zdrojewskis: From the Old Country, Part 3" features nieces and nephews Teresa, Zdziszek, Renia; Stawek; Pawełek; Marija; Alinka.  Pani Nowak has supplied in the comment translations of the inscriptions on the photos, as well as biographical details of individuals.

"European 'Official Papers'" includes the Abzugsattest of Ludwik and Wiktoria Zdrojewski as they left Lęg (Leng, Ling) in late C19.  Again Pani Nowak supplies biographical detail for them, for brother Franciszek, and their descendants.

"Uncle Joe, Aunt Julia, Joseph Jr." discusses them in America and includes a photo of Ludvik and Wiktoria.  Elzbieta Nowak's comment on this post concerns not them, but further data about Franciszek in Poland, his wife Helena, and their children Sabina and Edmund. And here is an interesting puzzle solved:

That comment begins with Poznań Zdrojewskis: Od Starego Kraju, część 8.

I had wondered if that was a book title, but now I believe it to be a reference to my own post!  Assuming typing error consisting of 8 for the correct 3,  that is simply a Polish translation of "Poznań Zdrojewskis: From the Old Country, Part 3".  This took me long enough to figure out, but heyhey, I think we have arrived safely in port at last.

We therefore have, thanks to Elzbieta Nowak, data on family from Ludwik and Wiktoria, on through Sabina and Edmund (of whom we heard the grownups speaking when we were children in the 1960s) and their children. Many thanks to Pani Nowak.

Wedding and Graduation Season, 1946? - Updated and Corrected with Kotwas Family Members

The previous posting featured Casimir Zdrojewski in his high school dorm at St. John Kanty preparatory school in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Here is Casimir all robed up for graduation therefrom.  It looks like the basement at Kanty; maybe it rained that day.

Grandma Victoria Zdrojewska, her daughter-in-law Eleanor Kotwas Zdrojewska, and to her left (in white dress and black hat) Eleanor's mother, Ludwicka ("Louise") Chmielewska Kotwas.

John, our JFZ, writes of his maternal grandmother Louise, our LCK, as "the kindest person I have ever met."

Also, "And, interestingly, Louise' parents came to America in the late 1870s and were among the first parishioners of St. Stanislaus Church in Buffalo."

Continuing around the table, we have 3 mystery people, JPZ nattily dressed, and to the JPZ's own left is, as John writes, "Eleanor's father, who came from the Russian partition of Poland in 1902."

Then we have the man of the hour, Casimir with boutonnier and mortarboard.  Oh, and diploma!

Does someone have more photos of this event, or the diploma to scan?  If so, please send them; I would love to put them up!

And here below, a terrific find from the New Trove - thanks, Marty!  Casey and Gene and a very cool car, all right at the front doors of Kanty Prep.

Andrew, you are the Spirit and Image of your grandfather at that age.  Come walk around Krakow with me so I can have fun watching you run into a doppelganger around every corner. 

A Google Image search on "Ford coupe converible 1941" returns many pretty pictures of cars like Gene's, including these two:

Must be Eugene took the photo below, probably in 1946.  JPZ and Eleanor were married in August of that year.  Casey is grinning wickedly in his James Dean hairdo still.  And a similar Ford is prominently included in the shot.  Paint job? New car? JPZmobile?

Le pique-nique with Grandma Kotwas, Eugene, JPZ,
the picnic basket and percolator, Casimir, and Eleanor.

Below, we see Eleanor, at right, and Clara, at left by Eugene, gamely smiling as they realize the antics their new family gets into at the drop of a hat, or some napery, or a potted plant.

Paul Zadner's lovely Mamma is unfazed. Paul has no idea that there is Chow Mein in his future. We saw this photo near the beginning of this blog, in - let's see - "Wedding Photo on the Wall".

Mystery Zdrophotos Contest

Great glory and honor to the one who identifies correctly the five gentlemen pictured below, whom I call for the time being Mr. A, B, C, D, and E.

Mr. A

Studious fellow.  See how his book is propped on a board across the wide arms of his chair?  His bookcase and desk are massive also.  Note the gooseneck lamp and the mid-C20 botanical design of the blotter or whatever it is on the desk.  For the benefit of green youth among the readership, we can mention that the papers in that messy stack include "typescript;" you can see it better upside down.  What is that little merry-go-round gadget sticking up from the desktop? Why have men stopped wearing French cuffs and cufflinks?  Don't they realize how terribly attractive is the style?  Whose office is this and where is it?

Mr. B
Also at work.  Also with strange stuff on his desk.

Mr. C

Mr. D

This man is a lot happier; he's done with work.  Is that beer with the three rings on the label Pabst Blue Ribbon?        
Update:  No - it is Ballantine beer.

Mr. E

Best way to log your entry to this contest is to Comment on the post at the website, which is here; click this!

I'm headed out to the garage to hunt up a prize.

Julie

Julia Mostkowska Zdrojewska

There's a photo over the fireplace in the main office of the Coot Hill Family Historical Preservation Society.

                 

                          The elk antler is from Wyoming, but the photo is from Buffalo, New York.

The frame is of wood, carved to resemble braided leather, I would say.  This is a scan of the framed photo, glass and all.  The ghostly appearance of the image is appropriate to the fact that this is my paternal grandmother, whom I never met, but after whom I was named.

The backing came off easily.  Here's the straight scan.  From the clothing can we guess a date around 1920?  Note the round collar in velvet, and the belt that sits low on the hips.

She married JPZ, John Paul Zdrojewski, in - what year??  JPZ, my Dziadzi, told me that the proposal went like this (in what language was not specified):

He: "Julia, do you think you might marry me?"

She:  "Well, I think I like you well enough to marry you."

The color changes a bit toward the red when I click "Enhance" in IPhoto.  That's not the true color of the print, but it does lighten it up to show more clothing detail.

She and JPZ had Eugene in 1923, and Casimir  (what year, please??), and Melania.  Melania died at about age 12, most probably of scarlet fever.

Nowadays, photos of the lost first wife and the lost daughter would remain on display, honored by both the husband and the second wife.  But in those days, they put everything away and never spoke of it.  I've never seen a photo of Melania.

The photo was printed on postcard stock, then addressed, but not franked.  Somebody  decided to keep it and frame it instead.

Remember this photo from the earlier post, "Zdrojewski Identification Contest"? (Click on that; it's a link.) I think the lady on the left is Julia.  The top photo in that post is Julia also.  Look closely, and you will see she is wearing the same coat and hat.  I think my friend Laurie Harvey is right, and the noses clinch the identification.  I think that Grandpa Ludwig stands here with his daughter-in-law Julia Mostkowska Zdrojewski, and perhaps a sister of Julia's.

She looks that same as she does on the boat in the Orchard Lake graduation film.

My Grandma Julia died of a heart attack in 1943.  My Dad, Eugene, was away from home, in Army boot camp in Fort Benning, Georgia.  I never heard that they let him come up for the funeral.

Zdrojewski Identification Contest

If you obtain this post as email, please click on the link at the tippy bottom of the email message.  It will take you to the website.  Then you simply click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of the post, then type in the text box that then appears.  Thanks!

JPZ and who?  Where?
JFZ figures that the lady is Julia Mostkowska Zdrojewski.  See John's comment, below.

Would someone please write a caption for this?  Who's that by the mirror; he looks like Casey! but as JFZ points out, this grouping is all Kaminskis.    Cecelia is on the right with  son Paul and daughter Celine.  I bet the beautiful lady with a glass in one hand and Celine in the other is Celine's grandmother; Cecelia's mother.  Who are the others? The youth behind Cecelia looks like my son Andrew; the whole thing freaks me out. I like those wall sconces.  I like the party atmosphere.

Anthony Zdrojewski was the third son of Ludwig and Victoria.  These are his wife, Anna ("Auntie Anna") and one of their daughters, Mariane.

Tony and Anna had two daughters - who was the other one? - and a son Ray.

The dining room at 175 May Street.  Ludwig, Victoria, Uncle Frank smiling!,Celine, John Peter, Casey, Eleanor with Electronics Johnny, little boy Paul, Cecelia, Aunt Julia??.  Next, the lady in the darker dress, seated at the corner, and : gent seated at the front end of the table: Eleanor's parents, Joseph and Louise Kotwas.  See JFZ's Comment, below.
  I remember so many details of that house, such as the gigantic padded rocker in the kitchen.  Check out the terrific telephone.  John, did you tell me once that your Dad phoned you at college every Friday night at 8pm?  Or am I making that up?

Identify these people and win a prize!  Fur coats and shoes.  The shoes are coming back in style, aren't they; but the fur has to be fake in the US in order to be correct.

Uncle Joe, Aunt Julia, Joseph Jr.

Celine's birthday party, about 1947, correct? John was born in late 1947, so this is maybe 1948?  Next to the birthday girl is Paul Zadner, then his mother Cecelia, then Aunt Julia.  Julia is married to Joseph Zdrojewski, and maybe Uncle Joe is taking the photo.  Their son, also Joseph, sits in Julia's lap.  Next we have Eleanor Zdrojewski and her son John, aka "Electronics, Johnny."

Standing, back left, is Paul's and Celine's Daddy, Casimir.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Julia at their son Joseph's Christening.
Joseph Zdrojewski was the fifth son of Ludwig and Victoria.

What did Joseph do for a living? Answer:  see JFZ's Comment. Is this photo taken at Joseph's house, or on May Street?  I like Ludwig's snazzy tie.  And vests on gentlemen are  sexy, aren't they?  Sort of Bat Masterson-ish.

This isn't Joe at all, but rather Johnny, "JFZ," with his godfather, Uncle Stanley, and his godmother,  Emily.
See JFZ's Comment, below.

This is uncle Joe's house, Paul Zadner tells me.  Let's see:  Joseph Jr. in the rocker.  Check out those white shoes. My mother put bells on my brother Marty's white shoes.  Was it for fun, or to know where he was?  Delightful, anyway.  (Hey, I didn't get bells!)  Celine, looking dazed.  Aunt Julia, hands on rocker.  Eleanor and Johnny. The beautiful Cecelia, mother of Paul and Celine.  Paul in cowboy shirt.  Grandma Victoria with star at throat of her dress; Merry Christmas, dear.  Casimir by the window? Nope, JFZ says that's Uncle Joe.  Grandpa Ludwig, looking pretty happy.  Nice wallpaper and cabinetry:  look, joinery in the room divider, and a glass-fronted cabinet, all built into the house.  Even modest homes in those days had the work of craftsmen in them.

Uncle Frank

Frank Zdrojewski, one of the six sons of Ludwig and Victoria, has been the subject of family secrets recently revealed to us, his collateral descendants.  Apparently, he was married for some time, then divorced, divorce being highly unusual at that time.  No one spoke of it.

As well, it is thought that he had a son.  None of us know his name, date of birth, fate, or descendants.  Wish we did.

May Street living room, wartime: Ludwig, Victoria, son Frank with necktie, son Stanley in uniform.

Frank Zdrojewski lived in the upstairs apartment at 175 May Street.  My brother and I only knew him as a recluse with a soft voice and a soft face.  My parents would take us to see him every year at Halloween, all dressed up in costume, as well as at Christmas.

He has his Christmas things up, but alone, alone, alone.