Dorothy Kozub's Ancestor Puzzle: 2013

Today I drove to Hazleton for my 3rd time. I went to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church and looked at old baptism, marriage and death records.

St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church: Est. 1889, new building erected 1940

This church is right around the corner from 222 S Pine Street, where Irene and Alexander Kozub lived. And it is across the street from St. Gabriel's Cemetary, where Amelia was buried.

Father Donish was very kind to let me look through the old records. He has worked there for 11 years. He said the original church building was made of wood and was kiddie-corner from the current church building. He said this brick church building was erected in 1940.

Old records at St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Hazleton, PA

These records are falling apart! How do I get the LDS church to microfilm these? Father Donish said he looked into preserving them but it would cost thousands of dollars. It would be free for the LDS church to microfilm and then digitize these, right? I want the LDS church to also microfilm and digitize the records found at Hazleton City Hall. They are also falling apart! Who do I talk to?

Father Donish

The office next to the church, where I looked at the records.

I found a few more pieces to the Alexander and Irene Kozub puzzle!

First of all, I found Amelia's baptism record! It was on pages 14 & 15 of the "baptismal register."

Emilia Kozub, female, legitimate, father Alexander Kozub - Greek Catholic, mother Irena Kello - Greek Catholic

Emilia Kozub born Sept. 8, 1890, baptized & confirmed Sept. 21, 1890

Emilia Kozub born in Hazleton, godparents Michael Stefanski(?) - Greek Catholic - and Anna T/Panner(?)

Emilia Kozub godparents Michael Stefanski (?) - Greek Catholic - and Anna T/Panner (?) - ? Cath.; baptized by Rev. Eugen Volkay (?) - Greek Catholic p.? Harl??

Here are the headings for pages 14 & 15:

Heading for pages (my understanding): birth date, baptism date, confirmation date, child's name, gender, legit or not

Headings for pages (my understanding): child's name, gender, legit or not, godparents

Headings for pages (my understanding): town born in, godparents, clergy who performed baptism & confirmation

Here is Page 14:

Emilia Kozub's baptism record on page 14 at St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Hazleton, PA

Here are pages 14 and 15:


Emelia Kozub's baptism record on pages 14 & 15 at St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church in Hazleton, PA

This was in the records. I find it interesting.

It is an example of what a baptism & confirmation certificate would have looked like early on from St. Mary's Greek Catholic church:

An example of a baptism & confirmation certificate from St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church, written up in 1941 from a 1892 baptism & confirmation

This was interesting as well.

An example of a 1892 birth certificate, issued in 1953. The town is next to Hazleton.

Here is one more loose Greek Catholic baptism & confirmation certificate found in the records. Written in Hungarian??? It is from Hazleton, PA in 1897.

An example of a Greek Catholic Hazleton, PA baptism and confirmation certificate from 1897

Next, I found a baptism & confimation record of a girl named Irenea Cornelia, with parents Alexander Kozub and Irenea Kello on pages 128 & 129:


Irenea Cornelia Kozub, born Dec. 24, 1894, baptized and confirmed Jan. 7, 1895, legitimate, parents Alexander Kozub (Kozubor?) - gr (Greek catholic) - and Irenea Kello - gr (Greek catholic)


Irenea Cornelia Kozub born in Hazleton, PA; godparents Joannes Gids - Gr (Greek Catholic) and Anna ??; baptized and confirmed by Micalaus Ste. . ????? (note that the symbol that looks like gl! in the third column is like using " to convey that the answer is the same as above. . . according to Father Donish)

Here is a closer look at Irenea Cornelia Kozub's godparents' names:

Irenea Cornelia Kozub's baptism & confirmation record, page 128 & 129 at St. Mary's Byzantine Church in Hazleton, PA

Last of all, I found a death record on pages 370 & 371 for Anna Kozub (Line 9), daughter of Alexander Kozub. She died Sept. 13, 1897.

Death record on pages 370 & 371 (line 9) for Anna Kozub, daughter of Alexander Kozub. She died Sept. 13, 1897.

Anna, daughter of Alexander Kozub, died Sept. 13, 1897

Anna, daughter of Alexander Kozub died in Hazleton, PA. She was age ?????? (9 months? 9 years 7? what?)

Anna Kozub died in Hazleton, PA, she was age ????, she died of ???? (dipheria??)

Anna Kozub died of ????; recorded Sept. 14, 1897? Reverend Volkay did what? (Note: the "oth" means repeat what is written above).

Here is a closer look at Reverend Volkay's name. It is written a few lines above Anna's information. The line above has additional info. - listing a nearby town. But the "oth" is repeated until the name of Reverend Volkay (Greek Catholic curator?):

Anna Kozub's death record, recorded Sept. 14, 1897. See above to see name of Reverand Volkay.

Here are the headings to help translate Anna's death record on pages 370-371:

Headings for death records at St. Mary's Byzantine Church in Hazleton, PA

In conclusion: I found the baptism & confirmation record for Emelia (Amelia) Kozub. Her birth date is Sept. 8, 1890. She was baptized and confirmed Sept. 21, 1890. I found the baptism & confirmation record of Irenea Cornelia Kozub. She was born Dec. 24, 1894 and was baptized & confirmed on Jan. 7, 1895. She may also be August's sister. I don't know when she died. I also found the death certificate for Anna Kozub. She died on Sept. 13, 1897. She may be August's sister as well. I don't know when she was born and I can't translate how old she was when she died. All three recorded events took place in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Sources: St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church (formerly St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church). 227 E Beech St. Hazleton, PA Phone: 570-455-3232, Father Donish. Handwritten record books for baptisms & confirmations, marriages and deaths

Today I picked up a few more pieces to the Alexander Kozub puzzle.

I was at the Hazleton, PA public library. I looked at Hazleton City Directories on microfilm. Of the years I was interested in (1887 to 1898), they only had 1) 1886-1888 2) 1895 and 3) 1897.

Alexander Kozub was not listed in the 1886-1888 directory.

He is listed in the 1895 and 1897 directories. In both listings, he is living at 222 S Pine Street. (The same address as the one on his son August's birth certificate and on his daughter Amelia's death record.)

In 1895, he is a "teacher." In 1897, he is a "sexton." I looked up that second occupation and learned that a sexton takes care of maintenance for the church building as well as the church cemetary.

I also saw that the Greek Catholic Church around during the years of 1895 and 1897 was "St. Mary's."

I drove to 222 S Pine Street and took a picture of the house Alexander and Irene Kozub lived in while they were living in Hazleton, PA. It was a corner house on an intersection. A neighbor told me that the house is well over 100 years old. So, it is most likely the same structure. When I asked about St. Mary's Church, the neighbor said, "Are you Polish?" He told me to turn right at the stop sign then go up four streets and it will be on my left.

It just so happens that St. Mary's Church is a block away from St. Gabriel's Cemetary, where Amelia Kozub is buried.

Here are some pictures. Note: Click on image to enlarge.

1886-1888 Hazleton City Directory Church listings.

1886-1888 Hazleton City Directory Church listings cont.

?? 1886-1888 Hazleton churches??


Microfilm - Boyd's Hazleton Directory 1886-1888 located at Hazleton Public Library

Microfilm - Barry's Directory of Hazleton, West Hazleton and Freeland 1895 and Directory of Hazleton, West Hazleton, Freeland and Macadoo 1897 located at Hazleton Public Library