The Slovakian Search Continues

I wrote about beginning a new search to help discover more of the ancestry of Helen Teroski (see that post here) and wanted to provide an update.

I've had no luck initially with locating any more persons with the surname Teroski (using variant spellings) that might connect with Helen either in Binghamton, Broome Co, NY where she was enumerated with the Novak family or in the state of Pennsylvania (which the census has listed as her birthplace).

Neither could I locate this particular Novak family in Pennsylvania during the 1910 census. My speculation is that since both the Novaks and Helen are of Slovakian descent, I may be able to find more information on Helen if I follow the Novaks around for a while. Helen may have had more of a relationship to the family than just boarder. At the very least they share the same ethnic heritage and both Helen and the Novak children were born somewhere in Pennsylvania.

So what could I find out about the Novak family?

This is what I found on the 1920 census:

1920 US Census: 1st Ward of the city of Binghamton, Broome Co, NY.
E.D. 7, sheet # 19B (4 Colfax Avenue, dwelling #225, family #340)


Name
Age
Birthplace
Approx. Birthyear
Mike Novak
38
Slovakland
1882
Susie "
36
Slovakland
1884
Mary
16
Pennsylvania
1904
Anna
14
Pennsylvania
1906
Susie
11
Pennsylvania
1909
Helen
6
Pennsylvania
1914
Joe
3 9/12
Pennsylvania
1917
Mike
1 5/12
Pennsylvania
1918
Helen Teroski
18
Pennsylvania
1902

Mike emigrated in 1900. He was an alien.
Susie emigrated in 1902. She was an alien.


At FindAGrave.com, a headstone for Michael & Zuzana Novak are listed in the St. Cyril Slovak Catholic Cemetery in Binghamton, NY. Michael's dates are 1884-1957 and Zuzana's 1885-1939. Also listed were the following:

Anna Novak b. 22 March 1906 d. 14 April 1922
Susana Novak 1908-1925

Pvt. Michael E. Novak (WWII) 
  1. 14 Oct 1918
  2. 3 Sept 1999
Along with wife Lillian H. 1923-1996

I was able to locate a telephone number for the cemetery. They gave me the phone number for the St. Cyril Church where I might find records. I obtained an email address of the secretary there and sent her a request for information on this family. She agreed to search the church records as time allowed and get back with me. I'll share what information she provided me with in another upcoming post. Stay tuned!

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