The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 3

                                         The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 3

In Part 1, some background information was presented on the Major and Gavay families of Szepsi, Abauj-Torna, Hungary (now Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia) and surrounding towns. Part 2 provided some historical context in which our ancestors lived in old Hungary.  Part 3 covers the immigration of the Major and Gavay families to the U.S.

Immigration of Major-Gavay family

Major

The Major family departed from Cherbourg, France on September 25, 1920 and arrived in New York City on October 10, 1920 on the Red Star ship S.S. Gothland.  According to the ship passenger manifest, “Jena” [Eugene] Major [Age 25] and Anna [Gavay, Age 23] were passengers along with Franc, age 54, Aunt and Kolomon Javaiova [Gavay], Age 18, Brother-in-law. Jeno's occupation was listed as “hair dresser” and Franc was listed as “farmer” and Kolomon as “student.” Their ethnicity was listed as “Tchecho-sl” (Czecho-Slovak), rather than Hungarian and their residence as “Moldava.” In 1920, that part of Hungary no longer existed after the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian empire following World War I, so their ethnicity was no longer considered Hungarian and the town of Szepsi was re-named Moldava nad Bodvou, Czechoslovakia - later Slovakia.

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  Jeno and Anna Major; Franc and Kolomon ship passenger list

In addition, the Major and Gavay passengers were held as detained aliens until October 11, 1920.  The reason given was “call” and could mean that they had to contact relatives in Stamford to confirm who they were. The disposition statement says this was Jeno’s first journey to America and that they were going to join “Father Kolomon Javay” [Kalman Gavay] at 46 Sound View Ave Stamford Conn.” Kolomon [Kalman] is the father of Anna Gavay. 

The passenger, Kolomon Gavy was Anna Gavay Major's brother and he was going to his father Kalman Gavay. He is listed as cousin to Jeno Major. Franc is aged 54 and listed as an aunt and her brother-in-law is Kalman Gavay in Stamford. She is probably the wife of Kalman’s brother and may be Mrs. Franc[iscus] Gavay. She may be the Bessie or Barbola Gavay that Anna Gavay Major's father, Kalman Gavay,  married in 1921 in Stamford after his first wife, Ilona Frankovics died.

 

Major and Gavay passengers detained.

Eugene Major filed his petition for citizenship almost immediately in October 1920 and filed his declaration of intention in 1924.

Petition for citizenship for Jeno Major in the Superior Court in Bridgeport, CT, dated 26 June 1924. Declaration of Intent for Jeno Major, dated 26 June 1924

Gavay

Kalman Gavay, had already come to America 21 years before Jeno and Anna Major and the other Gavay’s. On June 15, 1899, Kalman Gavay [spelled Gavai] arrived i n New York City on the ship SS Kaiser Friedrich out of Bremen, Germany. He was 31 years old and from Somodi, Hungary.  According to the ship manifest he was going to stay with his friend John Bodisz (sp?) at 196 E 3^rd Street, New York City.  He is listed as single, although he was supposed to have been married to llona Frankovics at this time and already had at least three young children back in Hungary.  Presumably, he came to America to provide for them.

Ship manifest for Kalman Gavai arriving in New York City on June 15, 1899

Sometime between 1899 and 1903, he went back to Hungary. On August 25, 1903 he arrived again in New York City on the ship SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse out of Bremen, Germany. He is now 34 years old from Somodi, Hungary and this time he is listed as being married and going to Connecticut.

Ship manifest for Kalman Gavai arriving in New York City on August 25, 1903

In 1907, Kalman went back to Hungary. A passenger record for Kalman Gavai, age 39, appears in the records of UK Incoming Passengers arriving in Liverpool, England from New York on September 17,1907 on the ship SS Carmania.  He may have remained in Hungary until 1910, when he and two of his children appear on the passenger list of the ship SS Uranium arriving at the port of New York City from Rotterdam, Holland, on October 19, 1910. He is traveling with his two children Maria, age 15, and Ferencz [Frank], age 14. The nearest relative for Kalman and the children are given as Ilona Gavay [wife and mother] in Hungary. Kalman is going to Stamford, but the children are going to New York City to a friend Lajis Hesaros.

 

Ship manifest for Kalman Gavay and children Maria and Ferencz arriving in New York City on October 18, 1910

 Kalman Gavay filed his Declaration of Intention September 23, 1918. At this time, his wife Ilona is still living in Hungary. His last foreign address is Szepsi, Hungary and he is currently living at 42 Cedar Street, Stamford. His occupation is "cabinet maker."

 

Declaration of Intention for Kalman Gavay, 23 September 1918. No Petition for Citizenship record has been found, but naturalization records exist for his son Ferencz [Frank] Gavay.
 

The genealogies of the Major and Gavay Families will be presented in Parts 4 and 5.