The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 4

 The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 4

In Part 1, some background information was presented on the Major and Gavay families of Szepsi, Abaúj-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 covered the immigration of the Major and Gavay families to the U.S.  In Part 4 is the genealogy of the Major family in Hungary and the U.S.

The Major Genealogy

Note: The English spelling of the first names is used, where feasible. Many of the church records of Hungary are in Church Latin. Later records used Hungarian spellings for first names (e.g. Istvan instead of Stephano or Stephanum).

Josephum = Joseph = Jozsef

Stephanum = Stephan = Istvan

Eugenius = Eugene = Jeno

Helena = Helen = Ilona

  

The earliest known ancestor of the immigrant, Eugene Major, is Stephan Major, born probably in Nádaska, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.  Nadaska is one of the river towns bordering the Bodvou River and still remains in modern Hungary as Torna-Nádaska. Stephan Major was the father of Joseph Major, also born in Nadaska. Although Stephan and his wife, Elizabeth Kotsis, are named in the baptism records of the Roman Catholic Church in Szilas (next largest town to Nádaska) and records exist back to the 18^th century, no record has been found for the birth of Stephan.

 

Stephan¹ Major was probably born in Nádaska (Szilas, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary circa 1775. He married Elisabeth Kotsis 10 February 1794 in Szilas. There are no records of Stephan or Elisabeth’s birth in the Hungarian Roman Catholic Church records for Szilas.  The marriage record for Elizabeth indicates that she was from Somodi, Hungary.  Known children of Stephan and Elisabeth (all born in Nádaska):

 

i.                Stephan² Major baptized 4 May 1795 (died young?)

ii.              Joseph² Major baptized 18 October 1796 (died young?)

iii.             John² Major baptized 24 May 1799

iv.             Barbara² Major baptized 7 June 1801

v.              Stephan² Major baptized 13 Jan 1804

vi.            Joseph² Major baptized 21 Feb 1812

Marriage record of Stephen Major and Elizabeth Kostis in Szilas, Hungary. Stephanum Major and Elizabethum Kostis were married 10 February 1794 in Szilas, Hungary. The record indicates that Elizabeth Kotsis was from Somodi and Stephan from Nádaska. Both were Roman Catholic. From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Szilas, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

Baptism of Josephum Major on 21 February 1812 in Szilas, Hungary. Parents are given as Stephano Major, Catholic and Elizabeth Kostis, Catholic; both are from Nádaska. Note: Another Josephum was born to Stephen and Elizabeth in 1796 and likely died young. From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Szilas, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

Joseph² Major was baptized in Nádaska, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary, 21 Feb 1812. He probably died in Torna-Ujfalu, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary sometime after 1846.  He married on 24 November 1834 in Torna-Ujfalu, Barbara Mészáros, daughter of Andrea Mészáros and Anna Pétes.  There are three known children:

i.               Joseph³ Major baptized 12 July 1837 in Torna-Ujfalu

ii.              Barbara³ Major baptized 23 April 1842 in Nádaska

iii.           Stephan³ Major baptized 18 October 1846 in Torna-Ujfalu

 

 

Marriage record of Josephum Major and Barbara Mészáros on 24 November 1834 in Torna-Ujflau, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary (now Turnianska Nova Ves, Slovakia). Joseph's parents are given as Stephan Major and Elizabeth Kostis. Barbara's parents are given as Andea Mészáros and Anna Pétes. They are both Catholic and from Nádaska. From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Torna-Ujfalu, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

 Stephan Major, called Istvany in the record, was baptized in Torna-Ujflau on 18 October 1846 to Josef Major and Barbolo (Barbara) Mészáros. In the last column, their town is listed as Torna-Ujfalu. From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Torna-Ujfalu, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

 

Stephan³ Major was baptized 18 October 1846 in Torna-Ujfalu, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary. He died 16 September 1916 in Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.  At the time of his death, he was a councilman in Szepsi. His occupation in the records is an artisan/craftsman.  He married on 7 February 1875, Maria Hagan, age 18, daughter of  Janos (John) Hagan and Julianna Konavily. She was born 2 October 1856 in Szepsi and died 17 March 1928 in Szepsi.  Istvan Major, Maria Hagen and two of their children, Maria and Julianna, are buried in the Major family plot now in Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia.

Marriage record of Istvan Major and Maria Hagen 7 February 1875 in Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary (now Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia). Istvan's birthplace is identified as Torna-Ujflau and Maria's as Szepsi. He is 26 and Maria is only 18.
From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

Baptism of Maria Hagen on 2 October 1856 in Szepsi, Abaú-Torna Hungary. Her parents are given as Janos Hagen and
Julianna Konavily., both from Szepsi. From Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records from Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

 

Istvan [Stephan] Major and Maria Hagen Major. Photo taken in Kassa (now Kosiče, Slovakia) circa 1900.

The family has in their possession the death notices of Istvan Major and Maria Hagen Major from Szepsi Hungary. These are shown below with their translations. Hungarian death notices are unique in that they name all of the living relatives and in-laws.

 

Hungarian Death Notices for Istvan Major (1916) and Maria Hagen (Istvánné = wife of Istvan)

 
The Major family of Hungary is buried in the Major plot in the Moldava nad Badvou town cemetery (formally Szepsi, Hungary). Also buried in the same plot are: Istvan Major, Maria Hagen Major, daughters Martiska Major and Juliaska (Julianna) Major Heczey and grabdaughter Marta Heczey.

 

Major family plot in Moldava nad Bodvou town cemetery. From https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222664265/istvan-major; http://www.virtualnycintorin.sk/en/cintorin/1118.

Istvan and Maria had the following children, all born in Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary:

i.               Stephan [Istvan]⁴ Major, baptized 13 May 1876.  He died 3 Feb 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio.  This is the Cleveland, Ohio Major line. Stephan arrived on 3 August 1906 on the ship “Graf Waldersee” out of Hamburg, Germany. He is listed as age 30 and a shoemaker from Kassa. He is traveling with a young child, Arpad Kallella, Age 9. Istvan is going to Franck Kalella (brother in law) of Cleveland, Ohio. This is the girl’s father and both of their passages were paid by Franck Kalella.  Stephan and Arpad were detained and admitted on 4 August 1906.  Stephan’s wife, Pauline, and son, Stephan [Istvan]), arrived at Ellis Island on 9 May 1909 from Hamburg, Germany on the ship SS Amerika. He married Pauline Anna Marie Parilyak on 6 April 1909 in Kassa (now Kosiće, Slovakia), Abauj-Torna, Hungary, daughter of Ferdinand Parilyak and Anna Balogh. She was born 3 June 1883 in Felsogagy, Brosod-Abauj-Zemplen, Hungary. She died 22 February 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio. They had three children:

a.     Stephan [Istvan]⁵ Major, born in Hungary 27 May 1904. Married Marie Hegyi  (Hegge) and had a son:

                                               i.     Donald⁶ born 2 Novenber 1933 in Cleveland, OH

b.     William⁵ Major, born 15 Feb 1911 in Cleveland, OH. Married Ethel Lasco 26 Jul 1934 in Cleveland, OH and had:

                                               i.     Carol⁶  born 5 Mar 1938 in Cleveland, OH

                                             ii.     Susan⁶ born about 1942 in Cleveland, OH

                                            iii.     William⁶ born about 1948 in Cleveland, OH

c.     Mary⁵ Major, born 28 November 1912 in Cleveland, OH. Mary Major married John Steber 27 August 1936 in Cleveland and had:

                                               i.     Paula Marie⁶ born 6 April 1940, Cleveland, OH. Married Bertram (Bert) Samerdyke 22 June 1963, Cleveland, OH. Died 5 Mar 2020, Solon, OH. Married Richard Visocant.

                                             ii.     Janet⁶ born 22 November 1942, Cleveland, OH and died 28 October 2007 in Cleveland, OH. Married Richard Visocan.

                                            iii.     Constance Faith (Connie)⁶ (named after Constance Faith Rogers Major), born 25 Feb 1947 in Cleveland, OH and died 11 May 2014 in Euclid, OH. Married Louis DeLuca.

ii.               Maria⁴ Major, baptized 29 August 1880 in Szepsi, Hungary. She probably died before 1916.

iii.              Julianna⁴ Major baptized 23 February 1883 in Szepsi, Hungary.  From the Hungarian death certificate of Istvan (Stephan) Major, Julianna married Eugene Heczey in Hungary and had five children. She died sometime after 1928.

iv.            Joseph⁴ Major baptized 26 April 1888.  He died 28 November 1889 in Szepsi.

v.            Eugene⁴ Major (Jeno) baptized 11 April 1895 in Szepsi, Hungary.

 

 ClevelandClan July 1944

Written on back (by Faith Constance Rogers):

Marie, Helen (Johnny's sister), Janet, me (Faith), Jen, Willie, Aunt & Uncle, Ethel, Susan, Donny, Steve, Paula, Carol, the whole family!

July 30, 1944, Sunday, Cleveland, Ohio

 

Marie = Marie Major, wife of Stephen Major

Helen (Johnny's sister) = sister of John Steber, husband of Mary Major Steber (he may have been the one taking the photo)

Janet = Janet Steber, youngest girl sitting, daughter of Mary Major Steber and John Steber, in Helen's arms

Me = Faith Constance Rogers, future wife of Eugene Major, Jr. (in WW2)

Jen = Jenny Major, daughter of Jeno (Eugene) Major and Anna Gavay, sister of Eugene Major, Jr.

Willie = William Major, son of Stephan Major and Paula Pariylak

Aunt & Uncle = Stephan Major and Paula Pariylak

Ethel = Ethel Lecso Major, wife of William Major, son of Stephan Major and Paula Parilyak

Susan = Susan Major, daughter

Baptism and birth record for Jeno (Eugene) Major. He was born 11 April 1895 and baptized 14 April 1895 to Istvan (Stephan) Major and Maria Hagan in Hungarian Roman Catholic Church Records for Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary.

Eugene⁴ (Jeno) Major was baptized 11 April 1895 in Szepsi, Abaúj-Torna, Hungary. He died 3 December 1952 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He married on 5 April 1920, Anna Gavay, daughter of Kalman Gavay and Ilona (Helen) Frankovicks (Frankovits). She died 13 April 1991 in Darien, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.  Eugene’s occupation was listed as a barber. He served in the Austro-Hungarian army in WW1 and served in the medical corps (unit and action undetermined).  

 

Marriage of Jeno Major and Anna Gavay, 5 April 1920. By September 1920, they were on their way to the United States.
 

 

 Jeno Major in the Austro-Hungarian Army, WW1. He is the 2nd from the left, seated with Red Cross arm band.

 

Eugene and Anna immigrated to the United States in 1920, arriving in New York City at Ellis Island on 9 October 1920 on the American Ship line vessel SS Gothland sailing from Cherbourg, France.

Eugene and Anna had three children, all born in Stamford, CT:

i.               Eugene (Jeno)⁵ Major, born 20 Jan 1921. Eugene married Faith Constance Rogers, daughter of Asa Clark Rogers, Jr. and Gertrude McDonough on 4 May 1946. They had 2 children: 

            a.     Donna⁶ Lynn Major, born 13 May 1948

b.     Eugene⁶ Robert Major, born 6 Mar 1952

ii.              Jennie⁵  (born Yolanda) Major, born 11 December 1922. Jenny married John Joseph Golden, son of John Joseph Golden and Lillian Rudamanski on 4 May 1946 (double wedding with Eugene and Faith) and they had three children:

a.     Patricia⁶ Jean Golden, b. 23 Jun 1947

b.     Lynn⁶ Joy Golden, b. 25 Sep 1952

c.     Robin⁶ Ann Golden, b. 25 Mar 1954

iii.            Nancy⁵ Helen Major, born 8 August 1932. Nancy married Peter van Steeden III, son of Peter van Steeden II and Margery Wells on 24 October 1953. They had two children:

a.     Peter⁶ Mark van Steeden, b. 26 Aug 1960

b.     Cheryl⁶ Jean van Steeden, b. 18 Mar 1963

 

The Major children born in the U.S. to Eugene and Anna Gavay Major: Eugene Major, Jr. (1921), Yoland (Jennie) Major (1922), and Nancy Major (1932).

 

Genealogy chart of the Major family in Hungary. Stephan Major (1876) and Eugene Major (1895) were the only (known) Major family to immigrate from Hungary to the U.S.

Part 5 will cover the genealogy of the Gavay Family.

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.

\

  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.

The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 2

 The Major-Gavay Family of Hungary, Part 2

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 provides some historical context in which our ancestors lived in old Hungary. 

Historical Context

The earliest known direct Major descendant was Stephan Major known by the baptism of his son, Joseph, in 1812 in Nadaska, Abauj-Torna, Hungary to Stephan Major and Elisabeth Kotsis.  Stephan was probably born in the mid-1770s. The earliest known Gavay descendant was Franciscus Gavay known by the baptism of his son, Kalman, in 1868 to Franciscus Gavay and Elisabeth Tomas in Szepsi, Abauj-Torna, Hungary.  Franciscus was probably born in the 1830s. What was going on in Hungary during the period from 1790-1920?

 

The era between 1790 and 1848 was a particularly turbulent time for Hungarians. With the death of emperor Joseph II, nationalistic fervor, which was just starting to gain momentum, confirmed Magyar (Hungarian) as the official language. Joseph II and his predecessors had attempted to Germanize the region and the formation of a Hungarian state threatened the Hapsburg dynasty and the European powers. Upon his deathbed on 28 January 1790 Joseph II revoked all edicts, with the exception of those on religious tolerance and serfdom. In 1805, shortly after Stephan and Elisabeth had their 2^nd child in Nadaska, laws were first made in Hungarian and Latin – a first step in the recognition of the Hungarian language.

 

• In 1809, Napoleon urged the Hungarians to break away from the Hapsburgs, but the Hungarian nobles, aligned with the Austria, stood against Napoleon. They were decisively defeated by Napoleon’s army in the battle of Gyor in 1809.
• During all this time, remember that the majority of Magyars (and most non-Magyars in Hungary) were peasants.
• From 1835 to 1848, Ferdinand V was King of Hungary. By 1840, The Diet passed an act making Hungarian the country’s official language. On 15 March 1848, revolution broke out in Pest, essentially a revolt against the Hapsburg nobility. Franciscus Gavay and Elizabeth Tomas were probably born during this period.
• On 7 April 1848, The Batthyany government was formed, the first autonomous Hungarian government. Just 7 days later, the Declaration of Independence proclaimed the dethronement of the Hapsburg and the establishment of an independent Hungary. A few days later, the newly formed Hungarian army liberated Pest from the Hapsburgs. Istvan Major and Kalman Gavay were born in the mid-1850s.
• On January 1 1873, Pest and Buda and Obuda were unified under one name: Budapest.  Two years later, Istvan (Stephan) Major and Maria Hagen were married in Szepsi.
  
• In what was to be a portent of World War 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina was occupied and in 1879 a dual alliance was made between the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and Germany and in 1882, Italy joined the alliance.
• Up until 1895, all births, marriages and deaths were recorded in church records. On 1 October 1895, civil registration began. Jeno” Major was born in 1895, so he would not have been found in the civil registration records.
• The period 1903-1906 is referred to as the “great crisis”. Europe was heading for war and alliances were formed and broken largely revolving around instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.  After the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914, war was declared on Serbia on 28 July 1914. During this period, Kalman Gavay came to the United States several times, permanently arriving in 1910.
• In 1918, the Austrian empire collapsed with the end of World War 1. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were formed. Territories that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were ceded to Czechoslovakia.
  

By 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Empire included many regions that were neither Hungarian nor Austrian. Many of these regions were Slavic, Romanian, Polish, and even Russian. The region of Abauj-Torna (essentially part of Galacia) was largely Slavic rather than Magyar, so these areas now comprised part of the new nation of Czechoslovakia (later the Abauj-Torna region became part of Slovakia when the Czech republic was split into two: the Czech Republic and Slovakia).

It was under these conditions in Abauj-Torna, where Magyars no longer had a country and were now ethnic outcasts that Eugene and Anna Gavay Major left Europe and immigrated to the United States. Kalman Gavay had immigrated many years before.  

 Part 3 will cover the immigration of the Major and Gavay families to the United States in the early part of the 20th Century.