She collects the Lithuanian stories of the Pennsylvania coal mines | Anne La Voie Skirmantas
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- Опубліковано 13 лип 2023
- Why is a small town of Pennsylvania called "Vilnius of America"? What were the habits of the Lithuanian coal miners in Pennsylvania and what dangers did they have to deal with each day? The story is told by the local writer of Lithuanian descent Anne La Voie Skirmantas
The interview is recorded during the "Destination Lithuanian America 2022" expedition led by Augustinas Žemaitis and Aistė Žemaitienė aiming to create the Lithuanian heritage map online map.truelithuania.com
Thank you for sharing this true and sometimes difficult story. My grandparents on my mother's side emigrated from Lithuania to the US in 1918 and ended up in Omaha. Grandma worked in the Swift packing plant for many years. Grandpa did some things that I understand that were not quite by law, but they did what they needed to do to survive. The result of this was that through their hard work they put six grandchildren through college and from there it goes on. I will never forget them and what they did for us.
Both my grandfathers died in the 30's from having worked in the mines right after coming from Lithuania in 1906 & 1908. They settled in Wilkes-Barre PA, one on Joseph Lane while the other lived exactly around the block on Empire St. My uncle was a breaker boy. They didn't think their lives were particularly hard, they just needed a job, weren't afraid of hard work and went to the mines every day so they could feed their families. One died of throat cancer and the other pneumonia. They were both alcoholics. Never met either... they died before I was born in the 50's. My mother left as a child of 2 years but my father came to Detroit as a young adult.
My Great grandfather was a coal miner in McAdoo Pa. he died of black lung when I was around 7. My Aunt lives in his house to this day.
We were farmers. Not really much of a community. So it was interesting to hear how she grew up. I am looking forward to Lithuanian days 2023. I can actually find people to speak my garbage lithuanian with 😂😊
My Grammy came from Lithuanian by herself when she was 14 years old. I still have her steamer trunk. My grandpa worked in the coal mines in Mt. Carmel. He lost his eye in a minning accident but kept working. Finally he died at age 42. My dad made boylo the Lithuania Xmas drink. In frackville where I lived we kids were taught Lithuanian in grade school. Both my parents were members of the lits club in Shenandoah. This is giving me tears in my eyes. Best wishes from California.
What Lits Club in Shenandoah do you mean? Did it have its own building, when did it close down?
It was on the right side of the main street going towards Shenandoah heights. By the park with a diner. My mom who lived in frackville was very active in the Lithuanian museum. I have much of her Lithuanian books, amber as she has many relatives still in the "old country" she sang in the frackville mall in costumes on Lithuanian day. Remember going to Lakewood for august 15th?
@@path1391 For the last few years, the Lithuanian days have been relocated back to the Lakewood Park, a part of which has been restored as a rental cabins ground (Catalpa Grove). We were there and filmed in 2022 and 2023.
My family came to that area before moving into Philadelphia.
My Great Grandparents came on a boat my great pap died in the mines my Great gram was 96 and well my last name is a gville name. She spoke Lil English but what she said in English I will not forget. Thanks to FB I have found out I still have family in Lithuania 😉 well there buried up in the Heights and Boilo is the champagne of the Coal region. Well ty for this and I can show my family in Lithuania what it was like for us . and being 3 generations my Great gram always spoke lithy . I always had to ask what she said lol .we only taught English in school am a proud American lithy and well my Screen name is knowen around the world.
My grandfather got yanked out of school at 10 years old by the coal police cause my great grand father was getting sick from being a coal miner most likely black lung . he became a breaker boy in 1915 and later became a miner and owned his own mine and died in 1968 from black lung . he lost his tip of index finger in coal mine which kept him from ww2 .