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Documenting my ancestors and helping others with their research.
The Gombash-Grządziel Family
Alex Gombash
b. 7 Nov 1896, Büdszentmihály, Hungary
d. 4 Jan 1968, Wheaton, DuPage Co, IL
Father: Sándor Gombás (Alex Gombash)
Mother: Eszter Tóth
1st wife: Emma Hido
m. 6 Sep 1922,
Joliet, Will Co, IL
Catherine Anna Grządziel
b. 5 Nov 1906, Barycz, Brzozów County, Poland
d. 26 Aug 1970, Hickory Hill, Cook Co, IL
Father: Franciszek Grządziel
Mother: Amelia Stec
Children:
Rose Anna Gombash (m1. Leo Joseph Kamarauskas)
b. 27 Jul 1923, Joliet, Will Co, IL (m2. Joseph Henry Heinrich)
d. 29 Mar 2015
bu. 2 Apr 2015, Irving Park Cemetery,
Chicago, Cook Co, ILAlex Gombash
b. 21 Feb 1925, Filbert, McDowell Co, WV
d. 30 Dec 1946, McDowell Co, VA
bu. 4 Jan 1947, Iaeger Memorial Cemetery,
Roderfield, McDowell Co, WVJoseph Gombash (m. Evelyn O'Dare Anderson)
b. 21 Mar 1927, Bartley, McDowell Co, WV
m. 2 Jul 1949, Caretta, McDowell Co, WV
d. 27 Mar 2023
bu. 31 Mar 2023, Resurrection Cemetery,
Justice, Cook Co, ILFred Gombash
b. 18 Apr 1929, Caretta, McDowell Co, WV
d. abt 1931, Caretta, McDowell Co, WVJames Andrew Gombash (m1. June E. Malone)
b. 31 Jul 1931, Caretta, McDowell Co, WV (m2. Rosalie B. Matis)
d. 10 Jul 2017
bu. 14 Jul 2017, Resurrection Cemetery,
Justice, Cook Co, ILFrank Noel Gombash (m1. Collete J. Krumbein)
b. 21 Jun 1933, Caretta, McDowell Co, WV (m2. Diane K. Whetzal)
d. 2 May 2022, Morris, Grundy Co, ILJohn Edward Gombash (m. Mary Lou Adas)
b. 2 Oct 1935, Caretta, McDowell Co, WV
d. 2 Jun 2005, Joliet, Will Co, IL
bu. 6 Jun 2005, Abraham Lincoln
National Cemetery, Elwood, Will Co, ILRobert Paul Gombash (m. Shelby Jean Canoy)
Charles Edward Gombash (m. Shirley Ann Sanders)
b. 2 Jan 1942, Welch, McDowell Co, WV
m. 6 Jul 1961, Southern Baptist Church,
Tazewell, Tazewell Co, VA
d. 11 Jul 2019Leo Thomas Gombash (m. Vickie Lou Hylton)
Biography:
Many family stories detail how Alex was a train hopper and the testimony provided by Emma corroborates that this is most likely how Alex ended up traveling from the Butler County, PA area to Joliet, IL. Alex had no family in Joliet, the Chicagoland area or in Illinois at all.
In April 2002, I was able to locate Alex Gombash’s youngest sister, Julia Gombash Dotson in Tucson, AZ, and she sent me three letters about our family. The genealogical information she provided mirrored that of what both the Dudash and Gombash cousins also knew. However, she provided some details about Alex that I feel need mentioning. This excerpt is from her third and final letter, dated 6 Aug 2002:
“Your great, great, great, grandfather Alex my brother left home when he was 12 to see the world. First time I saw him when I was married. He sent Rosie & Frankie to the wedding. My brother Casey & my husband & I took them home to W.Va. Thats the first time & last I saw him didn’t even come to our mother’s funeral. So you are all like stranger’s and I’d rather quit corresponding. I’m an old woman so I don’t have much to write about. I have arthritis in my hand so it’s hard to write. I’m very sorry.”
For much of Alex’s life and on official records, he would claim he was born in Deegan, PA. I suspect this was to evade the naturalization process and he simply chose to remain an alien his entire life.
Chronological Timeline:
Alex Gombash applied for a marriage license on 6 Sep 1922 in Joliet, IL and he was married on the same day to Catherine “Grzondzil,” by the probate judge of Will County, IL. This was exactly three weeks before Emma Gombash had filed for divorce from Alex Gombash on 27 Sep 1922 in the Court of Common Pleas in Indiana County, PA, which wasn’t finalized until 28 Mar 1923. The application for the marriage license states Alex Gombash was 25 years old, a resident of 831 Columbia St., Joliet, IL and intended on residing in Morgantown, WV. It further states Catherine was 18 years old on her last birthday of 5 Nov 1921 and residing at 1703 Collins St., Joliet, IL.
The application asks whether they were both single and unmarried — they stated yes, which we know is false and that Alex wasn’t divorced from Emma. It further asks whether they had been divorced in the last two years — they stated no. We also know that Catherine was born 5 Nov 1906 in Poland, which would have made her 15 at the time of their marriage.. not 18.
The 1930 federal census has Alex Gombash enumerated on 16 Apr 1930 on State Highway 66 of unincorporated Caretta in Big Creek Magistral District of McDowell County, West Virginia. His household consisted of the following:
Gombash Alex Head Rent $1200 M W 33 Married at 26 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Coal loader- Coal mine
Anna Wife W F 24 Married at 17 Illinois Illinois Illinois
Rosa Daughter W F 7 Single Illinois Pennsylvania Illinois
Alex Jr Son W M 5 Single Illinois Pennsylvania Illinois
Joseph Son W M 3 2/12 Single Illinois Pennsylvania Illinois
Fred Son W M 11/12 Single Illinois Pennsylvania Illinois
SOURCE: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R8K-9FZD
On 16 Nov 1937 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph of Bluefield, WV published an article about Alex & Catherine Gombash's son Andy:
"Andy Gombash, seven-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Gombash of Caretta, lost the sight of his right eye when a dynamite cap, on which he was pounding with a hammer Sunday afternoon, exploded and three fragments into his face. The child's mother rushed him to Stevens Clinic, where it was found that the eye had been badly mangled that it had to be removed. Most of the fragments hit the child's face, and severe powder burns were also inflicted. The lad found the dynamite cap near his home, it was said."
The 1940 federal census has Alex Gombash enumerated on 17 Apr 1940 in the Big Creek District of McDowell County, West Virginia. His household consisted of the following:
Gombash Alex Head M W 43 Married Pennsylvania Miner-Coal mine
Grangel Wife F W 34 Married Illinois
Rose Daughter F W 16 Single Illinois
Alex Jr. Son M W 15 Single West Virginia
Joe Son M W 13 Single West Virginia
Andrew Son M W 8 Single West Virginia
Frank Son M W 7 Single West Virginia
John Son M W 4 Single West Virginia
Robert Son M W 9/12 Single West Virginia
NOTE: They appear to have attempted Catherine's maiden name [Grządziel], rather than her first name.
SOURCE: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9M1-B9BQ
The 1950 federal census has Alex Gombash enumerated on 6 Apr 1950 on "Shaft Hollow Road past 2nd Hill Road N." in Caretta, McDowell County, West Virginia. His household consisted of the following:
Gombash Alex Head W M 53 Married Pennsylvania Coal Loader-Coal Mine
Catherine Anna Wife W F 44 Married Illinois
Andy Son W M 18 Single West Virginia
Frank Son W M 17 Single West Virginia
Johnny Son W M 14 Single West Virginia
Robert Paul Son W M 12 Single West Virginia
Charles Son W M 8 Single West Virginia
Leo Son W M 5 Single West Virginia
SOURCE: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-9QHW-T9Z1-M
Alex Gombash died on 4 Jan 1968 while residing at his daughter Rose’s home at 219 S. Erie St., in Wheaton, DuPage County, IL. His death certificate states he was a coal miner normally residing at Route #2 Box 208 in Rock, Mercer County, WV. It further states he was born on 7 Nov 1896 in Pennsylvania and was married to Catherine Grzondziel. His cause of death was listed as chronic myocarditis and he was buried on 8 Jan 1968 in Wheaton Cemetery, Wheaton, IL.
An obituary for Alex Gombash was published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph of Bluefield, WV on 10 Jan 1968:
"ALEX GOMBASH
Delayed word has reached the Bluefield area of the Jan. 4 death of Alex Gombash, a former resident of Rock, while he was visiting his children in Chicago, Ill. He was a native of Hungary and moved to Rock from Caretta 19 years ago. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Alex Gombash, and the following children: Mrs. Rose Komarouskas and Joe, Bobby, Mickey, John, Charles and Andy Gombash of Chicago and Leo Gombash of Wheaton, Ill. Funeral services and burial were conducted in Chicago."
Catherine Grządziel Gombash died on 26 Aug 1970 in Hickory Hills, Cook County, IL, while living in her son Robert's home in Hickory Hills, IL.
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