Bozitza Popovich (nee BOYA ZIVKOVICH)

Born: January 7, 1897
Birthplace: Karlovac, Bosnia, Yugoslavia
Emigrated to the US: 1911
Married Michael Popovich
Children: Dorothy, Zora, Helen, Brownie, Mel

Written By: Zora Thompson

Notes: Zora Thompson typed this original document using all capital letters. I have left all of her original formatting, spelling and organization. (Mike Brozda, 2007)

SHE WAS NAMED BOZITZA IN HONOR OF CHRISTMAS. SHE WAS BORN EARLY IN JANUARY, PROBABLY THE 7th, 1897 ON ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS. HER HOME WAS ON A VILLAGE FARM NEAR KARLOVAC, IN BOSNIA, YUGOSLAVIA. BOTH WENT TO THE CHURCH SCHOOL THRU THE SECOND GRADE.

AT LEAST SHE LEARNED THE CYRILLIC ALPHABET AND COULD WRITE A LITTLE. I HAVE SOME OF HER LETTERS. BECAUSE I DID NOT ASK HER ANY QUESTIONS, I KNOW VERY LITTLE OF HER LIFE. SHE USED TO TEND THE SHEEP AND HELP IN THE GARDEN.


MY MOTHER’S MOTHER, FATHER AND FAMILY

HER MOTHER’S MAIDEN NAME WAS MARTHA LONCHAR. HER FATHER WAS GLISHO ZIVKOVICH. SHE HAD TWO SISTERS: MILDRED AND CATHERINE, AND TWO BROTHERS: DUSHAN AND NICOLAS. BOTH OF THESE BROTHERS LEARNED THE MACHINIST TRADE SOMEWHERE, PROBABLY U.S..

GLISHO CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AND THIN SENT FOR MARTHA LEAVING THREE CHILDREN BEHIND. CATHERINE MARRIED AND MY MOTHER LIVED WITH HER AND THEY KEPT THE FARM GOING. THEY HAD AN ONION PATCH AND IT WAS SO VALUABLE TO THEM THAT THEY DECIDED TO CUT DOWN THE LITTLE PEACH TREE THAT GREW THERE. MY MOTHER LATER LAUGHED AT THE DUMB DECISION.

GLISHO WAS BORN IN 1868 AND DIED IN 1918, AND IS BURIED IN CARRICK, PA. DIED AT 50 OF LIVER FAILURE. MARTHA WAS BORN IN 1862 AND DIED IN 1944 AT AGE 82 OF COLON CANCER; BURIED ALONG SIDE OF MY MOTHER IN GRANDVIEW CEMETARY IN EAST MCKEESPORT, PA.


MY GRANDMOTHER COULD KNIT SOX AND SWEATERS VER NICELY BUT MY MOTHER LEARNED TO CROCHET FANCY EDGES AND DOILIES. INCLUDED IN MY PHOTOS IS A NEEDLEPOINT THAT SHE MADE IN 1930 AND AT THAT TIME HER EYES NEEDED GLASSES BUT DIDN’T GET FITTED FOR THEM FOR MANY YEARS. LATER IN LIFE SHE HAD SURGERY FOR A DETACHED RETINA, HERE IN CALIFORNIA

COMING TO AMERICA

MY MOTHER CAME TO THIS COUNTRY IN 1911 WHEN SHE WAS 14. SHE TOLD ME SHE CAME THRU ZAGREB UP THE RHINE VALLEY TO HAMBURG, GERMANY, WHERE SHE HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE A MUSIC BAND. IT WAS PROBABLY AN OOMPA BAND TO URGE THEM ON BAORD OF A WHITE STAR LINER HEADED FOR AMERICA. HER BROTHER NICKOLAS WAS WITH HER. SHE SAID THE PASSAGE FARE AT THE TIME WAS $25, FOR STEERAGE CLASS. I THINK SHE CAME INTO BALTIMORE AND GOT OFF THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO TRAIN IN MCKEESPORT, PA. I HAVE INCLUDED A PHOTO OF THE BALTIMORE EMIGRANT TERMINAL.