MY FATHER NEVER GOT BACK TO THE OLD HOME UNTIL 1967. I BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE SAID HE CRIED AT THE SIGHT OF THE DEVASTATED PROPERTY. HIS OLDER BROTHER LIVED THERE IN A SHANTY ERECTED JUST FOR SHELTER.

I WONDER IF THE OTHERS WISHED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO ESCAPE THE WAR AS MY FATHER DID BY COMING TO THIS COUNTRY. NO DOUBT POP LOVED HIS FAMILY AND MISSED THE OLD HOME. HE LOVED HIS STEP-MOTHER AND THOUGHT HIGHLY OF HER.

MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID THAT HER FATHER-IN-LAW WAS WELL RSSPECTED. SHE HAD NEVER MET HIM BUT ANY ONE WHO KNEW THE FAMILY PRAISED MY GRANDFATHER. HE HAD TWO YOUNG NEPHEWS WHO WERE ON THE OLYMPIC SKI TEAM AND IMPRISONED
BY THE NAZIS AND MURDERED. MY DAD’s UNCLE NEVER RECOVERED PROM THIS LOSS; HE WAS THE ARTIST IN OUR FAMILY.

MY GREAT-UNCLE’S PHOTOGRAPH HUNG IN OUR DINING ROOM ALL THRU THE YEARS. MY MOTHER’S MOTHER LIKED MY FATHER. HE HAD CHARISMA BUT NEEDED A MENTOR.

List of our Property,
No 1. Big House built 1898, I was 5 year old.
No 2 Two story stone and wood built. I was 10 years old.
No 3 Barn for hays for cattle.
No 4 House for Grain and food stock
No 5 Well
No 6 Black line public road.
White road round house crushed stone anf (ramp?) leading to farm
There was pig house, chicken house, corn crib, blacksmith shop pens for sheep, several hundred plum trees, Big Cherry tree along road where I spent many hours on tree, and big Bartlett Pears tree in front of big house, all these property was fenced
My Father built these all you see on picture, he was good man he was country Gentleman; all farm help was hired people, we had
1 man servant and maid for house with my mother, Father made money whiskey and pig sale also some ships, had everything.
When I visited my birth place 1967, I cried when I see where my brother live now in shanty, all our property was burned down 1941 by order of Catholic Bishop Stepinac to destroy all Serbs
after war Tito put this Bishop in Jail for 20 years as war criminal. I will send you historical analysis where my ancestor come from 1750.