BIG JOE MORANIEC
Dunkirk NY
JOSEPH MORANIEC aka “BIG JOE”
Jozef was born 20 Nov 1868 to Matheus (Max) Moraniec and Katarzyna Lipa in House#15, in the village of Bobrowa, Galicia, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the eldest of the couples’ four children and the only one to survive into adulthood. Sister Barbara was born the next year and only survived one year. Brother Adam was born in 1871 and lived for three years. and Sister Maria was born in 1872 and died in 1874.
Transcription of FamilyHistory microfilm by Jasia from CREATIVE GENE:
Record #41: Birth date, Nov. 20; Baptismal date, Nov. 20; Residing in house #15; Child’s name, Jozef; Male child, Catholic, legitimate birth, attending midwife, Katarzyna Mazur; Father is Mateusz Moraniec, son of Adalbertus Moraniec who is a farmer and Malgosia Wojtowicz. Mother is Katarzyna daughter of Martin Lipa and Barbara Janora. Godparents are Jozef Moraniec and Marianna wife of Jan Lipa, both are farmers.
Parents:
Big Joe’s mother Katarzyna (born about 1846 House #42), died of childbirth fever after giving birth to Joe’s sister, (Maria,who lived only two years) on 16 Feb 1872 in House #39 Bobrowa. His father Max was a peasant farmer as was Joe’s grandfather Adelbert and his great-grandfather Pawel, all of whom lived in House #15.
Matheus Moraniec remarried 10 Feb 1873 in Bobrowa. The new wife was Antonina Dziedzick. Joe would be about 5 years old. Max died of asthma in Bobrowa in 1904. Joe was 36 and prospering in the new country by then. Dad would have been proud!
School: Education was compulsory in nineteenth century Galicia. Joe would have attended the parish school in Nagoszyn from 6-12 years old.
Immigration:Though we haven’t found the records yet, all of the census records list 1888-90 as the time of immigration. Joe would be about 20 years old.
According to family lore, Joe’s parents both died when a tractor they were on flipped over in a ditch on top of them. Joe was adopted by his godparents in the US who kept his name out of deference for his parents. Now we know that the part about the death is untrue, and his godfather was Joe Moraniec, prolly his uncle, Max’s bro. who already carried the Moraniec name.
Marriage and early businesses:
Joe married Jozefy Garbaczyk (Garbacz on the wedding record) 24 Jan 1892. The priest was Rev. Romuald Byzewski, pastor of St Francis d’Assisi parish on 4500 Wesson Street on Detroit’s west side. The witnesses were : Florian Wozny and Valenty Dziedzick (possible relation to his step-mother Antonina?)
Hank Klauke states: Joseph was quite an entrepreneur. He owned a tavern and added a wedding hall to the building and rented it out. He sold the tavern and went into the grocery and creamery business. He was very successful and became a pillar of the community. Everyone respected “Big Joe” Moraniec. He helped many new immigrants and those in financial straits by extending credit. He was a very patriotic person and insisted that people who came to him for help become citizens. Sometime around the turn of the century he was approached by Henry Ford and asked to invest in his new automobile company. Unfortunately, he had just lost some money on an investment and turned Henry down.
By June 1900 Joe was a naturalized citizen. He owned a home with a mortgage at 17 Otis Street in the 16th Ward of Detroit and was employed as a Day Laborer. The 1900 Detroit Directory lists Joe as a molder. Jozefa does not speak English. Their children at this time: Mary (7), John (5), Helen (2), and Lucy (1).Later they had Sofia, Alexander, and Hedwicks (Hedy). At one time Jack was one of the drivers delivering milk for his father’s creamery.
NOTE: from the HISTORY OF DETROIT: in 1900 sold his interests in the Detroit Creamery Co., the largest creamery west of NewYork, the virtual successor of the Detroit Milk House, located on the foot of Second Street. Was this Joe’s Creamery? John Biedron (brother of Teresa, Joe’s second wife) is listed on his WW1 Draft registration as working for them.
Note from Gladys Klauke: Grampa owned a creamery. Mom (Helen) and Aunt Sophie used to ride on the carts and deliver milk to the nuns. When she was single, Helen also worked at rolling cigars in a cigar factory.
Jozefy died at 31 years of age on 2 April 1907 from pneumonia. She was buried April 5 in Grave 65, Lot 209, Section G of Holy Cross. There is no marker.
2nd Marriage: On the 4th of June 1907 Joe married Teresa Biedron, who we now know may have been (according to Michael) Jozefa’s step-sister, Teresa Biedron. According to immigration and other records, Teresa was at least a second cousin to Jozefa. The witnesses were Jan Wisnieski and Francis Nowak. They had 5 children: Josephine, Michael, Stanley, Joseph, and Adeline. There is also Mary from Teresa’s first marriage who came over from Poland shortly after the marriage.
In the 1908 Detroit City Directory, a Josephine Garbaczyk is listed as a stripper, boarding at 17 Otis Street! This is the other Josephine Garbaczyk, who emigrated alone in 1910. She was daughter of Anthony Garbacik and Maria Krzysik. Granddaughter of Theresa Grochowska (later Theresa Biedron –she married Bart Biedron) and Marcin Garbacik. Something is not right here…..I think this is the
In 1909 Joe has a dairy at 1118 Junction. He’s a milkman!
In May 1910 The growing family lived at 17 Otis Street, Detroit’s 16th Ward. Joseph (40) was a molder in the Foundry. This is the profession that is listed on his death cert., interestingly enough, considering all of his other jobs and adventures over the years.
Teresa (28, immigrated from Glinik in 1906) spoke Polish, unlike the rest of the family. The children living with them at the time were: Mary (16, a framer in a picture factory), John (14, a laborer in the Stove Works) Helen (13) Lucy (11) Sophie (9) Alexander (7) Hedwig ( 4) Josephine ( 2) and Michael was a baby.
They had three boarders, the first John Moraniec (18) who immigrated in 1910 (listed as Joe’s brother, though we know it is his cousin through his Uncle Jacob Moraniec). He was a laborer at odd jobs. Anna Garbarek (18 — prolly Josephine’s niece her sis Antonina’s illegitimate daughter) immigrated in 1906, she was a stripper in a tobacco factory. A Russian boarder, Rosedoy Dannin (19) immigrated in 1910; he was a street laborer. Frank Garbaczyk (Josephine’s bro.) is listed in the 1910 Detroit Directory as boarding at 17 Otis St.
By 1912, Joe is listed in the Detroit Directory as a saloon keeper at 914 Junction Ave. and by 1913 he’s also listed as a grocer (dairyman and milk dealer) with Simon Fundokowski at 1118 Junction Ave. Jacob and other Guziks as well as John Biedron (Teresa’s brother) live at 16 Otis St. In 1915, Joe is listed in the Directory as one of the many grocers in the city. The address given for the grocery store was 1118 Junction Ave.
In 1917, Joseph sold the grocery and creamery and bought a 187 acre dairy farm. It was located on Huron River Drive east of New Boston, Michigan. Most of the farm is now owned by the Huron Metropark System of Michigan. The property is now worth many fortunes.
In 1920 Joseph sold the farm at a loss and bought a butcher shop in Detroit’s 18th Ward on the West Side. He owned his own home, without a mortgage at 125 Martin Street. Wife Teresa, Alexander (17, worked as a laborer in a factory, possibly a gun factory), Hedwig (14), Mary (17) Josephine (11) Michael (10) Stanley (7) and Joseph (6).
The Detroit City Directory lists Joe as running a restaurant at 4808 Cabot during 1921-25. Alex is a clerk at 4810 Cabot Ave. However 1920-21 also lists Joe as having a grocery at 153 Martin Ave. He lost his business due to too much credit and bad economic conditions. He later was in the candy and restaurant business as well as making illegal whisky (moonshine). In the 1928-29 Directory, Teresa is running the restaurant at 48 10 Cabot and Joe is a clerk.
According to the 1930 US census, the family now lived in the 20th Ward, 18th Precinct at 4808 Cabot Avenue (next door to the restaurant). Still at home were: Joseph (61) Teresa (48, note she now speaks English), Josephine (22, a packer in wholesale drug manufacture), Mike (21, a painter for an automobile manufacturing firm) , Stanley (19, a laborer in auto manufacture), Joseph (15) Chester (10), and Adaline (7). The City Directory for the same year lists Joseph Moraniec (Theresa) a laborer for the Harry J Johnson Co. His home was listed as 4810 Cabot Ave.
Theresa died on March 10, 1940.
Death and burial: On 6 Feb.1944 at 75 years of age, Big Joe died of chronic myocarditis that he’d had for about one year. from Ann Kuzdale: my Mom remembered that from the letter one of Mary’s sisters sent to her about Joe’s death in 1944, he was described as having fallen asleep in his chair in the evening and passed away quietly.
His last address was 5316 Wesson Street, Detroit Michigan. Teresa and Joe belonged to ST. Lawrence Parish and paid $50.00 for their burial. He was laid to rest on Feb 9th at Holy Cross Cemetery in Detroit beside Theresa in Grave 880, Lot 200, Section H.
Joseph Moraniec’s businesses: 1118 Junction Ave ~ the dairy
~914 Junction ~ saloon ~3855(153) Martin ~ grocery (butcher shop?)
~4810 Cabot ~ restaurant
16 responses to “Big Joe Moraniec”
My oldest sister Christine has a beautiful wedding picture (quite large and clear) of Joe and Theresa in a beautiful antique oval frame. This picture belonged to my mother Adeline Moraniec-Lukasiak.
Hi Brian, Geesh, I can’t believe you found the site already….your email sent me scurrying to check on it and I realized how much we have learned in the 2 years since I’d written about Joe online. Let me say how touched I was that you were interested and it was that interest that spurred me to totally re-vamp the site (hope you like the new look!) and publicly post some of the pages I have been compiling.
It’s been a ton of work, but so much fun too. Be sure to check out some of the links especially regarding the history of area of Galicia where they came from. I have lots more to post…and will do so as I can. I’m realizing that the site is a good way to share with folks.
I would LOVELOVELOVE a copy of the photo if Christine can either scan it into a computer OR take a digital photo. The photo method works, but is a bit trickier to do well without glare. If she doesn’t mind, I’d be happy to post the photo. I’m still hoping more documents turn up as cousins go through closets etc.
In the meanwhile. I’d love to hear how you found the site. My gmail address is fine. (I hadn’t responded to you yet because I was hoping to get more stuff posted before announcing the address….it’s OK though I am thrilled that you did find it and left a comment to boot). Also wondering if you mind if I create a post of your last comment about Josie and Adeline.
And any info on Teresa…documents, photos etc would be greatly appreciated. Again, copies, especially digital copies are fine. Has anyone been DNA tested? I have had my mtDNA …..which goes up the Garbaczyk maternal line. Will create a later post about that.
Now that it’s out, please help spread the word to any and all cousins to come check out OUR POLISH ANCESTRY & HERITAGE. 🙂
My Great-Great-Grandpa! Loved this post. Big Joe!
I sure do miss my Gramma Josie. She’d love this post, and thank you for the good work behind it.
I passed the link on to my mom and dad, Jim & Lauren Draplin.
Thank you, Carolyn!
Big Jim Draplin would like to thank the cousins for all this great information……if Jim has anything further to add, I’ll send an email. We just found out Teresa, his maternal grandmother, may have had diabetes (per Chris Kravez, Brian’s sister)…..which might explain why he has it!!
Hey Lauren, Thanks for the info. Every piece adds to the puzzle….and we are grateful for the addition. PS Glad to “meet” you , cuz!”
Loved hearing form you Big Jim. Appreciate the appreciation…tee hee. It is hard work and I haven’t been doing much lately, but re-reading these comments re-inspires me to get back to it! Thanks.
Hi Carolyn,
Back to Michigan at the end of March after our snowbird winter and I have been reading and printing your information to help me fill in the details in my family tree.
I did do the DNA testing through ancestry.com and, not surprisingly, I am 96% Eastern European.
I have not been able to find your family tree on ancestry.com through the link that you emailed me.
I’m trying to figure out which Moraniec that my Dad spoke of.
I appreciate all your research and hard work you have done!!
Hi Linda, Thanks again for your kind words.
Just wanted to remind you to please, upload your results to gedmatch.com, so we can find more Lipa cousins.
Linda, We are 3rd cousins once removed. 🙂
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you so much for all your work in filling in so much information that we did’nt have and correcting data in our family history that we did have. You are simply amazing and are to be applauded! Kudos to you!
My husband was Stanley Gerald Moraniec, the oldest son of Stanley Stephen Moraniec. My Stan’s dad was in Big Joe’s second family, the one with Teresa as the mother. That would make Big Joe his Grandfather, just as Big Joe is your Grandfather. My husband did not have any of the information (specifics) that you have provided. We had vague info regarding Joe’s business ventures, but no names or addresses. We were told he was buried at St. Hedwig Cemetery, but that was an error, as he was laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery. My daughter Meghan and I plan to visit his grave and bring some flowers.
Meg is the one who told me about your web site and and I in turn have passed the info to Elaine Moraniec Dodt, Stan’s sister, who lives here in Dearborn, MI.
I’m also trying to reach Justine Moraniec Peters, Stan’s other younger sister who lives in Lansing, MI. Elaine was blown away when she found out for the FIRST time that Grandpa Joe’s dad was named Matthew. Elaine had seven children, and she named her second child Matthew, never knowing that was the name of her great-grandfather.
A little about my husband Stan: we were married for 40 years / had 5 children, and now 7 grandchildren. He was a naval officer, after graduating from Cornell University in New York. His life’s work was in sales/marketing. He had incredible people skills and could sell ice to the Eskimos and matches to the devil. He supplied the auto industry in Detroit with computer systems for various applications, like time and attendance. The expertise of Silicon Valley in CA was brought to MI by Stan. He had a lot of the entrepreneurial spirit of his Grandpa Joe, always hustling something – including me. LOL
He died 11 years ago of a brain tumor, and I miss him everyday.
We also are passing on your website to Jeffry Dodt, Elaine’s oldest child. He lives in Atlanta, GA and has been working in ancestry, trying to piece together our heritage. Your data will be so helpful to him. Hopefully, he will connect with you.
Again Carolyn, thank you so much for all your efforts. You have made many relatives that you’ve never met – very happy. Sincerely, Rita Moraniec
Hello to all…my name is Christine Lukasiak Kravez. I am the eldest of Walter Lukasiak and Adeline aka Del Moraniec/Lukasiak. What a wonderful account of my maternal heritage. Thanks to all who did the extensive research on our background. I wish I had asked more questions of my mom about her parents…just remember tidbits of grandma and grandpa Moraniec as they had died before my folks were married. THey were good people for sure as mom (Adeline) always had tears of joy when talking about them. I remember mom telling me she walked lunch to grandpa at Kelsey Hayes and how she missed her mom Teresa, a gentle soul like mom, who died before mom graduated from high school. I remember a coupe of rare visits with uncles Mike, Stanley and Chester but have the fondest memories of Aunt Josie, moms sister, who we saw on a regular basis. AUnt Josine was 16 years older than mom and more like a grandma to my siblings and I. I’m so proud of my Polish heritage and to be blessed with such endearing parents. Thanks so much for the informative background info on our Moraniec family. Sincerely, Chris Lukasiak Kravez.
Rita, I am terribly sorry for not responding sooner… Your comment was pure delight. These comments are what keep me plugging away at the research and the writing.So glad you found us!!! I am going to send you a personal email, but wanted you to know publicly how much I appreciated hearing from you here.
Most sincerely, carolyn
Chris,
WOW!! Thanks for your comment and kind words. It’s always great to meet a new cousin. The stories of the older generation are particularly appreciated. I sure know what you mean about wishing I had asked more questions when they were alive!
Do you know anything at all about Teresa’s relationship to Josephine Garbaczyk?
We are still trying to tie together several family strands via dna….Has anyone on your side been tested? (Makes a great Christmas gift!).
I will send you an email so you can write to me privately.
Again, really appreciate hearing from you.
Sincerely,
cousin carolyn
PS almost forgot to ask if you ever came to Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, NY for Moraniec reunions? Do you remember any stories about them, or have photos?
Since I live nearby, I am friends with the Kuzdale family cousins who live there and have seen a couple of their photos.
Hello
My brother found your page while trying research our family. The neighborhood in Detroit you mention is where our great grandfather’s(John Moraniec) home was on Trenton st. I will need to find notes I have but we are trying to see if he is the same as you have mentioned above. He had one son and one daughter. Any thoughts?
Brian, Thanks for asking! We have 3 John Moraniecs in our tree….all born about the same time 1890. Our John aka Jack Moraniec who married Regina Bezesky did not have any children that we know of. If you have been dna tested , please let me know privately…carolyngrady at gmail dot com. Another Joannnes Moraniec was born in house 15 in Bobrowa on July 21 1886. Don’t know anything more about him. Another John Moraniec b. 1891 in ‘Wola Bobrowska married Caroline Kamon. They had Chester and Genevieve. I think this is Your John. His parents were Jacob Moraniec and Catharina Wocjik. Jakob was brother to my 2nd great grandfather, Mateusz Moraniec, sons of Adelbert Moraniec and Margarethe Wojtovicz.
Does any of this match what you know of your ancestors?
Hello Carolyn, Interesting page with lots of Moraniec information. My d-i-l’s mother was a Moraniec in Connecticut born in 1946. So far I know her parents were Louis Roman (born 1922 in Derby, Fairfield, Connecticut and Anna E. Hayduk Moraniec; his father was Stanley (Stanislaus) Moraniec born 1891 in Bobrowa, Poland, died 1970 in Derby, Connecticut. He married Rosalia M. Osak also born in Poland and died in Connecticut. From there I think his father was Johannes Moraniec, born 1863 in Bobrowa; his father was Josephus Moraniec, born 1833 in Bobrowa, and his father was Johannes Moraniec, born 1813 in Bobrowa. A lot of each generation’s children have identical names to Albertus Moraniec and his offspring.
Looking at the years each was born, I’m guessing that Adelburtus “might” have been the younger brother of Josephus and both were the sons of Jonahannes??? (Note question marks.) Can you place my d-i-l’s relatives as relatives of your Moraniec’s? I’d appreciate any help you might have. This has been a challenge for me since my relatives all came from Sweden!! But I’m learning!