The Kolackov Project

CHARTER MEMBERS

Kathy & Brendan Carney Greater NYC area	KONEVAL, SZENTIVANYI: Born in Cleveland where EVERYONE in the neighborhood was Slovak or Hungarian. Both my grandfathers were coal miners in Uniontown area. I could understand Slovak pretty well as a kid but couldn't speak it. My parents thought a good American should speak English. I didn't know until I went to Slovakia that on both sides of my family (but not the Koneval side) they were Greek Catholic. I've been to Slovakia 7 times, 4 of those times to Kolac'kov, and have kept up a relationship with relatives in Bardejov and Kosice. The Slovaks are wonderful people.
Andrea Grand Great Lakes area	KONEVAL, SZENTIVANYI: : Andrea's great-grandparents were Andreas Konevall and Cecilia Szentivanyi. Andrea has been researching her ancestry for several years. She has uncovered some interesting information regarding the Szentivanyi side of the Konevall family tree, specifically as it relates to the Nedec nobility of Poland. She has also been trying to learn more about her "Swalla" ancestry.
F. William Lucak Ohio	KOPCAK: My gg-grandfather was John Kopcak [1864-1933] who immigrated to Cleveland, Ohio around 1889/90 and married Katherine Zembik [1870-1915] from Jakubany in 1890. John's grandfather, Elias Kopc'ak, came to Kolac'kov from S'ambron around 1822 and married Maria Jozefik.
Tom Piatak Ohio	PIATAK, ZOLDAK: My great-grandfather was Joseph Piatak, who married Mary Zoldak in Kolackov and had a son, John, there. In 1899, Joseph immigrated to Cleveland and Mary and John joined him there the following year. Four of Joseph's brothers, George, John, Michael, and Jacob, also emigrated from Kolackov to Cleveland.
Mark Sabol Virginia	MALIN'AK, DURAC'INSKY, REL'OVSKY: My grandfather, Stefan Malin'ak, was born in Kolac'kov in 1888. His father, Izidor, had died of tuberculosis two months earlier, and his mother, Anna, died of typhoid fever five years later. When he was 11, Stefan joined his brothers and sister in America. Five years later, as a steel-worker in Ohio, he married Maria Durac'insky, a native Clevelander whose parents, Thomas and Theresa (nee Rel'ovska), had left Kolac'kov as newly-weds a generation earlier. Stefan and Maria had 11 children, including my mother, Therese. I have been to Kolac'kov twice, once with my mother in 1996 and again by myself this September (2001). I can read Slovak well and speak it poorly.
Lynn Summers California	KOLLAR, KONEVAL: My grandfather, Andrew Adam Kollar [1887-1959], was one of 13 known children born in Kolackov to Johannes Kollar and Suzanna Skovran. In 1903, aged 16, he came to Uniontown, PA and worked the coal mines, although he was a also a master carpenter. My grandmother was Anna Agnes Koneval [1892-1960], born in PA; most of her siblings were born in Kolackov. Her parents were Pal Koneval, son of Andreas Konevall and Suzanna Chlebak. My grandmother returned to Slovakia at age 2. In 1907 at age 15, she rejoined her family in the US, traveling by herself. Within the year she married my grandfather and they had 13 children. My grandfather made the best wooden patio chairs and had a phenomenal gift of gab. My grandmother made the most beautiful quilts and needleworks and the world's greatest pastries. I have nothing but beautiful memories of them. *Pal Koneval's parents were Andreas Koneval and Suzanna Chlebak.
Keith Wilson Connecticut	DZIAK, RELOVSKY: My grandmother made sure we knew we were Slovak. My great grandfather Jozef "Joseph" Dziak immigrated in 1895 to Collinsville, Connecticut and worked as an axe grinder. He was educated, spoke several languages and was said to have been a language teacher in Slovakia. His wife, Maria "Mary" (Relovsky) Dziak immigrated in 1899 with their 4 year old daughter Gizela "Grace". They had 5 daughters and 1 son that survived to be adults; most lived into their 80's or 90's.