Imre Zsebe was born in Austria-Hungary in 1899. He was the child of Sandor & Susie Zsebe. Sandor immigrated in 1903 to Sidney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Imre and Susie followed in 1905. Leaving Hungary must have been very painful for Sandor & Suzie as they left the graves of at least 4 children in the old country. Eventually the family moved on to the United States, settling in Canton, Stark County, Ohio.
When World War I began Austria-Hungary was the enemy and it became difficult for Hungarian immigrants to find work. Imre changed his name to "James Albert Grayson." He worked as a steel mill crane operator in both Canada and The USA.
Bert was among those who suffered from the Influenza pandemic in 1918. He met Agnes Clements while she worked as a volunteer nurse at the hospital in which he was a patient. They were married in 1922.
Bert found a better job at Great Lakes Steel in Ecorse, Michigan so they moved from Canton to the Detroit area, where he lived and worked until his death in 1940. A family member has claimed that Bert Grayson was involved in the struggle to unionize his workplace and suffered fatal consequences. There is no documentary proof of this claim but it is to that struggle and courage which his grave marker refers.
Bert died at work one night, falling from the high booth from where he operated the crane. When she was told of his death, Agnes went into their bedroom, closed the door and cried for three days. When she came out, she never cried again. She lived for another 44 years after Bert died. She never remarried. Her ashes are buried in his grave at Michigan Memorial Cemetery.
When World War I began Austria-Hungary was the enemy and it became difficult for Hungarian immigrants to find work. Imre changed his name to "James Albert Grayson." He worked as a steel mill crane operator in both Canada and The USA.
Bert was among those who suffered from the Influenza pandemic in 1918. He met Agnes Clements while she worked as a volunteer nurse at the hospital in which he was a patient. They were married in 1922.
Bert found a better job at Great Lakes Steel in Ecorse, Michigan so they moved from Canton to the Detroit area, where he lived and worked until his death in 1940. A family member has claimed that Bert Grayson was involved in the struggle to unionize his workplace and suffered fatal consequences. There is no documentary proof of this claim but it is to that struggle and courage which his grave marker refers.
Bert died at work one night, falling from the high booth from where he operated the crane. When she was told of his death, Agnes went into their bedroom, closed the door and cried for three days. When she came out, she never cried again. She lived for another 44 years after Bert died. She never remarried. Her ashes are buried in his grave at Michigan Memorial Cemetery.
Imre Zsebe was born in Austria-Hungary in 1899. He was the child of Sandor & Susie Zsebe. Sandor immigrated in 1903 to Sidney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Imre and Susie followed in 1905. Leaving Hungary must have been very painful for Sandor & Suzie as they left the graves of at least 4 children in the old country. Eventually the family moved on to the United States, settling in Canton, Stark County, Ohio.
When World War I began Austria-Hungary was the enemy and it became difficult for Hungarian immigrants to find work. Imre changed his name to "James Albert Grayson." He worked as a steel mill crane operator in both Canada and The USA.
Bert was among those who suffered from the Influenza pandemic in 1918. He met Agnes Clements while she worked as a volunteer nurse at the hospital in which he was a patient. They were married in 1922.
Bert found a better job at Great Lakes Steel in Ecorse, Michigan so they moved from Canton to the Detroit area, where he lived and worked until his death in 1940. A family member has claimed that Bert Grayson was involved in the struggle to unionize his workplace and suffered fatal consequences. There is no documentary proof of this claim but it is to that struggle and courage which his grave marker refers.
Bert died at work one night, falling from the high booth from where he operated the crane. When she was told of his death, Agnes went into their bedroom, closed the door and cried for three days. When she came out, she never cried again. She lived for another 44 years after Bert died. She never remarried. Her ashes are buried in his grave at Michigan Memorial Cemetery.
When World War I began Austria-Hungary was the enemy and it became difficult for Hungarian immigrants to find work. Imre changed his name to "James Albert Grayson." He worked as a steel mill crane operator in both Canada and The USA.
Bert was among those who suffered from the Influenza pandemic in 1918. He met Agnes Clements while she worked as a volunteer nurse at the hospital in which he was a patient. They were married in 1922.
Bert found a better job at Great Lakes Steel in Ecorse, Michigan so they moved from Canton to the Detroit area, where he lived and worked until his death in 1940. A family member has claimed that Bert Grayson was involved in the struggle to unionize his workplace and suffered fatal consequences. There is no documentary proof of this claim but it is to that struggle and courage which his grave marker refers.
Bert died at work one night, falling from the high booth from where he operated the crane. When she was told of his death, Agnes went into their bedroom, closed the door and cried for three days. When she came out, she never cried again. She lived for another 44 years after Bert died. She never remarried. Her ashes are buried in his grave at Michigan Memorial Cemetery.
Inscription
Husband and Father
James Albert Grayson
Dec. 18, 1899-July 31, 1940
Such courage shall not go unrewarded.
