Christened "Eustachius," for which the Polish equivalent's nickname is "Stach" (Stosh), he at some point took, or was given, the name Stanley Steven, so it is unknown if the record is a mistake, or where the mix-up occurred. Stanislaus is the Latin equivalent of Stanisław, the Polish given name for which Stach is the nickname.
Stosh was the son of Wojciech "George" Adalbert Zieliński and Feodora "Feśka/Feszka" Slyvka, who later went by Kate. Stosh's godparents were Hryhorii (Harry/Hrenko Mastaler and Milanka (Czulyk, later Chulick) Zielinska. They are listed in the St. Mary's Assumption Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of St. Louis, Missouri records as Gregorius and Melania. (Stosh's parents are in fact buried in the Harry Mastaler plot.) Stosh's only sibling was Marie "Aunt Mary" Agnes (Zieliński) Sikorski.
In the 1920 Saint Louis census, the Zee family is incorrectly listed as "Zillinski"; they are living on Sidney Street, in the Kosciusko Neighborhood**, and Stosh's father George is working at a Steel Plant on an "air hammer."
Three boarders, Pete Czopic (mistakenly listed as a Zieliński on his death certificate), Pete Apeter, and John Ferjowicz, live with them.
In the 1930 Saint Louis census, the family is still incorrectly listed, but this time as "Zilnski"; they are living on Meramec Street in Dutchtown. George was running his own store in Kosciusko at the time and is listed as a butcher; so is Stosh. Aunt Mary is a hairdresser in a beauty shop.
Stosh married Ruth Margarite "Pat" Maurer, daughter of George Joseph "Grandpa" Maurer and Blanche Martha "Grandma" Shoults, in 1936 in Waterloo, Monroe Co., IL. They had a restaurant in St. Louis for about a year. They would divorce in 1943.
We're not sure how many wives Stosh actually had; nor are we sure Rubye Belle (Duffy) "Billinsky," his last wife, was literally married to him, other than through common law. Billinsky was an assumed name.
In order after Grandma, Stosh may have married a Leota May (Stemler) Raub (3 July1943), then apparently married Peggy somebody, Mrs. Travis Lee Smith (as Steve Billinsky, Jr.; 2 February 1951), and lastly (as it was told to me) showed up with Rubye. Peggy, of course, could have been a Margaret.
Rubye predeceased him (1983); then Stosh decided to move to Huntsville, Madison Co., AL not long before he himself passed away in December 1985. I recall the temps during his funeral service in STL were bone-chillingly cold.
Mary Herkin, who stood up for Stosh and Grandma at their wedding, told us after his funeral that, at one time, he had been on a Mexican chain gang. He was said to have been a gambler, as well. We'll probably never know much of the truth about him.
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**The Kosciusko Neighborhood, alas, is now largely a non-residential area and any signs of immigrant or other history that haven't been lost to time have been lost to the more direct approach of the demolition team. I've yet to see an online reference to the former ethnic enclave this neighborhood in fact was, centered seemingly on the railroad industry of the immediate area.
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OBIT
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Christened "Eustachius," for which the Polish equivalent's nickname is "Stach" (Stosh), he at some point took, or was given, the name Stanley Steven, so it is unknown if the record is a mistake, or where the mix-up occurred. Stanislaus is the Latin equivalent of Stanisław, the Polish given name for which Stach is the nickname.
Stosh was the son of Wojciech "George" Adalbert Zieliński and Feodora "Feśka/Feszka" Slyvka, who later went by Kate. Stosh's godparents were Hryhorii (Harry/Hrenko Mastaler and Milanka (Czulyk, later Chulick) Zielinska. They are listed in the St. Mary's Assumption Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church of St. Louis, Missouri records as Gregorius and Melania. (Stosh's parents are in fact buried in the Harry Mastaler plot.) Stosh's only sibling was Marie "Aunt Mary" Agnes (Zieliński) Sikorski.
In the 1920 Saint Louis census, the Zee family is incorrectly listed as "Zillinski"; they are living on Sidney Street, in the Kosciusko Neighborhood**, and Stosh's father George is working at a Steel Plant on an "air hammer."
Three boarders, Pete Czopic (mistakenly listed as a Zieliński on his death certificate), Pete Apeter, and John Ferjowicz, live with them.
In the 1930 Saint Louis census, the family is still incorrectly listed, but this time as "Zilnski"; they are living on Meramec Street in Dutchtown. George was running his own store in Kosciusko at the time and is listed as a butcher; so is Stosh. Aunt Mary is a hairdresser in a beauty shop.
Stosh married Ruth Margarite "Pat" Maurer, daughter of George Joseph "Grandpa" Maurer and Blanche Martha "Grandma" Shoults, in 1936 in Waterloo, Monroe Co., IL. They had a restaurant in St. Louis for about a year. They would divorce in 1943.
We're not sure how many wives Stosh actually had; nor are we sure Rubye Belle (Duffy) "Billinsky," his last wife, was literally married to him, other than through common law. Billinsky was an assumed name.
In order after Grandma, Stosh may have married a Leota May (Stemler) Raub (3 July1943), then apparently married Peggy somebody, Mrs. Travis Lee Smith (as Steve Billinsky, Jr.; 2 February 1951), and lastly (as it was told to me) showed up with Rubye. Peggy, of course, could have been a Margaret.
Rubye predeceased him (1983); then Stosh decided to move to Huntsville, Madison Co., AL not long before he himself passed away in December 1985. I recall the temps during his funeral service in STL were bone-chillingly cold.
Mary Herkin, who stood up for Stosh and Grandma at their wedding, told us after his funeral that, at one time, he had been on a Mexican chain gang. He was said to have been a gambler, as well. We'll probably never know much of the truth about him.
----------------
**The Kosciusko Neighborhood, alas, is now largely a non-residential area and any signs of immigrant or other history that haven't been lost to time have been lost to the more direct approach of the demolition team. I've yet to see an online reference to the former ethnic enclave this neighborhood in fact was, centered seemingly on the railroad industry of the immediate area.
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OBIT
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Family Members
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