Monday, September 21, 2020

Rose Bodo Benkovich of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Rankin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

230 Fleet Street, Rankin, Pennsylvania

     Rose Bodo, daughter of Alex Bodo and Julia Horvath, was born on February 17, 1915 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  The Bodo family lived at 230 Fleet Street, Rankin, Pennsylvania.  Rose lived here from her birth until she married.  There is a 1950's document where Rose's husband lists 230 Fleet Street as their address.  Perhaps she lived there again, for a period of time, after she married.

1930 Pennsylvania Federal Census taken on April 11, 1930

     The census enumerator missed the Bodo family at 230 Fleet Street in 1920.  This is Rose's first census report.  She, is fifteen.  The wife of her father, Barbara Bodo, is her step mother.  Her biological mother, Julia Horvath Bodo, died when Rose was two years old.  She was raised by her stepmother.  

Allegheny County PA Archives- Marriages: Marriage Index from Pittsburgh Area Newspapers

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives

 BODO, Rose                          BENKOVICH, Frank            Rankin/Rankin

 License       1935-08-01     Pittsburgh Post Gazette 

    

     The date of the marriage license was August 1, 1935

 

    Frank Benkovich's birth certificate.  Frank, the son of Matt Benkovich and Mary Lucas Benkovich, was born at 6:oo a.m. on March 30, 1908 at home, 407 East 3rd Street, Rankin, Pennsylvania.  Mary was attended by a midwife.

 
Birth of Geraldine L. Benkovich

     On December 20, 1935, Rose and Frank welcomed in their daughter, Geraldine L. Benkovich.  She was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  I believe this was Rose and Frank's only child.

1940 Pennsylvania Federal Census taken on April 12, 1940

     Frank Benkovich, age 32, born in Pennsylvania, completed one year of high school, a laborer at a steel company and renting his home at 18 Fleet Street, Rankin, Allegheny Count, Pennsylvania.

     Rose Benkovich, age 23, born in Pennsylvania, completed three years of high school, and not employed outside the home.

     Geraldine Benkovich, age 4 and born in Pennsylvania.



     Frank was employed by the Carnegie-Illinois Corporation. and worked in their Carrie Works in Rankin.
     At some point in time between 1950-1993, Rose was back living in her childhood home.  My guess is early 1950's.  Perhaps the Benkovich's moved in after the death of Rose's step mother, Barbara Bodo.

The Hungarian Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh


     Geraldine Benkovich was a student at The University of Pittsburgh and in 1956 she was a presenter when stained glass windows were installed in the Hungarian Nationality Room in the University of Pittsburgh. The design of the room is folk Magyr. Frank and Rose Benkovich were financial supporters of the project.

     

Geraldine L. Benkovich
University of Pennsylvania 1955 Yearbook

     Following her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Geraldine married George Arthur Gruskin.  She died, at age thirty four, in New York City, New York, September 1970.  Geraldine is buried in Monongahela Cemetery  Her husband, George Arthur Gruskin, died at age fifty five, on December 22, 1983 and is buried at Beth Shalom Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

     There are no documents to take the Benkovich family for the next 25-30 years.  From what information I have, it appears that Frank and Rose continued to live in Rankin.

     Frank Benkovich died at age seventy one, July 1980.  He is buried in Monongahela Cemetery.  I have not visited the cemetery, so I do not know if he is beside his daughter Geraldine.  Frank's parents are buried at Braddock All Saints Cemetery.

     Rose Bodo Benkovich died almost seven years later at age seventy two.  She is buried beside her husband in Monongahela Cemetery.  Rose's parents and daughter are buried in Monongahela Cemetery.


 

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2 comments:

  1. Geraldine was my Godmother and passed as a result of breast cancer when she was 35. She was Aunt Rose's and Uncle Penny's only child.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gerri is my cousin. Miss her and will love her forever. Loved by all who met her.

    ReplyDelete