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From: "cheryl BALOG wenberg" <>
Subject: Hungarians were part of early valley Pennsylvania
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 22:34:40 -0500


The Valley Independent Monessen, Pennsylvania July 31, 1987

Article by Emma Jene Lelik

Hungarians were part of early valley

It was commonplace to see a group of robust men, some with handlebar mustaches, seated in a circle
around an open fire outdoors, each holding a long stick aimed toward the smoldering wood.

On the far end of the stick was a generous piece of paprika topped bacon. Periodically the elbow of the
arm holding the stick would bend toward the other hand which held a big slice of homemade bread.
After enough bacon drippings had been pressed into the bread, it was topped with a slice of sweet onion.
This was a traditional Hungarian pastime.

"We had a bacon roast" out on the grounds of the Hungarian Club here in Monessern every Saturday
afternoon," commented Steve WISYANSKI, a faithful member of the First Hungarian Workingmen's
Sick Benefit Social and Literary Club of Monessen organized in 1904.
"Your father often joined us," he said to me.

I was just a kid but how vividly I recall the bacon (saluna) roasts my father held up on our farm just
outside of Monessen. They were authentic. The bacon came from our own hogs.

It was fitting that the oldtime Hungarian men came for the pleasant feasting and conversation -
they were also here for the butchering.

When the word went out that it was time to slaughter another pig up on the Evans farm, as many
Hungarian friends as possible came from Pricedale to help with the chore.

The immigrants who came from the Austria-Hungary empire to the Monongahela Valley at the turn
of the century settled heavily in Pricedale and Daisytown - Richeyville area, where they worked in
the coal mines and in Monessen where many labored in the steel mills.

Regardless of where they lived, the Hungarians periodically made kolbassi and hurka (blood pudding)
in addition to the cured and smoked bacon.

"These were probably the most popular items in our store," Johnana TORDY SEMANCIK said in
reflection on Joe TORDY'S grocery store on the Main Street in Pricedale. Her father first
opened for business in 1917.

The "Hungarian Halls" in Pricedale and Monessen provided the "homes away from home" for the
men who gathered there regularly to socialize.

"At one time we had as many as 600 members" WISYANSKI said of the Monessen Hungarian Club.

This is a far cry from the less than 200 on the membership roster today, and of those 180 - 190
listed as active members, only about 15 percent are of Hungarian background.

On given occasions, the women and children were included in activities at the Hungarian Halls,
especially when plays, dinners and dances were scheduled.

"Hungarians were talented musicians," Both halls had stages on the main floors and here
performers would enact plays of their homeland.

WISYANSKI recalled without hesitation the talents of actor Joseph KISH and the performances
of his sisters Elizabeth TRUSKY and Anna BANKS.

"Pete HAZY", who just passed away recently, was a great vocalist and an all around entertainer.
He played the violin. Stephen NAGY was another excellent musician.

Harvest Balls were carried over from the "old country," they represented the celebration at the
end of the harvest season. Grapes and other fruits that were symbolic of their labors dangled from
branches across the ballroom ceiling. As part of the festivities, the men would attempt to "steal"
a piece of fruit, only to be quickly "caught" by yound women dressed in native costumes.
The men would then pay a small "fine" which went into the profits.

The snappy czardas and slower paced waltz were danced by all ages.

Colors of their homeland, red, white and green, were evident in the decorations and in the native
dress of the women, typical attire for the dances. Grandparents took delight in sewing small
Hungarian costumes for their granddaughters.

WISYANSKI spoke of the dedication of the Monessen Hungarian Hall in 1915.
"Before that we used to borrow the German Beneficial Club for meetings," he explained.
"There was a close relationship between the Hungarians and the Germans (Austria-Hungary
being the birthplace of many).

"The men considered the club their second home, they knew of no other place to meet, to
converse in their own language and have socials."

WISYANSKI said the first meeting of the Hungarian Beneficial Society in Monessen was
held at the home of Andy NUSSER in Monessen in 1904.
Sitting around a table at the Hungarian Club with friends the other afternoon, WISYANSKI
who had served as president for 24 years and is now vice president, sparked a conversation
about the early Monessen Hungarian band.

Joe SHOEMAKER, who was secretary-treasurer for 25 years, had a picture of the early band
organized during World War I and led by his father-in-law, Frank STRAUSS.
"The band followed the hearse to the cemetery during funerals re recalled.
They reflected on the funerals. "Many of the men were bachelors, and they were often buried
from this club. They would be laid out in the back rooms"

Mike HAZY is president of the club now and Anthony MOSCETTI is secretary treasurer.
Also active are Monessen Police Chief Steve HAZY, who is the current auditor and Bob
KAPTY who is trustee. MOSCETTI and KAPTY are not Hungarians.
"We were the first ethnic organization here to lift the ethnic barriers".

Many of the early Hungarians were Byzantine Catholics, while some others were Protestants,
mostly the Hungarian Reformed.
"A Hungarian Presbyterian preacher would come from Brownsville to hold services in the
Pricedale Union Church a couple of times a month, Mrs. BENECCIO recalled.

The Catholics belonged to St. Mary's (Greek Catholic) Church in Monessen where my older
brothers, sister and I were also baptized. The early pastors were mostly Hungarians or at
least fluent in the language.

The women almost never worked outside the home, nor did they form organizations.
"Our mothers lived for their families," Emma BENECCIO stated. "They felt it was their
duty to raise the family. They were always busy making homemade noodles and specialty
dishes like chicken paprikas and czeregi (a twisted, flaky fried dough) How about the
giant sized pampushkas (doughnuts) they would make filled with lekvar?"

We had them regularly as well as palachinta (crepes) loaded with dill and sugar flavored
cottage cheese. "We rolled them and ate them like cigars when we were kids,"
Emma laughed.
She still makes palachinta regularly, especially when her three grandsons visit from Ohio.

The women were also talented in needlework with outstanding embroidery and crochet
pieces prominently displayed in all the homes.
"My grandmother (Suzie FERENZ of Pricedale) used to sew clothing for many prominent
citizens," I know they sewed without patterns.
I recall being sent by my mother to the KISH home in Pricedale once with an armload of
cotton fabrics. Mrs. KISH checked my waist and height and in a few short weeks
presented my mother with an extensive wardrobe of perfectly fitted dresses for me,
each one styled differently.

While the oldtime Hungarians are dying out and many of their children are married to
spouses of other nationalities, there are now very few authentic Hungarian families.

Meanwhile, back in the immediate Monongahela Valley, the Hungarian Halls in
Monessen and Pricedale stand silent except for the occasional card or pool game,
the members of the "mixed origin" stopping for a drink.

There are no more Harvest Balls. There are no more Hungarian feasts.


cheryl BALOG wenberg

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