John Yusvak, my grandfather
Good Morning!
This blog is in answer to RT's comment in my last blog about what the heck was on my staircase in that picture... I have decided to reply here as my grandchildren may one day be interested in it all.
RT asks, "Were your parents the ones who originally built the house? I don't know where I got the impression that it was older than that."
You are right. Many parts of my house ARE older than what you might think.
Read on.
My grandfather bought the land in the early 1920's.
The land east of the house- where my garden is, and beyond, was an old dump. (Cool)!
Mom found many artifacts, and even arrowheads, in that garden.
There are still Indian kilns in the woods down by the river. (Native American Indian).
Anyhow, there was no home on the property when Grandma and Grandpa bought it.
Grandpa, working for the railroad, moved the 'house' that had been abandoned, from on the hill (just west off what is Pittco Road now), to here.
The well pump is still up there, and last I knew, still worked. Oddly enough I do not know where the original well was here. I believe it was just north of the home, but am unsure.
That 'house' that my fathers father 'moved' is what my kitchen area is now. This part of my house is over 200 years old; and, as you can guess is very, very, solid.
Throughout the years, my grandfather built their own kitchen for Grandma- This is now the east end of my living room, as mom and dad remodeled just after they got married in 1949.
When Dad remodeled in 49-50, he added the back room. This room is off to the left at the bottom of the staircase in the pictures.
~ When I was growing up, we always called this room "Grandma's Room". This is where Grandma stayed and prayed.
Incidentally, this also became my mothers room in her last few years as climbing the steps was out of the question for her to do.
Once again it became "Grandma's Room".
Grandpa also had built the upstairs, but it remained unused, never finished until mom and dad got married.
My Dad slept up there before he married, and used a ladder to climb up there every night.
This ladder was located about halfway up the living room wall.
When Mom and Dad remodeled in 1949-50, he added the staircase, thus removing that ladder.
In 1956 came the bathroom, which in the pictures is the doorway at the bottom of the stairwell. He also dug out the basement (by hand), and added the back entrance that same year.
The door that comes into the kitchen (from the back entrance), is original to the 1920's, perhaps before. The glass is handblown.
This was their 'outside' door for many years.
My grandfather, John Yusvak, died in 1934, having a heart attack at his work.
My grandmother, Katherine (Radetsky)-Yusvak died here when I was 4/5, in 1962/1963.
I believe that both of them were laid out in the living room for their wakes, about where I am seated now. This was the custom of the day.
My mother passed away here also.
The history of the 'house' that Grandpa relocated to this plot is basically unknown. I know for sure there was a schoolteacher that lived in it.
The old schoolhouse was about 1/4 of a mile away from here, right in Flintville; and was used until the mid~1950's (to the best of my knowledge).
I also think the schoolmarms name was "Cook" but am unsure. She would have been teaching during the turn of the last century (1900's).
What happened "in" the kitchen when it was first built, (and "when" it was first built), is unknown to me.
I still have all of Mama's journals stored in the attic.
I have not touched them. Ever.
Perhaps one day I will. I have not yet felt comfortable enough to do so.
And so Sweet RT, you have asked... I hope this has clarified a bit of it for you.
More questions anyone? Ask away. I promise to try to answer them all.
XOXO
Me
