Margaret Catherine Maskelis

Margaret married Dail Howard Rice on 25 Jan 1941 in First Congregational Church, Angola, Indiana, USA. Dail was born on 19 Oct 1906 in ?; died on 31 Jul 1980 in Detroit, MI, Wayne County, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Maskelis, my grandfather. Records are mostly from family. I do have the
marriage certificate (copy) from St. Casimer's Church, Pittston, PA. The church
has been closed down and all of the records have been sent over to the church
in Wyoming. I have lots of more records thru this church for the family and I have updated the church with what records that I have. I know their exact where-a-bouts in the year 1910, but am unable to located them on the cencus
rolls. They were still in Luzerne County, PA in that year. It was a few years
later that grandpa and Edward (his eldest son) came to Michigan to investigate
the automobile factory that Henry Ford had built to make cars. Grandpa wanted
to get his sons out of the coal mining industry. Grandpa liked what he saw here
and went back to get his family to move here (MI). They lived on Olivet Street in
Detroit until they bought their home on Norman. Grandpa is buried at Woodmere
Cemetary, Detroit, MI, Lot #112, Section Oak Ridge. Grandpa is also listed as John Maskialis in the Plat Book Records.

Elaine Maskelis Besco

John married Anna Kedanyte on 02 Jan 1902 in St. Casimir's Church, Pittston, PA, USA. Anna (daughter of Ignas Kedanis and Marijona Levickaite) was born on 01 Oct 1883 in Lapiskupinas Village, Rudimina Town, Lithuania; died on 15 Jul 1965 in Nursing Home, Allen Park, MI, Wayne County, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"Ona Kedanyte", my grandmother. I have an original baptizmal certificate of grandma which Reverend Father Butkus has translated into an official document
in English for me. It was thru him that I leared so much about the last names and
the spellings of the last names. For instance, my grandmother was baptized
Ona Kendanyte, but once she married, her name became Ona Kedanis. And, of
course, now living in the US Ona became Anna. Grandma took in boarders, and
she saved every penny!! All of her children got a good education and that is what she saved every penny for. Grandma is buried in Woodmere Cemetary, Detroit, MI., Lot #112, Section Oak Ridge. Grandma is also listed as Ona Maskialis in the Plat Book Records.
The death certificate lists grandma's parents as Father - Kedanyte Maskelias and Mother - Ann Levckaite. This is incorrect. Her Father was Ignas Kedanis and her Mother was Marijona Levickaite. Official documention from her birth certificate, Birth Register #214, yr 1883, Rudamina Roman Catholic Parish, Diocese of Vilkaviskis, Republic of Lithuania.

Elaine Maskelis Besco

Notes:

My great-grandfather. I have the village and town where he was born thru my
verbal family contact, usually Tony Maskelis from Toronto. Joseph had five
children. I'm guessing at his birth date by the ages of the children. I'm also
guessing that he was a farmer as most of the family was in Lithuania. These
facts I know because Tony was still a young boy living there before they immagrated to Toronto and he remembers running across the farm lands to visit
with our relatives.

I have just recently located another Maskelis family in New Britian, CT, but cannot connect them as yet into how they work into the family. I have lost contact with Tony, so he cannot help me. I'm trying to find out if he has passed away or in a convalesent home in Toronto.

This other family consists, so far, of Peter Maskelis, son of John Maskelis and Catherine Petalutas, all born in Lithuania. Peter, born February 2, 1887 and died October 11, 1952. Married Genevieve (Milius, Milutas) born January 3, 1887 (Lithuania) and died April 25, 1972. They had two children (known only as of this date, 10\1996) Edward V. Maskelis (most probably Victor) born July 28, 1921? (at his death July 11, 1969 he was 47 years 11 months and 14 days old). He was born in New Britian, CT. Aldona Maskelis born June 11, 1920 in New Britian, CT and died June 25, 1963 in New Britian, CT. I have all the death certificates and the cemetary records for these for people.

Elaine Maskelis Besco

Joseph married Unknown between 1848 and 1895 in Lithuania. was born between 1829 and 1857; died between 1885 and 1924. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

This is my great-grandfather and all that I know about him is off the grandma's
baptizmal certificate.

Elaine Maskelis Besco

Ignas married Marijona Levickaite between 1858 and 1901 in Lithuania. Marijona (daughter of Levickas) was born between 1841 and 1864 in Strumbagaive Village, Rudamina Town, Lithuania; died between 1885 and 1936 in Strumbagaive Village, Rudamina Town, Lithuania. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

All that I know about by great-grandmother is that when last heard from her, she
was 90 years old and still working the fields in Lithuania. Then the Russians
came in and she was never heard from since.

Elaine Maskelis Besco