Bethlen Almanac 1997 (Ligonier)
Ausztrália
summer which we attended all day to learn to read and write, however, speaking was no problem because we all learned how to speak Hungarian at home. Many Hungarian fraternal insurance companies were organized in Logan county already in the late thirties. They were the Verhovay, Bridgeport, Rákóczi, Woodmen of the World, but no Hungarian Reformed Federation. In 1936, an agent of the Federation by the name of Michael Tusai, representing the coal mining town was sent from Pittsburgh. We welcomed him to our home where he talked about organizing a branch in Logan county. My father, who had helped the other insurance companies, came to know a lot about insurance, and he talked to our brother Geza about accepting this job with the Federation. The work started and Branch 213 of the Federation was formed, and I joined the Federation at the age of 12. President of the Federation at that time was Dr. Ferenc Újlaki, the “szervező,” Secretary was Rev. György Borshy-Kerekes who came to our home from Washington, D.C. to check out how Branch 213 was progressing. Rev. Borshy-Kerekes told my brother Geza that the Federation was sponsoring a membership drive with all expenses paid for a trip to Hungary, and that he wanted my brother to enter the contest. Geza accepted the offer. Our family gave him a helping hand and was proud when he became the only member of the Federation to secure more members than any other agent throughout our branches in the United States to win a free trip to our Fatherland, Hungary. In Logan county the Hungarians were proud that a young man won the contest and on a Sunday afternoon a farewell picnic was given by the church members at Zigmond’s farm in Pecks Mill, where most of the activities, such as flag dedications, etc. were held. In 1938, our brother Geza sailed from New York with Rev. Borshy-Kerekes and other Federation members to Hungary. While in Hungary, Geza attended a summer session at the University of Debrecen. He was gone for two months. Upon his return, he was asked to come to Washington, D.C. to meet the National Officers. They were surprised to see a young man of 19 who spoke Hungarian so well although he had no high school education and worked in the coal mines with other brothers and our father. Eventually, the mines were slowing down, strike was called and there was no work. Many Hungarians started leaving for larger cities. Our family left in 1941, leaving Branch 213 in the care of Mrs. Agnes Hajdú, who is still the branch manager. We moved to Detroit, Michigan, where the Federation had many branches, i.e., 35, 241, 311 and 358. We transferred to from Branch 213 to Branch 35. In 1952, Geza went to the Convention as a delegate of Branch 35. He was elected Supreme Council and was 256
