William Penn Life, 2002 (37. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)

2002-02-01 / 2. szám

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<Branching Out'

with Endre Csőméni

Leechburg, PA

Those were the days

On May 11, 1925, many of Leechburg's Hungarians witnessed the wedding of Godrey Szoltéz and Rose Bogdany at the Hungarian Catholic Church.

This article is devoted entirley to my interview with John Simon Jr. as he remembers the Hungarian life in Leechburg many years ago.

The Hungarian colony in Leechburg was established practically simultaneously with the opening of Allegheny Ludlum Steel Company. This company employed most of the Magyar immigrants and their American-born sons.

John still lives in the same house where he was born some 80 years ago. His late father, Janos Simon Jr., organized the Rákóczi Egylet Branch 0045 in the early 1900s. He also helped to establish the First Hungarian Reformed Church and served as president of the Árpád Aid Society, a small local sick benefit society.

All of the fraternal organizations had highly active branches in Leechburg. There were three Hungarian churches and a club house (Magyar Ház) which is still the pride of the local Magyars. There, the Hungarian flag flies proudly beneath the American flag. The club has quite a history since most of the Magyar functions were held there, including wedding receptions, banquets and amateur talent competitions.

There was excellent harmony among the Hungarian churches. They supported and helped one another. The so-called "Second Generation" took part in the activities of their immigrant parents and served as a bridge between the two fields of the "melting pot." Leechburg had numerous Hungarian business establishments, including several grocery and butcher shops, a bowling alley and a pool room. The most famous street was called Kutya Szorító.

Mr. Simon's fondest memories include his Magyar upbringing, the Magyar picnics and the disznó tor.

"We spoke Hungarian at home," he recalled, "and before each meal we

prayed'Jövel Jézeus légy vendégünk amit adtál áld meg kérünkJ Come, dear Jesus, and be our guest. Bless this food which thou hast given.) In the evenings we all sat around the table and took turns reading verses from the Hungarian Bible.

In the summertime, after the Sunday church service, "good oldfashioned picnics" were held at the Hungarian Roman Catholic Church picnic ground.

The bacon roast was the most popular activity with young and old. "The delicious kolbász and hurka was prepared by Elmer Charles, John Balia, Gus Nagy, Jay Blizmann, Jim Beganyi and others," Mr. Simon said. "The picnic ground was prepared by James Mozga and me. Steve Szuch (better known as "Peaches") saw to it to hire a Gypsy orchestra from as far as Cleveland, Ohio. We also had a

local band called Szegfii Banda. We sang the halgato and danced the csárdás. The cimbalom was our favorite instrument."

Mr. Simon also remembers "when I was a young boy, apa (father) butchered a hog every year. The Magyar neighbors would help with the perzselés hurka and kolbász making. Then, a big meal of fresh pork was served by anyu (mother). We rendered our own lard and made tepertő (crackling), then anyu made pogácsa (biscuits). Yes, those were the poor old days. We ate everything but the squeal."

The Hungarian colony of Leechburg is long gone, but its memory lives on. Through their hard labor and sweat, the Hungarians contributed much to the town of Leechburg and the development of this great country. |p[]

William Penn Life, February 2002

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