My Grandmother was born in Austria, Anna Stefkovic, Andreansky, August 3, 1884 and died January 5, 1968 in Irvington, NJ. She's buried at the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery in New Jersey. 

Anna Stefkovic, immigrated to this country, as I have been told on a ship. I am not sure if she married Anthony Andreansky before she came to this country or after. Some records say she arrived at the age of 31. It said the residence was Steubenville. It says that my Mother Helen Martha Andreansky was born at 122 Broome Street so I take it she was born at home. There are so many questions I'd love to ask her but she's not here anymore. My Mother too is gone. My Mother's siblings are all gone as well. My Grandmother and Grandfather had 4 children that I know of. Louis, Joseph or George, not sure, Rose and my Mother Helen the youngest. I was the youngest of 4 girls in my family as well.

It has been a puzzle to me who these people were. I have gathered many documents trying to fit it all back together just to understand how and why they even came to the US to begin with.

The stories I've been told are; Grandma Andreansky worked at Vanity Fair and made beautiful lace for lingerie. Stories that were told is that Grandma could make clothes and that may be where Mama learned the trade. Mama also worked at Vanity Fair making undergarments and then at a radio factory and a harmonica factory. Carole my oldest sister said one Christmas they had a Christmas tree with little harmonicas all over it.

This is one of the factory photos.

I've also been told that Grandma would interpret for other immigrants that couldn't speak English.

Grandma Andreansky worked for the Campbell Family. It has been said she worked under the Head Chef. She would also travel with the Campbell family to their summer home in Maine to cook, clean and sew for the family.

You can tell these coats are hand made. My Grandmother was on her own as my Grandfather left her with 4 children. Anna worked right through the summer months leaving her little girls Rose on the right and Helen on the left at the orphanage, as there wasn't anyone to help care for her children.

This was not a happy time for my Mother. She would tell me stories of how the shoes she was wearing were not warm enough on her feet as the weather changed. By the looks of her stockings, they must have been hand me downs as they don't seem to fit her very well. Rose must have been lonely and always having to care for her younger sister. My Mother Helen was a sickly child, she had Rheumatic Heart and migraine headaches. How trusting people were back then to leave such young children behind.

Mama must have been a young teen here.

Here she is on the left with her girlfriends. Oh how they loved open toed shoes!

Mama with her brother Louis holding his baby girl Sophia Andreansky.

Rose is on the left, Grandma Andreansky in the middle and Mama, Helen Andreansky on the right.

To be continued!