Reverend J.M. Trunk - Missouri 1912

Copyright © 1996, 1997, Slovenian Genealogy Society International, all rights reseved

These Rev. J. M. Trunk texts were published originally in 1912. Part 8, History of Slovene Communities, contains significant genealogical information about Slovenian immigrants, the places they lived, the organizations they formed, and the churches they attended.

Translators for the Slovenian Genealogy Society have been working to translate many texts published early in the 1900s that contain significant genealogical information. Our translators are not professional linguists, and they do not complete a translation with rigorous academic oversight. The goal of our translation projects is to make information available to the American descendants of Slovenian immigrants.

If you believe we have made serious errors in translation, please contact us and volunteer your time to us in order to make the corrections. We strive to do good work; we are always willing to correct errors to the extent we can; and we ask others to join us in this worthwhile endeavor.

The Slovenian Genealogy Society collects church histories. Readers with information on Slovenes in the communities listed, the churches mentioned, or other information on Slovenes, can contact:

Slovenian Genealogy Society
52 Old Farm Road
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011-2604

The society accepts donations of Slovene books, texts, and publications for its genealogy library.

Missouri

Naylor. Mr. F. Lever reports to me: "In March of 1908, I came here with Ant. Lipold and Jos. Gregorec. Fr. Gram and Fr. Cinbel followed us that same year. Around Naylor, there are approximately 30 Slovene families who have farms averaging 40-120 acres in size. We are engaged exclusively in farming and raising livestock. The Catholic Church is in the Oxley region some 4 miles west of here. The priest comes there once a month from Doniphan. The only benefit society belongs to the SSPZ in Chicago."

Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Mary Dulc writes: Fifteen of our Slovene families have settled here. Slovenes are doing well settling on farms. We go to an English church in the city. The children attend public school. The Dulc family moved here on 1 August 1911 and the other moved here a short time before.

St. Louis. The first Slovenes came here from Semic in 1885. Among these were Anton Buovec, Stefan Mihelcic, Ivan Petric and Ivan Sever. Now there are about 300 among them and up to 40 families. No one has acquired unusual wealth or success but the families have their own houses. They are scattered over all parts of the large city and work in foundries, various factories, but mainly in the breweries. Those who nuture any kind of religion go to the various German churches. They have no contacts with the Croatians even though the Croatians have their own parish and school. The younger generation is in the Socialist camp. The Heart of Jesus Society #70 of the KSKJ has over 70 members and the St. Alloysius Society #87 of the JSKJ has 35 members.

On the left bank of the Missouri River is East St. Louis, Illinois, where a greater number of Slovenes are in the slaughterhouses [Rev. J. Kompare]

In this State, there still more Slovenes in the regions of St. Joseph, Winita and Keota--the majority being farms.