By Carlo Ciliberti, III
Dániel Ágoston was born on May 28, 1881 in a village called Kemenesszentpéter, Papa District, Veszprem County in the Country of Hungary (Was known as Austria-Hungary until WWI when the Austria-Hungarian empire broke up). His parents were Josephus Ágoston and Rozina Ágoston, born Rozina Kövÿ. He was the youngest of twelve siblings. All of whom remained in Hungary. Dániel had the catholic confirmation name Joseph.
In the meantime, Anna Töreki was born on February 2, 1884 in a village called Külsővat, also in the Papa District. Her parents were Vendel Töreki and Anvári Király. (It is unknown whether her mother’s name was Anvári or Mári. Either way, she went by Annie to her children). Anna was the third out of seven children. She was also raised catholic.
Kemenesszentpeter and Külsővat in the 1880s were both quaint little towns, and the living conditions were fairly stable. Common crops in this time period were Maize, Wheat, Sugar Beet, Barley and Potato Crops. Many of the meals in the towns in this time period were based off of the available crops. Their diet was filled with very starchy foods.
The above people, Dániel Ágoston and Anna Töreki were married in the village of Veszprem, Veszprem County, with the catholic right. They were married in 1904.
One child was born to Dániel and Anna in Hungary. Joszef Ágoston was born on April 12, 1906 in Kemenesszentpéter, Papa.
On February 27, 1907, Dániel Ágoston arrived in the USA on the S.S. Batavia. After approval in Ellis Island, Dániel changed his name to Daniel Joseph Augustine. Sometimes going by Daniel, sometimes going by Joseph. He resided in Stark Ohio for two years, saving up enough money for his wife and son to come to America.
On December 3, 1910, Anna Ágoston and Joszef Ágoston arrived in the USA on the R.M.S. Saxonia. She was 25 years old and he was 4 years old. After approval in Ellis Island, Anna and Joszef changed their names to Anna Augustine and Joseph Augustine. They reunited with Dan, and they resided in Stark Ohio for one more year, until moving to Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. The coal mining industry started to boom in the mid-1800s and early 1900s, nearly 100 years after the merchants and traders moved into Ohio to discover more work. They found vast amounts of coal, which would go on to create a huge amount of jobs in the town.
A second child was born to Daniel Augustine and Anna Toreki on December 18, 1911. Unfortunately, Anna was stillborn. There was no doctor or midwife attending the home birth, and the birth was sadly unsuccessful.
In early 1912, Daniel Augustine and Anna Augustine move to 515 Logan Avenue, Holden, West Virginia. Unfortunately, this house no longer exists. The picture given above is as close to where the actual area would have been. It is now a dirt road near a coal-mine. Daniel started working for the Island Creek Coal Company, and they built the Augustine’s their house. They moved in in 1912, and Daniel would work at this company for the rest of his life.
After Dan began his successful Job, they had four more children: Victor John, born on January 20, 1913, Daniel (Dan) Joseph, born on October 3, 1914, Coleman Matthew, born on July 17, 1916 and Archie Michael, born on August 15, 1919. All of the following children were born in Holden, Logan County, West Virginia.
Their seventh and final child was William Gene Augustine, born on August 17, 1921, but in Belfri, Kentucky. Dan and Anna were still living in Holden, but since Belfri is right on the border of West Virginia, they went to Kentucky to birth the baby, Since William was born in a hospital, it is possible they wanted nicer conditions to give birth in.
On January 25, 1924, Anna Augustine died of a heart attack in a hospital in Huntington, West Virginia. She was only 38 years old. She left behind her six children and her husband. The next two years would go on to be torture for her family. What made things worse happened on April 7, 1926. Daniel Augustine died from Heart Lesions at their home. The death was sudden and quick. He had not been sick, but likely had a heart disease, much like his wife. Victor (13), Daniel (11), Coleman (9) and Archie (6) were sent off to the St. John’s Home for Boys, a boarding school in Wheeling, WV. Joseph, who was 19 at the time went off to become a grocer, and made enough money to raise William, who was only 2 when his mother died, and 4 when his father died.
The Home for Boys originally started out as a hospital. There was a total of 80 kids that nuns took care of. At the turn of the century, the school divided into two homes, a home for boys and a home for girls. They began teaching older boys manual labor skills. When the Augustine’s were at the school, the younger boys were taught basic skills, while the older boys were taught weaving, repair and craftsmanship. The school still exists today as a residential space for young boys with behavioral and emotional difficulties, as well as boys dealing with neglect.
Upon release from the St. John’s Home for Boys, most of the boys went to work. As seen above, Joseph Augustine and his friend, Steve Tarkany owned an egg & produce business in Logan County, WV and Martin County, KY. This was mostly a service to the coal miners. They would stop their truck, and people would pick out what they wanted to buy. Dan was also in business from 1929 to 1934. Coleman, Archie and Victor worked for Guyan Eagle Coal mines in Amherstdale (where Victor was permanently blinded) while Dan became a grocer at Logan Grocery as well as a bus driver from 1934-1946.
Family Histories:
Joseph Augustine married Mary Kish (1910-) on July 28, 1928 in Wayne, MI. Their marriage was a fairly long one, but it ended childless. Joseph served in the Army during WWII. After living in Logan for their entire marriage, they found themselves back in Wayne, MI to sign the divorce papers. The divorce was finalized and granted to Mary on February 14, 1946. He soon remarried to Fern Beatrice Shields (1916-2000), and he adopted her son, Glenn Richard Hord. The couple had one mutual daughter, Shirley Jane Augustine. Joseph died on October 12, 1985.
Victor Augustine married Dora Violet Rogers (1914-1965) in 1934. They also had a fairly long marriage, but this marriage did not end childless. The couple had four children, Ronald Augustine, Victor John Augustine, Bethel Gene Augustine and Betty Jo. Victor and Dora divorced in the 1950s. Victor was a worker in the coal mines and developed a rotatory oscillation of the eyeballs. This is usually developed by overuse of the eyes. Victor was blinded permanently in both eyes. This disease affected him a lot, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying his life.
Daniel Augustine married Elizabeth Dolores “Betty” Barath (1912-1998) in December of 1936. Their marriage was considerably shorter than Victor’s & Joseph’s. They had one daughter, Audrey Faye. They divorced in April of 1944. They both remarried. During WWII, Dan served in the Merchant Marines on the S.S. Yoro. He was enlisted and picked Merchant Marines because of their healthy salary. He served from the early 1940s, to 1945, at the end of WWII. After his time in the marines, he married 3 times after his divorce. He was married to Fannie “Libby” Corron (1919-1967), Mary “Maggie” Kilpatrick (1912-1976) and Marie “Mary” Calanderillo (1910-2003). Dan died on September 22, 1995
Coleman Augustine married Helen Mary Barath (1914-1993) on September 21, 1934 Note that two brothers married two sisters. Out of all of Coleman’s older brothers, he was the only one not to divorce. Coleman and Helen had three children, Coleman Matthew Augustine, Jr., Daniel Joseph Augustine and William Gene Augustine – all named after family members. Coleman’s brothers, Victor and William lived with them until they got on their feet, and became self-sufficient. Coleman died on May 25, 1991.
Archie Augustine married Mary Jane Nagy (1923-2002) on November 11, 1942. The couple had three children together, Archie Michael Augustine, Jr., Kim David Augustine and Cathy Lynn Augustine. Archie served for only one year in the army during WWII, from 1940-1941. After his release, he became a Trailway’s Bus Driver, which he did until his retirement. Archie died on December 9, 1983
William Augustine married Mary Helen Szemredi (1921-1985) on October 26, 1946. The couple lived in Michigan all of their married lives. The couple had four children, William Andrew Augustine, Richard Daniel Augustine, Dennis John Augustine and David Joseph Augustine. Bill was enlisted in the Marines after WWII. It is there that he met Mary. William died on October 17, 1994.
Maybe these six brothers had a hard beginning in their lives and grew up without the guidance of their own parents, but these brothers had the courage to go on and live a productive life.
Photos
Thank you to Bob Piros for pictures of Archie Augustine; Dan, Betty & Audrey; Victor, Daniel, Coleman & Archie; Daniel & Joseph Augustine and Joseph Augustine & Steve Tarkany
Thank you to Audrey Augustine Cimaglia for pictures of Victor Augustine & Family; Dan Augustine in the Merchant Marines; Daniel, Mary & Audrey; Dan, Coleman Jr, Danny, Audrey & Bill and Coleman & Helen Augustine
Thank you to V. Augustine for the picture of Victor Augustine and picture of Ronald & June Augustine
Thank you to D. Gray for the picture of Saint John’s Home for Boys
Thank you also to:
Trip-suggest.com for the picture of Kemenesszentpeter
Ellis Island for the picture of the S.S. Batavia and R.M.S. Saxonia
Wikipedia for the picture of Holden, WV
Let us hope that this story will
remain as a seen Post on this
site for a few years & not get
lost as new Posted stories are
added.
It should be put up as # 1
and locked there.
Its a story written by a
High School Student.
Maybe it will give other
students the desire to research
and write about their families
histroy.
Young people are our future.
Thank you Bob. I am David Augustine. Archie and Mary Augustine grandson. I remember Dan
And Joe from when I was really young. I also met another brother Alex who came to visit in the 80s. I think there might be a Washington post article about the family visit if I remember right.
David, some of us grandchildren of Victor Augustine stay in touch with Alex‘s relatives. Madonna and Roger Hunter who live in Pennsylvania have gone to Romania and visited Alex‘s children and grandchildren. Angela, Alex’s 33 yo granddaughter recently came to America and stayed for a month.
Yes, let’s keep this page alive as we continue to connect.
Very interesting story, Carlo. Well done!
I will post more pictures we have a lot If this all true were do we go from here
Are you of any relation to the Augustine Family? I’d like to see pictures you have to post.
I am grandson of papaw Victor, son of Betty Jo. I can remember him he used to live with us. I think I was 5 or 6 when he passed on. I remember him laying in his room listening to Cincinnati Reds.
Johnny, your error, Victor was 5 or 6
when he passed on?
Johnny, thanks for your comment.
My family listened to the Dodgers.
Great games between the two teams.
Johnny, my error on your age.
I miss read it.
I remember your grandmother, Dora. She was a first cousin to my Mother, Virginia Taylor. Dora and Victor lived across the creek from Cherry Tree in Whites Addition when I was a child. I also remember seeing them at the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Cherry Tree. My Mother knew that Dora was having a rough time. My Mother had become the bread winner in our family due to Dad being a disabled coal miner. I recall Dora stopping by the house several times. On one occasion she need advice on how to prepare a turkey. Someone from Indiana had sent them one. Mother and Dora grew up together at the Monitor coal camp. Dora’s father, John, is buried on the hillside above the Yuma camp. He is buried beside my grandmother, Alice Bowling Taylor, his sister.
My Dad, Bethel Gene Augustine, the 3rd boy in that family, says Victor went blind around 1949 or 50. That’s when poverty set in- they were on government handouts from there. My dad told me he had an uncle Coleman that lived in Kokomo Indiana. Possibly he sent the turkey?
Fantastic! Don’t know how I came across this site, but I’m really glad I did. I’m Victor Augustine’s grandson, Ed Augustine (56 years old). My Dad is Gene “Bethel” Augustine, who is 81 years old. Dad, Mom and I cried as we read the stories and pieced in all the information together we never knew. My Dad never knew why his Dad went blind when he was 10 years old. We’ve lived in Va. Beach for 50 years. I grew up on my Papaw’s lap listening to Reds games in the radio. He was loved by his 12 grandchildren more than you can imagine. We still talk about him. He did pass on Fathers Day in 1981.
My Dad is the last Augustine from Victors side. Ronald (of Madison) passed 3 years ago. Betty (of Clothier) Brumfield died about 15? years ago, and Victor Jr (of Ashland Ky.) died almost 20 years ago. I’m the only boy, with 3 sisters. I have one son and he has 2 small boys, so the Augustine name continues on..
I’ve heard all the stories all my life about my Grandmother Dora Rogers. My Dad loved her deeply. She passed when I was born in 1964 when a blot clot went through her heart. She had moved to Pikeville Ky.
My Dad took me to Palm Coast Florida in 1984 to meet Dan Augustine, his uncle. Dad was close to Dan. He looked just like my Pawpaw. Dad told me stories all my life of Dan, Archie (who had moved to Wash DC area), Coleman (who moved to Kokomo Indiana), and Joe, the oldest boy who went to Michigan. My uncle Ron and his wife June Crum were very active in family history. They stayed in contact with many relatives until they both passed a couple of years ago.
My Dad is still alive and tells great stories about all of his uncles and relatives growing up in Logan. We have saved lots of family photos over the years I’m happy to share. I’m trying to get copies of the old photos my Uncle Ron and Aunt June had.
My Dad was 10 when his Dad called him over and explained he was losing his vision. He told him he knows there is a mountain “over there”, but he can’t see it anymore. He told my Dad that in 3 months he wouldn’t be able to see at all. The family was thrown into poverty. My grandma Dora cleaned houses. They lived off Govt cheese and subsidies. Dad thinks that caused their divorce. Dad was always embarrassed, at how poor they were. Proud to say, we had that Augustine fighting spirit. Today we own one of the largest Home Improvement Companies in America. 400 employees, 3 states, 100K Customers. We have all had a wonderful life.
If you want to know what kind of man my Pawpaw was, come to my house and see this large golf-leaf Bible on my coffee table. One Page 1 it reads: “This Bible is given to Victor Augustine Sr from the Rev Earl Hissom of the Tabernacle Church in Charleston West Va. The Church had a contest, and Mr. Augustine won by bringing 69 people with him to church on Easter Sunday 1969.” Next to it, it scribbled writing it says, “I will this Bible to my grandson Eddie Augustine”… Completely blind!
Ed-
Thank you so much for all of this information about your family! Dan Augustine was my great-grandfather. He was married to my great-grandmother Elizabeth and they had only one child, Audrey, my grandmother. Audrey is still alive. Dan remarried to Libby Corron (widowed), Margaret Kilpatrick (Widowed) & Mary Calanderillo (Survived). I would love to contact outside of this website, if you are interested.
eaugustine@pbiva.com
I will be adding some new information to your family history when I go back to Virginia Beach. John Bodo
Hello John, are you related to John Bodo Jr.
( 1902- 1981 ). He was a coal miner who
lived in Monaville, WV.
If you are, can you add any family history
on the Monaville site.? Any family photos?
I am Archie Augustine’s daughter Cathy. Thank you SO much for this information that I was able to read about my Dad and his history. Is there anything else you can share about my Dad? I seem to remember a brother who was left in Hungary. I believe his name was Shandor? I distinctly remember him coming to America for a visit when I was a child.
Hi Cathy! We are cousins! Yes, Archie had a brother Alex in Hungary. I have no info on him. If you’d like to contact me outside of this website, I would love that.
By the way- I am Dan Augustine’s great-grandson. My grandmother (still living) is his only kid.
The picture of where you once lived is not accurate, That is not logan Avenue the picture shown is a picture of main Holden bachelder Street On the main highway with the community church on the left headed towards the old Holden school
Harold, thank you for correcting me. I found the picture online, and was going along with the caption that was there. Carlo
Cathy, I’m Victor’s grandson, Ed Augustine. The other brother (Alex?) left behind came to America in 1980? The picture above (when my Pawpaw is laughing in the red t-shirt) was taken when they all gathered at my uncle Ron’s house in Madison. Ronald’s daughter (my cousin) Madonna Hunter and her husband Roger, went over to Hungary and visited Alex’s daughter. I might be able to get more information…
Just a quick tidbit for the readers: it turns out Daniel was not in the Merchant Marines during WWII, but after the war. He joined during a time of peace, not a time of war.
The other remarkable factors in this story is
that my Grandparents Gabor & Susan Tarkany
& family arrived in 1901 & 1902 from Csesznek
Veszpremi Hungary. Its about 45 miles from
Kemenesszentpeter where the Augustines lived.
They went by train to work in the Pocahontas,VA.
coal mine. Then in 1908 they moved to Holden,WV.
to work for Island Creek Coal Company.
My Great Uncle George Tarkany died in 1911
from Typhoid Fever while working in the coal mine.
Then the Tarkany family moved to different
parts to live in Whitman,Yuma,Monahill &
Monaville.
Given all of the Augustine photos that I have
its really wonderful to know how two
Hungarian families came to be good friends.
Carlo, many thanks for this wonderful, detailed family history. You have accomplished a long timeline that shows us all how hard working families populated southern West Virginia. If it weren’t for immigration, the mines could not have flourished as they did. My Dad, John Haslam, likely knew the Augustine family. When you first mentioned Veszprem, I immediately thought of Dad’s friends in the Vaspremi family who likely first took the name of their homeland as a surname. I’ve found Dad to have “Holstein” way back on his birth mother’s ancestral line. That immigrant came from Schleswig-Holstein in the 1600’s with the Swedes who settled along the Delaware River. He took the surname of Holstein and that at the time he left was the Kingdom of Denmark. But, folks in WV with Holstein as a surname definitely have DNA from Sweden. The names you mention reminded me of Monaville area names that Michael Taylor’s website, Franklin Thompson’s website and Robert McCormack’s memories all combined to help me as my father was dying. He could no longer hear, he was advanced with Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 92 but if I got right next to his ear and said those surnames, he smiled. He had such a great big smile just before he went to heaven. Your story is so important because it reminds us all of the hardships of those who came before us. I’m so grateful to you for your work on this. May we all remember our ancestors and may we all move forward in a positive direction to make them smile. ~Carla Haslam Herkner
Carla, what a heartwarming story! Glad you could enjoy my story. It is definitely because of immigration that the families populated West Virginia – and the coal mines as well! Thank you for sharing information about your family – interesting to read about.
~Carlo
Carla,are you talking about Alex Veszpremi who
lived in Monaville?
He arrived in the USA in 1904 from
Szergeny Hungary.
Yes it was really remarkable that my
Mother Helen Piros ( Tarkany ) was
able to save so many of her family
photos that were used on all of the
websites & in your well written book.
Hello Bob, I can only say I recall my Dad referring to “Veszpremi” and “Tarkany” as he recalled some of his boyhood family friends. He loved so many Hungarian-American families in and around Monaville. There were other family names he spoke of fondly. I know he had next door neighbors who were “Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser” or possibly “Kayser.” Dad loved to eat good food! He used to talk about the wonderful Hungarian cooking he enjoyed while growing up. I wish I had taken notes and written down the names. I just wish I knew more. I guess that is why I enjoy your photos and your stories as well as the other posts here on Franklin’s wonderful blog. It’s all good!
Carla, thanks for your nice comments.
Your Dad Bill & my Uncle Paul are in a
photo No.11 Island Creek Coal Mine
First Aid Team about 1930 in Monaville.
The photo is on this website on page 2
mid way down in the Friends & Families
section.
Do you know how they earned the trophies
they are holding?
Did your Dad ever talk about going into the
coal mines to give aid to the miners?
Hi Bob, I am very familiar with that photo. “Bill Haslam” is not my Dad. Bill is Dad’s first cousin. Because their fathers were brothers who immigrated from Bolton, Lancashire, England and yet died when Bill and John (my father) were young, their mothers combined households and Bill was more like an older brother to my Dad. So, my father, John Haslam, did not go into the mines to give aid. Bill surely did, however. As soon as Bill was of age to go to college, he went to WVU school of Mining Engineering. Often, when it was time to return home to Monaville for Spring break or vacation, Bill would return and first go to the mine to sign up before even going to the house to see the family. He worked on mine safety during his long career in coal mining. Bill was President of Winding Gulf Coal Co., and then after that, President of the New River Company. Here is a quote from my book, “Monitor Road” about Bill Haslam: “Earlier in his career, as a mining superintendent at Bartley in McDowell County, WV, Bill had pounded his fist on the conference room table demanding that the coal operators improve mine safety for the workers. As his fist came down on the table, there was an explosion. The concussion was felt in the room as Bill ran toward the mine. He did not return home for over two weeks while assisting in the rescue and the recovery of the miners’ bodies.” The mine explosion at Bartley took place when Bill’s son was only 19 days old. Mine safety was a long effort on his part. My Dad’s father, William Haslam, helped to organize the miners way earlier. I know it gets confusing with all of the “Bill” names in the family. Sorry for the long answer, Bob!
Carla, thanks for your comments
about Bill.
Yes I found the photo on P. 102
in your book.
Would it be correct to say that the
trophies that the men are holding
were for years of service with the
First Aid Team?
Carla, in this photo Joe Edenton
was ID as the third man in the photo
by a family member on Facebook.
You have Louie Veres as # 3.
Could Louie be # 4.
I enjoyed reading about the Augustine family and I remember some of them. Victor was married to a cousin of my Mother (Dora Rogers) and I knew all of their children. I remember Victor being blind when he attended the Pilgrim Holiness Church at Cherry Tree. I also recall Archie being a bus driver and have ridden on his bus when I was a child. Audrey and her Mother were our neighbors at Cherry Tree and she and I were playmates. She and I used to cross the swinging bridge to her grandmother’s home in Whites Addition. Good work, Carlo. I’m sure your Mother must be proud of your work.
Thank you Robert for your lovely compliment! I didn’t know your mother was related to Dora – very interesting! I haven’t really traced her side, but I think she had ancestors who fraught in the revolutionary war.
My grandmother, Audrey, did mention to me the swinging bride to her Granny’s house. She remembered after a bad storm in the area that the bridge fell down and they couldn’t get to her house. She has many fond memories of growing up in Cherry Tree!
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/55886787/family/familyview
Carlo: If you have Ancestry you can go to this site and look for John Rogers, the great grandfather of Dora Rogers. He was killed by a former friend while home on furlough during the Civil War. I have not filled in the lower branches of the Rogers family.
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/55886787/person/44002217578/facts -family group sheet for Colonel John Rogers.
BTW, I referred to Audrey your mother instead of your grandmother.
Thanks for sharing! I took a look and was able to figure out the link between you & Dora. On your family tree you have John Rogers (b. 1863). He and his second wife are Dora’s parents.
Carlo, thanks for writing this remarkable
Hungarian family story.
You did a wonderful job.
Coal mine families suffered many hardships
due to lack of pay by the coal mine companies.
Good to know that the Augustine brothers
prevailed & had good lives.
Does anyone have more info about this
coal mine eye disease caused by blowing
coal dust?
How many more coal miners have had this
disease?
Any info about the Guyan Eagle Coal Mine in
Amherstdale? When did it open & close?
To the Readers:
Victor Augustine died on June 19, 1981 in Clothier, WV. I had two dates for his death, and was able to confirm this one.
Franklin- an amazing job posting the story! Thank you so much for your help. Looks great!