Sentimental Sunday: Leo and Ona, 1934

The photograph above is of Leonas "Leo" Radauskas (1889-1973), my first cousin two times removed on my Guokas (maternal grandfather's) line, and his wife, Ona "Anna" Tamošiūnaite (1907-1988) .  It was taken about 1934.

In an earlier post about Leo, I related the story about his return to Lithuania in 1928 to seek a wife.  I wonder if the photo above was taken about the time Ona had to appear in the district court in Chicago in her quest to become a U.S. citizen.

Here is Ona's certificate of arrival, which is part of her 1934-35 petition for naturalization.  In Lithuania, Radauskiene is the married woman form of the last name Radauskas.

Here is the left side of the passenger list for the November 29, 1928, sailing of the S.S. George Washington from Bremen, Germany, to New York City, arriving on December 10, 1928 (I "cut and pasted" to move Ona's information directly under the column headings at the top of the page).  Click on it to enlarge it.  It says she was born and last lived in Jasoniai, although her petition for naturalization lists both places as Smilgiu (probably Smilgiai).

And here is the right side of that same passenger list - click on it to enlarge it.  It shows that her mother's name is Agata (probably Agota) Tamosuniene (the married woman form of the surname Tamošiūnas), and that she is going to be with her husband Leo Radauskas of 3548 S. Halsted Street in Chicago.  It also tells us that she's never been to the United States before, she plans to reside there "always" and become a citizen, and that she is 5'7" (tall for that era), fair complexioned, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The photograph of Leo and Ona in this post came from the private album of Aldona Radauskaitė Zigmantavičienė, the daughter of Steponas Radauskas, a brother of Leo Radauskas.  Thank you Aldona!  Thanks also to my third cousin Osvaldas Guokas, who has been sharing all these photographs and information with me!


© Amanda Pape - 2017 - click here to e-mail me.