Chapter 4.
Joseph Matukaitis
Born: Josef Matukajtys
While Joseph is not an ancestor or even a blood relation, I have searched for many of his records because he was Paulina Ivanauskas’ son by her first marriage. I had hoped that information on Joseph and Paulina would lead to some clues about Peter Novick’s life in Lithuania. In any event, since Joseph lived many years with Peter and his family, his story can shed additional light on the life and times of the Lithuanian immigrants in general and the Novick household in particular.
Joseph Matukaitis, circa 1915.
The first recorded information on Joseph appears to come from an index of immigrants into the port of New York. This index lists a Josef Matukajtys on the ship Rotterdam that arrived in New York on June 16, 1901. Josef’s age is given as 18 and his last residence appears to be spelled Jossenowe, however, no such town can be found in Lithuania. It is probable that the name of the town changed, similar to that of Peter Novick’s birthplace. Josef’s race is given as Lithuanian and his nationality as Russian. He is listed as neither being able to read nor write. He was born in Wilnia, Russia (the Polish form of Vilnius) but it does not specify if that was the city or county of Vilnius. Josef stated that his motherPaulina paid for his fare and that she lived at 13 S. Canal St., in Wilkes-Barre, PA. His mother must have been living with Peter Novick by then, as they had been married since November 14, 1899. However, there is no record of Peter Novick residing on Canal St. It is known that Peter lived at 22 Dobson St on June 1, 1900 and is listed at that same address in the 1904 Wilkes-Barre City Directory. Even with these discrepancies, it seems that there sufficient similarities to believe that this entry is Peter Novick’s stepson. Finally, the immigration record indicates that Josef was able to show that he had at least one dollar in his possession before embarking on the ship. I believe the purpose of proving some nominal assets was to abide by various laws, both American and European, designed to prevent paupers from entering their cities and becoming a burden to the charitable institutions of the area.
Josef’s immigration date is consistent with that given in the 1910 census, where he (now written Joseph) states that he emigrated from Lithuania in 1901. This is two years after Paulina came to the U.S. to marry Peter Novick. As usual, ages taken from different sources do not precisely agree. The census records in 1910 give Joseph’s age as 23, determining his birthdate to be around 1887. The passenger list age of 18 would imply a birth year of 1883. For some reason, neither the civil marriage license nor the church records provide his birthdate but records his age as 29, implying a birth year of 1886.
It is not known why Paulina would emigrate in 1899 without her son. I presume that he stayed with relatives in Lithuania during those two years before he decided to emigrate. Joseph is not listed as a Matukaitis in the 1910 census, which leaves open the possibility that he was adopted into the Novick family. This is probably unlikely in light of his continued of his original surname on all discovered documents. On the 1910 census, Joseph gives his occupation as a hotel bartender and stated that he could speak, read and write English. At that time, he was living at 273 Stanton St. with his mother Paulina and stepfather, Peter.
The 1912 Wilkes-Barre city directory lists Joseph Matukaitis as a Bartender for Carey & Phillips living at 182 Stanton St. This same information is repeated through the 1915 directory except for a spelling change to Matukitis. No information was found in the 1916 and 1917 directories. However, in the 1918 directory, Joseph is listed as living at the 105 Prospect St. house.
Joseph married Julia Grigaitis on June 15, 1915 in the Holy Trinity Church. On the civil record of the marriage license in the Luzerne County Courthouse, Joseph gives his age as 29 and his father’s name as Anthony. He did not know his mother’s maiden name. He stated that he and both parents were born in Russia. Julia Grigaitis gave the information that she was 23 years old and also born in Russia. Her father’s name was Adam and her mother’s was Mary Dragunas. Her father was a farmer and gave her and her mother’s occupations as domestic. The church record lists the witnesses as George Vaisznis and Marianne Labanauskas. They were married by Fr. J. Szupszynskas.
Joseph Matukaiyis and Julia Grigaitis wedding photos, June 15, 1915.
A genealogy chart provided by Joseph and Julia’s daughter Anne Grimstad, has Julia’s name as Anna Julia born in 1892. The year is consistent with the marriage record, but the name may have been confused with Anne’s sister who went by the name Anna Julia. All public records for their mother are under the name Julia. The genealogy also has Julia’s father listed as Adam Gregaitis, consistent with the civil records, but lists Julia’s mother as Catherine and not Mary Dragunas. The genealogy has Julia’s half-brother Stanley as marrying a Mary Dragonis. The coincidence would seem to imply another error.
The genealogy chart does appear to have Joseph’s side of the family correct and lists Anthony Matukitis as Paulina first husband and Joseph’s father. Joseph’s birth date is given as 1886, which is consistent with Joseph’s marriage record and 1910 census, but not with the ship passenger list information. Given the date and address disparities in the ship passenger list, it is possible that there were two different individuals named Joseph Matukaitis much as there were at least two Peter Novick’s (see chapter on Peter Novick).
Peter Novick Jr., Julia (Grigaitis) Matukaitis, Joseph Yensavage, Joseph Matukaitis holding Frank Matukaitis, Anna Novick and Stanley Grigaitis, circa 1918.
Frank, Joseph and Julia’s first child, was bornin April of 1917, according to information in the 1920 census. Joseph registered for the WWI draft on June 5, 1917. On his registration card, he gave his address as 105 Prospect St, Wilkes-Barre, PA. His age is given as 30 years old and his birthdate as September 17, 1886. His birthplace is given as Lithuania, Russia and that he was a naturalized US citizen. His occupation was as a laborer for the Hazard Wire Works in Wilkes-Barre. He stated that he is Caucasian, married and has one child. He is described as tall, medium build with brown hair and gray eyes. He signed his name ‘joe matukitas’.
From the 1918 city directory, it is apparent that they moved to 105 Prospect St. around the time of Frank’s birth. The directory lists Joseph’s occupation as laborer. They moved again in 1919 to 180 Stanton St., which was probably part of Peter Novick's grocery. The 1919 directory also includes the middle initial T in Joseph’s name for the first time. This information is the same in the 1923 city directory except that in this directory, his wife’s name is included. However, Joseph lists his wife’s name, for some strange reason, as Margaret. Joseph and Julia second child, Anne was born in January 1920, again according to the 1920 census.
The 1920 census finds Jose (33), in another example ofname miscommunication between census taker and respondent, with his wife Julia (28), son Frank (2 8/12) and daughter Hannah (0/12), renting the house at 180 Stanton St. in Wilkes-Barre. The 1920 census lists two boarders living with the Matukaitis family; Stanley Gregaitis (15), who is listed as Joseph’s brother-in-law; and Joseph Yansavige (27), who is listed as a cousin. Both Joseph and Julia said that they entered the US in the year 1900 and both became naturalized citizens in 1905. Stanley did not enter the US until 1913 and was still an alien. Cousin Joseph entered the US in 1910 and was naturalized in 1914. Joseph, Stanley and Joseph Yansavige all testified that they could read and write. Julia, however, noted that she could read but not write. Stanley indicated that he had attended school, some or all of the time, since September 1, 1919. All household members except Frank and Hannah, said that they, as well as their parents, were born in Lithuania. The mother tongue of all household residents’ parents was Lithuanian. All except Frank and Hannah were able to speak English. Joseph lists his occupation as wire-puller at the rope works. Presumably this was the job he took after tending bar. He is simply listed as a laborer in the city directories. This job must have been at the Hazard Wire Works, where Edward Novick, his half brother, would eventually work until his retirement. His cousin Joseph was listed as a laborer in the coalmines. None of the other members of the household were employed.
Frank, Anne and Julia Matukaitis circa 1925.
Frank and Anne Matukaitis First Holy Communion circa 1930
Anna (Kovalcik) and Frank Novick; Julia (Matukaitis) and Bob Pickett circa 1940.
I believe that the Stanley listed in the 1920 census was probably Julia’s half-brother and the same Stanley Grigaitis who became godfather to Dorothy Craig, daughter of Anna Novick and George Craig. Recalling that the Craigs had shortened their name from the original Grigaitis, the question remains as to the relationship, if any, between the Grigaitis family members, Julia and Stanley, and the George Craig family. It is clear that Julia and George could not be brother and sister because Julia’s parents were Adam Grigaitis and Mary Dragunas, while George’s parents were George Grigaitis and Mary Strimaicas. Stanley’s brother-in-law designation could also make sense if he was George Craig's brother, but did not change his name, since George married Joseph’s half sister Anna Novick. This would also explain Stanley’s godfather status for George’s daughter. It also offers an explanation for the reason Julia and Stanley did not enter the US at the same time. However, this second relationship would imply that there were also two Stanley Grigaitis individuals, each related in a different way to the same family. The second boarder was Joseph Yansavage who though listed as a cousin in the 1920 census record, cannot be related to the known household members.
By 1929, the city directory lists Joseph, Julia and family as living at 65 N. Main in Ashley. His occupation is given as saloon. This would appear to indicate that Joseph decided that tending bar was more lucrative during the great depression. His daughter Anne said that she remembers her mother attending night school sometime in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s. However, for some reason, Joseph made her give up her studies before she was able to complete the program. Edward’s children, Edward, Ruth and James remember frequent visits to the Matukaitis household when they were children. Apparently the Matukaitis house was located out in the country and had plenty of room for family picnics.
Social security records for a Joseph Matukaitis, who lived in Schuykill, Pa., give a birthdate of March 15, 1888. His SS number is given as 181-05-8915 and the date of Joseph’s death is given as February 1966. This appears somewhat consistent with the other records, but not with the date of Joseph’s death of 1950 as supplied by his daughter Anne, so I suspect that they are not the same person.