USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume III > Part 53
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ERNEST DEMETRI MOSKA-In Macedonia, once a powerful inde- pendent kingdom, later a Roman province, now a part of Turkey, Ernest D. Moska, one of the proprietors of "Candyland," Easton, was born April 15, 1894, son of Demetri and Ellen (Valuri) Moska, both born in Coritsa, where the mother yet resides. Demetri Moska spent his entire life in Coritsa, a tailor by trade, but later in life became interested in mining ventures. He died in 1914, aged about seventy years. Children: Gust, residing with his mother in Macedonia ; James Epamenoda ; and Ernest D.
James Epamenoda Moska was born in Coritsa, Macedonia, February 20, 1882, and was there educated, graduating to what is the equivalent of an American high school. He was then eighteen years of age, and in 1900 he came to the United States, landing in New York City from a steamer of the Rotterdam line. He came direct to South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, upon landing, and was there employed in a silk mill for twelve years. He next joined with his brother, Ernest Demetri, in the candy store business in Easton, as at present they are engaged. He is a member of the Greek Orthodox church, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Easton Board of Trade.
Ernest Demetri Moska, youngest of the children of Demetri Moska, remained in his native land until 1910, then came to the United States via Canada, being sixteen years of age at that time. He located in Easton, Penn- sylvania, and at once began learning the candy-maker's trade, at which he worked five years. He then bought the candy store at No. 31 Center square, later adding the store at No. 425 Northampton street. These stores are
Quintus Stagner.
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operated under the firm name, the Candyland Company, the partners, Ernest D. Moska, James E. Moska, and their brother-in-law, C. G. Andrew, young men, who in a strange land, under strange conditions, have made their own way and given a good account of themselves. Ernest D. Moska is a Univer- salist in religion, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Rebekah Lodge of the same order.
QUINTUS WAGNER-For many years a farmer of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Mr. Wagner has disposed of all his farming interests and devotes himself to the duties of the office of poor director of the county in which his life has been passed. He has always been active and influential in public life, and one of the leading Democrats of the county. He is of ancient county family, his grandfather, Jacob Wagner, a farmer of Lower Saucon township, as was John Wagner, father of Quintus Wagner. John Wagner was born in 1812, and died in 1887. He married Lydia Stever, and they were the parents of twelve children: Jacob, a miller, died in 1914; Wil- son, a farmer of Lower Saucon; Mary, widow of Joseph Hess; Elizabeth, married C. A. Bright, retired; Benjamin, retired; Alevesta, deceased, married D. M. Weber; Edwin, a retired farmer, died in February, 1916; Emma, deceased, married C. O. Weaver, a farmer; Quintus, of further mention ; Flora, married H. A. Reigel, of Hellertown; Laura, twin with Flora, deceased, married H. A. Ache; John, a farmer of Hellertown.
Quintus Wagner was born in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1862. He was there educated in the public school. He grew up at the home farm, and upon arriving at man's estate continued in that business all his life until recent retirement, and disposal of his farm interests. He was a successful farmer, causing his acres to yield him a profit, and withal so public-spirited and progressive that he kept in touch with public affairs, and was a leader of political thought in his district. He is one of the local leaders of the Democracy, and for many years held important public office. For five years he was township auditor, for eight years assessor of taxes, and for five years collector of taxes for Lower Saucon township. In 1911 he was elected county poor director, an office he now holds. Mr. Wagner is a mem- ber of Hellertown Lodge No. 606, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Heller- town Lodge No. 563, Free and Accepted Masons; Killatin Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men; Hellertown Castle, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he has been secretary for ten years; and in religious faith is a Lutheran, and a member of the church council.
Mr. Wagner married, March 5, 1892, Anna Laura Ruth, daughter of David and Susanna (Reichard) Ruth, of Williams township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are the parents of three children : Erma L., a graduate of Saucon High School; Grace Arminta; and Evelyn Flora, graduates of Saucon High School.
CHRIST P. POULUS-The New York Restaurant, one of Easton's largest places of its kind, is at No. 48 Center square, its proprietor, Christ P. Poulus, a young Greek, who, after a wide experience in restaurants in many cities, came to Easton, and after a connection with the Seip Restaurant, bought his present place of business. He was born March 15, 1883, in a village near Volo, a town of Thessaly, Greece, son of a well-to-do farmer. That section of Greece is most prosperous, and Volo is the principal seaport of Thessaly, having grown greatly in recent years. The lad attended Greek schools from the age of seven until thirteen, then became his father's farm helper, doing rather more than a boy's work. In 1901 he came to the United States and began working in a New York City restaurant, becoming an expert waiter, and remaining in the city about seven years. He then began a wide travel tour, working in restaurants in different places, but always
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returning to New York, when the fancy struck him. He came to Easton in 1910, and for eight years was a waiter in the Seip Restaurant. In 1918 he bought his present restaurant from Mr. Alexander, and has operated it very successfuly until the present. He has three partners, namely, John Janus, and the latter's two brothers. John supervises the culinary department. He was born in the same place as Mr. Poulus, came to the United States in 1904, and repaired to Richmond Hill, New York, where for four or five years he was connected with a well known restaurant, after which he came to Easton, and with his brothers, George and Gus, worked at the same business, and all three brothers, with Mr. Poulus, formed a partnership and purchased the New York Restaurant.
Mr. Poulus is a member of the Greek Orthodox church. He is unmar- ried. His parents, Peter and Zoe (Demetro) Poulus, yet reside at their home in Thessaly, aged about eighty-two, Christ P. one of their four children.
JAMES P. XEPAPPAS (PAPPAS)-Among the successful Greek cater- ers of Easton, James P. Pappas (Xepappas) is prominent. He is a son of Petro Xepappas, and a grandson of Anastasias Xepappas, who lived to be one hundred and five years, dying in Sparta, his widow living to the wonder- ful age of one hundred and fifteen years. Petro Xepappas passed his entire life in Sparta, Greece, dying a comparatively young man in 1888, his son, James P., being then about six months of age. He married Helen Pafles, who is still living in Sparta, aged fifty-seven years, a daughter of Nicholas Pafles. They were the parents of three children: George, now living in Chicago, Illinois; Marion, married Stafros Kakaletres, and lives in Sparta; James P., of further mention.
James P. Pappas (Xepappas) was born in the town of Barsenecon, in the province of Sparta, Greece, in 1888, and there passed his boyhood, obtaining his education in the State schools. At the age of thirteen he came with his brother-in-law, Stafros Kakaletres, they sailing from Havre, France, landing in New York in May, 1901. He joined relatives in a small town near Lowell, Massachusetts, but after two months the lad and his brother-in-law went to Chicago, where the lad, James P., attended public school for a short time. His first position was in a florist's store at small wages, his second job with a fruit dealer with whom he remained one year, his next job being in a restau- rant. In all, he spent three years in Chicago, going from this city to Jeannette, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he was clerk in a candy manu- facturing plant and retail store. In the summer of 1906 he came to Easton, here opening a candy store at No. 215 South Third street. This store he later sold, and soon after opened a similar store in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and another in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. For about eight years he conducted these two stores. then bought the restaurant at No. 68 Center square, known as the Lafayette, now the "Philadelphia," but later he sold out to George George. In the meantime he purchased in Florida an orange grove (which he still owns), and to that property gave his personal attention after selling the restaurant. In August, 1918, he opened a restaurant at No. 64 Center square, known as the Easton Restaurant, where he conducted business very successfully until May, 1919.
Mr. Pappas married, in Easton, Barbara Strumpoles, born in Greece, daughter of Christ Strumpoles. Mr. and Mrs. Pappas are members of the Greek Orthodox church, he one of the founders of that congregation in Easton, and serves as its treasurer. They are the parents of two children : Helen J. and Peter P.
FELIX P. MALKVEH-Near the city of Kovno, capital of the govern- ment of Kovno in Lithuania, Russia, bordering on Poland and Prussia, Felix P. Malkveh was born in 1885, of Lithuanian parents. The government at
Pev. Fr. C. Vlossako.
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that time was administered by the czar as autocrat of all the Russias, and the education of the native youth was discouraged, and for certain classes abso- lutely prohibited. His parents, however, taught their children in the privacy of their home, a small farm away from the city. There the family raised stock and flocks of geese which, with the products of the soil, brought them a comfortable living.
Felix P. Malkveh continued at the home farm until twenty years of age, part of this time, when he could be spared from the home flocks and fields, being spent in the employment of neighborhood farmers. He continued his education at home, and by study and association acquired, in addition to his own tongue, a speaking knowledge of the Russian, Polish and Slavonic tongues, as well as an ability to write intelligently both in Lithuanian and Polish. As the time arrived when he must report for military duty and begin the four years required in service, he so abhorred the idea that he resolved to escape. From Kovno he made his way to Hamburg on the Elbe river, the great German maritime port, and there took steamship for New York City in free America, where he arrived eleven days later. From New York City he went direct to Beverly, New Jersey, finding employment there with a farmer. Two weeks later he secured work in the bridge building plant there, going thence to Camden, where he was employed by the New York Shipbuilding Company. After two years at the shipyards on the Delaware at Camden, he spent two years on a farm in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, then again cross- ing to New Jersey, and at Burlington learning the silk weaver's trade. From Burlington, New Jersey, he came again to Pennsylvania, locating in Easton, where he was first employed in the Haytock Silk Mill, going later to the Standard Silk Mill, spending two years in these two mills as a silk weaver. He then formed a partnership and opened a meat market at No. 668 North- ampton street. Later he moved to his present location, No. 676 Northampton street, and in July, 1918, bought the property, which he has rebuilt and greatly improved.
Napoleon Malkveh, father of Felix P. Malkveh, had served his allotted time in the Russian Army, and being over seventy years of age when the present war broke out, it is not likely that he was called on for service. But his son has had no definite word and is in ignorance of whatever fate had befallen them. Napoleon Malkveh learned the carpenter's trade in Kovno, but later became a farmer, as outlined previously. Napoleon and Sophia Malkveh were the parents of six children: Michalena, who came to the United States, and is now living in Beverly, New Jersey; Michael, who also came to the United States, and is now living in Riverside, New Jersey, near his sister; Josephine, living in Russia; Felix P., of previous mention ; Annie, who came to the United States, and in 1914, not dreaming of the great upheaval which was to occur in Europe, returned to her old Russian home with her husband and two children, and has been compelled to remain there ever since, their return to the United States being impossible; Louis, who also left his Russian home in Kovno, came to the United States, and is now located on a farm at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
FRANCIS C. VLOSSAK-The birthplace and early environment which surrounded Father Vlossak were not conducive to independence or self- assertion, but nevertheless the restraining forces were not sufficient to control him, and although he served his time in the Austrian Army, he broke away from autocratic rule at the first opportunity, and under the Stars and Stripes has been recreated a hundred per cent. American. Not only is he such in fact, but he is an apostle of Americanism, and as a result of his patriotic preaching over sixty of his boys from the parish of Sts. Cyrillus and Methodus, South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, were with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. As a minister of the Gospel he is both learned and effective; his
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record as a builder of churches, as an organizer, and an administrator, shows him to possess rare quality. As a pastor, he has won his way close to the hearts of his people, and the good Father accompanied by his shepherd dog is a familiar figure in South Bethlehem, as he makes his calls upon the sick and needy. He has a medal for his work on Liberty bonds. He is chairman of the American organization.
Francis C. Vlossak was born in Bobro, a town of Hungary, Europe, October 10, 1864, and there obtained his primary education. In 1881 he entered the gymnasium at Grosswarden (Hungarian name, Nagyvarad), a city of Hungary among the oldest, the seat of two Catholic bishops, one of the Latin, the other of the Greek rite. The city has a college of law, and many other higher educational institutions, and there the lad pursued his studies to graduation. Being intended for the priesthood, he then entered the seminary at Bistritz (Hungarian name, Bisrtercze), a town of Hungary, passing thence to the American College, at Louvain, Belgium. During this period he had also performed his service in the Austrian Army, stationed at Vienna. Since he was destined for the church in the United States, he acquired the English tongue, and completed his studies in divinity. In that beautiful Belgian town, since doomed to fate which is not equalled for its horrors save the other Belgian and French cities which came under the brutal, conscientiousless German power, Father Vlossak was ordained to the priest- hood of the Roman Catholic church, and from there came to the United States in September, 1891, and was made assistant to Monsignor William Heiner, at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. He remained there one year, then was appointed rector at Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, with missions among the Slavs at McAdoo, Shipptown, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Minersville, Lehigh- ton, Shamokin and Mount Carmel. In 1897 he was transferred to the parish of Sts. Cyrillus and Methodus, a Slav congregation at South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and there he passed ten fruitful years. In 1907 a call came from the archbishop of the Philadelphia diocese, and Father Vlossak spent four years in Philadelphia. In 1911 he was returned to his old parish, Sts. Cyrillus and Methodus, much to the satisfaction of that parish and himself.
Father Vlossak's work as an organizer and builder of churches has been demonstrated wherever he has been in charge. At Mahanoy City, McAdoo, Philadelphia, Shenandoah and Bethlehem, churches have been built by him, and in South Bethlehem his large Slav congregation worships in a hand- some church built since Father Vlossak's coming; the parish owns also a rectory and a fine recreation hall for use of the young parishioners, where they are instructed in physical culture and athletics under the direction of the Catholic Sokol Society. The rectory adjoining the church also was erected by the parish since Father Vlossak came to them as their rector and leader. A school of five hundred children, with eight sisters in attendance, is located adjoining the church and parish on Linden street. This school has been established nine years, that is the old church. For four and one- half years, winter and summer, he went fifteen miles to McAdoo every Sunday morning at four o'clock to give Mass, through rain or snow. The good Father is devoted to the interests of his parish, and is constant in his efforts to render to every member just the help he needs just when he needs it. He now holds missions at Bridgeport, Connecticut, and at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Everybody in South Bethlehem knows him and all respect him, not alone as a priest of the church, but as a man and a good American citizen.
DOMINICK MANGINO-In sunny Italy, in the city of Gioia, Province of Bari, thirty-eight miles from Taranto, Dominick Mangino, now a con- tractor and builder of Easton, Pennsylvania, was born and there spent his boyhood. He was the eldest of the five children of John and Grace (Romano)
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Mangino, and when seven years of age was left fatherless. The family was left without means, and at this early age the boy Dominick began helping his mother earn the family living. The habits of industry and thrift which thus early became a part of his daily life and education were intensified as the lad grew older, and became an integral part of his nature. As every opportunity was improved then, so each succeeding one has been, and when in freer, kinder surroundings, he eagerly grasped the new and better oppor- tunities, and he is now one of Easton's trusted builders and citizens.
Some years after being left a widow by the death of John Mangino, Mrs. Grace (Romano) Mangino married a second husband, Dominick Merchione. Some of her sons served efficiently in the Italian Army, and in the great World War, 1914-18, upheld their country's honor against the attacks of the cruel and conscienceless Germans. A younger brother of Dominick, Arch- angel, was killed in battle shortly after Italy joined the Allies.
Dominick Mangino was born March 26, 1882, began light work at the age of seven, and at the age of fifteen was a mason's helper. At that agte he began learning the mason's trade. He served a five years' apprenticeship, then was with his uncle, Oranzo Latarollo, engaged in contracting. At the age of twenty-three, in 1905, he came to the United States, arriving in New York, where he remained until 1912, engaged as a contractor and living at No. 62 Oliver street. During that period he married, and in' 1912 removed to Easton, Pennsylvania, his present home and place of business. In New York he only worked at his trade as a journeyman for about one year, then began contracting, becoming well known and prosperous. In Easton he has duplicated that success, and has built many houses during his six years in the city. He has erected for his own account and still owns four double tenement houses on Madison street, another on Canal street, and a single house on Apricot street, also vacant lots elsewhere. He is assisted in his work by his wife, and his success is the more remarkable, owing to the fact that his education was sadly neglected, he not being able to read. He is a member of St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, and of Easton Board of Trade, and in politics is a Republican.
Dominick Mangino married, June 6, 1909, Dora Farina, born in Santa Stefano, Island of Sicily, Italy, December 6, 1893, but was brought to the United States by her mother when three months old, her father being in this country. Her mother returned to Italy, but when her daughter was eighteen months old came again to New York. Mrs. Mangino was educated in New York City public schools, and while living in that city was married. She is the daughter of Angelo and Jennie (Serio) Farina. Her maternal grandmother, Domiana Palmisano, is now living with her children, Mr. and Mrs. Angelo Farina, in Easton, aged sixty-seven years. Her paternal grand- mother, Mrs. Basila Farina, died in Italy, aged one hundred and three years, her husband, Antonio Farina, also living to very advanced years. Mr. and Mrs. Mangino are the parents of four children: John, Angelo, Grace and Joseph.
JAMES G. MECHALAKOS-As one of the proprietors of the "Easton Sweet Shop," at the northeast corner of Center square, Easton, operated by the firm, Laskaris & Mechalakos, the partners have taken a prominent place in the Greek mercantile colony of Easton. James G. Mechalakos is a son of George Mechalakos, and a grandson of Thomas Mechalakos, the latter a wheat grower and sheep raiser in the province of Sparta, Greece. George Mechalakos was born, lived and died at the home farm in Sparta, Greece, a wheat farmer, a grape and olive grower. He died in 1906, aged sixty-two years. He married Demetre Matthews, who survives him, still living at the old farm in Greece, aged seventy years. Children: Vigglia, living in Greece ; Katherine, living in Greece; Stavros, living in Sparta; Stratigo, living in
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the old country ; James G., of further mention; Anthony, who was a member of the United States Army of Occupation, stationed in the town of Esteraach, Germany, now returned to the United States; he joined the United States Army in Albany, New York.
James G. Mechalakos was born near the city of Sparta, Greece, in the town of Xerokampe, April 24, 1886. This town is in the center of an olive growing district, and there the lad attended school and helped in the fields until the age of fifteen, his father being a wheat grower as well as a fruit raiser. He remained at home with his father as his farm assistant for two years, after leaving school, and then, in 1903, at the age of seventeen, came to the United States, sailing from Antwerp and landing in New York in the spring of that year. For part of one year he was employed in Brooklyn, then started a restaurant at the corner of Gates avenue and Broadway, Brook- lyn, in partnership with his brother, Anthony. They continued in profitable business until 1914, when James G. sold out to his brother. In 1916 he located in Easton, formed a partnership with a fellow countryman, and opened the Easton Sweet Shop under the firm name, Laskaris & Mechalakos. Mr. Mechalakos is a member of the Greek Orthodox church.
OTTO TACHOVSKY-Four-fifths of the people of Bohemia are Czechs, a Slavic race with a language of their own, an old and well developed litera- ture, and strong national feeling. The recent creation of a Czech-Slovak nation as a result of the recent great war recalls the fact that a bitter struggle for ascendency had long existed between Czechs and Germans of Bohemia, the Czechs regarding the country as their national domain, it having originally been a Slavic kingdom. They long insisted on the right of Bohemia to enjoy an autonomous position under the Austro-Hungarian monarch analo- gous to that held by Hungary. Bohemia derives its name from its earliest inhabitant, the Boii, a Celtic, who was expelled soon after the beginning of the Christian era. About the middle of the sixth century a numerous army of Czechs entered the country and subdued it. Since 1526 Bohemia has been ruled by the house of Austria, and prior to the recent war was a province and nominal kingdom of Austria-Hungary. Even prior to the year 1900, the revival of a national spirit among the Czechs had culminated in a revolu- tionary agitation which was a menace to the Austro-Hungarian realm, and when the Allied victories of 1918 paved the way, the Czech-Slovak govern- inent seized the reins.
It is in this country which possesses one of the largest institutions of learning in Europe, the University of Prague, that Otto Tachovsky was born, April 9, 1873, son of John and Therezia (Sekerka) Tachovsky, the family of pure Czech origin. His father was a brewer, and until the winter of 1888 the lad, Otto, remained at home. He then came to the United States, landed in New York City at Castle Garden, December 18, 1888, and soon found his way to Phoenixville, where he found employment in the general store owned by John Gosztpnyi. He also helped to edit and print The Sloviak Ameriki, one of the first papers to be printed in the Slavic language in the United States. He also aided in the mechanical preparation of the first book printed in the Slavic language in the United States, entitled, "Janosik," the romance of a national hero. The lad, Otto, remained in Phoenixville for about two years, then spent the years, until 1893, in the city of Philadelphia, where he added to his educational equipment by night school attendance. He was variously employed in Philadelphia, and after attending the World's Fair in Chicago, in 1893, he settled in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, find- ing employment in the William Zerwik meat market. A year there was followed by a term of service in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, in a general store and meat market. He then returned to South Bethlehem, where he embraced an opportunity to purchase the Zerwik meat market, in which he had for-
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