Michael Bondura

Michael Bondura was born October 1849 in Ruthenia, Austria-Hungary. Ruthenia is a region in SW Ukraine containing the Carpathian Mountains. Prior to WWI it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Michael married Clara Chaney in 1874 or 1875 in Ruthenia, Austria-Hungary. Clara was born September 1858 in Ruthenia, Austria-Hungary. She died after 1913 in Coal Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Michael came to the US in 1882 or 1884. He was a coal miner. Clara came to the US in 1885 or 1886. The nineteenth century Ruthenian immigrants have been very frankly described by one historian as "refugees" from the poverty and socio-political discrimination which oppressed them in their native lands. Read more about their story and about Carpatho-Rusyn Society.

Michael and Clara had 16 children but only 3 survived infancy:

  1. Mary Bondura was the eldest child. Mary married John Andrews.
  2. Child Bondura. Died in sledding accident at age 8.
  3. Andrew Leonard Bondura Sr. was born 27 November 1897 in Marion Heights, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest child. Andrew married Mary Helen Kolego. Andrew died 17 Jan 1982 in Dundalk, Baltimore County, Maryland.

1900 Census: Coal Twp.-East Coal Precinct, Northumberland Co., PA, Page 68A, House 316, Family 316
Michael Bondura 50, Coal Miner, born in Austria, Came to US in 1882
Clara 41, born in Austria, Came to US in 1885, Mary 14, In school, Edward 2

1910 Census: Coal Twp., Northumberland Co., PA, Page 15B, House 173, Family 173
Michael Bondura 60, Laborer in Coal Mine, born in Austria, Ruthenian, Came to US in 1884
Clara 48, born in Austria, Ruthenian, Came to US in 1886, Edward 13, Slate Picker in Coal Mine

Michael died in a mining accident: 15th/16th Anthracite Districts, Northumberland Co., PA
Report of annual mining deaths 1913: 10 April. Bondura, Mike, Polish, Laborer, age 63, married, leaving 1 widow and 0 children. Hickory Ridge Colliery. Fatally injured by being squeezed between mine cars.

Questions?    Comments!   Write to Mark Geesey: geesey_fmly06(at)comcast.net

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