Edward Zabowski and the “killer cat,” as he was known, siting on the back porch of the family home on Mitchell St. in Detroit.

Edward Zabowski and the “killer cat,” as he was known, siting on the back porch of the family home on Mitchell St. in Detroit.

2 months ago  5 notes View high resolution

This was the neighboring photo I found in the scrapbook that allowed me to identify and date the previous picture.  Like the other shot it was taken on September 4, 1927 on Mitchell Street in Detroit.  In it we have cousins Nellie Czwynski & Pete (which looks like my Grandfather Pete Zabowski), and on the far right is my Grandma’s sister Josephine.   I remember Auntie Jo very well.  She was (according to my childhood memory) always smiling and laughed a lot.  She also had the classic “blue hair,” which in reality was more of a light turquoise color.  Sadly, I’ve never met anyone from the Czwynski side of the family.  They came from Swoyersville in Eastern PA, and as far as I know that is where this family line remained.   This will be my last post until after the start of the new year.  So I hope all of you have a Happy Holidays and thanks for taking an interest.  Check back at the start of 2012.

This was the neighboring photo I found in the scrapbook that allowed me to identify and date the previous picture.  Like the other shot it was taken on September 4, 1927 on Mitchell Street in Detroit.  In it we have cousins Nellie Czwynski & Pete (which looks like my Grandfather Pete Zabowski), and on the far right is my Grandma’s sister Josephine.  

I remember Auntie Jo very well.  She was (according to my childhood memory) always smiling and laughed a lot.  She also had the classic “blue hair,” which in reality was more of a light turquoise color.  Sadly, I’ve never met anyone from the Czwynski side of the family.  They came from Swoyersville in Eastern PA, and as far as I know that is where this family line remained.  

This will be my last post until after the start of the new year.  So I hope all of you have a Happy Holidays and thanks for taking an interest.  Check back at the start of 2012.

1 year ago  9 notes View high resolution

UPDATE: I posted this shot about two weeks ago and had no info about it other than it looks like my Grandma on the left and appears to be taken about 1928 in front of the family home on Mitchell St.  Well this morning I was going through the collection of family stuff and was paging through a scrapbook that my Grandma had made.  In it was this photo with the caption “Cousins All.”  While the copy in the scrapbook doesn’t have anything written on the back the two neighboring shots do!  What I can now tell you is that this photo was taken on September 4, 1927 (which makes my Grandma 21).  While I don’t have the gents name I can tell you that the girl on the far right is Nellie Czwynski, and that she lived in Swoyersville, PA (near Wilkes-Barre).  That was my Great Grandmother’s last name.  She was a twin and they were orphans.  They came from a small town in Poland that had some really rough times that I briefly chronicled here.  Anyway, I’m glad that I found some info on this shot and also find it very interesting to see the faces of long ago distant cousins. 

UPDATE: I posted this shot about two weeks ago and had no info about it other than it looks like my Grandma on the left and appears to be taken about 1928 in front of the family home on Mitchell St.  Well this morning I was going through the collection of family stuff and was paging through a scrapbook that my Grandma had made.  In it was this photo with the caption “Cousins All.”  While the copy in the scrapbook doesn’t have anything written on the back the two neighboring shots do!  What I can now tell you is that this photo was taken on September 4, 1927 (which makes my Grandma 21).  While I don’t have the gents name I can tell you that the girl on the far right is Nellie Czwynski, and that she lived in Swoyersville, PA (near Wilkes-Barre).  That was my Great Grandmother’s last name.  She was a twin and they were orphans.  They came from a small town in Poland that had some really rough times that I briefly chronicled here.  Anyway, I’m glad that I found some info on this shot and also find it very interesting to see the faces of long ago distant cousins. 

1 year ago  3 notes View high resolution

This was Grandma with her camera.  Unbeknownst to me she loved photography, and I completely understand the attraction.  Thinking back to her day she saw the advent of relatively inexpensive means to take a picture.  I wish I could have asked her about how she felt, but honestly I think her photos do a pretty good job of letting us know.  

2 years ago 

Edward Zabowski and the “killer cat,” as he was known, siting on the back porch of the family home on Mitchell St. in Detroit.

Edward Zabowski and the “killer cat,” as he was known, siting on the back porch of the family home on Mitchell St. in Detroit.

This was the neighboring photo I found in the scrapbook that allowed me to identify and date the previous picture.  Like the other shot it was taken on September 4, 1927 on Mitchell Street in Detroit.  In it we have cousins Nellie Czwynski & Pete (which looks like my Grandfather Pete Zabowski), and on the far right is my Grandma’s sister Josephine.   I remember Auntie Jo very well.  She was (according to my childhood memory) always smiling and laughed a lot.  She also had the classic “blue hair,” which in reality was more of a light turquoise color.  Sadly, I’ve never met anyone from the Czwynski side of the family.  They came from Swoyersville in Eastern PA, and as far as I know that is where this family line remained.   This will be my last post until after the start of the new year.  So I hope all of you have a Happy Holidays and thanks for taking an interest.  Check back at the start of 2012.

This was the neighboring photo I found in the scrapbook that allowed me to identify and date the previous picture.  Like the other shot it was taken on September 4, 1927 on Mitchell Street in Detroit.  In it we have cousins Nellie Czwynski & Pete (which looks like my Grandfather Pete Zabowski), and on the far right is my Grandma’s sister Josephine.  

I remember Auntie Jo very well.  She was (according to my childhood memory) always smiling and laughed a lot.  She also had the classic “blue hair,” which in reality was more of a light turquoise color.  Sadly, I’ve never met anyone from the Czwynski side of the family.  They came from Swoyersville in Eastern PA, and as far as I know that is where this family line remained.  

This will be my last post until after the start of the new year.  So I hope all of you have a Happy Holidays and thanks for taking an interest.  Check back at the start of 2012.

UPDATE: I posted this shot about two weeks ago and had no info about it other than it looks like my Grandma on the left and appears to be taken about 1928 in front of the family home on Mitchell St.  Well this morning I was going through the collection of family stuff and was paging through a scrapbook that my Grandma had made.  In it was this photo with the caption “Cousins All.”  While the copy in the scrapbook doesn’t have anything written on the back the two neighboring shots do!  What I can now tell you is that this photo was taken on September 4, 1927 (which makes my Grandma 21).  While I don’t have the gents name I can tell you that the girl on the far right is Nellie Czwynski, and that she lived in Swoyersville, PA (near Wilkes-Barre).  That was my Great Grandmother’s last name.  She was a twin and they were orphans.  They came from a small town in Poland that had some really rough times that I briefly chronicled here.  Anyway, I’m glad that I found some info on this shot and also find it very interesting to see the faces of long ago distant cousins. 

UPDATE: I posted this shot about two weeks ago and had no info about it other than it looks like my Grandma on the left and appears to be taken about 1928 in front of the family home on Mitchell St.  Well this morning I was going through the collection of family stuff and was paging through a scrapbook that my Grandma had made.  In it was this photo with the caption “Cousins All.”  While the copy in the scrapbook doesn’t have anything written on the back the two neighboring shots do!  What I can now tell you is that this photo was taken on September 4, 1927 (which makes my Grandma 21).  While I don’t have the gents name I can tell you that the girl on the far right is Nellie Czwynski, and that she lived in Swoyersville, PA (near Wilkes-Barre).  That was my Great Grandmother’s last name.  She was a twin and they were orphans.  They came from a small town in Poland that had some really rough times that I briefly chronicled here.  Anyway, I’m glad that I found some info on this shot and also find it very interesting to see the faces of long ago distant cousins. 

This was Grandma with her camera.  Unbeknownst to me she loved photography, and I completely understand the attraction.  Thinking back to her day she saw the advent of relatively inexpensive means to take a picture.  I wish I could have asked her about how she felt, but honestly I think her photos do a pretty good job of letting us know.  

About:

My Grandma Gen Kownacki, nee Zabowski, died in 2002. Shortly after her death I helped my father clean out her house and I came across hundreds of old photographs. Along with the photos there were plenty of negatives (sadly, I haven't had the chance to scan them). I never knew that she loved photography so much in her youth, though it does help explain why she supported my own interest. This collection of photos starts in the 1920s in Detroit and ends after WWII with her living in Chicago. Some of the images are simply snap shots of friends and relatives. Then there are some that are a little bit more. I hope you enjoy this peak into the past. Frank Kownacki (FPKownacki@aol.com)


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