A Piece of the Past:
Oral History
To learn more about my ancestors, I chose to talk to my grandfather about his grandparents, parents, and life. He grew up close with his parents, so I knew he would give me valuable information about the events I did not know about. He was in the army just as his father before him, so he also knows more about war stories than I would begin to understand. Learning about your ancestors is hard, yet it becomes easier once you talk to someone who actually knew them.
Talking to my grandpa, Michael Laroche Onufer, helped me learn a lot about my great-great grandparents and helped me figure out missing pieces to my timeline. The interview I had with him is below.
*First ten seconds are silent.
Isabel: Ok, it should be recording now. Ok, hello. Are you ready to start?
Michael: I’m ready.
Isabel: Ok, did you ever meet your grandparents?
Michael: Y-yes.
Isabel: Ok, ok good talk, if so, did he know much about his parent’s immigration or about their past in Slovakia?
Michael: Very little, knew he was from Czechoslovakia, and they came over in 1915, and it was due to the war in Germany. The Germans I think ran over Czechoslovakia and ran them out and they came to this country. They came over on a ship back then they called them indentured servants. They had to work two years in a factory to pay their way over here. They settled in Paramus New Jersey and raised their family. He delivered ice there and my grandmother worked in a knitting machine for I think the company was, I’m not sure the name of the company, but it was a big knitting machine where they made textiles.
Isabel: Oh dang, I didn’t get that in my research. That is interesting. What were your grandparents like?
Michael: They were, I think they were a little stricter as far as raising their children. They were very Christian, both were Catholics, but my grandmother’s nickname was bead-rattler because she always had the rosary, and they lived in a small community, a small house in Passaic which is next to Paramus and they were fairly humble, but they had four children. They had Mary, Francie, Michael, and George.
Isabel: Mmhmm.
Michael: My father’s mother’s maiden name was Rawl, R-A-W-L, and they came over of course through Ellis Island.
Isabel: Yeah I got that record actually.
Michael: Oh, great ok, and as far as that, that’s about all I know. They did live with one of their children, my grandfather had an accident when he was fifty-six and was hit in the head with a sledgehammer, he was holding a spike to be driven into the ground, and the guy accidentally hit him in the head. Then he had a seizure after that and was unable to work. My mother, I mean my grandmother still worked and was really the provider as far as the house was concerned.
Isabel: Oh dang.
Michael: At a different time, she was a great cook, and everyone enjoyed her. Mostly, she made breads, different types of breads, donuts, I think Isabel that’s about it.
Isabel: Yeah like the only thing that linked them to Slovakia, I found their parent’s baptism records from the church they went to, it is a pretty cool looking church. I will have to show you it.
Michael: Oh yeah, I would love to see it.
Isabel: It is wooden.
Michael: Huh.
Isabel: Yeah, it’s pretty interesting. I’ll show you it soon, but that’s why I knew you’ve been Catholic ever since, even in Slovakia.
Michael: Oh yeah, big Catholics. My grandmother came and stayed with my mother, I’m going to say after my dad died in 1968, and she stayed with her a year, somewhere around there and lived with my mother.
Isabel: Oh, that is interesting. That is very interesting actually. Ok, so next question. Did they follow any Slovakian traditions or cultural practices once they lived in America?
Michael: Only food, the food that they ate. I would think that would be the only tradition they did follow.
Isabel: So, they didn’t bring over anything. Yeah because whenever we were supposed to find traditions or cultural things, I just didn’t think our family did too much with Slovakian culture.
Michael: She had sisters that lived over there still, and he did still have some family over there, but you know nobody really kept in touch except Patricia kept in touch with one cousin. Patricia went over there and visited with them about two years ago
Isabel: Oh really was that a good experience for her?
Michael: Yeah, oh yeah, they showed her everything, you know took her through town and showed her everything.
Isabel: Dang, do you think she has any pictures from that or anything?
Michael: Oh yeah, she does I’m sure. You have to get those from her.
Isabel: Yeah, that would make my project much better. Ok let’s see, did your grandfather ever talk about what it was like to be the son of an immigrant family?
Michael: No.
Isabel: No? Never?
Michael: NO, he did not.
Isabel: Ok that’s all right. We’ll go to the next one. I know that your dad fought in World War II, did he talk about the war at all?
Michael: Yeah, he talked very little about the war. We found out most of this through my Uncle George who also in the war flew a P-51 fighter plane and was shot down over France and escaped back to England through the French underground. Then, he was shot in the backside by a German. That much I know.
Isabel: So, he got shot?
Michael: He got shot, yeah in the backside by a German.
Isabel: Oh dang, I did not know he got shot.
Michael: Uh-huh he did.
Isabel: So, he survived a lot.
Michael: Yeah, he did.
Isabel: How did your father move to South Carolina?
Michael: My father came to work for a company in Passaic, it was Ray Bestest Manhattan Company, and they made asbestos textiles and rubber products, and they built a plant in Charleston South Carolina that followed West Pako pulp and paper company and his job was to make the big rubber rolls they used to use on paper machines to squeeze the pulp to turn it into paper.
Isabel: Oh that is interesting, I didn’t even know that was a job that you had to do.
Michael: Yeah.
Isabel: So a job is why he came to South Carolina?
Michael: Yes, his job is why he came to South Carolina, and that is when he met my mother, and they got married in 1939.
Isabel: Yeah, that was actually my next question too. How did he meet your mother?
Michael: They met because I think my uncle set them up for a date. I am not sure about that, but that’s what I think. My mother had five siblings, and she met my father. She lived in North Charleston, and my father lived in North Charleston, and I imagine they met in North Charleston.
Isabel: Makes sense, that makes sense. They just met, that’s a good story. And then, how was your childhood being raised?
Michael: How was my childhood?
Isabel: Yeah, how was your childhood being raised up?
Michael: My childhood was wonderful. I went to a Catholic grammar school. My mother and my father were fabulous people. They raised us traditionally. You know, we ate most every meal together especially Sundays. We ate Sunday meals together and most Saturdays. During the week, we also ate together as a family. Traditional Catholics said our prayers before eating, and during Lent, my brothers and sisters and I said the rosary every night. Which when you were that young was not a whole lot of fun.
Isabel: See, I don’t even know what that is.
Michael: It is fifty separate prayers.
Isabel: 50?
Michael: 50.
Isabel: And, you guys said them?
Michael: Yeah we said them.
Isabel: Oh dang, Dad did not bring the Catholic culture into our house.
Michael: They definitely brought the Catholic culture into the house. My father was after the war, he was a ship Chandler and supplied the victory ships the rebuild Europe. He supplied them with food supplies and maintenance supplies, and he started his own business doing that in 1947.
Isabel: So, he helped with the reconstruction of Europe?
Michael: And, my mother worked as a school teacher. North Charleston High School and it was during the war when my dad was gone, and she graduated from the College of Charleston in 1937.
Isabel: Oh, so she went where Ben goes?
Michael: Yeah.
Isabel: Oh that’s interesting, I didn’t know that, so she was she went to college and then started teaching?
Michael: Yeah, she started teaching at North Charleston High School.
Isabel: Alright, that’s all the questions I have, unless you have something you want to add or anything.
Michael: You got all the stuff. So let’s see. Growing up, we had a close family There was a lot going on with the family and all the other family members really seem to get together once a week anyway, and we ate dinner together. But that that was most families in that then during that time did about the same thing. About what like y’all do. Y’all like to have our dinners together.
Isabel: Yeah, we like to have our dinners together.
Michael: Yeah, I mean that’s a really important thing.
Isabel: I like to go home on alot of weekends, so I can see everyone.
Michael: I don’t blame you.
Isabel: I’m going to home this weekend to see Caroline’s prom.
Michael: Oh really, when is that?
Isabel: Saturday, I’m going to go help her with her make-up and then, and I’m starting to move out already, so I’m taking some of the stuff home.
Michael: Well, she’s growing up too, both of y’all are starting to grow up.
Isabel: Oh yeah, she’s going to be applying for colleges next.
Michael: Oh, yeah, I won’t be long.
Isabel: I know she has to start applying in a few months.
Michael: Oh, I know it gets better to go ahead and apply early.
Isabel: Oh yeah, she’s wanting to go more to the two years because she’s wanting to be like a dental hygienist or something.
Michael: Yeah, Kristy was a respiratory therapist
Isabel: Oh yeah, Dad has been wanting her to do that a lot.
Michael: Yeah, she made real good money, she really did.
Isabel: I feel like that would be good for Caroline, she just doesn’t like school. That’s the only issue.
Michael: I don’t think many people like school. It’s just something you got to do.
Isabel: I enjoy school actually. It gives me something to do.
Michael: That’s great. That’s good. I can’t think of a whole lot else, you know, we grow up in the tight-knit family. My dad had a business and he died in 68. He died in 1968 and he died at 52. Then my mother died when she was 63 and I think it was 1983 when she died. Daddy had a heart attack in my mother had cancer. They were great people. They really were I wish they were alive then y’all could have met them. They were really really good people like Larry and Jean.
Isabel: I wish I could have met them
Michael: You guys would have thoroughly enjoyed meeting them.
Isabel: I wish I could have even known G’mal a little more.
Michael: It would have been good. It really would have Isabel.
Isabel: I know, I at least got to meet her.
Michael: Did you get Johnny’s pictures? I sent him the text before I called you, so I haven’t checked to see if he answered yet.
Michael: Yeah, I know. I mean we got some other pictures of the gliders they flew.
Isabel: Oh, yeah, any pictures I can put in will be good.
Michael: Well, I don’t know where they are. I’ll tell you who you really need to talk to who has done some research is Michael, Johnny’s son.
Isabel: Michael Onufer? Did he do it because of college or just because?
He did it just because
OK, that’s cool. Okay I might call him.
Michael: Yeah call him or email him. He’s not here but email him or call him in the morning.
Isabel: And see what he has to say, okay.
Michael: Yeah, I mean he did a lot of research.
Isabel: Ok, so I’m going to get Aunt Patricia for some pictures and then Michael Onufer for some information.
Michael: Yeah, I think I think your aunt Patricia had a bunch of stuff after my mother died, she took a bunch of stuff. So, she probably has a lot more stuff than most of us. A lot of pictures.
Isabel: Ok, that’s good.
Isabel: Yeah, I don’t think I have many many. Dad does not have much. I’m just trying to scrounge some up.
Michael: I’ll look tonight and see what I’ve got, ok.
Isabel: Thank you.
Michael: I might have some laying around here. I’m not sure but I’ll definitely look, but I know Patricia’s got a bunch.
Isabel: I’ll definitely give her a call.
Michael: Yeah, give her a call, please. She would love to help you.
Isabel: Dad sent me everyone’s number, so I will.
Michael: That would be good.
Isabel: So I need to end this actually, I have to transcribe the entire thing. We did good on time, I was trying to get about twenty minutes.
Michael: I’ll see you later.
Isabel: I’ll see you later too.
Michael: Alright Isabel, well you take care. I love you, and I hope everything works out for you. And if you need any more information about World War Two, ask Michael. Johnny’s Michael.
Isabel: Okay thank you so much for helping me.
Michael: Oh, youre so welcome. Please let me read it after you finish.
Isabel: Ok, I will.
Michael: Alright, that sounds great. Alright Isabel. Take care. I mean, I love you.
Isabel: Love you.
Michael: Love you, too. Bye.
