My family has a mix of ethnicity. On my grandmas side, her father was from Greece, and her mother was Italian, on my grandpas side, his father was Irish, and his mother was Lithuanian. They all moved here in the late 1920's and early 1930's through Ellis Island. When my grandmas parents came here they changed their name from Schetzk to Davis. All of them spread out through New Jersey where my grandpa and grandma met, my grandmas side eventually moved to Pennsylvania after my grandma and grandpa were married at a very young age, she was 16 and he was 15. My grandpas father fought in World War I, and my grandmas father fought in World War II.
My grandma's mother was a very caring person, she was very family oriented. She died at an early age due to cirosis of the liver. My grandma's father was a very good mechanic in New Jersey, his four children were taught respect, and almost worshiped the ground he walked on. He died when my grandma was nine because of a motorcycle accident. My grandpa's father was very strict, but he was very successful. He owned his own business called Tarney and Sons Extermination, which became one of the biggest exterminating companies in that part of the country. He also had a Parrot that was named Mr. T, and the bird would yell at anybody he didn't like, which was most people. Grandpa's mother worked as a bookkeeper for her husbands company, she had seven kids, and was an excellent cook. Growing up my grandma lived near the New Jersey State Penitentiary, her and her friends would go walk around the yard and try to see the prisoners. During the riots of 1968 she looked out her window and was told by police that if she didn't put her head back inside she would be shot by the sniper across the street. During those riots caused by racism people were not allowed to leave their homes, and the National Guard was on patrol at all times driving their trucks around making sure nobody left their house.
After my grandma married my grandpa at a young age they moved to California so they did not have so many family members telling them what to do. They lived in a lot of different places in California. They lived in Venice, Culver City, Northern California, and Orange County. My dad and grandpa worked out at a gym called Bloks Gym which was one of the first hardcore bodybuilding gyms in the country. During the time they lived in California they dealt with the Rodney King Riots, caused by police beating up an African American, Pattie Hearst being kidnapped and brainwashed, and the Sharon Tate murders with Charles Manson. My grandpa ended up doing a termite inspection for the company he was working for on the house where the murders took place.
I hope you have enjoyed this article on my family history!
Source: I interviewed my Grandma Tarney.
Picture of where grandpas business was
Comments
My dad got a job opportunity at Union Pacific in either Council Bluffs or I think Nevada, he chose Council Bluffs. He met my mom they moved to Oregon where I was born, then moved back to be closer to my mom's family.
Very interesting! So how did you land in Iowa?