Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Portrait John Gruszewski and Anelia Kula Gruszewsi |
Catalog Number |
1984.055.008 |
Description |
This photo is of John Gruszewski and his wife, Anelia Kula Gruszewsi. Taken at their farm home at 341 Oakland Avenue after they were gardening for the day. John and his two brothers owned the Polish grocery store at 21 Kosciuszko St in Manchester, NH. John, his wife Anelia, and their 7 living children lived on the 2nd floor of a building on the corner of Union and Pearl Streets in Manchester. The family occupied the 2nd floor and supplemented their income by leasing out the 3rd floor to new Polish immigrants who came to work in the millyard. Anelia would also provide them with home cooked Polish meals, manage their laundry and child care in addition to caring for her own family. John's brothers decided to leave Manchester for Pennsylvania to set up a new Polish grocery store lured by higher profit and greater population density. John and Anelia soon decided to move their now teenage boys from the middle of the city after observing what they felt was shameful, seedy behavior among the population in their neighborhood. John sold the grocery store and they purchased a large farm at 341 Oakland Avenue whose property also extended for acres across Candia Road. The old farmhouse had several bathrooms, its own wood/coal hot air furnace, a substantial well system, and ample bedrooms for their children who now spanned the ages of 3-18. Here the family thrived for 3 generations. John and the boys managed the farm animals, fields, and gardens. Anelia had her own flower, herb, vegetable, and berry gardens. She made cheeses, butter, sold milk and cream, jams, jellies, relishes and occasionally pastries in addition to cooking for the growing family. The family thrived and melded into the New America. The boys served in the Army and Navy. Everyone worked in the Manchester mills at some time, including the McElwin Shoe Company and Page Street Rug factory. The home remained in the family for several generations. Anelia and John's granddaughter Janice sold the property after her mother passed away. Jancie's father was the youngest Gruszewski son. He and his family lived at 341 Oakland Avenue to care for his mother, Anelia, until she passed away at the age of 89. The Stanley Gruszewski family continued living there until his wife, Josephine Spiewak Gruszewski, passed away February 23, 2015 at the age of 93. Copy photograph part of the Local History Project, Polish Community, Bald Hill, Courtesy of Elenka Czaja, August 1984 |
Place |
Manchester/New Hampshire |
Date |
1930-1939 |
Year Range from |
1930 |
Year Range to |
1939 |
Photographer |
Unknown |
Subjects |
Local History Project Polish Community Bald Hill Portraits Men Women Houses |
Number of images |
1 |
Collection |
MHA Photoprint Collection |
Accession number |
1984.055 |