Zupsich History transcribed from written story by Ann Zupsich Morris
of Taylorville, Macoupin County, Illinois, USA ca 1970.
Mijo and his wife Mary, were married in Selo Bost, which was a tiny village
in the hills. The nearest town was Barilovac, and it had a Post Office.
Mijo and his sister Yana, who later married John Brozich, walked 11 miles
to work each day, where they worked in a factory that made yard goods. They
then walked 11 miles back home.
Their father, John, was a farmer.
When Mijo and his brother John took wives, they all lived together on the
family homestead. One female would take care of the house and children, the rest
of the family would work the land or work in a factory.
Ella and John Zubcic, their children, Yana (later Mrs Brozich) Kata, (later
Mrs. Bellovich), John and his wife Mary and their child and Mija and his wife
Mary and their two children, John and Matt ("Bones") all lived
together in the same small cottage.
Mary, the wife of Mijo was the one
elected to remain in the house and care for it and the children. When Mijo and
Mary were married, their witnesses were his oldest sister Barbara and her
husband, George Biscan. Mijo Zubcic became a naturalized citizen of the United
States on June 7, 1940 and at the time was known as Mike Zupsich
Kata started on the trip with him,
but was turned back at Prague because her papers were not in order. So she made
the journey in 1904 when some man in Staunton arranged for her to come to
Staunton to marry Mike Bellovich...a complete stranger. She was married in St.
Michael's the Archangel Church in Staunton. Yana, (later Ms. Brozich) came to
this country in 1906 to Staunton and married John Brozich.
John migrated to America first--to Staunton, IL. John Zubcic who was the first to come to America, lived in East Chicago, Indiana.