IRISH SLAVONIANS IN CALIFORNIA 1849 - 1880 Contrary to stereotypes of clannishness, many male "Slavonian" immigrants to California chose brides from outside their own nationality; Irish wives seem to have been particularly favored! The following information is taken from a special edition of a publication of the Slavonic American Historical and Genealogical Society, originally compiled and published by Adam S. Eterovich of San Francisco, California, in December 1964. ************************************************************************* It has always been assumed by contemporary Those who made a "strike" eventually returned writers on the subject of Jugoslavs, Croatians, returned to the metropolitan areas San Francisco, Serbians, etc., that the southern Slavs gravitated Sacramento and San Jose; others settled in the to "colonies" upon coming to America did not stray mining districts and purchased land, as was the out of the confines of their own social ehnic group. case in the Amador region. The Jugoslav pioneers in California from 1849 They opened restaurants, fruit markets, saloons and to 1880 came as single men seeking their fortunes wineries throughout California. This period also brought in the gold fields of the fabulous Mother Lode thoughts of family, home and land. A few returned home regions of the lower Sierra Nevada mountain range. for wives and brought brothers and friends to California. It is known that the majority came by way of Panama Some of the pioneers sent for wives by way of their or around the Horn on sailing ships; some left families, but it must be noted that very few came with their ships as seamen and others paid their passage wives and children originally. More than half of the from New York and New Orleans. A few may have come pioneers married women of various nationalities. from New Orleans overland by covered wagon via Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and on into California. The majority of these pioneers came from Dalmatia, Montenegro and Istria. It's estimated that at least The Majority started from San Francisco to the gold 90% were Croatian. The first pioneers called themselves mining areas of Nevada Co., El Dorado, Placer, "Slavonians" and were known as such by the general Butte, Calaveras, and Amador and the silver mines of American public. Nevada. ************************************************************************* A survey of the 1860,1870 and 1880 census shows nativity of wives as follows (total 286): General Yugoslav 100 General American 27 Argentina 1 IRELAND 55 Belgium 1 Mexico 29 Calif. Mexican/Span 36 Portugal 2 Canada 4 Russia 1 Chile 4 Scotland 1 England 6 South America 1 France 3 Spain 1 Germany 9 Switzerland 3 Italy 1 Wales 1 This report on Irish Slavonians was extracted from the U.S. Census of Population and the following churches of San Francisco: Old St. Mary's, St. Rose, St. John, St. Brendan, St. Joseph, St. Peter, St Brigid, St Teresa, and St. Boniface. A complete survey of all churches in California would certainly produce many more family groups. The Irish choice is evident. Name Age Year Occupation Nativity Location Antunovich, Nikola 30 1866 Coffee saloon Konavije San Francisco Gannon, Catherine 19 1866 Wife Ireland Dorminik 1866 S.F. Nikola 1866 " " Joseph 1866 " " Florie 1871 " " Anne 1873 " " Edward 1874 " Nikola 1875 " Americh, Mateo 33 1857 Grape grower Brac San Jose Elizabeth 27 1857 Wife Ireland John 1857 San Jose Catherine 1859 " Elizabeth 1860 " Mathew 1865 " Paul 1868 " Isabella 1873 " Margaret 1874 " Barichievich, John 33 1869 Saloon/Hotel Dalmatia San Francisco Harty, Anne 25 1869 Wife Ireland Mary 1880 S.F. Anna 1880 " Batich, Thomas 28 1870 Laborer Austria Sacramento Mary 29 1870 Wife Ireland Beban, Roko 33 1867 Restaurant Slavonia San Francisco Joan 32 1867 Wife Ireland Ludovice 1867 Isadora 1869 Bennet, Peter 34 1856 Fisherman Dalmatia San Francisco Maria 28 1856 Wife Ireland " Anna 1856 San Francis " William 1858 " Edward 1860 " Phillip 1862 " Emma 1868 " Bralich,Trifone 29 1874 Saloon Kotor San Francisco Hogan, Agnes 19 1874 Wife S.F (Irish) " Emily 1874 " Charlotte 1875 " Braskin,William 26 1857 Gold Miner Austria Tuolomne Ruth 27 1857 Wife Ireland " Juan 1857 Tuolomne " William 1859 " Bernard 1861 " R. 1863 " C. 1866 " James 1868 " Bujovich, John 1882 Waiter Austria San Francisco Kennedy,Catherine 1882 Wife Ireland " Ceernogorcevich,Chr 33 1874 Restaurant Slavonia San Francisco Ellen 22 1874 Wife Ireland " Nicholas 1874 S.F. " Edwrd 1876 " Chielovich,Elia 35 1859 Liquor Risan San Francisco Jane 21 1859 Wife Ireland " Mollie 1859 S.F. " Colombo,Mateo 40 1880 Drayman Konavlje San Francisco Elizabeth 1880 Wife Ireland " George 1880 S.F. " Frank 1880 " John 1880 " Mary 1880 " Nicholas 1880 " Davis, Edward 26 1852 Gold Miner Austria Amador B. 15 1852 Wife Ireland " Mary Ann 1852 Amador " Harriet 1855 " Davis, John 30 1855 Farmer Dalmatia Contra Costa Connor, Ann 23 1855 Wife Ireland " Frank 1855 Contra Cost " John 1856 " Giovanina 1861 " Peter 1862 " Mary 1863 " James 1866 " Davis, Peter 45 1865 Farmer Dalmatia Contra Costa Margaret 31 1865 Wife Ireland " Anna 1865 Contra Cost " Mary 1866 " Margaret 1869 " Catherine 1871 " Ellen 1873 " Deletis, William 40 1880 Fisherman Hvar San Francisco Julia 40 1880 Wife Ireland " Drascovich, Nichola 28 1873 Restaurant Shavonia San Joaquin Hannah 33 1873 Wife New Jersey " Georgina 1873 San Joaquin " Mitchel 1874 " Estella 1876 " Nicholas 1879 " Carrie 1861 Niece " Emily 1865 Niece " Drobaz, Mateo 38 1870 Coffee Saloon Konavlje San Francisco Annie 27 1870 Wife Ireland " Ewathowich, Owen 43 1878 Laborer Austria San Francisco Ellen 38 1878 Wife Ireland " Catherine 1878 S.F. " Franciscovich Mathe 29 1869 Coffee Saloon Slavonia San Francisco Mary 17 1869 Wife Mass (Irish " Frank 1869 San Francis " Gelcich, Vincent 52 1880 Physician Hvar Los Angeles Agnes 35 1880 Wife Ireland " Lupie 1880 Los Angeles " Pere 1880 " Veronica 1880 " Glover, Andrew (Lju 1863 Slav Interpreter Slavonia San Francisco Jane 22 1863 Wife Ireland " George 1863 S.F. " John 1865 " Stephen 1867 " Margaret 1870 " Mame 1871 " Cosmo 1873 " Andrew 1875 " James 1877 " Jennie 1879 " Grandi-Sassovich,Do 37 1880 Barber Dalmatia San Jose Jane 28 1880 Wife Ireland " Illich, John 27 1849 Coffee Saloon Slavonia San Francisco Maley, Maria 1849 Wife Wife " John 1849 " Mary 1853 " Hannah 1859 " Lucy 1863 " Frank 1865 " William 1866 " Margaret 1868 " Edward 1869 " Heletich,Nikola 31 1865 Gold Miner Dalmatia Amador Elizabeth 40 1865 Wife Ireland " John 1865 Amador " Kostick, Frank 26 1858 Blacksmith Austria San Francisco Sarah 24 1858 Wife Ireland " Clara 1858 Illinois " Thomas 1864 " Frank 1868 " Eve 1870 " Lettich,Anton 30 1870 Boilemaker Dalmatia San Francisco Margaret 30 1870 Wife Irelan d " Peter 1875 S.F. " Michael 1878 Maina,Luka 40 1867 Goldminer Budva Amador Maria 24 1867 Wife Ireland " Mary 1867 Amador " Amalita 1868 " Marco 1871 " Marich,Elia 30 1857 Saloon Dalmatia San Francisco Maria 27 1857 Wife Mass (Irish " George 1857 S.F. " Katie 1863 " Meas 186 Contra Cost " Mary 1869 " Annie 1872 " Thomas 1875 " Amelia 1879 " Marinovich,Marin 37 1867 Saloon Dubrovnik San Francisco Corvin,Catherine 24 1867 Wife Ireland " Partina 1868 S.F. " Lillian 1870 " Ellen 1875 " Marde 1876 " Florence 1878 " Markovich, John 22 1879 Waiter Dalmatia San Francisco McCarthy, Catherine 19 1879 Wife Ireland " Elena 1879 S.F. " Markovich, John 44 1870 Hotel Dalmatia Placer Rosa 29 1870 Wife Ireland " Martin, Louis 50 1870 Liquor Dalmatia San Francisco Annie 50 1870 Wife Ireland " Mascarich, George 34 1856 Farmer Slavonian San Francisco Large, Margaret 19 1856 Wife Ireland " Margaret 1856 S.F. " Julien 1854 New York " Marslich,Dominic 33 1869 Restaurant Dalmatia San Francisco Anne 24 1869 Wife Ireland " Jeannie 1869 S.F. " Ellen 1873 " Mathew, Simon 51 1875 Farmer Dalmatia San Jose Rachel 23 1875 Wife Canada (Iri " John 1875 San Jose " Matich,Michael 1868 Saloon Hercegovina San Francisco Anna 1868 Wife Ireland " Nellie 1870 S.F. " Mary 1875 " Elizabeth 1876 " Annie 1878 " Carolina 1880 " Mattes,Nicholas 33 1880 Grocer Austria Napa Elizabeth 32 1880 Wife N.Y. (Irish " Matulich,Marco 1890 Restaurant Brac San Francisco Kelly,Catherine 1890 Wife Boston (Iri " Metrovich,Peter 1862 Saloon Slavonian San Francisco Flynn,Anna 1862 Wife Ireland " Mathew 1858 Slavonian " Ella 1866 S.F. " Milich,Prospero 32 1880 Fisherman Dalmatia San Francisco Kate 32 1880 Wife Ireland " John 1880 S.F. " Miloglav,M.P. 25 1870 Restaurant Dalmatia San Francisco Margaret 19 1870 Wife Ireland " Mary 1870 S.F. " Margaret 1872 " Peter 1874 " Kate 1876 " Elizabeth 1880 " Miloglav,Nikola 1878 Bartender Dalmatia San Francisco Gibney,Mary 1878 Wife Ireland " Elizabeth 1878 S.F. " Moreno,Joseph 39 1870 Restaurant Slavonian San Francisco Catherine 1870 Wife Ireland " Mary 1880 S.F. " George 1880 " John 1880 " Morris 1880 " Moreno, (cont.) " Agnes 1880 " Walter 1880 " Pavlicevich,John 1872 Saloon Boka San Francisco Eagen, Elizabeth 1872 Wife Ireland " Maria 1872 S.F. " Clara 1872 " May 1880 " Politeo,Vincent 35 1871 Sea Captain Hvar San Francisco Rose 25 1871 Wife Ireland " Mary 1871 S.F. " Mathew 1874 " John 1877 " Ristovich,Joseph 21 1856 Butcher Italy San Francisco Mary 21 1856 Wife Ireland " Mary 1856 S.F. " Catherine 1863 " Rudech,Mathew 24 1878 RR Fisherman Peljesac Sacramento Ellen 21 1878 Wife Ireland " Mary 1878 Sacramento " Annie 1878 San Francisco Scanatich,Mateo 1869 Hack Driver Dalmatia " Harrington,Julia 1869 Wife Ireland " Serjanovich,Stephen 38 1868 Gold Miner Slavonian Amador Elizabeth 28 1868 Wife Ireland " Giraloma 1868 Amador " Elizabeth 1870 Annie 1872 Frank 1873 Margaret 1874 Simcich,Joseph 34 1866 Gold Miner Dalmatia Amador Ssrah 29 1866 Wife Ireland " Josephine 1866 Amador " Anna 1868 " Smith,Charles 37 1861 Farmer Austria Monterey Ellen 26 1861 Wife Ireland " Henry 1861 Monterey Smith,Charles 60 1880 Farmer Austria San Benito Elizabeth 60 1880 Wife Ireland " Stevens,Antonio 48 1870 Saloon Austria Nevada Co Bridget 28 1870 Wife Ireland " Stifanovich,Nikola 36 1873 Waiter Slavonian Sacramento Catherine 23 1873 Wife Ireland " Mary 1873 Sacramento " Suich,Jerome 25 1865 Wines/Liquor Brac San Francisco Corvin,Maria 25 1865 Wife Ireland " George 1866 S.F. " Maria 1868 " Frances 1875 " Kate 1875 " Tomicich,Frank 25 1868 Fisherman Dalmatia San Francisco Joan 25 1868 Wife Ireland " Charles 1868 San Francis " Velindisich,Mitchel 23 1864 Gold Miner Austria Amador Catherine 20 1864 Wife Ireland " Catherine 1864 Amador " Mary 1866 " Elizabeth 1868 " Anna 1870 " Thomas 1872 " George 1878 " John 1879 " Viscovich,John 32 1872 Restaurant Slavonian Oakland Maggie 20 1872 Wife Penn (Irish " Jospeh 1872 Oakland " William 1876 " Vulicevich,Marko 50 1865 Fruits Dubrovnik San Francisco Lyman,Maggie 1865 Wife Ireland " Stephen S.F. " Thomas " John " Catherine " Nellie " Rosie " Ellen " Mand " Frank " Williams,John 27 1875 Gold Miner Dalmatia Amador Mary 20 1875 Wife US (Irish) " Lena 1875 Amador " John 1877 " Edward 1879 " *************************************************************************************************** Donated by The Southern California Genealogical Society Transcribed by Paula Donnelly October 2007 http://www.cagenweb.com/archives/ Close Window To Return To The California Archives Project