1. Katalin Kozak, born January 26, 1872 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia1; died August 14, 1921 in Clearfield Co, PA2. She was the daughter of 2. Janos Kozak and 3. Maria Hricz. She married (1) Andreas Ribar November 23, 1891 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia3. He was the son of Joannes Ribar and Barbara Majoros.

Notes for Katalin Kozak:
Father Janos Kozak was a farm laborer (Hungarian: zseller, Latin: inguilinus).
Godparents: Karoly Miscsak Oberle, tenant farmer (Hungarian: telkes) at Nizna Mysla, and Ersebet Mozgo, widow of Andras Toth, tenant farmer of Nizna Mysla.
Confirmed 27 May 1890, listed as 18 years old, given Confirmation name of Anna. (LDS 1923132).
Death information for Katrine (Kozak) Rebar is from certified copy of her death certificate, State of Pennsylvania, Certification No. 90242, dated October 28, 1985. Cause of death listed as acute nephritis. Certificate was signed by Andrew Kosick (i.e. Kozak) of Madera.
Katrine is buried in the cemetery in Brisbane, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
Based on 1910 census information, she emigrated to this country in 1896.

Notes for Andreas Ribar:
Godparents: Josephus Stein, tenant farmer of Also Mislye, RC; and Maria Szciranka, wife of Joseph Nasili, farmer.
A transcript in the Nizna Mysla RC parish register of the original marriage record made in Andrej Ribar's military booklet: Marriage, 23 November 1891. Groom: Andras' Ribar', farm laborer, RC, single, age 25, of Also Mislye 133, son of deceased Janos Ribar', RC, farm laborer, and Borbala, daughter of Andras Gyuro. Bride: Katalin Kozak, RC, single, age 19, of Also Mislye 92, daughter of Janos Kozak, RC, farm laborer, and Maria Hricz, RC. Witnesses: Mihaly Kiselya, RC; Janos Toth, farm laborer of Also Mislye. Remark: Military passport, Kesmark 8 September 1891, Royal and Imperial Command, Field Infantry Battalion Ma. 32.
Death information for Andrew Rebar is from certified copy of his death certificate, State of Pennsylvania, Certification No. 90244, dated October 28, 1985. Cause of death listed as pulmonary tuberculosis and complications from miner's asthma. Daughter Anna (Rebar) Christy signed the certificate, and stated that she did not know the names of either of Andrew's parents.
Andrew is buried in the cemetery in Brisbane, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
Based on 1910 census information, he emigrated to this country in 1892.

Children of Katalin Kozak and Andreas Ribar are:
i. Anna Rebar, born May 27, 1897 in Ramey, Clearfield Co, PA; died March 2, 1974 in Irvona, Clearfield Co, PA; married (1) Anthony Christy Abt. 1918; married (2) Singleton Leslie Bloom Abt. 1922.

Notes for Anna Rebar:
According to the 1900 census, Anna was born in Mar 1897, not May.
I remember as a child going to visit Aunt Annie in Irvona, Pennsylvania. Her husband was Singleton Bloom, and I don't recall referring to him as 'Uncle.' He was very English to my child's mind, and just a little bit intimidating to me. Singleton was very old when we went to visit, so it is doubtful that I saw him more than once. One final memory I have of the visit was the car parked in their garage -- I can recall marvelling at its pristine condition, and even then I knew it was because the car was rarely driven.
My memories of Aunt Annie are equally sparse. I went with my dad to visit her once while I was in college, perhaps 1969 or 1970. She had had her foot removed (diabetes), but was able to go up and down the stairs on her butt. A fellow was living with her, I believe Singleton's brother. Many years later, when Dot, Andy, Carolyn and I located Aunt Annie's grave in a private cemetery, that old guy was still alive and living in a trailer next to the cemetery; he was easily in his 90s!
When my dad and I left Aunt Annie's house after the visit, we drove to a store in the middle of Irvona, where Dad bought himself some Cutty Pipe chewing tobacco, and he bought me a box of Copenhagen snuff. I chewed only occasionally, preferring to smoke, but I did not turn down my dad's gift, as it was an extremely rare gift from him.
One time, when Aunt Annie was about 75, she came to visit Dot. It had to have been about 1972, and she would have been without her foot, but I cannot remember that aspect. I was totally enthralled with her mental agility for her age -- she seemed to be hardly older than 45, although her leathery exterior gave away her true age.

Notes for Anthony Christy:
In the late 1920s, Anthony Christy left town by train with the two girls, and put them in an orphanage in the Pittsburgh area. They did not see their mother again until they were in their 40s, when they somehow managed to trace her. The saddest part of all was that my dad took Anthony and the girls to the train station, not knowing that they were leaving forever!

ii. Andrew Rebar, born July 13, 1899 in Clearfield Co, Gulich Twp., PA4; died December 12, 1969 in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Notes for Andrew Rebar:
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 3, Social Security Records: U.S., SS Death Benefit Records, Surnames Beginning with R, Date of Import: Sep 9, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.112.3.46856.103]
Individual: Rebar, Andrew, Birth date: Jul 13, 1899, Death date: Dec 1969, Social Security #: 210-05-1481,
Last residence: PA 15748, State of issue: PA

In LDS 1463005 (Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, Births, 1896-1905), Item 2, p. 212, #35, Andrew Rebar's birth is given as July 13, 1899. This entry is File 18, Registration number 7891, recorded June 27, 1955. I do not know why this was registered at this time.

iii. Joseph Rebar, born March 26, 1901 in Ramey, Clearfield Co, PA5,6; died January 15, 19807; married Elizabeth Jane Swartz.

Notes for Joseph Rebar:
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 3, Social Security Records: U.S., SS Death Benefit Records, Surnames Beginning with R, Date of Import: Sep 9, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.112.3.46856.167]

Individual: Rebar, Joseph; Birth date: Mar 26, 1901; Death date: Jan 1980; Social Security #: 191-09-4110; Last residence: PA 19607; State of issue: PA

I found his birth record in the Clearfield County register of births (LDS 1463005, Item 1, p. 221). The last name is virtually unreadable, looking something like Reeder, but it's the right person. Parents were listed in the register as Andrew and Katie (unfortunately, no last name given for them).

Notes for Elizabeth Jane Swartz:
On her headstone, her last name is spelled 'Swardt.' One of her children gave me this information, and idicated that this was the original spelling.

iv. John S. Rebar, born July 24, 1903 in Ramey, Clearfield Co, PA8; died March 8, 1977 in Johnstown, Cambria Co, PA; married Margaret Ann Oravetz September 20, 1926 in Barnesboro, Cambria Co, PA.

Notes for John S. Rebar:
In LDS 1463005 (Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, Births, 1896-1905), Item 2, p. 212, #36, John Rebar's birth is given as July 24, 1903. This entry is File 18, Registration number 7906, recorded July 11, 1955. I do not know why this was registered at this time.

Notes for Margaret Ann Oravetz:
Marriage information from copy of original marriage certificate No. 27892.

v. Michael Rebar, born September 15, 1905 in Ramey, Clearfield Co, PA9; died August 27, 1966; married Martha Ellen Schwardt.

Notes for Michael Rebar:
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 3, Social Security Records: U.S., SS Death Benefit Records, Surnames Beginning with R, Date of Import: Sep 9, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.112.3.46857.3]:
Individual: Rebar, Mike, Birth date: Sep 15, 1905, Death date: Aug 1966, Social Security #: 208-09-3269, Last residence: PA 15748, State of issue: PA

In LDS 1463005 (Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, Births, 1896-1905), Item 2, p. 215, #24, Michael Rebar's birth is given as September 15, 1905. This entry is File 18, Registration number 7865, recorded October 31, 1905.

vi. Catherine Rebar, born May 18, 1909 in Madera, Clearfield Co, PA; died September 13, 1996 in NY; married John Elmer Abel December 2, 1932 in Rome, NY.
vii. George Rebar, born January 15, 1916 in Madera, Clearfield Co, PA10; died August 31, 1980 in Jessup, Anne Arundel Co, MD; married Anna Jane Chatnick.

Notes for George Rebar:
Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 3, Social Security Records: U.S., SS Death Benefit Records, Surnames Beginning with R, Date of Import: Sep 9, 1996, Internal Ref. #1.112.3.46856.138:
Individual: Rebar, George; Birth date: Jan 15, 1915; Death date: Aug 1980; Social Security #: 170-12-5565; Last residence: MD 20794; State of issue: PA; Zip of last payment: 21061
Note that I have it from another (unrecalled) source that George was born in 1916 vice 1915. For now, I will keep the 1915 date here and the 1916 date on the family page, but I suspect that the Social Security records are the accurate ones.
According to anecdotal information provided by Dorothy (Rebar) Polenik on October 20, 1996: Andrew Rebar was staying with his daughter, Anna (Rebar) Christy, George's oldest sister, after the death of his wife, Kathrine (Kozak) Rebar. Anna's husband had deserted her, taking two of the children, leaving her with one. George, who was only about 4 years old at the time, was also staying at her house. On the evening of November 14, 1921, Andrew went to sleep on the couch, and George went to sleep with him. Andrew died that night in his sleep. Times were very rough, and George was sent to Barnesboro to live with his aunt and uncle, Barney and Mary (Kozak) Valco. The Valco's son, Tom, his wife, Helen, and their children (about 4) were also living there. George came down with tuberculosis while there, probably having contracted it from his father, and had to be confined to the sanitarium in Cresson. He evidently was cured, but he went to live in an orphanage after that.

Generation No. 2

2. Janos Kozak, born January 22, 1824 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia11. He was the son of 4. Georgius Kozak and 5. Maria Orosz. He married 3. Maria Hricz.
3. Maria Hricz.

Notes for Janos Kozak:
Godparents: Andreas Szeman and Maria Mozgo, both of Also Mislye.
When he was married, he was listed as Janos Orosz in the marriage register. When his son, Georgius, was born in 1859, the pastor wrote in the parish register that his father, Juraj (=George) Kozak, married Maria Orosz and moved into her house and lived there; for that reason, his family name is Orosz.
On his birth record, his father, Georgius Kozak, is listed as being Roman Catholic, which his mother, Maria Orosz, is Greek Catholic.

Notes for Elisabetha Scziranka:
On Elisabetha Scziranka's death record, the notation originally read 'wife of Janos Orosz,' but the priest crossed out 'Orosz' and wrote 'Kozak' above it.
This last name has numerous spellings, but the most common I have seen is Szciranka.

Marriage Notes for Janos Kozak and Elisabetha Scziranka:
Janos Orosz Kozak and Elisabetha Scziranka were married the same day as his brother Georgius Orosz Kozak, who married Maris Bogus. On the marriage record it says that Janos Orosz, 22, married Erzsebet Sziranko, 20.

Children of Janos Kozak and Maria Hricz are:
i. Elisabetha Kozak, born April 26, 1863 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia12; died December 9, 1886 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia13.

Notes for Elisabetha Kozak:
Godparents: Carolus Oberle, Maria Koteles, wife of Michael Kondas, farm laborer in Csany (Hungarian rendition of Cana). Her death date is noted in this record as well.

ii. Maria Kozak, born July 16, 1865 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia14; died 1953; married Valentinus Benedictus Valko Abt. 1885 in Slovakia.

Notes for Maria Kozak:
Godparents: Carolus Oberle, tenant farmer of Nizna Mysla, RC, and Elisabeth Mozgo, wife of Andreas Toth, RC, tenant farmer.
I have a certified copy of her birth certificate, dated 18 November 1884, from St. Miklos RC Church in Nizna Mysla.
She arrived in the U.S. in 1887 with her son Thomas, based (I think) on census records.


Notes for Valentinus Benedictus Valko:
Hungarian spelling is Valyko. His nickname was Barney, and I never heard him referred to by any other name. He arived in the U.S. in 1886.

iii. Anna Kozak, born June 18, 1868 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia15; married Peter Herpak June 30, 1886 in Vysna Mysla, Slovakia16.

Notes for Anna Kozak:
Godparents: Carolus Oberle, RC, and Elisabeth Mozgo, wife of Andreas Toth.
Listed on marriage record as Anna Kozak (Orosz). The name Orosz is a family nickname, one of the second surnames used in villages to uniquely identify an extended family which has a relatively common surname.
Anna was confirmed on June 25, 1879, in the Nizna Mysl'a RC church. She took the confirmation name of Maria, her sponsor was Maria Bogus-Kozak.

Notes for Peter Herpak:
Peter Herpak was a deaf-mute, according to a notation in his marriage record. On his birth record, his godmother is Maria Kondas, wife of Michael Pach, RC, tenant farmer, in Vysna Mysl'a.
Peter was confirmed on June 27, 1879, in the Nizna Mysl'a RC church. He took the confirmation name of Joannes, his sponsor was Joannes Pach.

Marriage Notes for Anna Kozak and Peter Herpak:
Witnesses: Mihaly Kiselya, RC, farm laborer, and Janos Grega, RC, tenant farmer, Nizna Mysla.

1 iv. Katalin Kozak, born January 26, 1872 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia; died August 14, 1921 in Clearfield Co, PA; married Andreas Ribar November 23, 1891 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia.

v. Ilona Kozak, born March 12, 1875 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia17; died March 26, 1875 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia17.

Notes for Ilona Kozak:
Ilona Kozak is new to my database. Duncan Gardiner missed her birth when he researched the Kozaks. Ilona, or the alternate spelling Illona, is Hungarian for Helen.

vi. Maria Kozak, born May 3, 1876 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia18.

Notes for Maria Kozak:
This is very puzzling, as Maria (Kozak) Valco, born 16 July 1865, was still very much alive when this Maria was born! Father's name is given as Janos Orosz, and there is a notation in the remarks area that looks something like this: "helyam Kozak lap 226 lap 10-a. OO 281 lap 33-a." The Hungarian word 'lap' means 'page,' and the reference to Kozak on p. 10 is to George Kozak's baptismal entry, where it states that George's grandfather, also named George, married Maria Orosz and moved into her house, after which the family acquired the nickname Orosz. The reference to page 33 is probably the same kind of explanation, but I have not tracked it down yet. Please note that the priest made no mention of there being another Maria in the family.
I have rechecked, and consistently, Janos Kozak's house number is listed as #93, the one exception being on the record for Katalin (Kozak) Rebar, my grandmother, where the house number is #95. For both Marias, it's #93!
Confirmed 27 May 1890 at Nizna Mysl'a RC church; given confirmation name Helena. Was listed as 14 years old. (LDS 1923132)
I have a strong intuition that this Maria Kozak married Andrej Straka, and it was to her that George Kozak sold the land back in Nizna Mysl'a back in 1904. My guess is that the property was in fact #93, and I have no idea how George came to own it, because he was not the oldest son. However, his older brother, Janos, born February 9, 1850, could have been dead by 1904, leaving George as the only living male heir.

Children of Janos Kozak and Elisabetha Scziranka are:
i. Janos Kozak, born February 9, 1850 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia19; married Anna Oberle February 6, 1871 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia20.

Notes for Janos Kozak:
Godparents: Karoly Oberle and Anna Majoros. Unlike most of the other Nizna Mysl'a baptismal records, the 1843-1852 records usually do not give a baptismal date separate from birth date.

Marriage Notes for Janos Kozak and Anna Oberle:
In the marriage register, Janos Kozak is listed as Janos Kozak-Orosz, 22, farm laborer (zseller), son of Janos Kozak-Orosz, farm laborer of Also Mislye #93, and Ersebet Szciranka, both Roman Catholic.

ii. Michael Kozak, born March 23, 1854 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia21; died May 25, 1885 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia22.

Notes for Michael Kozak:
Father's name given as Joannes Kozak (Orosz). Godparents: Carol Oberle and Anna Majoros, RC.

iii. Elisabetha Kozak, born July 9, 1856 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia23; died February 26, 1860 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia24.

Notes for Elisabetha Kozak:
Father's name on birth register given as Joannes Orosz Kozak. Godparents: Carolus Oberle, farm laborer at Also Mislye 93, RC, and Anna Majoros, wife of Michael Lipniczky.
On death record, father's name again given as Joannes Orosz Kozak.

iv. Georgius Kozak, born June 2, 1859 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia25; died 1949; married Anna Maria Barnic Abt. 1881.

Notes for Georgius Kozak:
Godparents: Carolus Oberle, tenant farmer at Also Mislye, RC, and Anna Majoros, wife of Michael Lipniczky, RC.
A notation was made in the parish marriage register that Jurai (=George) Kozak, father of Jan Kozak (and grandfather of this Georgius Kozak) married Maria Orosz and moved into her house and lived there; for that reason his family nickname is Orosz.
According to the 1900 census records (done in June 1900), George arrived USA in 1889 and was already naturalized when the census taker made his entries. Three years later (1892), he was joined by his wife, Annie, and their son, Andrew. Annie told her daughter, Bertha Margaret, that she also brought a daughter, Zella, with her, and that Zella died shortly after their arrival.
I am convinced that my grandfather, Andrew Rebar, came over with Annie and the children. Andrew arrived in 1892, he was George's brother-in-law (George was my grandmother's half-brother), and it is almost unthinkable that Annie would have traveled alone with the children when her relative was coming at the same time to the same place.
According to the Clearfield County Alien Docket, George Kozak (same one?) arrived in New York on 21 May 1890. He declared his intention to become a citizen on 25 September 1903, and he received his citizenship on 30 September 1905. It was this George Kozak who sold a piece of property to Maria (Kozak) Straka in Nizna Mysla in 1904. Possibly it was illegal for a U.S. citizen to own property overseas, and that may be why he sold the land.

Notes for Anna Maria Barnic:
According to oral information provided by Bertha Margaret Kozak Kost to her daughter, Anna Marie Kost Closson, Anna Marie Barnic Kozak was born in or before 1860 in Vienna, Austria, and her parents died in the cholera epidemic of 1860. She died about 1916 at age 51 of a heart attack. According to the 1910 census records, she was 46 in May 1910, when the census taker visited her neighborhood. Therefore, all these facts put together would put her birth date at about 1864. From my research of death records in the Smolnik area, there was a cholera epidemic raging through the area about 1865.
The 1885 date of marriage given in the oral history also clashes with the information from the census, which lists them as having been married for 29 years in 1910, i.e. they would have been married about 1881. Based on Andrew's age of 27 in 1910 (from census records), he would have been born in 1883, so the 1881 date is looking more likely.
From the oral history: George and Anna Marie (Barnic) Kozak were married in 1885, had children Andrew and Zella. George came to USA in 1888, worked for two years and sent for Anna and the children. Zella died shortly after they
arrived. In the census records, Andrew gave his arrival date as 1890, while George and Anna gave it as 1892.
I also tend not to believe Bertha's recollection that her mother came from Austria. As usual, this seems to be wishful thinking. It is more likely that her memories were of Kosice, which was an historical center, and was a beautiful, clean, and sophisticated city.
I believe that my grandfather, Andrew Rebar, came on the same ship as Anna and her two children. I base that only on the fact that he also arrived in 1892, that Anna's husband, George Kozak, was my grandmother's half-brother, and it is inconceivable to me that Anna would have travelled alone with two small children.

Generation No. 3

4. Georgius Kozak, born April 11, 1797 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia26; died July 26, 1871 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia27. He was the son of 8. Michael Kozak and 9. Barbara Radacsovszki. He married 5. Maria Orosz Abt. 1823.

5. Maria Orosz, born March 29, 1805 in Slovakia.

Notes for Georgius Kozak:
In the Nizna Mysla parish records, the pastor wrote, "The father of Jan Kozak, Juraj [=Georgius/George] married Maria Orosz and moved into her house and lived there. For that reason, his family nickname is Orosz." According to Dr. Duncan Gardiner, certified genealogist, such a remark in a parish register is very unusual. Dr. Gardiner also explained that the use of a family nickname as a second surname was done in villages to uniquely identify an extended family which had a relatively common name. I have seen the last name written as both Orosz Kozak and Kozak Orosz, possibly depending on whether the writer was adhering to Hungarian or Slovak conventions. I believe the Hungarians would list it as Orosz Kozak, the Slovaks as Kozak Orosz, but that is speculation.
Georgius Kozak's death record lists his place of birth as Zsadany (present-day Zdana). There are a lot of Kozaks in those records.

Notes for Maria Orosz:
The marriage record of George Kozak and Maria Orosz was not found in the Nizna Mysla parish records. Duncan Gardiner searched the years 1806-1824. Two women named Mária Orosz were born during the likely period: 1) on 20 March 1795, Maria, daughter of Andreas Orosz and Catharina, godparents Joannes Belyuss and Susanna Dalyak (p. 59); and 2) 29 March 1805, Mária, daughter of of Michael Orosz and Catharina, godparents Joannes Melaga and Anna Koleszar (p. 86). Until I can research all the records from the Nizna Mysla area, I am assuming that the Maria born in 1805 is the correct one, as it was common practice for a man to marry someone younger than himself. Duncan Gardiner feels that there is insufficient evidence to point to either one.
Please note: her religion is given as Greek Catholic, so her birth record will not be with the Roman Catholic records.

Children of Georgius Kozak and Maria Orosz are:

2 i. Janos Kozak, born January 22, 1824 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia; married (1) Maria Hricz; married (2) Elisabetha Scziranka November 27, 1848 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia.

ii. Georgius Kozak, born February 27, 1827 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia28; died August 23, 1874 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia29; married Maria Bogus November 27, 1848 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia.

Marriage Notes for Georgius Kozak and Maria Bogus:
Georgius Orosz Kozak and Maris Bogus were married the same day as his brother Janos Orosz Kozak, who married Elisabetha Scziranka. On the marriage record it says that Gyorgy Orosz, aka Kozak, 22, married Maria Bogus, 17.

iii. Maria Kozak, born November 29, 1829 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia30.
iv. Anna Kozak, born May 25, 1834 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia31; died February 7, 1838 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia32.

Notes for Anna Kozak:
A cross next to Anna's name means that she died, but the priest made no notation to that effect anywhere.

v. Josephus Kozak, born March 7, 1839 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia33; died Bef. 1886; married Anna Varga August 18, 1867 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia34.

Generation No. 4

8. Michael Kozak, born Abt. 1777. He married 9. Barbara Radacsovszki.
9. Barbara Radacsovszki, born Abt. 1779.

Children of Michael Kozak and Barbara Radacsovszki are:

4 i. Georgius Kozak, born April 11, 1797 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia; died July 26, 1871 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia; married Maria Orosz Abt. 1823.

ii. Joannes Kozak, born December 10, 1798 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia35; married Maria Balogh November 24, 1823 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia36.

Notes for Joannes Kozak:
This Joannes Kozak in the marriage register is listed as being 23 and from Vysna Mysl'a. I cannot be certain that this is the same Joannes Kozak, but I will carry this as fact until I find out otherwise.

iii. Elisabetha Kozak, born January 21, 1801 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia37.

iv. Maria Kozak, born September 25, 1803 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia38.

v. Andreas Kozak, born January 3, 1807 in Nizna Mysla, Slovakia39.

Notes for Andreas Kozak:
In the birth register, Andreas Kozak's mother's name is given as Dorothea, not Barbara. Mistake?

Endnotes