Biography of Marianna Pyterek
Birth: Marianna Pyterek was born in Chicago, in the parish of St. Stanislaw Koska, on 17 July 1879 to Alexander Pyterek, from the village of Gulcz in the parish of Lubasz and Helena Murkowski from the town and parish of Kcynia.
Marriage: Marianna Pyterek married Stanislaw Orbik, from the village of Tajenko, on 6 February 1900 in the parish of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in South Chicago. The witnesses were Joseph Iwanerewski and Antonia Wisniewski.
Residence: In the 1880 US census, the Pytereks (then spelled Pitrick) were living 273 Bradley Street what is now considered the "Old Polish Downtown. They belonged to St. Stanislaw Kostka, the oldest Polish parish in Chicago. Mary Pyterek's father Alexander had been working in a tannery along with his two bothers Walenty and Joseph. When Joseph died of cancer in 1881 at the age of 30, Alexander moved his family to the neighborhood of South Chicago, where the steel industry was growing. He built a home at 8640 Baltimore Avenue, and with other early Polish settlers founded the parish of Immaculate Conception. Mary lived at this house until her death in 1958.
Children: Stanislaw Orbik and Marianna Pyterek had these children:
Hieronim (Harry) Orbik (1900-1938), married Agnes Ulaszek (1900-1984), whose family was from Osobnica, near Jalso.
Eugenia Francis (Jeannie) Orbik (1902-1998), married Steven Marolewski (1899-1981) whose family was from Mlyniec near Torun.
Joanna Emelia (Jennie) Orbik (1905-?) married Leo Szczepankiewicz (1905-?).
Helen Josephine Orbik (1908-1909).
John Orbik (1910-1988), married Genevieve Scedzinski. They adopted one son named Rodney.
Alfred Orbik, (1916-1916).
Raymond Orbik, born in died in 2005. He was institutionalized at an early age.
Death: Marianna Pyterek Orbik died at 8640 Baltimore in Chicago on18 Sep 1858. Her daughter Eugenia Marolewski's family took over the house and remained there for some time.
Other Family Information: Mary Orbik cared a lot for preserving the family information. She listed her husband's occupation as "Tongsman in the #2 Merchant Mill of Wisconsin Steel" on his death certificate. Mary also listed his birthplace as Tajenko Poland, which led him to be one of the first family members I found in my research. Mary was obviously deeply concerned with preserving details about the past.