Ann M. Szesciorka – Her Early Life
Ann was born Oct 31 1909 in Erie, Pennsylvania. She was the biological daughter of Stella Sadowski and Adam Szesciorka. On Feb 5, 1929 Ann married my grandfather Wallace A. Kosinski Sr. in Erie, Pennsylvania. On Nov 15, 1929 Ann gave birth to a son, my father, Wallace A, Kosinski Jr. also in Erie, Pennsylvania. On Mar 26 1932 Ann gave birth to a daughter. I do have the marriage license application for Ann and Wallace, one of the few primary sources I have for Ann.
Ann and Wallace (1929 – 1935~7)
Ann and Wallace divorced in Erie sometime after Joan Delores’s birth, presumably after 1934 and before 1937 as I found Ann and Wallace residing at 602 East 13th St in Erie as listed in the Atkinson City Directory of 1934. Ann is listed by herself in Erie in the 1937 Erie City Directory and listed as an employee of the Worthmore Dress Shop and residing at 333 East 4th St in Erie. From family folklore my father Wallace A Kosinski Jr was kidnapped from Ann by Frank and Joseph Kosinski shortly after Wallace and Ann were divorced.
Ann By Any Other Name
From 1937 to 1940 there are no records of Ann. In 1940 a Akron, Summit County, Ohio a marriage certificate appears. The marriage license was issued to Clarence M. Hodge and Ann Gale Kosinski. Ann Gale Kosinski’s mother is listed as Stella Sadowski (same person as Ann’s mother) and her father was listed as Adam Kosinski with her being born in Erie, Pennsylvania. Ann and Clarence were married January 1, 1941 in Conneaut, Ohio. I can not fully confirm that Ann Gale and Ann M are the same person, but the father’s first name and the mother’s full maiden name matching makes this record highly interesting. Another record from Carson City, Nevada in 1967 shows a Gail A. Szesciorka marrying Victor L. Auda. Further research will be needed on both of these records. My immediate family thought Ann’s surname was Oldach, it seems to have been common for Ann to have used aliases and subtract years from her actual birthdate.
Ann’s Immediate Family
Adam and Stella, Ann’s mother and father, had 2 other children Veronica and Adam. Veronica was born in Erie August 15, 1915 and Adam Jr was born in Erie June 3, 1920. Adam and Stella were divorced between 1929 and 1930. The Erie City Directory for 1929 lists Stella as a widow living at 415 Ross Street in Erie. I have been unable to locate a death record for Adam. In 1931 Stella was remarried to Anthony Oldach. The couple had no children. Stella appears in the 1930 Census in Erie with her children Veronica and Adam using the female variant (Sadowska) of her maiden name and employed as a laundress. In 1931 Stella married Anthony Oldach in Erie. In the 1940 Patterson New Jersey Census Stella is listed as a housekeeper using the surname Oldach and is listed as being widowed.
Ann’s Sister and Brother
Veronica married Clair L. Arnold Dec 13 1941 in Erie. They had 2 children, Robert P. Arnold and James Clair Arnold. Veronica died May 1 1962 in Erie county and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Erie. Adam married Frances Golembiewski Jun 28 1941 in Erie. Together they had 3 children; Patricia Ann, born in 1943, a baby boy that was born Nov 26 1946 and died in child birth and Therese Marie who was born Nov 1948.
Ann’s Mother
Sometime after the 1940 New Jersey census Stella returned to Erie. Probably because of failing health. To the left is her death certificate. She died November 18 1959 of kidney failure with arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and mild diabetes. Her surname appears on the death certificate as Oldach consistent with the 1940 census and city directories in Erie. Her body was taken to Bruger’s Funeral home in Erie. She is buried in Calvary Cemetery. Another significant item of interest with Stella is her father Joseph Sadowski. Joseph remarried presumably after Stella’s mother Anne died. He married Mary Mozdyniewicz and in 1916 they had a son named Stanley S. Sadowski. Later in life Stanley S. Sadowski would be husband to Harriet Kosinski, Wallace Kosinski Sr’s sister who was married to Ann, Stella’s daughter.
One Sadowski in Two Kosinski Branches
Another significant item of interest with Stella is her father Joseph Sadowski. Joseph remarried presumably after Stella’s mother Anne died. He married Mary Mozdyniewicz and in 1916 they had a son named Stanley S. Sadowski. Later in life Stanley S. Sadowski would be husband to Harriet Kosinski, Wallace Kosinski Sr’s sister who was married to Ann, Stella’s daughter. Anna Kosinski (Stella’s daughter) was named executress of Joseph’s estate in the probate court proceedings record (shown on the left) filed on April 4 1939, Joseph’s date of death.
Family Folklore About Ann
During this entire period of time Ann does not appear in any records. She does not show up in the 1940 census or any further city directories in Erie. My parents told me that Ann “kept tabs” on my father and our family. They recalled instances where she appeared at social functions they went to, but would never approach them or speak to them. In 1988 a limousine parked in front of my mother and father’s house in Erie. Two men is suits went to the door to hand deliver Ann’s will to my father. He had been completely written out of the will. Supposedly, Ann was part owner of Harrah’s in Reno Nevada. Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the will. At some point my mother told me that Ann had died in the hospital while having surgery. I have not found a death certificate or any significant evidence to support this. Piece by piece I will remove the shroud of mystery surrounding Ann.