Mika (Mike) and Milka (Millie) Maavich
Here is a story of how the Maavich's came to America. Mika had two young oxen, which were called a matched pair. He had bought and raised them until they were big enough to work. One day his father sent him to another village to deliver some sacks of grain to sell. When Mika had returned, his father had sold the two oxen. He was furious and threated to kill him. So he told him to give him the money because he was going to America. He gave him the money and told his wife (Milka), that he would send for her. She was broken hearted. And her in-laws were not kind to her.
When he came to America, and arrive at Ellis Island he took his mothers maiden name. Mravic. They could not spell it. So they wrote down Maavich on his passport. And that was the beginning of a new era of a new family.
His real birth name was Mika Roksandic. His wife was Milka Beckic. They were married in 1901 when they were 17. They were from Bovic, Yugoslavia (Serbia) And 3 years later he came to the States.
When he arrived here, he worked in the Pennsylvania Penn Steel Mills. He had to save his money to buy a passport for Milka. And he did. They lived in Pittsburg for a short while. Then they moved to Gary, Indiana. He worked in the steel mills there. He didn't like it. So they moved to Rockford IL. He worked as a moulder for J.I. Case Co. for 37 years.
He moved his family to a farm in Shirland, IL during the Depression. He thought the family would do better if they were on a farm at the time.
They had nine children. When the children went to school the teacher changed their names from serbian to American.
Kata to Kate, Simo to Sam, Moshe to William, Milka to Mildred (Mickey), Ana to Ann, Dusan to John, Milan to Milton(Bebe)Some did not change though. Bosco and Sophia.