Babcia comes to America: Katarzyna M Kolis makes the Trip! Adams. The Berkshire Mills
Babcia comes to America: Katarzyna M Kolis makes the Trip!
Adams. The Berkshire Mills
By Mark Bissaillon
{This story is published here exactly as written by the author. The "not perfect" spelling and grammar will, I believe, serve as an inspiration to others. SO MANY people say, "I can't write my stories. I was never good at English and spelling." To that, I say, "Editing, when necessary, can be done by someone else. The stories in your heart can only be told by you." Be encouraged and start writing the stories of your family.}
Katarzyna M Kolis - Grandmother of author, Mark Bissillion
As I get older and think back about all the questions I should have asked and wonder what parts of our history is still untold. As a little boy I always thought it was so cool that my grandmother made a trip to America when she was 13 years old but always found it heart breaking that she never saw her parents again. Can you imagine sending one of your children to a far away country at 13 knowing you would never hug, or kiss or talk to or see again. Bachoo said the whole trip took 13 days.
I remember her telling me that she grew up across the woods from where the Pope was born. She said the area was flat with no Mountains like we have here in the Berkshires. Life was hard in Poland with little or nothing to eat. Bachoo there were many a nights her stomach would hurt from hunger. She said everyone in the village was talking about going to America. She never told how much it cost or how she got the money to come but some how she did. I know she said her brother Matthew Kolis was already in the states and that she would be traveling with an older women from the village.
She said when she boarded that train for the coast and looked up from that platform knowing it would be the last time she would every look into her mother beautiful blue eyes again, but there was no crying she had to stay stuff but how could a 13 year old ever make this trip for a new life in America with out sadness in her heart.
She told me they made to the coast and looked out at the sea and thought there is a new life for me. It must have been like that scene from Titanic when everyone is boarding the ship. She told me no details about the ship or what port they were in.
She the sea was not happy the whole trip that at night this older woman would hold her tight so they would not fall out of bed. She said you could hear pales rolling down the halls of the ship and the smell of sickness was in the air. When we would take on trips to Cape Cod she would stare out at the sea and say, "I never want to go on a boat again."
The time of year she came is unknown and where she stayed that first night in America is also but I do know that she first called Albany New York her home. She said her first job was making button holes in a factory not far from the state house. She said she would sit on the state house steps with a young girl also named Katarzyna and that they become good friends.
How long and how many years she worked there is unknown but it is because of the meeting of Katarzyna Wiater and Katarzyna Kolis that we all exist. Yes Katarzyna Waiter was are grandfather sister and this is how she met our grandfather Jacob. The 2 girls became best friends and one day they saw that the were jobs in The Berkshire Mills in Adams in the news paper so the quit their jobs and boarded a train in Troy New York and headed to Adams.
Bachoo always held her family close saying to us many times, "I would never send my children away like my Mom did". It is so amazing to to me that because of some random events that today all of us are here. Thank You Katarzyna Kolis Wiater for having the strength to make that trip. You will never be forgotten. Love You!
New Years eve - I can remember it well my Mom could not believe I got her to blow that horn