Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your sister married your husband’s brother? Two families joining together not once, but twice? I’ve always been fascinated by this unique connection in my family tree, and today I want to share the story of how the Hurkala sisters married the Marcisak brothers – a connection that spanned continents, decades, and eventually led to me being here to tell their tale.
A Tiny Village, Two Families, and a Shared Destiny
Close your eyes and picture Litmanová, a tiny village nestled in the hills of what was then the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia). In 1890, this little community of just 760 souls was home to two families whose lives would become permanently intertwined.
In one modest home lived Vasilius MARCISAK and his wife Maria GLADIS, both in their early 40s. Life wasn’t easy for this hardworking couple. They had already endured the heartbreak of losing two infant sons, and would later face similar tragedy with two more of their children. Among their surviving children were two boys: Vasilius (born April 20, 1876) and Nicholas (born March 28, 1881). Little did these brothers know that their futures were tied to another family just down the village path.
Not far away, Konstantine HURKALA and Anastasia HLINKA, both 30 years old, were raising their three daughters after losing their firstborn girl in 1885. Among these daughters were Anna (born April 24, 1888) and Katherina (born October 31, 1890) – just two years apart and, as sisters so close in age often are, probably the best of friends and confidantes.
From Slovakia to Pennsylvania: A New World Beckons
What drives families to leave everything they know and journey to a strange new land? For the Marcisaks and Hurkalas, like so many immigrants of that era, it was likely the promise of steady work and a better future. By 1901, both families had made the momentous decision to leave Litmanová behind, crossing an ocean to settle in Star Junction, Pennsylvania.
Star Junction wasn’t just any town – it was a classic American coal mining community, built around the Washington No. 2 Mine which had opened in 1893. By 1900, nearly 700 people called it home, many living in company houses lined up in neat rows. For our families from Litmanová, this new setting might have felt somewhat familiar in size, where neighbors knew each other’s business and community ties ran deep.
Can you imagine the comfort these families must have felt, seeing familiar faces from the old country in this strange new place? In the close-knit immigrant community, the Marcisak brothers and Hurkala sisters no doubt crossed paths regularly. And that’s when cupid’s arrow struck – not once, but twice.
A Double Love Story Unfolds
Young Vasilius (Vasil) Marcisak – known affectionately as Vasko – had his eye on Anna Hurkala. At 26, he was a decade older than 16-year-old Anna, but age gaps were common then. Following tradition, Vasko approached Anna’s father, Konstantine, to ask for her hand in marriage.
With Konstantine’s consent, Vasil and Anna were married on September 12, 1903, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, beginning a union that would last over half a century until Vasko’s death in 1954.
But this was just the first chapter in our double love story! Vasil’s younger brother Nicholas apparently thought his brother had made an excellent choice in marrying a Hurkala girl. Why not follow suit? Six years after his brother’s wedding, Nicholas married Katherina, Anna’s younger sister, around October 6, 1909. Their marriage, too, would stand the test of time, ending only with Nicholas’s passing in 1958.
I’ve often wondered about those early years. Did the sisters share wedding planning tips? Did they commiserate about the quirks of Marcisak men? Did they raise their children together, cousins playing as close as siblings? Family lore doesn’t tell us all of those details, but I like to imagine them supporting each other through the joys and challenges of married life in a new country.
Coming Full Circle: Sisters Reunited
Life has a beautiful way of coming full circle, doesn’t it? After decades of marriage, both Anna and Katherina found themselves widowed. What did these sisters do next? Exactly what you might expect – they moved in together!
In my childhood, I knew them as Bobi (my great-grandmother, Anna) and Aunt Katie (Katherina). These remarkable women shared a home in Brooklyn, NY with my grandmother Eva MARCISAK Dubinsky (Anna’s daughter), my grandfather George DUBINSKY, and my mother.
I count myself incredibly fortunate to have known both of these extraordinary women as a child. I’m sure these sisters – who had shared so much of life’s journey – would reminisce about the old country and the brothers they had loved.
The Legacy Lives On
What strikes me most about this story is not just the coincidence of sisters marrying brothers, but the lasting bonds they formed. From a tiny Slovak village to the coal mines of Pennsylvania and finally to Brooklyn, these two families didn’t just cross paths – they became permanently intertwined, creating a legacy that lives on in my family today.
In a touching final chapter to their shared journey, Anna and Vasil are buried near Nicholas and Katherina in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens, NY. Even in their final rest, these sisters and the brothers they married remain close – a fitting testament to lives so deeply connected.
I’d love to hear your stories! Does your family tree include any instances of siblings marrying siblings? Or perhaps you have your own tales of immigrant ancestors finding comfort in familiar faces from the old country? Share your stories in the comments – after all, sharing our family histories is how we keep these precious memories alive.
Do you have photographs or documents about siblings who married siblings in your family tree? I’d love to see them and hear your stories!
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