Bio: Dabich /Desbich /Dabic, Simon Peter; aka Simon Peter Davis (1885- 1939)

Transcriber: Janet

Surnames: Ashman, Dalton, Debich, Duschan, Heinrich, Hice, Jeremich, Kaufman, Kemp, Low, MacCammon, Marconi, Musin, Roosevelt, Sampson, Strawser, Yaros

----Sources: Duluth Herald, 14 Oct 1921, NY Daily Tribune, 6 Oct 1903; Department of Justice. Bureau of Prisons. U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Family Records

Simon Peter Dabich was born 22 Jun 1885 in Komogovina, Austria to Natalie Jeremich (1869-1934) & Theodore Dabich (1864-aft 1940).  He made a living doing common labor. His first language was "Solvene" and he was educated to read and write in his native country.

Dabich, Natalia

Vienna, Austria 27 Oct, 1903

In 1903, Serbia, a Balkan country which European powers had allowed to influence the Austro-Hungarians, launched an expansion against the Austria-Hungary land.  Later that year, Simon decided to make a huge change in his life and he boarded the vessel "Finland" and immigrated to the United States from Vienna, Austria, arriving at the port of New York the sixth day of October, 1903.  On his first day in America, the sun rose at 6:01 on Simon and set at 5:37.  Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt was the President of the United States and Seth Low (1850-1916) was serving his only term as the Mayor of New York, NY.

Among the many prominent person who arrived along with Simon Peter "Pete" Dabich on the Red Star line steamship "Finland" from Antwerp, were: Mrs. Elizabeth B. Sampson, the widow of Rear-Admiral W. T. Sampson and her son, Harold; Senator Geo. C. Perkins of Oakland, Cal., and his daughter, Grace, Judge Wm. N. Ashman & wife, of Philadelphia; Joseph K. MacCammon and family of Washington D.C.; Judge Henry Hice and wife of Pennsylvania; Mrs. W. H. Bliss, Newton, Mass.; O. Musin, the violinist and his wife. A feature of the voyage was a dance on deck on Saturday evening. The Marconi paper of the "Finland" says: "Occasionally a couple would be seen sliding hastily toward the railing--not to feed the fishes--but 'just because.'"

1910 Federal Census, Gary, Lake, IN

Mike Davis 1888 Austria 1903,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
George Tanis 1885 Austria 1902,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
George Kenezovich 1888 Austria 1903,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
George Miandria 1887 Austria 1906,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Milia Zegich 1887 Austria 1905,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Joseph Milivich 1888 Austria 1904,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Vasile Batla 1884 Austria 1907,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Peter Dobich 1889 Austria 1904,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana, Steel Mill
Stanko Zegich 1883 Austria 1903,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Matich Lepach 1888 Austria 1907,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Juro Kukuleta 1886 Austria 1906,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Joseph Kukuleta 1888 Austria 1905,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Steve Metikosh 1879 Austria 1902,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Mike Voknir 1891 Austria 1908,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
John Drakulich 1885 Austria 1906,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Zaborie Herenuk 1882 Austria 1910,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana
Efrim Sandu 1880 Austria 1910,  Ward 3, Lake, Indiana

His Declaration of Intention was recorded in 1914, after his 36th birthday.  At that time, he was residing at 306, 4th Avenue in North Seattle, Washington. He said he intended to renounce forever all allegiance to the Emperor of Austria and the Apostolic King of Hungary, Francis Joseph.  He did not want any longer to be a subject to that authority or a citizen of that country.  He also stated he was not an anarchist or polygamist nor a believer in such practices.  In good faith he professed his desire to become a citizen of the United States and to permanently reside within its boundaries, knowing he was doing so in the presence of God.

When the WWI Draft was taken, he was forty-three years old and living at 816 Adams St., Gary, Indiana.  He was a gray haired man of medium height and build with no physical disabilities.  He was working in the "Plate Mill" as a shear helper. 

  Gary, IN Plate Mill, 20 Mar 1917

On his draft report, Simon reported his closest relative as Katie Dabich, who lived in Lipovac Slovonion, Austria Hungary.

Simon worked in the "Steel City," Gary, Indiana, where U.S. Steel had a 210 inch Plate Mill, the world's Largest.  A tragic story later took place there in 1981 when Gary Police Lt. George Yaros was murdered.

Lipovac Slovonion, Austria Hungary

Migration • Washington, Western District, Naturalization Records, 1853-1957

Simon Peter Debich, Age 36
Naturalization Date 1914
Naturalization Place Washington, United States
Birth Date 03 Sep 1877
Birthplace Nev Banovee (New Hanover?), Austria
Certificate Number 5410
Volume Declarations of intention, 1914, vol 14, no 5097-5596

Alien Case File for John Debich
From RG: 566
Alien Case Files
This file consists of an alien case file for John Debich. Date of birth is listed as 06/22/1885.
National Archives Identifier: 5219547 Local Identifier: A2106568/085-06-0799/Box 32 Container Identifier: 32
Creator: Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service. 6/14/1940-3/1/2003

*Inmate #16786 Desbich (should be Dabich) Simon P.

          United States Federal Prison, Leavenworth, KS

* Additional Biographical Information for Simon Peter Dabich (1885- 1939)

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BioM: Heinrich, Rosalia (20 Mar 1919)

Transcriber:  Janet

Surnames: Debich, Heinrich, Kemp

----Sources: Lake Co, IN Marriage Records, 1811-2019

Bio: Dabich / Heinrich, Rosalia (1875-1948)

The 1930 Federal Census, Gary, Lake, IN shows 53 year old Rosalia Heinrich (1875-7- 1948) as the "Head of Household", Widowed, with her two sons, twenty two year old Frank (2 Oct 1907-Oct 1978) who was born in Germany (Austria) and was the son of Anton Heinrich (1871-1916). Nineteen year old Matthew (1912-1931) was born in Indiana the year before his father's death at the age of forty-two.  Both sons were working in the Steel Mills and Frank also laid bricks.  Both Frank and his mother immigrated in 1908 and were naturalized citizens.  This entire family was buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Gary, IN.

Immigration: 08 Apr 1911, Ellis Island, New York City, New York, United States, Page 158
Departure Port: Hamburg, Ship: Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

Rosalia Heinrich, Married Female, 36 yrs. old, Nationality: Hungary, German
Residence: Mitrovice, Hungary
Additional Person: Katarina Heinrich
Second Additional Person: Anton Heinrich
Other People on This Record: Katarina Heinrich, Anton Heinrich, Frank (3 yrs. old)

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Obit: Debich /Desbich /Dabic, Simon Peter; aka Simon Peter Davis (1885- 1939)

Surnames: Dabich, Quint

----Sources: Cemetery Record, Ohio Death Certificate

Pete Dabich, 51 yr. old white, widowed male who resided at 3205 McKinley Ave.
Death: 25 Augl 1939 in Franklin, Franklin, Ohio
Occupation Brakeman/Marble Cliff Stone Quarry
Father's Name Theodore Dabich, Austria, Hungary
Birth Date 18 Jan 1888
Birth Year:  (tombstone says 1887)
Birthplace Komogovina, Mecincani, Koslajnica, Croatia, Yugosliva
Burial Date 26 Augl 1939
Cemetery Greenlawn
Father's Birthplace Austria, Hungary
Record #11

Additional Biographical Information for Simon Peter Dabich (1885- 1939)

Marble Cliff Stone Quarry Co.

Just prior to taking his own life, August 25, 1939, Simon Peter Dabich worked for The Marble Cliff Quarry Co., headquartered in Upper Arlington, Ohio, operated the largest limestone quarry in the United States from its opening in the mid-19th century until its sale in approximately 1985.  The influential Kaufman family of the Columbus area owned and operated this 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) plus of property, plus other mines and quarries in the United States and Canada. The Columbus quarry stretched all the way from the Scioto River to the Olentangy River adjacent to Marble Cliff, Ohio. Such famous Columbus area landmarks as Ohio Stadium, the Ohio Statehouse, the LeVeque Tower, state and county airports and modern freeways were constructed from stone extracted from the quarry and built by Strawser Equipment and Leasing employees. Although the quarry, under the control of the Kaufman family, was sold in the 1980s to investors who later developed the land into tracts of residential and commercial property, the northern section of the quarry is still mined today. Wikipedia

Birth: 18 Jan 1888 in Komogovina, Općina Donji Kukuruzari, Sisačko-moslavačka, Croatia
Died: 25 Augl 1939 (aged 51); Franklin County, Ohio
Burial: Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio

Parents and Brother of Simon Peter Dabich

1930 Federal Census, Ohio Mahoning Austintown
George D Dalton Male 40 1890 Yugoslavia Married White Head Yugoslavia Yugoslavia, Real-estate agent
Dorothy U Dalton Female 24 1906 Ohio Married White Wife Sweden Pennsylvania
Vida V Dalton Female 3 1927 Ohio Single White Daughter Yugoslavia Ohio
Natalie E Dalton Female 2 1928 Ohio Single White Daughter Yugoslavia Ohio
*Theodore Dalton Male 66 1864 Yugoslavia Married White Father Yugoslavia Yugoslavia, Poultry Farm
*Natalie Dalton Female 60 1870 Yugoslavia Married White Mother Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Steve Chvorak Male 51 1879 Yugoslavia Divorced White Lodger Yugoslavia Yugoslavia, Poultry Farm

United States Census, 1940 Ohio Mahoning Austintown Township

Dorthy Dalton Female 34 Married White Head Same House 1906 Ohio
Virginia Dalton Female 13 Single White Daughter Same House 1927 Ohio
Natalie Dalton Female 12 Single White Daughter Same House 1928 Ohio
Theodore Dalton Male 77 Widowed White Father-in-law Same House 1863 Yugoslavia

Dorothy N. Dalton, 4 Mar 1906 -- 1 Jul 1993 (aged 87) in Marion County, Indiana
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio

       Son of Martin and Father of Simon Peter Dabich

                               [1922 Passport]

      Son of Theodore Dabich, Brother of Simon Peter

                              [1920 Passport]