Joseph W. Zukowski Sr.

  General Notes:

Joseph W. Zukowski [c1905 - 1949]

Joseph was born sometime during the year 1905. I have not found documentation of his date of birth or place of birth. According to the census records his birth year was consistently entered as 1905. He was the 2^nd child and oldest son of William Thomas and Victorine (Suprenant) Zukowski.

By 1910 Joseph is in residence with his parents William and Victorine at @ 225 Nineteenth St - Ward 7, Watervliet, NY. The family surname"Zackawski" [ It was wrongly spelled by the census enumerator on the census sheet.] Joseph's father is now age 33 and has been married 8 years. He is working as a carpenter at the Arsenal. Joseph's mother, Victorine, is 28 [Victorine's parents were born Canada English but she was born in New York State] Victorine keeps house and she and William have had three children and only two are living. A daughter Alena is age 6 and was born 1904 in NY State and Joseph their son who is about age 5, [born 1905.in New York State.] A son Eugene William died in the summer of 1907 when he was about 7 months old of a cholera like disease characterized by severe vomiting and diarrhea. Victorine's father Joseph Surprenant age 64 [born 1846 in Canada English] is also living with them. He emigrated in 1868 from an area in Canada that was predominantly English speaking and is a naturalized citizen and works as a carpenter at a door factory ?….(It is hard to read the enumerator's writing)

In the City Directory in 1911 the family is @ 812 Twelfth St. [Watervliet[. The entry says William is a helper [no location give.]

For the years of 1912 and 1913 Joseph's father works as a helper at 1605 Broadway and the family resides @ 1327 Sixth Ave. [Watervliet]

At the taking of the 1915 census, Joseph now 10 and his family are living @ 1317 2nd Ave, Ward 3 in Watervliet, NY. His father William is now 39 years old and works as a "stationary engineer." Joseph's mother is 33. In addition to his older sister Alena [entered by enumerator as "Helene"] Joseph has a younger brother Raymond age 5 and another sister Edna about one year old.

By 1924 The Wm T Zukowski family is living at 51 Ninth Street in Watervliet. William is working at the Arsenal as a "rigger. [ Riggers help operate machines that move heavy objects including steel plates, bundles of steel rods, drilling towers, platforms, and the heavy construction equipment used to build and take down steel structures.] Still living at home and single is Joseph's twenty year old sister Alena [entered by enumerator as Allenah] who works as a collar worker. Joseph W is now nineteen and works as. a "rougher" [ An iron worker who is engaged in the early stages of roughing out or rolling iron sheets down to the required thickness. It can also mean someone who roughed out things in the early stages of production.] Also in the household is Joseph's Grandfather Robert Zukowski who is now about seventy-five years old and widowed.

In 1925 The family has relocated to 1251 10th Ave in Colonie township Election District 06 Albany County, NY. At this time villages and townships were being redefined but the family was still living officially in Watervliet. Although Joseph's father was approaching 50 years of age, he was still actively working as a "rigger." Joseph's mother was 44 and keeping house for her husband and children. Joseph now twenty is working as a mill hand. His younger brother, Raymond 15, and two younger sisters, Edna 11 and Elizabeth age 7. are at home and probably attending school. Grandfather Robert Zukowski, now at age 76, has gone to live with his daughter Nellie (Zukowski) Christie on Russell Street.in the same city.

In 1926 Joseph's parents have moved to 51 Ninth Street [Watervliet].William his father works at the Arsenal as a "rigger." Joseph W. Zukowski is now about twenty-one and married to Grace O'Neil. Grace was born in Dec of 1901 across the river in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York. She was the 4^th of 7 children of Patrick J. O'Neil and Mary Amelia (Rawley) O'Neil.
.Joseph remained at the Arsenal as a "rougher." Grandfather Robert Zukowski is still with Joseph's Aunt Nellie (Zukowski) Christie [his father's sister] and they live on Thirteenth Street in Watervliet.

By 1927 William T. and Victorine Zukowski; remain in residence @ 51 Ninth Ave, [Watervliet] with Joseph W. Zukowski and his wife Grace.[Joseph and Grace had a son born in 1926 who died at birth. They had given him the name Joseph W. Zukowski Jr] Joseph still works as a "rougher" and his father as a "rigger" at the Arsenal. Still living at this Ninth Street address probably are: Joseph's sister: Alena age 23 [not yet married]; his brother Raymond age 17, and two younger sisters, Edna 13 and Elizabeth age 9.

In the 1930 census Joseph and wife Grace are renting @1226 10th Avenue in Mansville, Colonie Township, Albany, NY [his parents were living at 1251 10^th Street.]
Joseph Zukowski is now age 25 [says he was married at age 20- This would make the year of marriage some time during 1925, and probably between June and October as he is still single in the June 1925 census] His occupation is now listed as: "machinist" at the U S Arsenal
Grace his wife is age 27. Joseph and Grace now have two children: A daughter also named Grace who is about 2 having been born c1928 NY and a son William an infant born c1929 NY

In the taking of the 1940 census Joseph and Grace are living @1248 Seventh Avenue in Watervliet Ward 4, Albany Co, NY Joseph "Zerkowski" [The surname is wrongly spelled by enumerator on the census sheet] is age 35 and only completed 8^th grade; works a 48 hour week at the Watervliet Arsenal as a "mechanic" making about $1800.00 a year.
Grace is now 37 and does not work or have any income. She completed 8^th grade. Their children are as follows: daughter Grace is 12 and has completed 6^th grade. Wm is 10 and has completed 4^th grade. Robert 9 and Shirley 8 have both completed 2^nd grade Elizabeth age 5 and James age 2 are at home and too young for schooling yet.

The following article appeared in the THE TROY RECORD on 21 April 1944
"One hundred and nineteen employees of Watervliet Arsenal will receive the War Department's award for Meritorius Civilian Service at the plant on 22 April 1943. Brig General A. G. Gillespie will make the presentations. The following will receive emblems and certificates for over ten years of service: WATERVLIET [Arsenal] ..........Joseph W. Zukowski......

His obituary appears in THE TROY RECORD 5 Oct 1949:
"Joseph W. Zukowski of 1230 Seventh Avenue in Watervliet died yesterday at St. Mary's Hospital after a brief illness. A native of Cohoes he has resided most of his life in Watervliet and was employed as a foreman at the Watervliet Arsenal. He was a member of the Twenty Year club there. He was also a communicant of Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Watervliet. Survivors include his widow the former Grace O'Neil. three daughters, Grace, Shirley and Betty [Elizabeth] Zukowski; three sons William, Robert and James all of Watervliet; his mother Mrs Victorine Zukowski of Watervliet; three sisters: Mrs Rudy Normandin of Cohoes; Mrs George Romain and Mrs Carl Fandl of Watervliet and one brother Raymond Zukowski of Troy.He was the s/o the late Wm T. Zukowski. Funeral from Parker Bros and Sacred Heart of Mary Church. Interment St. Patrick's Cemetery in Watervliet.

Addenda: Joseph W. and Grace (O'Neil) Zukowski's son Robert was your grandfather Robert Joseph Zukowski born 4 Oct 1930 and died in August of 1979 Robert married Janet Ostwald in [May?]1958 at St. Augustine's Church in North Troy, Rensselaer County, NY. They were the parents of your father Robert John Zukowski born 1959.

  Events

• birth.

Joseph married Grace E. O'Neil, daughter of Patrick J. O'Neil and Mary Amelia Rawley, circa 1925. (Grace E. O'Neil was born on 27 Dec 1901 in New York, died on 1 Mar 1968 in Samaritan Hosp, Troy, New York and was buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Watervliet, New York.). The cause of her death was cancer.

  Marriage Notes:

estimated