Streator 1911 Ribbon

[dlynn]

A Streator 1911 ribbon was found by a family member.
Does anyone know the significance of this ribbon?
We think the ribbon might have belonged to a family member living in Streator who was a coal minner. His family belonged to the Old Number Three Lutheran Church. He would have come from a Slovak heritage.



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[Job]

"SPOLOK" is an acronym for the National Slovak Society.

[dlynn]

How much do you know about the National Slovak Society? Who were the members?
How did it start, or why? Was that connected to the PNA? When did it start?
I'm still trying to investigate which family member this ribbon actually belonged to.
My daughter who is now, 37 was looking at her old 4-H ribbons, and found this ribbon to be with them. I believe the ribbon may have belonged to my g.g. grandfather Rubis. His family immigrated from Czechosiovakia

[galsal]

I don't know where you live, but the society is still very active. It is connected to St. Stephens church here in Streator. For more info, contact one of the older members of St. Stephens.

[bluejay201]

I thought that the National Slovak Society was "Lutheran" and the Jednota was Catholic. My family was Rusyn, so I could be confused.
Joanie

[galsal]

You are probably right, bluejay. When I hear slovak, I think St. Stephens. I live in Pintininti, and when I first moved here, everyone was Slovak, and it seemed they all went to St. Stephens.

[dlynn]

I grew up on Bronson and Johnson. A Koral. There were Slovak Lutheran's in that area too.
Although my grandfather was Russian, and a member of the Rockdale Russian Greek Orthodox church, where I was also baptized at, and my parents were married at. Later in years my mother changed over to the Lutheran Church which was also that of her family's.
But your certainly right, I do believe that there were many Slovak's in that area that went to St.Stephans. I still believe the ribbon came from my mothers family and they were all Lutheran's. I'm hoping to show the ribbon to some Polish people I know from the area thinking they my know something about the ribbon, or what it says. Its amazing to think its almost 100 years old.
Diana

[DumDave]

Back in the 50's, Dad sold life insurance for Prudential. I was just a little kid.
Pintininti/Painters Addition was his area/territory.
Every once in a while, he would let me ride along with him as he collected money for insurance policies. I met several people who did not speak English. Only Slovak or Polish I am not sure.

I am waiting to see if you can get more information on the ribbon. It looks to be in excellent shape.
-Dave

[bluejay201]

This is in response to an e-mail that was forwarded to me from
National Sec/Treas of the National Slovak Society, Linda Strom.



>This is not an NSS ribbon. E.S.Z.J stands for Evangelistka Slovenska
>Zenska Jednota or in English Evangelist Slovak women's Union. These
>ribbons were distributed to their members (as well as many other
>similar organizations) to identify their members. They were worn with
>pride for various occassions. The Black side as shown in the picture
>was worn at Funerals, many of them had a flip side that was worn on
>other occasions, meetings, conventions, etc. Also at the top normally
>the persons name would've been attached. Spolok is NOT an acronym for
>the National Slovak Society. Spolok means literally "Togetherness"
>and was used to mean
>" a society" such as a fraternity etc. Chances are that this ribbon
>belonged to a woman because men belonged to the Evangelist Slovak
>Union which was for men, and then the ladies formed their own group.
>According to the ribbon this particular branch was started Jan 2,
>1911 in Streator,
>Illinois and was known as Br. 58. The patron of this branch was
>Jesus in Gethsemany. The Slovak Evangelical Women's Union itself was
>founded in 1891.
>We do have some books in the NSS library from the Men's Evangelical
>Society --which I think the Home Office was in Reading??? I don't
>know if the Ladies division was headquartered there too or not.
>Hope this helps.
>
Well, that explains why I could not find anything about a convention in Streator in Jan 1911.
Joanie

[DumDave]

Thanks Joanie.
Diana, you have quite a story to go with the ribbon.
-Dave