Source Ancestry: Baptism Date 10 May 1885 (Budapest)

In correspondence with Peter Tatarek (10/2012), a .jpg of the birth registry in Hungary lists Ilona and twin sister Aranka born 6 May 1885. Peter wrote in an email that "You can see their parents names and their address and the birth place of their parents." (I'm unable to read this document and hope to have this explained when we visit him in Budapest).

(The following was dictated by Timár László to Olga Grein in the late 70's): "From the marriage of Tatarek Sandor and Findeisen Rozina there were 14 children, nine boys and five girls. In 1885, twins were born, Ilona (Helen) and Aranka, while living on Szerdahelyi Street, in the middle of Budapest. When the girls were 9-years-old, they went to sewing school and when they were 11, they completed the course and were prepared to go to work.

In 1909, Ilona came to America at 24 years of age. Her godmother paid her way over, and she repaid her when she started working. She met her future husband on board ship (?), who also had a room in the boardinghouse owned by grandma's godmother. In 1910, she married Rista Metrovitsch. They lived on the seventh floor, no elevator, and somehow she managed to do her marketing with three little children.

NOTE: no reference of Riszta Mitrovic on board but there is a Rista Mitrovic on La Lorraine (see entry for Riszta Mitrovic)

1910 Fed. Census
Helen Tatarek - boarder - age 24 - Year of Immigration to US 1910 (interesting since she arrived in 1909) - Trade: Dressmaker - Nature of work: "working out" -
Note: no reference of Gizella Tatarek

Ellis Island information:
Passenger: Ilona Tatarek (age 24, single)
Last place of residence: Budapest, Hungary
Date of arrival: Nov. 9, 1909
Ship: Ultonia
Port of Departure: Fiume (16 Oct 1909)
Manifest #: 0011
Listed in manifest with Gizella Tatarek, age 28, Manifest # 0010, Ilona's sister (b. 1881)

About the ship, Ultonia (photo saved):
Built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited, Newcastle, England, 1898. 10,402 gross tons; 513 (bp) feet long; 57 feet wide. Steam triple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 13 knots. 840 passengers (40 first class, 800 third class). One funnel and four masts. Steel hull and two decks.

Built for Cunard Line, British flag, in 1898 and named Ultonia. Liverpool-Boston and later, Trieste-New York service. Torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off the Irish coast on May 27, 1917.

In 1918 they moved to Tacoma, Washington, and he worked in the shipyards. In 1923 they moved to Los Angeles, California."

SS: 562-21-2914 - California Death Records (12947-1997) incorrectly lists SS as 569-18-8386 (SS of husband, Resta (Rista) Metrovitsch.

Residences:
234 E. 121 St. NY (1910-1918)
Tacoma WA (1918-1922)
Los Angeles (1922) An apartment on Temple St.
Los Angeles - 90th St. & Main St. (Rista built house; high school years)
Los Angeles - 87th & Broadway (rental) sale of 90th St. house covered living expenses caused by Rista's accident/loss of leg due to painting accident - fell from roof, compound fracture, led to gangrene)

Wedding information through Italian Genealogical Group
Last Name: Tatarek
Given Name: Ilonka
Month/Day: Aug 6
Year: 1910
CtfNum: 17540
County: Manhattan
Soundex: M361
ID: 917868

New York Marriage Certificate #17540 (Soundex M361)

Listed Surname: Metrovitsch, Given Name: Rista
Marriage Date August 6, 1910
Manhattan County

Source: www.italiangen.org/NYCmarriagesearch.asp

Link to bride:

Taterek, ILANKA (soundex T362)

Below is the account of Helen Tatarek's life based on the notes compiled by Sandor Tatarek.

In 1909, Ilona immigrated to America (at age 24). Her Godmother paid the fare over, which she repaid when she started working. She met her future husband who arrived April 10, 1909 on ship Slovenia and who also had a room in the boarding house owned by Ilona's (Helen's) godmother.

She traveled on board with with her relative, Gizella Tatarek, age 28.

She married Rista (Resta Ritzo) Metrovitsch in 1910. They lived on the 7th floor, no elevators, and somehow she managed to do her marketing with three little children (daily and no refrigerator).

In 1918, they moved to Tacoma Washington where Resta worked in the shipyards. In 1923 they moved to Los Angeles.