Family history of Roman Mierzejewski

Roman Mierzejewski was born 3 December 1923 to Joseph and Anna (Nelec) Mierzejewski in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He is the 4th of 5 sons born the Anna and Joseph. Big brothers Alfred was born 10 December 1915, Zygmunt born 16 January 1918, Lucjan born 28 November 1920, and little brother Ernest born 6 March 1926. Tragedy strikes the family when Zygmunt dies in 1919 from the Influenza Epidemic. Sadly, no public records can be found of his death or burial.

Soon after Roman is born the family is able to buy a house at 435 Prescott St in New Bedford. This remained the family home until his parents passed. Tragedy strikes again when Alfred died on 19 July 1931 during the summer between Jr. High and High School. A story I was told mentioned a ‘Tarzan rope’ at a local swimming hole that broke. His mother said he died of a broken heart. Sadly, his parents were not able to place a marker on his grave, with the country in the grips of the Depression. This was rectified years later when a family member had a marker placed on his grave.

Roman was a skilled carpenter. He built an enclosed porch on the back of the family home in his mid-teen years, along with a brick garage. He was a carpentry student at New Bedford Vocational. In October 1940, at age 16, he left school to work as a civilian contractor at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. During part of this time he lived at the Keystone Hotel in Washington, DC, just a few blocks away from the White House. In March 1941 Roman returns to New Bedford and school.

Soon after Pearl Harbor was attacked, big brother Lucjan joined the Navy as a Machinist Mate. He served for about a year on the USS Wichita doing convoy escort between the US and England. Later he served on the USS Mallard, a submarine rescue ship in the Panama Canal Zone. Little brother Ernest joined the Army Air Force Reserve in 1944 and went active in 1945 after graduating high school. He became a CFC (top) gunner on B-29s, but was never deployed overseas.

The 1930 Census showed the family living on Prescott ST in New Bedford. Both Anna and Joseph are working as weavers in the cotton mills. They own their home, valued at $5,000, but do not have a radio set.

The 1940 Census showed the family still on Prescott ST, but the house is now valued at $2500. Joseph is unemployed for past 26 weeks, and earned only $300 in 1939. Anna is working at the mills, earning $900 in 1939. Big brother Lucjan has finished high school and is working as a Machinist, earning $500 in 1939.