52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2023-01)
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of January 1 is “I’d Like to Meet" so let me introduce you to my great-grandmother Elizabeth Bonar Soltis. |
| Elizabeth “Lizzie” BONAR SOLTIS in an undated family photo. Enhanced and cropped 2022.01.07. |
I was first introduced to Elizabeth when my grandfather, Charles (Soltis) Summers dictated his autobiography and my mother shared it with family. Up to that point, my grandfather had kept details of his childhood a secret. The reason I chose Elizabeth is that from my understanding, my great-grandmother led a very rough life and I would like to meet her and learn more about her than what the documentation shows.
Elizabeth was born in 1882 in Hungary (likely Budapest) to Peter and Mary Bonar. Based on the 1910 US Census, she immigrated to the United States in 1898. At this time, I’ve been unable to locate any immigration or naturalization records. And beyond the mention of her parent’s name on her death certificate, that is all we know of this family line. So her parents are my earliest Brick Wall ancestors.
On February 23, 1904, Elizabeth “Lizzie” married Charles Soltis in Carbonado, Pierce County, Washington. Carbonado was a large coal mining town. Charles was a blacksmith that worked at coal mines. How did they meet? Family stories are that Lizzie was likely a “mail order bride.”
They very quickly began their family. They had the following children: John Joseph, November 26, 1904; Charles William (my grandfather), April 2, 1906; Joseph Charles, April 20, 1908; Stephen John, December 22, 1909; Michael, April, 1911; Andrew Joseph, March 10, 1913; and Peter, August 16, 1916.
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According to my grandfather, his father would beat the boys with a razor strap, my grandfather remembering he always got it worse than the other boys.
Sometime after the birth of Peter, Lizzie left Charles, took the six boys, and went to Ohio to stay with her sister. From there they went to New York City. My grandfather remembers them settling in the Greenpoint section of NYC (Brooklyn) and living on Box St.
There is a 1920 US Census record of an Elizabeth Sulki living at 54 Box Street, Brooklyn, New York. She is listed as head of house. In her household there are seven children. The first six match the names and ages of the children Lizzy and Charles had that she took when she left. The seventh is a 1½-year-old boy named Edward. So is this Elizabeth Sulki possibly Lizzy Soltis? Could Edward have been another child that Lizzy and Charles had that died soon after the census since there are no other records?
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| https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/1052801?mark=cba1f382c38612bd1c5527e1ab3047ddc52af01575675bac6ca6d427b4e641da accessed 2023.01.06. |
My grandfather remembers that after about six months, his father found them in New York and took the family back. He didn’t want to go back to the abusive home, so he ran away.
By the 1930 US Census, Charles had Lizzy committed to the Western State Hospital. This is a psychiatric hospital in Washington
Lizzy lived out the rest of her life in the Western State Hospital. According to her other children, she was able to leave for visits with the family.
Lizzy died on December 29, 1952, of cancer of the stomach.
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| Photo of headstone; Block 68, Lot 13, Grave 6; Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma, Washington. From the personal collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen |
To me, Lizzy lead a very rough life. From immigrating to the United States from Hungary to being a mail-order bride and likely not knowing who she was marrying, having children with an abusive husband, living in a psychiatric hospital, and then dying of stomach cancer. I’d like to learn more about her life and the strength she had to have!
Parents: Peter Bonar and Mary
Spouse: Charles Soltis
Relationship to me: Great Grandmother
- Elizabeth Bonar Soltis
- Charles William (Soltis) Summers
- My Mother
- Me
