by Natalie Barry
In the early part of the 20th century, Hastings experienced an influx of immigrants, who came here to work in the industries located on the waterfront. Many came from Eastern Europe and settled in the lower Washington/Warburton Avenue area of our village. The following is some history about the Muraik family, who emigrated to the U.S. circa 1901. Basic family history is provided by Hastings resident Greg Muraik, with a reminiscence by his cousin Virginia Schumm Leddy, who wrote to the Society in response to an article in the Summer 1988 issue of the Hastings Historian. Virginia talks about her Ukrainian immigrant roots and their traditions around Orthodox Easter. We’ve also included some information on the symbolism used in the beautifully decorated Ukrainian Easter eggs known as pysanky.
Muraik Family Background
Greg Muraik shared with us the details of how his family came to this country as early 20th-century immigrants who settled in Hastings, working and raising their family here. He estimates that the portrait below was taken sometime between late 1917 and early 1918, as his Aunt Hon (Ann), the baby in the picture, was born in June of 1917. The family emigrated from the Province of Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in the southeastern region of Poland near the Ukrainian border). Note that their last name was Muraika until sometime around World War I, when they changed it to Muraik.
Starting clockwise to the left of Greg’s grandmother Mary are: John, the third born; Michael, the oldest child, who was born prior to their emigration; Katherine (known as Kay), the second oldest, who later married John Geriak; Anastasia (informally called Nell), the fourth born and later Mrs. Conrad Schumm; Peter, fifth born and Greg’s father; and baby Ann (affectionately called Honya, Ukrainian for Ann or Anna, hence “Aunt Hon”), second youngest and later Mrs. Andrew Beck. Not pictured is William (Bill) born in 1921.
Virginia Schumm Leddy Remembers
The following is from a letter written to us by Virginia Schumm Leddy circa 1988.
My grandmother Mary Muraik, a saint if there ever was one, was the mother of eight children. She was of Ukrainian descent, as was my grandfather Stephan Muraik, although he was half Polish. They owned the three-story house on Ridge Street. There my mother, Anastasia (Nell) Muraik Schumm, my dad Conrad Schumm (of German descent, from Ossining), and my sisters Phyllis Schumm (Landzert), Constance Schumm (Hanna), and I lived in our five-room apartment on the second floor.
My grandmother Mary, Ann Muraik Beck and Andrew Beck, and William and Bonnie Muraik lived on the first level of the house, with the huge kitchen on a lower level overlooking Anaconda and the beautiful Hudson River. Many a summer day, I would climb the cherry tree beside the house for a full view of “my” river.
At Orthodox Easter, the neighborhood ladies would gather at our house. They brought their elaborately decorated Ukrainian eggs, paskha (a bread shaped like a mushroom), hams, cheese paskha (a soufflé molded into a pyramid), and beets with horseradish. All the food was arranged in Easter baskets lined with crisp linen and displayed on our Queen Anne dining room table. It was picture perfect. The Orthodox priest from Yonkers would come to pray over the food and bless it all with a sterling silver ball on a chain filled with holy water. “Khrystos Voskresi” (Christ has risen) would be answered by “Voistynu Voskresi” (Verily he has).
Grandmother, Mother and I worked at the Hudson House in Ardsley. Many of the Hastings bobkas (mothers) were domestics. I babysat. These were hardworking women. They not only cared well for their own families, they then did the chores for others. Good women, strong women, and I’m proud to be related to them.
After graduation from Hastings High School, I worked at Anaconda. Yonnie Antku and I were in the Production Department. My uncle Michael Muraik was in Purchasing. My Aunt Ann Muraik Beck, Helen Antku and I would lunch together. Tom Phelan worked there and Thursdays were Susie’s Pork Chop Sandwich Day.
In 1955, I married James H. Leddy, Jr., a most wonderful man. Since we were both from Hastings-on-Hudson, as were my sisters’ mates, we didn’t have to explain Hastings to one another.
Ukrainian Pysanky
A pysanka (plural: pysanky) is a Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated using beeswax and dyes. The word comes from the Ukrainian verb pysaty, which means “to write,” as the designs are not painted on, but written on the eggs with beeswax.
The following is more information on the symbolism related to Ukrainian pysanky.
Pysanky were a tradition in ancient times, even before Christianity, although they are now associated with Easter. Many symbols refer to pagan traditions; for example, a svarga or rotating cross is sometimes depicted, which is a symbol of the development of the universe and echoes the shape of a Slavic amulet connected with Svago, the pagan god of fire and war.
The stars shown on pysanky could have five, six, seven or eight corners. The hexagonal star is associated with the horizon or sky, as well as a sign of the year (with two of them representing a full 12 months). Given that the octagonal star is a symbol of love, a pysanka decorated with such a star when presented as a gift was once considered to be a confession of strong feelings for the recipient. Nowadays, an eight-pointed start symbolizes Christ.
Because flowers represent life and growth, this symbol in the Ukrainian tradition is associated with children. In olden times, women who were infertile were advised to decorate Easter eggs with flowers and present them to children, in the hopes of becoming pregnant themselves.
Green trees, branches, and leaves are a symbol of life or spring renewal after winter sleep. They also signify eternal youth, health, and growth. Happy spring, everyone! And, to those who celebrate, Happy Easter.
Special thanks to Marie Paquette for her research assistance.
I lived on 16 Croton Avenue starting in 1951. I was 6. The Leddys were next door on Darwin, the Landzerts next door neighbors on Villard. I remember Old Tim Phalen and his son, Tommy.
Great information. I even recall some of the names. Especially Muraik (Pete). The Schumm’s lived on Ridge St. I believe the building they lived in also succumbed to that terrible explosion and fire that killed Mrs Zelunka at 34 Ridge St,. That was I believe January of 1967. My Mom Marian Kissel and her husband Al (Step father) lived on the second floor of 34 Ridge and lost everything they had. Al passed from throat cancer 5 months later after trying to enter the burning building.
Thank you for that info! The Historical Society ran an article many years ago about the Ridge Street fire. It may be time to re-run that article, as many people don’t know about that tragedy.
Great article and letter from Mrs. Letty, I also remember our Ukrainian neighbors who lived on Ridge Street and Railroad Avenue ,we were at 27 Washington Ave. on the corner of Warburton. I especially remember the traditional food at the annual summer picnic / outing in Draper Park during the summer , it was delicious!
The article stirred up a host of memories and commentary between myself and some dear friends from my childhood who were also of Eastern European heritage and who attended St. Stanislaus Church. Easter traditions were so important and so much of what you describe was familiar to us all. There will be some Babka making this year!
Our next door neighbors in Hastings were named Leddy! Small world. I live in Dallas now (and for many years). Far away but Hastings remains in my heart.
Eleanor Royster Eidels
Thank you, Brian, for telling us about Ridge Street. I live in one of the new houses which were built on the site of the fire. The Historical Society must have published the story of this disaster, but I didn’t know the names of the people affected until now.
Thank you so much for this family story. My mother’s family were also early 20th century immigrants from Slovakia, right near the Polish and Ukrainian border. I learned Pysanky from my grandmother and went on to teach myself more on this meaningful tradition. I now teach Pysanky making in the rivertowns.
I lived at 3 Washington Avenue next door to Brian Deasy and his family I remember the Muryns and the Dudas . It was a wonderful experience being a part of their celebrations!