Six young Polish kids in the early days of Houston, descendants of the Polka, Maduzia, Kloc and Steshaczynak families from Bremond, Texas. These families immigrated from the Debica and Pilzno areas of SE Poland.
Left to right, Clara Mae Stash, Mary Ann Stash, Dorothy Riess, Lucile Riess, Walter ‘Sonny’ Smock, Fred William Stash
Houston, Texas
circa 1927
January 1949 photo of Pancho Polka with my parents Maria Jacob and Rip Smock before they were married. The photo was taken at 1102 Omar Ave in front of the house that Mom grew up in the Heights.
The Post Office used to be a little more lenient on how you could address a letter. My mother sent this letter to my father in 1947 when he was working in El Campo and he got it just fine. Here’s the translation;
Mr. Walter A. Smock “Rip” (Rip was his nickname)
c/o Bell Telephone Company
El Campo, Texas
Rip’s mother Agnes Polka was born on a cotton farm mid way between Bremond and Marlin Texas. She was baptized in this beautiful church of St. Mary’s in Bremond on February 8, 1891. Photo property of James Kloss.
In 1944, my Dad, Rip Smock, started his Christmas celebration by attending a traditional Midnight Mass at a US Naval Base on a remote island in the South Pacific.
Christmas Midnight Mass Program
World War II US Naval Base
December 1944 — at Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands
Duck pond at the Spring Branch farm
2132 Pech Rd.
Shwartz Park and Landrum Jr. High in the background
Dad raised mallards at our Spring Branch farm the whole time I was growing up. We ate pretty good for poor folks and us kids were pretty good at plucking ducks.
World War II – 1945 – South Pacific
Walter (Smokey) Smock, Ralph (Dusty) Fuge & Joe D. Tabor
This photo was taken in March of 1944 on Eniwetok Island, one of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific
Chocolate Bayou Fishing / Hunting Camp
Brazoria County, TX – West of Freeport, North of Chocolate Bay
Marion Polka, Harry Matell, Rip Smock, Adam Polka
