On the 1930 Census for Cambria County, Summerhill Twp., it says that my grandfather and great grandfather (both Michael Markovitch) were both pick miners. Does anyone know what mines were in the Summerhill Twp area in 1930? My mom used to mention something about it being in the Onnalinda area which I can't find very much information on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Melissa,

My Grandparents Mirko and Mary PLASAJ (Americanized to PLASAY) lived in Onalinda for a period of time after they were married (sometime after 1913)

The original sp may have been MARKOVIC (means son of Marko) and could have been of Croatian or Slovak origins.

If you go to the link below you will get a topographic map of Sumerhill Twp. Onnalinda is near the bottom right below Lloydell. Later they moved to St Michael

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/cambrimp/summport.jpg

There are some MARKOVITCH names found at St Michael cemetery.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/cems/adStMich.html

There is a Michael MARKOVITCH at Sherbine Cemetery (near my GPs old farm!)

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/cems/shSherb.html

Also if you search Cambria County gen site for MARKOVIC you will find variants of this name. But most likely the original sp was not MARKOVITCH.

Do you know when they immigrated? Do you know where they came from?

Robert Jerin
Croatian Heritage Museum
Cleveland Ohio

My grandfather and great grandfather both were Summerhill miners:


Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Corporation at Ehrenfeld