American Serb History 101

“Galveston, Oh Galveston!” we all know the words to that great country song.  But it’s always in my heart every time I visit son Nick and his family in Houston, Texas.  I can’t wait until we get a chance to head down to that coastal town because of great Serb friends found there, like Mimo Milosevich and Elaine Mitrovich. We always try to attend church services when I’m there and usually find a great place for lunch before heading back to Houston, or eat in the new church hall now with dinners afterwards. The original hall was demolished by the last hurricane.

The Parastos for Archmandrite Theoclitos in Galveston

By Milana (Mim) Karlo Bizic

American SRBOBRAN. 2020

This story begins with me finding something Elaine thought for sure was lost to history like most of her treasured things she had, in the last two big hurricanes the resilient people of Galveston endured. It was a letter and some stories she had written on January 24, 1984 to my dad, Milan Karlo, and his wife Helen for their book EARLY DAYS: Serbian Settlers in America.  Alas. The material was never used because that first book became too unwieldy just with stories and photos from the West. It would have to wait until the couple living in New Mexico could make a new book for the Midwest and East, but time and money ran out. It was never done.  But with this CORID-19 virus, I’ve had time to go through a few unopened boxes, and found these wonderful letters and story treasures from my Dad to share with you, almost four decades later.
As Elaine herself acknowledged in her letter to my dad Milan and Helen: “I’m probably six months too late with this…” She also wrote how Father Mike Kresojeich, whom we all loved at Shadeland, was no longer in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but now in Florida, and also that Bishop Firmilian was in the hospital.

But let’s move onto Elaine’s father, Tripo Nicholas Mitrovich.  What a background story he had.  Tripo was the son of Nikola and Ljubi Uljarevich Mitrovich, born on February 16, 1896 in Krusevica, Boca Kotorska, Serbia.  His father Nikola had been married before, and after bearing him 8 or 10 children (the exact is not known) his first wife died.  In his old age, Nikola married the young woman, Ljubi Uljarevich, and Tripo was their first chid.  Nikola died about 1900, leaving Ljuba and young son Tripo, age 4, and also an infant son, who later died. (Just imagine her life!)

One lady, Anna Keseljevich, a few years older than Tripo,  had lived across the street from him in the village. Many years later, then also living in Galveston, she delighted Tripo’s children, informing them that since he was his widowed mother’s only child, he was very spoiled and got into mischief with his harried mother frequently chasing after him, a funny sight to see.

Thank goodness Tripo was always close with his older brothers.  One of the brothers and brother-in-law were farmers and fishermen as were the rest of the men in the village, but they also signed onto ocean-going cargo ships that plied their ways from their area to Turkey. They had made the trips many times and when he was old enough to travel, they signed Tripo on as a cabin boy to help his brother-in-law (the ship’s cook) in the kitchen.  Although it was a short voyage, it was almost his last too. They had just sailed into Istanbul harbor and began unloading their cargo. Tripo had been peeling a huge pile of potatoes on the deck of the ship when the muezzin made his call for the Moslems to bow down in prayer. Being a proud Serbian Orthodox, and not liking the Turks from his history lessons, Tripo began throwing rotten potatoes down on a small boatload of Turks who had prostrated themselves on their deck of the ship below Tripo’s. Needless to say, the enraged Turks did not take kindly to this and jumped off their ship, angrily running up the dock to Tripo’s vessel.  His quick-thinking brother-in-law cook threw him into a food locker and threatened him with his life if he even breathed!  Then he cooly headed off the Turks by telling them that the kid had jumped into the water on the other side of the boat.

Now, another brother, Savo (Sam), had been living in America since 1907.  He sent a letter home, inviting then 16 year old Tripo to come join him in America. Although his mother was happy for Tripo to seek his fortune in the new world, she was also filled with great sorrow, thinking she would probably never see him again.  She was right.  The morning that her son was to leave, she fixed him a huge breakfast of eggs and bacon, served him milk and coffee and baked goods, leaving Tripo stunned.  Why? Because this breakfast was very unusual in that it was the period of Great Lent, and his mother was a very religious woman. He was shocked to see she would break the fast for him, but she told him she had a premonition, and that she had to make sure he would not leave his ancestral home hungry.  He never forgot that breakfast nor the tears she cried that morning.  He repeated this story freely throughout the years, and whenever he related it to others, he would always have tears in his eyes for the memory of his beloved mother and that memorable day.

Tripo came to the USA in May, 1913, sailing from Boca Kotorska to New York, ending at Ellis Island. From there he took a train from New York to his destination in Galveston, arriving five days later. It was thanks to a Russian man on the train who Tripo befriended, who also spoke English that managed to send brother Savo a telegram, so that Savo was there to meet him at the station.  Tripo then lived with Savo, a cook at a downtown cafe, and his wife Frances, who managed their small boarding house, and their two young daughters. Savo (Sam) got Tripo a job washing dishes until he could learn English better.  Tripo went from dishwasher to bus-boy, to one of Galveston’s best waiters, and Sam also taught him how to cook.

Three years later, Tripo enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1916 and was sent to basic training in San Antonio, Texas. One day, shortly before his unit was ready to ship out to France, Tripo’s commanding officer called him into his office and gave him the opportunity to resign. The officer explained that Tripo was actually a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and since the U.S. had entered into the war against them, he could resign because of his citizenship. Tripo proudly told his commanding officer that he was born a Serbian, and was NOT an Austrian, and now considered himself an American. His officer was quite proud of him.  Shortly later, Tripo became an American citizen in the District Court of San Antonio.  He didn’t see much action in the war due to a hand injury that landed him into a hospital for a long time, but Tripo was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army with the rank of Sergeant.

Tripo remained a bachelor until January 21, 1935, when he married Adela Pechacek, the daughter of Czech immigrants, Alois and Josefa Pechacek.  They married in Angleton, Texas, about 60 miles away from Galveston, near Adela’s home town because at the time, Sts. Constantine and Helen Church was vacant, and the couple would have to wait at least six months to marry before a priest could come.  Their first home was the vacant parish residence above the now demolished church hall, because the Church Board needed someone to live there until the priest and his family finally arrived, due to insurance issues.

Two children were born to the couple, Milton and Elaine.  Milton Louis Mitrovich was born on March 2, 1936 on the 100th Anniversary of Texas Independence, and the couple always took such pride in that fact.  Our wonderful Elaine was born September 22, 1940.  At this time, Tripo was working two jobs, as a waiter and also a worker for Grays Ship Yards.

Elaine was always so proud of the fact that her father and mother Adela were such hard workers for both their Sts. Constantine and Helen Church and for the Savez, our Serb National Federation.  It seemed anytime anyone would see Tripo, he was always busy collecting dues for one or both organizations. Anytime there was a celebration, dinner or festivity, Tripo was in the kitchen working.  He was proud that son Milton was an altar boy and his daughter Elaine sang in the church choir with her mom.  Tripo was on the Church Board of Trustees, as well as for the Savez and Cemetery Committee. He was an active church member until his health failed, and he had to retire from his employment from the City of Galveston where he had worked for the last thirteen years.  He died on April 8, 1970.  Elaine says, “My dad was never a wealthy man, but he left so much to his family:  Love, Pride in being Serbian, many friends, devotion to his church, fellowship, and pride in the service to his country.  

Tripo’s favorite songs were “O Namo Namo” and “Tamo Daleko.” The Mitrovich Slava is St. George. Elaine says that since this was the Slava of practically ALL the Serbian families in Galveston, he and his family attended the Sam Popovich family Slava every year up until the 1960’s.  The tradition in Galveston was that the families would visit each house celebrating, and the tradition still continues somewhat to this day.  But because families were growing in alarming proportions with each succeeding generation, and the older generation was dying off, families began celebrating in their own homes. 

Elaine loves to boast: “Niko Nema Sto Srbin Imade!” From the 1900’s, every Christmas and Easter and Slava was a marvelous celebration, visiting from house to house, eating, drinking, dancing, singing and having fun. “It has always been so special and our American friends who have been lucky enough to be invited to any or all of them were always envious and couldn’t compare them to anything they ever knew.”
Although Galveston is a small colony, it has always been a family-oriented community with everyone mostly related to everyone else, either through blood or Kumovi relations.  “Because of our small size, it has always been a struggle for us to keep an active church going, but we would roll up our sleeves and work, and it was such enjoyment to participate with your friends and loved ones, really like one big family.”  

I can attest to what Elaine says is true.  Visiting Sts. Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church Galveston is like visiting family.  

And there are so many more stories to be told!  When visiting there, ask to hear about Milton’s and Elaine’s hilarious late baptisms in 1946, or about the old retired hard-of-hearing seaman, Maxim Todorovich, trying to give his confession to their very learned priest, Dr. Tihomir Pantovich. Or about “Miss Mary,” the Serbian lady who ran a saloon next to where the longshoremen worked and had learned  a “colorful” vocabulary.  Be sure to inquire about the Czech band playing and people trying to dance on a very slippery waxed floor. Elaine says a whole story could be written just about Sophie’s folklore, especially the story about when Sophie and Johnny Milosevich were to get married.  Then of course there are the Sam Popovich Constable stories wherein he was the most popular politician on the island after helping to clean up the gambling and red light districts!  Sam joked and said even the Federal Post Office at 2528 was at one time a bordello, just another colorful part of Texas history!  No wonder my father and Helen loved visiting Galveston as much as we do now.  You will too!



Mim Bizic, Mimo Milosevich, and Elaine MItrovic in Galveston, TX, looking at the bricks purchased for the new walkways by and around the church in 2018.

 Tripo's WWI Documentation

Elaine Mitrovich and Family

Elaine Mitrovich and His Grace, Bishop Longin of the Midwest Diocese.

Elaine and her Galveston family with Baba Goya Kovachevich in the center.

Elaine and the ladies of Galveston for a Spaghetti Fund Raiser for their church.

Great friends: Sophie Milosevich and Adele Mitrovich, Elaine's mother.

The hardworking Ladies o Galveston's KSS

Nephew Jeff Mitrovich, our Elaine Mitrovich and Fr. Serge Veselinovich, Galveston's long-time beloved priest now in Chicago, IL.

Son Nick Bizic treated Mimo, Mim and Elaine to dinner at a great Texas Restaurant.