Steve's Genealogy Blog

Henry Frank Dymek, son of Stanisław Dymek and Franciszka Ksepka, applied for a Social Security Account Number on 23 February 1937.

Henry Frank Dymek’s Application for a Social Security Account Number

SOURCE:  Henry Frank Dymek, SS no. 034‐10-6171, 23 February 1937, Application for Account Number (Form SS‐5), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Application for Social Security Account Number for Henry Frank Dymek. The application states:

• Henry Frank Dymek lived at 81 Endicott Street in Worcester, Massachusetts
• He was employed by the Waldorf Restaurant located at 289 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
• At the time of application, Walter was 20 years old; he was born on 04 August 1916 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• His parents were Stanley Dymek and Francis Ksepka
• He was a white male, not registered with the U.S. Employment Service and had not previously applied for a Social Security Account Number
• He applied on 23 February 1937 and was issued Social Security Number 034-10-6171

There are two stray marks on the application: the number 520[?] near the upper right and 1-1 written near the bottom right.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Shirley Dymek, daughter of Stanisław Dymek and Franciszka Ksepka, was born on 09 February 1914 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA .  Her birth was recorded in a ledger for the city of Worcester where her name was initially spelled Stanislawa Dimiak .  The surname was corrected to Dymek on 22 January 1976.

The Birth Record of Shirley Dymek – 1914

SOURCE:  “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915,” digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 15 February 2011), Birth of Stanislawa Dymek, vol. 624, page 574, no. 1154, Worcester, Massachusetts, 09 February 1914; citing Vital Records: 1841-1915, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.

The image above is a composite image from the ledger, cropped to emphasize the information for this child .  Click on the link for a PDF copy of the birth record of Shirley Dymek .  The ledger states:

• Shirley Dymek’s birth is recorded as No. 1154 in the ledger for the city of Worcester,
• Her name was initially recorded as Stanislawa Dimiak, a female child born in Worcester,
• She was born on 09 February 1914 and her birth was recorded in January 1915,
• Her surname was corrected to Dymek on 22 January 1976,
• Her father was Stanislaw Dimiak [Stanisław Dymek], a laborer from Russia residing in Worcester,
• Her mother was Franciska Ksiapka [Franciszka Ksepka] from Russia, residing in Worcester.

The names in this record are badly misspelled, but misspellings are typical in Massachusetts vital records from this time period.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Walter William Dymek, son of Stanisław Dymek and Franciszka Ksepka, applied for a Social Security Account Number on 11 December 1936.

Application for Social Security Account Number for Walter William Dymek

SOURCE:  Walter William Dymek, SS no. 034‐09‐3378, 11 December 1936, Application for Account Number (Form SS‐5), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Application for Social Security Account Number for Walter William Dymek. The application states:

• Walter William Dymek lived at 81 Endicott Street in Worcester, Massachusetts
• He was employed by Arcade Malleable Iron Co. located on Albany Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
• At the time of application, Walter was 24 years old; he was born on 28 December 1911 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• His parents were Stanley Dymek and Francis Ksepka
• He was a white male, not registered with the U.S. Employment Service and had not previously applied for a Social Security Account Number
• He applied on 11 December 1936 and was granted Social Security Number 034-09-3378
• There are two stray marks on the application: the number 530[?] near the upper right and 1-1 written near the bottom right.

Many Polish immigrants and their sons worked in the iron and steel industry in Worcester .  The jobs there did not require a lot of specialized training and paid poorly .  Immigrants were often grateful to have jobs, even if the work was hard and the wages low .  An image of the Arcade Malleable Iron Works in Worcester, Massachusetts where Walter William Dymek worked is shown below.

The Arcade Malleable Iron Works

SOURCE:  Illustrated business guide of the city of Worcester, Massachusetts: arranged by streets with the number, name of firm and of business of all business houses in Worcester, together with a brief description of all points of interest and views of public and private buildings (Worcester, Mass: Snow, Woodman and Co, 1881), 116.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Walter William Dymek, son of Stanisław Dymek and Franciszka Ksepka, was born on 28 December 1911 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA .  His birth was actually recorded twice in the ledgers for the city of Worcester. The first ledger was recorded in January 1912, shortly after his birth .  The second ledger was recorded in January 1913, over a year after his birth.

The Birth Record of Walter William Dymek – 1912

SOURCE:  “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915,” digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 15 February 2011), Birth of Vadislof Demick, vol. 608, page 488, no. 1970, Worcester, Massachusetts, 01 January 1912; citing Vital Records: 1841-1915, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.

The image above is a composite image from the ledger, cropped to emphasize the information for Walter William Dymek .  Click on the link for a PDF copy of the second birth record of Walter William Dymek .  The ledger states:

• Walter William Dymek’s birth is recorded as No. 1970 in the ledger for the city of Worcester
• His name is recorded as Waslav Dimick, a male child born in Worcester
• He was born on 01 January 1912 and his birth was recorded in January 1913
• His father was Sephen Dimick [Stanisław Dymek], a laborer from Russia Poland residing in Worcester
• His mother was Frances Zipka [Franciszka Ksepka] from Russia Poland, residing in Worcester

As usual, the names in this record are badly misspelled, but the most startling thing is that Walter’s birth was recorded twice, reporting that he was born on 28 December 1911 in the first record and that he was born on 01 January 1912 in the second record .  He, himself, used the 28 December 1911 birthdate, which is the most reliable from the records since the 01 January 1912 date was recorded in the ledger over a year after his birth.

At the time of Walter’s birth, there was no requirement in Massachusetts for physicians and midwives to promptly report births to the town .  To ensure that all births in a town were properly recorded, canvassers asked local residents about births in their families and reported the results to the town .  Walter’s birth was recorded twice (under different spellings) probably because the family didn’t remember that they had already reported his birth in January 1912, and reported it again in January 1913.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Walter William Dymek, son of Stanisław Dymek and Franciszka Ksepka, was born on 28 December 1911 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA .  His birth was recorded in a ledger for the city of Worcester where his name was spelled Vadislof (Władysław) Demick.

The Birth Record of Walter William Dymek – 1911

SOURCE:  “Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915,” digital images, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 14 February 2011), Birth of Vadislof Demick, vol. 600, page 488, no. 975, Worcester, Massachusetts, 28 December 1911; citing Vital Records: 1841-1915, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.

The image above is a composite image from the ledger, cropped to emphasize the information for Walter William Dymek.  Click on the link for a PDF copy of the birth record of Walter William Dymek .  The ledger states:

• Walter Willliam Dymek’s birth is recorded as No. 975 in the ledger for the city of Worcester,
• His name is recorded as Vadlislof Demick, a male child born in Worcester,
• He was born on 28 December 1911 and his birth was recorded in January 1912,
• His father was Stephen Demick [Stanisław Dymek], a laborer from Russia residing in Worcester,
• His mother was Frances Skepka [Franciszka Ksepka] from Russia, residing in Worcester.

The names in this record are badly misspelled, but misspellings are typical in Massachusetts vital records from this time period.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko