Evelyn M. Staley holds a unique and special place in the Koshko family history. This child born June 8, 1919 was not a family member by blood or marriage. She was the godchild of Julia Koshko. When young Evelyn died one year and one day after her birth, her mother didn't have the money for a grave. Godmother Julia saw to it that the child had a proper burial.

The Koshko family had several plots in the St. Michael's Church Cemetery in Clarence, Pennsylvania. Julia knew her family had many more plots than it would need for many years. And she felt a duty to Evelyn. So she gave Evelyn a burial place.

Josephine Schall recalls that decades later, after Julia Koshko died, Julia's son Paul acquired many of the family's cemetery plots. A local meddler started telling people that Paul intended to move Evelyn out of her grave because he wanted all the plots for himself. The Staley family members who were still living heard that story. One of Evelyn's brothers, living in Chicago, stopped everything he was doing and went to Pennsylvania to hear it from Paul himself. He asked Paul what he intended to do with Evelyn's grave. Paul said he didn't intend to do anything. His mother gave the baby her burial place and that was that.

The brother thanked Paul and returned to Chicago. Evelyn's grave remains where it was in 1920.

Questions:
Do you have any pictures of Evelyn Staley?
Do you know anything about her?

Record created: June 8, 2007