The Kink family was originally
from Sinj, a town 35 KM North inland from Split. It is the first
town on the road through the Klis Pass. The Klis Pass was a great
cross-road of history between East & West. Its fortress tells
us a bloody tale from Illyriens, Romans, Croats, Serbs, &
Turks. The town was in Turkish hands for over 150 years. In 1715,
twenty years after its liberation, it repelled a Turkish siege.
It was at that time that the Kink family fled the mainland and
settled on the far out Island of Vis.
In Komiza, Paul Kjekusic met
and married Victoria Reskusich. They had three sons and two daughters.
The sons were: 1. Dominic (Dick) who married Margaret Evich in
Everett, WA. Their children were Victoria, Paul, and Mary.
2. Paul who married Maria Evich in Bellingham, WA.
Their children were Victoria, Paul, Peter, Mitchell, and Marie.
3. Tony who married Lucy Pribicich in Bellingham, WA.
They had four children, Victoria, Paul (Dan), Peter, and Jeanie.
After Lucy's death, Tony married June Hughes-Ward and they had
three children, Stanley, Madeline, and Kitty.
My father came steerage to New York in 1898. He some
how traveled to Colorado and worked in the mines there for a few
years and saved his money. He made his way to San Pedro, CA. but
was not too happy there. He moved to Everett, WA and there met
his fellow Komizian, Paul Martinis. Paul wanted him to stay in
Everett and get started in purse-seine fishing. He also met and
married Margaret Evich in 1912. She had been living with her brother,
John, and his wife, Maria (Costanti).
When he heard that many of his friends were living
in Farihaven and starting to do well in salmon fishing, he came
to Fairhaven and felt he had found his "Mecca." He brought
his wife and they moved into a rental on 12th Street. He bought
a small purse seiner, the Bellingham and did well
in the fishing game. He sent for his two brothers, Paul &
Tony.
At about the same time, he bought a pool hall and a
small general store. When his brothers came, he put them there
to manage the businesses. But these two young men were too good
looking and the "gals" were treated royally - EVERYTHING
FREE!! When the Bellingham came in after a good
catch - "Big Brother" Dick sold the pool hall and the
store and his brothers became his crew on the seiner - so he could
keep his eye on them.
In 1912 he had his boat the St. Paul built.
During the winter he worked as a "night watchman" at
the Campbell Cannery on Chuckanut Bay.
His first child was born in 1913 and was named Victoria
for her paternal grandmother. In 1915, son, Paul, was born and
named for his paternal grandfather. In 1917, a second girl was
born and named for her maternal grandmother, Mary.
The St. Paul fished in Puget Sound and
Alaskan waters for many years. On one trip to Cape Flattery, it
was so rough that Dad had to tie his cook, Nick Muljat, to the
stove to keep him on his feet and to hold the pot of stew on the
stove
The photo shows the Dick Kink family aboard the St.
Paul heading out for a picnic. Notice that they all dressed
up - complete with hats for the ladies. This picnic is one that
Dick brought their neighborhood friends along for a special treat.
The man on the right-hand side is Bert Sybrant, the local fire
chief. His wife, Kate, is the woman on the right-hand side walking
towards the bow. The family is Dick; son, Paul; mother, Victoria;
daughter, Victoria; wife, Margaret; and in front, daughter, Mary.
Another time, Vince Dulcich was the cook and had just
finished chopping the lettuce. Antone Costello came into the galley
and asked what it was for. Vince told him it was for a salad.
Antone picked up the lettuce and threw it overboard and said,
"That is for chickens!" Then grabbed a head of lettuce,
bit off a chunk and said, "This is salad!"
It was such fun when the St. Paul came
home from Alaska. We three kids all got Eskimo fur slippers that
smelled awful - but were appreciated. Dad had so many stories
to tell us about Alaska. He loved the Matanuska Valley, the Glaciers,
the seals, and the bears.
Speaking of stories, my dad learned to read with me.
Together we read my first primer, 1st grade reader, 2nd grade
reader, and 3rd grade reader. Then he started taking the daily
paper -- he really self-taught himself to read the English language.
In the early twenties, my dad brought his mother to
America. She was a very sweet, petite grandma. Dad built our home
at 1102 Donovan Avenue where I was born. The house is still standing
and looks great! Dad wanted to live near other immigrant nationalities
so he would get a better understanding of what America was going
to be. Neighbors were the Rene LaCasse family, the Bert Sybrant's,
the Keen family (Indian), Mr. Mahoney -- a Civil War Veteran -
Officer of the Confederacy, Mrs. Rathman and her four daughters.
The South Bellingham fire station was three houses away from ours
and the Chief of Police lived a few blocks away. We also had some
Dalmatians close by: The Anton Costello family from Kotor (we
really loved them), Gorgo and Matija Zaninovich from Vis, the
John Lazarovich's from Serbia. I can still remember going to call
on them. They sat at their kitchen table with a jug of wine and
a gun. We didn't stay long!!!! Spiro and Yube Karuza from Solta
were great people. Spiro fished on the St. Paul. The Vince Dulcich
family from Hvar were very dear friends. But of course all our
close friends from the Island of Vis were very special.
We were together for weddings, funerals, baptisms,
first communion, confirmation, St. Nicholas Day -- Christmas to
New Year was one party after another. I can remember walking home
after midnight from 12th Street to Donovan (no cars)... I can
also remember falling asleep under Muljat's kitchen table (no
babysitters)... the adults sang, danced, and told fantastic stories.
The food was Slav pasteries, candy, and nuts. My dad and Nick
Muljat made some snazzy guitars from 5-gallon oil cans and cat-gut
strings. They strummed them like seasoned musicians and sang songs
in a Serbian gutteral voice. They were destined to become the
Elvis Presleys of Vis!
In the spring when the seiners were clean and freshly
painted -- many picnics to various islands were held. Sometimes
two boats were tied together -- We had to anchor out, for there
were no docks -- then the skiffs were rowed to the beach bringing
food, kids, etc. The men would build a fire on the beach, getting
it down to hot, hot coals and barbecue the choice cuts of meat.
The ladies made the salad: Lettuce, tomatoes, green onions with
olive oil and vinegar dressing with home-made crutons. Long loaves
of French bread (crispy) were cut in thick slices (no butter)
-- the drinks were wine for the adults, pop for the kids and watermelon
for dessert. Svete was also brought to go with coffee. The food
at those long-ago picnics are now considered gormet!
So many wonderful memories!!!
*****
Tamburitza Band
Front row: Mitchell Kuljis, John Starkovich,
Emil Mardesich, Paul Kink, Vincent Kruza. Back Row: Leader, Anton
Susanj, Frank Muljat, Peter Zuanich, Andrew Kuljis, Minnie Kuljis
Woods, Sofie Susanj, Anton'e wife. Not pictured was Fred Starkovich
who was in the orchestra on and off. Fred & John's two brothers
were lost at Pearl Harbor, they were on the Arizona.
The orchestra was put together by Anton Susanj. I do
not know the exact dates, but it would be around 1927. Each member
paid $50 to join the group as each instrument had a different
price. They did this so there would be no argument who played
what. This was decided by Mr. Susanj. We would practice two nights
a week for several years besides nearly every night at home. We
always got together at the home of Nick and Mary Karuza on Eleventh
Street. They were a very gracious host. Antone's only salary was
a glass of wine before we started practice.
Over the years we played for all the schools in town
and every fraternal organization. We were very much in demand
but never received any compensation. We always played at the KVOS
Christmas Program. Several groups of entertainment were part of
the show. It was a charitable program and people called in for
requests and donated money for it. We always received our share
of requests. Most of the numbers we played were old Croatian songs.
We knew very few American songs, but we did play the National
Anthem. We also played "Over the Waves" which was very
popular in those days.
We also played several times in Vancouver, B.C. in
the Croatian Hall. The break-up of the group came when we were
invited to Victoria, B.C. to participate in a festival. We were
to be paid for participating and there was an argument on who
should get the money. It never was settled and we started to drift
apart. In later years, Paul Kink and I played for the museum and
the yacht club reminiscing with Galen Biery and his Magic Lantern
show on the fishing history and the Croatian imput. Dick Kink,
former legislature also was part of the program. We were considered
one of the better Tamburitza groups in the country and we always
were able to play without notes or music sheets. -- Peter Zuanich
