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Note: I found a baptism record for her where her name is listed as Paulina Steffan. Her parish is St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Her DOB is 3/18/1894 and her baptism is on April 8, 1894. As of today (3/21/2020) apparently they haven't linked a scanned copy of the transcript - just the index entry is available and it is a seemingly incomplete summary.
Not in the 1910 census with Rose and Andrew. I've found a "Lina" Stevens listed as the correct age, 17, in the 1910 census, living in Essex, Essex, New York on page 244B of ED 244. She is living with a farmer and his wife - Robert Bruce and Martha Benway (different names for some reason).
I haven't been able to find her in the indexes for the 1920 census. She is not living with her mother. Most likely she is married but I've tried looking under "Lina", "Lena", Paulina with surnames of Stefan, Miller and Muller without any luck. I did find a record of a Pauline Miller born in New York in 1894 living with a Frederick Miller from Germany on 33rd Street in Manhattan in the 1920 census which is near where the rest of the Stefan family is living at the time. Her marriage record to Fred Miller lists her name as Paulina.
Mayor, Postmistress, General Store Mgr. in Benchland, WA. She was postmistress in Benchland from 1947-1974 and retired with a small anuity from the USPO at age 70. A very strong personality. Pauline was married briefly before to a German fellow by the name of Muller who changed his name to Miller. He died in the influenza pandemic in 1918-1922 after which Pauline married Herbert Levi Smith whom she had met while he was serving in the New York City area during WWI. Pauline was the oldest daughter in a very proud, strong-minded family of Czechs. She had a mysterious illness while living in Benchland that necessitated a number of extended trips back east to New York City. She developed back problems after a fall necessitating what sounds like a back fusion, then a revolutionary procedure.
In 1930 is living in Benchland, Judith Basin, MT with husband - Herbert and son, Victor.
Raised in New York with a strong willed mother who had to raise her family after their breadwinner committed suicide when the kids were all relatively young, Paulina was, herself, strong willed. She was also, like her mother, very capable and ran the business side of their store and post office and was mayor of Benchland for a time. Carolyn Smith said that she and Paulina didn't get along. Initially, Paulina blamed Caroline for that, but later in life she admitted that it was her fault. Paulina doted on her grandchildren.
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Note: H821
Note: From Vic Smith: Thanks for all the work. I think my Dad's info is essentially correct to my knowledge. He never said much about his life. He liked math and could work many problems in his head. He liked to hunt and fish, specially the latter. How he ended up in Benchland is a big question. I know he herded sheep and fed the artist. Charlie Russel in his sheep wagon. Russel gave him several post card sketches as payment and Dad was really mad that someone broke into the wagon and stole them. He made friends easily and went out of his way to help them.
He was doing pretty well and kept several farmers in fuel, etc during the 30's depression. He loaned to much that he ended up in debt and working for them managing the Benchland Farmers Exchange. In addition Mom needed costly medical procedures. She had fallen about the time I was born and injured her spine. She was in a lot of pain and went back to New York's Bellvue Hospital for an operation (only the 2nd such in the U.S.) by a Viennese surgeon who put a bone from her lower leg into her spine and a sheep's bone into her leg. She had to wear a horrible brace and was always in pain. Mom was a pretty good business person and told Dad to collect the loans but he refused as he didn't want to cause them any problems. He should have. They would have respected him more, I think. The farmers prospered as war rolled in but only one paid him back. Meanwhile, Mom required further operations and went to Mayo's, too. Mom went to Dr. F.F. Attix in Lewistown and he was very respected and connected. I think he was head of the state md association.
My Dad never complained. Mom went back to NYC in 1934 and I went along.
We stopped at Chicago for the World's fair. I got to see the 1939 World's fair in
NYC the same way. We only went for a day as that was all we could afford but
still enjoyed it.
You have to remember Mom was the oldest girl in a family of 11(?). Her father committed suicide and her mother was left to take care of the family. So Mom had to help support the family. She went to work and worked her way up to be the wool buyer for Gimbel's. She was about the only female buyer and traveled to Europe to get the goods, competing with Macy's, etc. Her Mother made fur coats, etc. and that required good skills and she made fairly good wages I think. But the rest of the family was too much for her to handle and she had lots of problems. Unfortunately those with greater knowledge are no longer around.
That's it for now.
Dad (Victor Smith)
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