Slovensko New Mexico

I firmly believe each individual should search for their roots at an early age. Mine started in my late sixties.At this time of my life most of my older relatives had died and obtaining information was quite difficult.

I was fortunate in my search and once I had basic information about my Slovak ancestry I decided to travel to Slovakia and finalize my search. Three trips and I'm still finding new information. My advice to anyone is not to give up because important information can be found just around the corner.

Pete E. Semanick, Jr.

My great grandfather was the head shepherd in Olsov and most likely herded sheep in this same area.

Bryndza, or cheese, is an important industry in Slovakia. The national dish, bryndzové halusky, is made of potato dumplings topped with fresh sheep cheese and bacon.

Click the image below to find out more about where this wonderful cheese comes from.

NEW The Importance of Giving Back
I am thankful to the many relatives and friends who have donated to projects to benefit the children of Olsov. To read more about the projects, click here.

A Little Background: Growing Up in Tennessee

One of my favorite adventures was walking up to grandpa's farm on Oakdale Mountain. It was only one and half miles away from my house but as I look back it seemed like several miles to my short legs. My memories of those days included hearing the locals who had homes near grandpa. They spoke a strange language among themselves and a distinct different dialect among the southern-drawled outsiders. I was one of those who had a southern drawl and wondered why those folks sounded different. click here to continue reading

My Search: An Introduction

I began the search of my heritage in early 1995. The main problem in my effort was, “Where do I start?” click here to continue reading

My Search, Part 1

My eyes could not believe the first line, “Yes, we are related.”click here to continue reading

My Search, Part 2

I soon discovered that seven members of the original Semancik clan had immigrated from the old“Austro-Hungary”, starting in 1886 and ending in 1930. click here to continue reading

Grandfather Carl John Semanick's Journey

In 1886, my grandfather, Carl John Semanick, was the first in his family to leave the tiny village of Olsov to seek a better life in America. Like so many other Slovakians, he first settled in the coal mine region of eastern Pennslyvania. To continue reading click here.

Trips to Slovakia