Preidis-Masiokas Ancestral Line: Karolis Masiokas

Pauline Allen and Reyman Whitehead

D1 Paulina Masiokas-Allen, a.k.a. Pauline (Polly) Christine Allen, was born August 17, 1901 in Village Karsinauka, Panevezys, Lithuania, the first child of Karolis Masiokas and Elizabeth Madeline Silinsky.

She and her Mother immigrated to the United States traveling on the Hamburg-American Steamship Line. Their ship was the SS Kaiser August Victoria, arriving at Ellis Island, New York on September 8, 1906. They traveled third class (steerage) and the conditions were poor. Polly was able to roam the ship and play on deck, Elizabeth was below deck, 7 months pregnant and sick.

The family moved to Newark, New Jersey where 2 more children were born. Her father worked in a sugar factory and zinc factory and died April 7, 1909. Her Mother married Adam Preidis on May 9, 1910. A half brother, John Adolph, and half sister, Anne Elizabeth were born.

In 1913 the family moved to Columbus, Ohio. They lived on Morrill Avenue and Marion Road then settled at 236 Barthman Avenue on the south side. Shortly after the move to Columbus Polly left home and went to work as a nanny for the Macy family on the east side.

On April 5, 1920 Polly changed her last name to Allen. She married Reyman Whitehead on January 1, 1924 and became a United States citizen in 1934.

Reyman started Whitehead Radio Company, an electronics parts company on Grant Street in downtown Columbus. In 1955 Polly and Rey moved to Long Beach, California where he established a second store.

In 1958 when Polly and Rey came back for a visit, my Mother (Anne) and I traveled back to California with them. It was our first trip west. We saw St. Louis and traveled the famous Route 66. I saw Albuquerque, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. We stayed 5 weeks, visited Disneyland, San Juan Capistrano Mission, Marineland and Knotts Berry Farm. I was given an allowance the same as Rey's niece and nephew, learned to dress each night for dinner and treated to blueberry muffins every Sunday morning after Mass. Polly and Rey had a pool and I swam every day. I left Columbus with long hair in a pony tail, swimming every day, the tangles, the tears… it got cut. We flew home, my Mother's and mine first trip on an airplane. I missed my Dad very much and ran across the tarmac when we landed. He didn't recognize the little girl with the short hair until I jumped in his arms.

All three of us drove to California to visit them several more times. They lived in the northern part of the state for a few years so we toured that area one trip. Later they settled in Santa Barbara where Rey died in 1969. I was fortunate to visit her 5 more times. Polly continued living there until her death February 17, 1997 at age 96. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.

The Preidis Family History is a project of Carol M. Gillespie, D.D.S. You can contact Carol at: CGillespi2@aol.com. Please enter a Subject of Preidis Genealogy, to help us separate your message from spam. The HTML version was created by Eric Davis.