Adam Eterovich 1931-2013 distinguished researcher of the history and culture of Croatian diaspora in the USA
http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10402/1/Adam-Eterovich-1931-2013-distinguished-researcher-of-the-history-and-culture-of-Croatian-diaspora-in-the-USA.html
By Darko Žubrinić
Published on 05/2/2013
 | Adam Eterovich's studies of Croatian diaspora in the USA are inavoidable for understanding the contribution Croatians to the history of the USA. He has accumulated and published a list of several hundred thosanad of names of Croatian Americans. On his well known web-site www.croatians.com Mr. Eterovich has selected dozens of interesting biographies, some of which left indelible mark in the history of the USA, like Nikola Tesla (the father of three-phase system in world's electrical engineering), Anthony Lucas (or Antun Lučić, a father of world's petroleum engineering), Mario Puretić (Puratić, important inventor in fishing industry), etc. etc. |
The parents of Adam Eterovich Bracanin are from the island of Brač in Croatia
Mr. Adam Eterovich on the left and Mr. John Daley with his guitar on the right,
and the church of St. Marko in Croatia's capital Zagreb in the middle, with its famous roof with Croatian Coat of Arms.
Croatian Heritage, the web site developed by Adam.
and the church of St. Marko in Croatia's capital Zagreb in the middle, with its famous roof with Croatian Coat of Arms.
Croatian Heritage, the web site developed by Adam.
| Adam Eterović My first contact with Mr. Adam Eterovich falls in arround 1996, just about a year after I started with my web-site www.croatianhistory.net in April 1995. I never met him in person, but after dozens of his relatively frequent telephone calls from the USA, we became very close to each other, although living on different sides of the Globe. He was full of interesting information, and also very often called asking for help, close to his research interests. He is probably best known for his monographs dealing with old Croatian Heraldry. Mr. Eterovich published his extensive, lavishly illustrated monograph, when in Croatia (until 1991 within communist Yugoslavia), it was practically unthinkable to do a serious research on these matters. This is why some of rare those in Croatia who possess his book about Croatian Nobility, keep them as special trasure. I was pleased with several booklets that he sent me over the past 15 years, with enclosed old maps indicating the names so obviously related with Croatian mariners. One among them is the name of an island from the 16th century, near today's Panama, that was called OTOQUE. In Croatian OTOK means an island, so the conclusion is pretty obvious. The name was given by Croatian mariners. Some of Mr. Eterović's conjectures and conclusions were indeed brave, and I occasionaly had a feeling that he is exaggerating. An example that I will never forget was a book that he mentioned to describe the life of Joseph Haydn, published in 1897 in England, entitled He mentioned the name of an auhtor that I never heared of - William Hadow. He told me that he has a copy of the American edition of this book, published in 1972. I told him in disbelief, that he must have misunderstood something, because I thought it would be impossible for me not to be informed about such a book. He answered, a little bit offended, "But I have the copy of that book at home!", and continued in Croatian "Ali ja imam taj knjiga doma. Mogu Vam, ako želite poslati taj knjiga by post!" I liked his Croatian explanations enormously, especially his mixture of Croatian and American English. Of course, I told him that I would be extremely happy if he could send me his copy of the book. When the book arrived by boat from the US to Croatia after about two months later, I was absolutely amazed. It was a true book, written in de luxe English, by distinguished English scholar Sir William Hadow (as learned soon afterwards). William Hadow was known as the editor of The Oxford Encyclopaedia of Music in five books, and as the author of the book about Baroque Music in this same collection. It is with great surprise and pleasure that I read the book. This book shows that, in my opinion without any doubt, that the origins of Joseph Haydn are Croatian. This is a high class book, full of beautiful descriptions, music scores, and without any sign of intrigues, or anything that could be similar to low blows. What amazed me in particular, speaking about the author of that book, is that he visited an area of contemporary Austria, where Haydn was born, called Burgelnand (Gradišće in Croatian), where Croats live. Furthermore, he even visited the environing villages of Croatia's capital Zagreb (in the second half of the 19th century), checking all information gathered from his colleague, distinguished Croatian musicologist Franjo Kuhač. For this book only, I owe enormous gratitude to late Mr. Adam Eterovich. I hope that the future generations will be able estimate the importance and reliability of his contributions. I known that his intuition led him sometimes to wrong conclusions, but this is an inevitable process for any active researcher. I remember his endevours with the research of the origin of famous Zinfandel Chardonnay. He told me (asking me to try to find some relevant information by contacting some very old abbeys in Croatia) that the wine could be from the North-East of Croatia. I was of no use for him. And then, after a few years of joint research of Croatian and American specialists (including geneticians), the conclusion turned out to be even more surprising: the the famous american Zinfandel wine was proved to originate from the area surrounding the city of Split in Croatia! Below I enclose several articles either prepared by Mr. Adam Eterovich himself, or closely connected to him, and published on my web site upon my request. Of all the persons that he was writing about, in my opinion probably the most important is his description of the life and accomplishments of Antun Lučić - Anthony F. Lucas, born in the city of Split, considered in the USA as the father of world's petroleum engineering. With Nikola Tesla (also born and educated in Croatia), he can be probably listed not only among hundred most important inventors in the history of the USA, but very probably among THE FIRST TWO most important inventors in the history of the USA. These two persons belong to the narrow list of founders of electrical engineering and petroleum engineering in the world, as we know it today. Adam Eterovich: LUCICH DISCOVERY OF OIL AT SPINDLETOP, TEXAS Adam Eterovich: FIRST CROATIANS IN THE AMERICAS Darko Žubrinić: Croatian Mariners in the New World William Hadow: A Croatian Composer - notes towards the study of Joseph Haydn Adam Eterovich: CROATIANS AT THE OLYMPICS Adam Eterovich: MARIO PURETIC, Invention of the Fish Power Block - King of Purse Seine Fishing There are numerous contributions of Mr. Adam Eterovich to other American journals, in particular to the Zajedničar, issued by the Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) of the USA. Mr. Eterovich was a very agreable person, with deep knowledge abut many subtle details concerning the history of Croatian diaspora in the USA (of which he was a part), passionate explorer of original old books and documents dealing with Croatian mariners and settlers in the USA. Some of his books are kept in the Hrvatska matica iseljenika (Croatian Heritage Foundation), and in the National and University Library in both in Zagreb. A special mert of Mr. Adam Eterovich consisted in establishing the ambitious Internet site Croatian Heritage. Although already at the old age, he was realizing the importance of Internet in spreading information about Croatia, and in particular about Croatians in the USA. For all this he deserves our deep gratitude. Darko Žubrinić, Zagreb www.croatianhistory.net www.croatia.org www.studiacroatica.org |
| Adam Eterovich (1931-2013) peacefully passed at his home in San Carlos, CA, at the age of 82. He was born in San Francisco, and his both parents Ana and Ivan Eterovich were immigrants from Croatia. Adam graduated from San Francisco State University, obtaining degrees in History and Business. He served four years in the US Army during the Korean War, becoming Sergeant First Class. He was a historian and author of several books, articles and studies on Croatian-Americans which had tremendous historical value. He was also a long-time member of SMBS - Croatian Cultural Center and Croatian Fraternal Union. He is survived by his beloved wife Danica of 54 years, his daughter Karen and son-in-law Anthony Palladino Sr. Adam was a devoted grandfather to his grandchildren Stephanie Palladino (Jess), Anthony Palladino Jr., Christina Palladino (Adam), and great-grandchildren Wyatt and Stella. He is also survived by his sisters Winnie Biocini (George), Katie Eterovich, Francis Bulanti (Charlie), his brother John Eterovich, his brother-in-law Tom Kralj (Marica) and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to visit and attend a Memorial Service on Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 1:00PM at the Chapels of Valente Marini Perata and Company, 4840 Mission Street, SF. Source www.legacy.com |
| Adam Eterovich's authobiography I was born in San Francisco. My parents came from the island of Brac on the Dalmatian coast, my father in 1910 and my mother in 1920. My father was the oldest son, of thirteen. Four died before they were one year old because of no doctors. Nothing. There was one doctor on an island for 14,000 people. As a young man, my grandfather was thrown in jail in the old country because they said he was a socialist. This was under the Austro Hungarian crown. My father was sent to Australia at age sixteen to follow the Australian Gold Rush in the 1890s. O.K., so he arrived in Australia. Then he travelled 3000 miles across the country to work in the gold mines in west Australia. When he got there the English wouldn’t hire him. Discrimination. Papa couldn’t read or write. So he had to cut wood in the bush. Alone. Every month he’d take the wood to town. My grandfather joined him later and they worked together for a few years, and then my grandfather said, ‘let’s go home.” But my father met an old Dalmatian who told him, “Don’t go home, go to California.” This was 1910. And that’s how he ended up here. Now how could a man who couldn’t read or write, come here and open restaurants and coffee houses? I’ll tell you how. He knew how to add. Anybody who lives on rock, like the islands on the Dalmatian Coast, and can squeeze out a living for 2000 years, when they came here to California, this was like gold.  Mr. Adam Eterovich My father was a bootlegger from 1919 to 1931. Made his own booze. We had a ten foot basement down below. He supplied everything to the Croatian owned saloons and restaurants. I’m convinced that our people actually originated California cuisine as it’s known in San Francisco. You know, the open fire grill and so on. Good examples of this cuisine are the Croatian owned restaurants Tadich’s, opened in 1849, and Mayes Oyster House operating from the 1860s. I was raised in the SMBS. My father took my brother and me in when I was old enough. And I had to go to the Croatian church. Montenegran picnics. Serbian picnics. Slovene picnics. Croatian picnics. Everything, until I got to be fifteen or sixteen, and I said, "Now I don’t think I’m going to go anymore." At home we spoke an island dialect. When I married my wife in Croatia, they laughed at me, they said, “You’re a throwback. That’s what they used to speak 100 years ago.” link to audio? I didn’t speak school Croatian, but rather a regional dialect. At home we used whatever language we used, and outside the door ... it was like you had a switch in your brain. As soon as that door hit you on the behind you spoke English and were completely American. You had to live in two worlds. For us, explaining ourselves was an impossible task. We didn’t have a country. When you went to school you had a map. It said Italy. It said Germany. That was obvious. But where were we? For example you say, you’re from Yugoslavia.” Well, that’s where Mama came from. But Papa came from the same island and it was Austria. What can you do? I didn’t know I was Croatian until I was about 22 years old. We called ourselves Slavonian. Papa went to the Slavonian Society. All the people of San Francisco said, “you’re Slavonian Americans.” This is a good story about clan names. My father always referred to his friends by their clan names instead of their last names. It lost its meaning after he died. But in 1950 when I went as a soldier to the island of Brac and I got off the boat and I asked, “Where is Andreas Eterovich?’ Somebody said, “Which one?” Then I remembered my father’s clan name. Because there could have been fifteen Andreas Eterovichs. And I said, “Faraun. “ And he said, “Right there.” Well, that was part of their culture. O.K. I went into the Army and was outside the United States for almost four years. Then when I came home I went to the university for four years. Then I decided I didn’t want to go to work and I got a scholarship to study in Zagreb and I went to school over there for a year and a half. In fact, I took a college minor in history. I had this seventy year old professor who said to me, “Adam, I never heard anything about you Slavonians. I used to go into your restaurants.” And he gave me an assignment to do a big paper on my people. At that time I thought our people all rolled off the boat about 1900. Then I started to dig into it, and discovered, “Oh, my God, we’ve been here a long time.” And I collected data for that paper -- that’s how it started and I never stopped. After college and the Army I became active in the Society again. [Editor’s note: Adam has devoted much of his adult life to the interests of the Slavonic commuity in San Francisco. He has held many offices in the SMBS and was the moving force behind the shift in the Society’s vision from that of a closed social and service society to a cultural center open to all nationalities. In addition, he has done extensive genealogical and historical research on Croatian Americans and may have the most extensive collection of such records. He has established a publishing house and a website to support his research and has a number of projects in the works.] As for the SMBS now, it needs a continuity of culture and a purpose. When we lost some of our social purpose we were about to disappear. Societies of any ethnic group die because of that. That’s why, with John, we started the cultural part about fifteen years ago. I’m not a singer or a dancer but I support it. I write about Croatians in America to help get an identification. And maybe, if some people read it, they’ll identify. I’m not concerned about the newcomers, they know. It’s the second, third, fourth generation that don’t. We Americans put everything in categories. For example, when you are eating a Danish cookie and you like it, you think the guy’s pretty civilized to have nice cookies. My point is, that in order to feel sorry for you or to feel you are human they have to know something about you. And this identification is my mission. That’s why John and I started that Marko Polo Croatian Day. But I got my Italian friends mad at me. Source www.slavonicweb.org |
| Vladimir Novak o Adamu Eterovichu Često sam s Adamom razgovarao telefonom, jer ja sam živio u Los Angelesu, a on južno od San Franciska. Osobno sam ga upoznao kada sam ga posjetio u njegovom domu, gdje me je i s večerom počastila njegova divna supruga, s kojo se je on vjenčao u Zagrebu u crkvi Sv. Marka. Tom prigodom Adam mi je darovao nekoliko zanimljivih povijesnih fotografija o Hrvatima u Americi, među kojima i jednu značajnu od društva „Zvonimir“ iz 1893. godine, ali koja je potpuno izblijedila, no koju sam ja kasnije uspio restaurirati. Također mi je darovao i dvije prekrasne značke iz 1912. godine kojih je sada slika u mojoj fotomonografiji Croatians in America na 224. stranici. Surađivali smo zajedno tako, da sam ja njemu davao moje fotografije za njegove knjige, (Adam mi je za to odao zahvalnost u njegovoj posljednjoj knjizi oo hrvatskim ribarima i brodograditeljima u Americi) 2000. godine, a on meni dragocjene tekstove za moju buduću fotomonogradiju koja je tek sada spremna za nakladu. U toj knjizi je i njegova slika, no što on zbog prerane smrti nažalost neće vidjeti. Vladimir Novak |
| MARCO POLO - Croatian Adventurer CROATIAN HERALDRY, By Adam S. Eterovich POLO----PILIC----DEPOLO The Marco Polo Coat of Arms includes four chickens. In Italian, Polo means chicken or fowl; in Croatian Pilich means chicks or chickens. Accident or coincidence? The Arms are registered in Dalmatia. Henry S. Hart in his book, Venetian Adventurer: Marco Polo, states, "These merchants were Maffeo and Nicolo Polo, sons of one Marco Polo, a descendant of an old Dalmatian Family which had come from Sibenik, Dalmatia, and settled in Venice in the 11th Century." Hart goes on to say, "The crews of the Venetian ships were freemen, so many of them Slavonians (Croatians) from the Dalmatian Coast that the long dock by St. Mark's Square was and is known as the Riva degli Schiavoni (Slavonian-Croatian)." Marko Polo was the greatest explorer of all time. More significant than Columbus, he opened to Europe all of Asia, including China, which in turn prompted the discovery of America. Marco Polo had a home on the Island of Korcula in Dalmatia, then a shipbuilding and merchant center of Dalmatia. The merchant and the noble class in Dalmatia did use two names, one Latin-Italian as citizens of Venice and their own Croatian name in their own circles. Bogdanich became Bogdaneo, Mladinich-Mladineo, Arnerich-Arneri and Glavinich-Capogrosso. Some simply used the Latin-Italian meaning of their name, such as Cvietkovich-Florio, Lupis-Vukasinovich or Polo-Pilich. Genealogy The most prominent researcher and historian of Marco Polo, Sir Henry Yule, In his book Ser Marco Polo 1903, John Murray, London drew a genealogical chart of the Polo Families on pages 5O6-507. Marco's daughter, Moreta, married Dolfln; daughter, Fantina, married Bragadin. Vinko lvancevic in his article "Stone Carved Coats of Arms on Korcula" in Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, No. 381-1978 has the Illustrated Coats of Arms of Dolfin and Bragadin. On the same, the wife of Marino Gradenigo chooses as her executors, "My mother Dona and my uncle (Barba) Ser Marco Polo." Gradenigo Coats of Arms are also carved in stone on Korcula. She also used the term Barba for uncle, this is Dalmatian dialect for uncle. Zio means uncle In Italian. Bragadin is cited on page 125 In History of Medieval Croatia by Guidescu as a Croatian. Marco's genealogy also listed a brother married to a Sagredo-this Sagredo is registered in the Dalmatian nobility and states In German: "Welches aus Sebenico stammt" or originated in Sibenik. It is significant in his genealogy the association with Korcula and Dalmatia. The Croatian Census of Population for 1948 lists DEPOLO (De-of Polo) on the Island of Korcula with 40 individuals in 15 families and the city of Drnis, Dalmatia approximately 20 kilometers from Sibenik (the origins of Polo) has over 25 families with more than 130 individuals named PILICH. Polo is found in only two families far to the north. Courtesy of the Croatian Genealogical and Heraldic Society. Courtesy of the Croatian Genealogical and Heraldic Society , 2527 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070. Arms can be purchased in color, 81/2 x 11, Glossy Print for $25.00 including shipping. Six weeks delivery. Sjor Adam S. Eterovich Amerikonac Croatian Heritage Source www.korcula.net |
| WE ALL CARRY AND LISTEN TO CROATIANS By Adam S. Eterovich ROYAL CRAVATES-10TH CUIRASSIERS CRAVAT-HRVAT-NECKTIE The Royal Cravates were the Palace Guards to King Louis XIII of France. Croatian hussars wore a colorful bandana around their neck. Hrvat means Croatian-Cravat and the NECKTIE WAS BORN. Some of these Guards emigrated to America and Canada. Regimental History: In 1643 created from the remainders of the Croatian regiments in French service which had been disbanded at the time of Louis XIII's death and named the Royal-Cravates. War record 1805: With the Grande Armee at Austerlitz; 1806-7: With the Grande Armee at Jena, EyIau and Hoff; 1809: With the Armee d'Allemagne at Eckmuehl and Wagram; 1812: Fought at La Moskowa; 1813-4: With the Grande Armee at Leipzig and Hamburg; 1815: Fought at Waterloo.
PENKALA INVENTED THE PEN The invention is the “mechanical pencil” whose variant can be found in the pockets of our contemporaries. Both the technical pencil and the fountain pen were invented by the engineer Eduard Slavojub Penkala (b. Sv. Mikulas 1871-d. Zagreb 1919). A typical homo faber of the industrial age, he settled in Zagreb at the beginning of the century. He set up a chemical laboratory and workshops, where he invented and patented about 80 chemistry, mechanical and aviation devices. He was an extremely talented and innovative person, the first to record in 1909, the opera and operetta airs on a gramophone record, He was an amateur pilot and constructed his own aeroplane in 1910. In 1906 he patented a mechanical pencil in Budapest and started its largescale production in various shapes and sizes in Zagreb, shortly after. Penkala soon became a synonym and brand name for the mechanical pencil, the real forerunner of the modern types of technical pencils and pens. There are Penkala’s in Opatija, Rijeka and Zagreb. POST
VUCETIC INVENTED FINGERPRINTING Josip (Juan) Vucetic (1858-1925), a criminologist and antropologist born on the island of Hvar, lived in Argentina. He was one of the pioneers of the scientific dactyloscopy (identification by fingerprints) and occupied the position of the director of the Center for Dactiloscopy in Buenos Aires. His method of identification was in use throughout South America. The police school in La Plata bears his name: "Escuela de policia Juan Vucetic", as well as the Argentinian Police museum. Juan Vucetic invented fingerprinting. About 250,000 Croatians live in Argentina today.
TESLA INVENTED THE RADIO Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), born in Croatia. He is the father of alternating electrical current technology and the three phase system. He is equally known by his contribution to the high frequency technology and wireless communications. The impact of Tesla's numerous inventions (more than 700 patents) on the development of modern civilization is immeasurable. The unit for magnetic induction Tesla, was named after him. He refused to receive the Nobel prize which he had to share with T.A. Edison. In 1942 the American Supreme Court decided that Tesla invented the Radio, not Marconi. Source Croatian Heritage |
| Adam Eterovich - selected refreences Gold Rush Pioneers from Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, and the Boka Kotor, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatian and Dalmatian Coats of Arms, by Adam S. Eterovich A Guide And Bibliography To Research On Yugoslavs In The United States And Canada, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatia in the New World: The Verrazano Voyages to America & Canada, 1523-1524, by Adam S. Eterovich A Guide And Index To Croatian Coats Of Arms, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatian Directory of Institutions in America & Canada, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatia and Croatians and the Lost Colony, 1585-1590, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatian Contributions to San Francisco: Dalmatia, Istria Bay of Kotor, Hercegovina: From 1849-1949 to Restaurants, Coffee Salons, Oyster Saloons, Sal, by Adam S. Eterovich Croatia in the New World: Columbus, the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Saint Vlaho (Saint Blaise) Patron Saint of Dubrovnik, by Adam S. Eterovich A Guide & Bibliography to Research on Yugoslavsa in the United States & Canada, by Adam S. Eterovich General Index to Croatian Fishermen, Oystermen and Mariners, Shipbuilders, Fish Restaurants in America, by Adam S. Eterovich The Divorce Profile, Differential Social Correlates In 1952 And In 1972, by Kenrick S. Thompson, Adam S. Eterovich Adam Eterovich: Doprinos Hrvata San Franciscu. San Carlos, 2000., 73. Adam Eterovich: Hrvati u Kaliforniji 1849. – 1999. San Carlos 2000., 80, 92, 140, 286, 348, 384, 523. Croatia: Land, People, and Culture, edited by Francis H. Eterovich and Christopher Spalatin. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1964.
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