Rose Simcic Ulyan and Mary Bizzak: A Family’s Legacy in Pennsylvania’s Lumber Camps

A Remarkable Beginning: Rose Simcic Ulyan

The story of Rose Simcic Ulyan and her daughter Mary Bizzak is a testament to the resilience and determination of women who lived and worked in Pennsylvania’s lumber camps. Born in Austria, Rose immigrated to the United States with her husband, Joe Ulyan, in 1912. The couple settled in Mayburg, Forest County, where they operated a boarding house at a lumber camp.

Rose’s dedication to her family and the workers around her was unparalleled. She managed the cooking, baking, and washing for her household and the 20 boarders who lived at the camp. Her days began at 4 a.m., starting the wood stove to prepare breakfast, which often included hearty portions of fried potatoes, pork chops, pancakes, and oatmeal. Lunch and dinner were equally elaborate affairs, featuring soups, meats, vegetables, and home-canned fruits. Sunday was considered a day of rest, providing a brief reprieve from her rigorous schedule.

Life in the Camps: Constant Change and Hard Work

As the Ulyan family grew, their life remained tied to the transient nature of lumber camps. Moving frequently for work, they lived in camps across McKean, Warren, Bradford, and other counties. Despite the challenges, Rose maintained a sense of stability for her family, teaching her children essential skills like cooking, sewing, and crocheting. She often reminded them, “If you do nothing, you don’t have anything to show, but if you sew and crochet, you have a lot to show.”

The demands of camp life extended to the children as well. Mary and her siblings helped with daily chores, such as carrying wood and water, filling kerosene lamps, and cleaning lamp globes. By the age of eight or nine, Mary’s brothers were assisting their father with splitting and piling wood. Meanwhile, the girls contributed by caring for younger siblings and managing household tasks.

Tragedy and Transition: Rose’s Legacy Continues

In 1936, the Ulyans were operating a boarding camp in Hutchins, McKean County, when tragedy struck. While carrying a kettle of soup, Rose accidentally spilled it, suffering severe burns. She passed away three days later from gangrene, refusing to allow doctors to amputate her legs. Her untimely death marked the end of an era for the Ulyan family but left a legacy of resilience and hard work that her children carried forward.

Mary Bizzak: A New Chapter in the Lumber Industry

After Rose’s death, Mary began working in a shirt factory but soon returned to the world of boarding houses and lumbering. In 1936, she married Joe Bizzak, who hauled wood for the Day Chemical Plant in Westline. Together, they operated a boarding house for workers, continuing the tradition of providing meals, lodging, and support for the lumber community.

Mary balanced her responsibilities as a boarding house operator with raising her children. When the demands of the war effort in the 1940s caused a labor shortage, Mary stepped into roles traditionally reserved for men. She drove logging trucks, loaded and unloaded wood by hand, and even operated a tractor to skid logs.

Despite her small stature—just five feet tall—Mary proved her strength and determination. She overcame the physical challenges of hauling and skidding wood, often using pillows to see over the dashboard of the trucks she drove. Her husband initially doubted her abilities, but Mary’s perseverance demonstrated her capability and commitment.

Adapting to Change: Life After the Boarding Houses

After the war, the lumber industry evolved with new technologies, including mechanical debarking and modern logging equipment. These advancements reduced the need for manual labor, changing the dynamics of the industry. Mary and Joe eventually closed their boarding house and moved to Kane, where they built cabins for woodcutters at their job sites.

Mary continued to work in the lumber industry, hauling wood to chemical plants and paper mills. She also performed specialized tasks like girdling trees, a process that involved applying poison to kill bark for paper production. Though these roles were demanding, Mary embraced them as part of her dedication to the industry and her family.

A Legacy of Strength and Resilience

The lives of Rose Simcic Ulyan and Mary Bizzak embody the resilience, adaptability, and strength of women in Pennsylvania’s lumber heritage. Their contributions, both as caregivers and laborers, were critical to the success of the lumber camps and the broader industry.

By preserving their stories, we honor the generations of women who worked tirelessly to support their families and communities. Their legacy is a reminder of the essential role women played in shaping the history of Pennsylvania’s forests and industries.

Remembering Their Impact

The experiences of Rose and Mary highlight the diverse and vital contributions women made to the lumber industry. From managing boarding houses to driving logging trucks, their work defied traditional gender roles and showcased their incredible resilience. These stories continue to inspire and remind us of the strength required to thrive in a challenging and ever-changing world.