Nicholas Patoray’s Vintage Automobile
First, I have to say that Nicholas Patoray probably never owned this beautiful automobile. Nick was a Slovak immigrant, born in 1892 in my grandmother’s village of Udol. Nick and my Nana were cousins. Years ago, I corresponded with Nick’s son, Emil, to learn more about the family history and he shared this picture with me. Emil has since passed away.
While Nick didn’t own this car, he most likely did drive it. He was a store keeper in the 1920s and early 1930s and I think this car was probably used to make deliveries.
I looked online for images of vintage cars. This picture was taken about 1926 or 1927 because the boys on each end are my dad’s cousins, Nick (left) and Steve. I’m omitting their surname because Nick, well into his 90s, is still with us. He looks to be about 5 or 6 years old here. His brother, Steve, was two years older and he looks like he is about 7 or 8. I originally thought the three children in the middle were all Patoray children, but the two boys are too young. I believe the girl is Emily Patoray, who was Steve’s age. Emily’s two brothers were older than her. The other two children might just be playmates who were excited about having their picture taken.
I think this car might be a 1927 Chrysler Imperial, a modified touring car. See the curvy sort of S decorative strip behind the rear oval window? The regular 1927 Imperial had the same strip in a picture I found online.
The Patoray family lived at 128 First Street, about a block away from St. Michael’s Church, which they attended. There is no 128 First Street address today. The entire block is now the Etta Gero School #9, but it was originally Pope Pius XII High School.
I have no information about Nick’s job as a store keeper. “Store keeper” instead of “clerk” sounds like he might have opened a business. My grandparents opened their meat market at about the same time.
If you know can ID the make and model of this car, please leave a comment. I would love to know what it is.
I am a twin daughter of Emily Patoray.
My mother told us her dad always owned a Chrysler.
Nick and Anna did own a bar in Passaic.
I have never seen this picture.
It looks like Nick and Emil.
It does not look to me that the girl in the photo is my mother( Emily)
I wonder whether my grandfather, Scerbak, co-owned a tavern with Nicholas Patoray at 127 Passaic Street in Passaic from about 1916 into the 1920s. There is a lawsuit in 1928, Scerbak v. Lane, in which Scerbak and Patoray are named as complainants and William C. Lane is named as a defendant.
The case has to do with mortgage payments that were not made. Interestingly, the first names of Scerbak and Patoray are not in the court’s opinion. I know my grandfather owned a tavern at one point, I don’t know whether the case is about his tavern.
Would you have any information?
Thank you
I am Marguerite,
Nicholas and Anna Patoray are my maternal grandparents.
My mother Emily Patoray had 2 brothers Nicholas and Emil and a sister Velma.
I often heard stories of my grandfather owning a bar in Passaic and that he always drove a Chrysler.
I did hear of some trouble with the operation of the bar… something about a license.
I think that happened after Nickolas and Emil returned from service after the war.
In the photo : On the left does look like my Uncle Nick as a child.
I do not think the girl is Emily .