The History of West Islip: William Dzus, The Early Years

To follow up last week's column, this week we'll learn more about the man behind the famous invention that helped put West Islip on the map, William Dzus.

Dzus was born on January 5, 1895, in Czernychiwci, a small Ukrainian village. His parents, John and Ksenka, owned a farm which Dzus began working on when he was only four years old. He went to school for only six years, from age seven to thirteen, and then he became a full time laborer on the family farm. But he had a growing fascination with machinery and enjoyed watching blacksmiths and cabinet makers perform their craft.

Eventually, Dzus became an apprentice to the local cabinet maker. At this time many people from his village had visited America, and Dzus became convinced he should see it. Much to his father's chagrin, Dzus left for America when he was 18 years old with his only $25 and one suit with him.

He arrived in Newark, New Jersey in 1913. His older sister had moved to America about a year before him so he stayed with her.  He worked meager jobs and attended night school to learn a trade; machinery. It was through his job as a machinist in a safety razor factory that Dzus first received recognition for his inventiveness by redesigning foot presses to prevent injuries. He was also becoming fascinated by automobiles and learned whatever he could about how they operated, how they were manufactured and how they could be repaired.

During this time he also became a husband to Eva Skalecka, a childhood friend from the Ukraine who emigrated to New Jersey, where she and Dzus were reacquainted. The couple married in September 1917. When Eva contracted tuberculosis following the birth of their son, Theodore, Dzus moved his family to the fresh air of the country.  They moved to West Islip so the young family could be near some friends who lived in the same town. Unfortunately, his wife's condition did not improve and she died a few years later.

After his wife's death, Dzus briefly returned to New Jersey before returning to Long Island -Babylon this time- to work for a friend's construction company. But his love and fascination with automobiles reemerged so Dzus bought property to build a garage where he could work on cars full time. The garage was located on Hawley Avenue in West Islip. He also got married again to Anna Resnick, who owned the home where Dzus and his son, Theodore, were borders.

Even though Dzus had an auto repair business, he still indulged his passion for machinery and trying to invent new things or new ways to do old things in a more productive way. By 1918, he filed his first patent on a lathe (machine tool) attachment he invented to make his work as a tool maker in a previous job easier. By 1922, that first patent was approved.

The answer to last week's question is: As stated above, the garage where William Dzus first operated his business was on Hawley Avenue.

This week's trivia question: Once his inventions became well known, William Dzus was given a nickname. What was it?