Dear Pauline –

I received a letter from Mr. Williams. He can’t do me any good, so I am sending you the letter and my baptismal certificate and also a letter from the Chrysler Corporation. Do not write anything on them or misplace them. They are meant to verify the facts. Concerning those interested I want you to return them to me as soon as possible. Take these letters to Dr. I. Hope Alexander and explain the situation. Inquire and get all the information you can, concerning my birth record. If you do not get any results from him, go to the Clerk of Orphans Court and ask for an affidavit, and have my godfather or some other qualified person fill out the form before a Notary Public after it is notarized, and then return it to the Clerk for which he will give you a certified copy of birth. It is imperative that I have this copy. Now concerning this affidavit I want it translated in English only in regards to names and dates and whatever statement inscribed upon it will be supported by the baptismal certificate. In regards to your birth record I notice the post script on the Harrisburg letter that your record is on file, so go ahead and write for it now. When you receive it, let me know and give me all the facts, such as correct spelling of names. Some of the boys at the shop are having the same difficulties. Any person receiving a birth record from any Bureau of Vital Statistics must comply accordingly. This record has the preference over a church baptismal certificate. Even though the name is misspelled, to rectify the mistake the person must go to court and pay for the correction. You should know about this Pauline, I presume you took a course in every day business law while attending high school. When you write for your birth record, have Mary and Luke do like-wise immediately. There may not be any harm in using a different name, but should an occasion arrive in a legal form, that’s where the grief sets in. So be careful. If you have any documents titles, deeds, or insurance policies, see that the names are spelled right. And another thing, I don’t know if any of you vote, so be sure you register under your real name. That’s one reason I never went to the polls, I never did know the right spelling of our name. If my record is not in Dr. Alexander’s file, insist upon an affidavit, as no other form will do and don’t let ma or Mr. Rabick talk you into changing any names or dates. I have not been notified yet to appear before Mr. Moore, our personal head. So I must have these papers in preparedness. No doubt I will have more explaining to do. A friend of mine at the shop received his birth record. All these years he was under the impression his name was Edward now he finds out the name is Joeseph, and there is a mistake in the surname. The baptismal shows one spelling and the state record has another and whatever name he chooses, Mr. Moore says he has to go to probate court, and have it made legal. So figure it out for yourself and see what complications there are. There’s one thing I don’t understand: why you signed your name on your marriage certificate as Savastone when it should be Sevastenok. Pauline, if you should have any children, for god’s sake, see that the records are proper. The midwife that attended my birth must have been ignorant and stupid. I don’t see how she was granted a license to perform the profession. There is no excuse for stupidity especially when a person has ambition enough to succeed in any given vocation.

Pauline, will you attend to this matter right away? I will appreciate it no end.

Your bro.

Pete

Peter Sevastenok

July 9, 1905

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Allegheny County

2203 Tustin St. rear

between Moultrie and Brady St.

Mrs. Atylia Kotewicz (midwife)

2311 Forbes St.

John Sevastenok

Julia Shkurutova