John Sumich

Ivan Sumic sailed from Trieste on the "Oceania" arriving in New York on March 25, 1911. His final destination was New Orleans, Louisiana.

SUMICH, JOHN M. Orange Grove-Saloon-Oysterman

John M. Sumich one of the leading members of the Croatian colony in Plaquemines Parish, has been a resident of the Triumph community for a number of years where, in association with six of his countrymen, he established in 1926 a large orange growing enterprise. This was at first a communal project owned jointly by the seven men, all natives of Croatia. The partners as a result of their joint efforts cleared and planted a large tract of land and after the trees had been brought to full maturity divided the land into individual tracts. Mr. Sumich has twelve acres to his part and grows the five principal varieties of oranges. In 1936 he opened a tavern in Triumph and has been very successful in the operation of this place. John M. Sumich was born in Croatia on the twenty-fourth of September, 1894, a son of Matthew Sumich, now deceased, and Mrs. Simica Sumich, now past eighty years of age and, who still resides in Croatia. Mr. Sumich attended the schools of his native country and came to the United States when a little over sixteen years of age, locating in New Orleans where he was employed in the oyster industry from 1911 until 1926. Returning to Croatia on a visit, Mr. Sumich was married there on the twenty third of July, 1926, to Miss Antoinette Pavlinovich. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sumich returned to the United States and have since made their home at Triumph. They are the parents of three children, Katie, born July 6, 1927; Marie, born August 10, 1928, and Matthew Sumich, born the tenth of July, 1929. Each of the children are attending school at Buras. Mr. Sumich is an energetic, industrious and progressive business man and is highly esteemed in the community where he has lived for nearly fifteen years.

(Excerpted fom Adam Eterovich's "Croatian Biographies".