I intended to go to Lehigh County in this week's post, but while setting up my research I made a mildly embarrassing discovery. The marker I planned to cover is actually one of a pair, and I haven't 'caught' the second one yet. This will require another dual-county post to talk about them both, which is great - I love hitting two at once - but since I don't have that second one yet, it'll have to wait. It may have to wait until the new year; we shall see.
So instead, we'll take a trip back to scenic Doylestown, in Bucks County, and learn about a local Renaissance man. He had his fingers in a lot of pies - finance, military, transportation, and art.
Casimir Sienkiewicz was born in Białystok, Podlaskie, Poland, but the year is uncertain; the historical marker says 1890 and his headstone says 1892. He was one of at least five children, since his obituary mentions two brothers and two sisters, but I can't find any record of his parents' names. Sources also disagree as to whether he came to the United States in 1906 or 1909, but it seems to be confirmed that he was in his late teens at the time; he attended American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, and later also went to Princeton.
From there he moved to Pennsylvania where, being fluent in his native Polish as well as English (and possibly a few other languages, from what I've read), he taught other European immigrants how to 'be American.' He instructed them on language, culture, laws, and other important topics to help them be aware of their rights and responsibilities in their new country, leaving them less vulnerable to predation by the unethical. He worked in Philadelphia and also in the coal regions, which benefited from the influx of immigrant labor.
In 1918, Casimir entered the United States Army to serve in World War I. He wasn't in there for very long, however, when he was given a leave of absence to join the third Liberty Bonds campaign. For those who aren't familiar with the term, Liberty Bonds were a specific kind of war bonds sold during World War I and, later, World War II. War bonds were/are, basically, a means of lending money to the federal government to help finance the war effort; a citizen could purchase bonds for a specific amount of cash, and then after the war redeem the bond to get back the same amount plus some interest. Many countries have used war bonds at various times in history. Anyway, Casimir's special focus was on foreign-born Americans, and by the time he returned to Fort Meade, he had raised $25 million in war bonds from among the immigrants who wished to support their adopted homeland. Even in today's money, that would be no small feat, but back then that must have been jaw-dropping.
Working with the Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia, Casimir eventually rose to the position of vice-president. He was in charge of research, statistics, and public relations. In 1938 he bought a beautiful home at what is today 202 East Court Street in Doylestown, where he and his wife Jane (Patton) raised their three sons John, Wilbur, and Michael. The house, seen at left, is still a private residence (so it's not open for tours) and the historical marker stands in the front yard.
In 1943, Casimir was once again called upon to raise funds for war bonds, this time for World War II. As deputy chairman of the campaign, he was responsible for a drive to sell the bonds in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. This second effort far outstripped the first one, bringing in more than $400 million for the war effort, and Casimir's reputation as a civic and community leader was unsurpassed. Following the war, in 1947, he left the Federal Reserve Bank in order to take a post as president of the Central Penn Bank, later becoming its chairman and CEO.
In the early 1960s, the Philadelphia area began forming plans to improve its public transportation system. Passenger rail was efficient but unprofitable, with a number of regional rail companies going bankrupt. In August of 1963, the city rolled out a new organization called the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transport Authority, or SEPTA for short, and it provides public transportation for the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and of course, Philadelphia. SEPTA absorbed many of the struggling or failing transportation companies in the vicinity, such as the Reading Railroad and the Philadelphia Transportation Company, and turned them into an enormous organized system that enables thousands of Pennsylvanians to reach their destinations each day. Such an undertaking required a strong leadership, especially at its outset. So they tapped their old friend Casimir to be the first chairman of SEPTA, to help get the institution established and become the sprawling institution that it is today. Its modern services include commuter rail, light rail, rapid transit, bus, and electric trolleybus (a kind of updated version of the old trolley system).
Casimir retired from banking and SEPTA in 1969, though he continued to paint. Oh yes, in addition to his many other accomplishments, the man was a celebrated Impressionist painter. His pieces are still prized by collectors, and his son Michael established the Casimir A. & Jane P. Sienkiewicz Award for a Traditional Painting in the Style of the New Hope School, given each year to a local artist who paints in the same style. Casimir continued to paint and enjoy his Bucks County home until his death in 1974; he and Jane are buried in Doylestown. The portrait seen at right comes from his obituary in the Gwizada, Philadelphia's Polish newspaper.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Sources and Further Reading:
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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