My Great-Grandfather, Joseph Yugovich was born March 20, 1882 to Bozo (Robert) Jugovic and Ana Pocrnic in Dornji Kusinj, Croatia.

Bozo Jugovic was the son of Mile Vukelich and Mara Jugovic. When Mile and Mara were making plans to get married the Jugovic family had no male heir to inherit the farm property. I am told, that at this time it was customary for the husband to take the name of his wife’s family to inherit property.

In order to preserve the family name Mile took Mara’s name, Jugovic. Together Mile and Mara had seven children: Ivan (John), Bozo (Robert), Tome (Thomas), Pave (Paul), Joso (Joseph), Marta (Martha), and Anica (Anna Sigurnjak).

When Mara died, Mile remarried. Mile married Kata Klobucar and took his own name back, Vukelich. They had two children, Vencel and Duska Vukelich.

Bozo (Robert) Jugovic (son of Mile Vukelich and Mara Jugovic), Joseph’s father, had three wives. The first wife gave him one son, Nikola. The second wife gave him a daughter, Mara.

Bozo and his third wife, Ana Pocrnic had eight children: Dave (Dan), Petar (Peter), Joso (Joseph), Mile (Michael), Stipan (Stephen), Ante (Anthony), Kaja (Katherine), and Manda (Madelyn).

Dan and Mike Jugovic came to the United States, but eventually settled in Australia.

Joso (Joseph) Yugovich immigrated to US (Michigan then Minnesota). Around 1906, in Michigan, he married Mary Spehar (15 Dec 1881 from Novo Mesto, Slovenia).

They had six children (four of whom survived into adulthood); Michael, Mary, Frank, and Louis.

Mary Ann Yugovich (my grandmother) married Stanley Bovitz in Minnesota in 1934.

I would love to hear from any of the Croatian lines I've mentioned -- the descendants of Bozo Jugovic, and his father (Mile Vulkelich/Jugovic).

Thank you!