Joseph/Josef Louis Kalch was born January 19, 1908, in Orzydorf (which until 1924 was called Cocota), Hungary. He traveled to New York City in the United States, alone, at the age of 13, on the S.S. Wurttemberg, arriving on November 29, 1921. His ultimate destination was St. Louis, Missouri, where his grandfather, Peter Kalch (who had himself emigrated from Orzydorf in 1904, accompanied by his wife Erzsebet and two of his sons: Mihaly and Janos) lived at 4073 Schiller Place. Joseph worked as a clerk while living in St. Louis.
In March of 1933 Joseph petitioned for U.S. citizenship, which was granted on October 2, 1933. He was living on West 63rd Street in New York City, working as an insurance salesman, when he relenquished his allegiance to "Carol II, King of Roumania."
In 1940 Joseph was living on West 123rd Street in New York City, and working as a musician in a theater.
Joseph Kalch died March 2, 1982, at Mount Sinai West, and was buried on Hart Island.
Sources: U.S. Social Security Death Index; NY, Naturalization Records, 1882-1944; NY, Index to Petitions for Naturalization; 1920 and 1940 U.S. Federal Censuses; www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger-details.