Michael (Mihal) was born in Szepesolaszi (Spišské Vlachy), Slovakia to Mike and his wife Mary Smigelsky, née Mihalek.

He and his mother arrived in the U.S. at Ellis Island on November 29, 1905 aboard the Southwark sailing from Antwerp. They then joined his father in Dunlo, PA.

Sometime after 1923, Michael and his parents and five younger siblings moved from Dunlo to Linden, NJ.

At the time of the 1930 Federal Census, Michael was still still single and living with his parents on Grier Avenue in Linden, NJ. At the time, he was working as a clerk.

Michael married Theresa Homyock July 13, 1946 in Elizabeth, NJ. (Theresa’s younger sister Frances had married Michael’s cousin John Smigelsky a year earlier.)

Michael and Theresa’s son John was born July 24, 1947.

Their daughter Linda was born on February 21, 1952.