I have been trying to learn when my Great Aunt Mary was born . I have examined a number of sources and have learned the following:
- Marianna’s Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland, shows that her birth date was January 12, 1884
- Marjanna’s Hamburg Passenger Record, shows that she was 25 years old in 1909, indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
- Marianna’s Passenger Arrival List, shows that she was 25 years old when she arrived at Ellis Island on June 26, 1909 and indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
- The 1910 Census indicated that Mary was 22 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
- The 1920 Census indicated that Mary was 32 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
- The 1930 Census indicated that Mary was 42 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
- The Copy of Record of Marriage shows that she was 28 years old on October 4, 1915, indicating that she was born in 1886-1887
- The Copy of Record of Birth for Mary’s daughter Victoria does not show Mary’s age or date of birth
- The Return of a Birth for Mary’s son John shows that Mary was 33 years old on January 2, 1922, indicating that she was born in 1888-1889
- Mary’s SS-5 Application for Social Security Account and Tax Number shows that she was born on March 12, 1887
- The Social Security Death Index shows that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
- Information from Mary’s daughter Fran, indicated that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
- The Massachusetts Death Index does not show Mary’s birth date
- Mary’s Cemetery Burial Record shows that Mary was born in about 1886-1887
- Mary’s Gravestone Epitaph shows that Mary was born in 1887
All of the records generated before Mary arrived in the United States are consistent with the date of birth on her baptismal record: January 12, 1884.
In general, the records generated after Mary arrived in the United States are consistent with the date of birth provided to me by her daughter, Fran: March 12, 1887.
So, I began to question whether the earlier records were for my Great Aunt Mary, or for another Mary Danko . While in Boston in July, I found two more records that may help to resolve this issue.
The first of these documents is the Certificate of Arrival for Marianna Danko . The Certificate of Arrival was a document generated during the Naturalization process to prove that the immigrant had legally entered the United States and had been a resident for the required number of years . The Certificate of Arrival was filed with Marianna’s Naturalization Papers.
The Certificate of Arrival for Marianna Danko
Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Arrival for Marianna Danko . The Certificate shows that Marianna Danko entered the United States at the port of New York, N.Y. on June 26, 1909 on the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria . This document is clearly the Certificate of Arrival for the Marianna Danko whose birthdate is January 12, 1884 . The question remains, however, can I connect this Certificate of Arrival with my Great Aunt Mary (Danko) Golinski?
Tomorrow: Tying it all together
Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko
