Steve’s Genealogy Blog

My last day in Salt Lake City was a bit less frantic than Friday and Saturday were. I slept in late this morning and spent some time reading the Sunday newspaper (the print edition) while having breakfast at the Marriott City Center.

My favorite places to stay in Salt Lake City are the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, and the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center. I usually stay at whichever is the cheapest and I can usually stay for $100 a night or less.

For this trip, I stayed at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center because I wanted to visit the Salt Lake City Main Public Library today. The Marriott City Center is only a couple of blocks from the library, an easy walk.

I have to admit that I don’t know all the resources available at the Salt Lake City Main Library. The only thing I’ve ever done there is to research records in the Salt Lake City newspapers. One great thing about researching newspaper records on microfilm at the Salt Lake City Main Public Library is that paper copies from microfilm are free! Another bonus is that the other patrons researching newspapers on microfilm are generally a friendly and talkative bunch, so the time spent there is enjoyable.

On this trip I was able to print out copies of about 30 newspaper records, most of which were obituaries. Along with all the records I found at the Family History Library, it’ll take a while for me to digest all this new information.

Now, I’m back in San Francisco, a bit bushed and ready to call it a night. Not to repeat myself, but I had a very productive weekend!

My grandfather, Michael Danko, died before I was born.  His obituary was published in the Worcester, Massachusetts Telegram:

Michael Danko, 76, of 47 Main street, formerly of 15 Henchman street, died Friday at his home.  He was a wire drawer at American Steel & Wire Co. for 38 years, retiring 10 years ago.

Mr. Danko was born in Nirnadowa, Galicia, Poland, son of the late Jacob and Agnes (Sawa) Danko, and lived in Worcester for 48 years.

He leaves his wife, Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko;  four sons, John J. and Francis J. Danko, both of Albany, N.Y., and Michael J. and Joseph J. Danko of Worcester;  five daughters, Sophie, wife of Clark Gibson, Statia, wife of Alfred Iwaniec, and Miss Helen Danko, all of Albany, and Bertha, wife of George McGinn and Mary, wife of Oscar Yousoufian, both of Worcester;  a sister, Mary, wife of Paul Golinski of Worcester;  18 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Monday morning from Karolkiewicz Funeral Home, 7 Richland street, followed by a high mass at 10 in St. Mary’s Church.  Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery.  Calling hours at the funeral home are 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m. today.

SOURCE: Michael Danko Obituary, Worcester Telegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, 4 January 1953, page C19.

There are a few typos in this obituary:

• Nirnadowa should be spelled Nienadowa
• Dziwrzynski should be spelled Dziurzynska
• Sawa should be spelled Sowa

Technically, grandfather was born in Nienadowa, Galicia, Austria.  The area in which he was born was controlled by Austria at the time, although historically the area was part of Poland.  Today, Nienadowa is once again in the country of Poland.

A funeral notice appeared in the same paper the next day:

DANKO, Michael, 47 Main street, today, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s Church.

SOURCE: Michael Danko Funeral Notice, Worcester Telegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, 5 January 1953, page 15.

STAMFORD – Gladys Graig, 76, died at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by her loving family Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, after a brief illness.

She was married in Jefferson in 1948 to her loving husband, Vernon A. Graig, who predeceased her in 2001.

Gladys was a loving wife, caring mother and devoted grandmother.  She was very dedicated to her family, who loved her dearly.

She is survived by her sons, Gary A. of Mesa, Ariz., Thomas A. (Bobbie) of Stamford, and Jeffrey A. (Barbara J.) of Albany; her grandchildren, Andrea, Gary, Emily, Keith, Kyle and Lukas; a brother, Bernard Hendricksen of Mesa, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews.

Friends called at the Hall Funeral Home, 40 Main St. (corner of Liberty Street), Stamford, Sunday between 2 and 5 p.m.

Funeral services will be at noon today, Nov. 6, at the Stamford Trinity Church with Pastor David Nuss officiating and Mary Louise Hendricksen and Deacon Schemerhorn assisting.

Donations may be made in memory of Gladys to the Stamford Trinity Lutheran Church or the Hospice Inn, care of Community Hospice at 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the hall Funeral Home under the direction of William A Tari.

SOURCE:  Gladys Graig Obituary, The Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, 6 November 2006, page 5.

I’m flying back to New York today to attend the funeral of Gladys Graig.

I met Gladys about 17 years ago, shortly before my sister Barbara married Gladys’ son Jeffrey.

Gladys was born in 1930 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants Telef Henricksen and Gerda Sofie Larsen, both from Aust-Adger, Norway.  She married Vernon Arthur Graig in 1948 in Summit, Schoharie Co., New York.

Gladys is survived by her brother Bernhard; three sons, Gary, Thomas, and Jeffrey; four grandsons; and two granddaughters.

She was predeceased by her husband Vernon in 2001, and by her sister Elsie Andresen in 2004.

After her husband’s death, Gladys moved to Arizona, but she visited her family in New York every summer.  This year, she arrived in Albany in early July, and I was able to spend a few hours with her before I had to fly back to California at the end of my vacation.  Shortly before she was due to return to Arizona, Gladys was diagnosed with cancer.  She spent the last few weeks of her life surrounded by her family and loved ones.

I knew Gladys as a kind and thoughtful woman.  Knowing I was studying Polish, she sent me a copy of the Polish National Anthem along with a note that read “The next time I see you, I expect you to sing this for me”.

I will miss her.

The day after my grandmother Dańko died, her obituary appeared in the Worcester Telegram.  At the time of her death, four of her children were still living in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Her funeral and burial were planned for Worcester.

Her obituary read as follows:

Date: September 9, 1969
Edition: Final
Section: Obituaries
Page: 20

Mrs. Mary Danko

Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko, 90, widow of Michael Danko, of 12 Dana Ave., Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, died yesterday in St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, N.Y.

She was born in Slewnica, Poland, and came to this country in 1909 and lived in Worcester prior to moving to Albany in 1953.

Her husband died in 1953.

She leaves three sons, Francis J. Danko of Albany, and Michael J. and Joseph J. Danko of Worcester; five daughters, Sophie, wife of Clark Gibson, Statia, widow of Alfred Iwaniec, and Helen, wife of John Petri, all of Albany, Bertha, wife of George McGinn and Mary, wife of Oscar Yousoufian, both of Worcester, 24 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Thursday from the Henry funeral Home, 33 Ward St., with a High Mass at 8:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St.  Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery.

Calling hours at the funeral home are 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.

In addition, the Worcester Telegram published a death notice on the same day:

Date: September 9, 1969
Edition: Final
Section: Deaths
Page: 20

DANKO - in Albany, N.Y., Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko, 90, formerly of Worcester.

On September 10, The Worcester Telegram published a funeral announcement:

Date: September 10, 1969
Edition: Final
Section: Funerals
Page: 30

DANKO, Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski), Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, tomorrow, 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St.

And finally, on September 11, the Worcester Telegram published one final funeral announcement:

Date: September 11, 1969
Edition: Final
Section: Funerals
Page: 20

DANKO, Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski), Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, today, 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St.

Tomorrow: Memories of my grandmother.

Often, while looking for obituaries, death notices, and funeral notices in the newspapers, I come up empty-handed.  This wasn’t the case for my the newspaper records of my grandmother’s death, however.

My grandmother, Marianna Dziurzyńska Dańko, was born in Sielnica, Galicia, lived most of her life in Worcester, Massachusetts, and died in Albany, New York.  Her funeral was held at Our Lady of Częstochowa Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, and she was buried next to my grandfather in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

I remember grandmother’s death well.  She died at 6:20 AM on Monday, September 8, 1969.  I remember waking up when my father came home from the hospital, and I heard him say “Mother passed away”.  I cried and fell back asleep.  A short time later, my mother came in to my room to wake me up and tell me that grandmother had died.  I didn’t tell her that I already knew.

On the day of her death the following obituary appeared in the Albany Knickerbocker News:

Date: Monday, September 8, 1969
Section: Obituaries
Page: 20

Mrs. Danko, 93, Native of Poland

Mrs. Michael Danko, a native of Poland who came to Albany in 1950, died today at St. Peter’s Hospital after a long illness.  She was 93.

She was the former Mary Dzuizynski of Slevnica, Poland.  She resided at 315 Colonie Street.

Survivors include three sons, Frank, Albany; Michal and Joseph, of Worcester, Mass., and five daughters, Mrs. John Petri; Mrs. Statia Iwaniec and Mrs. Clark Gibson, all of Albany; and Mrs. Oscar Yousophian and Mrs. Bertha McGinn, both of Worcester, Mass.

Funeral services are being arranged by Henrys Funeral Home of Worcester, Mass.  Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Mass.

The next day, the following obituary appeared in the Albany Times Union:

Date: Tuesday, September 9, 1969
Section: Death Notices
Page: 20

DANKO - September 8, 1969, at St. Peter’s Hospital, Maryanna Danko of 12 Dan Avenue, wife of the late Michael Danko; mother of Michael J., Joseph, both of Worcester, Mass.; Francis of Albany; Mrs. Sophie Gibson, Mrs. Statia Iwaniec both of Albany; Mrs. Bertha McGinn, Mrs. Mary Yousophian both of Worcester; Mrs. Helen Petri of Albany and the late Jack Danko; also survived by 23 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral from the Henry Funeral Home, 33 Ward Street, Worcester, Mass., Thursday morning at 8:15 and 8:30 at Our Lady of Czestochowa where a High Mass of Requiem will be celebrated.  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may call at the funeral home Wednesday.  Interment Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester.

Before grandmother’s funeral, four more newspaper accounts of her death and funeral were published, this time in the Worcester Telegram.

Tomorrow:  The newspaper accounts of grandmother’s death in the Worcester paper.

I was told that my paternal grandparents, Michał and Marianna Dańko, had three children in Galicia before they emigrated from the area.  I have been able to find the birth/baptismal records for two of those children:  Sophie (Zofia in Polish) and John (Jan).  The third child remains a mystery.  I was told that his name was Charles (Karol) and that he died in Galicia at age 4, but I have not located a birth/baptismal record for him.

My Aunt Sophie is the eldest child for whom I have an original, primary record.  The discovery of her birth/baptismal record in the church records from Dubiecko established the date and place of her birth with greater certainty than I had from any of the other records I had for her.  The birth date recorded on her birth/baptismal record was January 12, 1901.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Dańko 

However, the date that I obtained from various sources differed:

• January 12, 1901 (Birth and Baptismal Record - Church Record) 
• About 1901-1902 (Passenger Manifest - 7 years old on May 24, 1909)
• About 1902-1903 (1910 Federal Census - 7 years old on April 15, 1910)
• About 1900-1901 (1920 Federal Census - 19 years old on January 1, 1920)
• About 1899-1900 (1920 Federal Census - 30 years old on April 1, 1920)
• January 14, 1902 (Family History written one of my aunts)
• January 14, 1900 (Information from Sophie’s descendants)
• About 1899-1900 (Birth Record for Jack Arnold Gibson - 23 years old on November 10, 1923) 
• About 1899-1900 (Birth Record for Mary Gibson - 28 years old on August 25, 1928)
• January 14, 1900 (Social Security Record - not the SS-5, but from the Social Security Administration - it’s difficult to read, but it appears to be a Request for A/R Action)
• January 14, 1903 (Social Security Death Index)
• About 1899-1900 (Obituary - 77 years old on October 6, 1977)
• 1901 (Gravestone - born in 1901)

Of the records recorded above, Zofia Dańko’s Birth and Baptismal Record is the only primary record for the date of her birth, since it is the only record made at the time of the even by persons who had direct knowledge of the event.  Other records may have been made by people who were present at the birth, but they were recorded much later.  The Birth and Baptismal Record was recorded in Latin and states that:

• The record was entered on page 57 of the Book of Births and Baptisms
• Zofia was the sixth birth recorded in Nienadowa that year
• Zofia was born on January 12, 1901 and baptized on January 15, 1901
• Zofia’s family lived in house number 207
• The child’s name was Zofia, she was a Catholic girl and was legitimately born
• Zofia’s father was Michał Dańko, son of Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa
• Zofia’s mother was Marianna Dziura, daughter of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara
• Zofia’s Godparents were Marcin Sowa and Aniela Bal, the wife of Onufrius Bal
• Zofia was baptized by Father Gornicki (for another mention of Father Gornicki, see the blog entry on The Church in Dubiecko and What I Found There)

This record confirms the names of Marianna Dziura’s parents, whose marriage record was posted yesterday.  It also confirms the use of the name Dziura, rather than Dziurzyński as late as 1901.

Of further interest are the other entries on page 57 of the Book of Births and Baptisms.  Several other names on this page are prominent in my family history, including Sowa, Giergont, Głowacz, and Jach.  I wouldn’t be surprised to find out some of these other people are related to me, since a Giergont married a Głowacz, a Głowacz and a Sowa married my great grandfather Jakub Dańko, and a Jach married my great grandfather Jan Dziura.

Request for A/R Action for Sophia Gibson 

The Social Security record I have for Sophia is unusual.  I ordered an SS-5, the application for a Social Security Number, from the Social Security Administration.  Instead of an SS-5, I received what appears to be a Request for A/R Action.  I’m not exactly sure what this record is, but it may be a document generated in response to a request for Social Security benefits.  If anyone can tell me exactly what this document is, please let me know.

Today I added information on how to obtain Vital Records from 27 more US States and Possessions to my US Vital Records webpage.  When this project is complete, I believe it will be the most complete and up-to-date summary of US Vital Records sources on the net.  Many of the other websites with similar information are outdated or don’t include alternate sources such as Historical Societies and State Archives.  Furthermore, I’ve included information on whether or not the Vital Records are restricted (and for what period of time), the cost of the records, and the years for which the records are available at each of the repositories.

In line with this addition, my images of the day are the death certificate, grave marker, and obituary for Harry J. Meleski.  Harry was the half-nephew of my grandmother, Helen (Chmieleska) Niedzialkowski.  In Lithuania, my grandmother’s family name was Chmielewski / Chmielewska (men used the ending “i” at the end of the surname, while women used “a”).  After arriving in the US, the family shortened their name to Meleski, and, by that, I mean the family changed the name - it wasn’t changed at Ellis Island or by someone else.

Death Certificate

Obituary

Click on the links to see a PDF image of Harry’s Death Certificate or Obituary.  Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of the marker on his grave in Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts.  Harry and his wife died childless and it appeared that nobody had visited their grave in quite a while when I took this picture last summer.  I had to dig quite a bit of dirt and crabgrass off the marker in order to see it.  Harry was buried in Section 95, Lot RF1 on January 12, 1981.  His wife Margaret was buried next to him in Section 95, Lot RF2 on April 25, 1983.

As a final note, Harry was a lawyer and served for many years as the city solicitor of Worcester, Massachusetts.  He was once interviewed by the Worcester Telegram and told the newspaper that his most memorable case was one he argued before the Supreme Court of the United States to decide liability in a motor vehicle accident when one of the people involved was not a resident of the state in which the accident occurred.  This case and the decision are still important today, nearly 80 years after Harry won the case.