07.17.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Poland, Baptismal Records, Niedzialkowski at 12:01 am by Administrator
Throughout history, church and civil records in Poland have assumed a variety of forms. The manner in which the records were maintained depended on the location and the time period.
After Napoleon’s armies invaded Poland and created the Duchy of Warsaw on 09 Jun 1807, priests in the Duchy were required to record births, marriages, and deaths according to a specified style in a narrative form. After Napoleon’s defeat and the formation of the Congress Kingdom of Poland, priests continued to record birth, marriages, and deaths in the same format.
In 1826, the format was changed somewhat, and life events were recorded in a very consistent manner following a fixed template. Once researchers learn to read one Polish birth record from this time period in the Congress Kingdom of Poland, all other birth records from the same region and time period will look similar. Unfortunately, in 1868, the Russian government required that all records be written in Russian. The format remained the same. Only the language changed.
The following record demonstrates the parts of a Polish birth record that is typical for the time period 1826-1868 in the Congress Kingdom of Poland.
The Birth and Baptismal Record of Józef Niedziałkowski - 1862
SOURCE: Parafia pw. św. Jana Chrzciciela (Szwelice, Maków Powiat, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Kingdom of Poland). Księga Ochrzczonych parafii Szwelice od 1853 do 1869 r, Józef Niedziałkowski baptism (1862); FHL microfilm 1958805.
Click on the above image to enlarge it. By looking for specific keywords in the record, researchers can locate specific items of interest:
- Działo się - introduces the place, date, and time of the baptism
- Stawił się - introduces the name of the presenter, usually the father
- Obecnosi - introduces the names of the witnesses
- Okazał Nam - introduces the sex of the child and details of the birth
- Jego Małzonki - introduces the name of the mother
- Dziecięciu temu - introduces the name of the child
- Rodzicami Chresnemi - introduces the names of the Godparents
- Akt ten - concludes the record, usually indicating that the participants were illiterate
A transcription of this record (including misspellings and other errors) is shown below. Keywords that direct the reader to the most important elements of the record are highlighted in bold.
Pomaski
80.
Działo się we Wsi Koscielney Szwelicach dnia dwudziestego piątego Pazdziernika Tysiąc Osmset Sześćdziesiątego drugiego roku o godzinie dziewiątey z rana Stawił się Ludwik Niedziałkowski wspolnik lat dwadziescia osm maiący w Pomaskach Zamieszkały w Obecnosi Jana Pomaskiego lat czterdziesci cztery, i Konstantego grzybowskiego lat trzydziesci, maiących dziedzicow częsciowych w Pomaskach Zamieszkałych i Okazał Nam Dziecę płci męskiej oswiadczaiąc iz iest urodzone w Pomaskach dnia wczorayszego o godzinie dziewiątey rano z Jego Małzonki Jozefy z Pomaskich lat dwadziescia trzy maiącey. Dziecięciu temu na Chrzcie Swiętym odbytym w dniu dzisieyszym przez Kiędza Ignacego Kotakowskiego Proboszcza mieyscowego nadane zostało Imie Jozef, a Rodzicami Chresnemi byli Jozef i Barbara małzeństwo Nossarzewscy - Akt ten Oswiadczaią iemu i Swiadkom przezytany i przez Nas tylko podpisany został gdys Oswiadczaiący ani Sziadkowie pisac nieumieią
X Ig Kotakowski Proboszcz Szwelicki.
Utrzymuiący Akta Stanu Cywilnego
The left margin is usually reserved for the name of the village in which the family resided. For birth/baptismal records, one may also presume that the child was born in this village. The number that accompanies the name of the village shows the number of the baptism in the current calendar year in the parish (not the village). In the example, the child was born in Pomaski and his baptism was the 80th baptism in the parish that year.
The records open with the words “Działo się we Wsi Koscielney Szwelicach” which state the place of baptism. The words “Działo się” mean “It happened”. After the word “we” (in), this record shows that the baptism took place in “Wsi Koscielney Szwelicach”, meaning “the ecclesiastical village of Szwelice”. The village of Szwelice was owned by the church and was thus called an “ecclesiastical village”. The village of Pomaski belonged to the parish of Szwelice. Next, the time and date of the baptism is provided. In this record, the date is given as ”dnia dwudziestego piątego Pazdziernika Tysiąc Osmset Sześćdziesiątego drugiego roku”, meaning ”the twenty-fifth day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred sixty-two”. The time was recorded as “o godzinie dziewiątey z rana”, translated as “at the hour of nine o’clock in the morning”.
The next section, introduced by the words “Stawił się“, meaning “he presented himself” tells who brought the child to be baptized. This was usually the father, but could also be another relative if the father was deceased or otherwise could not attend the birth. In the case of an illegitimate birth, the midwife who delivered the child may be the one who presented the child for baptism. In the example, we learn that “Stawił się Ludwik Niedziałkowski wspolnik lat dwadziescia osm maiący w Pomaskach Zamieszkały”. This phrase tells us the name of the presenter (here, it is the father), his occupation, his age, and the place in which he resided. This phrase is translated as “Ludwik Niedziałkowski, partner, presented himself, twenty-eight years of age, living in Pomaski”.
Next, the words “w Obecnosi” introduce the witnesses. The example shows that “Jana Pomaskiego lat czterdziesci cztery, i Konstantego grzybowskiego lat trzydziesci, maiących dziedzicow częsciowych w Pomaskach Zamieszkałych”, providing the names, ages, and occupations of the two witnesses. This phrase is translated as “in the presence of Jan Pomaski, forty-four years of age, and Konstanty Grzybowski, thirty years of age, heirs to a part [of the village] living in Pomaski”.
The next section is introduced by the words “i Okazał Nam“, meaning “and he showed us”. This phrase is followed by a description of the child, including the date and time of his birth. The phrase “i Okazał Nam Dziecę płci męskiej” means “and he showed us a child of the male sex”, is followed by the place of birth ”oswiadczaiąc iz iest urodzone w Pomaskach” meaning “declaring that he was born in Pomaski”, and concludes with the date and time of birth “dnia wczorayszego o godzinie dziewiątey rano”, translated as “yesterday at the hour of nine o’clock in the morning”.
The next section describes the mother, usually by her maiden name and age: “z Jego Małzonki Jozefy z Pomaskich” meaning “[born] of his wife Józefa née Pomaska” and “lat dwadziescia trzy maiącey”, telling us that she was “having twenty-three years of age”.
The name of the priest who performed the baptism and the name of the child are provided next, although the priest’s name is not always provided in the text of every birth/baptismal record. The sentence in Polish includes the phrases ”Dziecięciu temu” meaning “This child”, “na Chrzcie Swiętym odbytym w dniu dzisieyszym” meaning “at Holy Baptism performed this day”, “przez Kiędza Ignacego Kotakowskiego Proboszcza mieyscowego”, meaning “by Ignace Kotakowski, the pastor of this place”, and finally “nadane zostało Imie Jozef”, meaning “was given the name Józef”.
The names of the sponsors (Godparents) are provided in the next section: “a Rodzicami Chresnemi byli Jozef i Barbara małzeństwo Nossarzewscy”, translated as “and the Godparents were the married couple Józef and Barbara Nossarzewski”.
The record ends with a statement “Akt ten Oswiadczaią iemu i Swiadkom przezytany” meaning “This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses”, followed by “i przez Nas tylko podpisany został”, meaning “and signed by Us alone”, and finally ”gdys Oswiadczaiący ani Sziadkowie pisac nieumieią” meaning “because the declarants and witnesses cannot write”.
The record is signed by the priest and concludes with his title: “X Ig Kotakowski Proboszcz Szwelicki” meaning “The Reverend Ig[nace] Kotakowski, Pastor of Szwelice” and “Utrzymuiący Akta Stanu Cywilnego”, translated as “Maintaining the Public Register”.
Because Polish is a highly inflected language, the endings of the names and places must usually be removed and replaced with the standard forms of the names and places. Thus, the place name “Pomaskach” becomes “Pomaski”, the place name “Szwelicach” becomes “Szwelice”, the name “Jana Pomaskiego” becomes “Jan Pomaski”, the name “Konstantego Grzybowskiego” becomes “Konstanty Grzybowski”, the name “Jozefy z Pomaskich” becomes “Józefa née Pomaska”, and the name “Ignacego Kotakowskiego” becomes “Ignace Kotakowski”.
In these records, the priest frequently hyphenates words and, in some records, doesn’t necessarily indicate that the words are hyphenated. In addition, words that should be capitalized don’t always appear to be capitalized, and capital letters sometimes appear where they should not. Spelling errors and variations are also common, and Polish diacritical marks don’t always appear where they should.
Written for the Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
07.15.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Poland, Niedzialkowski, Carnival of Genealogy at 12:01 am by Administrator
My fourth great grandfather, Tomasz Niedziałkowksi, lived a relatively unusual life. He was born on 20 Dec 1750, he married for the first time at age 34, he lived in four different countries although he never lived more than 10 miles from the place he was born, he fathered children when he was 60, and he died just short of his 76th birthday.
Both Tomasz and his wife Cecylia Chotkowska were members of the nobility, and one might expect that the marriage between the two was arranged. If the marriage was arranged at the time of Cecylia’s birth in 1767 (when Tomasz was 16 years old), Tomasz would have had to wait 18 more years until Cecylia was old enough to marry.
The earliest known birth of a child to the couple was in about 1793, eight years after their marriage. Tomasz and Cecylia continued to have children until he was 60 years old and she was 44.
If any of my direct ancestors was born at the right time to see dramatic changes in his homeland, it was Tomasz. During his life, Tomasz saw his homeland ruled by four distinct governments: the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Kingdom of Prussia, the Duchy of Warsaw (with allegiance to France), and the Congress Kingdom of Poland (with allegiance to the Russian Empire).
Tomasz died on 17 Dec 1826 and, although he was just a few days short of his 76th birthday, his death record stated that he was 72 years old.
A timeline of Tomasz’ life shows the tumultuous political and military conditions of his homeland interspersed with events in his personal life:
- Age 0 - 20 Dec 1750 - Born in Klonowo, Powiat Ciechanowski, Wojewódstwo Mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Age 21 - 05 August 1772 - First Partition of Poland
- Age 34 - 15 Nov 1785 - Married Cecylia Chotkowska in Krasne, Powiat Ciechanowski, Wojewódstwo Mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Age 42 - 23 Jan 1793 - Second Partition of Poland
- Age 42 - About 1793 - Birth of daughter Maryanna in Powiat Ciechanowski, Wojewódstwo Mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Age 44 - 24 Oct 1795 - Third Partition of Poland
- Age 45 - 17 Feb 1796 - Birth of son Walenty in Mosaki Godacze, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia
- Age 46 - 12 Jul 1797 - Birth of son Jan in Godacze, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia
- Age 47 - 23 Jul 1798 - Birth of daughter Anna in Mosaki Godacze, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia
- Age 50 - 05 Jul 1801 - Birth of son Józef in Mosaki Godacze, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia
- Age 56 - 09 Jul 1807 - Formation of the Duchy of Warsaw (with allegiance to France)
- Age 57 - 24 Jun 1808 - Birth of daughter Ludwika in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Przasnysz, Departament Płock, Duchy of Warsaw
- Age 60 - 14 Sep 1811 - Birth of son Antoni in Godacze, Krasne Gmina, Powiat Przasnysz, Departament Płock, Duchy of Warsaw
- Age 62 - Jan 1813 - Collapse of the Duchy of Warsaw
- Age 64 - 09 Jun 1815 - Congress of Vienna and formation of the Congress Kingdom of Poland (with allegiance to the Russian Empire)
- Age 75 - 17 Dec 1826 - Died in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland
Written for the 52nd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
07.07.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Niedzialkowski, DNA, Niedzialkowski Surname Study at 11:00 pm by Administrator
INTRODUCTION
A Y-DNA study of three men was conducted in order to either support or disprove the proposed relationship between two Worcester County, Massachusetts families, one with the surname Niedzialkowski and the other with the surname Niedzialkoski.
The families of Franciszek Niedzialkoski and Kostanty Niedzialkowski have both lived in Worcester County, Massachusetts since the beginning of the 20th Century when both men immigrated from the Łomza Gubernia of the Congress Kingdom of Poland. Kostanty Niedzialkowski stated on his Immigrant Passenger Manifest that Franciszek Niedzialkoski was his uncle. However, the Polish baptismal, marriage, and death records necessary to confirm this relationship have not been located.
METHODS
Direct male descendants of both family lines agreed to participate in a Y-DNA study in order to test the proposed relationships. Two descendants of Franciszek (Participants A and B) and one descendant of Kostanty (Participant C) submitted DNA samples to Family Tree DNA for analysis of 67 Y-DNA markers.
Participants A and B are known to be first cousins. Participant C is thought to be a second cousin once removed of the other two. If the proposed relationships between the families are correct, the Y-DNA among the three should match very closely.
RESULTS
The results of the analysis of 67 markers on the Y chromosome show that Participants A and B each have a unique result at one marker. Participant A carries a one-step mutation at DYS 390, and Participant B carries a one-step mutation at DYS 444. Two differences out of sixty-seven for first cousins is a bit higher than usual, but not unexpected.
Participant C, however, shows four unique mutations: a one-step mutation at DYS 459b, a two-step mutation at DYS 464a, a one-step mutation at DYS 464c, and a three-step mutation at DYS CDYb. Considering all the differences between Particpant C and either Participant A or B, Family Tree DNA calculates the genetic difference between the two families as seven!
Kostanty’s family is clearly related to Franciszek’s family, but the relationship appears to be much more distant than previously thought. Based on these results, the probability that the two families share a common ancestor within 4 generations is only 3.3%.
Discussion of these results with representatives of Family Tree DNA at the recent Southern California Genealogy Jamboree revealed that all the mutations in the DNA of Participant C were at palindromic markers and that the mutations seemed to duplicate the number of repeats in homologous markers.
Analysis of the palindromic markers on the Y chromosome of the three participants is shown in Table 1. The variant results of Participant C are highlighted in red. The eight markers shown actually represent duplications of only three distinguishable markers, DYS 459, DYS 464, and DYS CDY. DYS 459 appears twice (DYS 459a and DYS 459b), DYS 464 appears four times (DYS 464a, DYS 464b, DYS 464c, and DYS 464d), and DYS CDY appears twice on the Y chromosome (DYS CDYa and DYS CDYb) in these participants.
All these markers appear on a Y chromosome palindromic region. Just as the bases A and T and the bases C and G form pairs in double-stranded DNA, the same bases form pairs in the palindromic regions of single-stranded DNA and consequently form structures that resemble hairpins.
An event called recombinational loss of heterozygosity (recLOH) can occur in these hairpin regions. If, during DNA replication, a section of DNA is accidentally deleted on one side of the hairpin, the cell will attempt to repair the deletion by copying the remaining side of the hairpin. Thus, half of the existing markers will be deleted and replaced with an exact duplicate of the remaining markers.
And that’s just what happened in the Y-DNA of Participant C. What appear at first glance to be mutations at four markers, for a total genetic distance of seven, is actually a single mutation with a genetic distance of one.
DISCUSSION
Because of the recLOH event in the Y chromosome of Participant C, it is now clear that all three participants are very closely related. Each participant demonstrates a single unique mutation that, in the future, can accurately identify which of these three branches of the Niedzialkowski/Niedzialkoski families a descendant belongs.
These results provide evidence that the proposed relationships between the families of Franciszek Niedzialkoski and Kostanty Niedzialkowski are correct, even in the absence of traditional genealogical evidence.
REFERENCES
Rosen, S., Skaletsky, H., Marszalek, J. D., Minx, P. J., Cordum, H. S., Waterstron, R. H., Wilson, R. K. & Page, D. C. Abundant gene conversion between arms of palindromes in human and ape Y chromosomes. Nature 423, 873-876 (2003).
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
07.06.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Danko, Niedzialkowski, Chmielewski/Meleski, Dziurzynski, DNA at 11:30 pm by Administrator
As I mentioned in the two previous posts, I’ve begun DNA studies on my Danko and Niedzialkowski lines. Not all the results are in yet, but the results so far have provided good start on understanding my genetic ancestry. At the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, I was able to meet with two of the folks from Family Tree DNA (the company who is conducting the tests on my family) who were kind enough to help explain the results obtained so far.
Max Blankfeld and Associate from Family Tree DNA
SOURCE: Max Blankfeld and Associate from Family Tree DNA (Burbank, Los Angeles Co., California). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 29 Jun 2008.
Because of the way DNA is inherited, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) tests provide information on a strictly maternal line (my mother’s mother’s mother’s mother …) and the Y-Chromosomal (Y-DNA) tests provide information on a strictly paternal line (my father’s father’s father’s father …). For this reason, each of these tests provides information on only a small portion of my genetic makeup.
On my own DNA, I have had three tests performed:
- A 67 marker Y-DNA test for short tandem repeats (SNPs)
- A Y-DNA single nucleotide polymorphism test (SNP)
- A mtDNA test that sequenced my entire mitochondrial genome
Three of my Niedzialkowski/Niedzialkoski cousins also had a 67 marker Y-DNA test.
My father recently sent in a DNA sample for a mtDNA test that will sequence his entire mitochondrial genome.
The results indicate that:
- based on the STR analysis of my Y-DNA, my strictly paternal line belongs to haplogroup R1b;
- based on the SNP analysis of my Y-DNA, my strictly paternal line haplogroup can be refined to R1b1b2g, otherwise known as R1b-U106;
- based on the STR analysis of my Niedzialkowski cousins’ Y-DNA, my mother’s paternal line belongs to haplogroup R1a; and
- based on the sequence of my mtDNA, my strictly maternal line belongs to haplogroup W.
When my father’s mtDNA analysis is complete, I will also know the haplogroup to which my father’s maternal line belongs.
Thus, when my father’s results are in, I will have genetic information on my ancestry from all four of my grandparents. I know of relatives who can provide mtDNA from my father’s father’s mother’s line, and I hope one of those relatives will be willing to participate in this study.
Using the Sosa-Stradonitz Method for numbering ancestors, I have highlighted in bold those ancestors whose mtDNA (women) or Y-DNA (men) will be covered by the tests I’ve already conducted, and I have highlighted in italics those ancestors whose genetic signatures will be covered by the tests in progress or which I hope to conduct:
- Subject
- Father
- Mother
- Father’s father
- Father’s mother
- Mother’s father
- Mother’s mother
- Father’s father’s father
- Father’s father’s mother
- Father’s mother’s father
- Father’s mother’s mother
- Mother’s father’s father
- Mother’s father’s mother
- Mother’s mother’s father
- Mother’s mother’s mother
So, what’s the point of all this? Through these DNA studies, I hope to provide genetic evidence for the information I obtain through traditional genealogical methods, I hope to confirm or disprove some tenuous linkages, and I hope to find missing cousins.
In a larger context, I hope to discover if the various Niedzialkowski families come from the same genetic stock, and I also hope to learn if any of the many Danko families in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Hungary have a common genetic ancestry.
Wish me luck!
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
06.14.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Niedzialkowski, Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy at 2:27 pm by Administrator
After finding Damian Niedzialkowski’s Naturalization Records, I discovered that, during the Naturalization Process, Damian changed his name to Damian Cosky.
This surname change was not unusual. My Chmielewski relatives changed their surname to Meleski, and my Dziura relatives changed their surname to Dziurzynski. Other Niedzialkowski relatives changed their surnames to Niedzialkoski, Niedzial, and Newman. I’ve also learned that other Niedzialkowskis changed their surname to Sunday (a translation of the name).
The surname change from Niedzialkowski to Cosky revealed why Damian seemed to disappear from the Worcester, Massachusetts records after his naturalization, leading me to speculate that he and his family moved away from Worcester. Knowing that he changed his name, I’ve been able to determine that he and his wife remained in Worcester, appearing with the surname Coski in City Directories and other records.
The Social Security Death Index includes the following entries for Damian and his wife Caroline:
Name: Damian Cosky
Birth Date: 15 May 1895
Death Date: May 1967
Social Security Number: 017-09-0781
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Massachusetts
Death Residence ZIP Code: 01606
Name: Caroline Cosky
Birth Date: 16 Dec 1897
Death Date: Dec 1981
Social Security Number: 030-12-8047
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Massachusetts
Death Residence ZIP Code: 01606
Further, the Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003 includes the following entry:
Name: Caroline A Cosky
Certificate: 055881
Death Place: Worcester
Death Date: 22 Dec 1981
Birth Date: 16 Dec 1897
Information from Damian’s naturalization records provides clues for additional research, including clues to immigration records, Polish church records, Massachusetts vital records, Massachusetts land records, and Massachusetts court records. I still don’t know if or how Damian Niedzialkowski is related to me, but this additional information gives me hope that I’ll be able to discover the answer to these questions.
Written for the Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
Posted in Daily Journal, Niedzialkowski, Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy at 12:01 am by Administrator
In 1938, Damian Niedzialkowski completed the requirements to become a citizen of the United States.
The Petition for Naturalization of Damian Niedzialkowski - 1938 (obverse)
The Petition for Naturalization of Damian Niedzialkowski - 1938 (reverse)
SOURCE: Worcester County, Massachusetts, Naturalizations, v. 102 (1937-1938): Petition for Naturalization of Damian Niedzialkowsky, 1938, Filed under Petition for Naturalization No. 27505; Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester. FHL microfilm 2,131,567. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Click on the images above to enlarge them. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Petition for Naturalization of Damian Niedzialkowski - 1938. The petition states that:
-
Damian Niedzialkowski completed Petition for Naturalization No. 27505 in 1938;
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His name is spelled Damian Niedzialkowsky on the document;
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He filed his petition in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, Mass;
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His residence was 19 Endicott St., Worcester, Mass.;
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His occupation was trimmer;
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He was born in Pomocki, Lomza, Poland on 15 May 1895 and his race was Polish;
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He filed his intention to become a citizen on 22 Apr 1935 in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, Mass.;
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His wife was Caroline Gucwa, whom he married on 25 Nov 1926 at Worcester, Mass.;
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She was born in ?obowa, Krakow, Poland on 16 Dec 1898 and entered the United States at New York, N.Y. on 30 Dec 1910;
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The couple had one child named Teresa who was born 26 Dec 1927 in Worcester;
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All three were residing in Worcester, Massachusetts;
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His last foreign residence was Czapelowo, Lomza, Poland;
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He emigrated from the Free City of Danzig and arrived in New York, N.Y. under the name Dom. Niedzialkowski on 23 May 1920 on the SS Princess Matoika;
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He resided in Worcester continuously since 23 May 1920;
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He had not previously filed a Petition for Naturalization;
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He requested that his name be changed to Damian Cosky;
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His application was signed by two witnesses: Milton Barnes Freeman, 14 Greendale Ave., Worcester, Mass. (retired) and Whitner Roland Parker, 3 Glenwood St., Holden, Mass. (trimmer) who stated that they knew Damian since 1925 and that he had continuously resided in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts since 1925; the witnesses signed the petition in January 1938;
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Damian’s Certificate of Arrival was No. 1 150638 and his Declaration of Intention was No. 44271;
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The petition was signed by Damian Niedzialkowsky and Carl Greenslit, Deputy Clerk, for William D. Bowen, Clerk;
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He renounced allegiance to the Republic of Poland on 30 Dec 1938;
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His petition was granted on Line No. 9 of List No. 399 and Certificate of Citizenship No. 4539624 was issued.
Some of the information on the Petition for Naturalization is different than the information on the Declaration of Intention. Damian’s wife’s name was Caroline Gwega and her place of birth was Borowa, Swenciany, Poland on the declaration but her name was Caroline Gucwa and her place of birth was ?obowa, Krakow, Poland on the petition.
Of greatest interest is the fact that Damian Niedzialkowski legally changed his name to Damian Cosky as part of the naturalization process. The change of name explains why he seemed to suddenly disappear from Worcester, Massachusetts without a trace. In fact, he was still in Worcester, living under a new name.
Written for the Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
06.13.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Naturalization, Niedzialkowski at 12:01 am by Administrator
As part of his Petition for Naturalization, Damian Niedzialkowski was required to show that he had arrived in the United States legally. To do this, the U.S. Department of Labor produced a Certificate of Arrival that detailed his entry into the United States.
Certificate of Arrival for Dom. Niedzialkowski - 1935 (obverse)
Certificate of Arrival for Dom. Niedzialkowski - 1935 (reverse)
SOURCE: Worcester County, Massachusetts, Naturalizations, v. 102 (1937-1938): Certificate of Arrival of Dom. Niedialkowski, 1935, Filed under Petition for Naturalization No. 27505; Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester. FHL microfilm 2,131,567. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Click on the image above to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Certificate of Arrival for Dom. Niedzialkowski - 1935. The certificate states that:
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Dom. Niedzialkowski arrived in New York NY on 23 May 1920 aboard the SS Princess Matoika;
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His Certificate of Arrival No. was 1 150638;
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The certificate was issued 26 Mar 1935 by Byron H. Uhl, District Director, New York District;
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The reverse of the certificate mostly shows bleed-through from the front, but also includes a signature I cannot read.
The line on which Damian’s name appeared on his passenger manifest also included an annotation made after arrival. The annotation read:
1-150638-2/19/35
These markings indicate the number of the Certificate of Arrival and (probably) the date on which the request for the certificate was made. I actually used the information in this annotation to find the naturalization records.
The Certificate of Arrival was bound together with the Declaration of Intention and Petition for Naturalization and all three documents were filed under the Petition Number.
Written for the Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
Permalink
06.12.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Naturalization, Niedzialkowski at 10:30 pm by Administrator
My Niedzialkowski ancestors lived in Worcester, Massachusetts, and so did two other Niedzialkowski families. After discovering church records in Poland and various civil records in Worcester, I’ve hypothesized that all the Niedzialkowski families in Worcester are related to my own.
One Polish immigrant to Worcester, Damian Niedzialkowski, continues to be a bit of a mystery. The List or Manifest of Alien Passengers to the United States that included Damian’s name stated that he was born in Pomaski, Poland, the same place my grandfather was born. Examination of the indexes to baptisms in the parish of Szwelice, Poland, stated that Damian Niedzialkowski was born in 1893. I have ordered the microfilm of the Szwelice parish records and am waiting for it to arrive at my local Family History Center.
I had also ordered a microfilm of the Naturalization Records for the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, and that film arrived at the Family History Center last week. I examined the microfilm on Wednesday evening.
Declaration of Intention of Domiana Niedzalkowsky - 1935
SOURCE: Worcester County, Massachusetts, Naturalizations, v. 102 (1937-1938): Declaration of Intention of Domiana Niedzalkowsky, 1935, Filed under Petition for Naturalization No. 27505; Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester. FHL microfilm 2,131,567. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Click on the image above to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Declaration of Intention of Domiana Niedzalkowsky - 1935. The Declaration states:
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Damian Niedzialkowski filed his Declaration of Intention in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of Worcester, in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester;
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His name was spelled Domiana Niedzalkowsky on the Declaration;
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He resided at 72 Perry Ave., Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts;
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He was a laborer, age 39 years, male, white, medium complexion, grey eyes, dk. brown hair, height 5 feet-7 inches, weight 180 pounds, with moles on both cheeks, forehead, chin and bridge of nose;
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He was Polish and of Polish, Russian nationality;
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He was born in Pomocki, Lomza, Poland, Russia on 15 May 1895;
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His was married on 25 Nov 1926 at Worcester, Mass. to Caroline Gwega;
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His wife was born in Borowa, Swenciany, Poland on 16 Dec 1898 and entered the United States at New York on 30 Dec 1910;
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The couple had one child named Theresa, born 26 Dec 1927 in Worcester;
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His last foreign residence was Czapelowo, Lomza, Poland;
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He left for the United States through the Free City of Danzig and arrived at New York on 23 May 1920 aboard The Princess Matoika under the name Dom. Niedzialkowski;
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He signed the Petition on 22 Apr 1935 at Worcester;
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His Certificate of Arrival was No. 1 150638;
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His Petition was signed by W. A. Hopkins, Deputy Clerk for William C. Brown, Clerk of the Superior Court;
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The Petition was received by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service on 14 Jul 1937.
This document provides some valuable information beyond that of Damian Niedzialkowski’s efforts to become a United States citizen. I now have additional information about Damian’s birth, his wife, his marriage, and his daughter. With this information, I hope to find Damian’s marriage record in Massachusetts and, consequently, discover the names of his parents. Perhaps, with this information, I can learn if and how he is connected to my own Niedzialkowski family.
Written for the Carnival of Eastern European Genealogy.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
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05.30.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Niedzialkowski, Carnival of Genealogy at 12:01 am by Administrator
As Summer draws near, it’s time for the Swimsuit Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
Jane Niedzialkowski - 1942
SOURCE: Jane Niedzialkowski - 1942 (Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts). Photographed by unknown photographer in 1942.
Jane Niedzialkowski - 1944
SOURCE: Jane Niedzialkowski - 1944 (Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts). Photographed by unknown photographer in 1944.
These photographs of my Mom don’t particularly show off what she considered one of her greatest assests - her legs. Nonetheless, I think these are great photos from the 1940s when Mom was 19 (in the Summer of 1942) and 21 (in the Summer of 1944).
At the time these photos were taken, the United States was engaged in World War II and Mom’s three brothers and future husband were either serving in the military or preparing to do so.
Also in this time frame, I believe my mother was using the name Jayne Nigel.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
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05.29.08
Posted in Daily Journal, Directories, Niedzialkowski at 12:01 am by Administrator
Emil Niedzialkowski’s son Carl was listed in the 1963 Directory for New Britain, Connecticut as Carl Niedzial.
1963 New Britain, Connecticut City Directory Entry for Carl Niedzial
SOURCE: Connecticut City Directories, New Britain 1963, page 364, Carl Niedzial; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 May 2008); citing New Britain, Connecticut Directory 1963. 1963. New Haven, CT: The Price and Lee Co.
Click on the link for a PDF copy of the New Britain, Connecticut Directory 1963 Entry for Carl Niedzial. The brief record states the following:
Carl J. Niedzial resided at 185 Savage Hill rd, EB.
His wife Kathleen M. resided with him.
Carl was employed as a state trooper.
I’m not certain, but I believe the notation of EB indicates that Carl resided in East Berlin.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
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