Steve’s Genealogy Blog

The Family History Library has microfilmed a number of the early 20th century vital record books from Norwich and, in those microfilms, I found the records for 23 births, 13 marriages (including one where two Izbickis wed each other), and 6 deaths of individuals with the Izbicki surname. To view these records, please follow the link to Izbicki Documents (there’s also a link in the sidebar of this blog).

After examining the Norwich marriage records, I examined the birth records and was able to discern seven family groups.

The first family group includes children of Anthony Izbicki and Josephine Kowalewicz[?] (this couple also had a daughter Victoria who is represented in the marriage records):

• Anthony Izbicki who was born on 06 Jun 1895,
• Anthony Izbicki who was born on 06 Jun 1896 (probably a duplicate entry for Anthony Izbicki whose birth was reported in 1895),
• John Izbicki who was born on 28 Dec 1898, and
• Regina Izbicki who was born on 23 Sep 1900.

The second family group includes children of Andrew Izbicki and Amelia Gwiazdowska (this couple also had four daughters named Paulina, Stephanie, Frances, and Anna who are represented in the Norwich marriage records):

• Rozalia Izbicki who was born on 16 Jun 1896.

The third family group includes children of Walter Izbicki and Elizabeth Zuchowski:

• Joseph Izbicki who was born on 22 Jul 1905 (recorded in the registers twice),
• Mary Izbicki who was born on 02 Jul 1910,
• Helen Izbicki who was born on 17 May 1911,
• Annie Izbicki who was born on 15 Nov 1913, and
• Margaret Elizabeth Izbicki who was born on 26 Sep 1918.

The fourth family group includes children of Alexander Izbicki and Josephine Danielowicz (this couple is also represented in the Norwich marriage records):

• Joseph Izbicki who was born on 26 Jan 1907,
• Aloysius Izbicki who was born on 21 Jan 1913,
• Cecilia Izbicki who was born on 01 Sep 1916.

The fifth family group includes children of Stanley Izbicki and Mary Krzesiewicz (this couple is also represented in the Norwich marriage records):

• Edward Izbicki who was born on 27 Nov 1911 and
• Regina Izbicki who was born on 25 Oct 1908.

The sixth family group includes children of John Izbicki and Alexandra Jakubowski:

• Edwina (Ida) Izbicki who was born on 01 May 1915,
• Alexander John Izbicki (twin) who was born on 21 Apr 1917,
• Joseph Theodore Izbicki (twin) who was born on 21 Apr 1917,
• Malvina Marcela Izbicki who was born on 16 Jan 1919, and
• Nellie Mary Izbicki who was born on 02 Apr 1920.

The seventh family group includes children of Antoni Izbicki and Josephine Izbicka (this couple is also represented in the Norwich marriage records):

• Walter Izbicki who was born on 10 Mar 1917 and
• Leonora Izbicki who was born on 25 May 1919.

All these children were born in Norwich, New London Co., Connecticut. Other members of these family groups may have been born in other towns.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

The ninth child of Michael Dańko and Marianna Dziurzyńska was named Joseph.  He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.  His birth is recorded on page 430 of the Birth Register for the City of Worcester for the year 1919, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

Canvasser’s Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Return of a Birth. City of Worcester. 1919. Joseph Danko. Volume Unknown, Page 430, Registered Number 3183. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records And Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Canvasser’s Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko.  The record states that:

• Joseph Danko was a male child born alive at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 02 Sep 1919
• His father was Michael Danko, a 43 year-old, white wiredrawer born in Poland and residing at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester
• His mother was Mary Guginski, a 38 year-old, white woman, no occupation listed, born in Poland and residing at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester
• Katie Tutudar personally attended the birth, no further information provided
• The name of the canvasser and the date the return was obtained were not provided
• The Canvasser’s Return of a Birth was filed in Jan 1920 as attested by W. Henry Towne, Registrar

The Canvasser’s Return of a Birth was used to record Joseph Danko’s birth because he was born at home and the birth had not been previously recorded.

The name of Joseph’s mother is listed as Mary Guginski.  Nearly every document spells Mary’s name differently.  Other documents list her first name as Maria, Marya or Marianna, and list her surname as Dziura, Dziurzynski, Dziurzyńska, Dziurznska, Ginsky, Dzevirzynska, Jusuka, Dzuizynski, Dziwrzynski, Durzinski, and Dzinski.  Whew!

The sixth child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Jenettie (Jean).  She was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.  Her birth is recorded on a Copy of Record of Birth, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

The Birth Record for Jean Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Copy of Record of Birth. City of Worcester. 1917. Jenettie Skowronski. Volume 642, Page 585, Registered Number 1388. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Jean Skowronski.  The record shows that:

• Jenettie Skowronski was a female child of single birth born in Worcester, Massachusetts on 31 Mar 1917
• Her birth is recorded in Volume 642, Page 585, Registered Number 1388 of the Register of Births for the City of Worcester for the year 1917
• Her mother was Frances Skowronski, maiden name Frances Dymek, born in Poland and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Her father was Alexander Skowronski, a laborer born in Poland
• The birth was recorded in Jan 1918

Although the child’s name was Jenettie at birth, she used the name Jean for most of her life.

The seventh child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Francis.  He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.  His birth is recorded on page 102 of the Birth Register, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

The Birth Record for Francis Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Return of a Birth. City of Worcester, 1919. Francis Skowronski. Volume Unknown, Page 102, Registered Number 3930. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Francis Skowronski.  The record states:

• Francis Skowrouski was a male child born alive at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 26 Oct 1919
• His father was Alexander Skowrouski, a 32 year-old, white laborer born in Poland and residing at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester
• His mother was Frances Dymek, a 32 year-old, white housewife born in Poland and residing at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester
• S. C. Mieczkowksi, M.D. of 8 Richland Street, Worcester personally attended the birth
• The Return of a Birth was received at the office of the city clerk on 27 Oct 1919 as attested by W. Henry Towne, Registrar

Note that the surname of Francis and his father is spelled as Skowrouski, not Skowronski.  The mother’s name is correctly spelled as Dymek.

The Skowronskis lived at 16 Dorchester Street at this time, just a block from the address of the physician who attended the birth.  Both addresses were close to the addresses of many other families whose children would later marry the Skowronski children.

The area where the Skowronskis lived was the Polish neighborhood on the east side of Worcester, known as “The Island”.  St. Mary’s Church, the Polish parish now known as Our Lady of Częstochowa Church, was just about a block away from the Skowronskis’ residence.

The third child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Benjamin.  He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.  His birth is recorded on line 3540 of the Birth Register, which I found on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1910. Benjamin Soborowski. Volume 592, Page 553, Number 3540. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski.  The record states that:

• Bennie Soborowski, a male child, was born in May 1910 in Worcester
• His birth was recorded on line 3540 of page 553 of volume 592 of the Birth Register for the City of Worcester for the year 1910 and was entered in the register in Jan 1911
• His father was Alek, a laborer born in Russia Poland
• His mother was Frances Demek, born in Russia Poland
• His parents’ residence was in Worcester

This record is unusual in that the surname for Bennie is Soborowski, which is the surname for his father’s stepfather.  Even though the birth records for the two children born before Bennie show the Skowronski surname, this record shows Soborowski.

The actual date of birth is not given.  Only the month and year are provided.

The second child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Alexander.  He was born in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts.  His birth is recorded on line 510 of the Birth Register, which I found on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Pittsfield for the Year 1908. Alexander Skowronski. Volume 574, Page 123, Number 510. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski.  The record states that:

• Alexander Skowronsky, a male child, was born on 24 Aug 1908 at 13 Waconah Street, Pittsfield
• His birth was recorded on line 510 of page 123 of volume 574 of the Birth Register for the City of Pittsfield for the year 1908 and was entered in the register on 15 Sep 1908
• His father was Alexander Skowronsky, a laborer born in Poland
• His mother was Frances Dimeck, born in Poland
• His parents’ residence was 13 Waconah Street, Pittsfield

As is typical for the Vital Records Registers for Massachusetts for this period of time, there are a number of names spelled in ways that don’t agree with later records:

• Alexander Skowronsky = Alexander Skowronski
• Frances Dimeck = Frances Dymek
• Waconah St = Wahconah St

It took me a while to figure out the name of the street where Alexander was born.  To figure out the correct spelling of the name, I went to Stephen Morse’s website and explored the 1910-1940 Census Street Finder: Obtaining Streets in the 1910 to 1940 Census in One Step.

After choosing the 1930 census for Pittsfield, Massachusetts, I looked at the street names listed for each Enumeration District.  There, I found the name Wahconah Street, which I then checked out a MapQuest.

The fifth child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was Chester Skowronski, born in 1914.  The records for 1914 are available on microfilm at the Massachusetts State Archives and at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS).  Unfortunately the Massachusetts Vital Records 1911-1915 are not yet available online at the NEHGS website.  The Birth Certificate I have was generated in 2005 at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, although the records for 1914 are no longer available from that agency.

Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1914. Chester Skowronski. Volume 624, Page 641, Number 4165. The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski.  The record shows that:

• Cheslow Skowronski, a male child, was born on 17 Dec 1914 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• His mother was Franciska Dimek who was born in Russia Poland and lived in Worcester, Massachusetts
• His father was Alexsandra Skowronski, occupation Moulder, who was born in Russia Poland
• The event was recorded in Jan 1915 as Reg. No. 4165, Vol. 624, Page 641

Although listed as Cheslow on the certificate, the child used the name Chester throughout life.

I have been searching for years for the Birth Record for Adam Skowronski, the first child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek, and today I found the record on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Two of the daughters of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek married two of my paternal uncles.  Adam was born in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts in 1906.  Adam is listed on line 393 of page 321 in volume 560 of the 1906 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Adam Skowronski

SOURCE:  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the Town of Gardner for the Year 1906. Adam Skowronski. Volume 560, Page 321, Number 393. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Adam Skowronski.  The record states that:

• The Birth Record for Adam Skuronsky is recorded in Volume 560, Page 321, Line Number 393 in the Birth Records for the Town of Gardner for the year 1906
• Adam Skuronsky, a white male, was born on 23 Dec 1906 in Gardner, Massachusetts
• Adam’s father was Alexander Skuronsky, a laborer born in Russia
• Adam’s mother was Francis Dmak, born in Russia
• Adam’s birth was recorded in January 1907

As I’ve seen in other Massachusetts Birth Records from this time period, the names are misspelled in this record.  The misspellings and the correct spellings are:

• Adam Skuronsky = Adam Skowronski
• Alexander Skuronsky = Alexander Skowronski
• Francis Dmak = Frances Dymek

This Birth Record fills one of the gaping holes in my knowledge of the family of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek.

On a related note, the New England Historic Genealogical Society has announced that they have received the microfilms for Massachusetts Vital Records for the period 1911-1915.

The third Birth Record I found for a child of Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska is for their son Władysław, born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1906.  Władysław is listed on line 1744 of page 495 in volume 560 of the 1906 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Władysław Izbicki

SOURCE:  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1906. Władysław Izbicki. Volume 560, Page 495, Number 1744. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Władysław Izbicki.  The record states that:

• The Birth Record for Vladyslof Jbicki is recorded in Volume 560, Page 495, Line Number 1744 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1906
• Vladislof Jbicki, a white male, was born on 02 Dec 1906 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Vladislof’s father was Boleslaw Jbicki, a laborer born in Russia
• Vladislof’s mother was Victeria Crstenska, born in Russia
• Vladislof’s birth was recorded in January 1907

Once again, the names are badly misspelled in this record.  The misspellings and the correct spellings are:

• Vladislof Jbicki = Władysław Izbicki
• Boleslaw Jbicki = Bolesław Izbicki
• Victeria Crstenska = Wiktoria Kruczyńska

It’s a good thing I knew who to look for in the records, because the spelling of the names presents a real challenge!

Among the children of Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska is their daughter Victoria, born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1908.  Victoria is listed on line 1875 of page 512 in volume 576 of the 1908 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki

SOURCE:  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1908. Victoria Izbicki. Volume 576, Page 512, Number 1875. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki.  The record states that:

• The Birth Record for Victoria Jzbiski is recorded in Volume 576, Page 512, Line Number 1875 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1908
• Victoria Jzbiski, a white female, was born on 05 Sep 1908 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Victoria’s father was Boleslaw Jzbiski, a laborer born in Russia Poland
• Victoria’s mother was Victoria Kruceuski, born in Russia Poland
• Victoria’s birth was recorded in January 1909

The family surnames are spelled Jzbiski and Kruceuski in this record.  Although the records are indexed on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the fact that each record spells the surnames differently makes searching for these birth records a bit of an adventure.