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 and Norwich birth records, I examined the death records and was able to connect all of these to the family groups already established.

Two of the deaths were identified as sons of John Izbicki and Alexandra Jakubowski:

• George (Joseph Theodore) Izbicki who was born 21 Apr 1917 and died 18 Oct 1917 and
• Alexander (Alexander John) Izbicki who was born 21 Apr 1917 and died 21 Oct 1917.

One was identified as the husband of Amelia Gwiazdowska:

• Andrew Izbicki, son of George Izbicki, and who was born in 1857 and died 01 Mar 1920.

One was identified as the husband of Amelia Pachuka, the brother of Stanislaw Izbicki (who in turn married Mary Krzsiewska), and the father of Leocadia and Pauline:

• Ignacy Izbicki, son of Andrew Izbicki and Victoria Bierdziewska, and who was born in about 1866 and died 31 May 1919.

One was identified as the son of Anthony Izbicki and Josephine Korenkiewicz and the brother of Anthony, Regina, John, and Anthony:

• Anthony Izbicki who was born 28 Dec 1903 and died 10 Aug 1917.

One was identified as the daughter of Wladislaw (Walter) Izbicki and Elizabeth Zukowski and the sister of Joseph, Joseph, Helen, Annie, and Margaret Elizabeth:

• Mary Izbitski who was born on 02 July 1910 and died the same day.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

Paweł Dańko died in 1850, three years before his father died. His record is the third record on the image below, listed under the month of August.

The Death and Burial Record of Paweł Dańko -1850

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Mortuorum (Book of Deaths). 1850. Paweł Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Paweł Dańko -1850. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

• Paweł Dańko, husband of Zofia Szumiańska, a farmer, died on 31 Jul 1850, the 23rd death in Nienadowa that year
• Paweł was a Catholic male, residing in house number 122
• He was buried on 02 Aug 1850 by St. Muszyński, Assistant Pastor of the church in Dubiecko
• He was 60 years old at the time of his death
• His death was ordinary and he received the sacred sacrament

Paweł was buried two days after his death, typical for this time period. There was no procedure for embalming the body after death, and so burial was usually completed within two days.

Paweł was described in this record as maritus der. vid. Sophiae Szymiańska agr., a statement that contains a lot of abbreviations. I believe these abbreviations stand for maritus derel vidua Sophiae Szymiańska agricola, meaning deceased husband of the widow Zofia Szumiańska, farmer.

Under cause of death (Morbus), the record states ordinarius prov. S. Sacramento, which stands for ordinarius provisus Sacro Sacramento, translated as ordinary, provided with the Sacred Sacrament. Cause of death in these records is frequently listed as ordinary.

The abbreviation Sep. before the priest’s name stands for Sepultus est meaning He was buried by, or Sepelivi meaning I buried. In this record, the first name of the priest was abbreviated as St., meaning Stanislaus, translated as Stanisław, and his title was abbreviated as Coop., standing for Cooperator, meaning Assistant Pastor.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think the priest purposely sprinkled these abbreviations through the records just to perplex future genealogists. With the abbreviations, it’s difficult to determine the cases of the nouns and the tenses of the verbs. By examining other records written by the same priest, one can sometimes find an instance where the priest wrote everything out in full.

Wojciech Dańko died in 1853. Two wives and at least one of his children died before him. His record is the fourth entry on the image below.

The Death Record of Wojciech Dańko - 1853

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary,
Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Mortuorum (Book of Deaths). 1853. Wojciech Dańko.
Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record of Wojciech Dańko - 1853. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

• Wojciech Dańko, the widower of Rozalia Chruścicka, a farmer and the father of a family, died on 28 Dec 1853, the 68th death in Nienadowa that year
• Wojciech was a Catholic male, residing in house number 178
• He was buried on 30 Dec 1853 by J Karpiński, Assistant Pastor of the church in Dubiecko
• He was 81 years old at the time of his death
• His death was due to [old age?] and he received the final sacrament

Since this record states that Wojciech was a widower, I can assume that Rozalia Chruścicka died before him, even though I don’t have a copy of her death record.

I’m not sure how to translate the word morosmo. I can’t find this word in my dictionaries. I have translated it as “old age”, but this translation is probably not literally correct.

The rather enigmatic ss. smtis provisus is an abbreviation for “the sacred sacraments [last rites] were provided.

Wojciech was buried two days after he died. At the time he died, the bodies of the deceased were usually buried soon after death, at least in part due to concerns about communicable diseases.

One difficulty with all these Galician records is the frequent use of abbreviations and the habit of the priests of writing the first part of a word on one line and finishing the spelling on the next line.

Jean B. (Skowronski) Danko, the wife of my uncle, Michael J. Danko, Jr., died in 1996.

The Death Record of Jean B. Danko

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Standard Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1996. Volume Unknown. Page 048586. Jean B. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record of Jean B. Danko.  The record states:

• Jean B. Danko, a white female, died on 18 Oct 1996 at Memorial Health Care, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• Her Social Security Number was 017-09-7098, she was not a veteran
• Jean was 79 years old at the time of death; she was born 31 Mar 1917 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• She was the widow of Michael J. Danko, Jr.; she was a housewife working at home, and she lived at 157 Burbank Road, Sutton, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• Her father was Alexander F. Skowronski and her mother was Frances Dymek, both born in Poland
• Jean was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on 22 Oct 1996 by Henry V. Karolkiewicz, license # 4555, of the Henry Funeral Service, 33 Ward Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610
• Jean died 9 days after the onset of sepsis and respiratory failure - status - post lung volume reduction surgery 3 months prior, due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from which she suffered for years
• No autopsy was performed and the case was not referred to the medical examiner; the death was declared to be natural
• Jean’s death was certified on 18 Oct 1996 at 5:30 PM by Svetlana Mironov, M.D., license no. 96-4177-99, of 119 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605; the attending physician was S. Said, MD; there was no R.N. pronouncement of death
• The Burial Permit was issued 21 Oct 1996 by Arnold Gurwitz, MD, the Commissioner of Public Health
• The Death Certificate was received in the city of Worcester by Robert J. O’Keefe on 21 Oct 1996

After the death of her husband in 1981, Jean moved from Marion Avenue in Worcester to Burbank Road in Sutton, where she was close to several other members of her family.

I also found it interesting that Jean B. (Skowronski) Danko died of sepsis, the same cause of death as was reported for my mother.

My uncle, Michael J. Danko, died in 1981 from prostate cancer.

The Death Record of Michael J. Danko, Jr.

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Standard Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1981. Volume Unknown. Page 50576. Michael J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record of Michael J. Danko.  The records states:

• Michael J. Danko, a white male, died on 19 Nov 1981 in his home at 15 Marion Avenue, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
• His Social Security Number was 034-09-2107, he was a veteran of WWII
• Michael was 68 years old at the time of death; he was born 13 Sep 1913 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• He was married to Jean B. Skowronski; he was a carpenter in the carpentry industry, and he lived at 15 Marion Avenue, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts 01604
• His father was Michael Danko and his mother was Mary Dziwrzynski, both born in Poland
• The informant was Michael’s wife, Jean B. Skowronski, of 15 Marion Avenue, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts 01604
• Michael was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on 21 Nov 1981 by Henry V. Karolkiewicz of the Henry Funeral Service, 33 Ward Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
• Michael died within 5 minutes of cardiopulmonary arrest due to uremia from which he suffered for 3 years, due to prostatic cancer from which he suffered for 8 years
• No autopsy was performed and the case was not referred to the medical examiner
• Michael’s death was certified on 19 Nov 1981 at 6 AM by Howard J. Alfred, M.D. of 119 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
• The Burial Permit was issued 19 Sep 1981 by Arnold Gurwitz, MD, the Commissioner of Public Health
• The Death Certificate was received and filed in the city of Worcester by Robert J. O’Keefe on 20 Nov 1981

Michael Danko’s Death Certificate shows that he was a veteran of World War II.  During that war, he served as a Shipfitter First Class in the United States Navy.

My uncle, Joseph J. Danko, died on 05 Jul 1991 after being stricken on the Fourth of July.

The Death Record for Joseph J. Danko

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.
Standard Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1991. Volume Unknown. Page 35891. Joseph J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Joseph J. Danko.  The record states that:

• Joseph J. Danko, a white male, died on 05 Jul 1991 in the ER at the Med. Center of Central Mass.-Hahnemann
• His Social Security Number was 027-09-9649, he was a veteran of WWII
• Joseph was 71 years old at the time of death; he was born 02 Sep 1919 in Worcester, Massachusetts
• He was a Tool & Die Maker for a Tool & Die Mfg.
• His father was Michael Danko and his mother was Mary Dziwrzynski, both born in Poland
• Joseph was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on 08 Jul 1991 by Henry V. Karolkiewicz, license # 4555 of the Henry Funeral Service, 33 Ward St., Worcester, MA 01610
• Joseph died within hours of myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension; he suffered from all three complications for years
• No autopsy was performed, although the case was referred to the medical examiner; his death was declared natural
• Joe’s death occurred on 05 Jul 1991 at 5:58 AM, as certified by Bruce McNully, MD of 281 Lincoln St., Worcester, whose license number was 58559
• The attending physician was Sr. Samuel Said
• The Burial Permit was issued 08 Jul 1991 by Arnold Gurwitz, MD, the Commissioner of Public Health
• The Death Certificate was received in the city of Worcester by Robert J. O’Keefe on 08 Jul 1991

I tried to confirm the spellings of the surnames of the the attending physician and the certifying physican on the Death Certificate by searching for their names online.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a convenient way to verify the spellings of their surnames.  One could be McNully or McNally or McNulty.  The other looks like Said or Saiu.

Alexander Skowronski died in 1970, seven years after his wife’s passing.

Certificate of Death for Alexander F. Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Standard Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1970. Volume Unknown. Page 33. Alexander F. Skowronski. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Death for Alexander F. Skowronski.  The record states:

• Alexander F. Skowronski, of 101 Burbank Road, Sutton, Massachusetts, died in Hahnemann Hospital, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 04 Jan 1970 at 6:35 m
• He died of Cor pulmonale (for years), due to pulmonary fibrosis + emphysema (for years), due to chronic bronchitis and pneumonia (for years and days)
• Another significant condition was inactive tuberculosis
• He had been in his place of residence for 20 years and at his place of death for 1 day before death
• The Medical Certificate of Death was signed by Francis X. Dufault, M.D. of 328 Highland Street on 04 Jan 1970
• Alexander was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester on 07 Jan 1970 by Henry Funeral Service by Henry V. Karolkiewicz, 33 Ward Street, Worcester
• The Certificate of Death was received and filed on 05 Jan 1970 by Robert J. O’Keefe
• Alexander was a white male, widower after Frances Dymek
• He was 82 years, 11 months, and 2 days old at death
• He had worked as a molder in a foundry before death
• His Social Security Number was 024-01-8678 A
• He was born in Poland, son of Francis Skowronski and Margaret Podeswa, both born in Poland
• The informant was his daughter, Mrs. Helen F. Danko of 71 Esther St., Worcester, Massachusetts
• On 05 Jan 1970, Arnold Zuruntz, the Commissioner of Public Health, certified that a satisfactory certificate of death was filed

I noticed that the time of death was listed as 6:35 m, with no indication of whether the death occurred in the AM or PM.  I further noticed that the Social Security Number is listed followed by the letter “A”.  I don’t know what this designation means.

Alexander Skowronski’s wife, Frances Dymek, died in 1963.  Her death is reported on a Medical Examiner’s Certificate of Death, indicating that the cause of death required additional investigation.

Certificate of Death for Frances Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Medical Examiner’s Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1963. Volume Unknown. Page 160. Frances Skowronski. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Death for Frances Skowronski.  The record states:

• Frances Skowronski, of 101 Burbank Road, Sutton, Massachusetts, died in City Hospital, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 22 Jun 1963
• She had been found unconscious in her home and died of coronary artery disease
• She had been in her place of residence for 13 years and at her place of death for 2 hours before death
• The Medical Certificate of Death was signed by Joan O. Ward, M.D. of 978 Main Street on 22 Jun 1963
• Frances was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester on 25 Jun 1963 by Henry Funeral Service by Henry V. Karolkiewicz, 33 Ward Street, Worcester
• The Certificate of Death was received and filed on 24 Jun 1963 by Robert J. O’Keefe
• Frances was a white female, married to Alexander F. Skowronski
• Her date of birth is not provided, but she was 73 years old at death
• She had worked as a housewife at home
• Her Social Security Number was 034-20-0574
• She was born in Poland, daughter of Jozef Dymek and Bronislawa Golas, both born in Poland
• The informant was her husband, Alexander Skowronski, of 101 Burbank Road, Sutton, Massachusetts
• On 24 Jun 1963, G. Frank McGinnis, the Commissioner of Public Health certified that a satisfactory certificate of death was filed

I have some questions about the correct spelling of the maiden name of Frances Skowronski’s mother.  This document states the name was Golas, but I had previously been told the name was spelled Golash.  William F. Hoffman’s book Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, Second Edition, Revised lists two similar spellings:

Gołas and Gołaś

SOURCE: Hoffman, William F. 1998. Polish surnames : origins and meanings second edition, revised. Chicago: Polish Genealogical Society of America.

Yesterday I wrote about the Birth Record for Adam Skowronski, the first child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek.  I also found the Death Record for Adam Skowronski.  It turns out that Adam lived for only four days.

The Death Record for Adam Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Return of a Death. City of Worcester. 1906. Volume 41. Page 320. Adam Skowronski.

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

• Adam Skuronsky’s death was Registered No. 211, on page 320 of volume 41 of the Death Records in Gardner, Massachusetts for 1906
• Adam died at 140 Greenwood Street, Gardner, Massachusetts on 28 Dec 1906, age 4 days
• Adam was a single, white male, born in Gardner, Massachusetts
• His father was Alec Skuronsky, born in Russia
• His mother was Francis Dimak, born in Russia
• No occupation is given
• The informant was Alexis Skuronsky of 140 Greenwood St., Gardner
• Alex was buried at St. John’s Cemetery on 29 Dec 1906 by Ryan Bros. Inc. of Gardner
• The physician, J.E. Waters, M.D., attended the deceased from 24 Dec 1906 to 28 Dec 1906 and stated that the cause of death was asphyxiation, with the contributing factor of improper care for 4 days
• The Gardner Town Clerk, Levi W. Wood, filed the Return of a Death on 02 Jan 1907

After the joyous occasion when Adam was born on Christmas Eve, the family must have been devastated when he died four days later.  From the stated cause of death, I suppose that Adam may have suffocated in his crib.

I haven’t been able to find any records for the birthdates of the children of Clark Gibson and Maryette Olds that were recorded at or near the time of the event.  The Canadian Census for 1861 recorded the ages of the children who were living as of the enumeration date and provides a reasonable estimate of the year of birth for those children.

The only other record I’ve found that was created within a few years of the birth of one of Clark and Maryette’s children is the Burial Record of John Frank Gibson.

The Burial Record for John Frank Gibson

SOURCE:  The Methodist Church Serving Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada. Burial Records. 1878. John Frank Gibson. FHL US/CAN Film 2027346 Item 3, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Burial Record for John Frank Gibson.  The record reads:

folio Three L.M.G. D.C.C.C.

Burial:- J. F. Gibson

John Frank, son of Clark Gibson black-smith of St. Armand West in the county of Missisquoi, and of Marriett Olds his wife, died on the seventeenth day of January Eighteenth hundred and Seventy-eight in the third year of his age, and was buried on the eighteenth day of the aforesaid Month and year by me
[Signed] J.E Richardson
M.M.

Witnesses:- [Signed] Clark Gibson [Signed] Marriett Gibson

This record shows that John Frank died on 17 Jan 1878 and buried on 18 Jan 1878.  It further shows that John Frank was in the third year of age, suggesting that he was born in 1875, but no further information was provided about his birth.

Thefirst name of Clark’s wife is spelled Marriett in this record, but is spelled Mariette, Maryette, Maryett, and Maryetta in other records.

The initials “M.M.” below J.E. Richardson’s signature stands for Methodist Minister.