I stopped by the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics this morning to do some research on Damian Cosky, a Polish immigrant who may be related to my Niedzialkowski ancestors.
For several years while researching my Niedzialkowski relatives in Worcester, Massachusetts, I noticed records for a man who was variously named Dam/Damian/Damijan/Damjan/Dominic Niedzialkowski/Niedzialkowsky in various places.
An infant named Damjan Niedziałkowski was baptized in 1893 in the Roman Catholic parish in Szwelice, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire.
His World War I draft registration card dated 15 Jun 1917 stated that he was from Lomzenskiey, Poland, Russia, apparently a reference to the Łomza Gubernia in the Vistulan Country of the Russian Empire (Russian Poland).
He served in Haller’s Army in World War I.
He entered the United States on 23 May 1920 on the Princess Matoika in New York City, but had previously resided in the United States from 1914 to 1918.
He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on 22 Apr 1935 in Worcester, Massachusetts and stated that he was born in Pomocki, Lomza, Poland, Russia on 15 May 1895.
He filed his Petition for Naturalization on 30 Dec 1938 where he stated that he was married to Caroline Gucwa on 25 Nov 1926 in Worcester and that he had a daughter Teresa who was born on 26 Dec 1927 in Worcester. His last foreign residence was Czapelowo, Lomza, Poland. At the time of naturalization, he legally changed his name to Damian Cosky.
According to the Social Security Death Index, he died in May 1967.
Today, I obtained Damian’s death certificate and his marriage certificate. Those documents show that he was born in Makow, Poland and that his parents were Felix Niedzialkowski and either Helen Zygmuntowicz or Mary Lugmuntowicz (this surname is likely a misspelling of Zygmuntowicz).
I’m still not certain if or how Damian Cosky is related to me. However, Damian and my grandfather Kostanty share a number of common elements in their lives. They share the surname Niedziałkowski, they were both from Pomaski, and their mothers’ maiden names were both Zygmuntowicz.
I already have microfilms from the Szwelice parish records on permanent loan at my local family history center, so I can start to research the ancestry of Damian’s parents. Perhaps I can discover if we are related. In fact, we may share ancestry on both the Niedziałkowski and Zygmuntowicz lines.
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko
