My Dańko ancestors came from the Polish village of Nienadowa in Galicia (the Austrian partition of Poland) and I know that the Dańkos have lived in Nienadowa for over 200 years. In the village, there is a manor house, built by Antoni Dembiński, a member of the noble family that owned Nienadowa.
In researching Nienadowa, I found a description of the manor in Nienadowa on the internet, provided by Rafał Marian Bogusławski who describes himself as the “grandson of Casimir Bogusławski”. The site where I found this description no longer exists.
An English translation of the Polish description that Rafał wrote is as follows:
The Manor in Nienadowa
The estate is located on the San River east of Dubiecko, on the highway from Dynów to Przemyśl. A beautiful, classical manor is located there. The history of the village of Nienadowa extends back to the 16th century. At this time it was the property of the Stadnicki family. After 1588, the goods of Nienadowa passed into the hands of Anna Pilecka from Sienno, who took over the property, giving Łancut to Stanisław Stadnicki in exchange. Later, the property passed from hand to hand. The village belonged to the Sienieńskis, the Derszniaks, the Krasickis, the Dubrawskis, so that in the beginning of the 18th century it became the property of the Dembińskis of the Rawicz coat of arms. The last inheritor of Nienadowa before agricultural reforms was Maria Dembińska, the wife of Stanisław Mycielski. At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, a wooden manor existed there, in which Alexander Fredro spent his childhood. Antoni Dembiński (an officer in the Kościusko insurrection), the husband of Eleanor Bardeleben, dismantled this manor and erected in its place a new brick manor which has survived to this day. A beautiful park, full of old trees, was located in the neighborhood of the manor. Tall linden trees planted right next to the eastern section of the building bestowed much charm. After World War II the manor held the Agricultural Mechanization Personnel Training Center and presently belongs to the Mechanical Equipment Plant “Kamax” in Kańczuga.
Described by Rafał Marion Bogusławski, Count of Ostoja (grandson of Casimir Bogusławski)
A couple of comments to put some things into perspective:
- The Kościusko insurrection occurred in 1894 and was an attempt by Tadeusz Kościusko to free Poland from the partitioning powers. Kościusko had earlier distinguished himself by fighting for the colonies in the US Revolutionary War, and was a good friend of Thomas Jefferson. The Kościusko insurrection failed, and in 1895, Poland was partitioned for the third time and effectively wiped off the map of Europe.
- Stanisław Stadnicki was known as “the devil of Łancut” for his reckless courage in war and because he spent much of his life raiding his neighbors’ lands with a band of mercenaries.
- Before the agricultural reforms mentioned in the description, the land was owned by the nobility. After agricultural reforms, peasants could own land themselves.
- The Alexander Fredro mentioned in the description is a renowned Polish poet and playwright who served in the military during the Napoleonic wars. In 2002, Fredro’s play “Revenge” was made into a film starring Roman Polanski.
- From a genealogical standpoint, the history of the village may extend back to the 16th century, but the church records only extend back to the late 18th century.
Copyright © 2006- 2021 by Stephen J. Danko
Wow, Steve. This is even more evidence that we were separated at birth… I have pictures of the Stadnicki family manor home from my ancestors’ village too!
That’s a little scary, Jasia. Especially because this new connection is by way of “the devil of Lancut”!
I didn’t mention it in my article, but in 1608 the armies of StanisÅ‚aw Stadnicki’s neighbors burned Stadnicki’s castle, and in 1610 they killed Stadnicki himself: they defeated the devil and burned down hell in Åancut.
Dear Sir,
I am a direct descendent of Alexander Fredro.I was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1955.I left in 1960 with my mother Helen Fredro.At this time I was seperated from my father Jan Fredro and through no fault of my own I lost all communication with my paternal family.I would be well pleased if you might help in my struggle to reunify me with my family .
Dear Sir,
I am a direct descendent of Alexander Fredro.I was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1955.I left in 1960 with my mother Helen Fredro.At this time I was seperated from my father Jan Fredro and through no fault of my own I lost all communication with my paternal family.I would be well pleased if you might help in my struggle to reunify me with my family .
Dear Mr. Fredro,
I can not provide much help since I’m located in the United States. Someone in Poland can probably help you more.
I found the following information in Kazimierz Rymut’s Slownik nazwisk wspolczesnie w Polsce uzywanych at the beginning of the 20th century.
9 people with the surname Fredro were living permanently in Poland in September 2002 (according to the PESEL database):
Wojewodztwo lubelskie, powiat opolski: 1 male
Wojewodztwo malopolskie, powiat gorlicki: 2 female
Wojewodztwo mazowieckie, powiat piaseczynski: 1 female
Wojewodztwo mazowieckie, powiat warszawski: 5 females
You can search for people with the name Fredro at http://www.ksiazka-telefoniczna.com/index.php
For example, in Warsaw, I found:
Tadeusz Fredro-Boniecki tel (22) 6419663
Stanislawa Fredro tel (22) 8330855
Zofia Fredro tel (22) 6254746
If you don’t know the names of your father’s brothers and sisters, you can go to the church where you were baptized and ask the priest if he can help you find their names.
Greetings. I am happy to share a little information to get some in return. This manor in Wielka Wies, Jasia’s photo she mentioned above and posted on “Creative Gene” was owned by Antonij Stadnicki (1 of 3 brothers). Antonij married Catherine I believe – as the photo pf the marriage record indicates. Each brother was deemed a piece of property by their father. One brother, Adam Stadnicki, received another property, but supposedly all thats left is 3 cement stairs. The 3rd brother and name and place of manor unknown but I kind find out. So how are you related to the Stadnicki’s family? I to am trying to piece together my Family history and decendents alive today. My family descends from the brother I mentioned – Adam Stadnicki.
–Joanne in Chicago