My Great-Great Grandfather Wojciech (Albert) Niedziałkowski was born in 1836 . His sister Małgorzata (Margaret) was born in 1840.
The Birth and Baptismal Record of Małgorzata Niedziałkowska - 1840
Click on the image for a higher resolution image. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Małgorzata Niedziałkowska . The record, translated from the Polish, states:
55. Mosaki Godacze
This happened in the village of Krasne on the 7th / 19th day of July 1840 at seven o’clock in the afternoon . Antoni Niedziałkowski presented himself, age 28, owner of a part, living in Mosaki Godacze, in the presence of Kilian Slaski, age 27, and Józef Grabowski, age 40, both living in the inherited part of Mosaki Godacze, and he showed us a female child, declaring that she was born in Mosaki Godacze the day before yesterday at two o’clock in the afternoon, born to his wife Karolina née Milewska, age 30; At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Małgorzata, and her Godparents were the above-mentioned Kilian Slaski and Maryanna Rykowska . This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses who are unable to write.
Reverend Józef Bońkowski, Pastor of Krasne
SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist, Krasne, Poland. Księga Urodzonych Parafii Krasne (Book of Births of the Krasne Parish). 1840. Page 28, Entry Number 55. FHL INTL Film 0702793, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.
The record states that Małgorzata was born “the day before yesterday”, so she was born on July 17, 1840 . My experience with the Birth and Baptismal Records in Poland tells me that this was unusual . Parents usually brought their newborn children to be baptized on the day the child was born or the day after . I have no explanation why the family waited two days for the baptism.
When Wojciech was born in 1836, the village in which my ancestors lived was called Godacze . When Małgorzata was born in 1840, the same village was called Mosaki Godacze.
And notice the given name of the first witness: Kilian . This is not exactly a common Polish name, but it isn’t particularly rare, either . In any case, the origin of the name is Irish.
Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko
Aha! This may be the tie that binds us! We have KILIANs in common, in Poland no less. Check out my blog post from last St. Patrick’s Day: http://creativegene.blogspot.com/2006/03/irish-in-me-maybe.html
We might be able to add this to the pile of evidence that we were separated at birth, but in my case Kilian was the Godfather’s first name, and in your case Kilian/Killian was your ancestors’ surname.
It’s still eerie though. And I still want a Canon Rebel XT digital SLR for Christmas.