The Marriage of Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

Last week, while I was on the east coast, I stopped in at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics and searched for the marriage records for my half-first-cousin-once-removed, Anastasia Rita Meleski .  Anastasia Rita’s father, Joseph, was my grandmother’s half brother.

Anastasia Rita was married twice, once to Albert Blackman and once to Bernard Izbicki .  However, I didn’t know when either of these marriages occurred or whether the first marriage ended in death or divorce.

Anastasia Rita’s first marriage turned out to be to Albert Francis Blackman, someone about whom I previously knew precious little.

Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

The Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski – 1946 .  The Marriage Certificate states that:

  • Albert Francis Blackman was a 31 year old white man born and living in Boston
  • He was a journalist, and his parents were Clifford A. Blackman and Jane Goodrich
  • Anastasia Rita Meleski was a 35 year old white woman born and living in Worcester
  • She was a social worker, and her parents were Joseph Meleski and Katherine Warchol
  • Both Albert and Anastasia Rita were single at the time of marriage and this was the first marriage for both of them
  • The intention of marriage was entered at Worcester on 03 May 1946 and the certificate was issued on 04 May 1946 by Malcolm C Midgley
  • The wedding was solemnized on 08 May 1946 in St. Mary’s Church in Worcester by Ladislaus J. Radzik, a priest residing at 15 Richland Street, Worcester
  • The certificate was received by the city or town clerk, Malcolm C Midgley on 09 May 1946
  • The Registered No. was 843 and the Intention No. was 816

This marriage was recorded in the records in two places because the bride and groom lived in different places in Massachusetts . Â The marriage was recorded in the Worcester records for 1946, Volume 153, Page 158 (the record above) and also in the Boston records for 1946 (APR. 28-MAY 10), Volume 17, Page 493 .  I did not request the Boston record, since that record was a copy of the Worcester record.

Well, this record answers a lot of questions and provides me with quite a bit of information I didn’t have before .  As far as I know, Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski had no children.

Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Blackman, Chmielewski/Meleski | Tagged | 1 Comment

Życzę wam szczęścia i wszystkego najlepszego w nowym roku!

I just returned from spending Christmas with family on the east coast and thought I’d say a few words before heading to bed for the night.

I received a couple of messages from Poland while I was away during Christmas and I wanted to respond to them here, so the title above, translated from the Polish, reads “I wish you happiness and all the best in the New Year!”

I opened the Christmas cards and letters that arrived while I was away (the bills will have to wait) and was particularly moved by a quote that my friend Gregory Maguire included in his holiday letter .  Some of you may recognize Greg as the author of Wicked and many other novels for adults and children .  The quote that Greg included in his letter is from the writer M. T. Anderson:

“This is what we must do as writers .  We must build our home from nothing .  We must rise every morning, and we must sing the world into existence, star by star, peak by peak, child by child .  We must begin in darkness, and end in dawn.”

Regarding this quote, Greg wrote:

“It’s about writing, but it’s appropriate, I think, to comment on all our endeavors.”

I agree.

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Aunt Bronisława’s Monument

On my way to visit my family for the holidays, I stopped by Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts .  I knew that the monument for my Aunt Bronisława Dańko had been set in place a few weeks ago, about six months after I ordered the stone and designed the inscription.

Bronisí…?awa's Grave - Front

Bronisława’s Monument – Front

Bronisí…?awa's Grave - Back

Bronisława’s Monument – Back

I previously posted the cemetery record for the burial of the three infants along with the birth and death records for Bronisława Dańko, John Kurpiel, and Franciszek Stoma.

The grave is in Section 3, Lot 1464, Graves 1A, 1B, and 1C .  Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Map of the Notre Dame Cemetery .  Section 3 is in the old part of the cemetery, is in the upper right of the map and aerial photo below .  The grave and monument are very close to the edge of the road and the names on the monument can be seen from the road in either direction.

 Notre Dame Cemetery Map

Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

Aerial View of Notre Dame Cemetery

Aerial View of Notre Dame Cemetery

Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Dańko | Tagged | 6 Comments

Happy Holidays!

I’m off to visit family for the holidays, and I hope your holidays are happy!  I’ll be away from the computer for the next few days, so until I get a chance to write again, please enjoy these pictures I took during a snowstorm in Temple Square during my research trip to Salt Lake City in November 2004.

Assembly Hall

Assembly Hall

Tree of Lights

Diaphanous Christmas Tree

Salt Lake Temple

Salt Lake Temple

Nativity Scene

Nativity Scene

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Is this John Rawding in the 1911 Census of Canada?

After finding the family of John Rawding in the 1901 Census of Canada, I searched for the family in the 1911 Census, but couldn’t find the family .  I did find a John Rawding in Nova Scotia in 1911, but he is in Halifax County, not Kings County, and he is listed alone as an inmate in Nova Scotia Hospital .  The rest of his family is nowhere to be found.

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Left

1911 Census Record for John Rawding (Left Side)

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Right

1911 Census Record for John Rawding (Right Side)

SOURCE: John Rawding, 1911 Canada Census, Schedule 1, Nova Scotia, District No. 45 – Halifax County, Sub-District No. 4 – Cole Harbour, Dwelling House 90, Family or Household 96, Page 17, Line 13, Library and Archives Canada Micropublication T-20359.

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Canada Census Record for John Rawding – 1911 .  The record shows that:

  • John Rawding is listed as an inmate in the Nova Scotia Hospital in Cole Harbour, Halifax County, Nova Scotia
  • John is 53 years old and a widower
  • John was born in Nova Scotia, was of Scotch origin, Canadian nationality, Baptist religion, and could read and write
  • He was a lumberman by trade

Some of the information (Dwelling Number, Family Number, and Place of Habitation) are not listed on this page of the census, but are listed on page 10, where the enumeration of the residents of the Nova Scotia Hospital begins .  In addition, some of the information (Place of Birth, Racial Origin, Nationality, and Religion) are noted on line 13 by ditto marks and are inferred from the lines above John Rawdings enumeration.

The location of this John Rawding in Nova Scotia is a good sign, but he is in Halifax County, not Kings County .  He is, however, in the hospital in 1911 which may explain why he is in a different county.

John’s age is about right, and it is quite possible his wife died between 1901 and 1911, leaving him a widower .  The birthplace of Nova Scotia is correct, and his Scotch origin, Canadian nationality, Baptist religion, and ability to read and write are all consistent with what is written in other records.

His occupation, however, is listed as “lumberman” in 1911 .  In 1901 he was a farmer .  Did John change occupations?

The questions remain, is this the correct John Rawding?  Most of the information seems to match up, but the occupation is different .  And, if this is John Rawding, where are his children?

Copyright © 2006 Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Rawding | Tagged | 5 Comments

Not All Document Images Are Created Equal

Yesterday I wrote about the World War I Draft Registration Card I found for Allister Rawding .  The images I presented were downloaded from the internet and were fairly difficult to read.

While filing that record, I found I had electronic images from FHL US/CAN Film 1684748 that I had saved several years ago .  To my surprise, the record I had saved from the Family History Library microfilm was of much better quality than the image I obtained from an online database .  Compare the images below with those I published yesterday and see for yourself:

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding – Front

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding – Back

SOURCE: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, “World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” Allister Daniel Rawding, serial no. 1044, order no. 612, Norwood, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; FHL US/CAN microfilm 1,684,748.

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration Card for Allister Daniel Rawding .  I was surprised at how much clearer these images are than the same images I had downloaded from the internet . This is especially surprising because the Family history Library microfilms and the images on Ancestry.com are reported to originate from the same microfilms held by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

Many historical documents have been microfilmed multiple times, by different agencies .  Sometimes I’ve found that the Genealogical Society of Utah (the Family History Library) has, itself, filmed the same documents multiple times, with one filming of much better quality than another.

But even the Family History Library does not necessarily have the best microfilm copies of a set of records .  Several years ago, I looked up some newspaper obituaries on microfilm at the Family History Library, but found them almost unreadable .  I found a different filming of the same newspaper at a Local Public Library that was incredibly better.

The lesson here is, if one copy of a set of documents is of poor quality, there might be a better copy available through some other facility.

Copyright © 2006 Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Rawding | Tagged | 3 Comments

Allister Rawding Registers for the World War I Draft

Allister Rawding, the father-in-law of my Aunt Nat, registered for the World War I Draft on 05 Jun 1917 .  In 1901, he was living with his parents and siblings in Nova Scotia, but in 1917 he was living in Norwood, Massachusetts, the United States of America.

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding – Front

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

WWI Draft Registration for Allister Rawding – Back

SOURCE: Allister Daniel Rawding, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Micropublication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), roll MA40.

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for .  The document states that:

    • Allister Daniel Rawding, age 24, registered for the World War I Draft in Norwood, Norfolk County, Massachusetts on 05 Jun 1917
    • Allister lived at 49 Prospect Ave, Norwood, Massachusetts with a wife and child
    •  He was an alien, an English subject, born on 19 May 1893 in Millville, Kings County, Nova Scotia
    •  He was married, Caucasian, and worked as a steamfitter for the Geo. H. Morrill Ink Mill in Norwood, Massachusetts
    •  Allister was tall, of medium build, had light blue eyes, dark brown hair, and no disabilities
    •  Based on this information and that in the 1901 Census, Allister emigrated to the United States, married, and had a child between 1901 and 1917

As a final note, not all copies of a record are equal .  The images shown here are from the Ancestry.com database, but the microfilm copies at the Family History Library are of much better quality, even though the films are of the same records.

Copyright © 2006 Stephen J. Danko

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James Rawding Crosses the United States – Canada Border

While searching for the 1901 Canadian Census Record for John Rawding and his family, I came across several other records for this family .  In particular, I noticed that some of the family members traveled back and forth between Canada and the United States and left behind the records of those journeys.

Many records of alien arrivals at various United States ports of entry have been preserved .  These records include Card Manifests (Alphabetical) of Entries through the Port of Detroit, MI, 1906-1954, United States National Archives microfilm publication M1478, 117 rolls .  The record for James Rawding, son of John Rawding, entering the United States at Detroit in 1923 is recorded on roll number 83 .  Better yet, Ancestry.com has digitized these records and access to these records is free for the rest of the year 2006.

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Front

Detroit Card Manifest for James Rawding, Front

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Back

Detroit Card Manifest for James Rawding, Back

SOURCE:  James Rawding; December 12, 1923, in Card Manifests (Alphabetical) of Entries through the Port of Detroit, MI, 1906-1954; micropublication M1478 (Washington: National Archives), roll83.

James Rawding’s Card Manifest was recorded on Form Spl. 187A, Primary Inspection Memorandum .  The information recorded on the front of this card is similar to that recorded on the Ellis Island Passenger Manifests and is transcribed in the PDF copy of the Detroit Card Manifest for James Rawding – 1923 .  The back of the card was used to record information if an alien appealed a decision barring him from entering the United States .  The card for James Rawding has a few notes on the back of the card, but was apparently admitted .  Information on the front of the card includes the following information:

  • James Rawding, a single male born and living in Aylesford, Nova Scotia entered the United States on 12 Dec 1923 at Detroit, Michigan
  • James was 34 years old, was of Scottish race and Canadian citizenship, and was employed as a steamfitter
  • James had a brother Fred in Aylesford, Kings County, Nova Scotia
  • James had previously been in the United States, specifically in Vermont, from 1920-1922
  • On this trip, James intended to go to a hotel, intended to stay in the United States for a month, and did not intend to become a citizen
  • James was described in good health, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with fair complexion, brown hair, and blue eyes
  • He had a ticket, paid for his passage himself, and had with him $50.00

Now that I know these records exist, I’m going to start looking for border crossing records for others I know entered the United States through Canada.

Copyright © 2006 Stephen J. Danko

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John Rawding in the 1901 Census of Canada

Today, I participated in an online chat for the Canadian Records courses I’m taking through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies .  During that chat, I mentioned that I was interested in finding Canadian immigration records .  None of my direct ancestors lived in Canada, but three of my aunts and two of my uncles married spouses with roots in Canada.

The instructor, Brenda Merriman, mentioned that Canadian immigration records were only maintained starting in 1865 .  I knew that most of the families for which I was searching had immigrated before that, so I’d have no luck looking for immigration records for most of them .  One family, the Rawdings, was still a possibility .  I knew that my Aunt Nat’s father-in-law, Allister Rawding, was born on 19 May 1893 in Millville, Aylesford, Nova Scotia, but I didn’t know when the family immigrated to Canada.

Brenda suggested that I search the 1901 and 1911 Census Records for Canada to find the year of immigration .  I quickly searched the Ancestry.com database and, to my surprise, I found Allister Rawding in the 1901 Census living with his parents, John and Melissa Rawding!

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Left

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household (Left Side)

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Right

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household (Right Side)

SOURCE: John Rawding Household, 1901 Canada Census, Schedule 1, Nova Scotia, District No. 36 – Kings County, Sub-District No. S – Millville, Dwelling House 1, Family or Household 1, Lines 1-8, Library and Archives Canada Micropublication T-6453.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Canada Census Record for the John Rawding Household – 1901 .  The record states that:

  • The household consists of John Rawding born 6 Apr 1853, his wife Melissa born 3 Sep 1851, and their children Bernard born 14 Jul 1883, Ernest S. born 19 Sep 1884, James M. born 14 Dec 1885, Minnie S. born 23 May 1886, Frederick born 3 May 1889, and Allister born 19 May 1893
  • Everyone in the household was born in Nova Scotia, was of Irish origin, was of Canadian nationality, was of Baptist faith, could read and write, and spoke English, but none spoke French
  • John’s occupation was farmer working at home in a mill, Bernard’s occupation was [illegible] son, and Ernest’s occupation was mill hand working at home in a mill
  • John and Ernest worked 6 months in a factory and 6 months at home, each earning $120 in their occupation
  • James, Minnie, Frederick, and Allister were in school 10 months of the year

Well, clearly, if John and Melissa were born in Nova Scotia in the 1850s, I don’t need to search Canadian immigration records, since their families were in Canada before the immigration records were maintained.

However, this clearly was an early Christmas present .  I now have information on the Rawding family I didn’t have before, and this information may lead to more records, especially the Canadian Census records from 1861-1891.

Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Rawding | Tagged | 3 Comments

Perhaps He Just Didn’t Know

Last night, I was searching the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) for the Massachusetts Marriage Record for Adam Koscinczyk .  Adam was to become the father-in-law of Anthony Chmielewski, whose birth record I described yesterday.

A search of the Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910 resulted in only two hits:  the marriage of Adam Koscinczyk and Valerie Helena Burakiewicz, and the marriage of Joseph Koscinczyk and Rozalia (Bachon) Krawczyk .  The marriage of Adam and Valerie was the record for which I was searching, but I found the other record, the marriage of Joseph and Rozalia much more interesting.

Niewiem Left

The left side of the marriage register shows that Joseph Koscinczyk and Rozalia (Bachon) Krawczyk were married on 22 Nov 1905 in Holyoke (Massachusetts) .  Joseph was 28 years old, and this was his first marriage .  Rozalia was a 23-year-old widow, and this was her second marriage .  Joseph was a laborer from Russia-Poland residing in Worcester, and Rozalia was an Operative from Austria residing at 21 Oliver St., Holyoke.

Niewiem Right

On the right side of the marriage register, Joseph listed his parents as Anton Koscinczyk and Margaritte Niewiem .  Rozalia listed her parents as John Bachon and Mary Scribek .  The marriage was officiated by the Rev. St. [Stanisław] Tarnowski, Holyoke, Clergyman, and the event was recorded on 23 Nov 1905.

What’s so interesting about this record?  Well, Joseph’s mother’s maiden name is listed as “Niewiem”, which is not a Polish surname at all .  “Nie wiem” is a Polish sentence that means “I don’t know”.

It appears that, when asked for his mother’s maiden name, Joseph answered in Polish, “Nie wiem”, and the clerk dutifully recorded that response in the register.

Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged | 2 Comments