Steve's Genealogy Blog

Of Births, Baptisms, and a Lost Family Found

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Ada May Gibson was born in Clarenceville, Mississquoi, Quebec on 04 Aug 1859, daughter of Clark Adolphes Gibson and Marietta Olds. While no civil registration of Ada May's birth exists, Ada May was baptised in the Methodist Church when she was XX years old. Ada May married George Saxton, bore him several children, and moved to Salt Lake City with the family. Ada May and George divorced, and Ada May married Frank Page, bore him several children, and moved to San Francisco. Meanwhile, Clark Gibson, the son of Ada May's brother Arnold, grew up in Fairfield, Vermont. Clark married a girl from Scotland or Ireland named Margaret Coyle who immigrated to the United States to work as a nanny. She bore him three daughters: Anna May, Kathleen, and Angela. Then, Margaret returned to Ireland with her three daughters, never to be heard from again. Except, that's not quite correct. Clark's wife was never heard from again except by Ada May, who kept in touch with her from San Francisco and sent her letters and packages for her family. Apparently, Ada May was a bit eccentric. One package Ada May sent to Margaret contained clothing, including but a single shoe. The next package would contain more clothing, and the mate to the first shoe. Ada May didn't reserve this eccentricity with gifts for Margaret, however. After her great-granddaughter Dora Bowman came to visit her, Ada May sent Dora presents every Christmas. But every year, Ada May would sent Dora gifts suitable for a child the age Dora was when she first visited, as if Dora never grew older. After Margaret left, Clark married my aunt, Sophie Danko and the couple had eight children. Sophie died in 1977 and Clark died in 1984. Shortly after Clark's death, his three daughters by Margaret Coyle traveled from the Great Britain to America in search of their father. The three sisters didn't have much to go on, since their mother rarely spoke of their time in America, and they themselves didn't remember much since they left for Ireland at such a young age. They managed to trace their father to Fairfield, Vermont and managed to find some distant cousins, but noone could tell them what happened to their father. They found the gravestone of Clark's parents, but that was all. They returned home disappointed. In May 2000, one of Clark and Margaret's great-grandsons posted a message to an online genealogy message board asking if anyone had any information about Clark. I happened to read the message about two weeks after Paul posted.

Genealogy Resources in Massachusetts

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics at 150 Mt. Vernon St. in Dorchester holds Vital Records and the Indexes to Vital Records from 1916 to the present. These records include births, marriages, divorces, and deaths and presently most are open to the public (except for records of still births, illegitimate births, and adoptions). To research onsite, the fee is $9 per hour. There are no photocopiers and cameras are prohibited. Researchers find the volume number and page number for the record of interest in the indexes and record this information on white slips of paper provided by the office. Every half hour a staff member calls for 3 slips (sometimes, if the research room is not busy the staff will allow more than 3 slips at a time). About 15 minutes later, the staff member wheels out a cart contaning the vital records volumes requested by the researchers and the researchers can then inspect the original vital records. Some older records are provided on microfilm. Researchers can copy the information in the record books by hand (remember there are no photocopiers and cameras are not permitted), or can submit a request for a certified copy (at a charge of $18 per copy). The Massachusetts Archives at 200 Morrissey Blvd is on the UMass Boston campus near the JFK Library (and just down the street from the Vital Records Office). There is no charge to use the Archives. The Archives holds vital records and indexes for all Massachusetts towns from 1841-1915. The Archives also holds some vital records prior to 1841 and indexes to the vital records up to 1971. The Archives also holds: Passenger Lists for the Port of Boston, the Federal Census records for Massachusetts for the years 1790-1880 and 1900-1920, the Massachusetts State Census records for 1855 and 1865, some naturalization records, some probate records, some adoption records, witchcraft trial records, and a lot more (most records are on microfilm). The cost to make a copy of any microfilm record is 50 cents. The cost to obtain a certified copy of a vital record is $3. One resource I have not yet used is the Massachusetts State Library at 24 Beacon St. in Boston. Their collections include government documents, newspapers, voting lists, city directories, maps (including Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps), legal resources, broadsides, and historical photographs.

Surname Changes

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Some of my Danko relatives thought that their surname had been changed from something more Polish-sounding like Dankowski or Dankowicz. As it turns out, the Danko surname was the only one of my grandparents' surnames that has survived unaltered. Some of my Niedzialkowski relatives changed their names to Niedzial or Newman, my Dziura relatives changed their name to Dziurzynski, and my Chmielewski relatives changed their name to Meleski. The Dziura to Dziurzynski name change was made in Poland, before immigration. The other name changes were made by family members decades after the families arrived in America. Although surname changes are common in my family tree, I have yet to find any names that were changed at Ellis Island.

Tombstones and Shaving Cream

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From time to time, discussions on using shaving cream to help read inscriptions on tombstones develop on one mailing list or another. Most recently, a discussion on this topic emerged on the ISOGG DNA Project Administrator's Forum. The discussions concern the practice of spreading shaving cream in the carved depressions of a tombstone and then removing the excess with a squegee or piece of styrofoam. The shaving cream remains in the crevices, enhancing the readability of worn inscriptions. Many places on the internet describe how shaving cream can damage tombstones, stating that shaving cream is acidic, that residual shaving cream can remain on the tombstone to damage it later, and that the residual stearic acid absorbed into the pores of the stone can be a food source for microbes that damage the stone as they grow. In one account, the writer's son applied shaving cream to marble for 5 minutes and concluded that 1 mm of the stone had been dissolved away by the shaving cream in that time period. Upon investigation, it appears that most of these statements about the dangers of using shaving cream on tombstones have been proposed without any supporting evidence and then distributed among genealogists as fact. Dr. Gregg Bonner had previously noted that many of the facts concerning shaving cream and tombstones were in error and that many of the statements were unsupported by any real evidence or authority. While conducting some research on the subject I, too, discovered that some of the basic premises behind the discussions on shaving cream and stearic acid were in error. Misstatement #1: The Saving Graves website states "...the pH of typical shaving cream is in 5 range, which makes it more acidic than acid rain". In truth, the pH of typical shaving cream is slightly alkaline, not acidic. According to the manufacturers' material safety data sheets, Gillette Foamy Regular has a pH of 8.2-8.5 and Colgate Aeresol Shave Cream has a pH of 8.2-8.6. Premise #2: "Stearic acid damages marble and granite." This statement is unsupported by any evidence. In fact, Dr Ian Sutherland and Clare Madden, of Loughborough University have been working with conservators at the National Museums Liverpool with ways to repair and protect marble statuary already damaged by the elements. A press release from the National Museums Liverpool states: "Clare and Ian have also looked at the problem of protecting the marble surface against water ingress and pollution build up after treatment. By applying a monolayer of stearic acid, water is repelled from the surface although moisture vapour can still enter the pores in the stone. This research has provided us with an exciting technique for preserving marble that is chemically compatible with the original, allows stone to breathe, does not alter its colour and also allows for re-treatment. The method can be easily applied and is not expensive." Since conservators are investigating the use of stearic acid to help preserve marble, it seems unlikely that stearic acid damages marble.

Facebook Says I Don't Exist

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Many thanks to everyone

The Rawicz Coat of Arms

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Over the past few years I've noticed a number of articles that state quite definitively "there is no such thing as a family coat of arms". Usually, these articles discuss coats of arms for a specific location, such as England, where those statements apparently apply. However, broad statements such as "a coat of arms was for use by a single living individual" are often left in isolation, leaving the reader to assume that the statement applies universally. The situation in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, however, was much different than that in England.

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The Marriage of Aleksander Chodkowski and Katarzyna Mossakowski – 1843

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Aleksander Chodkowski (son of Maciej Chodkowski and Marianna Kuklińska) and Katarzyna Mossakowski (daughter of Antoni Mossakowski and Antonina Krzyżewska) were married in the parish church in Bogate, Przasnysz Obwód, Płock Gubernia, Congress Kingdom of Poland on 29 November 1843.

The Marriage Record of Aleksander Chodkowski and Katarzyna Mossakowski – 1843

SOURCE: Parafia pw. św. Jana Ewangelisty (Bogate, Przasnysz Obwód, Płock Gubernia, Congress Kingdom of Poland), “ Akta urodzeń, małżeństw, zgonów 1826-1843 [Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1826-1843],” folio 26 verso and folio 27 recto, entry 10, Aleksander Chodkowski and Katarzyna Mossakowski, 29 Nov 1843; filmed as Kopie księg metrykalnych, 1808-1900; FHL INTL microfilm 0,702,540. Click on the image above to view a higher resolution image. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Aleksander Chodkowski and Katarzyna Mossakowski. Translated from the Polish, the record reads:

10. Wielodróz and Mosaki-Rukle. This happened in the village of Bogate on the seventeenth / twenty-ninth day of November in the year one-thousand eight-hundred forty-three at the hour of five in the evening. We make it known that in the presence of witnesses Jan Mossakowski, forty years of age, and Franciszek Niesiobęczki, thirty-three years of age, both residing on their parts [of the village] in Wielodróz, a religious marriage was contracted today between Aleksander Chodkowski, an unmarried man, son of the married couple, the deceased Mateusz and Marianna née Kuklińska Chodkowski, born in the village of Budy Trzepowo in the parish of Dzierżenin and now settled on his parts [of the village] in the village of Mosaki-Rukle, twenty-two years of age, and the young woman Katarzyna, daughter of the married couple, the deceased Antoni and the still-living Antonina née Krzyżewska Mossakowski, born in Wielodróz, twenty-three years of age, and living with her mother in Wielodróz. This wedding was preceded by three readings of religious banns on the thirty-first day of October / twelfth day of November, the seventh / nineteenth day of November, and the fourteenth / twenty-sixth day of November in this same year in the parishes of Bogate and Krasne, as well as after the oral consent of the mother of the bride, who was present for this record of marriage, was made. No impediment to the marriage arose. The newlyweds stated that they had made a prenuptial agreement between them on the fourth / sixteenth day of November in the year one-thousand eight-hundred forty-three by the Notary Niski of the Przasnysz Powiat. This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses, the declarants do not know how to write, and was signed by Us. [signed] Franciszek Niesiobęcki [signed] The Reverend Zielmiński, Parish of Bogate [signed] Jan Mossakowski, as witness

Aleksander Chodkowski was my 2nd cousin 4X removed.

The Polish Village of Wielodróz

Steve — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The village of Wielodróz is significant in my family history because it was the location where Katarzyna Mossakowska, the wife of my cousin Aleksander Chodkowski was born.

Austrian Military Map of the Wielodróz Area – 1910

SOURCE: Third Military Mapping Survey of Austria-Hungary, Sheet 39-53, Ostrleka. Online http://lazarus.elte.hu/hun/digkonyv/topo/200e/39-53.jpg; downloaded 22 Jul 2010.

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Wielodróz

Source: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Filip Sulimierski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1893, Volume XIII, page 358. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny entry for Wielodróz. Translated from the Polish, the entry reads:

Wielodróz, a village and grange [large manorial farmstead] on the river Węgierka, Przasnysz Powiat, Karwacz Gmina, and Bogate Parish, 10 versts [0.66 miles per verst] from Prazasnysz. It has a windmill, 28 homes, 300 residents, 518 morgs [in the Russian partition 1 morg = 1.388 acres]. In the year 187, the Wielodróz grange had 134 morgs of territory (85 morgs of soil0. In the year 1827 there were 20 homes and 98 residents. According to the Notary Public for the Ciechanów-Przasnysz Powiats, the village of Wielodróz in the Bogate Parish had 5 parts per ½ włóka [1 włóka = about 30 morgs], mansions 2 and 3, 1 włóka; 3 gardens, 2 ½ włóki; 1 garden, 1 włóka; 2 parts per ½ włóka. (Pawiński, Mazowsze, 347).

The notation (Pawiński, Mazowsze, 347) refers to: Pawiński, Adolf. 1892. Mazowsze. Polska XVI wieku pod względem geograficzno-statystycznym, t. 5. Warszawa: skł. gł. w Księgarni Gebethnera i Wolffa. This publication is available online at the Digital Library of Wielkopolska. The maps of the Third Military Mapping Survey of Austria-Hungary and the entries in the Słownik Geograficzny were prepared at about the same time and make a good pair for studying places in and around the Congress Kingdom of Poland at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, a time period when the Eastern European ancestors of present-day Americans left their homelands for the United States.

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First Day of My New Website

Steve — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 19:04:49 +0000

I've wanted to start a genealogy website for a while, and I've also wanted to start a blog to record my genealogy activities. So, after some encouragement from one of my classmates in an online class at MyFamily.com, here it is. I'm off to Salt Lake City on Thursday for the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference. I'll arrive on Thursday night, spend most of Friday at the Family History Library (FHL), and be ready for the Opening Lecture of the conference at 8 PM. The Conference Program is filled with lectures presented by distinguished genealogists such as Ceil Jensen, George Ott from Heritage Consulting and Services, a representative of the Sorensen Molecular Genealogy Foundation and staff members from the FHL, including Daniel M. Schlyter. Still, we are provided with some free time on Friday, Saturday, and Monday to research at the FHL. Tuesday, I'll spend most of the day the FHL again, and then head back home. I'll provide an update here of what happens at the conference.

Three New Pages

Steve — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 18:06:48 +0000

Thanks for the kind comments people have left me both on the blog and elsewhere. It's nice to get some feedback! Last night I started to set up the actual website. You can connect to the webpages using the links on the right side of the blogpage. The three webpages are listed under Steve's Genealogy Web. The first page is a Welcome page, with some general information about the site. The second page is part of my family tree, starting with my earliest known Dańko ancestor, Józef Dańko down through my grandfather and his siblings. I ran into a few difficulties here, the biggest of which was that when I copied the Register report from Family Tree Maker (FTM) to my webpage, all the formatting was lost, and I found it difficult or impossible to format the report correctly using the publishing tools I have. I'll probably look around for a better web publishing package. For now, the report is up, but linking the report to the sources will have to wait until I get back from Salt Lake City. The third page is the start of my Vital Records page. For now, I just have Arizona and Florida listed, but more will be added after the United Polish Genealogical Societies Conference. When I first started entering information into FTM back in 1999, I noticed that FTM offered three basic report types: the Register Report, the NGS Report, and the Ahnentafel Report. All three are useful from different perspectives, and I chose the Register Report for my webpage on the Descendants of Józef Dańko, although I may decide to add an Ahnentafel Report later. The Register Report and the NGS Quarterly Report are descendant-ordered, that is, they start with a single individual and show all the descendants of that person. The reason for the names of these reports is that these are the report formats preferred by The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Register Report) and The National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGS Quarterly Report), two very well-respected genealogy journals. The third type of report is the Ahnentafel Report (Ahnentafel is from the German for Forefathers Table) and is ancestor-ordered, meaning that the Ahnentafel lists all the ancestors of a single person and the resulting report is essentially a pedigree chart. The Ahnentafel uses a strict numbering system, where the subject of the Ahnentafel is #1, a father's number is always twice his child's number, and a mother's number is always twice her child's number plus one. Thus, except for the person listed as #1 (who can be either male or female), all the even numbered individuals will be male, and all the odd numbered individuals will be female. Well, I've rambled on enough for today. I have to pack tonight and get ready to fly to Salt Lake City tomorrow evening. I plan to post on this blog each day during the conference directly from the Family History Library, so keep checking back. Be sure to leave your comments, too!

Heading to Salt Lake City

Steve — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 11:28:19 +0000

My flight to Salt Lake City leaves from Oakland at 7:30 PM tonight. I'm all packed, but I'm not sure I've ever really been ready for a genealogy research trip. I've been preparing for the last couple of months, trying to get my Family Tree Maker files in order, trying to organize my sources so I don't spend time looking up documentation I already have, and searching the Family History Library (FHL) catalog for the books and microfilms I want to see while I'm at the FHL. I found a bunch of films that were in the Granite Mountain Vault, so about two weeks ago I sent off an email to the FHL asking if they could get those films to the FHL in time for my visit. Two weeks is a good lead time for this task; one time I only gave them a week and they weren't able to get the films in time for my visit. One unusual set of films I want to look at is the Massachusetts Selective Service System Registration Cards [World War II]: Fourth Registration. These cards represent older men, born between 28 Apr 1877 and 16 Feb 1892, who registered for the draft in 1942. I set up a custom report in FTM to find any men in my file for whom I had recorded a birth, marriage, or death in Massachusetts, and who were born in the appropriate period. This gave me the names of 55 men to look up in this set of films. Unfortunately, this collection includes 166 microfilm reels, all of which are in the vault! I guess nobody knows about this set of records and has never requested them before! Well, I couldn't order all 166 reels, so I ordered the four I thought would be the most relevant for me. When I get to the FHL on Friday, the first thing I'll do is order some more films and hope that they'll arrive before I leave on Tuesday. Some of the other sources I plan to look at are:

Petitions for Naturalization for Worcester Co., Massachusetts,
Selective Service Records and Exemptions as Aliens for Massachusetts in 1917-1918
Roman Catholic Church Records of Butrymance Parish in Lithuania (1834-1841)
Roman Catholic Church Records of Saint Krzyza Parish in Warsaw (1826-1876)
Roman Catholic Church Records of Krasne Parish in Poland (1657-1892)
Roman Catholic Church Records of Szwelice Parish in Poland (1780-1890)
Protestant marriages in the District of Bedford, Quebec (1804-1879)
Non-Catholic Civil Registration Index for Bedford, Quebec (1899-1989)
New Brunswick Vital Statistics from Newspapers (1784-1896)
New Brunswick Births, Marriages, and Deaths (1801-1925)
Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography

I'm looking forward to seeing Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography. There is one biography in particular I'm interested to read, but this source is rather notorious for containing at least 200 fictitious biographies! Most family historians don't trust published genealogies that don't list the sources of the information, but here's a case where the source might not be trustworthy, either! So, I should have plenty to keep me busy! I'll let you know how things are going!

First Day at the Family History Library

Steve — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 18:27:53 +0000

Right now, it's about noon in Salt Lake City, and I'm writing from the Family History Library (FHL). My plane was about two hours late last night, and I arrived at the hotel after midnight, but I still managed to get to the FHL before 9 AM this morning. When I arrived at the FHL, I retrieved the five vault films I had previously ordered, and I ordered an additional five films which should arrive on Monday. I found what I was looking for in four of the five films. I found seven relatives, including my grandfather, Michael Danko, in the Massacusetts World War II Draft Registration Cards for men born between April 28, 1877 and February 16, 1897. By the way, the FHL has the draft records for Massachusetts, but some of the WWII Draft Records for Ohio are online at the National Archives website. The big find for me, though, was on the fifth film I ordered: Naturalization Information for my grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski. The film contained my grandfather's Certificate of Arrival (showing a date of arrival of 24 May 1910), his Petition for Naturalization (dated 18 Jul 1939, and his Declaration of Intention (dated 27 April 1955). I already had a copy of his Certificate of Naturalization, dated 1955, but I also previously had a copy of his Declaration of Intention, dated 02 June 1917! The 1917 Declaration stated that it expired seven years from the date signed, so I guess my grandfather made his Declaration of Intention in 1917, the Declaration expired in 1924, so he made another Declaration in 1955, at which time he actually did become a citizen. Time for me to get back to my research. I'll post some of these records I found, but I probably won't be able to do that until I get back home next week.

First Full Day of the Conference in Salt Lake City

Steve — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 19:58:31 +0000

Well, it's getting to be close to the end of the first full day of the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference here in Salt Lake City. I'm bushed, and it's only 7:40 PM! We have one more session tonight and then I'll be ready to hit the sack! The first session this morning was on "Professional Techniques for the Family Genealogist" by Ceil Jensen. I asked Ceil if she'd like to "Guest Blog" in this space and she said she'd love to tell everyone about what she thought was her best find so far at the Family History Library (FHL). Check back in the next couple of days for her Guest Blog. After Ceil's presentation, several others presented lectures on how to best use the resouces in the FHL, all of which were great (and I thought I already know my way around the FHL :) !) Ugo Perego gave us an update on the research at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. Two years ago, I heard a presentation by the Foundation, and at that time, there was no way for participants to see the results of their DNA analysis. The Foundation encouraged participation in order to further the science of molecular genealogy. But now, the results will be provided online, and you can compare your own results with the results of others (while protecting the privacy of living individuals, of course). There is no cost for the analysis, but you may have to wait a long time to see the results. It's also been a productive time for me at the FHL. I've been looking for Birth, Marriage, and Death records for two branches on my family tree. I found the marriage record for the parents of my Aunt Bertha's husband George McGinn, a newspaper clipping mentioning the wedding, and a delayed birth record for George's older sister, Pascaline. Plus, I found a biography for Pascal Poirier, a senator from New Brunswick who was an ancestor of George and Pascaline. Today I also found 21 death records for other people in my family file, so I consider this a very productive day. It's about time for me to get a bite to eat and then head to the last session of the day (Ceil Jenson is speaking again tonight on "Maps for Polish Genealogy: Old, New, Electronic". Good night!

Sunday at the Conference

Steve — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:20:26 +0000

Sundays the Family History Library is closed, so my day was a little more mellow than the previous two. I spent some time reading on Sunday morning, had a leisurely lunch at Trofi (the restaurant at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, where I am staying), and then attended the afternoon sessions of the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference. Ceil Jensen talked about school records (come to think of it, I don't even know where my own school records are!) and the Polish State Archives. She claimed her multimedia presentation would have us dancing in the aisles but, alas, technical difficulties prevented us from seeing the multimedia part of her talk. After Ceil's presentation, Kalile Mehr from the Family History Library (FHL) explained how records are obtained from the former Soviet Union sphere. Dinner at the Olive Garden with five other conference attendees was great. I can't remember when I had such a good time at dinner! All in all, the time we had for dinner was way too short. We were heading back to the conference before we knew it. Kahlile Mehr presented the final talk of the day and discussed East European Internet sites. I'll post the list on my website after I get home from the conference. By the time the day's events were over, I returned to the hotel to plan my strategy for Monday. Right now, I'm in the FHL, and concentrating on obtaining proof of what I already know. I've found a few surprises, including incorrect dates that I had in my files, and a surprising (to me, anyway) cause of death! I'll have to check the information I have at home and see how the new sources compare with the old.

GuestBlog from Ceil Jensen

Steve — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:15:31 +0000

This morning, I'm grateful to Ceil Jensen for providing a GuestBlog (I'll provide my own blog at the end of the day). I asked her to write a bit about her own research at the Family History Library this past week. By the way, last night at the conference banquet, Ceil showed us the multimedia presentation she promised would have us dancing in the aisles! More about that later! Here's Ceil's blog:

I spent a week in Salt Lake researching material for my forthcoming book "Sto Lat" A Modern Guide to Polish Genealogy. The most interesting find was the cattle brands registered to the Polish ranchers in Bexar Co. ,Texas. I had never thought about that aspect of western life in terms of the Poles. An article in the Summer 2001 "Polish Footprints" published by the Polish Genealogical Society of Texas showed brands registered to Poles including Anton Kobus, Joseph Michalsky and Jacob Lubinsky. It was serious business. The article was illustrated with a "Certificate of Registration of Marks and Brands" registered in Karnes Co., Texas.

Ceil

My Last Day in Salt Lake City

Steve — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 23:30:58 +0000

[caption id="attachment_5563" align="alignleft" width="217" caption="Family History Library"][/caption] WOW! What a great time I had in Salt Lake City. I managed to obtain copies of an enormous number of original sources (and quite a number of derivative sources, too!). As genealogists, we often classify information as primary or secondary, depending on whether the source was generated at the time the event occurred, by someone who was a witness to the event (primary) or whether the information in the source was provided at a later date or by a person who was not a witness to the event (secondary). We also realize that a source can contain both primary and secondary information. For example, a death certificate may contain primary information about the death, but secondary information about the birth. However, even before we consider whether the information is primary or secondary, sources can be classified as original or derivative sources. Original sources are the first place where the information was recorded and derivative sources include indexes of records, transcripts of records, and abstracts. More about all this later. It's late here in San Francisco, and I'm ready to call it a night. My flight back from Salt Lake City was pleasant and largely uneventful, except for an unfortunate encounter between the plane's engine and a bird during the landing. Well, thanks to the skilled pilots at Southwest Airlines, we landed safely in Oakland, despite the rather odd experience of landing with the aroma of roast poultry in the cabin! I have a lot to report about the conference itself and the information I found at the Family History Library. Check back later to see some of the most interesting documents I found and details about the sessions of the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference.

World War II Draft Cards

Steve — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:00:11 +0000

The Family History Library (FHL) holds 166 microfilm reels of World War II Selective Service System Registration Cards for the state of Massachusetts. These are the Draft Registration Cards for the Fourth Registration conducted in 1942 and include men born between 28 APR 1877 and 16 FEB 1897. The original cards are located in the Boston Branch of the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts. Note: The FHL holds copies of World War II Selective Service System Registration Cards for other states, too. I was particularly interested in these records since I have been unable to find my grandfather's birth and baptismal record in Poland. In various official documents, my grandfather stated that he was from the village of Pomoski in the Łomża Gubernia of Russia-Poland, but I couldn't find his birth and baptismal record in the church records for the village of Pomoski (there was no church in Pomoski itself; the residents of Pomoski belonged to the Parish and Church in Szwelice). Since these World War II Draft Registration Cards included the place of birth, I thought this might help me find my grandfather's birth and baptismal records.

I have attached images of the obverse and reverse of my grandfather's Draft Registration Card found on FHL US/CAN Film 2251612 (click on the thumbnails, above, to see larger images). My grandfather listed his name as Konstanty Niedzialkoski, but signed his name as Kostanty Niedzialkowski (he used the spelling Kostanty Niedzialkowski for most of his life). The address, 18 Huntington Ave. in Worcester, Massachusetts, was owned by his uncle, Franciszek Niedzialkoski. Surprisingly, Kostanty listed his place of birth as Warsaw, Poland, not the village of Pomoski! Perhaps Kostanty was born in Warsaw, but lived in Pomoski. In addition to my difficulty in finding Kostanty's birth and baptismal record, I haven't been able to find the marriage record of Kostanty's parents (Teofil and Ksawera) in Pomoski. My working hypothesis is that Teofil and Ksawera were married in another location and Ksawera gave birth to Kostanty in the same place she was married. A family connection does exist in Warsaw, since Teofil's mother was born in Parafia Świętego Krzyża (Holy Cross Parish) in Warsaw. So, I have another lead to follow now, although this may be a tough one - the records for Parafia Św. Krzyża held by the FHL include documents that date only from 1826 - 1876, too early to include records for my grandfather or my great-grandparents. Nonetheless, the information on my grandfather's World War II Draft Registration Card gives me some additional information and another lead to follow. As a historical note, the following notice appeared on page 10 of the New York Times on 24 APR 1942, calling older men to register for the fourth registration of the World War II Draft:

All Men 45-64 Required To Register at Week-End
All men in New York City, whether citizens or aliens, who reached their forty-fifth birthday on or before Feb. 16, 1942, or who will not have reached their sixty-fifth birthday by April 27, 1942, must register for selective service either tomorrow or Sunday between 1 P. M. and 6 P. M. or on Monday between 7 A. M. and 9 P. M. They must register in their own local board area. Selective service headquarters advised them yesterday to learn immediately the address of their local board. It was suggested that they ask neighbors who already had registered where to find the local board; then go to the board to learn whether to register there or elsewhere. Daily commuters will not be registered in New York City.

Dancing in the Aisles and Other Matters

Steve — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 05:57:02 +0000

A few days ago, I promised to write more about Ceil Jensen's multimedia presentation that she promised would have us dancing in the aisles. At the Monday evening banquet of the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference in Salt Lake City, Ceil showed us the video she made of her adventures in the Polish Archives, complete with some great Polish music! Everyone enjoyed the presentation and it was worth the wait! Ceil visited several archives with Kasia Grycza, a charming and skilled genealogist and tour guide in Poland. Just type Kasia's name into your favorite search engine and you'll find testimonials from people who have hired her to act as their guide and genealogical consultant in Poland. Kasia arranged for Ceil to visit civil and church archives in Poland, and was even able to arrange for video interviews with the archive directors. Everyone in the video was thoroughly interesting, informative, and at times the interviews were absolutely hilarious (and you thought there was nothing funny about visiting archives)! Sadly, Ceil showed us the unfortunate state of the archives that operate with low budgets in facilities that lack climate control to preserve the valuable documents they house. Between the individual interviews, Ceil included music that certainly had everyone's feet tapping and added a festive tone to the entire presentation. Thanks, Ceil, and I know we all look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future! By the way, Ceil has just published a new book called "Detroit's Polonia". A couple of people have left comments on this blog, asking for summaries of the presentations at the conference. For the first of these summaries, I'll start with the last presentation: the keynote speech at the banquet presented by Joseph B. Everett, who currently works for Ancestry.com and who spoke on "New Databases and Features of Ancestry.com". I had actually met Joe before, when he worked as a Supervisor on the International Floor at the Family History Library. During two separate visits to the FHL in the past, he helped me translate Russian documents relating to my Niedzialkowski ancestors. The amazing thing, though, is that he even remembered me from those two isolated occasions! Wow, the guy has a good memory! Some of the new features Joe talked about included the complete England and Wales Census collection, the doubling of the Historical Newspapers collection, and the addition of new Canadian Records. In connection with the Historical Newspapers collection, he pointed out that, when searching this collection, one should enter the search terms, including names, in the keyword box. The Historical Newspaper collection is not indexed for First Names and Last Names, so the search engine just looks for the keywords anywhere in the newspapers. Joe gave us examples of how to search for newspaper articles and census records for Lt. Col. Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski, a World War II Ace Pilot. It was quite an interesting story. One other point Joe mentioned was that Ancestry.com has added the ability for researchers to add alternate names, add comments, or report image errors for some of the databases, including census records. I actually took advantage of this new feature, since my grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkoski, was indexed in the 1920 US Census as Kostanty Pudgealkoski! The alternate names that users add are then available to all users, so that poorly transcribed names won't be a brickwall for future researchers. I have attached an image of the 1920 Census record for my grandfather so you can see why his name was so badly transcribed in the index. Click on the image below to view a larger image. Kostanty is enumerated on line 77, and my grandmother Helen is on line 78. [caption id="attachment_5578" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="Kostanty Niedzialkowski in the 1920 US Federal Census"][/caption] Finally, I want to point out a couple of features of this blog to those of you who visit regularly. You can post a comment by clicking on the "Comments" link at the bottom of each of the entries. The first time you post a comment, the comment must be approved by the Administrator (that's me) before it appears on the blog. After the first comment is approved, your future comments will automatically be approved without any intervention from me. Second, if you post a comment and want to return to the main page, just click on the banner "Steve's Genealogy Blog" at the top of the page. Third, you can visit my website by clicking on one of the links to the right of the blog under "Steve's Genealogy Web". Thanks for visiting, and be sure to leave a comment!

A Marriage in New Brunswick

Steve — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 04:57:04 +0000

The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Canada have posted an index to a large number of vital records, and some of those records are linked to images of the original documents. I searched for the marriage record of William McGinn and Lea Poirier who were the in-laws of my aunt, Bertha (Danko) McGinn. As yet, the Provincial Archives have not linked the image to the index entry for this marriage, so I searched for this record while I was at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. I found the image on FHL US/CAN Film 2024682 (you can click on the image below to enlarge it or you can view, download, and print a PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of William McGinn and Lea Poirier). [caption id="attachment_5600" align="aligncenter" width="339" caption="The Marriage Record of William McGinn and Lea Poirier"][/caption] In addition, I looked through a series of films of the New Brunswick vital statistics from newspapers and found a entry for the marriage in FHL US/CAN Book 971.5 V2nb V. 99, which appears to be a transcription form The Daily Telegraph, Saint John, New Brunswick on 16 MAY 1895:

W.H. McGINN and bride passed through the city yesterday en route to Fredericton. Mr. McGinn was married yesterday morn. to Miss L.A. POIRIER. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Fathe Ouellett. Mr. McGinn is superintendent of the electrical works at the Celestial City.

I also looked up the biographical entry for Pascal Poirier, who is related to Lea Poirier, although I'm not sure how (I'll have to check with my McGinn cousins to find out about this). I found the entry in Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography FHL US/CAN Book 973 D36ap 1887-89 v. 5. You may recall from a previous post that Appleton's contains at least 200 entries of fictitious individuals. Pascal Poirier's biography appears to be accurate, however:

POIRIER, Pascal, Canadian senator, b. in Shediac, New Brunswick, 14 Feb., 1852. He is of Acadian descent. He completed his course of studies at St. Joseph's college, Memramcook, studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Quebec in 1876. In 1872 Mr. Poirier was appointed postmaster of the Dominion parliament, which post he held till his appointment to the senate, 9 March, 1885. At an early age he contributed to the press, both French and English, and he has published "L'Origine des Acadiens" (Montreal, 1874).

US Vital Records and a Historic Car Accident

Steve — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:53:26 +0000

Today I added information on how to obtain Vital Records from 27 more US States and Possessions to my US Vital Records webpage. When this project is complete, I believe it will be the most complete and up-to-date summary of US Vital Records sources on the net. Many of the other websites with similar information are outdated or don't include alternate sources such as Historical Societies and State Archives. Furthermore, I've included information on whether or not the Vital Records are restricted (and for what period of time), the cost of the records, and the years for which the records are available at each of the repositories. In line with this addition, my images of the day are the death certificate, grave marker, and obituary for Harry J. Meleski. Harry was the half-nephew of my grandmother, Helen (Chmieleska) Niedzialkowski. In Lithuania, my grandmother's family name was Chmielewski / Chmielewska (men used the ending "i" at the end of the surname, while women used "a"). After arriving in the US, the family shortened their name to Meleski, and, by that, I mean the family changed the name - it wasn't changed at Ellis Island or by someone else. [caption id="attachment_5589" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="The Grave of Harry Meleski and Margaret Warchol"][/caption] Click on the links to see a PDF image of Harry Meleski's Death Record or Harry Meleski's Obituary. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of the marker on his grave in Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. Harry and his wife died childless and it appeared that nobody had visited their grave in quite a while when I took this picture last summer. I had to dig quite a bit of dirt and crabgrass off the marker in order to see it. Harry was buried in Section 95, Lot RF1 on January 12, 1981. His wife Margaret was buried next to him in Section 95, Lot RF2 on April 25, 1983. As a final note, Harry was a lawyer and served for many years as the city solicitor of Worcester, Massachusetts. He was once interviewed by the Worcester Telegram and told the newspaper that his most memorable case was one he argued before the Supreme Court of the United States to decide liability in a motor vehicle accident when one of the people involved was not a resident of the state in which the accident occurred. This case and the decision are still important today, nearly 80 years after Harry won the case.

Grandfather and the Umbrella Maker

Steve — Mon, 01 May 2006 05:19:40 +0000

My grandfather, Michael Danko, immigrated to the US from his native town of Nienadowa, Galicia, Austria-Poland when he was 27 years old. He sailed from Antwerp on the S.S. Zeeland and arrived in New York City on March 7, 1905. The passenger manifest (click on the thumbnail below to see the entire manifest) asked in Column 16 "Whether going to join a relative or friend; and if so, what relative or friend, and his name and complete address". My grandfather is listed on Line 17, and his response to the question in Column 16 is practically unreadable. Patricia, a friend and classmate of mine, helped me figure out with whom my grandfather was staying. [caption id="attachment_5515" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="Michał Dańko Passenger Manifest"][/caption] Patricia examined the manifest and thought that she could read the name "Flichtenfeld" and so she started to search the 1900 census records for someone in New York City with that surname. She found an Isaac Flichtenfeld living in New York City with his wife Esther. I took a look at the census records for Isaac and found him in the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census records. The 1910 census record is provided in the thumbnail below. [caption id="attachment_5518" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="1910 US Census Record for Isaac Flichtenfeld"][/caption] Isaac Flichtenfeld was enumerated on line 43 of the census record. He is listed with his wife Esther, five children, and a servant. Based on the information in this census, other census records, and the World War I draft registration card for Isaac's son Carl, I learned that:

Isaac was a Jewish immigrant from Galicia, Austria-Poland, who immigrated in 1892.
Isaac lived at 35 First Avenue in New York City.
Isaac was an umbrella maker.

In examining Column 16 closely, I was able to interpret the handwriting to say that my grandfather was going to stay with:

friend, Isaac Flichtenfeld Hester 1st Ave New York

So exactly who was this New York umbrella maker Issac Flichtenfeld and his wife Esther (Hester)? How did my Roman Catholic grandfather become good enough friends with a Jewish family in New York that he could stay with them? Did they live near each other in Galicia? Did they know each other in Galicia or was my grandfather simply referred to Isaac by someone else? How long did my grandfather stay with Isaac and why did he later leave New York to settle in Worcester, Massachusetts?

I looked for anyone named Flichtenfeld who immigrated through Ellis Island. I didn't find Isaac or his wife, but most of the Flichtenfelds I could find were from Przemysł, a relatively large town not far from Nienadowa where my grandfather lived. I also found one Flichtenfeld who was from Babice - a village within walking distance of Nienadowa, and a village that, along with Nienadowa, belonged to the Dubiecko parish.

I still don't know how my grandfather came to stay with a Jewish umbrella maker in New York City when he immigrated in 1905, but this little bit of information adds some detail to my grandfather's immigration story.

When Genealogists Become Family Historians

Steve — Tue, 02 May 2006 06:22:50 +0000

The terms genealogy and family history are generally used interchangably, although the terms can mean quite different things. Genealogy uses facts such as births, marriages, and deaths to define family relationships and documents these facts with source materials such as vital records. Genealogy can show the descendants of a single individual or the ancestors of an individual. Family history, on the other hand, describes individuals and families through their biographies and in context with local, national, and world history. Sooner or later, many genealogists become interested in more than just who is related to whom, and seek to understand how historical events affected the lives of their ancestors. We may want to know why our ancestors immigrated to the United States, or why they chose a particular career. Consequently, we may need to study local, national, and world history. We may need to look into letters written by our ancestors, and we may want to find out where they went to school and where they worked. One important aspect of my own family history is to discover where my ancestors lived, why my grandparents came to this country, how they got here, and how they adapted to life in their new environment. Knowing where my ancestors lived is also very important in order to find their birth, marriage, and death records, and thus to extend my pedigree further into the past. The passenger manifest for my grandfather, Michael Danko, provides an important clue to learning where he was born and where the records on his ancestors are located. On his passenger manifest, my grandfather reported that he was from Nienadowa, his nationality was Austrian, and that he was Polish. From studying history, I know that Poland was partitioned by Russia, Prussia, and Austria three times: in 1772, 1793, and 1795. After these partitions, Poland effectively ceased to exist until after World War I, when Poland's independence was restored. At the time my grandfather immigrated to America in 1905, Poland was still partitioned and he lived in the Austrian partition, Galicia. But what about his village, Nienadowa? And where are the records I need to learn about his ancestors? In Poland, all the birth/baptismal, marriage, and death/burial records were maintained by the parish church to which the people belonged, but most villages did not have a church. How do I learn where the church was? The answers to these questions will have to wait until another day.

Gazeteers, Maps, and Mórgs

Steve — Wed, 03 May 2006 05:39:17 +0000

I know my grandfather lived in Nienadowa, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and I know that the church maintained the vital records. How do I find out where the church was? The answer is to consult a gazetteer, such as the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowianskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other slavonic countries). The Słownik is a massive reference work, consisting of 16 volumes (copies on CD are available for $25 from the Polish Genealogical Society of America). It was written between 1880-1902, which just happens to be the time period when my grandparents were living in the old country. The Słownik provides descriptions of the villages, regions, mountains, and rivers in the area and provides rich geographical and historical information about the areas my ancestors lived, at the time they lived there. It also tells where the parish was for each village. Take a look at the Słownik entry for Nienadowa. Unfortunately, everything is in Polish! Because most people reading this blog can't read Polish, I've provided the translations below. There are actually two entries for Nienadowa, one for the mountain near the village, and one for the village itself.

Nienadowa, mountain top under a village of the same name, Przemyśl county, see Nienadowa village. Nienadowa, Ruthenian Nenadowa, village, Przemyśl county, 28 kilometers northwest of the county court in Przemyśl, 3 kilometers east of the post office in Dubiecko. To the east lie Babice, Skopów, Kramarzówka (in Jarosław county), to the northwest Hucisko Nienadowskie, to the west Śliwnica, Dubiecko, and Ruska Wieś (in Brzozów county), to the south Iskań (in Dobromil county). Along the southwest and south borders the San River flows from the northwest to the southeast; first it turns to the southwest and finally to the east. From the left shore it flows into the San within the limits of the village: then Kamieniec, flowing from the north in Hucisko Nienadowskie, carrying off numerous streams from both banks then Świnka, flowing from the north to the southwest. Country buildings lie in the Kamieńca valley (306 meters to the north, 284 meters to the south). A forest “The Jodłowski Section” occupies the northern part (378 meters), and the forest “Słoniec” occupies the southeast corner. Between the lower course of the Kamieńca and Świnki it rises to the left bank of the San “The Hill of Świnki”; in the western part on the boundary of Dubiecko “ Gabiński Hill” (361 meters), and in the northeastern part at the Kramarzówski border “Nienadowa” (up to 443 meters; triangulation mark). Through the southern part of the village goes the leading track in Przemyśl, by way of the picturesque valley of the San River through Dubiecko to Dynów. The greater property has 675 mórgs (1 mórg = 1.422 acres) of arable land, 72 mórgs of meadows and gardens, 49 mórgs of pastures, 818 mórgs of forests; the lesser property has 1452 mórgs of arable land, 153 mórgs of meadows and gardens, 312 mórgs of pastures, 184 mórgs of forests. In 1880 there were 1823 inhabitants in the community, 109 manorial landowners (among them, 1625 on the banks are Roman Catholic). The Roman and Greek Catholic parishes are in Dubiecko. In the village there is a full-time, one-room school, a manor, a farm, a distillery, a mill, and a ranger’s house. About old landowners, several details serve the village Siarczyński (Rkp. Ossol., № 1826). In 1588, Stanisław Stadnicki ceded Nienadowa in exchange for Łańcut to Anna Pilecka from Sienna, she passed the result of her claim on to Sieniński; afterwards the Derszniaks, the Krasiecs, and the Dembińskis held the town. Source: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Władysław Walewski, and Filip Sulimierski, 1886, Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego, Warsaw, Volume 7, page 101

One term that may be unfamiliar is mórg. A mórg is a measure of area - theoretically the amount of land one man could plow in a single day. The actual size of a mórg varied between the partitions: 1 mórg in the Russian Partition was 1.388 acres, in the Prussian Partition a mórg was 0.631 acres, and in the Austrian Partition a mórg was 1.422 acres. If a mórg was the amount of land one man could plow in a day, I suppose this means that the farmers in the Prussian Partition were less industrious than those in the other partitions! To round out today's discussion, Take a look at a 1910 military map of the area. A whole set of these 1910 military maps of central Europe is available. You'll notice how close Nienadowa is to the parish church in Dubiecko, and you'll notice how close Nienadowa is to Babice. You may recall from a previous post that my grandfather stayed with Isaac Flichtenfeld, the umbrella maker, when he first came to America, and you may also recall that I discovered that most Flichtenfeld immigrants in the Ellis Island records were from Przemyśl (Nienadowa is in Przemyśl county) and one was from Babice, the next village down the road. Hmmm... things are starting to connect!

The Church in Dubiecko and What I Found There

Steve — Thu, 04 May 2006 07:05:49 +0000

Yesterday, I showed how to find the parish church for a town in Poland by using a gazetteer. Two other gazetteers that cover Galicia are the Skorowidz Miejscowości Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Index of Place Names of the Republic of Poland) and the Genealogical Gazetteer of Galicia by Brian J. Lenius. There are others. To be honest, I didn't need to consult a gazetteer to find out the parish for Nienadowa was in Dubiecko. My Uncle Joseph and his wife Helen had been there during Communist times and their son Joe sent me copies of some postcards on which the pastor of the Dubiecko parish had written some information. In the year 2000, I visited Dubiecko and Nienadowa with two friends of mine to see what I could find.

Upon arriving at the church just before noon, we found the church all locked up except for the foyer in the back of the church. We looked through the windows into the church and saw a History of the Church hanging on one wall.

Translated into English, the history reads as follows:

History of the Church

Piotr Kmita, governor of Lubelski, founded the first church in Dubiecko. Construction was completed about 1407 and the church was located in the place currently known as Castle Park. Kmita also funded and constructed the second church in Dubiecko named Holy Spirit. At the beginning of the 16th century Stanislaw Stadnicki of the Lutheran faith, took both Churches from the Catholic community. Andrzej Stadnicki, Stanislaw’s son, returned them 40 years later. Jerzy Krasicki demolished the churches and all buildings belonging to the church. Catholics practiced their religion in a small chapel located in the same place as the current church, which grew with time and served for 130 years until 1926. Father Harum Karakulski started to collect funds to build a new church. In 1934, Father Gornicki began construction of the new church. After he died, construction was continued by Father Pawlikiewich and Father Jedziniak, and stopped when walls reached half the height of the windows. From 1939-1948 construction was halted due to World War II. Construction was resumed and was finished four years later in 1952 by Father Kazimierz Lisowicz. On August 24, 1952, his Excellency F. Barda consecrated the new church and assigned the name Sacred Heart of Holy Mary and Holy Apostles Simon and Judas Thaddeus. The church is 49 meters long and 41 meters wide in the shape of a cross. The architect Tadeusz Pisiewicz from Lwow designed the Church. The interior painting was designed and executed by Prof. Stanislaw Jakubczyk from Krakow. Father J. Mucha designed the site of the altar in the church. His Excellency Bishop Ignacy Tokarczuk consecrated the 38 pipe Organ made by the Theodor Bochme Company. His Excellency Bishop St. Jakiel consecrated the new altar made of murmur and placed there relics of Saint Mary Goretti. Barbara Borkowska from the Art Academy of Krakow designed the altar and presbytery. Dr. Tyhcik, originally from Dubiecko and now Adjunct Professor with the Art Academy in Krakow, decorated the interior in collaboration with the art committee of Kuri Metropolitan in Krakow.

At noon, just as we were leaving, a nun arrived to ring the church bells and say the Angelus. She graciously let us into the church so we could take pictures and she spent some time telling us about the church. Unfortunately, none of us could speak Polish well enough to understand what she said, but I did get her description on video tape! We walked out back to the rectory, but nobody answered the bell. Since a mass was scheduled at 4 PM that day, we decided to return at that time to see if the parish still held the historical registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Returning at 4 PM, we found the pastor of the church at the rectory. He brought out several volumes of the church registers, but he told us that many Americans ask to find their ancestors in the registers, but no one ever finds anything. Moreover, he said, some of the registers were missing and he didn't know where they were. Nonetheless, he spent several hours with us, going through the registers, looking for documentation of my ancestors. In the time we were there, we found the record of the marriage of my great-grandfather Jakób Dańko to his second wife, Zofia Głowacz. My great-grandmother, Agnieszka Sowa, had died after a fall when she was picking cherries, and my great-grandfather needed some help raising all the children. The record of the Danko Glowacz Marriage shows that:

Jakub Dańko and Zofia Głowacz were married on 3 September 1896
Jakub was a Catholic, was 53 years old, and was a farmer
Jakub was born in Nienadowa and he resided in house number 207 in Nienadowa
Jakub was the son of Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska
Jakub was a widow and his first wife was Agnieszka Sowa
Zofia Głowacz was Catholic, was 26 1/2 years old, and this was her first marriage
Zofia was born in and resided in Nienadowa
Zofia was the daughter of Jan Głowacz (a farmer) and Marianna Szymańska
The witnesses to the marriage were Jakub Sowa (a farmer) and Marcin Pilch (a farmer)
Banns of marriage were read on August 15, August 16, and August 23, 1896
Reverend Tomasz Rapmowski officiated

The document was written in Latin and in the columnar style typical of Galicia.

Aunt Bronisława Has Been Misplaced

Steve — Fri, 05 May 2006 06:37:06 +0000

Somehow my family misplaced my Aunt Bronisława. Granted, she died 93 years ago, but how could the family misplace her? Years ago, my Aunt Helen had prepared a family history and listed a sister called Bertha with no birth or death information, just a notation (Hope Cemetery) Worc. Ma. This entry was the first time I had heard about this child. Soon after I read this, my cousin Joe told me that this child was supposed to be buried in an unmarked grave in Hope Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts. He had visited Hope Cemetery, but the cemetery had no record of her burial. On one of my trips back east, I visited both Hope Cemetery and Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester (the two cemeteries are right across the street from each other). I inquired about Bertha in both cemeteries, but both told me they had no record for her. In fact, Hope Cemetery had no record for anyone with the surname Danko. I'm familiar with both cemeteries since I have relatives buried in both, although most of my relatives are in Notre Dame Cemetery. I have a map of Notre Dame Cemetery, and even an aerial photo of the cemetery. Several of my relatives are buried there including my grandparents, Michael and Mary (Dziurzynska) Danko.

I visited the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics in Dorchester and looked through the birth and death indexes there. Sure enough, I found the child and obtained copies of her birth and death certificates. On the birth and death certificates, Bertha's name was listed as Bronisława Danko. She was born in Worcester on 03 January 1912 and died on 13 January 1913 of broncho pneumonia. The death certificate stated that she was buried on 15 January 1913 in Worcester and the undertaker was Lucian Karolkewicz. No cemetery was listed.

Now, I knew that most of my relatives were buried by Henry Karolkiewicz (Lucian's son?)who ran Karolkiewicz Funeral Home (later called the Henry Funeral Home). Relatively recently, Henry sold the business and the funeral home is now called Henry-Dirsa Funeral Service. I wrote to Henry-Dirsa and asked if they had any records for the burial of Bronisława. I enclosed my phone number, email address, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to be sure they had everything they needed to get in touch with me. Six months later, I still hadn't heard from them. I wrote a second time, and a few days after I sent the second request, I received a call from the funeral home. They told me that they had no records of burials before the 1950s, but they called Hope Cemetery and Notre Dame Cemetery to try to find where Bronisława was buried. They received the same response that Joe and I had received: no record of her burial. I thanked the gentleman for his efforts and hung up. A few minutes later, I received a second call from Henry-Dirsa Funeral Home telling me that Notre Dame Cemetery had just called them to let them know they found Bronisława! The surname had been spelled "Danka" instead of "Danko". What luck! But here is where the story really gets interesting. Bronisława is buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in a single grave in Section 3, Lot 1464 with two other infants! The cemetery had no record of ownership of the Lot, but had the following information:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 01 - Owner: Owner, unknown Lot - Sec-3 Lot-1464 Grv-1A-1C UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3 3 3 3 3 1C 3 3 1B 3 3 1A 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Reserved Burial Date Age Container 1A Kurpiel, John 12/21/1912 1Month 1B Danka, Bronislawa 01/15/1913 1 1C Stonia, Franciszek 08/30/1914 8Months AAAEnd of ListAAA Perpetual Care Unpaid --- No Activity Allowed Until Full Payment

So here is the great mystery. Who are these two other children buried in the same grave with my aunt? Why are they all buried together in a single grave? And who purchased the lot? Well, I'm still working on this mystery. There is no stone on the grave, so I'm planning to have one set in place this year. I paid the perpetual care fees that had been accumulating for over 90 years, so now I'm the legal owner of the lot. The cemetery requires that I place the names of all three children on any stone I place on the grave, so I'm trying to find the birth and death dates for the other two children. I have had some limited success. John Kurpiel was born on 30 October 1912. Since he was buried on 21 December 1912, I assume he died a few days before he was buried, although I haven't yet found a death record for him. Franciszek Stonia is a more of a mystery. I haven't found a birth or death record for him, yet. He was buried on 30 August 1914, so he probably died a few days before then. He was 8 months old when he died, meaning he was probably born in December 1913. The last time I was in Massachusetts, I visited the Vital Records Office in Dorchester again. Unfortunately, they had just transferred all the records from 1910-1915 to the Massachusetts Archives. So, I went over to the Archives. When I arrived there, they told me that they had just sent all the 1910-1915 death records out to be microfilmed! I'm planning to be in Massachusetts in July, so I'll stop by the Archives again and try to find the missing records. In any case, there will be a stone on Aunt Bronisława's grave by the end of the year.

Massachusetts Cemetery Records

Steve — Sat, 06 May 2006 06:15:22 +0000

Two previous entries on this blog have dealt with cemetery records, so it's about time to see what some of these records look like. My experiences in cemeteries have been varied - the employees at some cemeteries have bent over backwards to help me find the graves for which I was looking, providing me with maps, copies of the burial records, and directions to the graves. Others have been quite unfriendly, asking "Is this for genealogy?" (usually accompanied by a cold stare). Some cemeteries have charged for copies of the burial records, others have not. In general, if the cemetery doesn't charge for the copies and the employees have been helpful, I usually offer to make a donation. Sometimes there is a "Friends of the Cemetery" group or a special project for which the cemetery is raising funds. The cemetery records themselves are not always available to the public, but they generally exist as either card files or computer files. The records can contain a wealth of information, including dates of birth, death, and burial, locations of birth and death, location of grave, name of the owner of the plot and the amount paid for perpetual care, former address of the deseased, relationships between the people buried in the same plot, and relationship of the deceased to the owner of the plot or to living individuals. I previously posted the grave marker for Harry Meleski and his wife, Margaret. The cemetery personnel at Hope Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts were extremely helpful and gracious and provided me with a map and a copy of the burial record for Harry and Margaret Meleski, on the spot and all at no cost.

St. John's Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts was also very helpful. They printed out computer records and also provided me with a map of St. John's Cemetery.

When I visited Worcester County Memorial Park in Paxton, Massachusetts, I arrived just after the office had closed, but the employee there let me in and provided me with grave locations. He didn't give me copies of the burial records, but it was after closing, so I didn't press the question. I did get copies of maps of the Memorial Park, though. In this cemetery, all the grave markers are flush with the ground. Just today, I discovered that I can search for burial information online at the Memorial Park's website.

At Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts, the employees were busy and a little reluctant to give me on-the-spot help, but they did take time to print out some of the computer files I requested and then they mailed the rest to me later, all at no cost. I also obtained a map of Notre Dame Cemetery and I obtained an aerial photo of the cemetery from TerraServer.

That's about all for the Massachusetts cemeteries I've visited. There's more to come from New York, California, and Utah cemeteries.

The Mother Parish

Steve — Sat, 06 May 2006 23:58:17 +0000

Yesterday, Christine posted a comment under The Church in Dubiecko and What I Found There that sparked my interest in a couple of things related to my family history.

Steve, Do you know that Nienadowa had its own parish church starting in 1957? (Did you see it when you were there? It may also have a cemetery starting then.) Before that time, the residents attended Mass in Dubiecko, which is considered the “mother parish”. If you hadn’t already known that your ancestors went to church in Dubiecko, you would probably have contacted the church in Nienadowa only to be told they didn’t have records from the time period you are interested in. They probably would have referred you to Dubiecko eventually. I found this out in an article published by PGS-CTNE in Spring 1996. It is called “Finding the Mother Parish” and has a 3-1/2 page chart showing parishes in Przemysl Diocese that were formed since 1900 and what town/church each was spun off of. Even though you knew where to go in your case, this is good to know in case you find someone else who doesn’t know.

Thanks so much for this information, Christine! When I was in Nienadowa, I was asked whether my ancestors were fron Nienadowa-Dolna (Lower Nienadowa) or Nienadowa-Górna (Upper Nienadowa). I had no idea there were two and each had its own parish, and until Christine posted her comment I had never heard about Mother Parishes! I visited the churches in both villages, although the church in Nienadowa-Dolna (pw. MB Nieustającej Pomocy, or Holy Mary of Help) was still under construction when I was there in October 2000. The church in Nienadowa-Górna (pw. Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa, or Sacred Heart of Jesus) had been around for a while, and may be the parish church Christine said was started in 1957. This parish had it's own cemetery. The pastor of the church in Nienadowa Górna said that there were no records for my ancestors in his church; records from that period were all at the parish in Dubiecko (pw. Niepokalanego Serca NMP, or Sacred Heart of Holy Mary). The MassTimes website provides information on churches throughout the world, but doesn't necessarily have complete information. Fortunately, the Archdiocese of Przemyśl in Poland has its own website with photographs of the Mother Parish, along with names, addresses, and phone numbers of the other parishes under the Mother Parish. To find a parish in the Archdiocese of Przemyśl from the main page (Strona Główna), just click on the link dekanaty i parafie (deaconates and parishes). The Dubiecko Parish page shows several other churches in Babice, Bachórz, Bachórzec, Drohobyczka, Krzywcza, Nienadowa Dolna, Nienadowa Górna, and Tarnawka. I've been trying to find records for my paternal grandmother, Maryanna Dziurzyńska, in Poland, but I only found one record for her family. A few months ago, I found a lead that indicated that her family may have been from Sielnica, in the Dylągowa parish (pw. św Zofii, or Saint Sophy). Information on the Dylągowa parish is listed on the Dynów (pw. św. Wawrzyńca, or Saint Lawrence) Mother Parish page. At this point, I should mention that the parish names in polish often include abbreviations. Some of those abbreviations are defined in Lidia Mullerowa and Zofia Żuchowska's book, Roman Catholic Parishes in The Polish People's Republic in 1984, published in Chicago in 1995 by the Polish Genealogical Society of America.

pw. = pod wezwaniem = under the summons of, under the name of
św = święty = Saint, Holy, Sacred
bł = błogosławony = Blessed
MB = Matka Boska = Mother of God, Our Lady
NMP = Najświętsza Marya Panna = The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Our Lady, The Blessed Virgin
PJ = Pan Jesus = Lord Jesus, Jesus

For help with polish/english translations, there is a fairly good online polish/english dictionary at PolTran. Christine also mentioned the article on Mother Parishes in the newsletter of the Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast. I took a look through the tables of contents of some of their newsletters and I think I have to join this organization! Their newsletter is just great! The group's president is Jonathan D. Shea who, with William F. Hoffman, wrote great translation guides for polish and russian documents and plans to write guides for german and latin documents, too. Furthermore, some of my relatives lived in Connecticut at least briefly and being a member of a recognized genealogical society in Connecticut eliminates the access restictions to vital records in Connecticut. Finally, to wrap up, I've attached two photos. The first is of one of the Danko graves in the Dubiecko cemetery in Poland. I don't know how Bronisław Dańko is related to me, but it's likely he is related since my Dańko ancestors lived in the area for at least the last quarter century. If you look closely, you can see that the grave behind Bronisław's grave belongs to Jan Dańko. I didn't find any graves for my known ancestors in Dubiecko, however. This observation isn't particularly surprising, since graves in Poland are typically "rented" for a certain period of time; there usually isn't any perpetual care provided, as is typical in the United States. Almost all of the graves in the cemetery were post-World War II graves. The second photo is a picture of my friend Tom and me (I'm on the right) outside the church in Dubiecko trying to explain to a nun who we were and why we were there. In the end, she let us into the church and told us about the history of the church. Thanks again, Christine for your comment that inspired today's blog.

Old Letters

Steve — Sun, 07 May 2006 21:22:34 +0000

Genealogists love family heirlooms. Whether it's the trunk that grandmother brought over from the old country, a quilt that's been handed down for generations, or an old photo album, most genealogists dream of documenting and preserving these mementos of our family history. While we may not have the space to store everything that our ancestors accumulated throughout their lifetimes, there certainly are some items that we would like to preserve, document, and pass on to further generations. Sometimes family bibles, photos, and heirlooms end up in antique stores and flea markets, where they may be salvaged by people like Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak (yes, that's two Smolenyaks there!) who try to reunite these orphan heirlooms with their families. Last night I spoke with a friend of mine whom I hadn't seen in a while and we spent some time catching up on each other's lives. He told me that a friend of his, an elderly woman, had died and he was helping her daughter clean out the house. One of the first places they started to clean out was the woman's desk, and when they opened the first drawer, they found a treasure trove of love letters between the woman and her future husband. They read some of the letters, smiled and reminisced about the pair. Then they opened the second drawer and found the drawer full of letters the woman had received from servicemen stationed overseas during World War II. Apparently the woman was an avid letter writer and took it upon herself to make the boys overseas a little less lonely by writing to as many as she could. Again, my friend and the woman's daughter read a few of the letters. Then came the decision - what to do with all these letters describing the love between two people and all these letters documenting the daily lives and personal feelings of servicemen in World War II? The woman's daughter didn't want them, and there were no other descendants. So they shredded the letters. I was aghast! These letters were important documents that should be preserved! Even if the daughter felt that the love letters were too personal to be shared with others, the letters from World War II servicemen have significant historical value and could have been donated to a historical society or library! This morning, I dug out one of the shoe boxes of old letters I have and started looking through them. I was actually a little surprised at how "old" the letters smelled, but the odor was, nevertheless, somehow comforting. I thought I'd transcribe a few here. These aren't necessarily the most interesting or most genealogically valuable letters in the box; they're just the first ones I pulled out. The first is a letter from Bishop Edward J. Maginn, the auxiliary bishop of Albany, New York who wrote to me from the Vatican II Conference. The letter is written on thin paper with a Cavalieri Hilton Roma letterhead.

October 13, 1965 Dear Stephen, I was very happy to receive your kind letter and I thank you for writing. It gets pretty lonesome here, so far from home. We are working very hard, especially on our homework, which, as you know, is harder than class-work. Keep praying for us and asking the Holy Spirit to help us. With a blessing. Sincerely, + Bishop Maginn

The second letter is from a friend of mine I've known almost since birth. She wrote the letter shortly after starting her sophomore year at Dartmouth College. The letter is written on both sides of stationary with pictures of colorful butterflies on the lower half.

10/7/74 Dear Steve, Sounds like your courses are unusually stimulating (Z Z Z z z z ...) Well, I'm taking History of the American West, which is not difficult but a lot of reading; Comp Lit-Modern Novel I, which is Kafka, Mann, Zorba the Greek, etc., & Ulysses by Joyce - forget it! I have 500 pages to read in it this week - 500 more I don't understand. Then, Music Theory; and Music II - private voice lessons, for the year, for credit & free (the most important). Out of 20 kids who auditioned, 5 were taken; whether because of lack of ability or because of already silver-throated voices to be developed I really don't know, but I prefer to fool myself into believing the latter. I just (1/2 hr. ago) got a call from the Hanover Town Board of Recreation asking me to teach a dance class(es) at the H.S. for wages which I may select! When you're infamous you don't have to look for anybody - they all come to you! I'm singing in a trio, Andrews Sisters style, and we have our 1st appearance in a concert next Wed. with another group. We still haven't decided on a name, & after coming up with such winners as "The Hotcha Sisters", the "Boogie Woogies", and "The Sleaze Sisters", the closest we could come to a possibility worth considering for more than 2 seconds, was "Daddy's Daughters." No? Guess it doesn't quite make it either. Hopefully, we'll be performing at the big Glee Club concert in Nov., opening the 2nd half of the show, all depending on how we do on Wed. Socially, things aren't overly stimulating, if you know what I mean, but I'm very satisfied & secure right now, in knowing that I have a lot of good friends up here - it's taken me a long time to realize, but it was worth the wait. Well, hope things are better than O.K. Write soon. Love, Karen

The third letter is from my mother, written five years before she died. She wrote this letter to me when I was attending the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, just after I had moved out of the dorm and into an apartment in a marginal neighborhood in Syracuse, New York. The envelope was postmarked January 24, 1975, even though the letter itself is dated the next day, and the letter was posted with a 10-cent Christmas stamp.

1-25-75 Dear Steve, You made my day when you called. I was so happy. Glad to hear everything is fine. It's been raining here all day, and it is quite damp. Dad was home Tues, Wed, Thurs, & Fri, and he went to work to-day (3-11). Not a very good day to go to work after being sick. He feels better. Did you get a copy of your report card? Forgot to ask you on the phone. Glad the T.V. works O'K. As you say, it's better than nothing.- I bet you are kept pretty busy. How are you making out getting to school in the morning? How are you making out with living expenses? Let us know if you need anything. Love, Mom

I wonder what will become of all these letters when I'm gone. I have boxes and boxes of them, but will they be of interest to anyone else? Or will they end up in the shredder?

Passenger Departure Records

Steve — Tue, 09 May 2006 05:06:04 +0000

The ancestors of most Americans were immigrants, and many immigrated in the late 19th or early 20th century through Ellis Island. Since the publication of Passenger Manifests on the Ellis Island website, many Americans have found the Immigration Records of their ancestors. However, the Passenger Manifests that document arrival in the United States are not the only records that document the immigration process. For my grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski, I was able to find his:

Passenger Departure Manifest
Passenger Arrival Manifest
Certificate of Arrival
Declaration of Intention (First Papers)
Petition for Naturalization and Oath of Allegiance
Certificate of Naturalization

Passenger Departure Lists are available from a number of different sources. Perhaps the best known are the Hamburg Departure Lists, but others, such as the Holland-America Line Passenger Lists also provide important information about our ancestors. The Passenger Lists of the Holland-America Line cover the years 1900-1940 and consist of two parts. The Indexes are listed at the Family History Library (FHL) as the Passagiersregister. According to the FHL online catalog, they list:

the passenger's name, contract number, and departure with ship name and date.

Also according to the FHL online catalog, the Passenger Manifests themselves show:

the ship contract and agent contract number, passenger's name, number of fares divided between full, half, and none, the price arrangement between different shipping companies, city where passage was booked and the destination, whether rail passage was booked, with booking number, number of tickets, class and price, company agent and place of agency where passage was booked, adult fare price, commissions paid to agents and place, net amount of prepaid fares, number and amount, reservation fee, subsequent payments in foreign adn/or Dutch currency, sea and rail passage agents, Dutch currency, totals for sea, European and American rail passage, and remarks.

The Departure Manifests for Konstanti Niedzialkoski have been uploaded so you can see them. Unfortunately, much of the document is difficult to read. I have indicated where Kostanti Niedzialkoski's name appears with an arrow to the left of the document. I can't quite read the city where he booked passage. It looks to me like "Gllowo" or "Zllowo". A number of passengers on this voyage booked their passage there. One thing that I can read is that he was traveling to Worcester, Massachusetts. He sailed in third class (steerage) on the S.S. Ryndam, departing Rotterdam on 14 May 1910. Tomorrow - Konstanti arrives in New York.

The Ryndam (click on thumbnail for larger image)

Konstanti Arrives at Ellis Island

Steve — Wed, 10 May 2006 04:48:21 +0000

My maternal grandfather, Konstanti Niedziałkoski (who later in life spelled his name Kostanty Niedzialkowski) left his home in the Russian Partition of Poland and set off for a new life in America. From what I have learned about the process, agents for the shipping companies actively recruited potential emigrants throughout Europe, arranging most of the details for their passage to America. These details included transportation to a port of departure in Europe, passage on a ship to America, and transportation in America to their final destination. They may also have arranged for their lodging for them at the port of departure, since the emigrant may have had to stay in the port for a time while waiting for the ship to sail.

Konstanti obtained a passport from the Russian government, traveled from his home to the port of Rotterdam and registered for passage on the S.S. Ryndam, a ship operated by the Holland-America Line. He purchased a third class, or steerage accommodation on the ship, which amounted to a bunk deep in the ship's hull, with relatively little opportunity for privacy. Food was poor, sanitation was something to be desired, and the opportunity to visit the upper deck for fresh air was limited.

The S.S. Ryndam was a 12,340 gross ton ship, built in 1901. The ship provided accommodations for 286 First Class passengers, 196 Second Class passengers, and 1800 Third Class (Steerage) passengers. The ship was able to achieve a speed of 15 knots and made the journey from Rotterdam to New York in ten days. Konstanti left Rotterdam on May 14, 1910 and arrived in New York on May 24, 1901, where he was processed through Ellis Island. The Passenger Arrival Manifest of Konstanti Niedzialkoski lists him on line 8. It shows that:

He was 18 years old and single at the time he immigrated
His occupation was farm laborer
He was able to read and write
His nationality was Russian, but his "race or people" was Polish
His last permanent residence was Omaszki, Lomza in Russia
His father was Teofil Niedzialkoski, living in Omaszki, Lomza
His final destination was Worcester, Massachusetts and he already had a ticket to his final destination
His passage was paid by his uncle and he had $9 with him
He was going to stay with his uncle, Franciszek Niedzialkowsky at 18 Huntington Avenue in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was 5 feet, 3 inches tall, of fair complexion, with blond hair and blue eyes
He was born in Omaszki, Russia

Konstanti had arrived. He was examined, processed, and sent on his way to lead his new life in America. Next, Konstanti files his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States.

Kostanty Files His Declaration of Intention

Steve — Thu, 11 May 2006 06:32:22 +0000

In 1917, my maternal grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski, filed his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States. The Declaration of Intention was the first document an alien had to file in order to become a citizen. For that reason, the Declaration of Intention is sometimes referred to as "First Papers", and it states that the signer renounces forever his or her allegiance to any foreign power and that he or she intends to become a citizen of permanently reside in the United States of America. At the time Kostanty arrived, and at the time he filed his first papers, the following regulations were in effect:

Applicants could file a Declaration of Intention after residing in the United States for two years
Applicants had to be at least 18 years of age to file a Declaration of Intention
Applicants had to wait for three years after filing a Declaration of Intention before filing a Petition for Naturalization
Applicants were required to complete the naturalization process within seven years of filing a Declaration of Intention
Applicants must have arrived in the United States legally and this fact was generally acknowledged with a Certificate of Arrival

Konstanty filed his Declaration of Intention in the Superior Court of Massachusetts. Three copies of the Declaration of Intention were prepared. The Original was filed with the naturalization court records, the duplicate was filed with the INS Naturalization Certificate Files (C Files), and the triplicate was provided to the applicant. I have copies of the original copy and the triplicate copy of the Declaration of Intention for Kostanty. I obtained the original copy of Kostanty's Declaration of Intention from the microfilm records at the Family History Library, and I obtained the triplicate copy from my cousin Susan, who has access to some of my grandfather's original papers. I can obtain the duplicate copy from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Freedom of Information Act. The information Kostanty provided in his declaration included:

He was 24 years old and unmarried when he filed on June 2, 1917
He was working as a machinist and the first three fingers of his right hand were injured
He was white, light complexioned, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 175 pounds, with light hair and blue eyes
He was born in Pomawski, Poland, Russia on October 28, 1892 and his last residence was Pomawski, Russia
At the time of filling, he was living at 39 Seymour Street in Worcester, Massachusetts
He emigrated from Rotterdam, Holland on the vessel The Ryndam and arrived at the port of New York on May 24, 1910
He renounced allegiance and fidelity to the present government of Russia

Information of immigration and naturalization can also be found in U.S. Federal Census Records. The 1890 United States Federal Census was the first census to ask about the naturalization status of the respondents. If an individual was born in the United States, no entry was made. If the individual was an alien, the letters "AL" were entered. If the person had filed a Declaration of Intention, the letters "PA" (papers) were entered. Finally, if the person had completed the naturalization process, the letters "NA" were entered. The 1890 Federal Census was mostly destroyed by fire, but the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 Federal Census records all provide information about the naturalization status of an immigrant. Tomorrow: Konstanty obtains a Certificate of Arrival and files a second Declaration of Intention

The Certificate of Arrival

Steve — Fri, 12 May 2006 05:50:26 +0000

My grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski, filed his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States in 1917. The Declaration was required by the Act of January 29, 1795. A few years before Kostanty arrived in the United States, immigration and naturalization laws were amended by the Act of June 29, 1906. This act did not specifically require a Certificate of Arrival, nor did it not specifically mandate that the applicant legally enter the United States. The courts, however, generally refused to accept a Declaration of Intention without verification that the applicant entered the country legally. The Act of March 2, 1929 included a requirement to verify that the applicant was a lawful permanent resident through a Certificate of Arrival. Passenger Arrival Manifests were searched and information on the manifests was used to generate a Certificate of Arrival.

Above: Helen and Kostanty Niedzialkowski

Whether Kostanty had difficulty obtaining a Certificate of Arrival or just became too busy after marrying Helen Meleski (Chmielewski), raising a family, and earning a living, he failed to complete the naturalization process in a timely manner. The Declaration of Intention he filed in 1917 stated that the declaration was "Invalid for all purposes seven years after the date hereof", and so he had to start the naturalization process all over again.

On April 5, 1935, a Certificate of Arrival was issued to certify that Kostanty had been lawfully admitted to the United States of America. The Certificate states:

Name: Niedzialkoski, Konstanti
Port of entry: New York, NY
Date: May 24, 1910
Manner of arrival: SS Ryndam

The upper edge of the Certificate appears to be perforated, suggesting that the Certificate was torn from a larger sheet. The Passenger Arrival Manifest of Konstanti Niedzialkoski included the annotation 1-151593- 4/5/35 in the Occupation column. The first number is the naturalization district number, the second number is the number of the Certificate of Arrival, and the date is the date of issuance of the Certificate. This annotation corresponds to the correponding number and date on the Certificate itself. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website list several annotations to the Passenger Arrival Manifests. Because Kostanty's Declaration of Intention had expired, he submitted a new Declaration on April 27, 1935. The new Declaration includes a wealth of information not included on the Declaration he made in 1917. It includes:

His residence at 44 Byron St., Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
His occupation as a Machinist and the fact that the second and third fingers of his right hand were injured
A description of him as male, white, medium complexion, blue-gray eyes, blonde hair, height 5 feet 9 inches, and weight of 190 pounds
His Polish-Russian ethnicity and his polish nationality
His birth on October 28, 1892 in Pomocki, Lomza, Poland
His marriage to Helen Meleski on July 10, 1918 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Helen Meleski's birth on February 15, 1897 in Likisski, Vilna, Poland and her entry into the United States at New York, N.Y. on January 14, 1913
The names and birthdates of his five children: Natalie, Raymond, Jane, Fred, and Henry, all born and residing in Worcester
His emigration from Rotterdam, Netherlands on the SS Ryndam and arrival in New York, NY on May 24, 1910
His prior Declaration of Intention No. 12755 on June 2, 1917 in the Massachusetts Superior Court
His photograph and signature
A reference to his Certificate of Arrival No. 1-151593

Kostanty now had to wait another three years to file his Petition for Naturalization, and if he did not file within seven years, this Declaration of Intention, too, would become invalid. Next: Kostanty files his Petition for Naturalization, obtains Affidavits of Witnesses, and signs an Oath of Allegiance.

The Petition for Naturalization

Steve — Sat, 13 May 2006 06:20:54 +0000

Kostanty Niedzialkowski obtained a Certificate of Arrival on April 5, 1935 and filed a new Declaration of Intention April 27, 1935. He had to wait at least three years but no more than seven years before filing a Petition for Naturalization. He did so on July 18, 1939. Kostanty's Petition for Naturalization included much of the same information contained in his Declaration of Intention with three exceptions:

Kostanty was now living at 18 Huntington Avenue, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Kostanty renounced allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly the Republic of Poland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Kostanty obtained the affidavits of two witnesses who were already citizens of the United States

The affidavits of witnesses were signed by Walter Meleski who was a bartender, and Alfons Dapkiewicz who was a fireman. Both resided on Glacier St., Morningdale, Massachusetts. Walter and Alfons testified that they had known Kostanty since 1920 and that he had resided in Worcester, Worcester Co. continuously since 1920. They also testified that he was a person of good moral character and suitable to be admitted as a citizen of the United States. On March 25, 1940, Kostanty signed his Oath of Allegiance and was granted a Certificate of Citizenship. His timing was perfect. In July 1940, the United States began the Alien Registration Program in which all alien residents over the age of fourteen, regardless of nationality or naturalization status, were required to register at the post office.

Searching the Census Records

Steve — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:06:08 +0000

I am currently taking a course on U.S. Census Records through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies in association with the Professional Learning Centre, Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto). We reached the end of the course and our final assignment was to develop a research plan for productive and efficient searching through Census Records. I took a different approach than many of the other students and described a step-by-step approach to searching the census, mainly by using the search tools at Ancestry.com. I spent quite a bit of time on this assignment and decided to post it here in the hope that perhaps someone can benefit from it. My Research Plan for searching the US Census includes:

Collect known information about the family, including names of family members, address at the times of the census, year of immigration, occupations, and the dates and locations of births, marriages, deaths in the family. This basic information will help choose the correct census years and locations and will help verify that the family found is indeed the correct family.
Using the information collected in Step 1, choose census years and locations to search.
Use an online, indexed census collection, such as the collection on Ancestry.com. The advent of online census databases, especially with an every name index is by far the most efficient way to search the US Census.
If the name is uncommon, search only by surname. For example, searching for the surname “Flichtenfeld” using an exact search on Ancestry.com finds only three Flichtenfelds in the entire country in 1910. If the name is only moderately common, add additional search criteria. For example, using an exact search on Ancestry.com for the 1910 Census and searching “Saxton” finds 1411 entries, searching for “George Saxton” results in 48 entries, and searching for “George Saxton” in Utah yields only two entries. If the name is very common, add more search criteria.
If the search results in no likely matches, search for members of the household other than the head of household. Since not every collection has an every name index, and earlier census records only include the head of household, this method will only work for the 1850 Census and later, and will not work for the 1910 Census on Ancestry.com yet, since that collection still only has a head of household index.
If the search still results in no likely matches, conduct the search for members of the family again using the ranked search on Ancestry.com. In the case of the ranked search, enter as much information as is available; even a guess can help when using the ranked search.
If the search still results in no likely matches, try a different index such as the Heritage Quest collection available through some genealogical societies and public libraries, or the Genealogy.com collection. Different indexes are usually different, meaning that an individual incorrectly indexed in one may be correctly indexed in another. In some cases, census records have been transcribed and/or indexed for limited areas by individuals and groups. For example, http://www.us-census.org includes a number of transcribed US Census Records that may help find someone in the census, but the coverage is spotty. The entire 1880 census is indexed and searchable at http://www.familysearch.org.
Search the indexes using creative spellings of the names. For example, search for “Gilson” instead of “Gibson”, “Smythe” for “Smith”, "Danco" for "Danko", or "Niedzialkosky" for "Niedzialkowski". Sometimes the person who indexed the records misread the census record, and sometimes the enumerator simply misspelled the name on the census itself. Occasionally, people even changed the spelling of their own names.
Search the Soundex cards available for the 1880-1930 Census Records. A Soundex search is sometimes time consuming and the Soundex indexes for 1890, 1900 and 1920 are incomplete.
Use resources such as City Directories and Military Records to find addresses of the family. Use the addresses to find the correct census enumeration district and search the census manually. Search the census for the street and the house number and examine the records to see who was living at that address at a given time. Alternately, search all the records for a likely enumeration district line by line for the family. The surname of one family I searched for was nearly illegible on the census record itself and was badly misindexed as a result: the surname “Niedzialkoski” was indexed as “Pudgealkoski” and any search for the surname, including a Soundex search, would not have helped.
Search substitute records such as Church Census Records (sometimes called the “Status Animarum”), which can list the entire family group in one place. Search substitute records such as Tax Lists, Poll Tax Lists, Court Records, and Land Records to find information about families and where they lived. Sometimes these records may actually provide more information than the census records, especially for those census years when only the head of household is named.

Please post a comment on this assignment. I'd like to hear any ideas other people have on searching Census Records. Just click on the "Comments" link below (it will either say "No Comments" or show the number of Comments, if any have been posted). If you'd rather send your comments to me by email, rather than posting them directly, you can email me at stephen@stephendanko.com (the address is also posted at the upper right corner of this page, under the link "E-mail Steve").

E-mail Steve

Steve — Sun, 14 May 2006 00:42:57 +0000

Send Steve email at stephen@stephendanko.com or just post a comment!

An Unexpected Connection with Dubiecko

Steve — Mon, 15 May 2006 05:35:25 +0000

I just got off the phone after speaking with Kathy Smith about Dubiecko, the parish of my Danko ancestors. Kathy is leaving tomorrow morning for a trip to Berlin, Kraków, and Dubiecko, and she was searching the web for information about Dubiecko. By chance, she happened to come across my blog entry The Church in Dubiecko and What I Found There, and posted a comment. She also sent me an email message to which I responded and then she called me this evening. In reading my blog, Kathy had noticed some interesting connections between our ancestors, and in talking with her, we noticed even more connections. While we may or may not be related to each other by blood, our families did seem to cross paths.

Two Polish villages that appear in Kathy's family history are Dubiecko and Sliwnica. My Dańko ancestors were members of the Roman Catholic Parish in Dubiecko. My great uncle, Jan Dziurzyński, and the my great aunt's husband, Pawel Goliński, were both from Sliwnica.
The maiden name of Kathy's grandmother was Pilch. One of the witnesses at my great-grandfather Jakub Dańko's second marriage was Marcin Pilch. My step-great grandmother is descended from Jadwiga Pilch. I have attached the marriage record for Andrzej Głowacz and Jadwiga Pilch. The midwife for at least two of my great-grandparents' children was Agnieszka (Agnes) Pilch. I have attached the birth and baptismal record for Tomasz Dańko, showing that the midwife was Agnes Pilch.
Three of Kathy's ancestral relatives bore the surname Sowa. My great grandmother was Agnieszka Sowa and one of the witnesses at my great grandfather's second marriage was Jakub Sowa.

There are no smoking guns here to indicate that we are related, but it's exciting to find someone searching for the same surnames in the same Polish villages as I am! Kathy and I spent quite a bit of time telling each other about our families, and I told her about my experience in Dubiecko. I told her about the church, and about the cemetery, and I gave her some suggestions on how she might get to see the parish records in Dubiecko. Since Kathy doesn't speak Polish, and few (if any) people in Dubiecko speak English, I suggested that she find a translator before she goes to Dubiecko. I gave Kathy the name of a Polish genealogist I met last year at the Annual Meeting of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, Adam Jędryka. Adam lives in Krakow and I had spoken to him briefly about doing some genealogical research for me. Since Adam speaks fluent English and is familiar with the church records in the southern Poland, I thought he would be the perfect person for Kathy to contact. Kathy has already sent Adam an email and she plans to call him when she reaches Krakow. Who knows? Adam may be able to accompany Kathy to Dubiecko, or at least find a translator for her. So, with that, I wish Kathy szczęśliwej drogi (bon voyage)!

Certificates of Citizenship

Steve — Mon, 15 May 2006 22:47:58 +0000

Friday's entry completed the story of my grandfather's immigration and naturalization experiences, but I didn't post Kostanty Niedzialkowski's Certificate of Naturalization (clicking on the link above will bring up a PDF file, and clicking on the image below will bring up a JPG file).

So, Kostanty became a citizen of the United States, but what about his wife, Helen? Through history, the way in which women acquired citizenship in the United States has changed several times. After passage of the Act of February 10, 1855, an alien woman acquired citizenship simply by marrying a citizen. The Naturalization Act of 1906 decided that when a man became a citizen, his wife and minor children also became citizens (derivative citizenship). The Immigration Act of 1907 required that a woman who married an alien or a married woman whose husband became a citizen of another country lost her citizenship in the United States. This Act did not apply during World War I. The passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guaranteeing women the right to vote was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920. Now, for the first time, women actually had a reason to become a citizen. Two years after the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, the Cable Act of 1922 repealed the provisions of the Immigration Act of 1907 whereby women lost their citizenship through marriage. In addition, a woman no longer automatically became a citizen when her husband did. Consequently, my grandmother, Helen (Chmielewska) Niedzialkowski, did not acquire derivative naturalization when Kostanty became a citizen. She had to go through the whole process herself. I haven't yet obtained all of her papers, but I do have a copy of the Index Card to her Naturalization Records, which states her Petition Number (46714) and her Alien Registration Number (3179566). This information provides me with enough information to order a copy of these documents from the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I also have a copy of Helen Niedzialkowski's Certificate of Naturalization (clicking on the link above will bring up a PDF file, and clicking on the image below will bring up a JPG file).

For an interesting article on Immigration and Naturalization Laws affecting women, see "Any woman who is now or may hereafter be married . . ." Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940 in the Summer 1998 issue of Prologue Magazine, a publication of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Finally, here's a little snippet of information you can toss into the conversation the next time you're having dinner with a group of genealogists: Ellis Island was named after a land developer, Samuel Ellis, who bought the island in 1782.

Stephanie Meleski's Will

Steve — Wed, 17 May 2006 05:55:50 +0000

One day in 1973, my grandmother, Helen (Chmielewska) Niedzialkowski, asked if someone could give her a lift. When asked where she needed to go, she said that she needed to clean out an apartment. When asked why she needed to clean out an apartment, she answered that someone had died. When asked who died, she replied, "My sister." Apparently, most of the family never even knew Helen had a sister. I don't know much about my grandmother's family, and she didn't talk about them very much. When asked about her life in the old country, she would just say, "The past is dead," and that would be the end of the conversation. My Aunt Jan told me that sometimes, while Jan was fixing Helen's hair, Helen would reminisce about her life before she came to America, but she was usually reluctant to talk about her past. What I do know is that Helen's parents were Vincent Chmielewski and Anastasia Wojnowska, she had one full sister named Ona, she had one half-brother named Joseph, and she had one half-sister named Stephanie. There may have been other half-siblings, but I know even less about them. Joseph and Stephanie immigrated to the United States, but Ona stayed behind. From various documents, I've learned that my grandmother may have been born in Vilnius, Trakai, Butrymonys, or Likiskiai in what is now Lithuania. Since Trakai is in Vilnius County and Likiskiai is in Butrymonys County, these two villages are my best guesses for her birthplace.

When Helen, Joseph, and Stephanie settled in Worcester, Massachusetts, they changed their surname to Meleski. Joseph married and had several children, including Harry Meleski, about whom I've written before. Stephanie never married, as far as I know. In 1960 she wrote a letter to Helen in which Stephanie described which of her belongings she wished to bequeath to Helen.

The letter, translated into English, reads as follows:

The 26th Day of May 1960
Dear Helen: I leave you all these my Holy pictures and these my clothes, also my little Table, 2 Chairs, a Lamp, 2 Watches, a Radio, 2 Blankets, my dishes, and that which you will find in the Trunk. I ask from time to time praying to the Lord God for my soul so that the merciful Lord God didn't give me a long time to suffer in purgatory. Now I go to my Lord and Maker who created me.
Your sister

Stephania S. Meleski

From the tone of Stephanie's letter, it sounds as if she's ready to die at any moment. She lived, however, another 13 years after she wrote the letter. Stephanie Meleski's Death Certificate shows that she died on January 31, 1973 at the age of 87 years, 11 months, and 28 days.

Stephanie was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 2, 1973 in Section 25-C, Lot 1052, Grave 1. She purchased two graves and her name is listed in the cemetery records as Mrs. Stephania Meleski, but as far as I know she was never married. Genealogical Trivia Here's a little genealogical trivia about the change from the Gregorian to the Julian Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar replaced the Julian Calendar in 1582 in order to correct the discrepancy between the date of the Vernal Equinox in the Julian Calendar and the actual occurrence of the Equinox. Pope Gregory decreed that October 4, 1582 be followed by October 15, 1582. Many Catholic countries complied, but England and its colonies in America didn't make the switch until 1752, when Wednesday, September 2, 1752 was followed by Thursday, September 14, 1752 resulting in angry mobs crying "Give us back our 11 days!"

Birth and Baptismal Records in Galicia

Steve — Thu, 18 May 2006 06:55:42 +0000

In the year 2000, I visited Poland with two friends. We flew into Kraków where we spent a few days sightseeing. Then we drove to Tarnów where we stayed two nights and toured the Castle at Łańcut. During our stay in Łańcut, we drove down to Dubiecko and Nienadowa, the village where my Dańko ancestors lived. I previously described the Church in Dubiecko, and what I found there. In short, I found the record for my great grandfather's second marriage to Zofia Głowacz, but that was all. Because time was short, we had to leave Dubiecko and Nienadowa, knowing that there were a large number of church records we didn't have the time to examine. We drove to the village of Kazimierz Dolny and then to Warszawa. The trip was exciting and beautiful, and I look forward to the opportunity to return one day.

Wawel Castle in Kraków

Not long after my trip to Poland, I hired a professional genealogist in Poland to go to the church in Dubiecko and search for more records about my family. He spent a week there, and was able to take digital pictures of about 50 baptismal, marriage, and death records for my ancestors. The church records in the former Galicia used a set of preprinted pages where the information was entered in columns, many records to a page. In general, there were separate books for baptisms, marriages, and deaths, and within any given book, the records for a single village within the parish were grouped together. The entries for a particular village were made sequentially during the year and are written in Latin, although annotations are sometimes made in Polish.

The birth and baptismal records include the following information:

The year
Nrus serialis - Sequential number
Mensis - Month
Natus - (Day of) birth
Baptisatus - (Day of) baptism
Numerus domus - House number
Nomen Infantis - Given name of the Infant
Religio - Religion
Sexus (Puer, Puella) - Sex (Boy, Girl)
Thori (Legitimi, Illegitimi) - Bed (Legitimate, Illegitimate)
Parentes - Parents
Patris (ac parentum suorem nomen, cognomen et conditio ejus) - Father (and also the given name, surname and status of the parent)
Matris (ac parentum suorem nomen, cognomen et conditio) - Mother (and also the given name, surname and status of the parent)
Patrini (eorum Nomen et Conditio) - Godparents (their Name and Status)

In order to display the birth and baptismal records for my ancestors, I cut the appropriate parts of the page and pasted the header and the relevant record into a new document. I then converted the record into a PDF file. The birth and baptismal record for my grandfather, Michał Dańko provides the following information:

He was born on September 22, 1877 and was baptized on September 23, 1877.
His birth was the 48th birth in Nienadowa for the year 1877
His family lived in house number 196
His name was Michał [the document gives the names in Latin]
He was a Catholic boy and his birth was legitimate
His father was Jakub Dańko, a farmer whose parents were the married couple Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska
His mother was Agnieszka Sowa, the daughter of the married couple Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jach
His Godparents were Andrzej Giergont, a farmer, and Marianna, the widow of Kazimierz [Funali?]
He was baptised by Father [Arkanakielski?]
The midwife was Agnieszka Pilch

Genealogical Trivia Ellis Island operated from 1892 to 1954, during which time nearly twelve million immigrants arrived at Ellis Island, seeking a new life in America.

Marriage Records in Galicia

Steve — Fri, 19 May 2006 06:56:18 +0000

Just about everyone who visits Kraków stops at the Mariacki Church near Cloth Hall. Every hour, in tribute to a trumpeter who was sounding the Hejnal from one of the church towers warning of the invading Tatars, the Hejnal is played from the taller of the two towers of the church. According to legend, the trumpeter's warning call was cut short when he was struck in the throat by a Tatar arrow. Today, the Hejnal is played on the hour four times, once from each side of the tower, and ends abruptly on the same note the legendary trumpeter's call. The story is fictionalized in Eric P. Kelly's children book The Trumpeter of Krakow, a book that won the Newbery Medal in 1929.

During much of the time of the partitions of Poland, Kraków existed as the Free City of Kraków, separate from the occupying powers of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. After an uprising in Kraków in 1846, the Free City was annexed by Austria and closely associated with the Austrian partition, known as Galicia. Records of births/baptisms, marriages, and deaths in Galicia were kept by the Roman Catholic Church, and people of all faiths were required to register births, marriages, and deaths with the local parish. For that reason, all Catholic Church records indicated whether the subject of the record was "Catholic" or "Other". The marriage record for my great great grandparents, Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska, is typical of marriage records in this part of Poland. The record was recorded by the parish priest in a pre-printed record book in which the information was recorded in columns. Most of the record was recorded in Latin, although annotations were often made in Polish.

The column headings were:

Mensis - Month
Nrus Domus -House Number
Sponsus - Groom
Sponsa - Bride
Testes - Witnesses
Nomen, Nomina - Name (masculine or feminine)
Religio (Catholica, Aut alia) - Religion (Catholic, Other)
AEtas - Age
Caelebs - Unmarried
Viduus - Widowed
Sponsa - Bride
Conditio - Status

The marriage record for Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska indicates that:

The couple was from Nienadowa
The couple was married on November 20, 1825
The groom was Pawel Dańko
Pawel was the son of Adalbert and Rozalia, a lawfully married couple, farmers
Pawel lived under house number 160
Pawel was unmarried, 22 years old, and Catholic
The bride was Zofia Szymańska
Zofia was the daughter of Andrzej and Anna, a lawfully married couple, farmers
Zofia was unmarried, 17 years old, and Catholic
The witnesses were Andrzej Bińlioski, farmer, and Maciej Charescicki, farmer
Because Zofia was only 17, her father had to sign the record, indicating he had given his permission
The marriage was blessed by Father Ignatius, who also signed the document
Zofia's father and the witnesses signed the document with an X inside a circle

If you look carefully at the first column where the day is written, you'll notice that the entry reads "20. 9bris" indicating the 20th of November. The period after the twenty changes the cardinal number twenty to the ordinal number twentieth. The notation 9bris refers to the ancient Roman calendar, which originally had ten months, not twelve. In ancient times September was the seventh month, October was the eighth, November was the ninth, and December was the tenth month, so 9bris means "of the ninth month" or "of November". This notation was redundant, since the priest wrote "November" in the heading under Mensis. Genealogical Trivia On this day in history:

May 18, 1631 - John Winthrop took the oath of office as the first governor of Massachusetts
May 18, 1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte became the Emperor of France
May 18, 1976 - Wyatt Earp was appointed assistant city marshal in Dodge City, Kansas
May 18, 1897 - Bram Stoker published his novel Dracula
May 18, 1910 - The earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet
May 18, 1920 - Pope John Paul II born
May 18, 1933 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed legislation to form The Tennessee Valley Authority
May 18, 1944 - The Soviet Union deported the Crimean Tatars
May 18, 1969 - Apollo 10 launched
May 18, 1974 - India detonated its first nuclear weapon
May 18, 1980 - Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington
May 18, 1995 - Alexander Godunov, Russian ballet dancer, died

Death Records in Galicia

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 06:48:28 +0000

While in Poland, my companions and I stayed in Łańcut, a Polish village with a rich history not far from the villages of my ancestors. We had reservations at the hotel connected to the Łańcut castle. When we arrived at the gate to the castle, a guard told us that there had been a fire and that our reservations had been transferred to another hotel nearby. We eventually were able to tour the castle and were awed by the beauty and splendor of the castle and the grounds. In contrast to my preconceived notion that a castle was a drafty, stone structure with turrets, minarets, and drawbridges, the Łańcut castle was more like an enormous, opulently beautiful mansion equipped with every comfort.

The Castle in Łańcut

My ancestors lived in a village south of Łańcut, but I doubt if they ever visited Łańcut. After my trip, I hired a professional genealogist to visit the church in Dubiecko, Poland to find the church records of my ancestors. By far, most of the records he delivered were birth and baptismal records. He also found some marriage records, but of the fifty-one records he delivered to me, only three were death records: one for my great great grandfather, Paweł Dańko, one for my great great great grandfather, Adalbert Dańko, and one for Józef Dańko, who may have been my great great great great grandfather.

The reason I am equivocating here is that the death record for Józef contains very little information. However, Józef's death record does show that he was living in house number 161 when he died, and other records report that my third great grandfather, Adalbert Dańko, lived in house number 161 after Józef died. Other known relatives lived in house numbers 158 and 160. This is weak evidence that Józef was my fourth great grandfather, but he was probably related to my ancestors in some way. The death record contains the following information:

Dies mortis - Day of death
Mensis - Month
Nrus Domus - House number
Nomen mortui - Name of the deceased
Religio (Catholica, Aut alia) - Religion (Catholic, Other)
Sexus (Mas, Foemina) - Sex (Male, Female)
Dies Vitae - Days of Life [Age at time of death]
Morbus et Qualitas Mortis - Disease and Cause of Death

Jozef Danko's Death Record is similar to other Church Records in Galicia: it was written in Latin and the information was written in a columnar format in books with preprinted pages. Józef's death record reports that:

Józef Dańko died on October 26, 1787
He lived in house number 161
He was a male Catholic
He was 70 years old when he died
His cause of death was Morbograpante, but I don't know how to translate this word or phrase

The other death records I have are more recent records that include the name of the spouse of the deceased, the date of burial, the name of the officiating priest, and the occupation of the deceased. Since the earliest death records contain so little information, I may never be able to positively connect Józef with my family. Genealogical Trivia Approximate Numbers of Deaths due to:

The Black Death (Bubonic Plague) 1330's - 25 million
Irish Potato Famine 1845-1851 - 1.5 million
American Civil War 1861-1865 - 620,000
Spanish Flu Pandemic 1918-1919 - between 20 and 40 million
World War II 1939-1945 - 56 million
AIDS since 1981 - 25 million
SARS 2002-2003 - 813
Avian Flu (Total as of May 19, 2006) - 123

GuestBlog from Barbara Poole

Steve — Sat, 20 May 2006 08:00:46 +0000

Today's blog is a special GuestBlog from Barbara Poole, with whom I recently took an online class on using Family Tree Maker. Thanks, Barbara, for giving me a day off! Tidbits from Barbara: Newsletters, Blogs, and New Magazine So much of my information comes from the genealogy newsletters I subscribe to. All four are free. There has been a big change in several of the newsletter formats. The two mentioned in this paragraph have gone to a blog format (blog explained later). Most have an archive where you can look at past articles, and if at any time, you decide you don’t want the publication, it is easy to unsubscribe. Three are delivered weekly, on different days and one is now monthly. Not discussed is the newsletter by RootsWeb, which is free, but I no longer subscribe to. Four is enough for me. My favorite newsletter is by Dick Eastman and you can subscribe by going to http://www.eogn.com and sign up for the Free Standard Newsletter. This is delivered every Monday, with updates during the week (a new feature of his). You can also get his more detailed version for $20 per year, and receive it Sunday evening. Dick Eastman tends to have very up-to-date bits of information. The second newsletter discussed is The Ancestry Weekly Journal (formerly the Ancestry Daily News), in blog format since March 2006, and more changes are in store for this newsletter. It arrives every Monday and to sign up, go to http://www.ancestry.com and select The Learning Center tab, on the right side is where you can sign up for the free version. I also receive The National Genealogical Society’s newsletter on a monthly basis. To subscribe, go to http://www.ngsgenealogy.org and under tab for NGS Publications, select the UpFront With NGS. And, The New England Historic and Genealogical Society’s free newsletter delivered on Wednesday. To subscribe, go to http://www.newenglandancestors.org and on the home page is a link to sign up to eNews. The first two newsletters are in blog format. From Wikipedia, the definition of Blog means: A blend of the terms web and log (usually shortened to blog, but occasionally spelled web log or weblog) is a web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles, most often in reverse chronological order. The first two newsletters allow you to make comments and read what others have written. It is a nice way to exchange information. Often there is an archives of past issues, a calendar, and various tidbits from the author. Another blog devoted to genealogy is http://www.genealogyguys.com maintained by two well known genealogists. A new genealogy magazine has arrived on the scene; it is Internet Genealogy and can be ordered as a hard copy or downloaded from the internet (different prices for each). To order go to http://www.internet-genealogy.com and you can see the specifics as well as download a preview issue.

Flat Stanley's San Francisco Adventure

Steve — Mon, 22 May 2006 02:18:23 +0000

Back in November, my nephew Lukas sent me Flat Stanley, a project for his first grade class. I had heard about the Flat Stanley Project and was excited to take Flat Stanley on a tour of San Francisco. In the book, Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, Stanley is squashed flat by a bulletin board, but, happily, he can now visit his friends by traveling in an envelope. The official Flat Stanley Project involves sending Flat Stanley to students in another school, but I've heard stories of Flat Stanley being sent to relatives. Today, I'll share with you the report I sent back to my nephew's class about Flat Stanley's San Francisco Adventure, and if this isn't enough, you can read Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak's article Flat Stanley Does His Roots. Hi, this is Flat Stanley. I went on a trip to San Francisco, California to visit Lukas' Uncle Steve. We drove all over the city and saw lots of sights. First, we went to the place Uncle Steve works. He works for a company called Telik. They make medicine for sick people.

Then we went to Lombard Street in San Francisco. This street is called the Crookedest Street in the World.

We saw Coit Tower, a famous tower on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. Even though it was still daytime, the moon was already out.

I waited for Uncle Steve, while he took a picture of Coit Tower. Here I am, waiting at Uncle Steve's car. Boy, the streets here are steep!

We went to the Palace of Fine Arts. This place was built 90 years ago in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific Exposition.

Then we went to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. This is a famous art museum in San Francisco.

Uncle Steve took this picture of me with this statue at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. It is called "The Thinker". What do you think The Thinker is thinking about? I'm sure I don't know.

We drove to the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a suspension bridge in San Francisco. It is built where the Pacific Ocean meets the San Francisco Bay. Other tourists stopped to talk to me here.

Then we drove to Golden Gate Park and visited a Tulip Garden named after Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. The windmill is over a hundred years old.

From there we walked to a beach on the Pacific Ocean. We got there just when the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean. It was beautiful.

Finally, it was time to go home. It was a very busy day. But, before we went home, Uncle Steve took one last picture of the windmill with the moon behind it.

When Was Great Aunt Mary Born?

Steve — Tue, 23 May 2006 06:05:45 +0000

My Great Aunt Mary, the sister of my grandfather Michael Danko, was the only one of my grandfather's siblings to come to America. When I first started to assemble information on my family, I contacted Mary's daughter Fran and asked her for the names, dates, and places for births, marriages, and deaths in her family. Fran had already assembled a wealth of information on her side of the family and generously provided me with anything for which I asked. According to Fran, who has recorded vital events for her family for years, Great Aunt Mary was born in Nienadowa, Galicia (Austria-Poland) on March 12, 1887. She married Paul Golinski in Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on October 4, 1915. She gave birth to six children from 1916 to 1928, and she died in Fairlawn Hospital in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on September 18, 1975. She was buried in St. John's Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. So far, so good. Now it was time to verify the information Fran provided me with documented sources. The easiest place for me to look for verification of the information Fran provided was in the cemetery. I visited St. John's Cemetery and obtained a copy of the computerized burial record for the Golinski Plot in 2002 and I visited the grave. I returned and obtained an updated computerized burial record for the Golinski Plot in 2005 and noticed that the format had changed. The new format did not provide the ages of those interred. In any case, the record from 2002 showed that Mary Golinski was buried on September 22, 1975, and she was 88 years old when she died. This information meant that she was born in 1886 or 1887 and died before September 22, 1975, all consistent with the information Fran gave me. Upon visiting the grave, I noted that the tombstone inscription read: 1887 MARY DANKO WIFE 1975.

As you may recall, I obtained a number of church records from the Church in Dubiecko, the church of my Dańko ancestors. One of these was for Great Aunt Mary. One bit of information that I had obtained was that in Poland the names Maria, Marja, Marya, Marianna, Marjanna, and Maryanna were all the English equivalent of Mary, and sometimes the spellings were used interchangeably for the same person. Great Aunt Mary's birth and baptism listed her name as Marianna.

Marianna Dańko's Birth and Baptismal Record provided the following information:

Marianna was born on January 12, 1884 and baptized on January 14, 1884
She was the fifth child born that year in Nienadowa
Her parents lived in house numbers 122/207 (I'm not sure why two house numbers are listed here)
She was a Catholic girl, and the birth was legitimate
Her father was Jakub Dańko son of Pawel Dańko and Agnieszka Szymańska, farmers, legally married
Her mother was Agnieszka Sawa, daughter of Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jach, farmers, legally married
The godparents were Antoni Sowa and Marianna, wife of Andrzej Giergont
The midwife was Marianna Szymańska
The priest was [Achesej?]

Since the original image did not provide column headers, I created those headers myself, based on what I knew should be in the record, and created a composite record for Marianna. There are a couple of problems here, right off the bat. First, Great Aunt Mary was supposed to be born on March 12, 1887, not January 12, 1884. Second, Jakub Dańko's mother was Zofia Szymańska, not Agnieszka Szymańska. Is the the birth record for my Great Aunt Mary, or is this a different child? Tomorrow, more records and more questions.

Great Aunt Mary's Birthdate in the US Census

Steve — Wed, 24 May 2006 06:49:36 +0000

My grandfather, Michael Danko, was the first of my ancestors to immigrate to the United States. After arriving in America, he lived in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts the rest of his life. He and his family are enumerated in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 US Federal Census records and his sister, my Great Aunt Mary, is enumerated in the 1920 and 1930 Census records. The 1910 Census shows my grandfather living at 3 Moran Court in Worcester. Of special interest is that not only are he, his wife Mary, and his children John and Sophie (Zofia) listed, but no fewer than seven boarders are living with them!

1910 Census Record for the Michael Danko Family

In 1920, my grandfather is living at 19 Prescott Place. This time, the family has grown, and no boarders are living with them. Living near them and enumerated on the same page of the Census, at 11 Prescott Place Court, is Paul Golinski and his family. Paul's wife Mary is my grandfather's sister, Mary.

1920 Census Record for the Michael Danko Family and the Paul Golinski Family

In 1930, except for my Aunt Sophie, my grandfather and his family are living at 19 Prescott Street, and the Golinskis are living at 11 Prescott Place Court.

1930 Census Record for the Michael Danko Family

1930 Census Record for the Paul Golinski Family

Towards my goal of learning my Great Aunt Mary's date of birth, I started to examine the paperwork that documents her birth date. Yesterday, I presented four documents:

Mary's Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland, showing that her birth date was January 12, 1884
Information from Mary's daughter Fran, who told me Mary was born on March 12, 1887
A Cemetery Burial Record, showing that Mary was born in about 1886-1887
Mary's Gravestone Epitaph, showing that Mary was born in 1887

With two conflicting birth dates, I need to search other records to determine which date is correct. It's possible that the Birth and Baptismal record is not for Mary, but for a sister named Marianna. My family knows that my grandfather had a sister named Mary and is unaware of another sister Marianna, so it's likely that Mary and Marianna are the same person. The census records provide more information about Mary's birth date. In the 1920 Census, Mary (Danko) Golinski is 32 years old, indicating that she was born in about 1887-1888. In the 1930 Census, Mary is 42 years old, again indicating that she was born in about 1887-1888. This appears to be evidence that the Birth and Baptismal Record I have is not for my Great Aunt Mary. The 1920 and 1930 Census Records also show that Mary immigrated to the United States, but the two records show different years of immigration! The 1920 Census shows that she immigrated in 1909, and the 1930 Census shows that she immigrated in 1910. So, here is another possibility. Mary's emigration and immigration records should show her age. If Mary immigrated before April 15, 1910, she should be enumerated in the 1910 Census. I have not yet found Mary in the 1910 Census, but since she was single in 1910, I may have to wait until the every-name index for 1910 is available. Finally, the Census Records show that Mary had filed her First Papers for Naturalization. This is yet another source that will show her birth date. So, there are more records to find to solve this mystery. Tomorrow, Great Aunt Mary's emigration and immigration records.

Marianna and the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

Steve — Thu, 25 May 2006 06:43:37 +0000

From the 1920 and 1930 US Federal Census Records, I discovered that my Great Aunt Mary immigrated in either 1909 or 1910. A search of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists reveals a Marianna Danko who arrived at Ellis Island in 1909 on the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.

The S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

The Passenger Arrival Manifest states that:

Marianna Danko left Hamburg on June 16, 1909 on the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria and arrived in New York on June 26, 1909
She was a 25-year-old single female who worked as a servant
She could read and write and was of Polish descent and Austrian nationality
She was from Nienadowa, Austria
She listed Marcin Slowak as her nearest relative or friend in the country from which she came
Her final destination was Worcester, Massachusetts
She did not have a ticket to her final destination, she paid for her own ticket and she carried $6 with her
She had never been in the US before
She was going to stay with her brother, Michael Danko on Redding Street in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was 5 feet 4 inches tall, of fair complexion, and had light hair and blue eyes
She was born in Nienadowa, Austria

Auguste Viktoria, Germany's Last Kaiserin

The Marianna Danko listed on the manifest is definitely my grandfather's sister, and the description matches that of my Great Aunt Mary. Marianna Danko, according to this manifest, was 25 years old on June 26, 1909, meaning that she was born in about 1883-1884. The fact that Marianna departed from Hamburg provides another document - the record of her departure from Hamburg. The Family History Library has the Hamburg Passenger Lists on microfilm, a set of 486 film reels including indexes and the lists themselves recording departures from Hamburg from 1850 to 1934 (excluding 1915-1919 when records were not kept because of World War I). Many libraries have written descriptions of the Hamburg Passenger Lists, and these lists are described in detail in many books on immigration. In short, there are two sets of lists, the Direct Lists for passengers traveling directly from Hamburg to their final destination, and the Indirect Lists for passengers planning to stop at another European port before traveling to their final destinations. Since I knew the name of the ship and the departure date, I quickly found Marianna in the indexes, which told me that she was listed on page 1300 of the lists. Sure enough, on FHL INTL Film [473001], Marianna (spelled Marjanna on this record) is listed on line 830. The manifest states that Marjanna Danko was a 25-year-old woman from Nienadowa, Galicia. The manifest contains additional information, but I can't read what it says. Again, Marjanna's age indicates that she was born in about 1883-1884. I only have one page from the Hamburg Passenger List, but I'd like to look at the rest of the pages to see if there's more information on her departure. Well, here's the information on Great Aunt Mary's birth date, so far:

Marianna’s Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland, showing that her birth date was January 12, 1884
Marjanna's Hamburg Passenger Record, showing that she was 25 years old in 1909, indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
Marianna's Passenger Arrival List, showing that she was 25 years old when she arrived at Ellis Island on June 26, 1909 and indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
Information from Mary’s daughter Fran, who told me Mary was born on March 12, 1887
A Cemetery Burial Record, showing that Mary was born in about 1886-1887
Mary’s Gravestone Epitaph, showing that Mary was born in 1887

So, the evidence in sources up through June 26, 1909 is all consistent with a birth date of January 12, 1884, and the evidence in sources thereafter is all consistent with a birth date of March 12, 1887. Do all of these documents represent one person or two? If they represent one person, it appears that Mary changed her birth date after she arrived in the United States. There are still more documents to examine. Perhaps one of these other documents will provide more clues. Finally, notice that Marianna was traveling with Marcin Wejda from Nienadowa. In the Ellis Island Passenger Arrival List, Marcin indicated that he was going to stay with his cousin, Michael Danko, in Worcester, Massachusetts. I'll write more about Marcin on another day.

Social Security Records

Steve — Fri, 26 May 2006 04:52:50 +0000

Social Security Records, including the Social Security Death Index and the SS-5 Application for a Social Security Account Number, are some of the first records I examined when I first started to compile my family tree. I used the information in the Social Security Death Index to discover or verify dates of birth and dates of death. I also requested copies of the SS-5 cards, the Application for a Social Security Account Number to discover or verify information such as names of parents, place of birth, occupation, and address at the time of application. The Social Security Death Index is generated from the Death Master File of the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA does not generate the index itself. The Death Master File currently includes over 77 million records of individuals who had a Social Security Number and whose deaths were reported to the SSA, usually when someone applied for Social Security Death Benefits. In 1935 the Social Security Act was passed, and in 1936, the first Social Security cards were issued. However, the Social Security Death Index was not initiated until 1962, when the SSA began using a computer database to process benefit requests. For that reason, few individuals who died before 1962 are listed in the Social Security Death Index. More information on the Social Security Death Index is available at Ancestry.com, and interesting information on the first Social Security Card and the lowest Social Security Number is available at the Social Security website. The Social Security Death Index is available at Ancestry.com for a fee, but it is also available for free from other sources, including RootsWeb.com, and FamilySearch.org. I prefer to use the Ancestry.com version of the index because the information is formatted in a way that I can directly cut and paste the information into the source information area of my genealogy database. The RootsWeb version, however, has the most comprehensive search feature on the web; all the information in the Index is searchable. The FamilySearch version of the index is not as full-featured as either of the other two indexes. That said, if you can't find someone in one index, you can always try the others. Differences in the search algorithms and in the search interfaces may provide different results. A copy of the original SS-5, the Application for Social Security Account Number, can be ordered from the Social Security Administration, as long as the requestor is the individual named, or if the individual is deceased. A copy of the SS-5 can be ordered whether or not the individual is listed in the Social Security Death Index. Currently, the SSA charges $27 for this copy, if the Social Security Number is provided, and $29 if the Social Security Number is not provided. The SSA also offers a Numident, a computerized Numerical Identification record for a reduced price, but the Numident doesn't provide all the information on the SS-5 and may contain transcription errors, so it's not as useful for genealogical purposes as the SS-5. The SSA also offers a copy of the Claim File for $14, but these Claim Files are usually destroyed within a few years after the final decision on a claim is made. Once, instead of receiving the SS-5 I requested, I received a Form OAAN-7003, Employee's Request for Change in Records instead. Well, back to my Great Aunt Mary. The information in the Social Security Death Index states: Name: Mary Golinski SSN: 033-38-4218 Last Residence: 01527 Millbury, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America Born: 12 Mar 1887 Died: Sep 1975 State (Year) SSN issued: Massachusetts (1964-1965) A couple of points to note here. Sometimes, as in this case, the complete date of birth or death is not included. If you search for a complete date, but don't find what you're looking for, try including only the month and year, or just the year. The second point is that the Last Residence is not necessarily the place of death. Finally, I obtained a copy of Mary's SS-5.

The SS-5 states that:

Her Social Security Number was 033-38-4218
Her name was Mary Golinski
Her full name at birth was Mary Danko
Her date of birth was 3/12/87
She was born in Austria Poland
She was 77 years old on her last birthday
She was a white female
Her parents were Agnes Sawa and Jacob Danko
She had never previously applied for or had a Social Security Number
Her mailing address was Sullivan Place, Millbury, mass.
She signed the form on 1/18/65

There are some miscellaneous notes on the card, including a stamp that reads "ORIGINAL PULLED FOR CLAIM", a date APR 05 1965, another date JAN 2 [illegible], a stamp that reads "DAD-[illegible], the notation 5-11, and what appear to be two sets of initials in the two lower corners. What I learned from the Social Security Death Index and the SS-5 was that Mary's birth dates recorded in these two records agree with all the rest of the birth information I have found for her in other records generated after her arrival in the United States. Records prior to and at the time of her arrival report an earlier birth date. Believe it or not, there are still more records to search to try to figure out this mystery.

Online Death Indexes

Steve — Sun, 28 May 2006 03:11:03 +0000

Online Death Indexes provide useful sources of birth and death information. For the most part, these Death Indexes are transcriptions of other Indexes and are subject to the errors associated with transcriptions. Ancestry.com offers the following State death indexes:

Alabama 1908-1959
Arkansas 1914-1950
California 1940-1997
Connecticut 1949-1971
Florida 1877-1998
Georgia 1919-1998
Idaho 1911-1951
Indiana 1882-1920
Kentucky 1911-2000
Louisiana 1900-1949
Maine 1960-1997
Massachusetts 1970-2003
Michigan 1971-1996
Minnesota 1908-2002
Montana 1907-2002
North Carolina 1908-1996
Ohio 1958-2002
Oregon 1903-1998
Rhode Island 1630-1930
South Carolina 1915-1952
South Dakota 1905-1955
Texas 1964-1998
Utah 1905-1951
Vermont 1981-2001
Washington 1940-1996
Wisconsin 1820-1907

Ancestry.com also holds the following Provincial Death Indexes:

British Columbia 1872-1979
Ontario 1869-1932

Other significant online death indexes include:

Arizona 1878-1975 (with images of documents)
Missouri pre-1910 (1883-1893)
Missouri 1910-1955 (with images from 1910-1923)
VitalSearch (scans of some state indexes)

My Great Aunt Mary is listed in the Massachusetts Death Index at Ancestry.com. The information provided there includes:

Name: Mary M. Golinski
Certificate Number: 045417
Death Place: Worcester
Death Date: 18 Sep 1975
Birth Place: Other
Birth Date: --

For many of the entries in the Massachusetts Death Index, the birth date is provided. Unfortunately, this is not the case for my Great Aunt Mary. Nonetheless, the Death Index can certainly be considered a secondary source for death information and may even help locate the death certificate itself.

A Marriage and Two Births

Steve — Wed, 31 May 2006 06:05:23 +0000

Great Aunt Mary (Danko) Golinski was married in 1915 and she had several children, including Victoria and John. Mary's marriage record and the birth record for her first child, Victoria, were recorded in a ledger, rather than on standardized marriage and birth certificates. The birth of Mary's son John, however, was recorded on a standard certificate. When I requested copies of these three documents, I was somewhat disappointed by the documents I received for Mary's marriage and Victoria's birth because I received transcriptions rather than photocopies of the original records.

Mary's marriage record arrived as a Copy of Record of Marriage and contained several misspellings and a couple of crossed out entries. The entries that appear to be transcription errors are:

The name of the groom's father is recorded as Gan Golinski, but should be Jan Golinski
The name of the groom's mother is recorded as Mary Darasz, but should be Mary Daraz
The name of the bride's mother is recorded as Agnes Sousa, but should be Agnes Sowa
The name of the bride's father is recorded as ~~Joseph~~ Jacob Danko, apparently to correct an error during transcription since the father's name was Jacob Danko
The form used to record the transcription was outdated, since it assumed that the document would be recorded in the 20th century and included the preprinted year 19__, which had to be crossed out to write in the correct year 2002

The marriage record reports Mary's age at the time of the marriage as 28 years on October 4, 1915, indicating that Mary was born in 1886 or 1887. The birth of Mary's first child, Victoria, is reported as a Copy of Record of Birth. This document also contained an apparent transcription error:

Mary's maiden name is reported as Dauleo, but should be Danko

The transcription unfortunately doesn't include the parents' dates of birth. The Return of a Birth for John Golinski is more complete than that for Victoria, and is the original record rather than a transcription. Still, this document includes two entries that were apparently erased and typed over:

The birthplaces of both the father and mother were originally entered as Poland, but were corrected to read Austria Poland

The record does, however, show that Mary was 33 years old when John was born on Jan. 2, 1922, indicating that Mary was born between 1888 and 1889. Let me summarize the information I have on Mary's date of birth:

Marianna’s Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland, shows that her birth date was January 12, 1884
Marjanna’s Hamburg Passenger Record, shows that she was 25 years old in 1909, indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
Marianna’s Passenger Arrival List, shows that she was 25 years old when she arrived at Ellis Island on June 26, 1909 and indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
The Copy of Record of Marriage shows that she was 28 years old on October 4, 1915, indicating that she was born in 1886-1887
The Copy of Record of Birth for Mary's daughter Victoria does not show Mary's age or date of birth
The Return of a Birth for Mary's son John shows that Mary was 33 years old on January 2, 1922, indicating that she was born in 1888-1889
Mary's SS-5 Application for Social Security Account and Tax Number shows that she was born on March 12, 1887
The Social Security Death Index shows that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
Information from Mary’s daughter Fran, indicated that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
The Massachusetts Death Index does not show Mary's birth date
Mary's Cemetery Burial Record shows that Mary was born in about 1886-1887
Mary’s Gravestone Epitaph shows that Mary was born in 1887

So, where does all this lead me? My grandfather's sister, Marianna, was born on January 12, 1884, which is consistent with records up through her immigration to the United States. My grandfather's sister, Mary, was born on March 12, 1887, which is consistent with records after her immigration into the United States (with the exception of the Return of John's Birth, which suggests she was born in 1888-1889). Are Marianna and Mary the same person? If so, why are there two apparently different birth dates? If Marianna and Mary are different people, they must be sisters, but there is no evidence for two sisters named Marianna Danko and Mary Danko. Perhaps Mary changed her birth date after her arrival in America. I'd like to find a Census Record and other records for Mary between the time she arrived in America in 1909 and the time she was married in 1915, but finding those records will take some additional research.

Mary Danko in the 1910 Census

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 06:30:28 +0000

I had searched for my Great Aunt Mary in the 1910 US Federal Census without much luck. Much to my surprise Barbara Poole, who contributed a GuestBlog on May 20, found the record! I guess there's a lesson here... just because you can't find someone in the census doesn't mean they're not enumerated. Sometimes searching again at a later time or having someone else look for the record can result in success! This isn't the first time someone helped me find a record I couldn't find on my own. Genealogists seem to be some of the most helpful and supportive people around, and they seem to delight in helping someone else break down their brick walls almost as much as they enjoy their own discoveries. Thanks again Barbara! [caption id="attachment_5609" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="1910 US Federal Census Record for Mary Danko"][/caption] The 1910 Census Record for Mary Danko shows that she was working as a servant in the home of the Cusenberg [?] family at 48 Coral Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. This address is not far from where my grandfather, Michael Danko, was living at the time, and it is also not far from Our Lady of Częstochowa Church, the Polish parish in Worcester. The census shows that she was 22 years old in 1910, indicating that she was born in 1887-1888, a date that agrees with all the other birth information I've found for Mary after she immigrated. The Census record also shows that she was single, she was from Austria, she was Polish, and she immigrated in 1909. All this information is consistent with what I already know about her. This information is, however, still at odds with the date of birth I found on her birth/baptismal, emigration, and immigration records. This discrepancy begs the question again; did my grandfather have two sisters named Marya and Marianna? I took another look at the Ellis Island records for 1909. A search of the Ellis Island records using Stephen Morse's forms at http://www.stevemorse.org/ provided three hits for the year 1909:

Marianna Danko, age 25, from Nienadowa, Austria
Marya Danko, age 27, from Nienadowa, Austria
Marya Danko, age 22, from Wesoła, Austria

I believe that the first of these entries is the record for my Great Aunt Mary, and I know that the second of these entries is the record for my grandmother, Mary. These two Marys listed my grandfather as brother and husband, respectively, and said that they were going to stay with my grandfather in Worcester. The third immigrant is an enigmatic Marya Danko who was from Wesoła, Austria and traveled to Chicago. Oddly enough, the manifest for this Marya Danko is the right age to be a match with my Great Aunt Mary (22 years old in 1909, meaning she was born in 1886-1887). She listed her nearest relative as her father Jocolry [?] Danko living in Wesola. This is clearly not my Great Aunt Mary, since Great Aunt Mary's father Jakub died before 1909. [caption id="attachment_5611" align="aligncenter" width="275" caption="Passenger Manifest for Mary Danko from Wesoła - Left"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5612" align="aligncenter" width="275" caption="Passenger Manifest for Mary Danko from Wesoła - Right"][/caption] However, there are some interesting coincidences here:

The village of Wesoła is located near my ancestors' village of Nienadowa in Poland.
Marya Danko from Wesoła stated that she was going to stay with her brother-in-law Jestrycj [?] Majda [?] in Chicago (Majda could be a misspelling of the surname Wejda). My grandfather's cousin Marcin Wejda accompanied Marianna Danko to Worcester.
Marya Danko from Wesoła was traveling with Franciszka Sowa. My great grandmother's maiden name was Agnieszka Sowa.

While Marya Danko from Wesoła is not my Great Aunt Mary, perhaps there is a family connection there, nonetheless. There are still mysteries here, but one mystery solved is where Great Aunt Mary was and what she was doing in 1910!

1910 Census Mary Danko

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:24:54 +0000

1910 Census Mary Danko

1910 Census Record

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:25:56 +0000

1910 Census Record for Mary Danko

the manifest

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:27:29 +0000

the manifest for this Marya Danko

Marya Danko Wesola Manifest R

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:29:30 +0000

Marya Danko Wesola Manifest R

Marya Danko Manifest L

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:30:00 +0000

Marya Danko Manifest L

Affidavit

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:39:52 +0000

Antoni's Affidavit

Application

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:40:17 +0000

Antoni's Application

Receipt

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:40:36 +0000

Antoni's Receipt

Tarnowski Land Patent

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:43:45 +0000

Tarnowski Land Patent

Land Patent

Steve — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:46:54 +0000

Antoni Tarnowski's Land Patent

Application, Affidavit, and Receipt

Steve — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 01:10:56 +0000

1877 Documents for Antoni Tarnowski

The Homestead Act of 1862

Steve — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 01:26:28 +0000

A while ago, a friend asked me if I would look for the immigration records of his ancestor, Antoni Tarnowski. He knew a few details about Antoni, including the fact that he homesteaded in Minnesota. The Homestead Act was signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1862. Under this Act, 10% of the land of the United States was conveyed to private citizens and settled. Any head of household who was at least 21 years old could claim a 160 acre parcel. Homesteaders had to live on the land for five years, build a home, make improvements, and farm the land. After this period of time, the homesteader could Prove Up and receive a Land Patent. One source of Land Patents is the Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records. There, I found the Land Patent for Antoni Tarnowski in Minnesota. [caption id="attachment_6684" align="aligncenter" width="391" caption="Land Patent of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] This Land Patent shows that according to Homestead Certificate 1131, Application 1396, Antoni Tarnowski was granted the south half of the south-east quarter and the lots numbered three and four of section seventeen, in township fifty-two north, of range fourteen west of the Fourth Principal Meridian in Minnesota, containing one hundred sixty-five acres and forty-five hundredths of an acre. The Land Patent was dated 15 January 1884 and includes the names Chester A. Arthur, Wm. H. Crook, and S. W. Clark. Additionally, the Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records website summarizes the Land Patent as follows:

Patentee: Antoni Tarnowski
State: Minnesota
Acres: 165.45
Metes/Bounds: No
Title Transfer Issue Date: 1/15/1884
Land Office: Duluth
Cancelled: No
U. S. Reservations: No
Mineral Reservations: No
Authority: May 20, 1862: Homestead Entry Original (12 Stat. 392)
Document Nr.: 1131
Misc. Doc. Nr.: 1396
Accession/Serial Nr.: MN0870__.097
BLM Serial Nr.: MN NO S/N

Aliquot Sec./ Fract. Parts Block Township Range Section Meridian State Counties S1/2SE 17/ 52-N 14-W No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI MN St Louis 3 17/ 52-N 14-W No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI MN St Louis 4 17/ 52-N 14-W No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI MN St Louis After finding this information, I ordered the entire Land Entry File from the National Archives. I had to first order the form to request the Land Entry File, and when the form arrived a few days later, I filled out the form and sent it in with the appropriate fee. The Land Entry File arrived a few weeks later. The file contained thirteen documents, the first three of which were issued in 1877: the Application, Affidavit, and Receipt. [caption id="attachment_6689" align="aligncenter" width="388" caption="Homestead Application of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Application (Number 1896) was filed on June 12, 1877 at the Land Office in Duluth, Minnesota, showing that the location of Antoni's 165.45 acres was the S1/2 of the SE 1/4 and Lots 3 & 4 of Section 17 in Township 52N of Range 14W. [caption id="attachment_6691" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="Homestead Affidavit of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Affidavit was made on June 12, 1877 at the Land Office in Duluth, Minnesota, and in it Antoni states that he had declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, that he was married, and that he was over the age of 21 years. [caption id="attachment_6693" align="aligncenter" width="389" caption="Homestead Receipt of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Receipt shows that Antoni paid $14.00 to file the Application and the Affidavit under the Homestead Act, which included a filing fee to claim the land temporarily and a commission for the land agent. Tomorrow: Antoni proves his claim.

Second Papers

Steve — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 21:59:26 +0000

Antoni Tarnowski's Second Papers

Second Papers

Steve — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 21:59:51 +0000

Antoni Tarnowski's Second Papers

Proof of Claim

Steve — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:36:25 +0000

Proof of Claim

Antoni Proves His Claim

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:26:20 +0000

On January 15, 1884, Antoni Tarnowski received his Land Patent under the Homestead Act. Seven years earlier, he had prepared an Application for homesteading a specific piece of land. He also completed an Affidavit that he was over 21 years old and had submitted his Declaration of Intention to become a Citizen of the United States. In return for an application fee of $14, he received a Receipt. After applying for land under the Homestead Act, Antoni had to live on the land, improve it, build a home on it, and farm the land for five years. In April of 1883, Antoni filed his Second Papers - his Petition for Naturalization. [caption id="attachment_6701" align="aligncenter" width="361" caption="Petition for Naturalization of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Second Papers, filed on April 4, 1883, show that two witnesses named S. J. Thompson and M. Sepak vouched that Antoni Tarnowski was a man of good character, had lived in the United States for at least five years, and had lived in the State of Minnesota for at least one year. The Second Papers further show that Antoni, himself, stated that he had lived in the United States for at least five years and in the State of Minnesota for at least one year, and that he renounced allegiance to any foreign power, especially the Emperor of Germany. Finally the Second Papers show that Antoni had filed a Declaration of Intention on November 4, 1876. That task completed, Antoni filed his Proof of Claim, including his own testimony and that of two witnesses on June 30, 1883. [caption id="attachment_6704" align="aligncenter" width="350" caption="Cover of Homestead Proof of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Homestead Proof shows that on June 30, 1883, Antoni Tarnowski swore that he lived on his Homestead Claim of the South Half of the Southeast Quarter and Lots 3 & 4 of Section 17 in Township 52N of Range 14W 4th PM since February 15, 1877. [caption id="attachment_6707" align="aligncenter" width="402" caption="Homestead Proof of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The Claimant's Testimony shows that Antoni Tarnowski, in support of homestead entry No. 1396, declared that he was 52 years old with a PO Address in Duluth, St. Louis Co., Minnesota. Antoni stated that he was a naturalized citizen of the United States, that he established residence on the land on February 15, 1877, and he built a good log home and barn, and had cleared and cultivated about 8 acres of land. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and five children. He mentioned that he lived continuously on the land and raised crops for six seasons, leaving only to obtain provisions and to earn extra money working on the docks in Duluth. The longest period of time he was away from the claim was three months. [caption id="attachment_6708" align="aligncenter" width="355" caption="Homestead Testimony of Claimant, Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] The testimonies of the two witnesses state virtually the same details as the testimony of the claimant. However, the witnesses also add that Antoni settled on January 15, 1877 and established residence on February 15, 1877. [caption id="attachment_6710" align="aligncenter" width="362" caption="Homestead Testimony, Stanislaw Kolaskowicz"][/caption] Furthermore, Antoni and Stanslaw Koslakowicz didn't mention the name of the town, but the witness Martin Lipak mentioned that the town was named Gnesen. Both witnesses stated that they had no interest in Antoni's claim and they thought that he had acted in good faith. [caption id="attachment_6711" align="aligncenter" width="353" caption="Homestead Testimony, Martin Lipak"][/caption] Tomorrow: Antoni publishes a notice in the newspaper that he intends to file Final Proof in support of his homestead claim and Antoni's homestead claim is approved.

Proof

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:36:39 +0000

Proof

Cover of Proof

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:37:01 +0000

Cover of Proof

Claimants Testimony

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:37:30 +0000

Claimants Testimony

Koslakowicz Testimony

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:39:28 +0000

Koslakowicz Testimony

Lipak Testimony

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:39:48 +0000

Lipak Testimony

Second Papers

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:41:22 +0000

Second Papers

Publication

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 01:07:01 +0000

Publication

Final Certificate

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 01:07:22 +0000

Final Certificate

Receipt

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 01:07:44 +0000

Receipt

a few more details

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 01:14:01 +0000

a few more details

Antoni's Homestead Claim Approved

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 20:49:23 +0000

By the end of June 1883, Antoni Tarnowski had applied for a land claim in Minnesota under the Homestead Act, had filed an affidavit that he was qualified to do so, had paid the initial fees, had lived on the land for six years and submitted proof thereof, had become an American citizen, and had provided the testimony of himself and two witnesses that he had acted in good faith. Only a few more details remained. Antoni had to file a Notice of Proof, pay additional fees, and obtain a Final Certificate. The Notice of Proof was published for five weeks from May 31 to June 28, 1883 in the Lake Superior News and stated that Antoni Tarnowski was proving his homestead claim. [caption id="attachment_6720" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Publication of Notice of Proof"][/caption] Antoni paid fees totaling $6 to process the claim. [caption id="attachment_6722" align="aligncenter" width="361" caption="Homestead Receipt of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] Antoni received a Final Certificate verifying the details of the claim. [caption id="attachment_6724" align="aligncenter" width="289" caption="Cover of Final Homestead Certificate of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_6725" align="aligncenter" width="394" caption="Final Homestead Certificate of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption] Antoni now owned the land specified in his claim. The final document that established the validity of the claim and included the name of the President of the United States was issued on January 15, 1884. [caption id="attachment_6727" align="aligncenter" width="391" caption="Land Patent of Antoni Tarnowski"][/caption]

Homestead Final Cover

Steve — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 21:38:37 +0000

Homestead Final Cover

Sunrise 2

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:39:18 +0000

Sunrise 2

Sunrise 3

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:39:41 +0000

Sunrise 3

Sunrise 4

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:40:06 +0000

Sunrise 4

Sunrise 5

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:40:32 +0000

Sunrise 5

Sunrise 6

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:41:24 +0000

Sunrise 6

Sunrise 7

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:41:58 +0000

Sunrise 7

Sunrise 8

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:42:37 +0000

Sunrise 8

Sunrise 9

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:42:57 +0000

Sunrise 9

Sunrise in San Francisco

Steve — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 00:50:34 +0000

This morning, I snapped some photos of the sunrise. I hope everyone enjoys them, and with no further words, here they are.

Frank Skowronski WWII-o

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:04:39 +0000

Frank Skowronski WWII obverse

Frank Skowronski WWII-r

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:05:07 +0000

Frank Skowronski WWII reverse

Alexander Frank Skowronski

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:06:20 +0000

WWII Alexander Frank Skowronski

WWII Paul Skowronski-o

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:06:59 +0000

WWII Paul Skowronski obverse

WWII Paul Skowronski-r

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:07:24 +0000

WWII Paul Skowronski reverse

Paul Skowronski

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:07:57 +0000

Paul Skowronski - WWII

More World War II Draft Registration Cards

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:18:41 +0000

On April 26, 2006, I posted an entry about the World War II Selective Service Registration Cards. The Family History Library (FHL) holds 166 microfilm reels of World War II Selective Service System Registration Cards for the state of Massachusetts. These are the Draft Registration Cards for the Fourth Registration conducted in 1942 and include men born between 28 APR 1877 and 16 FEB 1892, although I have found cards for men born out of this range of dates. The original cards are located in the Boston Branch of the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts. Note: The FHL holds copies of World War II Selective Service System Registration Cards for other states, too. Ancestry.com has started to digitize these cards. As of today, June 5, 2006, cards from the following states have been digitized:

Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Indiana
Maryland
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia

Most of my relatives were in Massachusetts at the time of this draft and so their cards are not yet digitized on Ancestry.com. No matter, since I scanned quite a few cards when I was in Salt Lake City in April. Two of my uncles (Mike Danko and Joe Danko) married into the Skowronski family in Worcester and I found two World War II Selective Service Registration Cards for members of the Skowronski family: the brothers Alexander Frank Skowronski and Paul Skowronski. Alexander Frank Skowronski was the father-in-law of both my Uncle Mike and Uncle Joe.

WWII Draft Card for Alexander Frank Skowronski

World War II Draft Card for Pawel Skowronski

Notice that Alexander stated that he was from Groad, Poland, and Paul stated that he was from Grondy, Poland. As far as I can tell, they were both from Grądy, Russia-Poland, and I have struggled to find out exactly where that was, since there were 29 locations in Russia-Poland named Grądy!

Baptismal Font

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:33:45 +0000

Baptismal Font

Dubiecko Cemetery

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:34:02 +0000

Dubiecko Cemetery

Saints in Dubiecko Church

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:34:22 +0000

Saints in Dubiecko Church

View from Cemetery

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:34:41 +0000

View from Cemetery

Florian Gate

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:22:02 +0000

Florian Gate

Sukiennice

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:22:22 +0000

Sukiennice

Kathy Smith's Trip to Poland

Steve — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:27:46 +0000

Today, I'm presenting a GuestBlog from Kathy Smith who found my Blog just before she left for Dubiecko, Poland. The night before she left for Poland, Kathy called me and we had an interesting conversation about my trip to Dubiecko several years ago. Here's Kathy's GuestBlog on her trip to Dubiecko along with some of my photographs when I was there a few years ago. - Steve

I have just returned from my trip to Poland. I’ll give you a brief summary of my visit to Dubiecko. Let me back up and say that my uncle visited the area two or three times before he died. He was our family historian and he was curious about his mother - my grandmother. There was a suspicion she might have been Jewish, but it was not spoken about in the family. It was something like a “family secret.” Apparently, he collected some anecdotal information about my grandmother’s family along the way. My grandmother’s maiden name was Pilch. I knew that there were Catholics and Jews with the surname “Pilch” at the turn of the century. I also knew Dubiecko was half Catholic and half Jewish at the turn of the century. It was a typical Polish Shtetl. During my uncle’s trips, he couldn’t find any official information about my grandmother’s parents who were peasant farmers. He kept a “dead” end, so to speak.

The Florian Gate in Kraków

Unfortunately, I didn’t speak to him about his family tree research. I wasn’t too interested at the time. His daughters gave me the names and addresses of possible ancestors or friends of family.

The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in Kraków

I flew to Kraków on May 20′th 2006. When I arrived in Kraków, I contacted Adam Jędryka. I hired him to drive us to Dubiecko and act as a translator. We only had one day to look around, so my expectations were not high.

Mural in the Church in Dubiecko

Before we hit the road from Krakow to Dubiecko, we phoned the church in Dubiecko to inform them of our arrival. However, we were unable to get through by phone. No answering machine. For the sake of adventure, we just took off to see what we could see.

View from the Cemetery to the Church in Dubiecko

When we arrived at the village we went directly to the church. No answer. So, we head for the Roman Catholic cemetery. It was a busy place. There was someone tending to the graves. There were a few visitors. The graves had flowers, and candles and shrines. We found all the headstones of the Kolanos (my maternal grandfather’s ancestors) and Pilch (the name of my maternal grandmother). Curiously, we could not find the graves of my great grandmother, great grandfather or any of their 8 children who were born and died in the area.

The Catholic Cemetery in Dubiecko

The church opened at 4:30 PM and we glanced through some records but with so little time - we could not find anything, much as I expected. In order for me to continue the family history work started by my uncle, I would consider hiring Adam to help me.

Baptismal Font in the Church in Dubiecko

Out of curiosity, we went to find the Jewish cemetary but it was deserted. We thought we might find my ancestors there. What a shock! There was no evidence of graves or gravestones. It was just a big piece of overgrown weeds. The headstones had been removed by the Nazis. They were used to make a road. There was no evidence of the Synagogue in Dubiecko. The few Jews who did not leave the area before the holocaust were shipped off to concentration camps. There is absolutely no evidence that Dubiecko was once a thriving Jewish community.

Generalfeldmarschall Graf Waldersee

Steve — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:19:14 +0000

Generalfeldmarschall Graf Waldersee

S.S. Graf Waldersee 1

Steve — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:19:41 +0000

S.S. Graf Waldersee 1

S.S. Graf Waldersee 2

Steve — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:20:04 +0000

S.S. Graf Waldersee 2

manifest

Steve — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:26:09 +0000

Siborowski Passenger Manifest

Siborowski Manifest

Steve — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 23:27:52 +0000

Siborowski Manifest

Alexander Skowronski and the S.S. Graf Waldersee

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:19:44 +0000

When the Ellis Island Records database first came online several years ago, I rapidly found the passenger manifest for my grandfather Michael Danko, but had difficulty finding the manifest for my grandmother Mary Danko, who arrived a few years later. As it turned out, the transcriber misread my grandmother's surname and listed it in the index as "Dauko" instead of "Danko". I asked the folks at Ellis Island Records to correct the error and they did so.

The S.S. Graf Waldersee

As I mentioned two days ago, two of my uncles married daughters of Alexander Frank Skowronski. Alexander immigrated to America in 1903, but neither my cousin nor I could find him in the Ellis Island Records database. After many months, my cousin Joe finally found the record. Alexander had been listed in the passenger manifest with his mother and stepfather, but had been listed with his stepfather's surname Siborowski, not his own surname, Skowronski.

Generalfeldmarschall Alfred Graf von Waldersee

Passenger Manifest for the Siborowski/Skowronski Family

The manifest shows that:

Antoni Siborowski (age 37) was traveling with Margarete (age 34), Alexander (age 17), Jozefa (age 10), Pawel (age 10), and Jan (age 5)
They departed Hamburg on the S.S. Graf Waldersee on March 13, 1903 and arrived in New York on March 29, 1903
The relationships among the members of the group are not provided.
Their nationality was Russian
Their last residence was Grondi
Their ethnicity (recorded under "Seaport for Landing in the United States") was Polish
Their final destination was Baldwinsville, Mass., where they were planning to stay with a cousin, Anton Rachepka, Box 187, Baldwinsville, Mass.
They paid their own passage, they didn't have a ticket to their final destination, and the family was in possession of $85 or $90

Pawel's entry includes the notation 1X-94580-505-9-4-41- in the occupation column, which indicates that he was probably naturalized. The first number is the naturalization district, the X indicates that no fee was required for the Certificate of Arrival, the second group of numbers is the number of the Certificate of Arrival, the 505 is the verification form used to transmit information to the requesting Immigation and Naturalization Service Office, and the last group is the date of issuance of the Certificate of Arrival. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website lists several annotations to the Passenger Arrival Manifests. The X between columns 1 and 2 on the manifest indicates that the Siborowskis were temporarily detained upon arrival. There may be a list of detained aliens at the end of the manifest, but I haven't yet looked for this list.

S.S. Graf Waldersee

The family settled in Worcester County, Massachusetts, but where is Grondi, their place of origin, according to the passenger manifest? A search of maps at Expedia.com reveals no place named Grondi anywhere in the world, but does show places named Grondy and Grądy. Tomorrow, searching for the Skowronski's ancestral village.

Alexander Skowronski WWI Obverse

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:43:04 +0000

Alexander Skowronski WWI Obverse

Alexander Skowronski WWI Reverse

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:43:27 +0000

Alexander Skowronski WWI Reverse

Paul Skowronski WWI Obverse

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:43:55 +0000

Paul Skowronski WWI Obverse

Paul Skowronski WWI Reverse

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:44:13 +0000

Paul Skowronski WWI Reverse

Alexander Skowronski

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:57:44 +0000

Alexander Skowronski World War I Draft Registration Card

Paul Skowronski

Steve — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 21:58:44 +0000

Alexander Skowronski World War I Draft Registration Card

Finding the Ancestral Village of the Skowronskis

Steve — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 05:24:22 +0000

A few days ago, I showed the World War II Selective Service Registration Cards for Alexander and Paul Skowronski. Yesterday, I showed the Ellis Island Passenger Manifest for the same two brothers. Today, I have the World War I Selective Service Registration Cards for Alexander and Paul. Altogether, these documents provide most of the evidence I have for the ancestral village from whence they came.

The World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Card for Alexander Skowronski shows that as of June 5, 1917 Alexander was 30 years old and lived at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester, Mass. He was born February 2, 1886 in Grondy, Lomza, Russia-Poland, was a citizen of Russia, and had declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States. He worked as a Moulder at the Whitcomb Foundry in Worcester, Mass., was caucasian, married, and supported a wife and four children. He did not claim any prior military service. He was tall, of medium build, with gray eyes, and had dark hair (not bald). He did not suffer the loss of an arm, leg, hand, foot, both eyes, or any other disability.

The World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Card for Paul Skowronski shows that as of June 5, 1917 Paul was 26 years old and lived at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester, Mass. He was born October 28, 1890 in Poland-Russian, was a citizen of Russia, and had declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States. He worked as a molder at the Standard Foundry on Lamartine St., was caucasian, married, and supported a wife and four children. He did not claim any prior military service. He was of medium height, of medium build, with blue eyes, and had light hair (not bald). He did not suffer the loss of an arm, leg, hand, foot, both eyes, or any other disability. Based on all the information so far, I have the following information on the name of the ancestral village for the Skowronskis:

Passenger Manifest: Grondi, Russia
World War I Draft - Alexander: Grondy, Lomza, Russia-Poland
World War I Draft - Paul: Poland-Russia
World War II Draft - Alexander: Groad, Poland
World War II Draft - Paul: Grondy, Poland
Verbal information from family: Grondy, Poland

The most informative piece of information came from Alexander's World War I Draft Registration Card which stated that the place of origin was Grondy, Lomza, Russia-Poland. Łomża was a Russian Gubernia within the Polish territory up until the end of World War I and the end of the Partitions of Poland. This indication of the Gubernia greatly helps to narrow down the possibilities for the location of the village. A search for Grondi resulted in no matches; a search for Grondy resulted in one match, but not in the former Łomża Gubernia; a search for Grądy resulted in 20 matches (including 11 that could have been in the former Łomża Gubernia) on ExpediaMaps, and over 29 matches in the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland). Since the Polish name Grądy sounds like the English Grondy or Grondi, it seems likely that the Skowronskis were from the village of Grądy - but which one? I have attached a transcription and translation of the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego entry for Grądy. At the time the Słownik Geograficzny was published, the Łomża Gubernia included the powiats (counties) of Szczuczyn, Kolno, Łomża, Ostrołęka, Pułtusk, Maków, Mazowieck, and Ostrów (although the Pułtusk powiat was moved to the Warszawa Gubernia in 1894). From the information in the Słownik Geograficzny, it is apparent that 15 of these villages named Grądy were in the Łomża Gubernia:

2) Grądy, village, Błonie powiat
4) Grądy, village, Wieluń powiat
13) Grądy, Łomża powiat
14) Grądy, village and grange, Łomża powiat
15) Grądy-Woniecko, village and grange, Łomża powiat
16) Grądy, Pułtusk powiat
17) Grądy-polewne, Pułtusk powiat
18) Grądy, Ostrołęka powiat
19) Grądy, Maków powiat
20) Grądy, Maków powiat
21) Grądy, Ostrów powiat
22) Grądy, Ostrów powiat
23) Grądy-Zalewne, village, Ostrów powiat
25) Grądy-Michały, village of noblemen and manor, Szczuczyn powiat
26) Grądy-łamane, village, Szczuczyn powiat

Even if I leave out the five Grądys with a compound name, that still leaves ten villages named Grądy in the Łomża Gubernia. Which of these is the correct village will require a search of the church records in each parish until the records for the Skowronskis are found. Since the records were kept in the parishes, not the individual villages, I'll need to search records in the following parishes:

Długosiodło
Jelonki (Wąsewo?)
Kasnosielc
Lubiel
Rajgród
Rzekuń
Nowa wieś
Nowogród
Wąsosz
Wiskitki
Wizna
Wyszków

Wow! Looks like I have my work cut out for me! Tomorrow: The Records of Detained Alien Passengers, The Records of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry, and Records of other stops between Hamburg and New York.

Grady

Steve — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 05:53:40 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Grady

A New Look at Immigrant Passenger Manifests

Steve — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:34:46 +0000

Many people have found the Passenger Arrival Manifests for their Immigrant Ancestors on the Ellis Island Records site. I have found the Passenger manifests for all of my grandparents and several other relatives. Only recently, however, have I started to take a second look at these records to discover what additional information they contain about my ancestors - information that may be hidden in annotations and even on other pages of the manifests.

If you already have found the passenger manifest for your immigrant ancestor, take another look at the manifest and look for annotations. Two types of annotations were made. The first type was made prior to or at the time of arrival and includes:

Numbers in the left margin (typically 2 to 7 digits), especially on lists of ships that sailed from England. This number is the contract ticket number and may be helpful in finding the individual in the British "Outbound Lists".
Rarely, a solitary number to the left of the passenger's name will indicate a Head Tax receipt number.
"Not Shipped", "NOB" (Not On Board), "Did Not Sail", or "Cancelled", often with the entire line crossed out indicate that, for some reason, the passenger listed did not sail with the ship.
Sometimes an entire line is crossed out, not because the passenger was not on board, but because they are officially listed on another page of the manifest.
An "X", "D", or "Held" at the left of the manifest, between columns 1 and 2 or in the name column, means that the passenger was temporarily detained or held for a Board of Special Inquiry and the name may have been recorded with further information in a list at the end of the manifest.
The notation "S.I." or "B.S.I." at the left side of the manifest before the name means that the passenger was held for a Board of Special Inquiry hearing and the name may have been recorded with further information in a list at the end of the manifest.
The notation "USB" or "US Born" or "USC" (US Citizen) may have been made to indicate that the record is for a returning citizen of the United States.
The letter "C" followed by a string of numbers (C-######), indicating the Naturalization certificate number, may have been made on the records of returning citizens.

The second type of annotation was made after arrival and includes:

Numbers similar to "435/621" with no date is the New York file number which indicates an early verification/record check. The actual file no longer exists.
Numbers similar to "432731/435765" indicate that the passenger was a permanent resident of the United States returning with a Re-entry Permit.
Numbers similar to "1X-151593" indicate that the arrival of the immigrant was verified prior to naturalization and typically indicates that the verification was made after 1926. The first number indicates the naturalization district, the "X", if present, indicates that no fee was required for the Certificate of Arrival, and the second part of the number is the Certificate of Arrival number or the Application number.
The date of the Certificate of Arrival or the date of Application may follow the Certificate of Arrival number or Application number.
"C/A" indicates a request for a "Certificate of Arrival" was made in connection with the filing of papers for Naturalization purposes.
"V/L" indicates a "Verification of landing" was made.
"W/A" indicates that a Warrant of Arrest was made.
"404" or "405" is the Verification Form used to reply to a request for Passenger Manifest information to the INS.
If only the name is crossed out with a line or a series of X's and another name was written in, the name was officially amended.

The manifest page for the Siborowski/Skowronski family shows a number of these annotations, including "S.I." showing that one family was sent to a Board of Special Inquiry, an "X" showing that the Siborowski/Skowronski family was detained, and a listing of numbers indicating that Certificates of Arrival were issued for some of the passengers, including Pawel Skowronski. To find additional information such as the "Record of Detained Alien Passengers" or the "Record of Release of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry", repeatedly click on the arrow to move to the next frame of the film (on the Ellis Island Records site) or scroll through the microfilm to the end. You'll need to be careful with the Ellis Island site, however, since many of the records are recorded in reverse order, and the "forward" arrow may actually take you backward through the pages in the manifest. Stephen Morse's Website If you already know when your immigrant ancestor arrived and you know the name of the ship on which they traveled, it may be far easier to use Stephen Morse's website to scroll to the end of the film. Go to Stephen Morse's site, click on Ship Lists, enter the name of the ship and the date of arrival, and click on "Search" and you will be presented with a link to the correct manifest. You may still need to scroll through images to find the beginning or end of the manifest, but on Stephen Morse's site, you can scroll though four frames at a time rather than one at a time on the Ellis Island Site. Since Stephen Morse's site actually directs you to the records on the Ellis Island Records site, you may need to click on the -1 button rather than the +1 button to move forward to the next image if the images were scanned from last to first. If you have the actual frame number for the image of interest, you can enter the frame number directly and jump to that image. By accessing these images through Stephen Morse's site, you can save or print the images, even though these functions are disabled on the Ellis Island Site. Furthermore, Stephen Morse's site will provide additional information about microfilms containing the images for the ship of interest, information which may be useful to construct a reference source citation for the manifest image. The Siborowski/Skowronski manifest can be found on FHL US/CAN Film 1399018 and on U.S. National Archives Film Series T715, Roll 333, Volume 580, Frame 108. Of course, you can conduct your entire search for Passenger Manifests from Stephen Morse's site, which includes a much more powerful and versatile search function than does the Ellis Island Records site. Record of Detained Aliens and Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry At the end of a post-1903 passenger manifest from Ellis Island, you may find a Record of Detained Aliens and a Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry. Although these images are available at the Ellis Island Records site, the individuals in the Records of Detained Aliens and Records of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry are not indexed and you will have to serach for those names manually. Passengers who were dependants of a detained passenger were also detained, but only the number of dependants are listed in the Records of Detained Aliens; their names are not listed. More Information About the Journey Finally, by scrolling through the entire ship's manifest for a given date of arrival, one may discover that the ship stopped in several ports along the way. By examining all pages of the passenger manifest, it becomes apparent that, when the Siborowki/Skowronski family traveled to America, their ship the S.S. Graf Waldersee:

departed Hamburg, Germany (on the Elbe River) on March 13, 1903;
departed Cuxhaven, Germany (on the shore of the North Sea at the mouth of the Elbe River in Lower Saxony) on March 14, 1903;
departed Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (at the mouth of the River Liane on the Pas de Calais, a narrow bottleneck that separates the English Channel from the North Sea) on March 15, 1903;
departed Plymouth, England (in the southwest of England in the County of Devon at the mouths of the Rivers Plym and Tamar) on March 16, 1903;
and arrived in New York on March 29, 1903.

Tomorrow: More about the Record of Detained Aliens and Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry.

Detained Passengers and the Board of Special Inquiry

Steve — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 06:26:26 +0000

The Passenger Arrival Manifests that listed Antoni Siborowski and his family showed that several of the passengers were detained or held for review by a Board of Special Inquiry. Why were these actions taken? The passengers listed on lines 1-3 were Justine Rode and her two children who were held for a Board of Special Inquiry, as indicated by the notation "S.I." near the beginning of the lines. The passengers listed on lines 18-23 were Antoni Siborowski and his step-family (the Skowronskis) who were simply detained, as indicated by the "X" near the beginning of the lines.

Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry

Aliens were held for Special Inquiry for a number of reasons, but the most common were "LPC" (Likely Public Charge) or "MED" (Medical), both of which might give officials reason to believe that the immigrant would not be able to support himself or his dependents. There were many other reasons for Special Inquiry, however. Sometimes, on the far left of the form was listed the age and sex of the individual, such as "40f" for a 40-year-old female. This notation was not made on the form shown, however. Then a sequential index number was listed, followed by the passenger's name and a cross-reference to the main passenger list Group (Page) and Number (Line Number). The number of persons, cause of detention, time of detention, name of inspector is listed next, followed by the Action of the Board (Excluded, Rehearings, Admitted), Deportation Information, and Meals Served. Someone who was excluded could appeal the ruling and obtain supporting information from friends and family, such as was the case of Hocher Bodner. Justine Rode and her children (number 1 on this list) were finally admitted to the United States, although they had been detained as being Likely Public Charges for about nine days before being admitted. Passengers numbered 3 & 4 were not so lucky. They were deported.

Record of Detained Aliens

On the left side of this form, the Group (Page) and Number (Line Number) of each detained alien is recorded and cross-references the Page and Line Number on which the alien is recorded in the main list. In the middle of the page, the Cause of Detention is listed. These entries indicate if the passenger was waiting for someone, such as a husband or brother, to meet them. In general, women and minors were not permitted to travel alone unless someone was expecting them. The Cause of Detention in these cases was listed as "to husb" (to husband) or "to bro" (to brother). If the individual did not have the money to purchase a fare to his or her final destination, the Cause of Detention might read "to tel $", meaning a telegram had been sent to a friend or relative asking for funds for transportation. Furthermore, a time listed in the Cause column indicates the time of day when the passenger was detained. The list of meals at the far right allowed immigration officials to charge steamship companies for the cost of meals for detained aliens, since the steamship companies were responsible for their passengers until the passengers were admitted into the United States. Antoni Siborowski and his family were detained because there was no boat, but were admitted the next day. The reason "no boat" is significant is that immigrant ships did not dock at Ellis Island itself, but anchored nearby and the passengers were transported to Ellis Island in smaller boats. Perhaps Antoni and his family arrived on a particularly busy day. I can't imagine how they felt to be told that they had to stay on board the Graf Waldersee for another day after a long, arduous trip, first to Hamburg, and then to New York! Take a second look at your ancestors' passenger manifests and perhaps you can learn more about their journey than you knew before!

Siborowski Detained 1

Steve — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 07:25:24 +0000

Siborowski Detained 1

Rode Special Inquiry 1

Steve — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 07:26:11 +0000

Rode Special Inquiry 1

Genealogy Message Boards

Steve — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 03:38:10 +0000

The web is full of them: internet message boards where you can post a query and wait for the responses to come pouring in. Of course, you have to find the right message board on which to post your question and you have to check back for responses. Most of all, you have to post an inquiry that someone can answer. Years ago, when I was still a newbie to both genealogy and the internet, I found some interesting message boards for Poland that I thought would be appropriate for searching for my ancestors. One of my first posts was posted to the Poland "Unknown Province" board at RootsWeb (now owned by Ancestry.com):

My grandfather, Konstante (or Konstanty or Kostanty) Niedzialkowski was born in Poland in about 1893. He lived in Worcester, Massachusetts since about 1910 and died on March 13, 1978.

Well, that message is probably a poster child for a bad post. I had posted this message in response to a post where someone was looking for the family of Julianne Majewski nee Niedzialkowski born in 1894 in Russia-Poland. Now, chances are that my family may be related to this Julianne Niedzialkowski since most Niedzialkowskis lived in the same few villages in Russia-Poland, but I never received a reply to my message. The reason is that I just stated a fact about my grandfather, without asking a question, and without providing any information about why I thought my grandfather might be related to Julianne. No wonder (in 20/20 hindsight, of course) nobody replied. There was really nothing to say about my message unless someone had information of direct relevance to my grandfather. But, I can claim naivete and inexperience for my bad post. Another example of a poorly worded post on the message boards:

I don't really know anything about my family history and was also looking for info, my last name is (surname)....

I left the surname off the message above to protect the identity of the guilty, but otherwise the message is reproduced in full. Nobody has yet replied to this message posted in May 2002. The author didn't provide enough information for anyone to know if they could help. Inquiries about specific people in specific areas at specific times may not receive a reply simply because nobody has the information you're looking for, but this shuldn't dissuade you from posting this type of query. You may just luck out and find someone who has the information you're seeking. Some types of message board queries that are likely to generate a reply are those that are looking for more general information, such as:

Help finding a certain type of record
Help with foreign language translation
Help to find a particular village/cemetery/church
Help with genealogy software
Information included in a certain type of record
Meaning of a surname

There are many, many, many genealogy message boards on the internet, and a search for something specific on Yahoo! or Google may lead you to a message board that's just right for you. Some genealogy message boards (and this is just a sampling of the many message boards available) include:

One note about the Ancestry/RootsWeb Message Boards: Ancestry has announced that some major improvements are being made to their message boards which should greatly improve the usability of those boards. If someone responds to your post either on the message board itself, or by email, it's probably courteous to post a follow-up, even if just to thank the poster for his/her comment. And read over some of the other messages posted. You may be able to help someone too! Tomorrow: How I broke down a couple of my brickwalls on the message boards!

The Lost Family of Clark Gibson

Steve — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 06:31:54 +0000

In June of 2000 I was casually searching Ancestry.com for the ancestors of my Aunt Sophie's husband, Clark Gibson. I had learned from my Cousin Mark that Clark's father was Arnold Gibson and his mother was Harriet (Hattie) McFadden and that Clark was born in Fairfield, Franklin County, Vermont on June 20, 1894. Mark also told me that my Aunt Sophie was Clark's second wife!

According to family legend, Clark married the daughter of a Scottish sea captain, the couple had two children, and then Clark's wife returned to Scotland with the two children and was never heard from again. According to the 1910 Census, Clark was living at home with his parents in Fairfield, Franklin County, Vermont. According to the 1920 Census, Clark was living in a rooming house in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. According to the 1930 Census, Clark was married to my Aunt Sophie and the family was living in Albany, Albany County, New York. Clark and Sophie's first child, Jack Arnold Gibson was born in 1923 in Albany, Albany County, New York. Based on this information, Clark and his first wife must have been married, had their children, and separated between 1910 and 1920. While I thought that Clark's first marriage and the fate of his first wife and children was extremely interesting, I figured that the story would forever remain a family legend with no chance of ever knowing what happened to Clark's first family. After all, I didn't even know the name of Clark's first wife or his children, I had no firm dates, and all I know about the family was that they returned to Scotland. Not much to go on; so I moved on to other details of Clark's life. In June 2000, I was searching Ancestry.com for information on Hattie McFadden, Clark's mother. I saw a couple of hits in the message boards and was surprised to see the following post dated May 28, 2000:

I am looking for any family connection to Hattie Fadden,my GG grandmother.She was married to Arnold Gibson and had possibly 3 children,named Clark, lewis(or louis) and a daughter with the initials A.M(possibly Anna May).Hattie was born in Sept. 1868 and died on Jan 22 1930.Her husband Arnold was born in Aug. 1861 and died on Mar 14 1928.They lived in the area of Vermont and are buried in New Jersey.

Well, son-of-a-gun! Someone else was searching for Clark Gibson's family! And he had posted this message just about two weeks earlier. Well, I decided to jump right in and post a reply:

My aunt married Clark Gibson. Clark's mother was Harriet McFadden and his father was Arnold Gibson. Clark was born in 1894 in Fairfield, Vermont and had three sisters: May, Arilla, and Adessa. I am told that there are men in the family named Lewis and Meriwether.

A few days later a reply was posted:

I believe that this is a connection to my family.Do you have any other details about your aunt (Clarks wife).I think that this was a different wife.I have an old family letter from a A.M Gibson Page...could this be one of his sisters.I also have a photograph of Hattie and Arnold's Headstone in New Jersey.Where does the name Meriwether come in? I am looking for any info. on all aspects of our family(both past and present).

My jaw dropped! Could this be a descendant of Clark Gibson and Clark's first wife? I replied immediately. Then a few hours later, another message was posted on the message board. Paydirt! Without going into too many more details, the two of us began corresponding by email. We exchanged family trees, pictures, and more information. This was indeed Clark Gibson's lost family. The thread of our original message board conversation is still available on the Ancestry/RootsWeb message board. Since that time, members of both sides of the family have traveled to visit the other side of the Atlantic and have had a very happy reunion. Tomorrow: Breaking down another brickwall on the message boards.

The Dziurzyński Brickwall

Steve — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:20:25 +0000

I have been searching for years for information on the ancestors of my paternal grandmother, Marianna Dziurzyńska. When I hired a professional genealogist in Poland to find records of my ancestors in Dubiecko, Poland, he found precious little about my grandmother, but he found enough to keep me hopeful of finding more information about these ancestors. The only record of the Dziurzyński family the researcher found in Dubiecko was the Marriage Record for Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara, my grandmother's parents. While the surname was Dziura, not Dziurzyński, the researcher was fairly confident that this was the correct couple. He also found the birth and baptismal records for two of my grandparents' children: my Uncle Jan (John) Dańko and my Aunt Zofia (Sophie) Dańko. (Note: Zofia (Sophie) Dańko was to later become the second wife of Clark Gibson, see yesterday's blog.) The record that the researcher did not find was the marriage record of my grandparents, Michał Dańko and Marianna Dziurzyńska. Recently, I searched the Ancestry.com message boards for "Dziurzynski" and "Dubiecko" and found an interesting message:

RE: Galicia/Podkarpackie/Dubiecko Author: Paulette Mackuliak My great grandmother's name was Zofia Kopacka, daughter of Tomasz kopacki and Marianna Pulinska. She was born in Silenica, Dylagowa, Poland and died in Grebocin, Turinia, Poland. Zofia married marcin Dziurzynski and had 7 children. Jan, the oldest, lived in England and put my grandmother on a boat to come to the US around 1905-1910. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Keep in touch. Email me at pmack@alltel.net. thanks.

Well, there were two positive references in this message: the village and parish of Dubiecko and the surname Dziurzynski. I sent an email and discussed the family similarities with Paulette. She told me that her Dziurzynski ancestors lived in the town of Sielnica in the Dylagowa parish and that they had changed their name from Dziura to Dziurzynski. I took a new look at the marriage record of my great grandparents, Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara. I noticed some odd notations in the margins of the record that I hadn't paid much attention to before: The bride was apparently from the Dubiecko parish, but the groom was from Sielnica (a village that wasn't in the Dubiecko parish). There is a notation about the Dylagowa parish that appears to be a record of the Banns of Marriage read "in Dylagowa as well as in Dubiecko". I was astonished! My ancestors seemed to have changed their surname from Dziura to Dziurzynski and were originally from Sielnica in the Dylagowa parish, just like Paulette's ancestors! Well, Paulette and I have kept in touch by phone and email. Our family trees don't seem to have any common ancestors, but we'd both like to search the records in the Dylagowa parish to see how we might be related. Unfortunately, these records are not available at the Family History Library, so we will either need to travel to Dylagowa or hire a professional genealogist to search the records for us. In any case, if the Dziurzyński's were from Sielnica in Dylagowa parish, perhaps my grandparents were married there, in my grandmother's home parish. That would explain why their marriage record wasn't among the Dubiecko parish records. After their marriage, they settled in my grandfather's village of Nienadowa in Dubiecko parish to begin a family. Although this brickwall isn't demolished, the information I have accumulated on the Dziurzyńskis is making more sense, and I have found a way to move forward.

Marriage of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara

Steve — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:17:56 +0000

Marriage of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara

PDF record

Steve — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:47:34 +0000

PDF record of the marriage of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara

The Marriage of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara

Steve — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:00:45 +0000

Yesterday, I wrote about a possible connection to my Dziurzyński ancestors that I discovered through the message boards. Of the 50 birth/baptism, marriage, and death records I have from the parish in Dubiecko, Poland, only three mention the Dziurzyńskis:

The marriage record of my great grandparents, Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara
The birth/baptismal record of my uncle and Godfather, Jan (John) Dańko
The birth/baptismal record of my aunt, Zofia (Sophie) Dańko

Marriage Record of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara

The marriage record of my great grandparents Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara was, as were all records from Galicia (the Austrian partition of Poland), written in Latin in a columnar format. The record, the second entry on this page, was recorded on page 229 of the register and states that:

The couple was married on September 16, 1875
The bride resided in the Dubiecko parish in house number 32
The groom was from Sielnica [in Dylagowa parish]
The groom was Jan Dziura, a farmer, son of Stanisław Dziura and Katarzyna Matowicz, a married couple who were farmers
The groom was Catholic, 37 years old and a bachelor
The bride was Magdalena Jara, widow of Jan Siwarski, daughter of Andreas Jara and Agnieszka Matwij, a married couple who were farmers
The bride was Catholic, 30 years old, and a widow
The witnesses were Jan Grzebieniak and Jan Kucz, farmers
The banns of marriage were read in Dubiecko on October 31, November 1, and November 7, 1875
The banns of marriage were also read in the groom's parish of Dylagowa on November 15, 1875
The groom resided in house number 72

This record shows that my great grandfather was from the village Sielnica in Dylagowa parish (part of the Dynów mother parish - see the previous post on The Mother Parish) and my great grandmother was from Dubiecko parish. Moreover, it shows that my great grandmother had been previously married and was a widow at 30 years of age. This record also gives the names of my great great grandparents, and shows that in 1875, the family was using the surname Dziura, not Dziurzyński. As with most of the old records I have from Poland, I cut and pasted the relevant portions of this record into a Word document and then saved the record as a PDF record of the marriage.

Birth and Baptismal Record Zofia Danko

Steve — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:49:11 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record Zofia Danko

SS-5 Sophia Gibson

Steve — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:51:29 +0000

SS-5 Sophia Gibson

Birth and Baptismal Record

Steve — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:07:22 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record - Zofia Danko

Request for A/R Action

Steve — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:41:15 +0000

Request for A/R Action

Aunt Sophie's Birth in Nienadowa

Steve — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:00:44 +0000

I was told that my paternal grandparents, Michał and Marianna Dańko, had three children in Galicia before they emigrated from the area. I have been able to find the birth/baptismal records for two of those children: Sophie (Zofia in Polish) and John (Jan). The third child remains a mystery. I was told that his name was Charles (Karol) and that he died in Galicia at age 4, but I have not located a birth/baptismal record for him. My Aunt Sophie is the eldest child for whom I have an original, primary record. The discovery of her birth/baptismal record in the church records from Dubiecko established the date and place of her birth with greater certainty than I had from any of the other records I had for her. The birth date recorded on her birth/baptismal record was January 12, 1901.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Dańko

However, the date that I obtained from various sources differed:

January 12, 1901 (Birth and Baptismal Record - Church Record)
About 1901-1902 (Passenger Manifest - 7 years old on May 24, 1909)
About 1902-1903 (1910 Federal Census - 7 years old on April 15, 1910)
About 1900-1901 (1920 Federal Census - 19 years old on January 1, 1920)
About 1899-1900 (1920 Federal Census - 30 years old on April 1, 1920)
January 14, 1902 (Family History written one of my aunts)
January 14, 1900 (Information from Sophie's descendants)
About 1899-1900 (Birth Record for Jack Arnold Gibson - 23 years old on November 10, 1923)
About 1899-1900 (Birth Record for Mary Gibson - 28 years old on August 25, 1928)
January 14, 1900 (Social Security Record - not the SS-5, but from the Social Security Administration - it's difficult to read, but it appears to be a Request for A/R Action)
January 14, 1903 (Social Security Death Index)
About 1899-1900 (Obituary - 77 years old on October 6, 1977)
1901 (Gravestone - born in 1901)

Of the records recorded above, Zofia Dańko's Birth and Baptismal Record is the only primary record for the date of her birth, since it is the only record made at the time of the even by persons who had direct knowledge of the event. Other records may have been made by people who were present at the birth, but they were recorded much later. The Birth and Baptismal Record was recorded in Latin and states that:

The record was entered on page 57 of the Book of Births and Baptisms
Zofia was the sixth birth recorded in Nienadowa that year
Zofia was born on January 12, 1901 and baptized on January 15, 1901
Zofia's family lived in house number 207
The child's name was Zofia, she was a Catholic girl and was legitimately born
Zofia's father was Michał Dańko, son of Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa
Zofia's mother was Marianna Dziura, daughter of Jan Dziura and Magdalena Jara
Zofia's Godparents were Marcin Sowa and Aniela Bal, the wife of Onufrius Bal
Zofia was baptized by Father Gornicki (for another mention of Father Gornicki, see the blog entry on The Church in Dubiecko and What I Found There)

This record confirms the names of Marianna Dziura's parents, whose marriage record was posted yesterday. It also confirms the use of the name Dziura, rather than Dziurzyński as late as 1901. Of further interest are the other entries on page 57 of the Book of Births and Baptisms. Several other names on this page are prominent in my family history, including Sowa, Giergont, Głowacz, and Jach. I wouldn't be surprised to find out some of these other people are related to me, since a Giergont married a Głowacz, a Głowacz and a Sowa married my great grandfather Jakub Dańko, and a Jach married my great grandfather Jan Dziura.

Request for A/R Action for Sophia Gibson

The Social Security record I have for Sophia is unusual. I ordered an SS-5, the application for a Social Security Number, from the Social Security Administration. Instead of an SS-5, I received what appears to be a Request for A/R Action. I'm not exactly sure what this record is, but it may be a document generated in response to a request for Social Security benefits. If anyone can tell me exactly what this document is, please let me know.

Baptismal Record for Jan Danko

Steve — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 05:24:07 +0000

Baptismal Record for Jan Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record

Steve — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 05:48:36 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Danko

Uncle Jan's Birth in Nienadowa

Steve — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 17:00:29 +0000

My uncle, Jan Dańko, was born in Nienadowa, Galicia (Austria-Poland) and immigrated to the United States with his mother and older sister, Zofia. After he arrived in America, Jan adopted the English version of his name, John, but was more commonly known as Jack.

His date of birth varies among the sources I have:

May 2, 1905 (Birth and Baptismal Record - Church Record)
About 1907-1908 (1910 Federal Census - 2 years old on April 15, 1910)
About 1903-1904 (1920 Federal Census - 16 years old on January 1, 1920)
About 1904-1905 (1920 Federal Census - 25 years old on April 1, 1920)
May 1, 1904 (Family History written one of my aunts)
May 1, 1904 (Date provided by John's descendants)
May 1, 1904 (Affidavit for License to Marry)
May 1, 1904 (Marriage License)
1904 (Gravestone - born in 1904)

Birth & Baptismal Record for Jan Dańko

Of the records recorded above, Jan Dańko's Birth and Baptismal Record is the only primary record for the date of his birth, since it is the only record made at the time of the event by persons who had direct knowledge of the event. Other records may have been made by people who were present at the birth, but they were recorded much later. The Birth and Baptismal Record was recorded in Latin and states that:

Jan was the 21st birth recorded in Nienadowa that year
Jan was born on May 2, 1905 and baptized on May 3, 1905
Jan's family lived in house number 207
The child's name was Jan, he was a Catholic boy and was legitimately born
Jan's father was Michał Dańko, son of Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa
Jan's mother was Maria Dziurzyńska, daughter of Jan Dziurzyński and Magdalena Jara
Jan's Godparents were Marcin Sowa and Katarzyna Kijanka, the wife of Franciszek Kijanka
Jan was baptized by Father M. Czajkowski

This record lists Jan's mother as Maria Dziurzyńska, whose parents were Jan Dziurzyński and Magdalena Jara. This is the first record I found that shows that the family was using the name Dziurzyński (male)/ Dziurzyńska (female). The fact that the record shows Jan's mother's name was Maria is probably due to the fact that the names Maria, Marja, Marianna, and Marjanna were often used interchangeably in Poland.

The name Dziurzyński was repeatedly misspelled after the family arrived in America. The Birth Records for Michael and Mary Danko's children who were born in America recorded the nmae Dziurzyński as:

Dziurzynska (Statia Danko's Birth Record)
Ginsky (Bronisława Danko's Birth Record)
Dzevirzynska (Michael Danko's Birth Record)
Jusuka (Bertha Danko's Birth Record)
Jurinsko (Mary Danko's Birth Record)
Guginski (Joseph Danko's Birth Record)
Dziurzynski (Helen Danko's Birth Record)
Dziurzynski (Frank Danko's Birth Record)

I should note, however, that several of these Birth Records were transcriptions, and the errors in spelling may have occurred during transcription.

As was the case with my aunt Zofia's Birth and Baptismal Record, several other names on the same page as Jan's Birth and Baptism are prominent in my family history. These names include Sowa, Giergont, Głowacz, Bal, Pilch, Wajda, Kijanka, and Szymański.

passenger manifest

Steve — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 06:53:55 +0000

Passenger Manifest of Johann Dziurzynski and Pawel Golinski

passenger manifest 2

Steve — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 06:54:55 +0000

Second page of Passenger Manifest for Johann Dziurzynski and Pawel Golinski

passenger manifest

Steve — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 06:55:53 +0000

Passenger Manifest of Johann Dziurzynski and Pawel Golinski

Grosser Kurfurst Postcard

Steve — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 07:22:14 +0000

Grosser Kurfurst Postcard

Immigration of Johann Dziurzyński and Pawel Goliński

Steve — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 07:22:59 +0000

John Dziurzyński was the brother of my paternal grandmother. I have only two records for him, one of which is his Ellis Island Passenger Arrival Manifest. John was listed on the passenger manifest as Johann Dzurzynski and he traveled to America with Pawel Goliński. Pawel would later marry my grandfather Michał Dańko's sister, Marianna.

Postcard from the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst

The passenger manifest states that:

Johann Dzuzynski (line 10 of the manifest) and Pawel Golinski (line 11 of the manifest) traveled on the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst
They departed Bremen on May 10, 1912 and arrived in New York on May 21, 1912
Johann was 32 years old and married; Pawel was 22 years old and single
They were both farm laborers
They were both Polish citizens of Austria from Śliwnica in Galicia
Johann had a wife Karolina in Śliwnica and Pawel had a father Jan in Śliwnica
They were both traveling to 3 Moran Court in Worcester, Massachusetts
They were planning to stay with Michal Danko, Johann's brother-in-law and Pawel's friend
Johann was 5 feet 7 inches tall with blond hair and blue eyes
Pawel was 5 feet 5 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes
They were both born in Śliwnica
There is a notation on Pawel's record: 1-173622 531-36, indicating that Pawel had applied for citizenship in Naturalization District 1, and Certificate of Arrival Number 173622 had been requested on May 31, 1936

First Half of the Passenger Manifest

Second Half of the Passenger Manifest

The record holds several useful clues for my research. First, my great uncle was using the surname Dziursyński (rather than the surname Dziura) at the time he immigrated. Second, he stated that he was born in Śliwnica, not Sielnica, where I think my grandmother was born. Śliwnica is in the Dubiecko parish, but Sielnica is in the Dylagowa parish (part of the Dynów mother parish).

Harvest

Steve — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 05:47:38 +0000

Harvest

Market

Steve — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 05:48:02 +0000

Market

Witch

Steve — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 05:48:28 +0000

Witch

Women

Steve — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 05:48:55 +0000

Women

Photographs from Poland

Steve — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:01:57 +0000

For this Sunday morning, I want to share with you some of the photographs taken by Bob McCann in Kazimierz Dolny, Poland. Bob was one of the friends with whom I traveled in Poland in October 2000. Kazimierz Dolny is a picturesque village in Poland located about half-way between Rzeszów and Warszawa (Warsaw) with a thriving artists' colony and an active marketplace. Kazimierz Dolny (Lower Kazimierz) is on the Wisła (Vistula River) and is called Lower Kazimierz to distinguish it from the Kraków District of Kazimierz (formerly the village of Kazimierz) up the Vistula to the South. Because the Vistula flows from South to North, Lower Kazimierz is to the North of Kazimierz. Bob took these photos in the Rynek (town square and marketplace) and captured some wonderful shots of the people there.

Schoolchildren Bewitched

Three Friends

In the Marketplace

Harvest

As a final note, I was curious to see which posts on this blog were generating the most interest, so here's a list of the top ten posts. The current blog always generates the most web traffic, but other than the current day's entry, these are the topics that people have visited most often:

1930 Census

Steve — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:30:05 +0000

1930 Census Record for Michael Danko's Family and John Dziurzyński

1930 Census Danko

Steve — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:30:48 +0000

1930 Census Danko

Michael Danko & John Dziurzyński in the 1930 Census

Steve — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 04:33:06 +0000

My great uncle, John Dziurzyński, immigrated to the United States in 1912. He should be enumerated in the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Federal Census Records, and he should also be listed in the World War I Draft Registration Cards (1917-1918). Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a 1920 Census Record or a World War I Draft Registration for him. I did manage to find him enumerated in the 1930 census with my grandfather's family. Perhaps he wasn't living in Worcester between 1917 and 1920 and I'm just looking in the wrong place. Perhaps he returned to Galicia temporarily before coming back to Worcester in time to be listed in the 1930 Census. Or, perhaps his name was misspelled in either the records or in the indexes. Whatever the reason for his absence in two of the three likely records, he is clearly listed in the 1930 Census.

1930 Census Record for Michael Danko's Family and John Dziurzyński

The 1930 Census Record shows that:

The family lived at 19 Prescott St., Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts in Ward 3, Block No. 38. The family was in Enumeration District 14-22, Supervisors District No. 8, and is listed on Sheet No. 12A on lines 40-50. The family rented their home, paid $10 per month rent, and owned a radio. They did not live on a farm.
Michael Danko, age 53, was the head of household. He could read and write. He was born in Poland, as were both his parents. He spoke Polish before coming to the United States in 1905. He had filed his First Papers (Declaration of Intent to become a citizen) and could speak English. He worked as a laborer in a wire mill and had not served in the U.S. military.
Mary Danko, age 50, was Michael's wife. She could not read and write. She was 22 when she married. She was born in Poland, as were her parents. She spoke Polish before she arrived in America in 1910. She was an Alien, and was not employed.
The couple lived with eight of their children: John age 25, Statia age 20, Michael age 16, Bertha age 14, Mary age 12, Joseph age 10, Helen age 8, and Francis, age 6. According to the census, no one in the family, including the children attended school or college since September 1, 1929. Of the children, only John, Statia, Michael, Bertha, and Mary could read and write.
Their son John was born in Poland and spoke Polish before coming to the United States in 1910. He had filed his First Papers and worked as a laborer in a Wire Mill.
The rest of the children were born in Massachusetts, and Statia was the only one working. She worked as a machine operator in a Worsted Mill.
Michael (the father), Mary (the wife), John, Statia, Michael (the son), Bertha, Mary (the daughter), and Joseph could speak English.
John Dziuzinski, 39 years old, was Michael's brother in law. He was 22 when he was married, had not attended school since September 1, 1929, but he could read and write. He was born in Poland as were his parents. He spoke Polish before coming to the United States in 1913 and was Naturalized. He worked as a laborer for a Grinding [?] Company, but was not actually at work at the time of the census. He had not served in the U.S. military.

OK, some things here don't make much sense:

According to the birth dates I have, most of which are from original, primary sources, as of April 1, 1930 Michael should be 52 (not 53), Mary (the wife) should be 48 (not 50), John should be 24 (not 25), Statia should be 19 (not 20), and John Dziurzyński should be 49 (not 39).
Michael should have been 20 years old when married (not 25) and Mary should have been 17 (not 22).
The six youngest children should have been in school, but the census reports they were not.
Mary (the wife) could not speak English, although the census reports that she could.
Mary (the wife) and John immigrated in 1909 (not 1910). John Dziurzyński immigrated in 1912 (not 1913).
John Dziurzyński's last name is misspelled Dziuzinski.

One thing that is apparent is that John Dziurzyński was not using the surname Dziura in 1930; he also used the name Dziurzyński when he immigrated in 1912. Despite the 17 errors I found in the 1930 census, this record gives me some additional ideas of what I should look for next. Michael Danko and John Danko had filed First Papers for Naturalization before 1930. John Dziurzyński had become a citizen before 1930. I should look for these records, since they may provide additional information about the family.

ALERT! Access to Vital Records Threatened

Steve — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 07:01:30 +0000

I just read on the Genealogue that the Massachusetts legislature is considering legislation to severely restrict access to vital records in Massachusetts. Three bills are being considered, H-3642, H-3643, and H-3644. The most concerning of these is H-3643 which proposes to restrict all birth records and indexes after 1915 and all marriage and death records and indexes after 1955. The Massachusetts Genealogical Council is urging concerned citizens to write, e-mail, and call Massachusetts legislators to recommend a vote against these bills. Public access to vital records has been guaranteed in the Massachusetts Body of Liberties since 1641 (see item #48 in the Massachusetts Body of Liberties), but may soon be revoked if these bills pass. These bills are being pushed for passage in the next two weeks. Genealogists have both a legitimate reason to access vital records and also a legitimate need to access vital records. Vital records are some of the best original sources of primary information available and restriction of access to these records threatens both the quality of genealogical research and the ability to conduct genealogical research at all. Since public access to vital records is being threatened more and more by legislators seeking to prevent identity theft, the time has come to educate public officials about the value of genealogical research to families seeking to understand their heritage and to the general public seeking to preserve the history of their communities and the nation. This is a call to arms. Or in the case of genealogists, perhaps this is a more a call to the computer. Take a few minutes to write. Even one e-mail message can make a difference by planting a new idea in the mind of someone with the political power to make a change. And don't forget to mention your children, your grandchildren, and your nieces and nephews in your message. After all, the action we take today affects them, too.

Dziurzynski family

Steve — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:33:53 +0000

Dziurzynski family

Family Record Sheet

Steve — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:35:57 +0000

Family Record Sheet

Paulette's Dziurzyński Ancestors

Steve — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:01:19 +0000

When I was searching the Internet for connections to my Dziurzyński ancestors, I came across some information posted by Paulette Mackuliak who was searching for her Dziurzyński ancestors in the same part of Poland where my ancestors lived. I also found a reply from Georgia Dziurzynski whose husband's Dziurzynski ancestors were also from southern Poland. Paulette and I exchanged some information on our ancestors.

Steve Danko's Dziurzyński Ancestors

Generation No. 1

1. STANISŁAW DZIURA was born in Galicia (Austria Poland). He married KATARZYNA MARTOWICZ. She was born in Galicia (Austria Poland)

Child of STANISŁAW DZIURA and KATARZYNA MARTOWICZ is: 2. i. JAN DZIURA, b. Abt. 1838, Sielnica, Dylągowa Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland).

Generation No. 2

2. JAN DZIURA was born Abt. 1838 in Sielnica, Dylągowa Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland). He married MAGDALENA JARA 16 Nov 1875 in Dubiecko Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland), daughter of ANDRZEJ JARA and AGNIESZKA MATWIEJ. She was born 22 Jan 1845 in Nienadowa, Dubiecko Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland).

Children of JAN DZIURA and MAGDALENA JARA are: i. MARIANNA DZIURZYŃSKA, b. 14 Aug 1881, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 08 Sep 1969, Albany, Albany Co., New York. ii. JAN DZIURZYŃSKI, B. Abt. 1881, Galicia (Austria Poland); m. KAROLINA UNKNOWN, Abt. 1903. iii. MARCIN DZIURZYŃSKI. iv. ROZA DZIURZYŃSKA.

Paulette Mackuliak's Dziurzyński Ancestors

Generation No. 1

1. MICHAŁ DZIURZYŃSKI He married ZOFIA RADON.

Child of MICHAŁ DZIURZYŃSKI and ZOFIA RADON is: 2. i. MARCIN DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 28 Aug 1860, Dylągowa, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 1941, Grębocin, Poland.

Generation No. 2

2. MARCIN DZIURZYŃSKI was born 28 Aug 1860 in Dylagowa, Galicia (Austria Poland), and died 1941 in Grębocin, Poland. He married ZOFIA KOPACKA 10 Feb 1886 in Dylągowa, Galicia (Austria Poland), daughter of TOMASZ KOPACKI and MARIANNA PULINSKA. She was born 04 May 1863 in Sielnica, Dylągowa Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland), and died 1934 in Grębocin, Poland.

Children of MARCIN DZIURZYŃSKI and ZOFIA KOPACKA are: i. JAN DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 07 Dec 1888, Galicia; d. 04 Jul 1980, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, England, United Kingdom. ii. PAULINA DZIURZYŃSKA, b. 28 Jun 1889, Sielnica, Dylągowa Parish, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 30 May 1961, Iselin, Indiana Co., Pennsylvania; m. MICHAEL SWALGA, 22 Jul 1912, Iselin, Indiana Co., Pennsylvania. iii. WLADYSŁAW DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 24 Jun 1894, Dylągowa, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 07 Oct 1961, Toruń, Poland. iv. LUDWIK DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 28 Aug 1896, Dylągowa, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 15 Nov 1968, Toruń, Poland. v. CECYLIA DZIURZYŃSKA, b. 12 Jan 1900, Dylągowa, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 11 Jul 1963, Grębocin, Poland. vi. KAROL DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 20 Apr 1902, Zawada, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 14 Aug 1960, Cieszyn, Poland. vii. WIKTOR DZIURZYŃSKI, b. 15 Sep 1906, Sanok, Galicia (Austria Poland); d. 19 May 1940, Ostaszkow, Russia.

The Family Record Sheet Paulette sent me is provided below. Notice the comment in the upper right hand corner zmiana nazwiska z "Dziura" 28.10.1915 meaning change of surname from "Dziura" October 28, 1915.

As Paulette and I discovered after several emails and a telephone conversation, our ancestors shared the same surname and at least some lived in the same village of Sielnica and attended the same church in Dylagowa. In addition, my ancestors changed their name from Dziura to Dziurzyński sometime between 1901 and 1905 and Paulette's ancestors changed their name from Dziura to Dziurzyński on October 28, 1915. Finally, the surname Sowa appears in family records in both of our families. Paulette and I have not discovered any direct connections between our families, but our Dziurzyński ancestors lived in the same small village in Galicia at the same time. A search of the Dylagowa church records may reveal clues to both of our ancestors and may even show evidence of a common ancestor. And so, the search continues.

Miednoye Tver

Steve — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:30:06 +0000

Miednoye Tver

Memorial Sign

Steve — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:30:44 +0000

Memorial Sign

NKVD Tver

Steve — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:31:03 +0000

NKVD Tver

Wiktor Dziurzyński and The Katyn Forest Massacre

Steve — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 16:40:08 +0000

A synopsis of the events surrounding the Katyn Forest Massacre in which Wiktor Dziurzyński was murdered

Sign on the Road near Katyn "Memorial to the Polish Officers Who Perished in Katyn"

On August 23, 1939 the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed by Germany and the Soviet Union. Formally, the pact was a non-aggression agreement between the two countries, but it also contained a secret protocol that gave Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and eastern Poland to the Soviet Union and gave western Poland to Germany. On August 25, 1939 the Agreement of Mutual Assistance between the United Kingdom and Poland was signed. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded western Poland. On September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland. Even though the Soviet Union had not declared war against Poland and Poland's armed forces were instructed not to engage the Soviet troops, the Soviet Union began rounding up officers and reservists in the Polish military, policemen, legal and administrative officials and their families. The Soviets then transported the prisoners to detention camps. In particular, the 15,105 Polish military officers, including about 44.9% active officers, 55% reservists, and 0.1% retired officers, were transported to special detention camps at Kozielsk, Starobielsk, and Ostashkov in the Soviet Union.

Memo from L. Beria to Stalin

On March 5, 1940, these prisoners were declared to be "hardened and uncompromising enemies of Soviet authority". A memo from L. Beria to Stalin proposed to execute the prisoners by shooting. The handwritten signatures across the face of the document are Stalin and politburo members Kliment Voroshilov, Vyacheslav Molotov, and Artem Mikoyan. In the left margin are the signatures of Mikhail Kalinin and Lazar Kaganovich. An English translation of the memo is available. In April and May 1940, the prisoners were transported to three execution sites: Katyn, Miednoye, and Kharkov, where they were murdered and buried in mass graves.

NKVD Headquarters in Tver

On June 22, 1941, Germany violated the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and invaded the Soviet Union. On April 13, 1943, the Nazis announced the discovery of the mass graves of Polish Officers at Katyn and blamed the Soviets. The immediate response of the Allies was that the announcement was propaganda. On April 17, 1943, the Polish government in exile in London requested that the International Red Cross be sent to investigate the graves in the Katyn forest. On April 25, 1943, in response to the Polish government's request for the International Red Cross to investigate the mass graves, the Soviet Union severed relations with the Polish government, claiming that Poland had sided with Hitler's government. On April 26, 1943, Tadeusz Romer, Poland's Ambassador to Moscow, was invited to V. Molotov's office where Molotov read a message, informing Romer that relations between the Soviets and the Polish government were being severed. Romer returned the message to V. Molotov, stating that the conduct and intentions of the Polish government, as stated in the message, were contrary to fact. In October 3, 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev handed over to Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski documented evidence that the NKVD was responsible for the deaths of the Polish Officers at Katyn.

Wiktor Dziurzyński

The names of those Poles interred at the Soviet Union's prisoner-of-wars camps can be searched online at the Indeks Represjonowancyh (Index of the Repressed). The name of Paulette Makuliak's great uncle, Wiktor Dziurzyński, is among them. He was interred at Ostaszkov and murdered at the Miednoye Forest near Tver, probably between March 1 and June 5, 1940.

Miednoye Forest Burial Site near Tver

Additional Resources A video entitled Reminiscencie o Katynu (Reminiscences about Katyn) can be viewed on the web. The audio is in Polish, but the video speaks for itself. The U.S. House of Representatives issued a Report Concerning the Katyn Forest Massacre in 1952 and reprinted the report in 1988. In 1990, Małgorzata and Krzysztof Ruchniewicz published an article entitled Die sowjetischen Kriegsverbrechen gegenüber Polen: Katyn 1940 in Wett/Überschär, Kriegsverbrechen im 20, Jahrhundert, Darmstadt 2001, pages 356 to 367. An English translation is available on the internet and is entitled The Soviet War Crimes against Poland: Katyn 1940. Louis FitzGibbons published an article entitled "Hidden aspects of the Katyn massacre: 'The lost 10,000'." in the Spring 1980 issue of The Journal of Historical Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, page 31.

Wictor Dziurzynski

Steve — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 17:45:26 +0000

Wictor Dziurzynski

A Forgotten Odyssey

Steve — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:00:26 +0000

The documentary film, A Forgotten Odyssey, describes the invasion of Poland by the Soviet Union on September 17, 1939 and the consequences of that invasion. The truth is, the odyssey of the Polish people after the Soviet occupation was not forgotten. It was hushed up by the West.

Warsaw Memorial to the Villages Overrun by the Soviets

As the Soviets rounded up the officers of the Polish military to be later executed in the Katyn Forest Massacre, 1.7 million Polish citizens including the families of the officers, shopkeepers, and even entire villages that resisted Soviet authority were herded onto cattle trains and sent to Siberia, Kazakhstan, and remote regions of Russia. The people were packed into train cars with a nothing but a cast iron stove in the middle of the car. Food and water were infrequently offered, and no lavatory facilities were available. To relieve their bladders and their bowels, they were provided only with a small hole in the floor of the train car. One survivor recalled that her grandmother became ill on the trip. No medical attention was provided and her grandmother died. Their captors tossed the body of her grandmother into a ditch and the train moved on. When the captives reached their various destinations, they were put to work at hard labor, still without adequate food, water, or medical care. In at least some cases, the captives had to kill wild animals on the steppes. But in a hostile environment wild game was scarce; some of the captives were reduced to catching steppe rats for food. One man recalled that he was assigned to work in the bitter cold at night, and that to stay warm he would splash water on his clothes. The water would freeze almost immediately into a hard shell, and the icy shell helped keep him warm. After the Germans betrayed the Soviets and invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, Britain convinced the Soviets to offer amnesty to the Poles and allow them to form a Polish Army to fight Hitler. The Soviets allowed a number of the Poles to travel to Iran where the Allied forces were moving war supplies to the Eastern Front. The difficult journey to Iran through inhospitable territory may have been the greatest trial the refugees had yet faced. By the time the Poles reached Iran, they were starving, but they were generously received and fed by the American and British soldiers there. They were not, however, allowed to speak of their treatment at the hands of the Soviets, lest they offend the Soviet Union, the new ally of America and Britain.

On the Railroad Ties are the Names of the Villages Overrun by the Soviets

Many of the Polish refugees who reached Iran entered the military service to fight alongside the Allies, not realizing that the Allies had already agreed to turn the eastern half of Poland over to the Soviet Union. At the conclusion of the war, these soldiers found they had won the war, but had lost their home. Over 110,000 of them and their families emigrated to England, and the rest relocated to other parts of the world. Of the 1.7 million Poles sent to the work camps in the Soviet Union, only about 500,000 are known to have survived. Many of the survivors tried to forget these horrible years and later in life refused to talk about the experience at all. In all, over 6 million Poles died during World War II at the hands of the Germans or the Soviets.

Crosses 1

Steve — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:51:19 +0000

Warsaw Memorial to the Eastern Poland Villages Overrun by the Soviet Union

Crosses 5

Steve — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:51:41 +0000

Warsaw Memorial to the Eastern Poland Villages Overrun by the Soviet Union

In the News

Steve — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 23:59:43 +0000

I'm taking a National Institute for Genealogical Studies class that ends tomorrow, and so I'm spending most of my time today finishing up on the last few assignments. Here are a few recent news articles of some genealogical interest. As some people have already noticed, I was briefly mentioned in the Wall Street Journal Article! Jessica E. Vascellaro, "New Ways to Dig for Your Roots Online", The Wall Street Journal, June 22, 2006, page D1

"While family-history aficionados have for years been able to hunt down batches of records (often with the help of subscription-only services available through libraries and schools), new services put such sources right at consumers' fingertips and in one place. FamilySearch.org, a free site, says its recent efforts to digitize billions of reels of microfilm will allow consumers to access sources from their desk. Previously, the site could often only tell users how to find the relevant microfilm." [Read more]

Craig Wilson, "Death is the Story of Their Lives", USA Today, June 22, 2006, page 1

"There are obit websites (obitpage.com), obit clubs (Friends of Obits in Atlanta), obit blogs (obituaryforum.blogspot.com), even obit-writing classes, so you can write your own before you go. If that's not enough, a new magazine, appropriately titled Obit (obitmag.org), is expected to launch in January, and Marilyn Johnson's The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries received rave reviews this spring. Part memoir, part history, part how-to, the book has been described as everything from charming to lively." [Read more]

Benjamin Pimentel, "Finding family. Online census data is genealogy treasure trove", San Francisco Chronicle, June 22, 2006, page C1

"The thrill of being able to go online, and finding information in five minutes -- you can see what an incredible difference it makes," said Lou Szucs, Ancestry.com's chief genealogist. "There is something very magical when you find your family in the census. You want more and more. It's very addictive." [Read more]

Jim Herron Zamora, "ALAMEDA. DNA workshop upends notion of race for many. Students learn true genetic heritage and debunk family tales", San Francisco Chronicle, June 11, 2006, page B1

"My father always made a big deal out of saying my grandmother was 100 percent Fox Indian," said Davis, who tested as 96 percent European, 3 percent African and 1 percent Native American. "Well, it turns out that isn't true. Not at all." [Read more]

Barb Poole on Podcasts

Steve — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 20:21:22 +0000

Today, I'm pleased that Barb Poole has written another GuestBlog for this site! Thanks again for your contribution Barb!

Podcasts, what are they? Ok, let's get the definition of Podcast out of the way first. According to my question to www.ask.com, I wrote "What does Podcast mean?" They reply was short and to the point. Podcast means A sound file distributed by a podcasting server. I don't think we need to worry about the server, but a sound file I do understand. Just be sure to have your sound turned on! Googling the words Podcast + genealogy, generated 400,000 hits on June 24, 2006. I suspect that list will grow as time goes on. This does not mean there are 400,000 separate podcasts; some of the more popular sites are mentioned in different blogs or web pages, so the same podcast could be mentioned several times. To find a more specific site, you can add more words in your search engine, subjects such as Italian, Canadian, organizing, filing, or Polish (the words podcast + genealogy + Polish will give you Steve Danko's blog. I am only going to discuss two of the well known genealogy podcasts. The first one listed below has been around for quite a long time, and the second much more recent. Each is uniquely different. One has just the sound of the speakers; the other has visuals to go along with the lecture. There are many other podcasts out there; you should be able to find some which meet your needs. A very popular podcast is http://www.genealogyguys.com/ in which George G. Morgan and Drew Smith discuss news items, have interviews and answer listener's mail. There is also a short advertisement from their sponsor. The two interact well with one another, and a discussion outline is provided as well. Their voices are soothing to listen to, and it is a joy to listen to them while doing something else, either at the computer or away from the computer. One of the first podcasts I listened to was through the New England Historical Genealogical Society (NEHGS) web site: http://www.newenglandancestors.org/. The lecture was called Who Was Your Mother's Mother's Mother's Mother? by Julie Helen Otto, a genealogist at the Society. This is a free lecture, and technically is a Macromedia presentation, not a podcast. Listening to this was like being in a lecture hall, as there were slides & graphics, as well as an outline and the length of time shown for each topic (you always knew how much time was left). In addition, It is very easy to press replay or skip a topic. On another note, I know Julie personally and was very impressed with her lecture, I must tell her that. If the icon for this lecture is not on the home page (it will probably be removed when the next new lecture is posted), just go to the Education Center tab and you will see archived lectures, including several for Getting Started in Genealogy. I am thinking that this might be the future for some genealogy seminars at conferences. Instead of purchasing the lecture on a tape cassette, you would pay for the lecture when you download it. The last large conference I attended, I ordered a set of 9 cassettes (you normally can't attend each lecture you want to hear as there are too many being held at the same time), and so buying them was the next best thing. The worst thing was having to wait around after the lecture for the cassettes to be copied. Then you had to carry them home in an already stuffed suitcase! It should be noted that Podcasts are not just for genealogists, people in other professions use them too, but of course we like to think they were developed just for us, as were blogs, emails, message boards, chats and computers!

The Key to Long Life

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:02:45 +0000

I already had plans on what to write today, but I saw this article and quickly changed my plans.

"The chances of living to the ripe old age of 100 -- and beyond -- nearly double for a child born to a woman before her 25th birthday, Drs. Leonid Gavrilov and Natalia Gavrilova reported. The father's age is less important to longevity, according to their research." [read more]

I guess that leaves me out!

Changes at MyFamily.com

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:27:13 +0000

Many genealogists have noticed the recent changes at Ancestry.com. Is this a clue as to a possible reason why?

"Sullivan, former CEO of online dating service Match.com, joined Ancestry.com eight months ago and says his first order of business is to improve user experience in order to attract more subscribers. "I was attracted to the services provided by MyFamily.com. The family history research market is significantly larger than that of online dating, and Ancestry.com addresses a universal interest. Since this market hasn't been fully tapped, there's significant opportunity to grow markets here and overseas." " [read more]

More on Podcasts

Steve — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:52:40 +0000

Purists might define podcasts very narrowly as audio files that can be captured and played on a digital audio player. Podcatchers such as iTunes and Juice can be used to automatically download podcasts and transfer those files to a digital audio player such as an iPod or the MobiBLU DAH-1500i ("the cube"). Personally, I don't own a digital audio player. I manually download podcasts, use Roxio CD Creator to create a music CD and burn the podcast onto a CD. After that, I just play the audio CD on my car stereo to help make it through the long commute. Since Barb Poole wrote about podcasts the other day, I thought I'd throw in my 2-cents worth and list three podcasts in addition to the ones she mentioned. New episodes appear fairly regularly on these sites. A recent addition to the podcast scene is the Genealogy Tech Podcast, concentrating on the technology side of genealogy. Bill Puller posted his first episode on June 10, 2006 and has posted four episodes so far on 1- Choosing a Web Browser, 2- Protopage, 3- A9.com, and 4- Map Builder. His voice reminds me of Stephen Hill from public radio's Music from the Hearts of Space, and if you've heard Hearts of Space, you know that can't be bad. Dick Eastman occasionally throws a podcast into Eastman's Online Genealogical Newsletter; the most recent podcast entitled Excavating Grandma's Privy for Family History Data was posted on June 15, 2006. Wow! What a title to get your attention! Earlier this month, Dick's podcasts covered an interview with Liz Kerstens about Clooz 2.0 and an interview with Christine Rose about her book Courthouse Research for Family Historians. DearMyrtle publishes a podcast, but deal old Myrt has been busy with some family issues the last few months and we've been anxiously waiting for word from her. The wait is over. She published her most recent podcast on June 20, 2006 including interviews with Kathy Meade on Swedish Church Records and with Denise Olsen on creating folders in Microsoft Outlook and Uninterruptible Power Supplies. DearMyrtle has posted over 30 episodes so far. I've found several other genealogy podcasts on the web, but most of them appear to have been one-time or short-lived podcasts. That doesn't mean the content is uninteresting or non-informative. Further discussion of these "orphan" podcasts will have to wait for another day.

Preparing for a Trip to the Northeast

Steve — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 06:40:05 +0000

The entries on this blog may get a little bit shorter and a little less frequent over the next couple of weeks as I prepare for my trip to the northeastern US to visit family and a little genealogy research. The plan is to visit family in Massachusetts and New York. We'll be celebrating my birthday (about a month late), and taking a few day trips. The first of the day trips will be to Howe's Caverns and Secret Caverns in New York with my nephew, Lukas. I don't get to spend time with Lukas very often, so I'm looking forward to a whole day of exploring caves with him. My cousin Chris from Florida is visiting Albany, New York, and I'll meet up with him and my cousin Helen for a trip to Worcester, Massachusetts. We plan to visit some relatives, stop in at a few cemeteries, and visit the Higgins Armory where my grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski, once worked. At the end of my trip, I'll spend a day at the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics looking up vital records for my ancestors, and finally I'll spend a day at the Massachusetts Archives in an effort to find the birth and death records for the two (unrelated) infants who share a grave with my Aunt Bronisława. So, now, I'm getting ready for my trip, making lists of relatives buried in cemeteries in New York and Massachusetts and lists of the vital records I already have so I don't duplicate my previous efforts. No matter how much time I spend getting ready for these research trips, it seems like I'm never quite ready! I'll try to makes some entries in the blog from time to time to review what genealogy discoveries I've made on this trip, but I'm not sure how often I'll have access to the internet. In any case, I hope to have some interesting experiences to relate once I return home!

Top Ten Reasons to Suspect Jasia and I Were Separated at Birth

Steve — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 04:23:06 +0000

One of the genealogy-themed blogs that I read on a regular basis is Creative Gene written by Jasia. After reading her blog for a while, I realized that we are a lot alike and am now convinced that we must have been separated at birth. Here are the top ten reasons why: 10. We are both of Polish descent and we are almost the same age. I won't be so unkind as to tell you how old we are ;-) ,though. 9. We both enjoy writing. Jasia completed a historical novel about her family history through Na No Wri Mo last November. I'm planning to write a historical novel about my family, and have been thinking about trying Na No Wri Mo this November, but I'm hoping somebody will stop me before I do something I may regret! 8. We both spend a day taking pictures and find that we've taken way too many photos of gravestones. 7. Jasia's first SLR camera was a Canon ME Super. Mine was a Canon ME. I was on a budget. Jasia received a Canon Digital Rebel XT for Christmas. I want a Canon Digital Rebel XT for Christmas. 6. Jasia enjoys reading mystery novels by Janet Evanovich, who has just released her 12th novel in the Stephanie Plum series. I enjoy reading mystery novels by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie, who has just released her 11th novel in the Sister Mary Helen series. Both Janet Evanovich and Sister Carol Anne O'Marie are published by St. Martin's Press. 5. Jasia has 17 first cousins on her father's side of the family and she is one of the youngest. I have 18 living first cousins on my father's side and I am one of the youngest. 4. Jasia's paternal grandfather died 5 years before she was born. My paternal grandfather died 2 years before I was born. 3. Jasia lives about 60 miles from Hell (Michigan). I have friends who live about 90 miles from Purgatory (Maine). I live about 190 miles from Heavenly (California). 2. We both have blonde hair (OK, my hair has been getting darker the older I get). Jasia has blue eyes (at least I think she has blue eyes from her picture). I would have blue eyes if it weren't for that pesky dominant gene for brown eyes I inherited from my maternal grandmother. 1. Jasia and I have both never met each other. Take a moment and visit Jasia's blog. On July 3, she's hosting a Carnival of Genealogy on her blog. ...And I stole the idea for a top ten list from the Genealogue, who I suspect may have stolen the idea from someone else.

Soundex Card for Frank Niedzialkoski 1920

Steve — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 02:29:28 +0000

Soundex Card for Frank Niedzialkoski 1920

The Works Progress Administration

Steve — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 02:33:34 +0000

Most genealogists are familiar with the Soundex indexes to the US Census and indexes to vital records in several states, but may not realize that the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was responsible for those accomplishments. In the later years of its existence, the Works Progress Administration was known as the Work Projects Administration. The WPA was established in 1935 by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his "New Deal for every American". As part of the relief efforts during the Great Depression, the WPA was designed to provide jobs for the unemployed. Some of the better known projects of the WPA include Camp David, Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon, and the Houston City Hall. In addition to these construction projects, the WPA also conducted the Historical Records Survey, an effort to survey and index historically significant documents. Some of the works of particular interest to genealogists are:

The Soundex Indexes to the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 U.S. Census
The Soundex Index to Naturalization Petitions for the United States District and Circuit Courts, Northern District of Illinois and Immigration and Naturalization Service District #9, 1840-1950
The Soundex Name Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1790-1906
Index to Naturalization Petitions of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1865-1957
Index to Marriage Record, Morgan County, Indiana, 1850-1941, inclusive
Index to Birth Records, Orange County, Indiana, 1882-1938, inclusive
The Salem Witchcraft papers: compiled transcripts of the legal documents of the Salem witchcraft outbreak of 1692
Dyer County, Tennessee wills
General index to records of births, marriages, and deaths, town of Berlin, Connecticut
Tyler County, West Virginia, marriages and deaths, 1853-1899
Grave stone records of Wayne County, Iowa
Record of the Greenhill Presbyterian Church, 3108 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, Delaware, 1851-1917
Inscriptions of Jewish Cemetery and small Jewish burial ground, Savannah, Georgia

The Family History Library Catalog has 992 matching titles for the keywords "Works Progress Administration", and 1003 matching titles for the keywords "Work Projects Administration". The Historical Records Survey was shut down on February 1, 1943. At that time, nearly everyone was employed because of the Second World War. My first direct experience with the fruits of the WPA's labor was in searching the Soundex cards for the 1920 US Census. The card for my great great uncle, Frank Niedzialkoski is shown below. Even though his surname is misspelled as Naedzialkosky on the card, the soundex code for Niedzialkoski and Naedzialkosky is the same!

The Uncles' Military Service

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 02:18:13 +0000

I arrived at Logan Airport, picked up a rental car and drove to Worcester, Massachusetts to visit my uncles Ray and Henry. Ray and I went to get a bite to eat and Ray started to tell me about his time in the military service. At this point, I realized that I didn't have a pen or paper with me and I particularly thought a digital audio recorder would have been useful. A little late to think of these things, I guess. When we returned to Henry's house, I grabbed a notebook and a pen and started taking notes. Ray and Henry talked mostly about World War II, but spoke about a few other things as well. Ray volunteered to join the Coast Guard. On the same day he entered the Coast Guard, the cops arrived at his house to announce he had been drafted. Ray volunteered to take training as a signalman, and was one of two men to earn a grade of 4.0. As a Signalman First Class, Ray was assigned to the Destroyer-Escort DE-325, the USS Lowe in an Atlantic convoy to the Mediterranean. It took 22 days to cross the ocean. He was later assigned to the Landing Ship Tank LST-795 and traveled to Okinawa and Iwo-Jima. At the end of the war, his ship picked up POWs in Japan. Most of the POWs were Australians who were malnourished. Henry was drafted into the Army. In the year he became eligible for the draft, he turned 18 years old in May, took his physical in June, and was drafted in July. His first assignment was to Fort Knox as a tank destroyer, and later was assigned to a troop ship in the South Pacific. It took 30 days to cross the Pacific. Still later he was assigned to the Philippines and finally he was assigned to the military police in Osaka and Kyoto, Japan. Ray and Henry's brother Fred (now deceased) entered the US Naval Armed Guard and was assigned to the Murmansk Run, delivering war supplies to the Eastern Front. All three survived the war. Tomorrow, more of what the uncles told me.

1924 Hupmobile

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 22:56:43 +0000

1924 Hupmobile

More from the Uncles

Steve — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 23:54:32 +0000

After telling me of their war experience, my uncles Ray and Henry talked about a few other details of their family life when they were young. Everyone in the family, including children and grandchildren, called my maternal grandparents "Ma" and "Pa". Ma worked for the Bancroft Hotel in Worcester. The Bancroft is now the Sheraton. She would take the bus to work in the morning. There was a cop in a "cop box" in Lincoln Square who would jump out to help her cross the street. The family was familiar with the beat cops in their neighborhood. Once, when one of the local cops died, Pa took Ray to the wake. That was the first corpse that Ray ever saw. The family lived in a triple-decker house on Huntington Avenue owned by Pa's uncle Frank Niedzialkoski. At the time they lived there, a trolley ran up and down the street and cost 5 cents a trip. Often, Ray would walk to save the 5 cents. In addition to the house on Huntington Avenue, Pa's uncle Frank owned a farm called Sky Farm in Sterling, Massachusetts. Ray, Henry, and their brothers and sisters would work on the farm during the summer. Ray remembered being very well fed. Pa owned a number of cars during his lifetime. Even though the family didn't consider themselves wealthy, they must have been better off than many of the other families in the neighborhood since they were one of the few families to own a car. Pa owned a Model T Ford. He later purchased a 1924 Hupmobile with the option of solid wheels rather than wire wheels. The Hupmobile had windows that had to be buttoned in and windshield wipers you turned by hand.

The 1924 Hupmobile

Ma and Pa owned a three decker building on Prescott Street and operated a grocery store out of the first floor in a neighborhood that included a mix of all nationalities. Their building is the only building left standing on Prescott Street today. The building was located close to the American Steel and Wire factory where the people would work from 6 AM to 6 PM. The whistle would blow at 6 PM and a stream of people would come out and walk down Byron Street and past their house. The family found ways to save money. When the children were young, Saturday was bath day. Ma would heat water on the stove and everybody would take a bath in the same water. Pa would resole their shoes himself and would make moonshine in the kitchen which he would barter with others in exchange for haircuts for the boys. The boys would go to the dump and find copper, brass, lead, and aluminum that they could sell. They would pick through the dump with 5-10 other kids and earn about $5 a week for their efforts. In hindsight, Ray marveled at the fact that they never caught serious diseases picking through the dump. Later, Pa worked for Worcester Pressed Steel. The company owned land behind the factory and the employees were given a plot for a garden. Pa had one of those plots. At the time he worked for Worcester Pressed Steel, Pa owned a Hudson. In the winter, Pa would come home at night and drain the radiator so the water wouldn't freeze. At the time, antifreeze didn't exist and so people either had to use alcohol in the radiator to prevent freezing. To save money, Pa just drained the radiator at night and refilled it in the morning. He had preferred employee parking as a machinist at Worcester Pressed Steel and so he was able to park in the company garage during the day so the radiator wouldn't freeze at work. John Woodman Higgins, the owner of Worcester Pressed Steel, opened a steel museum known today as Higgins Armory. Although Worcester Pressed Steel is no longer in business, the Armory still exists. Pa worked at Higgins Armory for a while, and Pa gave my mother a cigarette lighter in the shape of a suit of armor. I plan to visit Higgins Armory during my visit to Worcester later this week.

Howe Caverns 1

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:12:26 +0000

Howe Caverns 1

Howe Caverns 2

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:12:49 +0000

Howe Caverns 2

Howe Caverns 6

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:13:12 +0000

Howe Caverns 6

Howe Caverns 14

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:13:43 +0000

Howe Caverns 14

Howe Caverns 17

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:14:09 +0000

Howe Caverns 17

Secret Caverns 08

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:15:15 +0000

Secret Caverns 08

Secret Caverns 002

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:33:05 +0000

Secret Caverns 002

Spelunking with My Nephew

Steve — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 02:46:03 +0000

I spent a day with my nephew Lukas and we went exploring two caves that are accessible to the public in upstate New York: Howe Caverns and Secret Caverns. Here are some pictures from our trip. Howe Caverns is much more developed than Secret Caverns. Howe Caverns has a brick path on the cave floor, while Secret Caverns has a much rougher floor. In the pictures, most of the color comes from strategically placed colored lights. The natural colors of the formations range from white to tan to black with rose hues in some places.

The Tour Guide with my Nephew Lukas

Stalagmites and Stalactites in Howe Caverns Stalagmites grow from the ground; stalactites grow from the ceiling.

The Pipe Organ in Howe Caverns The tour guide hummed into a formation on the cave wall opposite this formation and it sounded like a pipe organ playing!

The Bridal Altar in Howe Caverns The heart is a piece of calcite cut in the shape of a heart and lit from below. Quite a few couples have been married here.

The Old Witch in Howe Caverns See if you can see the face of a Witch in this rock. The tour guide pointed out three different ways to see the witch.

Flowstone and Stalactites in Secret Caverns

The Elephant's Foot in Secret Caverns Lukas has just passed the Elephant's Foot.

A Brief Summary of My Trip to Boston

Steve — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 03:36:06 +0000

I'm back home now. I'm really bushed so I think I'll try to get to bed early tonight. My body clock is now 3 hours ahead of Pacific Time, so I suspect I'll be up extra early for work tomorrow! At the end of my vacation, I drove to Dorchester and checked into the DoubleTree Club Hotel. I spent most of Friday and Saturday researching my family's history at the Massachusetts Vital Records Office and the Massachusetts State Archives, both of which were within walking distance of the hotel. I spent all day Friday at the Massachusetts Vital Records Office in Dorchester. Fortunately, Massachusetts allows researchers to work onsite at the Vital Records Office, so I was easily able to find many records I couldn't find otherwise. The Vital Records Office charges $9 per hour do conduct research and $18 for a certified copy of a vital record, making research at the Vital Records Office rather expensive. I purchased 47 birth, death, and marriage records. The cost for copies of vital records onsite is $10 less than the cost to order the records by mail, so I saved quite a bit of money by ordering onsite. The staff at the Vital Records Office tried to give me computer printouts of some of the recent births, but I asked if they could give me photocopies of the actual certificates and they graciously did so. The actual certificates contain a lot more information than the computer printouts, so I'm happy that I insisted on the photocopies. With recent efforts by some members of the Massachusetts Legislature to restrict access to Vital Records, I decided it was time to get as many records as I can as soon as possible. On Saturday, I went to the Massachusetts State Archives and made copies of 7 birth records, 3 death records, and 12 naturalization records. The Archives doesn't charge for research onsite and charges only 50 cents a page for copies, so my research at the Archives was a lot less expensive than my previous day's research at the Vital Records Office. The information I found at the Massachusetts State Archives included the birth and death records for all three infants buried in the grave in Notre Dame Cemetery that I discussed in Aunt Bronisława Has Been Misplaced! It turns out that the surnames of two of the three infants were misspelled in the cemetery records. The data I complied from three birth records, three death records, and one cemetery record are:

John Kurpiel, born October 30, 1912, died December 20, 1912, buried December 21, 1912, age 1 month
Bronisława Dańko, born January 3, 1912, died January 13, 1913, buried January 15, 1913, age 1 year
Franciszek Stoma, born December 3, 1913, died August 29, 1914, buried August 30, 1914, age 8 months

I also ordered a monument for the grave, and the stone will be put into place sometime later this year. Notre Dame Cemetery pours foundations only twice a year - in May and September - so the stone can't be put into place until September at the earliest. Tomorrow, I'll call the monument company to provide them with the correct names and dates, and then I'll wait to receive the proofs of the inscription. I'm looking forward to getting monument set in place on this grave that has been unmarked for 94 years! There's a lot more to report on my vacation and research trip to the east coast. I'll post some of the more interesting records as soon as I get the photocopies scanned.

Birth Bronislawa Danko

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:04:17 +0000

Birth Bronislawa Danko

birth record

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:05:29 +0000

Bronislawa's birth record

Death Bronislawa Danko

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:06:10 +0000

Death Bronislawa Danko

The Birth and Death of Aunt Bronisława

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:14:48 +0000

My Aunt Bronisława Dańko died when she was one year old and was buried with two other infants in an unmarked grave in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts. In order to erect on monument on the grave, the cemetery requires that the names of all three infants be included on the monument. The cemetery provided the following information on the three infants:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 01 - Owner: Owner, unknown Lot - Sec-3 Lot-1464 Grv-1A-1C UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 3 3 3 3 3 1C 3 3 1B 3 3 1A 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Reserved Burial Date Age Container 1A Kurpiel, John 12/21/1912 1Month 1B Danka, Bronislawa 01/15/1913 1 1C Stonia, Franciszek 08/30/1914 8Months AAAEnd of ListAAA Perpetual Care Unpaid — No Activity Allowed Until Full Payment

Since the cemetery had misspelled my aunt's surname and did not have the dates of birth or death for any of the three infants, I set out to find the birth and death records for the children. In the blog entry Aunt Bronislawa Has Been Misplaced, I described my efforts to find the vital records for the trio. During my recent trip to the Massachusetts Archives, I found the records for all three children. The birth record of Bronisława Dańko was recorded in a ledger in January 1913, although she had been born almost a year earlier.

The Birth Record of Bronisława Dańko - 1912 In the image above, I cropped the ledger just under the entry for Bronisława, so it appears that she is the last entry on the page, but the original image included quite a few more entries below her name. The entry states that:

Bronislawa Danko was listed as entry number 961 in Massachusetts Births, volume 608, page 486
She was a female child, born in the City of Worcester, Massachusetts on January 3, 1912
Her father was Mike Danko and her mother was Mary Ginsky who resided in Worcester
Her father was a laborer
Both her parents were born in Austria
Her birth was registered in the City of Worcester in January 1913

Note that her mother's maiden name was actually Dziurzyńska, not Ginsky. This error was likely due to difficulties of hearing and spelling the polish surname or to transcription errors. The entry were made a year after the event and the family was probably not present at the time the birth was recorded in the ledger. The death record of Bronisława Dańko was recorded on a standard form which was completed at the time of death.

The Death Record of Bronisława Dańko - 1913 The Death Record states that:

Bronislawa Danko's death was recorded in Massachusetts Deaths volume 107, number 290
She was a single, white female, born in Worcester on January 2, 1912 and was 1 year, 11 days old at the time of death
Her father was Michal Danko who was born in Austria
Her mother was named Mary and was born in Austria
P. H. Nichol, M.D. attended her from January 7, 1913 until January 13, 1913
She died at 2:30 PM on January 13, 1913 at the family home at 3 Moran Court in Worcester after suffering for 6 days with broncho pneumonia
Michal Danko of Worcester was the informant
The statement of death by P. H. Nichol, M.D. was made on January 14, 1913
She was buried in Worcester on January 15, 1913 by the undertaker Lucian Karolkewicz of Worcester
The Death Certificate was filed by the registrar on January 20, 1913

Note that the date of birth on the birth record is January 3, 1912, while that on the death certificate is January 2, 1912. Tomorrow: The birth and death of John Kurpiel.

John Kurpiel birth

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:19:42 +0000

John Kurpiel birth

birth record

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:20:12 +0000

John Kurpiel's birth record

John Kurpiel death

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:20:39 +0000

John Kurpiel death

death record

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:21:06 +0000

John Kurpiel's death record

death record

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:24:26 +0000

Bronislawa's death record

The Brief Life of John Kurpiel

Steve — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 21:00:42 +0000

My Aunt Bronisława was the second of three infants to be buried in an unmarked grave in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester. The first to be buried was John Kurpiel who died when he was only a month old. Like Bronisława, he was from a Polish family and he died of broncho pneumonia. Finding his birth and death records was relatively easy, especially since Barb Poole looked up the volume and page numbers in the vital record indexes at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston. I didn't have a chance to visit the NEHGS in my recent trip to Boston (although I did have dinner on Newbury Street, just a few blocks from the NEHGS on Saturday night). John's birth record is shown below. Like Bronisława's birth record, John's record is included in a ledger and was recorded in January of the year following his birth. In John's case, his birth was actually recorded after his death. As with Bronisława's birth record, I cropped the ledger page just below John Kurpiel's entry, so John's name appears to be at the bottom of the page. The original page contained many more entries below John's.

John Kurpiel's Birth Record

The entry states that:

John Kurpiel was listed as entry number 224 in Massachusetts Births, volume 611, page 514
He was a male child, born in the City of Worcester, Massachusetts on October 30, 1912
His father was Mateus Kurpiel and his mother was Katarzyna Novak, both of whom resided in Worcester
His father's occupation was not listed
Both of his parents were born in Austria
His birth was registered in the City of Worcester in January 1913

The correct Polish spelling of the names of John's parents should be Mateusz Kurpiel and Katarzyna Nowak. John's death record is recorded on the standard form, just as Bronisława's was.

Death Record for John Kurpiel

The Death Record states that:

John Kurpiel's death was recorded in Massachusetts Deaths volume 111, number 303
He was a single, white male, born in Worcester on October 30, 1912 and was 1 month, 20 days old at the time of death
His father was Mateus Kurpiel who was born in Austria
His mother was Katarzina Novak and she was born in Austria
Peter O'Shea. M.D. attended him from December 17, 1912 until December 20, 1912
He died at 6 PM on January 13, 1913 at the family home at 161 Millbury in Worcester after suffering for 4 days with broncho pneumonia
Mateus Kurpiel of Worcester was the informant
The statement of death by Peter O'Shea. M.D. was made on December 21, 1912
He was buried in Worcester on December 21, 1912by the undertaker Lucian Karolkewicz of Worcester
The Death Certificate was filed by the registrar on December 23, 1912

Tomorrow: Adventures finding the birth and death records of the third infant.

Stoma birth record

Steve — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:12:38 +0000

Stoma birth record

Stoma death record

Steve — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:14:29 +0000

Stoma death record

death record

Steve — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:15:21 +0000

Stoma death record

Finding the Third Infant

Steve — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 19:00:39 +0000

The third infant buried with my Aunt Bronisława in a single grave in Notre Dame Cemetery was difficult to research. On the cemetery records, he name was listed as Franciszek Stonia and he was buried on August 30, 1914 at the age of 8 months. I knew nothing more about him. The Massachusetts Birth and Death Indexes for 1913 and 1914 did not list anyone by the name of Stonia. A search for the surname Stonia in Massachusetts on Ancestry.com did not yield any results. The book, Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, Second Edition by William F. Hoffman did not list Stonia, although the given name Franciszek is clearly Polish. I suspected that the name had been misspelled in the cemetery records. I searched for similar surnames such as Stania; I searched using Soundex. I still had no luck. Barb Poole went to the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) and searched for the child's name in their records and she had no success, either. I went to the Massachusetts Vital Records Office in 2005 and found that the vital records for 1911-1915 had been moved to the Massachusetts Archives. I went to the Massachusetts Archives in 2005 and found that the death records for 1911-1915 had been sent out for microfilming. I searched the birth records for 1913-1914 at the Massachusetts Archives, but I couldn't find the child. I contacted the Worcester City Clerk who told me that if I provided them with the correct spelling of the surname and $8, they would do a genealogy search for me, but they wouldn't allow me to search the records myself. I contacted the NEHGS and asked if they had the vital records for 1911-1915 and they told me that those records were not yet available to them. So, on my recent trip to the east coast, I anxiously anticipated my visit to the Massachusetts Archives, hoping that the death records for 1911-1915 had been microfilmed. When I arrived, I found that the volumes I needed to search had, indeed, been microfilmed and I jumped right in... Since I knew the child was buried on August 30, 1914, I assumed he had died a day or two before burial. Since he was buried in Worcester, I assumed he had died in Worcester. I randomly looked through the death index for 1914 and made note of the volume numbers for death certificates in which Worcester deaths were recorded. I found several volumes for 1911, selected one microfilm and fast forwarded through the records until I reached the records for August 1914. Fortunately, the records on the microfilm were in chronological order. There, on August, 29, 1914, one day before the child was buried, was the death record for Franciszek Stoma, a very close match for the Franciszek Stonia in the cemetery records. Moreover, the date of birth on the death certificate was December 2, 1913, indicating that the child was 8 months old when he died, again matching the information in the cemetery records.

Death Record for Franciszek Stoma

The death record states that:

Franciszek Stoma’s death was recorded in Massachusetts Deaths volume 111, number 38
He was a single, white male, born in Worcester on December 2, 1913 and was 8 months, 28 days old at the time of death
His father was Wauzeniec Stoma and he was born in Russia-Poland
His mother was Mary Lachowicz and she was born in Russia-Poland
S. C. Mieczkowski. M.D. attended him from August 24, 1914 until August 24, 1914
He died at 7 PM on August 29, 1914 at the family home at 105 Washington Street in Worcester as a result of Gastro Enteritis
Wawrzinie Lachowicz of Worcester was the informant
The statement of death by S. C. Mieczkowski. M.D. was made on August 29, 1914
He was buried in Worcester on August 30, 1914 by the undertaker Lucian Karolkevicz of Worcester
The Death Certificate was filed by the registrar on August 31, 1914

Some problems here are that the correct spelling of both the father's given name and the informant's given name should be Wawrzeniec (Lawrence or Loran), the informant's surname is listed as Lachowicz, suggesting that the informant may have been related to the mother, but it's possible that the informant was the father and the clerk erroneously recorded the mother's maiden name instead of the father's surname. Since the birth date was listed on the death certificate as December 2, 1913, I went to the 1913 Birth Indexes and found a Frank Stoma listed. Frank is the English equivalent of Franciszek. The child's birth record was listed in a ledger, as were the birth records for Aunt Bronisława and John Kurpiel.

Birth Record for Frank Stoma

The birth record states that:

Frank Stoma was listed as entry number 4108 in Massachusetts Births, volume 616, page 566
He was a male child, born in the City of Worcester, Massachusetts on December 3, 1913
His father was Loran Stoma and his mother was Mary Lakavic, both of whom resided in Worcester
His father’s worked in a Leather Shop
Both of his parents were born in Russia
His birth was registered in the City of Worcester in January 1914

As with Bronisława Dańko, the birth date on the birth record did not match the birth date on the death certificate. In both cases, the birth date on the death certificate was one day earlier than that listed on the birth record. the names of the child, the father, and the mother are all anglicized on the birth record. So, I was able to find the birth and death records for all three infants. In all, I've spent over three years looking for the location of the grave and the birth and death records for the three children. Tomorrow: Designing the Monument

birth record

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 22:12:14 +0000

Frank Stoma birth record

Cemetery Iconography and Designing Bronisława's Monument

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:00:26 +0000

The first burial in what would become a shared grave for my Aunt Bronisława was made in 1912. Now, 94 years later, a monument will be erected on the grave. I have thought long and hard about how to design the monument for this grave. The questions I considered were:

What iconography should be on the monument?
Should the complete dates or just the years of birth and death be included on the monument?
Should some prayer or other inscription be included?
Should anything be written on the back of the monument?

Iconography is:

the science of identification, description, classification, and interpretation of symbols, themes, and subject matter in the visual arts. -Encyclopedia Brittanica Online

In reference to cemeteries, iconography usually refers to the images inscribed on tombstones and the meanings behind those images. Modern iconography sometimes uses images that reflect important events or hobbies in the life of the deceased, such as the image of a pair of wedding rings or a picture of a man fishing. Modern iconography also extends to images of the deceased or images of the church they attended. A common icon for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) is a picture of the temple in Salt Lake City. More traditional iconography, however, may require additional interpretation. Many older icons are seldom used today. A weeping willow signifies mourning; roses represent the brevity of life; oak leaves and acorns mean a ripe old age; butterflies represent an early death. An angel trumpeting indicates the resurrection, while an angel weeping means mourning. A bird represents eternal life, and a flying bird means resurrection. Often, an icon can have different meanings for different persons. In one case, an anchor may be used to indicate hope, while in another case an anchor can mean that the deceased was a seaman. Specific types of trees can be used to mean different things: an apple tree represents love, a cypress tree means faithfulness, and an olive tree indicates wisdom. And sometimes, the icons on a gravestone mean nothing at all. Someone may have selected an image simply because they liked the image. In selecting the iconography and design for the monument for my Aunt Bronisława and the other two infants buried with her, I took into consideration the size limitations imposed by the cemetery and the style of the other monuments nearby.

Front of Monument

Because the information on three individuals could make the monument rather busy, I decided to keep the inscription simple (remember, this is a headstone for a single grave, not a grave intended for three people). I decided to include the name of each child followed by the years, not the entire dates, of birth and death. On the front I decided to include the icon of a lamb with a cross to symbolize the innocence of the children when they died and the Roman Catholic faith of the families. I also decided to include an inscription I had seen on many graves in Poland:

JEZU UFAMY TOBIE

meaning: Jesus, We Trust to You. Finally, I added the surnames of the three children to the back of the monument, so it could be easily found when approaching from either direction.

Back of Monument

While the design is not finalized, I did receive the proofs of the design today. I made a few comments and expect to receive the revised proofs in a few days. I'm rather happy with the design. For further information on cemetery iconography, check out:

George Morgan's article on Cemetery Iconography
Tomb With a View's Guide to Commemorative Motifs, Mourning Images, and Memento Mori
Pam Reid's Guide to Cemetery Art and Symbolism.

If a book-length work interests you, try:

Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Iconography and Symbolism
Soul in the Stone: Cemetery Art from America's Heartland
Graven Images: New England Stonecarving and Its Symbols, 1650-1815.

Finally, if you'd rather listen than read, check out the Halloween 2005 edition of The Genealogy Guys Podcast.

Monument Front

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:13:35 +0000

Monument Front

Monument Back

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:14:09 +0000

Monument Back

proofs

Steve — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:15:18 +0000

proofs

1930 Census

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 04:08:28 +0000

1930 Census

The Bandleader's Changing Birthdate

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 04:56:37 +0000

Earlier this week I received an email message from one of Jan Savitt's children, Devi, asking for advice on how to research Jan's Savitt's family history. We've exchanged a few messages this week so I could find out what was already known about the family and what Devi wanted to discover. Well, the problem is so interesting that I couldn't resist conducting some research of my own. Sometimes I think my interest in genealogy is a curse - I can't resist a good genealogical problem! Devi's father is Jan Savitt, a famous bandleader from the 1930's and 1940's who died suddenly in 1948 of a cerebral hemorrage while on his way to a gig in Sacramento. Searching the internet for "Jan Savitt" produces lots of hits, many of which are links to CDs of his bands. Several other internet records are brief biographies of the Jan. Online biographies usually list Jan's birthdate as September 4, 1913 in Petrograd, Russia, and describe his father as a drummer in the Imperial Regiment Band of Tsar Nicholas II. The biographies variously state that he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1914 when he was 15. The biographies state that he was invited to join the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra when he was 15, studied at the Curtis Institute and in Europe, formed a string quartet in 1936, formed his band "The Top Hatters" in 1937, and began touring in 1938. He died on October 4, 1948. So, how much of all this is true? To start, if he was born in 1913, he couldn't have immigrated in 1914 at the age of 15. To be fair, most online biographies acknowledge that Jan's birthdate is in dispute. Devi provided me with some information about her father, her uncles, and her grandparents, and armed with that information, I immediately searched the census records to see if I could confirm the information in the biographies. In 1930, Jan was living in Philadelphia with other family members.

1930 Census Record for Joseph Savitt and Family

The 1930 Census states that:

In 1930, the family was living at 6221 Pine Street in Philadelphia
The head of household was Joseph, age 60, a married white male, born in Russia, working as a motor mechanic in a motor brushes manufacturing company
Joseph's wife was Ida, age 51, a married white female, born in Russia, with no occupation listed
Joseph and Ida's son David was a 29 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a salesman in wholesale dresses
The couple's son William was a 26 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a salesman in wholesale shoes
The couple's son Jan is listed as Jay Savitt, a 22 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a musician in an orchestra
Joseph's nephew David was a 31 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a salesman in wholesale shoes
All people in the household are listed as naturalized citizens who immigrated in 1910 and spoke Jewish before coming to the United States
The family owned their home valued at $5500
The family owned a radio
None of the family members were veterans

From this record, in 1930 Jan was known as Jay Savitt, was born about 1908, emigrated from Russia in 1911, was Jewish, was single, and was working as a musician in an orchestra. Click on this link to view a PDF of the 1930 Census record for the Savitt family. Tomorrow: What do earlier census records say about this family?

PDF of the 1930 Census

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 05:00:27 +0000

PDF of the 1930 Census

1920 Census Joseph Savitt

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:37:12 +0000

1920 Census Joseph Savitt

PDF of the 1920 Census

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:37:53 +0000

PDF of the 1920 Census

1910 Census for Joseph Servetnick

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:38:35 +0000

1910 Census for Joseph Servetnick

PDF of the 1910 Census

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:39:16 +0000

PDF of the 1910 Census

Jan Savitt in the Census

Steve — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:15:49 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the 1930 US Census Record for Jan Savitt in order to discover if some of the biographical material about this famous bandleader of the 1930's and 1940's was correct. The record showed that, in 1930, Jan Savitt's name was recorded as Jay Savitt, that he was born in about 1908 in Russia, that he immigrated in 1911, was Jewish, and in 1930 was single, employed as a musician in an orchestra, and living in Philadelphia. The 1930 Census also showed that his parents were Joseph and Ida Savitt and that he had two brothers named David and William, and a cousin David. The 1920 Census Record for Jan Savitt reveals some interesting information as well.

1920 Census Record for Joseph Savitt and Family

The 1920 Census shows that:

In 1920, the family was living at 4056 [?] 62nd Street in Philadelphia (this address is close to the family's address in 1930)
The head of household was Joseph, age 48, a married white male, born in Russia, working as a dealer [?] at OA [?]
Joseph’s wife was Ida, age 40, a married white female, born in Russia, with no occupation listed
Joseph and Ida’s son David was a 19 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a cutter (could this have been in the same wholesale dress business in which he was employed in 1930?)
The couple’s son William was a 16 year old, single white male, born in Russia, working as a salesman in a department [store?]
The couple’s son Jan is listed as Jacob Savitt, an 11 year old, single white male, born in Russia, with no occupation listed, although he was in school at the time
All people in the household are listed as citizens who immigrated in 1909 (Joseph's record looks like it says he immigrated in 1902, but it could be 1909) and were naturalized in 1919 [?]
The family owned their home and, though it's difficult to read, it appears that the home was mortgaged
Though it's difficult to read, everyone in the family could read and write except for Ida

Clink on the link for a PDF of the 1920 Census Record for Joseph Savitt's family. This census record suggests that Joseph and Ida were born a little later than does the data in the 1930 Census. The immigration year listed in the 1930 Census was 1911, but in this census the immigration year was 1909. With an immigration year before 1910, a good place to look for the family is in the 1910 Census. The family does, indeed, appear in the 1910 Census.

1910 Census Record for Joseph Servetnik and Family

The 1910 Census shows that:

In 1910, the family's surname was Servetnick and was living at 235 Monroe Street in Philadelphia
The head of household was Joseph, age 36, a married white Yiddish male, born in Russia, working as a maker of feather dusters
Joseph’s wife was Ida, age 36, a married white Yiddish female, born in Russia, with no occupation listed
Joseph and Ida were married when both were 17, suggesting that they were both born in about 1874 and married in about 1891 (so they must have been married in Russia)
Ida had given birth to 5 children, but only 4 were living in 1910
Joseph and Ida’s son Morris was a 15 year old, single white Yiddish male, born in Russia, working as a maker of feather dusters
The couple's son David was a 13 year old, single white Yiddish male, born in Russia, with no occupation listed, but listed as being in school
The couple’s son William was a 10 year old, single white Yiddish male, born in Russia, with no occupation listed, but listed as being in school
The couple’s son Jan is listed as Jacob Servetnick, a 2 year old, single white male, born in Russia, with no occupation listed
All people in the household are listed as aliens who immigrated in 1909
The family owned their home and, though it's difficult to read, it appears that the home was mortgaged
Joseph and Ida spoke Yiddish, but Morris, David, and William could speak English
Joseph, Morris, David, and William could read and write, but Ida and Jacob could not

Click on the link to see a PDF of the 1910 Census Record for Joseph Servetnick's family. Here's a summary of the calculated birth years based on the 1910, 1920, and 1930 Census Records: 1910 1920 1930 Cumulative Range Joseph 1873-1874 1871-1872 1869-1870 1869-1874 Ida 1873-1874 1879-1880 1878-1879 1873-1880 Morris 1894-1895 1893-1894* 1895-1896* 1893-1896* David 1896-1897 1900-1901 1900-1901 1896-1901 William 1899-1900 1903-1904 1903-1904 1899-1904 Jan 1907-1908 1908-1909 1907-1908 1907-1909 * Data on the birth year of Morris from the 1920 and 1930 Census is from records not yet published in this Blog. A couple of observations on this information:

Jan Savitt was clearly born before the birthdate (September 4, 1913) ascribed to him in his biographies; he was most likely born between 1907 and 1909
The family most likely immigrated from Russia in 1909, in contrast to the immigration year of 1914 listed in some biographies and in contrast to the immigration year of 1911 listed in the 1930 census
The family likely became citizens in 1919; probably only Joseph went through the naturalization process and the rest of the family became citizens automatically as a consequence (derivative citizenship)
The family was Jewish and had emigrated from Russia
The family's surname changed from Servetnick (or a variant such as Sarvetnick, Serwetnick, Sarwetnick, Servetnik, Sarvetnik, Serwetnik, or Sarwernik) to Savitt (or Savit in some records such as the 1930 Census)
Jan's name was originally Jacob, but changed to Jay and later to Jan
Jan was playing in an orchestra by 1930, when he was about 22 years old, which is at least consistent with the biographies that state he was playing in the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra at the age of 14 or 15

Sarwetnik Manifest page 1

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 04:14:42 +0000

Sarwetnik Manifest page 1

Sarwetnik Manifest page 2

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 04:15:30 +0000

Sarwetnik Manifest page 2

David's manifest

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 04:49:59 +0000

David's manifest

Board of Special Inquiry

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 05:02:24 +0000

Board of Special Inquiry

Special Inquiry

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 05:03:10 +0000

Special Inquiry

The Immigration of David Sarewetnik

Steve — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 05:19:10 +0000

While searching for records on the immigration of Jan Savitt, I came across the 1911 Immigrant Passenger List for a David Sarwetnik. Much to my surprise, this individual stated on the manifest that he was going to stay with his brother J. Serwetnik at 235 Monroe Street in Philadelphia - the same address at which Jan Savitt, then known as Jacob Sarvetnick, was living. Since Jan's father's name was Joseph Sarvetnick, I concluded that David was Joseph's brother.

1911 Passenger Manifest for David Sarwetnik, Page 1

1911 Passenger Manifest for David Sarwetnik, Page 2

Click here for a PDF copy of David's manifest. The manifest shows that:

David immigrated on the S.S. Uranium which left Rotterdam on September 7, 1911 and arrived in New York on September 20, 1911
David Sarwetnik, listed on line 14, was a single, 17 year old male with no occupation
David was able to read and write, was a Hebrew from Russia and last lived in Szumsk, Russia
David's nearest relative in the country from which he came was his father Chaim Sarwetnik in Szumsk (Volhynia) Russia
David was traveling to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was planning to stay with his brother J. Serwetnik at 235 Monroe Street
His brother paid his passage and he had no cash with him, but had a ticket to his final destination
He was in good physical health, 4 feet - 11 inches tall, with fair complexion, brown hair, and brown eyes
He was born in Szumsk, Russia
David was traveling with Chaje Katzman, a 47 year old widowed woman who worked as a housekeeper
Chaje could not read or write, was a Hebrew from Russia and last lived in Szumsk, Russia
Chaje's nearest relative in the country from which she came was her brother Chaim Sarwetnik in Szumsk (Volhynia Gubernia) Russia
Chaje was traveling to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was planning to stay with her son Shaia [?] Katzman at 340 North Randolph [?] Street
Chaje's son paid her passage and she had no cash with her, but had a ticket to her final destination
She was in good physical health, 5 feet - 1 inch tall, with fair complexion, grayish hair, and brown eyes
She was born in Szumsk, Russia

Notice the marks to the left of David's name on the manifest. David was held for a Board of Special Inquiry before being admitted to the United States. Imagine how he must have felt, to have traveled all this way at age 17 and then be told that he might not be admitted and that he had to state his case before a Board of Special Inquiry!

Record of David Sarwetnik Held for Special Inquiry

Click on the link for a PDF of David's Special Inquiry Record. The Record states that:

David arrived on September 20, 1911 and his record is indicated on line 16
He was a 17 year old male, recorded in Group 7, No. 14 (this means page 7, line 14 of the manifest)
He was held alone (Chaje was not held) as a "lpc" or "likely public charge" - the officials were concerned that he wouldn't be able to support himself - although the remark "asst" indicates that someone had promised to assist him
He was excluded on September 21, but was admitted to the United States on September 22 at 2:45
While detained, the Immigration Service fed him 2 breakfasts, 3 dinners, and 2 suppers

This record leads to the tentative conclusion that Jan Savitt's grandfather was Chaim Sarwetnik, that his uncle was David Sarwetnik, that his aunt was Chaje Katzman, and that his uncle was Shaia [?] Katzman, living in Philadelphia. It also leads to the tentative conclusion that Jan may have been born or may have lived in Szumsk, Russia. Today, Szumsk (or Shumsk) in the Volhynia Gubernia of Russia is known as Shumskoye, Ternopol', Ukraine. Question: Is this David Sarwetnik the same as the David Savitt who is enumerated with Joseph Savitt's family in the 1930 Census? The immigration year is correct, although the year of birth doesn't match up exactly. Also, in the 1930 Census, David Savitt is listed as Joseph Savitt's nephew, not his brother.

WWI David Savitt Front

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:47:07 +0000

WWI David Savitt Front

WWI David Savitt Back

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:47:35 +0000

WWI David Savitt Back

David Savitt

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:48:14 +0000

David Savitt

WWI David Sarvetnick Front

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:49:02 +0000

WWI David Sarvetnick Front

WWI David Sarvetnick Back

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:49:29 +0000

WWI David Sarvetnick Back

David Sarvetnick

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:50:02 +0000

David Sarvetnick

World War I Draft Registrations of David Sarvetnick and David Savitt

Steve — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:57:42 +0000

In the 1930 Census Record for the Joseph Savitt family, there are two David Savitts listed. One is the son of Joseph Savitt and the other is listed as the nephew of Joseph Savitt. Both of these Davids registered for the World War I Draft. Joseph's son David registered on September 12, 1918 as David Savitt.

World War I Draft Registration for David Savitt

The World War I Draft Registration for David Savitt (click on the link for a PDF file) states that:

David Savitt's Serial Number was 1233 and his Order Number was 3316
David's permanent address was 1326 South Reece Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
David was 18 years old and his birthday was August 15, 1900
He was a White, Non-Declarant Alien and a citizen of Russia
His occupation was laborer and his employer was Sonia Fleischer
His place of employment was 1217 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
His nearest relative was his mother, Ida Savitt whose address was 1326 South Reece Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
He was described as short, of medium build, with brown eyes and black hair

David, who was described as Joseph's nephew in the 1930 Census, registered on June 5, 1917 as David Sarvetnick.

World War I Draft Registration for David Sarvetnick

The World War I Draft Registration for David Sarvetnick (click on the link for a PDF file)states that:

Three numbers appear on David's registration card: 708, 4829, and 37-6-1
David's permanent address was 1326 South Reece Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
David was 21 years old and his birthday was march 4, 1896
He had declared his intention to become a citizen and was born in the Valucz Guber (Volhynia Gubernia) in Russia
His occupation was shoe worker and his employer was Edwards Shoe Company
His place of employment was 12th and Wood Streets, City (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
His father and mother in Russia were dependent on him for support
He was single and of the white race
He was described as of medium height, of slender build, with blue eyes and black hair

On the 1930 Census record, this David was reported as Joseph's nephew. This may be the same David Sarvetnick whose passenger manifest reported him as Joseph's brother. On the passenger manifest, he was 17 years old in 1911, indicating he was born in 1893-1894. On the 1930 Census, he was 31 years old, indicating he was born in 1898-1899. On this World War I Draft Card, he was born on March 4, 1896. Although the dates don't match, these three records are for the same person, since the address on the Draft Card was the same as Joseph's son David Savitt, his occupation was the same as the David in the 1930 Census, his year of immigration was the same in the passenger manifest and on the 1930 Census, and his birthplace (Volhynia Gubernia, Russia) was the same on the passenger manifest and on the Draft Card. The question remains, however, is this David the brother or the nephew of Joseph? Blank World War I Draft Registration Cards are available at Ancestry.com so that you can read what the questions on the cards were. Three different cards were used during different registration campaigns:

Registration on June 5, 1917 for men born between June 6, 1886 and June 5, 1896
Registration on June 5, 1918 for men born between June 6, 1896 and June 5, 1897 with a supplemental registration on August 24, 1918 for men born between June 6, 1897 and August 24, 1897
Registration on September 12, 1918 for men born between September 11, 1872 and September 12, 1900 who had not previously registered

Men already in the military did not have to register, but all other male residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 45 were required to register, whether or not they were citizens.

Josef Sarwetnik Manifest

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:55:00 +0000

Josef Sarwetnik Manifest

PDF copy

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:55:54 +0000

PDF copy

WWI Isaac Sarvetnick F

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:56:31 +0000

WWI Isaac Sarvetnick F

WWI Isaac Srvetnick B

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:57:00 +0000

WWI Isaac Srvetnick B

PDF Copy

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 05:57:56 +0000

PDF Copy

Josef Sarwetnik and the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 06:08:26 +0000

Devi provided me with some additional information on her grandfather, Josef Sarwetnik (Joseph Savitt) that she obtained from her cousin. The information was from her grandfather's naturalization papers, which stated that Josef Sarwetnik arrived in New York on December 10, 1906 aboard the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria which departed from Hamburg. The naturalization papers also stated that he was born on December 10, 1869 in Shumsk, Russia and listed Josef's wife Ida and children Morris, David, William, and Jacob. The Petition for Naturalization was dated June 17, 1918 and provided Joseph's address as 1328 So. Reese Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

A search of Ellis Island Records produced no positive results. Likewise, using Stephen Morse's search tools for the Ellis Island Records produced no results. Since Devi knew the name of the ship and the date on which her grandfather arrived, I searched the ships lists on Stephen Morse's site. I entered the name of the ship and the arrival date and was rewarded with a link to the first page of the Passenger Manifest for the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria for passengers arriving on December 10, 1906. I searched the manifest, page by page, until I found the name Sarwetnik on one of the pages. Although a significant portion of the page was missing (including the first name of the passenger), I became confident that this manifest matched the information on Josef's naturalization papers.

Passenger Manifest for Josef Sarwetnik (1906)

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Josef Sarwetnik's Passenger Manifest. The manifest states that:

(Josef) Sarwetnik was a 38 year old married male, listed on line 22 of the manifest
He traveled on the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, departed from Hamburg on November 23, 1906, and arrived in New York on December 10, 1906
He was not able to read or write
His nationality was Russian, his race was Hebrew, and his last residence was Shumsk
Josef's final destination was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he had a ticket to his final destination, and he paid for the passage himself
He had seven and a half dollars; he had not been in the United States before
He was going to stay with his brother, Isaac Sarwetnik at 1254 [Psum] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, with light brown hair and grey eyes
His place of birth was Shumsk

Since this manifest is torn, not all of the information is available. The first name is missing and we can only assume this is Josef. His occupation is missing, the date of arrival shows December 8, 1906 overwritten with December 10, 1906. The actual date of arrival was December 10, 1906. The information on his brother Isaac is actually written on the wrong line, but we can conclude this is the correct information for our passenger by counting down the entries on the page to arrive at line 22. The street address for Isaac is hard to read. Devi had also told me that her grandfather had a brother Isaac, so this is further evidence that this is the correct manifest. I also found the World War I Draft Registration Card for Isaac Sarvetnik.

World War I Draft Registration for Isaac Sarvetnik

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for Isaac Sarvetnik from September 12, 1918. The Draft Card states that:

Isaac Sarvetnick's Serial Number was 1247 and his Order Number was 2325
He lived at 1324 South Reese Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
He was 40 years old and was born on October 25, 1878
He was white, a declared alien, and was a citizen of Russia
He was employed as a shoemaker at J. Edwards and Company at 314 North 12th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
His wife was Ida Sarwetnick who lived at 1324 South Reese Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
He was of medium height, medium build, with grey eyes and black hair

Note that Isaac's address from his World War I Draft Card in 1918 is right next door to Joseph's address from his Petition for Naturalization in 1918. Note also that both Isaac and David Sarvetnick (see yesterday's post) worked at the same shoe company. Both of these observations provide further evidence that Joseph, David, and Isaac are related. All in all, the Passenger Manifest for Josef Sarwetnik appears to be the correct manifest. However, Josef arrived alone in 1906 but his son Jacob was born in Russia in 1908. Furthermore, the family reported on the 1910 Census that they immigrated in 1909. Did Josef return to Russia, sire a son, and return to Philadelphia in 1909? If so, there should be another Passenger Manifest to document the arrival of the family in 1909. As yet, we have not found this manifest.

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

Steve — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 06:17:40 +0000

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

1930 Morris Savitt

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 04:33:13 +0000

1930 Morris Savitt

PDF

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 04:33:59 +0000

PDF

1930 Morris Savitt

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 04:34:55 +0000

1930 Morris Savitt

PDF

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 04:35:44 +0000

PDF 1930 Morris Savitt

Where's Morris?

Steve — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 05:04:38 +0000

Jan Savitt's older brother Morris was listed with his parents and brothers in the 1910 US Census, but was missing from the enumeration of the same family in 1920 and 1930. So, where was he? In 1920, Morris is listed as head of household in a different house.

1920 US Census Record for Morris Savitt and Family

Click on the link for a PDF copy of this census record. The 1920 US Census Record for Morris Savitt and family shows that:

Morris Savitt was living at 5535 Pemberton Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Morris was a married white male, 26 years old, and born in Russia
He owned his house; the house was mortgaged
He immigrated in 1907 and was an alien
His native tongue was Yiddish, he could read and write, and he could speak English
He was employed as a shoe worker in a shoe factory
Morris' wife was a married white woman named Sarah who was 20 years old and born in Russia
She immigrated in 1906 and was an alien
Her native tongue was Yiddish, she could read and write, and she could speak English
She was not employed
The couple had a daughter Tillie who was a single female 1 6/12 years old, born in Pennsylvania
A boarder named Isaac Bronstrin [?] lived with them

In 1930, Morris had moved.

1930 US Census Record for Morris Savitt and Family

Click on the link for a PDF copy of this census record. The 1930 US Census Record for Morris Savitt and family shows that:

Morris Savitt was living at 5544 [?] Chester Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Morris was a married white male, 34 years old, and born in Russia
He was 22 years old when first married
He rented his house for $80 a month
He immigrated in 1908 and was naturalized
His native tongue was Yiddish, he could read and write, and he could speak English
He was employed as a cutter in a meat store
Morris' wife was a married white woman named Sarah who was 30 years old and born in Russia
She immigrated in 1908 and was naturalized
Her native tongue was Yiddish, she could read and write, and she could speak English
She was not employed
The couple had a daughter Thelma who was a single female 11 years old, born in Pennsylvania, who was attending school, could read and write, and could speak English
The couple had a daughter Lillian who was a single female, 9 years old, born in Pennsylvania, who was attending school and could read and write
The couple had a son Robert who was a single male, 3 years old, born in Pennsylvania

So, by 1920 Morris had married and started a family. The immigration information in the 1910 Census showed that he immigrated in 1907, 1908, and 1909. He was naturalized between 1920 and 1930. The information in the 1930 census indicates that he and Sarah were married in 1917 or 1918. Based on information in the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census records, Morris was born between 1893-1896, Sarah was born between 1899 and 1900, Thelma (Tillie) was born in about July 1918, Lillian was born between 1920 and 1921, and Robert was born between 1926 and 1927.

World War II Draft Cards for David and Morris Savitt

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:30:44 +0000

The last two records for the Savitt family I was able to find are the World War II Draft Registration Cards for David and Morris Savitt. These cards are from the "Old Men's Draft" described in a previous post. These are the Draft Registration Cards for the Fourth Registration conducted in 1942 and include men born between 28 APR 1877 and 16 FEB 1897.

David Savitt's World War II Draft Registration Card

Click on the link for a PDF copy of David Savitt's World War II Draft Registration Card. David's Card states that:

David Savitt's Serial Number was U192
He lived at 5807 Hazel Ave., Phila., Pa. and his mailing address was the same
His telephone number was She. 0689
He was 46 years old and was born on Mar. 4, 1896 in Russia
A person who would always know his address was Mr. Frank Meingort, 5807 Hazel Ave., Phila., Pa.
His employer was Mayfair Leather Co., 1308 Vine St., Phila., Pa

Morris Savitt's World War II Draft Registration Card

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Morris Savitt's World War II Draft Registration Card. Morris' Card states that:

Morris Savitt's Serial Number was U1176
He lived at 5961 Belmar Ter., Phila., Penna. and his mailing address was the same
His telephone number was Sar. 7149
He was 46 years old and was born on Sept. 28 1896 in Sumk, Russia
A person who would always know his address was Sarah Savitt, 5961 Belmar Ter.
He was self-employed at his home address

Based on the birthdate of David, I assume this David is the brother or nephew of Joseph Savitt. Morris is the son of Joseph Savitt. These cards also have information on the reverse, but the way the cards were digitized, I could not obtain the reverse side of the cards. When I'm in Salt Lake City next, I'll copy the reverse sides of these cards.

WWII David Savitt

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:19:31 +0000

WWII David Savitt

PDF

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:20:00 +0000

PDF David Savitt WWII

WWII Morris Savitt

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:20:26 +0000

WWII Morris Savitt

PDF

Steve — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:20:55 +0000

PDF Morris Savitt WWII

A Brief Biography of the Joseph Sarvetnick Family

Steve — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 06:12:01 +0000

With all the research I've conducted on the family of Jan Savitt over the past 12 days, I thought I'd put it all together to write a bit of a biography of the family. In addition to the information I've published on this Blog, I've read some biographical information published in books and reference materials and I've found some other data in online indexes, the census, and newspapers, so I have a good amount of background material.

THE FAMILY OF JOSEPH SARVETNICK

Joseph Sarvetnick was born in Shumsk, Russia. At the time Joseph lived there, Shumsk was located in the Volhynia Gubernia (Governate or Province) of The Russian Empire. Prior to January 23, 1793, this region was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but was annexed to Russia during the Second Partition of Poland. Today, Shumsk is known as Shumskoye, located in the Ternopil' Oblast (Province) of western Ukraine. Shumskoye is east of Poland, south of Belarus, and north of Romania.

The Sarvetnick family was Jewish and, in fact, most of the shtetl of Shumsk was Jewish at the time they lived there. In 1897, the population of Shumsk totaled 2258, 87% of whom were Jews.

Joseph Sarvetnick and Ida Steinberg were married in about 1891 and had five children, four of whom lived to adulthood. According to Joseph's naturalization papers, Joseph was born on December 10, 1869, his wife Ida was born in August 1877, their son Morris was born on September 8, 1895, son David was born on April 2, 1901, son William was born on April 9, 1903, and son Jacob was born on July 4, 1908. All were presumably born in Shumsk, Russia. These dates may be only estimates, however. Nearly every official document lists a different date of birth for the members of Joseph Sarvetnick's family.

Joseph immigrated to America on the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, departing from Hamburg on November 23, 1906 and arriving in New York on December 10, 1906. Upon arriving in New York, Joseph traveled to Philadelphia, where he stayed with his brother Isaac Sarvetnick.

The rest of the family probably immigrated to America in 1909, but the details of their immigration are not known. Joseph may have traveled back to Shumsk and returned to Philadelphia with his family, or he may simply have sent for them after he had established himself in America. By 1920, the family had changed their surname to Savitt.

During the period from 1910 to 1930, Joseph worked as a maker of feather dusters, as a dealer (?) and as a motor mechanic in a motor brushes manufacturing factory. By 1920, the family owned their own home in Philadelphia.

Morris Sarvetnick (Morris Savitt)

Morris married a woman named Sarah. Sarah was born in about 1899-1900 in Russia. Between 1910-1930, Morris worked variously as a manufacturer of feather dusters, as a shoe worker in a shoe factory, and as a cutter in a meat store. The couple raised three children: Thelma (or Tillie) born in about July 1918, Lillian born in about 1920-1921, and Robert, born in about 1926-1927, all in Pennsylvania.

David Sarvetnick (David Savitt)

David married Hilda V. Joffe. David was born In Shumsk, Russia on April 15, 1898 or 1899 or 1900 and died on October 6, 1964. Hilda was born on July 5, 1912 in Rochester, New York and died on August 26, 2000. From 1920-1930 David worked as a cutter and as a salesman in wholesale dresses. David and Hilda had two sons, both born in Pennsylvania.

William Sarvetnick (William Savitt)

William married Mildred Elizabeth Lehrman. Mildred was born on July 21, 1917 in New Mexico. Between 1920-1930, William worked as a salesman in a department store and as a salesman in wholesale shoes. William and Mildred had a son, Richard William, who was born on December 16, 1943 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California. Richard died on February 26, 2006 in Visalia, Tulare Co., California.

Jacob Sarvetnick (Jan Savitt)

Although some official documents list Jacob's birthdate as September 4, 1913, he was most certainly born before 1910, probably about 1908. Biographies often list his birthplace as Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Russia, but it's more likely that he was born in Shumsk, Russia, where his parents and brothers were born.

By 1930, Jacob went by the name of Jay Savitt, and later he adopted the name Jan Savitt. He studied violin at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1924 to 1930 with Carl Flesch and Richard Hartzer. According to the 1930 Census, he was working as a musician in an Orchestra, probably the Philadelphia Orchestra where he played under the direction of Leopold Stokowski.

According to The Big Bands by George Thomas Simon (Shirmer Books, New York, 1981), Jan organized The Savitt String Quartet and won the Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal Award as well as a radio series on CBS. He was hired to be the musical director at Philadelphia radio station WCAU, and later he was hired by the Philadelphia radio station KYW.

In 1937, Jan formed the popular band The Top Hatters, playing at hotels and ballrooms. The band played with a distinctive beat called a shuffle rhythm, designed around a piano playing at double time. On April 7, 1940, Jan married his wife Barbara in New York City. The couple had two children.

Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters continued to play around the country, gaining great popularity. In addition to playing instrumentals, the band employed the talented singers Carlotta Dale and Bon Bon (George Tunnell). Bon Bon was one of the first African Americans to work with a white band. Later, the budding movie star Gloria DeHaven performed with the band. In 1944, Jan increased the size of his orchestra and went on tour with Frank Sinatra.

In his career, Jan Savitt played the violin professionally, worked for two radio stations, conducted his own orchestras, and wrote his own music, including Moonrise (1937), 720 in the Books (1939), and It's a Wonderful Life (1941). In 1939, Jan Savitt's recording of 720 in the Books reached #17 in the popular music charts. In 1940, his recording Make Believe Island reached #8 in the charts. Recordings of the music of Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters are readily available on CD today. If that weren't enough for one career, Jan Savitt also made a couple of movies, including High School Hero (1946) and That's My Gal (1947).

On October 4, 1948, while on tour in Sacramento, California, Jan Savitt died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 40.

The Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 06:29:51 +0000

While I was at the Massachusetts State Archives in Boston a few weeks ago, I found the Naturalization Papers for Stanislaw Markiewicz. Stanislaw was the grandfather of my cousins' cousins. Let me explain... My Uncle Michael Danko married Jean Skowronski, and my Uncle Joseph Danko married Helen Skowronski. Jean and Helen were sisters, and they had several siblings, one of whom was Edward Skowronski. Edward married Bernice Markiewicz. Stanislaw Markiewicz was Bernice's father. Clear? One problem with finding the Ellis Island Passenger Manifest for Stanislaw Markiewicz is that when I searched the Ellis Island records, quite a few immigrants named Stanislaw Markiewicz came up. I had no idea which was the correct immigrant. One way to find the correct immigrant is to first find the Naturalization Papers. The Massachusetts State Archives holds microfilm records of many of the Naturalization Papers for those naturalized in the Worcester Superior Court. On a whim, I searched one of the microfilm indexes:

WO/SUP Superior Court Department INDEXES Box 2111265 From: 01/01/1943 To: 12/31/1978 Case #'s: NATURALIZATION-SEE EXTEN [MARZILLI:PERLIN] and found a Stanislaw Markiewicz listed under Petition for Naturalization number 30012. In short order, I had another microfilm on the reader:

WO/SUP Superior Court Department NATURALIZATION-PETITION AND RECORD BO Box 2131573 From 01/01/1939 To: 12/31/1939 Case #'s: VOL. [112:114] PETITION # [29907:30373]

and I zipped right to Petition 30012. I quick check of the Petition for Naturalization and I saw his wife was Antonina Lejwoda and among his children was listed Mrs. Bronislawa (Bernice) Skowronski.

The first page in Stanislaw's file was his Certificate of Arrival, a document I previously described on this Blog.

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stanislaw Markiewicz' Certificate of Arrival. The Certificate states that:

Certificate No. 1 177793
Name: Markiewicz, Stanislaw
Port of entry: New York, N,Y.
Date: May 29, 1912
Manner of arrival: SS Zeeland
The Certificate of Arrival was issued on April 17, 1938 by Byron J. Uhl, The District Director, New York District
The Certificate was received by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service on April 23, 1936
The Certificate is signed on the back by Edna Endman (Sometimes the Certificates of Arrival have a signature on the back, sometimes they don't. I don't know what the significance of the signature is.)

At the time Stanislaw applied for citizenship, the Certificate of Arrival was required to prove that he lawfully entered the United States (there were concerns about illegal aliens even in 1936) and to prove that he had been in the United States for at least five years before applying for citizenship.

The Certificate of Arrival pinpoints when Stanislaw arrived in the United States and shows on what ship he arrived. This information should make finding Stanislaw's Passenger Manifest much easier.

Tomorrow: Stanislaw's Declaration of Intention

PDF

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:28:04 +0000

PDF of Stanislaw Markiewicz' Certificate of Arrival

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:29:24 +0000

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Back

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:29:53 +0000

Certificate of Arrival for Stanislaw Markiewicz - Back

PDF

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:46:43 +0000

PDF of Stanislaw Markiewicz's Declaration of Intention

Declaration of Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:47:59 +0000

Declaration of Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

Stanislaw Markiewicz' Declaration of Intention - Back

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:49:20 +0000

Stanislaw Markiewicz' Declaration of Intention - Back

The Declaration of Intention of Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:53:14 +0000

Stanislaw Markiewicz filed a Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States on May 11, 1936. This was the first step to becoming a citizen. Under the laws in effect at that time, Stanislaw would have to wait at least three and no more than seven more years before he could file a Petition for Naturalization.

The Declaration of Intention of Stanislaw Markiewicz - Front

The Declaration of Intention of Stanislaw Markiewicz - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stanislaw's Declaration of Intention. The Declaration States:

Stanislaw Markiewicz filed his Declaration of Intention No. 46155 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of Worcester in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, Mass.
Stanislaw resided at 320 Millbury St., Worcester, Worcester Co., Mass.
His occupation was Moulder
He was 45 years old, a white male, of medium complexion, blue eyes, dark brown-grey hair, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 192 pounds, with a scar on his left index finger
His race and nationality were Polish; he was born in Lublin, Poland on April 20, 1891
He was married to Antonina Lejwoda on Feb. 2, 1913 in South Framingham, Mass.
Antonina was born in Lublin, Poland on April 23, 1891, entered the United States at New York, N.Y. on Oct. 20, 1912
Stanislaw had seven children: Stefan born Jan. 22, 1914, Bronislawa born Oct. [?], 1915 (Oct. 7, 1915), Waclaw born Aug. 13, 1917, Edwart born Dec. 17, 1919, Helena born Mar. 15, 1922, [?]iena (Janiena) born June 4, 1925, and Ryszard born Feb. 24, 1928, all born and living at the time in [?]rcester, Mass.
He had previously made a declaration of intention Number 24764 on Dec. 16, 1921 in the Superior Court of Worcester, Mass.
His last foreign residence was Braciawicze (Braciejowice), Poland
He immigrated to the United States from Antwerp, Belgium at New York, N.Y. under the name Stanislaw Markiewicz on May 29, 1912 on the SS Zeeland
Stanislaw signed the declaration in Worcester, Mass. on May 11, 1936
The Declaration of Intention cross-references Stanislaw's Certificate of Arrival No. 1-177793
The reverse of the declaration includes a stamp indicating that the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service on Nov 9, 1938

Stanislaw gave all of his children Polish first names. Those names in English are:

Stefan = Stephen
Bronislawa = Bernice
Waclaw = Walter
Edwart (apparently misspelled - should be Edward) = Edward
Helena = Helen
Janiena = Jane
Ryszard = Richard

Tomorrow: Stanislaw's Petition for Naturalization

Markiewicz Petition Front

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 05:31:35 +0000

Markiewicz Petition Front

Markiewicz Petition Back

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 05:32:19 +0000

Markiewicz Petition Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 05:33:12 +0000

PDF of Stanislaw Markiewicz' Petition for Naturalization

The Petition for Naturalization of Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 05:35:50 +0000

Three years after filing his second Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States, Stanislaw Markiewicz filed his Petition for Naturalization

Stanislaw Markiewicz' Petition for Naturalization - Front

Stanislaw Markiewicz' Petition for Naturalization - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stanislaw Markiewicz' Petition for Naturalization. The Petition states that:

Stanislaw Markiewicz filed his Petition for Naturalization No. 30012 on July 12, 1939 in the Superior Court of Massachusetts of Worcester
Stanislaw resided at 320 Millbury St., Worcester, Mass.
He was Polish and was born in Bracijowice, Poland on Apr. 20, 1936
He declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on May 11, 1936 in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, Mass.
He was married to Antonina Lejwoda on Feb. 2, 1913 in South Framingham, Mass.
Antonina was born on Apr. 23, 1891 in Lublin, Poland and entered the United States on Oct. 20, 1912 in New York, N.Y.
Stanislaw had seven children: Stefan born Jan. 22, 1914, Mrs. Bronislawa Skowronski born Oct. 7, 1915, Waclaw born Aug. 15, 1917, Edward born Dec. 17, 1919, Helena born Mar. 15, 1922, Janiena born June 4, 1925, and Ryszard born Feb. 24, 1928, all born and living in Worcester, Mass. except for Edward who was living in Fort Ethan Allen, Vt.
Stanislaw's last residence was Bracijowice, Poland
He emigrated from Antwerp, Belgium under the name Stanislaw Markiewicz on the Zeeland and arrived in New York, N.Y. on May 29, 1912
He renounced allegiance to The Republic of Poland
He had lived continuously in the United States of America since May 29, 1912 and in the County of Worcester since June 1913
He had not previously made petition for naturalization
Two witnesses provided affidavits of Stanislaw's good moral character: Stanley J. Dusak, a machinist residing at 15 Lafayette St., Worcester, Mass. and Joseph H. Nahorski, an assembler residing at 69 Seymour St., Worcester, Mass.
The witnesses stated that they had known Stanislaw since Dec. 1, 1931 and that to their knowledge Stanislaw had resided in Worcester, Mass. in the County of Worcester since that date and the witnesses signed the petition in Worcester, Mass. on July 12, 1929
Stanislaw's Certificate of Arrival No. 1 177792 and his Declaration of Intention No. 46155 were noted
On the reverse, Stanislaw renounced allegiance to The Republic of Poland and gave his Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America on March 25, 1940
Stanislaw's Petition was granted and noted on Line No. 9 of List No. 477
Stanislaw was granted Certificate of Citizenship No. 4735432

Note: The correct spelling of Stanislaw's birthplace is Braciejowice, Poland. In his Declaration of Intention, Stanislaw stated that he was born in Lublin, Poland, but in his Petition for Naturalization, he stated that he was born in Bracijowice (sic), Poland. Tomorrow: Stanislaw's Immigrant Passenger Manifest

Markiewicz Manifest 1

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:07:42 +0000

Markiewicz Manifest 1

Page 1

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:08:47 +0000

Markiewicz Manifest Page 1

Markiewicz Manifest Page 2

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:09:40 +0000

Markiewicz Manifest Page 2

Page 2

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:10:31 +0000

Markiewicz Manifest Page 2

SS Zeeland

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:38:51 +0000

SS Zeeland

The Immigration of Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 05:40:59 +0000

The information provided in Stanislaw Markiewicz' Certificate of Arrival provided the information necessary to find his Ellis Island Passenger Manifest. A search of the Ellis Island website produced several immigrants with the name Stanislaw Markiewicz, one of whom immigrated on the correct ship on the correct date.

The S.S. Zeeland

Passenger Manifest of Stanislaw Markiewicz, Page 1

Passenger Manifest of Stanislaw Markiewicz, Page 2

Click on the links for PDF files of Page 1 and Page 2 of the Ellis Island Passenger Manifest for Stanislaw Markiewicz. The manifest shows that:

Stanislaw Markiewicz left Antwerp on the S.S. Zeeland on May 18, 1912 and arrived in New York on May 29, 1912
Stanislaw is listed on line 21 of the manifest as a 17 year old single male
His nationality was Russia and his race was Polish
His last permanent residence was Braciejowice, Russia and his nearest relative or friend in the country from which he came was his father, Tomasz Markiewicz in Braciejowice
His final destination was S. Framingham, Mass. and he paid for his ticket himself
It isn't clear, but it appears he had a ticket to his final destination
It isn't clear, but it appears he had either $27 or $10 with him
He had never been in the United States before
He was going to stay with a friend, Jan Kurak [?] in S. Framingham, Mass. (address not clear)
He was 5 feet 7 inches tall with fair complexion, brown hair, and brown eyes with no marks of identification
He was born in Braciejowice, Russia
The annotation "1-177793 3/31/36" indicates the certificate number of Stanislaw's Certificate of Arrival and the date the record was accessed to generate the certificate

Tomorrow: Where is Braciejowice and are there vital records there for Stanislaw's ancestors?

Braciejowice - The Ancestral Village of Stanisław Markiewicz

Steve — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 06:54:22 +0000

On his Passenger Manifest and in his Petition for Naturalization, Stanisław Markiewicz named the village of Braciejowice as his birthplace. When he lived there, Braciejowice was in Russia, near Lublin. The proximity to Lublin may explain why he called Lublin his birthplace on his Declaration of Intention. Today, Braciejowice is in Poland. The Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries) is a monumental 16 volume gazetteer published in Warsaw under the direction of Filip Sulimierski in the years 1880-1902. The Słownik provides descriptions of nearly every city, town, and village in Poland and the surrounding areas, and was written at about the time the ancestors of many Polish-American citizens still lived in the old country. The Słownik entry for the village of Braciejowice states:

Braciejowice, a village and grange [large manorial farmstead], Nowo Aleksandryja Powiat [District], Kamień gmina [municipality], Piotrowin parish. It lies in a clump created by two arms of the Vistula River, it borders on Jarnułtowice and Zakrzów (Długosz [Liber Beneficiorum] III 240); it constituted the property of the Benedictine Monks of Łysogórski, it was already mentioned in the privilege from the year 1270. In 1827 there were 54 homes and 379 inhabitants here; currently it constitutes primogeniture. Bronisław Chlebowski Source: Sulmierski, Filip, Bronisław Chlebowski and Wladysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries), Warsaw 1880, Volume I, page 345.

Besides this entry, there is another entry for Braciejowice in Volume XV (Volume XV provides descriptions of villages missed in the main work, additional information, and corrections to the first 14 volumes).

Braciejowice 1), a village on the Vistula River, Nowo Aleksandryja Powiat [District] (now Puławy Powiat), has 654 inhabitants. According to documents, in the year 1270 and 1374 it was the property of the Łysogórski Monastery. In the year 1569 it belonged to the parish in Solec. Andrzej Klonowski Kurek paid for 1 field, 2 farmsteads, and 2 tenant farmers.
2) Braciejowice, a forest settlement, Częstochowa Powiat, Popi gmina [municipality], it has 1 home, 4 inhabitants, and an 800 mórg manor. It went into the storehouse of the primogeniture grant of the line of Father Czerkaski. Source: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Józefa Krzywicki, Filip Sulimierski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries), Warsaw 1900, Volume XV, page 226.

The entry from Volume 1 is for a village near Lublin, so this is probably the correct ancestral village for Stanisław Markiewicz. Of the two entries in Volume 15, the first elaborates on the information on the same village described in Volume 1. The second entry is for a village of the same name near Częstochowa - far from Lublin and not likely to be the correct village since it consists of only one home and four inhabitants. While the Słownik entries don't provide a whole lot of detail about Braciejowice, they do provide one very important piece of information - the location of the parish church. According to Volume I, the parish church was located in Piotrowin. The entry in Volume XV says that in 1569 the parish church was in Solec, but this time period is well before the time Stanisław lived there. A search for Braciejowice on Expedia.com shows the location of the village. A search for the parish village of Piotrowin shows that Piotrowin is over 60 miles from Braciejowice. This village can't be the correct parish church. Solec is close to Braciejowice, but Piotrowin is not. Lidia Müllerowa's book Roman Catholic Parishes in the Polish People's Republic in 1984 (Polish Genealogical Society of America, Chicago, 1995) shows a parish in the village of Piotrawin (note the spelling difference - Piotrowin - Piotrawin). Piotrawin is within about 5 miles of Braciejowice. Was there a spelling error in the Słownik? A check of the Słownik entry for Piotrawin provides a lengthy description of this village. The passage begins:

Piotrawin, erroneously Piotrowin, in Długosz Pyotrawin, a village and grange [large manorial farmstead] on the Vistula River, Nowo Aleksandryja Powiat [District] (Pulawy), Kamień gmina [municipality], Piotrawin parish.... Source: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Władysław Walewski, and Filip Sulimierski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries), Warsaw 1887, Volume VIII, pages 185-186.

So, the parish for Braciejowice is in Piotrawin. The next question is - does the Family History Library have the parish records for Piotrawin in their collection? The answer is yes! The Family History Library has microfilmed records for the parish of Piotrawin including:

Acta urodzeń (Birth Records) - 1810-1833, 1836-1845, 1850-1914
Acta małżenstw (Marriage Records) - 1810-1913
Acta zygonów (Death Records) - 1810-1833, 1836-1845, 1849-1909

This is excellent! While there are some gaps in the records, the time period when Stanisław was born, when his parents were married, and when his parents were born seems to be covered. There is even a chance that Stanisław's ancestry can be traced back to 1810. There is also a chance that Stanisław's family is not represented in these records at all, but this is an excellent lead to finding more about the ancestry of Stanisław Markiewicz. I can order these microfilms through my local Family History Center in San Bruno, California, or I can just wait until my next trip to Salt Lake City. In the meantime, there are some additional records on the Markiewicz family that can be obtained online. Tomorrow: the Markiewicz family in the Census

1920 Census Markiewicz

Steve — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 05:16:05 +0000

1920 Census Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 05:19:01 +0000

PDF of 1920 Census Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Stanislaw Markiewicz in the 1920 Federal Census

Steve — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 05:20:36 +0000

Stanislaw Markiewicz arrived in New York City on May 29, 1912. He then traveled to South Framingham, Massachusetts where he stayed with a friend. In 1920, he appears in the US Federal Census in Worcester, Massachusetts with a wife and four children.

1920 US Federal Census Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the 1920 Census Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz. The record provides information that:

In 1920, Stanislaw Markiewicz (spelled Markiwicz in the Census) was a married white male, 28 years old, renting his residence at 54 Lafayette Street in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Stanislaw (and his parents) were born in Poland and spoke Polish; he was an alien who immigrated in 1912
Stanislaw could read and write, but he couldn't speak English
Stanislaw was employed as a moulder in a factory
Stanislaw's wife was Annie, a married white female, 28 years old
Annie (and her parents) were born in Poland and spoke Polish; she was an alien who immigrated in 1912
Annie could read and write, but she couldn't speak English
The couple's children were Stephen age 5, Bronislawa age 4, Waclaw age 2, and Edward age 0/12, all born in Massachusetts
The family shared their home with two boarders, John Chronak age 42 and Stanislaw Jastremski age 47, both aliens born in Poland

Tomorrow: Stanislaw in the 1930 Census

1930 Census Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 05:38:33 +0000

1930 Census Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 05:39:27 +0000

PDF Copy of 1930 Census for Stanley Markiewicz

Stanley Markiewicz in the 1930 Census

Steve — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 06:34:48 +0000

In 1930, Stanislaw Markiewicz was still living in Worcester, Massachusetts, but by this time was using the name Stanley Markiewicz. In addition, all his children were listed with Anglicized names, as opposed to the Polish names used in the 1920 Census.

1930 US Federal Census Record for Stanley Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the 1930 Census Record for Stanley Markiewicz. The record provides information that:

In 1930, Stanley Markiewicz was a married white male, 39 years old, who owned a home worth $8400 on 19 Perry Avenue in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Stanley (and his parents) were born in Poland; he immigrated in 1912 and had filed his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen
Stanislaw could read and write, and by 1930 he could speak English
Stanislaw listed his occupation as a laborer in a loom works, but was not working at the time of the census; he was listed on line 12 [?] of the Unemployment Schedule and was not a veteran
Stanislaw’s wife was Antonette, a married white female, 38 years old
Antonette (and her parents) were born in Poland; she was an alien who immigrated in 1912
Antonette could not read and write, and she couldn’t speak English
The couple was married when Stanley was 21 and Antonette was 20
The couple’s children were Stephen age 16, Bessie age 14, Wesley age 12, Edward age 10, Helen age 8, and Jane age 4 and 9/12, all born in Massachusetts
Bessie, Wesley, Edward, and Helen were in school
Stephen, Bessie, Wesley, and Edward could read and write and could speak English

As a side note, in the first half of the 20th Century, the neighborhood where the Markiewicz family was living in 1930 was predominantly a neighborhood of Polish immigrants. In 1910, my own grandparents, Kostanty and Helen Niedzialkowski, lived at 42 Perry Avenue, about a block away from where the Markiewicz family lived in 1930. My grandparents may have known the Markiewicz family at the time. In all likelihood, the two families both attended the nearby Church of Our Lady of Częstochowa.

Stanley reported his occupation as laborer in a loom works, although he was unemployed at the time of the census. In the early part of the 20th century, The Crompton and Knowles Loom Works, located on Grand Street, employed a large number of Polish immigrants and may have been Stanley's employer at one time.

Tomorrow: More about the family's ancestral village of Braciejowice

Braciejowice and the Parishes to Which it Belonged

Steve — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 22:49:51 +0000

Braciejowice, the ancestral village of the Markiewicz family is located in eastern Poland in Gmina Łaziska, Powiat Ziemski Opolski, Wojewódstwo Lubelskie. In a previous post, I translated the entries for Braciejowice from the Słownik Geograficny which described the place as a village and grange (a grange is a large farmstead associated with a manor) between two arms of the Vistula River. At one time, the village belonged to the Benedictine Monks. The descriptions in the Słownik Geograficny also mention that in 1569 the village belonged to the Roman Catholic parish in Solec (currently Solec is called Solec nad Wisła - Solec on the Vistula), and that in 1880 it belonged to the parish in Piotrawin. Today, Braciejowice belongs to the Zagłoba parish, in the Opolski Deaconate, in the Lubelski Archdiocese. The current churches in Piotrawin, and Zagłoba are:

Piotrawin - św. Tomasza Apostoła i św. Stanisława BM (Saint Thomas the Apostle and Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr)
Zagłoba - NMP Królowej Polski (Our Lady, Queen of Poland)

I could not find information on any existing church in Solec nad Wisła but, according to Lidia Müllerowa’s book Roman Catholic Parishes in the Polish People’s Republic in 1984 (Polish Genealogical Society of America, Chicago, 1995), there was a church there in 1984. Further information about the parishes in Piotrawin and Zagłoba, including the names of the priests and the address and phone number is available online in Polish. The parish in Piotrawin maintains a chapel in Braciejowice itself. Information on the architecture of the churches in Piotrawin and Zagłoba is also available online in Polish. The name Braciejowice comes from the Polish word for brother - brat. In fact, it seems that the Locative form of the word is used - bracie, which is a form specific for location. The name Piotrawin seems to come from the Polish proper name for Peter - Piotr. Other villages in the region also seem to be derived from proper names: Józefów from Joseph - Józef, Wandalin from Wanda - Wanda, Kazimierz Dolny from Casimir - Kazimierz, Helenówka from Helen - Helena, Wojciechów from Adalbert, Albert, or George - Wojciech, Piotrków from Peter - Piotr, Paulinów from Pauline - Paulina. Relatively little information on Braciejowice or Piotrawin is available online, but rootsweb provides some information on these villages on the Lubelfind pages. In Lubelfind, Braciejowice is described as

A village on a country road in an area devoted solely to orchards. The land is flat. There is a gully on the western side of the village, parallel to the road.

In Lubelfind, Piotrawin is described as:

A village on the east bank of the river Wisla, on minor highway 825. The land to the east rises slowly and is open arable fields. To the south there are some orchards. There is a 14th century brick Gothic parish church here.

Lubelfind also mentions a cemetery at the north end of Piotrawin, almost opposite the chapel. Tomorrow: Photographs from the nearby village of Kazimierz Dolny

Kazimierz Dolny Church

Steve — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:14:24 +0000

Kazimierz Dolny Church

Hill of Three Crosses

Steve — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:14:54 +0000

Hill of Three Crosses

Kazimierz Dolny Monastery

Steve — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:15:30 +0000

Kazimierz Dolny Monastery

Kazimierz Dolny Ruins

Steve — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:16:00 +0000

Kazimierz Dolny Ruins

Photographs from Kazimierz Dolny

Steve — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 05:20:42 +0000

Kazimierz Dolny is a Polish village on the Vistula River and is located about 10 miles northeast of Braciejowice. Since I've never been to Braciejowice, the ancestral village of the Markiewicz family, I can't show any photographs of Braciejowice. I did, however, travel to Kazimierz Dolny with two friends in the fall of 2000. I'm not sure who took these photos, since all three of us took many similar pictures in Kazimierz Dolny. In any case, these photos were taken by either Tom Tarnowski, Bob McCann, or by me.

The Hill of Three Crosses

The Hill of Three Crosses provides a panoramic view of Kazimierz Dolny and its environs. The Vistula River can be seen in the disatance in this picture.

The Castle Ruins

Near the Hill of Three Crosses stand the ruins of a 14th century castle. I did not see the interior of the castle, although a group of schoolchildren entered the ruins while I was there.

The Monastery

The Baroque Monastery of the Reformed Franciscan Order, as seen from the Hill of Three Crosses, is the large structure in the upper left of the picture. The Monastery was originally built in the 17th Century. The Vistula River can be seen in the upper right of this photo. The hotel in which I stayed can be seen in the lower right - the building with the peaked, red roof - Restauracia-Pensjonacik "Pod Wietrzną Górą" (the Restaurant and Pension "Under the Windy Mountain").

Parafia św. Jana Chrzciciela i św. Bartłomieja Ap.

The parish church of Kazimierz Dolny is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and Saint Bartholomew the Apostle. In this photo, the church is seen from the rear, while descending from the Hill of Three Crosses. The church was built in the 16th century and houses an organ dating from the 17th century. Other photographs from Kazimierz Dolny were previously posted on this blog under Photographs from Poland.

Markiewicz WWI Front

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 05:42:19 +0000

Markiewicz WWI Front

Markiewicz WWI Back

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 05:42:44 +0000

Markiewicz WWI Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 05:43:10 +0000

PDF for Markiewicz WWI

World War I Draft Registration of Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 05:56:16 +0000

In the United States all men between the ages of 18 and 45 were required to register for the draft, regardless of whether they were citizens. Three separate registrations were conductd:

On June 5, 1917, all men born between June 6, 1886 and June 5, 1896 were required to register
On June 5, 1918, all men born between June 6, 1896 and June 5, 1897 were required to register, and on August 24, 1918, all men born between June 6, 1897 and August 23, 1897 were required to register
On September 12, 1918, all men born between September 11, 1872 and September 12, 1900 were required to register

Stanislaw Markiewicz should have registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. He actually registered on October 7, 1918.

World War I Draft Registration Card for Stanislaw Markiewicz (Front)

World War I Draft Registration Card for Stanislaw Markiewicz (Back)

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stanislaw's World War I Draft Registration Card. The card states that:

Several numbers appear on the card: one is apparently the Order No. 871a, another is 4782 at the bottom left of the front of the card, the third is 20-2-17.A on the back of the card
Stanislaw Markiewicz was 26 years old when he registered; he was born on Apr. 20, 1892
At the time of registration, Stanislaw lived at 54 Lafayette, Worcester, Mass
Stanislaw was an alien, born in Lubinsky, Poland-Russia
His occupation was moulder at the Standard Foundry on Lamartine St.
He listed his wife and 3 children as dependents
He was married, his race was white, and he had no previous military experience
He claimed exemption from the draft because he was an alien and he was married
Stanislaw was of medium height, medium build, with blue eyes and dk. brown hair
He had no disabilities
He registered at Worcester, Mass. on Oct. 7, 1918 at the Local Board for Division No. 4

Markiewicz in the 1965 Directory

Steve — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:25:20 +0000

Markiewicz in the 1965 Directory

Page 639 in the 1965 Worcester Directory

Steve — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:26:21 +0000

Page 639 in the 1965 Worcester Directory

PDF

Steve — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:27:23 +0000

PDF of the 1965 City Directory entry for Markiewicz

Stanislaw Markiewicz in the City Directory

Steve — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:30:36 +0000

City Directories are useful sources of genealogical information on names, addresses, occupations, and marital relationships. During the late 19th century and most of the 20th century, city directories were published in most major cities of the United States and they provide valuable information on the adults living in those cities. While minor children are not listed in these directories, these resources provide information on adult residents that may be difficult to find elsewhere. Many historic city directories can be found in public libraries. Some directories have been digitized and are available online. Ancestry.com has digitized a large number of city directories for Worcester County, Massachusetts, and Stanislaw Markiewicz is listed in some of these digitized directories.

1965 Worcester County Directory Entry for Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the 1965 Worcester County Directory Entry for Markiewicz. The entry shows the following members of the Stanley Markiewicz family:

Stanley and wife Antonina; Stanley was retired, living at 320 Millbury in Worcester
Steph[en] J and wife Mary E.; Steph[en] was an assembler at C&K, living at 63 Pocasset Ave.
Walter P.; Walter was a wire drawer at Johnson Steel & Wire, living in Webster, Mass.
Edw[ard] and wife Eleanor M; Edw[ard] was foreman at Woodbury & Co., living in West Boylston, Mass.
Jane; Jane was a stitcher at David Clark Co., living at 320 Millbury
Rich[ar]d H. and wife Teresa J; Rich[ar]d was a machinist at WG, living at 78-1/2 Ward

Stanley's daughters Bernice and Helen are not listed under Markiewicz. They would be listed with their husbands. Admittedly, it's difficult to be sure that Stephen, Walter, Edward, and Richard are actually Stanley's sons from this information alone. Knowledge of the occupations of the sons or the names of the sons' wives would help confirm that the four men are, in fact, Stanley's sons. Jane, on the other hand, is living with Stanley and Antonia, suggesting that she is probably Stanley's daughter.

A review of the obituaries for Stephen, Walter, and Edward confirms that the entries for these three men in the 1965 City Directory are, indeed, for Stanley's sons. The epitaph on Richard's gravestone indicates that Richard's wife was named Teresa, confirming that the entry for Richard in the 1965 City Directory is for Stanley's fourth son.

The information in the directory provides good information on residence, occupation, and marital status at the time the directory was written. Since the directory was written a year before it was published, the information in the 1965 City Directory was probably accurate in 1964.

Following an individual through time in the City Directory can provide approximate dates of employment at a given company, approximate year of marriage, approximate year of death of spouse (if the entry indicates that someone was a widow/widower), and the dates at which someone lived at a given address.

The entire page on which the Markiewicz entries appear is shown below.

Page 639 of the 1965 Worcester County Directory

S.S. Volendam

Steve — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:05:48 +0000

S.S. Volendam

Jan Savitt Manifest 1938

Steve — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:06:32 +0000

Jan Savitt Manifest 1938

PDF

Steve — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:07:25 +0000

PDF Copy of the Passenger Manifest of Jan Savitt in 1938

A Visit to the Family History Center

Steve — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:13:48 +0000

I'm currently taking an online course from the University of Toronto - The National Institute for Genealogical Studies entitled Research at Family History Centers. Even though I've been to the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City many times, I've never been to a local Family History Center (FHC). As part of one of the assignments, today I stopped in at the Family History Center in San Bruno, California. The FHC in San Francisco is actually closer to my house, but the FHC is on my way home from work. I decided that my goals were to find out how the center operates and to order a couple of films. After I arrived at the FHC, I thought I would examine the Passenger Records on Ancestry.com, since I don't have access to these records through my own subscription at home. I searched for Sarwetnik, hoping to find a passenger arrival record for Joseph Sarwetnik's family in a port other than Ellis Island. I was not successful.

The S.S. Volendam

Unexpectedly, when I searched for Jan Savitt, I found a passenger record for Jan on the S.S. Volendam, sailing on a West Indies Cruse round trip from New York, from August 27, 1938 to September 8, 1938. I imagine Jan was providing the entertainment for the cruise.

Passenger Manifest for Jan Savitt on the S.S. Volendam

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Jan Savitt's Passenger Manifest. The manifest states that:

Jan Savitt is listed on line 12 of list number 8
Jan was an unmarried male who was 27 years old at the time
Jan stated that he was a native of the United States, born in Philadelphia, Pa. on September 4th, 1910
Jan's address was 1619 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Well, this is an interesting find. Other documents, however, suggest that Jan was born in Shumsk, Russia in 1908, not in Philadelphia in 1910.

While at the FHC, I also searched the FHL Catalog for Shumsk, the ancestral village of Jan Savitt. The FHL holds microfilms for the Roman Catholic Church from 1841 to 1907 (with many gaps) and for the Orthodox Church from 1882-1906. While Jan Savitt's family was Jewish, residents were required to register births, marriages, and deaths at the Catholic Church, regardless of their religion. Unfortunately, non-Catholics did not always comply. Since Shumsk was largely Jewish, there is a chance some Jewish records will be found in these Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church records. Finally, I ordered two films from the Parish of Piotrawin (including Births from 1850-1896, Marriages from 1826-1913, and Deaths from 1888-1909). Ordering the films was easy and relatively inexpensive ($11.00). When the films arrive, the Center will call me and I can examine the films for about two months. I hope to find Stanislaw Markiewicz and his parents on these films.

John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 06:13:10 +0000

John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention

PDF

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 06:13:48 +0000

PDF of John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention

John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention

Steve — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 06:18:18 +0000

Last month I received an email from Jay Evans who told me that he had been unsuccessfully looking for the Immigrant Passenger Manifest for John Jwanauski, and asked me if I had any suggestions. I asked Jay for more information and he sent me three documents that should provide all the information necessary to find the Passenger Manifest. The first document Jay sent was John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States.

Declaration of Intention for John Jwanauski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention. The Declaration states that:

John Jwanauski filed Declaration of Intention No. 1796 in the District Court of Waterbury in Waterbury, Connecticut
He was 20 years old when he filed this document on March 3, 1917
John was employed as a Shop Hand
John was white, had a light complexion, was 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 165 pounds, with light brown hair and gray eyes
He was born in Kovno, Russia on October 28, 1897
At the time he filed the declaration, John resided at 995 Bank St, Waterbury, Conn.
John emigrated to America from Bremen, Germany on the Grosser Kurfurst and arrived at the port of New York in the state of New York on December 15, 1912
John's last residence was in Kovno, Russia
He was not married

Tomorrow: John Jwanauski's Enlistment in the United States Army

PDF

Steve — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 06:49:11 +0000

PDF Copy of Enlistment Record for John Jwanauski

Enlistment Record of John Jwanauski

Steve — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 06:50:25 +0000

Enlistment Record of John Jwanauski

The World War I Enlistment Record of John Jwanauski

Steve — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 08:41:08 +0000

John Jwanauski immigrated into the United States on December 15, 1912. In July 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought for the United States in World War I. The record of his enlistment provides some details of his military service. In brief, john fought on the Western Front in France and was present at the final battle at Meuse Argonne when Germany signed the Armistice on November 11, 1918.

Enlistment Record for John Jwanauski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of John Jwanauski's Enlistment Record. The record shows that:

John Jwanauski was a private, enlisted or inducted on July [22], 1917 at Fort Slocum, NY
He served in the First [...] enlistment period at date of discharge
He had no prior service, was not a noncommissioned officer, had no marksmanship, gunner qualification or rating, or horsemanship
John was involved in two battles, engagements, skirmishes, and expeditions: the first at Gérardmer Sector, Vosges [France] from Sept 3-8, 1918, and second at the Meuse Argonne Offensive from Nov [1-11], 1918
His vocation was as a butcher
he received no wounds in service and his physical condition was good when discharged
His typhoid prophylaxis was completed on Aug 17, 1917 and his paratyphoid prophylaxis was completed on Aug 22, 1917
He was single and his character was described as excellent
John was entitled to travel pay to Springfield, Mass, he had no record of AWOL, and he had no record of Court Marshall
John signed the document himself
C Boynton, Capt Inf USA, Commanding [Def] also signed the document

Other stamps and notations were:

Recruiting Station, U.S. Army, 17 Hampden St., Springfield, Mass. Bronze Victory Button Issued [signed] C M Dodson C M Dodson Major Infantry Recruiting Office
[?] JUN 28 1919 PAID IN FULL $94.10 BONUS OF $60 [?] 1919 [?] [signed] R. L. Iwanson [?] Agent for JOHN S. CARTER, 1st Lt. Q. M. C.
RECEIVED ADJUDICATION DIVISION JUN 11 1963 VETERANS [?] HARTFORD, CONN.

Tomorrow: Photographs of the area where John served in World War I

Bunkers

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 03:53:26 +0000

Bunkers

Bunkers with Barbed Wire

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 03:53:53 +0000

Bunkers with Barbed Wire

Graves at Douaumont

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 03:54:29 +0000

Graves at Douaumont

The Douaumont Ossuary

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 03:55:05 +0000

The Douaumont Ossuary

Honorable Discharge of John Jwanauski

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 04:37:13 +0000

Honorable Discharge of John Jwanauski

PDF

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 04:37:47 +0000

PDF Honorable Discharge of John Jwanauski

The Honorable Discharge of John Jwanauski

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 05:18:43 +0000

I planned to publish photos from the area of France where John Jwanauski served during World War I, but I'm waiting to obtain permission from the person who took the photographs I'd like to publish. Meanwhile, I've had a busy couple of days. Yesterday, the company for which I work held its Summer Picnic. I'm still nursing bruises from the Tug of War (my team won our first round, but was eliminated in the second round). Last night, I had problems posting to my blog and I had to delete the post I published and start over. I didn't finish that job until this morning. Finally, I spent today at Word Camp 2006, a day-long series of discussions on Word Press (the application I use to publish this blog). Tonight, as I write this, the Word Press Party is underway at Pier 38 in San Francisco. I'm staying in tonight. So, tonight, I thought I'd present John Jwanauski's Honorable Discharge Papers.

Honorable Discharge Papers for John Jwanauski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Honorable Discharge Papers for John Jwanauski. The document is badly toned in places. As far as I can read, it says:

Honorable Discharge from The United States Army TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. This is to Certify That John Jwanauski 749891 Private [?] th Machine Gun Battalion att. Dem. Group # [?] THE UNITED STATES ARMY, as a TESTIMONIAL OF HONEST AND FAITHFUL SERVICE, is hereby HONORABLY DISCHARGED from the military service of the UNITED STATES by reason of Demobilization per Cir. 75 WD dated Nov 15/18 Said John Jwanauski 749891 was born in Kovna, in the State of Russia When enlisted he was 20 8 years of age and by occupation a Laborer He had brown eyes, brown hair, fair complexion, and was 5 feet 7 inches in height. Given under my hand at Camp Devens, Mass this 28 day of June, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen. H. S. Cushing Major CAC USA Commanding

The record is stamped:

REC'D JUL 16 1926 At 3 30 o'clock PM. Recorded in Vol. 2 Page 62 NEW BRITAIN, CT. USA RECORDS By Alfred L. Thompson TOWN CLERK

An annotation was made later:

War Department, AGO 15 January 1945. Satisfactory evidence has been sub- mitted to this Department showing that this soldier's name was changed 3 November 1944, by order of a court of competent jurisdiction to John Michael Evans. [signed] Buford [H.?] Dougherty Adjutant General.

Some notes on this document:

"749891 Private [?] th Machine Gun Battalion" indicates John's serial number, his grade, and company - part of this is illegible
"att. Dem Group" means attached to Demobilization Group # - the group number should follow, but is illegible
"Demobilization per Cir. 75 WD dated Nov 15/18" indicates that Demobilization was as per Circular 75 of the War Department dated Nov 15, 1918
John's birthplace was listed as Kovna [Kovno], Russia, now Kaunas, Lithuania
The notation "When enlisted he was 20 8 years of age" probably means that John was 20 years and 8 months old when he enlisted

A Visit to Verdun, France

Steve — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 18:12:50 +0000

John Jwanauski served in the U.S. Army in World War I. He was stationed in the Gérardmer Sector, Vosges, France and was deployed in the Meuse Argonne Offensive, the battle that led to Germany's signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Today, November 11 is celebrated in the United States as Veteran's Day and in Canada as Remembrance Day. Several years ago I traveled to France and visited Verdun, site of one of the worst battles of World War I. Verdun is located not far from the location of the Meuse Argonne Offensive that ended the war with Germany. The treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, and the final peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire (today known as the Republic of Turkey) was signed at Lausanne on July 24, 1923.

World War I Bunkers at Verdun Photograph copyright 2001 by Lewis Michaels, used with permission The trip was an adventure, not only because it was my first trip to France, but because I flew there shortly after the terrorist attacks on America. My flight to Paris was cancelled and I had to book a flight on another airline. While in Europe, SwissAir went bankrupt, and again my flight was cancelled. Then, the day before I was to return home, the United States invaded Afghanistan.

Bunkers and Barbed Wire at Verdun Photograph copyright 2001 by Lewis Michaels, used with permission I toured France with Lewis Michaels, a colleague from work. Lewis served as my tour guide and interpreter in France and arranged for us to visit Verdun. I was completely unprepared for what I saw there. The Battle of Verdun lasted from February 21, 1916 to December 1916. During that time 26,000,000 bombs were dropped on the area, and at the end of the battle, 300,000 French and German soldiers were missing.

Steve in the Douaumont Cemetery Photograph copyright 2001 by Lewis Michaels, used with permission Much of the area is maintained as a memorial to the battle. Craters where the bombs fell are still in evidence. Unexploded shells are still found in the woods surrounding the area. The Douaumont Ossuary and Cemetery was constructed as the final resting place of those French and German soldiers killed in the battle, with the remains of those who could not be identified interred in the Ossuary.

John Jwanauski Detained

Steve — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 05:40:19 +0000

John Jwanauski Detained

PDF

Steve — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 05:41:02 +0000

PDF copy of John Jwanauski Detained

The Grosser Kurfurst

Steve — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 00:37:26 +0000

The Grosser Kurfurst

John Jwanauski Detained at Ellis Island

Steve — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 00:44:49 +0000

In John Jwanauski's Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States, he stated that, when he was 20 years old, he left his birthplace of Kovno, Russia, set sail from Bremen, Germany on the Grosser Kurfurst and, on December 15, 1912, arrived at the port of New York.This information should be more than enough to find John's name on the Ellis Island passenger manifest. A search of the Ellis Island Records generated no results for John Jwanauski or different variants of his surname (Ewanauski, Jwanauskis, etc.).

The S.S. Grosser Kurfurst

A search of Stephen Morse's website also resulted in no matches for the surname or surname variants. Finally, I decided to take a brute force approach to finding John Jwanauski in the Ellis Island passenger manifest for the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst arriving on December 15, 1912. Stephen Morse's website allows for a Ship Lists search when some information about the ship, or the date of arrival is known. Since John Jwanauski provided the name of the ship, the date of arrival, and the port of entry, it was a simple matter to find the correct passenger manifest. I searched Stephen Morse's Ship Lists for:

Arrived between December 1, 1912 and December 31, 1912
Ship name starts with or is Grosser Kurfurst

One result appeared: Series T715, Roll 1991, Volume 4479, Year 1912, Month December, Day 15, Frame 316, Ship Grosser Kurfurst (Grosser Kurfuerst), Port Bremen, FHL Roll 1400675. Everything seems to match. So far, so good. Clicking on the ship's name brought me to the first frame of the microfilm for the Grosser Kurfurst. I searched the entire manifest for a name that looked like Jwanauski. The search totaled 2 pages of United States Citizens, 4 pages of Second-Cabin Aliens, and 54 pages of Aliens in Steerage, a total of 212 frames of microfilm. I did not find John Jwanauski in the manifest. On frame 548, the Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry began, and on frame 551, the Record of Detained Aliens began. Rather than being hand-written, as were the passenger manifests, most of these pages were type-written. Detained passenger #35 was Jonas Iwanauskis - I found him!

Record of Detained Aliens - Jonas Iwanauskis

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Record of Detained Aliens for Jonas Iwanauskis. The record states that:

Jonas Iwanauskis was listed as detained passenger #35 on list 121 for the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst (frame #552 on the microfilm)
Jonas was in Manifest Group 3, No. 24 and there was traveling alone
Jonas was detained "To tel $", which meant that he did not have enough money and had to phone someone for money to complete his journey
Jonas phoned his brother-in-law, Paul [Downi ?] in Harrisville, Ct
Jonas was discharged at 12 noon on December 17, after being served 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, and 2 suppers on Ellis Island

The reason Jonas was detained - to telephone for money - was fairly common. When an alien would arrive in New York, he or she would simply telephone his or her contact in America and the contact would wire money to New York. In other cases, aliens were detained until someone physically came to assist them in New York. For more information on the Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry and the Record of Detained Aliens, see the previous entries on A New Look at Immigrant Passenger Manifests and Detained Passengers and the Board of Special Inquiry. Tomorrow: Why couldn't I find Jonas Iwanauskis (John Jwanauski) in the Passenger Manifest?

Jwanauskis manifest page 1

Steve — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 05:57:14 +0000

Jwanauskis manifest page 1

Page 1

Steve — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 05:58:50 +0000

Jwanauskis manifest page 1

Page 2

Steve — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 05:59:24 +0000

Jwanauskis manifest page 2

John Jwanauski's Passenger Manifest

Steve — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 06:05:45 +0000

I had previously searched for John Jwanauski's passenger manifest at the Ellis Island Records site and at Stephen Morse's site without success. I also couldn't find his name by scrolling through all the pages of the manifest one-by-one. Finally, I searched the Record of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry and the Record of Detained Aliens which followed the passenger manifests. There, in the Record of Detained Aliens, I found a Jonas Iwanauskis. Why couldn't I find the record when I searched every page of the manifest? The Record of Detained Aliens states that Jonas Iwanauskis was on the manifest as a member of group 3, Number 24. This means that Jonas Iwanauskis is on list 3, line 24 of the manifests for alien passengers. I started at the beginning of the manifest and scrolled past the lists of US Citizens and the lists of Second-Cabin Aliens to reach the lists of Alien Passengers in Steerage. There, on list 3, line 24, was Jonas. Apparently, the reason I didn't recognize the name the first time is that I was looking for John Jwanauski. The name on the manifest appears to be Jonas Franauskis, since the "Jw" at the start of the name looks a lot like "Fr". But, that's OK, I've found the manifest now.

Page 1 of the Passenger Manifest for Jonas Jwanauskis

Page 2 of the Passenger Manifest for Jonas Jwanauskis

Click on the links for PDF copies of Page 1 and Page 2 of the Passenger Manifest for Jonas Jwanauskis. The manifest states that:

Jonas Jwanauskis departed from Bremen on December 3, 1912 on the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst and arrived in New York on December 15, 1912
Jonas is listed on List 3 of the alien passengers in steerage, line 24
Jonas was a single male, 17 years old
His occupation was farm lab [farm laborer]
Jonas could read and write
He was a Lithuanian of Russian nationality and his last permanent residence was Poporcie, Russia
The nearest relative in the country he left was his mother [?] Jwanauskis in Poporcie, Kovno
His destination was Scitico, Conn.
It's not clear whether or not he held a ticket to his final destination
His passage was paid by his brother-in-law and he had no cash
He had not previously been in the United States
He was planning to join his brother-in-law, Paul [Dovoicis], Box 16, Scitico, Conn.
His health was good and he was not a cripple
He was 5 feet, 1 inch tall, with fair complexion, blond hair, and blue eyes
He had no marks of identification
He was born in Poporcie

My best guess at Jonas' place of birth and residence is Poporcie, Russia, now known as Paparciai, Kauno, Lithuania. This village is not far from Kovno, Russia, now known as Kaunas, Kauno, Lithuania.

Jonas stated that he was traveling to Scitico, Connecticut, which is not far from Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield was his destination when he was discharged from the U.S. Army at the end of World War I. The Record of Detained Aliens, however, stated that Jonas' brother-in-law lived in Harrisville, Connecticut, not Scitico.

The fact that Jonas had no cash with him explains why he was detained. He had to wait at Ellis Island until his brother-in-law sent money so he could finish his journey.

Jwanauskis Page 2

Steve — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 06:19:47 +0000

Jwanauskis Page 2

Verdun Bunkers

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:09:40 +0000

Verdun Bunkers

National Cemetery

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:10:28 +0000

National Cemetery

Verdun Memorial

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:10:59 +0000

Verdun Memorial

Fleury

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:11:38 +0000

Fleury

More Photos from Verdun

Steve — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:27:56 +0000

A few days ago I posted some photographs that Lewis Michaels shot while in Verdun, the site of one of the costliest battles of World War I. Today, I'm posting some of my own photos from Verdun. A map of the area shows the locations of Douaumont and Fleury.

The Verdun Memorial

The Verdun Memorial is a museum that depicts the devastation that was wrought on the area during the battle at Verdun. The museum includes artifacts from World War I, dioramas depicting the battle, and audio-video presentations about the War.

Observation Posts and the French Flag

Lewis and I both took several photos of the observation posts at Verdun. This area moved from French control to German control and back again several times during the battle. Today, the French flag provides a stirring reminder of how much this battle cost the French defenders.

The French National Cemetery

In front of the Douaumont Ossuary is the French National Cemetery. Some 15,000 French soldiers are buried here in graves marked by a white cross with a nameplate and a rose planted in front of the cross. Muslim soldiers are buried under a gravestone facing towards Mecca.

The Village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont

The village of Fleury is one of nine villages that were never rebuilt after the war. The ground is still full of ammunition and metal and the landscape remains cratered to this day from the intensive bombardment of the area. A small chapel has been built on the site and the location of streets, homes, and shops are marked with signs as a memorial to this once thriving village.

The battle of Verdun was a war of attrition: German General Erich von Falkenhayn intended to "bleed France white" in order to weaken their resistance. In the end, both the French and German armies were decimated.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 04:51:00 +0000

PDF copy of Marianna Danko's Certificate of Arrival

Marianna Danko's Certificate of Arrival

Steve — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 04:51:52 +0000

Marianna Danko's Certificate of Arrival

Great Aunt Mary's Certificate of Arrival

Steve — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 04:56:49 +0000

I have been trying to learn when my Great Aunt Mary was born. I have examined a number of sources and have learned the following:

Marianna’s Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland, shows that her birth date was January 12, 1884
Marjanna’s Hamburg Passenger Record, shows that she was 25 years old in 1909, indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
Marianna’s Passenger Arrival List, shows that she was 25 years old when she arrived at Ellis Island on June 26, 1909 and indicating that she was born in 1883-1884
The 1910 Census indicated that Mary was 22 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
The 1920 Census indicated that Mary was 32 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
The 1930 Census indicated that Mary was 42 years old, suggesting that she was born in 1887-1888
The Copy of Record of Marriage shows that she was 28 years old on October 4, 1915, indicating that she was born in 1886-1887
The Copy of Record of Birth for Mary’s daughter Victoria does not show Mary’s age or date of birth
The Return of a Birth for Mary’s son John shows that Mary was 33 years old on January 2, 1922, indicating that she was born in 1888-1889
Mary’s SS-5 Application for Social Security Account and Tax Number shows that she was born on March 12, 1887
The Social Security Death Index shows that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
Information from Mary’s daughter Fran, indicated that Mary was born on March 12, 1887
The Massachusetts Death Index does not show Mary’s birth date
Mary’s Cemetery Burial Record shows that Mary was born in about 1886-1887
Mary’s Gravestone Epitaph shows that Mary was born in 1887

All of the records generated before Mary arrived in the United States are consistent with the date of birth on her baptismal record: January 12, 1884. In general, the records generated after Mary arrived in the United States are consistent with the date of birth provided to me by her daughter, Fran: March 12, 1887. So, I began to question whether the earlier records were for my Great Aunt Mary, or for another Mary Danko. While in Boston in July, I found two more records that may help to resolve this issue. The first of these documents is the Certificate of Arrival for Marianna Danko. The Certificate of Arrival was a document generated during the Naturalization process to prove that the immigrant had legally entered the United States and had been a resident for the required number of years. The Certificate of Arrival was filed with Marianna's Naturalization Papers.

The Certificate of Arrival for Marianna Danko

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Marianna's Certificate of Arrival. The Certificate shows that Marianna Danko entered the United States at the port of New York, N.Y. on June 26, 1909 on the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. This document is clearly the Certificate of Arrival for the Marianna Danko whose birthdate is January 12, 1884. The question remains, however, can I connect this Certificate of Arrival with my Great Aunt Mary (Danko) Golinski?

Tomorrow: Tying it all together

Mary Golinski Petition Front

Steve — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 04:58:39 +0000

Mary Golinski Petition Front

Mary Golinski Petition Back

Steve — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 04:59:08 +0000

Mary Golinski Petition Back

PDF

Steve — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:00:24 +0000

Mary Golinski Petition PDF

Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization

Steve — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:03:03 +0000

Great Aunt Mary's birthdate is either January 12, 1884 or March 12, 1887, depending on whether one consults the documents generated prior to her immigration or the documents generated after her arrival in the United States. One nagging question, however, is: are the birth/baptismal certificate, the Hamburg Emigration List, and the Ellis Island Passenger Arrival List for the same Mary Danko who married Paul Golinski in 1915? If not, I have obtained the records for two different people. While in Boston in July, I obtained Mary Danko's Certificate of Arrival and Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization. If these two documents are for the same person, all the documents I have are for the same Mary (Danko) Golinski.

Petition for Naturalization for Mary Golinski - Front

Petition for Naturalization for Mary Golinski - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization. The Petition was filed under Section 310(b) of the Nationality Act of 1940 which states that a woman could petition for naturalization without filing a Declaration of Intention if she was married to a citizen and lived continuously in the United States since her marriage. Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization states that:

Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization No. 33772 was filed in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester
She lived at 11 Prescott Pl. Worcester, mass. and was a housewife
She was 54 years old, and was born on march 12, 1887 in Galigo [Galicia], Poland
She was a white female, with medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair
She was 4 feet 10 inches tall, 100 pounds, with no visible distinctive marks, whose nationality was Polish
She was married to Paul Golinski on October 4, 1915 in Barre, Mass.
Her husband was born in Sliwnica, Austria on Dec. 18, 1888, entered the United States at New York, N. Y. on May 20, 1913, and resided at Worcester, Mass.
Mary's husband was naturalized on Oct. 2, 1939 at Worcester, Mass. and his Certificate of Naturalization was No. 4735161
Mary had five children: Victoria Mary (f) born July 19, 1916 at Barre, Mass.; Frances Wanda (f) Aug. 25, 1918; John (m) Jan. 2, 1922; Josephine (f) Sept. 24, 1925; Joseph (m) Jan. 26, 1928; the last four were born at Worcester, Mass. and all five children were living at Worcester, Massachusetts
Mary's last place of foreign residence was Niedowa [Nienadowa], Poland
She emigrated to the United States from Hamburg, Germany and lawfully entered the United States at New York, N. Y. under the name of Marianna Danko on June 26, 1909 on the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria
Since her lawful entry, she had not been absent from the United States for a period of 6 months or longer
She had resided continuously in the Untied States for at least 3 years immediately preceding the date of her petition, namely since June 26, 1909
She had not previously made Petition for Naturalization and filed the current petition under Section 310 b
She did not ask for a change of name
Sophie Zamoita, a housewife residing at 12 Prescott Place, Worcester, Massachusetts, and Frances E. Swenson, a laundress residing at 128 Prescott Street, Worcester, Massachusetts signed affidavits as witnesses of her character, having known her since 1935
The Petition for Naturalization was signed at Worcester, Mass. on June 25, 1941 and was accompanied by Certificate of Arrival No. 1-292585 by the petitioner, the witnesses and by Philip S. Smith, Deputy Clerk, with the typed name of William C. Bowen, Clerk
Mary Golinski singed the Oath of Allegiance on September 30, 1941, as witnessed by William C. Bowen, Clerk, and Carl [Grunslit]
Mary's Petition for Naturalization was granted on Line No. 41 of List No. 4-5 and Certificate No. 5374214

The information on Mary Golinski's Petition for Naturalization ties her convincingly to the Hamburg Emigration List and the Ellis Island Passenger Arrival List for Marianna Danko, born in 1883-1884. The emigration and immigration documents also agree with the birth and baptismal record for Marianna Danko, born on January 12, 1884 in Nienadowa, Galicia.

The evidence indicates that Great Aunt Mary was born on January 12, 1884. After she arrived in the United States, Great Aunt Mary apparently changed her date of birth to March 12, 1887. Perhaps she just didn't want her future husband to know she was nearly five years older than he was!

A Preponderance of Evidence

Steve — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 06:19:59 +0000

In attempting to determine my Great Aunt Mary's birthdate, I had to acquire a large number of documents and evaluate the birth information contained therein. In U.S. civil courts, the idea of "preponderance of the evidence" is often used to decide cases, while in criminal courts, the concept of "beyond a reasonable doubt" is required to convict. In genealogy, we are often unable to come to a conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt and must rely on a preponderance of the evidence. This preponderance does not simply refer to the amount of evidence, but rather to the likely truth and accuracy of the evidence. With the evidence that I uncovered to determine Great Aunt Mary's birthdate, it became clear that the evidence supported two different birthdates: January 12, 1884 and March 12, 1887. By far, the date March 12, 1887 is supported by the greater number of documents, but none of the documents supporting this date provides primary information about Great Aunt Mary's birthdate. Primary information is:

"data contributed by a knowledgeable eyewitness to or participant in the event that is the subject of the record or by an official whose duties included making a full, accurate record of it." The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual (Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000), 9

In addition to the requirement that the record be made by an eyewitness, participant, or official, the record should have been made close to the same time and place as the event and should have been recorded accurately and without bias. Furthermore, many of the sources for Great Aunt Mary's birthdate are not original sources. An original source is:

"the person or record whose information did not come from data already spoken or written. The original is the most authoritative source. Often, however, it no longer survives or its preservation dictates that it be examined only as an image copy (microfilm, digitized image, and so on)." The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual (Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000), 8-9

Let's examine the sources for Great Aunt Mary's birthdate:

Marianna’s Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland
Marjanna’s Hamburg Passenger Record
Marianna’s Passenger Arrival List
The 1910 Census
The 1920 Census
The 1930 Census
The Copy of Record of Marriage
The Return of a Birth for Mary’s son John
Mary's Petition for Naturalization
Mary’s SS-5 Application for Social Security Account and Tax Number
The Social Security Death Index
Information from Mary’s daughter Fran
Mary’s Cemetery Burial Record
Mary’s Gravestone Epitaph

The only document that contains primary information on Mary's birthdate is the Birth and Baptismal Record, a Church Record from Poland. All other documents provide secondary information because they were not recorded by an eyewitness, participant, or official whose duty it was to record the event. Sure, Mary was a participant in the event, but she is not likely to have remembered the actual event when she provided her birthdate for later documents. Furthermore, only Mary's Birth and Baptismal Record was prepared at the time and place the event occurred. None of these sources are original sources. By definition, an original source contains information not derived from some other source. Only one original can exist. Several of these sources are exact images (microfilm copies, photocopies, photographs), but they are also derivative sources. Derivative sources are copies of the originals, but exact images can be the excellent sources if the quality of the image is high and the image is unaltered. Mary's Birth and Baptismal Record is an exact image of an original source (a church register in Dubiecko, Poland). Mary's Petition for Naturalization is also an exact image of an original source. The rest of the sources are derivative sources generated by transcription, information passed on verbally or information passed on in writing. The birth information provided in the exact image of the original source of Mary's Birth and Baptismal Record is by far the highest quality source for Mary's birthdate, since this record contains primary information. While Mary's Petition for Naturalization is also an exact image of an original source, the Petition does not contain primary information about Mary's birth. Tomorrow: The Genealogical Proof Standard

The Genealogical Proof Standard

Steve — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 05:18:18 +0000

When evaluating the quality of genealogical information and the sources in which that information appears, genealogists are often confronted with conflicting data. Thus, the concept of a preponderance of the evidence has been adopted from the legal profession and applied to genealogical analysis, whereby the accuracy of information and the reliability of the sources must be evaluated in order to come to a conclusion. For genealogists, the evidence must be carefully evaluated and documented before coming to a conclusion about a genealogical fact or event. The Board for Certification of Genealogists has established the Genealogical Proof Standard as a guideline for evaluating the credibility of genealogical data. The Genealogical Proof Standard states that:

"(a) We conduct a reasonably exhaustive search in reliable sources for all information that is or may be pertinent to the identity, relationship, event, or situation in question; (b) We collect and include in our compilation a complete, accurate citation to the source or sources of each item of information we use; (c) We analyze and correlate the collected information to assess its quality as evidence; (d) We resolve any conflicts caused by items of evidence that contradict each other or are contrary to a proposed (hypothetical) solution to the question; and (e) We arrive at a soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion." The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual (Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000), 1-2.

So, what does all this mean? In short, the Genealogical Proof Standard is a guideline for evaluating the preponderance of the evidence. The five tenets of the Genealogical Proof Standard require that the genealogist find all relevant information, document the sources of that information, analyze the information and evaluate the quality of the information, resolve any conflicts between different sources of information, and come to a conclusion. That's quite a job! Obtaining from reliable sources all information relevant to the genealogical question at hand is no small task. Even assuming that one has obtained all relevant information, the next step is equally daunting: properly citing the sources. Tomorrow: Citing the Sources of Information on Great Aunt Mary's Birthdate

Complete, Accurate Citations

Steve — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 00:59:19 +0000

The Genealogical Proof Standard requires a complete, accurate citation of sources. While finding the sources in the first place may be a more difficult task than citing the sources, even the most skilled genealogists get stumped from time-to-time on how to format source citations. Why should this task be so difficult? Many publishers and professional organizations have style guides for publication that include proper citation of sources. Different organizations have adopted different conventions and formats for citing sources and, in general, one format is not necessarily better than another format. Genealogical sources suffer from the complication that, rather than simply being references to books and journals, these sources are incredibly varied and usually not cited as sources in fields other than genealogy. Just as researchers in other fields have citation style guides for their particular professions, so do genealogists:

Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Quicksheet: Citing Online Historical Resources. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2005.

In Evidence!, Elizabeth Shown Mills mentions that the citation examples provided therein are based on The Chicago Manual of Style (The Chicago Manual of Style. 14th edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993). Even with these resources, the best way to cite a genealogical source is not always straightforward. To start with, Elizabeth Shown Mills provides examples for three different formats: Primary Citation (Endnotes or Footnotes), Subsequent Citations (Endnotes or Footnotes) and Bibliographic Entry. Which of these formats should be used depends on the context and intent. Whenever I make a copy of a document, I include source information directly on the copy. But which format (Endnotes/Footnotes or Bibliography) is more suitable for this purpose, since the source citation is not for either of those purposes? The citation formats for endnotes or footnotes generally include page numbers while the format for a bibliography does not. For that reason alone, I would generally format the citation according to the Endnotes/Footnotes format. Let's look at some actual examples of source citations for the documents I used to evaluate Great Aunt Mary's birthdate: Birth and Baptismal Record Book of Births and Baptisms, 1884: entry 5, Church of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland Hamburg Emigration Record Marjanna Danko entry; SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, June 16, 1909, line 830; in Hamburg Emigration Lists 1850-1934, Volumes 209-211, Direct Lists, microfilm 473,001, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah Passenger Arrival List Marianna Danko entry; SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria Passenger Manifest, June 26, 1909, page 36, line 4; Micropublication T715 (Washington: National Archives), roll 1293, frames 513-514. The 1910 Census Samuel Carsenberg household, 1910 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 1880, supervisor's district 119, sheet 6B, dwelling 39, family 98; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 632. The 1920 Census Paul Golinski household, 1920 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 193, supervisor's district 3, sheet 22A, dwelling 194, family 470; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 749. The 1930 Census Paul Golinski household, 1930 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 14-23, supervisor's district 8, sheet 1A, dwelling 3, family 3; National Archives micropublication T626, roll 968. The Copy of Record of Marriage Copy of Record of Marriage, October 4, 1915, Barre, Massachusetts, register no. 23, vol. 633, page 358, Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, Dorchester, Massachusetts. The citations above are based on the examples in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence!, but the citations for the passenger lists and the census records don't indicate that I actually found these documents online, not on microfilm. Also, there are two confusing citations listed here: the 1910 Census recordis cited as "Samuel Carsenberg household" not as "Mary Danko", and the citation for the record of marriage doesn't list the names of the bride and groom. Perhaps these issues will be better resolved in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Quicksheet or in the next edition of Evidence!

Original Sources, Derivative Sources, Exact Images, and Original Records

Steve — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 05:27:41 +0000

A few days ago, I wrote about using A Preponderance of Evidence to come to a conclusion in genealogical studies, and in that article I provided the definition of Original Source as published in The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual:

“original source: the person or record whose information did not come from data already spoken or written. The original is the most authoritative source. Often, however, it no longer survives or its preservation dictates that it be examined only as an image copy (microfilm, digitized image, and so on).” The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual (Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000), 8-9.

According to The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual, the definition of Derivative Source is:

"derivative source: a person or record that supplies information that is repeated, reproduced, transcribed, abstracted, or summarized from something already spoken or written. Because every repetition or recopying of data is an opportunity for error, the closer the derivative is to the original the more reliable the data are likely to be." The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual (Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000), 9.

In 1999, a workshop on Evidence Analysis was held at the NGS Conference in the States where Helen F. M. Leary, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, the President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, elaborated on these definitions. She defined Original Source as:

"ORIGINAL SOURCE: one that contributes written, oral, or visual information not derived from a prior written record or oral communication. "Original" in this sense refers to the form in which the information is found or was created - not to its quality, reliability, or other characteristics." Helen F. M. Leary, "Part 1: Definitions" Evidence Analysis, A Workshop, 1999 NGS Conference in the States, National Genealogical Society (Arlington, Virginia: NGS, 1999).

She also defined Derivative Source as:

"DERIVATIVE SOURCE: one that contributes information copied, transcribed, abstracted, summarized, or repeated from information in a previously existing source. Derivatives may be created (a) contemporaneously with the source (e.g., index entries made when the deed were transcribed into the official record book) or years or centuries later (e.g., a person's "record set: in a genealogical data base); (b) by officials in the course of performing their duties or by private parties pursuing their own interests (e.g., describing the results of a genealogical investigation); and (c) in handwritten, typed, electronically recorded, computer-generated, or exact-image form." Helen F. M. Leary, "Part 1: Definitions" Evidence Analysis, A Workshop, 1999 NGS Conference in the States, National Genealogical Society (Arlington, Virginia: NGS, 1999).

One other useful definition that Ms. Leary provided was for Exact Image:

"EXACT IMAGE: the form of any record that captures its appearance and all the information it carries - as by microfilm, photograph, photocopy, or computer-scanned image. An exact image is a DERIVATIVE SOURCE whose value depends on its technological quality (e.g., a clear, complete, unaltered reproduction of the ORIGINAL RECORD, in photocopy or microform, carries the same information). With the same appearance, the image can stand in place of the original." Helen F. M. Leary, "Part 1: Definitions" Evidence Analysis, A Workshop, 1999 NGS Conference in the States, National Genealogical Society (Arlington, Virginia: NGS, 1999).

From these definitions, Original Sources are rare, indeed. In fact, I don't think I have any source documents that can be considered Original Sources if Exact Images are Derivative Sources. George Morgan and Drew Smith discussed Original Sources and Derivative Sources on the June 1, 2006 edition of the Genealogy Guys Podcast. In that podcast, the Genealogy Guys indicated that a reproduction of an Original Source could also be considered an Original Source. Today, in an online chat with Brenda Dougal Merriman, CG, CGL of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, I asked the Brenda whether exact images were Original Sources or Derivative Sources. Brenda answered that exact images could be considered Original Sources, especially these days when so many Original Sources are available as digitized images. At this point, one more definition may be useful - Original Record:

"ORIGINAL RECORD: the first paper writing created in response to a specific event or situation. An ORIGINAL SOURCE can be an ORIGINAL RECORD if written or electronically recorded. An original record is unique - the can be only one "first" - and therefore irreplaceable. The original record should not be confused with a DUPLICATE ORIGINAL or an OFFICIAL COPY. Although "original" is sometimes used to refer to any record of which a copy has been made or from which information has been taken, a more-appropriate term in those case in simply SOURCE" Helen F. M. Leary, "Part 1: Definitions" Evidence Analysis, A Workshop, 1999 NGS Conference in the States, National Genealogical Society (Arlington, Virginia: NGS, 1999).

There are some conflicting views here. Is an Exact Image an Original Source or a Derivative Source? Tomorrow: New Definitions of Original Source and Derivative Source (A Proposal)

New Definitions of Original Source and Derivative Source (A Proposal)

Steve — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 06:00:21 +0000

The definitions for Original Source and Derivative Source provided in the literature sometimes don't seem to fit the needs of genealogists. In particular, the literature places exact images such as photocopies and microfilm images in the category of Derivative Sources. If so, Original Sources are rare! What do we end up with if we consider what Original Sources we have in our possession? Perhaps we have a Certificate of Naturalization or a family bible, or a sampler with the name and date of birth of a child. Beyond that, we might have photocopies of Vital Records, or electronic images of Passenger Manifests or Census Records. By definition, then, some of the most useful records genealogists have in their possession are Derivative Sources. Recently, some genealogy authorities have classified exact images as Original Sources and, perhaps, the definitions of Original Source and Derivative Source should be modified to reflect this line of thought. Otherwise, the differentiation between Original Source and Derivative Source is almost meaningless; almost all of our sources are Derivative Sources. Most Original Sources have either been archived or destroyed. Consider the following definitions as an attempt to take into account the records actually available and to allow genealogists to evaluate the quality of sources more precisely.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: a record that provides information not obtained or derived from another record. An Original Source can be an Original Record or and Exact Image.

This definition of Original Source takes into account that the information on an Exact Image, if it faithfully preserves the appearance and information in the Original Record, can substitute for the Original Record.

ORIGINAL RECORD: the first record in which information is captured in a fixed form, whether on paper, in stone, in electronic form, or in some other medium. An Original Record can be either an Original Source or a Derivative Source, but there can exist only one Original Record.

This definition of Original Record takes into account that paper documents are not the only Original Records. Inclusion of media other than paper is increasing important in a digital world. This definition also considers that an Original Record can be either an Original Source or a Derivative Source. An Original Record is an Original Source only if the information in that record was not obtained or derived from some other record.

EXACT IMAGE: a reproduction of an Original Record in a photograph, photocopy, microform, digital form, or other media that preserves both the appearance of and information in the Original Record.

The quality of the image is an important characteristic to consider when deciding if an image qualifies as an Exact Image. Severe distortion of the image or alteration of the image (such as when a vital records office obscures the cause of death in a death certificate) may disqualify an image from being an Exact Image.

DERIVATIVE SOURCE: a record which is generated based on information in an Original Record and is not an Exact Image of the Original Record. Derivative Sources include Transcriptions, Abstracts, and Compiled Sources.

This definition of a Derivative Source considers Duplicate Originals and Official Copies to be Derivative Sources, unless those sources are Exact Images. Some Derivative Sources are also Original Records. For example, a certified vital record that is a transcript rather than an Exact Image is an Original Record, but is also a Derivative Source. These definitions are proposed here to try to clarify some ambiguities in the existing literature and to generate discussion. Please post a comment or send me an email (click the "E-mail Steve" link on the right-hand side of the page to find my email address).

Barb Poole on Internet Genealogy and WorldCat

Steve — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 04:24:00 +0000

Barb Poole has written another article for today's Blog. Someday Barb and I will have to actually meet each other! Here's Barb's GuestBlog:

I wrote a piece about a new genealogy magazine in Steve's blog of May 20th, in which I wrote, "A new genealogy magazine has arrived on the scene; it is Internet Genealogy and can be ordered as a hard copy or downloaded from the internet (different prices for each). To order go to http://www.internet-genealogy.com/ and you can see the specifics as well as download a preview issue." This is an update, which may be beneficial to some, whether you subscribe or not. The editor/publisher of that magazine asked for suggestions from the subscribers as to what they wanted in the magazine. One suggestion was to have all the websites listed in that issue of the magazine to be on one page, so you could go to that page and see all the links listed, and not look all around for them. However, the magazine went one step further and now has on their website all the links that were mentioned in that particular issue. If you go to the site listed above, you will see a section listing the links for each magazine (both past and current issues) and the link will take you to that webpage. No more typing out the addresses. And, these sites give you an idea of what the magazine has covered thus far. In addition, if the links change, the company will change them as well on their homepage. So far, there is a pretty impressive list of genealogy sites. My second recent find is a site called WorldCat, which I got from a message board, out of Canada. It is the first I have heard of it, but is a site I will use many times over. This is what I received, " Google is easily accessed, but WorldCat's locations of 1.3 billion items in 10,000 libraries around the world previously have been available only through institutional access. It's become available to the public here and now. It's FREE and simple to use. Just type in a book name or author and it shows which library holds that book. Just go to: http://www.worldcat.org/ ." On a personal note, I put in titles of three books and not only did they appear, but it gave the name of the library and the distance from where I live (Massachusetts). For an example, I put in the book title New England Marriages prior to 1700 and there were 381 hits. The closest library that has the book is the library in Lexington, 13 miles away, and the furthest is Alaska, all of 3,349 miles away from me! With this information, you can either go to or contact that library or see if you can get it through the inter-library loan process.

Note from Steve: to learn more about WorldCat, you can listen to George Morgan and Drew Smith discuss WorldCat in their August 13, 2006 Podcast.

Primary and Secondary Information

Steve — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 06:23:47 +0000

The information contained within a source, whether the source is original or derivative, may be Primary Information or Secondary Information.

PRIMARY INFORMATION: details originally recorded at the time or close to the time of an event by a participant, eyewitness, or official recorder of the event.

Even if details in a record qualify as Primary Information, Primary Information does not guarantee that the information is accurate. Errors might have made when the details were recorded. Nonetheless, Primary Information is usually the most accurate information available, as long as the details are recorded by someone capable of understanding the significance of the information and does so without bias. Frequently, the recorder is someone acting in an official capacity, such as a Registrar, Clerk, Secretary, Minister of the Peace, or Priest.

SECONDARY INFORMATION: details originally recorded at a time or place distant from the original event or by a person who was not either a participant, eyewitness, or official recorder of the event.

Secondary Information, since it is generally recorded at a much later time than the actual event or by someone who does not have first-hand knowledge of the event, may be less reliable than Primary Information. As with Primary Information, the quality of Secondary Information is subject to the qualifications of the person who recorded it. I have placed one qualifier in the definitions of Primary and Secondary Information that most genealogical references do not, in that I have defined Primary and Secondary Information in terms of when the details were originally recorded. Thus, a transcript may be a Derivative Source, but the transcript may include Primary Information if the source from which it was transcribed contains Primary Information. Primary Information in a Derivative Source is, however, subject to the potential flaws of the source itself. A source often contains both primary and secondary information. For example, a Death Certificate usually contains Primary Information about the death itself, but may also include Secondary Information about the birth of the decedent. Bibliography: Devine, Donn. "Reliable Information- Whatever the Source: The Key to Sound Research." Ancestry Magazine 19 (January/February 2001). Online <http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=3657>. 19 August 2006. Leary, Helen F. M. “Part 1: Definitions” Evidence Analysis, A Workshop, 1999 NGS Conference in the States, National Genealogical Society (Arlington, Virginia: NGS, 1999). The Board for Certification of Genealogists, The BCC Genealogical Standards Manual. Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2000.

Passenger Arrival Manifest

Steve — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 04:22:14 +0000

Passenger Arrival Manifest for Marianna Danko

Evaluating the Quality of Great Aunt Mary's Records

Steve — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 05:15:56 +0000

After coming to a decision about how to define Original Source, Derivative Source, Primary Information, Secondary Information, Exact Image, and Original Record, it's time to decide how some of the records I've collected on my Great Aunt Mary stack up. Birth and Baptismal Record Marianna's Birth and Baptismal Record is an Exact Image of an Original Source. The record contains Primary Information on the dates and places of birth and baptism, the names and occupations of her parents, the names of her godparents, her sex, religion, and the fact she was legitimately born, the name of the midwife, and the name of the priest who performed the baptism. The record includes Secondary Information on the names and occupations of Mary's grandparents.

SOURCE: Book of Births and Baptisms, 1884: entry 5, Church of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland.

Hamburg Emigration Record Marjanna's Hamburg Emigration Record is an Exact Image of an Original Source. The record includes Primary Information on the ship and date on which she emigrated, her sex and marital status, her former place of residence, her nationality, and her former occupation and position. Unless Marjanna provided some official proof of her age, the record includes Secondary Information on her age. While she was certainly present at her own birth, she certainly would not have remembered the event itself. Moreover, the emigration record was not generated at or near the time of her birth.

SOURCE: Marjanna Danko entry; SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, June 16, 1909, line 830; in Hamburg Emigration Lists 1850-1934, Volumes 209-211, Direct Lists, microfilm 473,001, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Passenger Arrival List Marianna's Passenger Arrival List is an Exact Image of an Original Source. Most of the information in this record is Primary Information, including the name of the ship, the ports and dates of departure and arrival, Marianna's former occupation, her nationality, her former place of residence, her intended destination, and her height, weight, complexion, hair color, and eye color. Marianna's age and place of birth are Secondary Information, unless she provided this information in some official record.

SOURCE: Marianna Danko entry; SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria Passenger Manifest, June 26, 1909, page 36, line 4; Micropublication T715 (Washington: National Archives), roll 1293, frames 513-514.

The 1910, 1920, and 1930 Census The 1910, 1920, and 1930 Census Records are Exact Images of Original Sources. Much of the information in this record is Primary Information, including address, inhabitants of the household, language spoken, occupation, and ownership of home. Secondary Information includes ages at the time of the census, ages at marriage, places of birth, year of immigration, and naturalization information.

SOURCE: Samuel Carsenberg household, 1910 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 1880, supervisor’s district 119, sheet 6B, dwelling 39, family 98; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 632. SOURCE: Paul Golinski household, 1920 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 193, supervisor’s district 3, sheet 22A, dwelling 194, family 470; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 749. SOURCE: Paul Golinski household, 1930 U.S. census, Worcester county, Massachusetts, population schedule, city of Worcester, enumeration district 14-23, supervisor’s district 8, sheet 1A, dwelling 3, family 3; National Archives micropublication T626, roll 968.

The Copy of Record of Marriage Circumstances involved in preparing the Copy of Record of Marriage resulted in a complex situation. The original record was made at the time of the event, but was not transcribed into the ledger books in Barre, Massachusetts until sometime later. When the Copy of Record of Marriage was prepared, the information was once again transcribed onto the certified document. The certified document is an Original Document, but is a Secondary Source. Much of the information in the record is Primary Information, since it originally was recorded at about the time of the event by someone in an official capacity. The information was transcribed twice, but when the information was transcribed, someone in an official capacity performed the task. Thus, the names of the bride and groom, the occupations, the date and place of marriage, the number of marriage, the name of the officiant, and the date of the original record are probably Primary Information. The ages, places of birth, and the names of the parents of the bride and groom are Secondary Information. Given that this record was transcribed twice, the Secondary Information and even the Primary Information is somewhat suspect. I know from other records that the names of the groom's parents and the name of the bride's mother are misspelled in this record. The name of the bride's father is written as ~~Joseph~~ Jacob Danko, indicating that the recorder incorrectly transcribed the father's first name, immediately recognized the error, and then just crossed out the error and continued. This is a certified marriage record?

SOURCE: Copy of Record of Marriage, October 4, 1915, Barre, Massachusetts, register no. 23, vol. 633, page 358, Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, Dorchester, Massachusetts.

When Was Census Day?

Steve — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 02:24:57 +0000

The United States Decennial Census has been conducted on different days throughout its history, and the information contained in the census might be interpreted in different ways, depending on whether the information was accurate as of the official day of the census or as of the actual day the enumerator recorded the information. It's not clear if the enumerators for the 1790, 1800, and 1810 were instructed to ensure that the data collected was accurate as of the first Monday in August. Certainly, as of the 1820 Census, the enumerators were expected to record information as of the enumeration date, not the date on which the information was recorded, but there is little way to know if the enumerators actually followed these instructions. 1790 US Federal Census The 1790 Census enumeration began on the first Monday in August - August 2, 1790. 1800 US Federal Census The 1800 Census enumeration began on the first Monday in August - August 4, 1800. The census was to be completed within nine months. 1810 US Federal Census The 1810 Census enumeration began on the first Monday in August - August 6, 1810. 1820 US Federal Census The 1820 Census enumeration began on the first Monday in August - August 7, 1820. The census was to be completed within six months, but the completion date was extended to September 1, 1821. All data collected was to be accurate as of August 7, 1820. 1830 US Federal Census The 1830 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1830, and the enumerators were instructed to transmit the returns to the marshals by December 1, 1930. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1930. 1840 US Federal Census The 1840 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1840 and the enumerators were instructed to transmit the returns to the marshals by November 1, 1840. This deadline was extended to May 1, 1841. Due to discrepancies in the reports, the enumeration of Montgomery County, Maryland was repeated beginning on June 1, 1841, with the returns due by October 1, 1841. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1840. 1850 US Federal Census The 1850 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1850 and the results were returned to the Secretary of the Interior by November 1, 1850. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1850. 1860 US Federal Census The 1860 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1860. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1860. 1870 US Federal Census The 1870 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1870. Schedule 1 (Free Inhabitants) was due to be completed by September 10, 1870 and all other schedules were due by October 1, 1870. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1870. 1880 US Federal Census The 1880 Census enumeration began on June 1, 1880. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1880. 1890 US Federal Census The 1890 Census enumeration began on June 2, 1890 (June 1 was a Sunday). In cities with populations less than 10,000, the enumeration was to be completed within two weeks. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1890. 1900 US Federal Census The 1900 Census was enumerated as of June 1, 1900. The enumeration was to be completed within two weeks in areas with a population greater than 8,000 and within a month in rural areas. All data collected was to be accurate as of June 1, 1900. 1910 US Federal Census The 1910 Census enumeration began on April 15, 1910. The enumeration was to be completed within two weeks in cities of 5,000 inhabitants or more and within 30 days in smaller or rural areas. All data collected was to be accurate as of April 15, 1910. 1920 US Federal Census The 1920 Census enumeration began on January 2, 1920, but all data collected was to be accurate as of January 1, 1920. 1930-2000 US Federal Census The 1930-2000 US Federal Censuses was taken as of April 1. All data collected was to be accurate as of April 1. To summarize, Census Day for the various US Federal Censuses was:

the first Monday in August for the 1790-1820 Censuses
June 1 for the 1830-1900 Censuses
April 15 for the 1910 Census
January 1 for the 1920 Census
April 1 for the 1930-2000 Censuses

The information in the Census Records is intended to be accurate as of the official Census Day.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 06:40:45 +0000

PDF of Naturalization Index for Helen Anne Niedzialkowski

Naturalization Index for Helen Anne Niedzialkowski

Steve — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 06:44:11 +0000

Naturalization Index for Helen Anne Niedzialkowski

Helen Niedzialkowski in the Naturalization Index

Steve — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 06:47:44 +0000

My grandmother, Helen Niedzialkowski, became a citizen of the United States on June 12, 1953, forty years after she arrived in the country. I'm not sure what inspired her to become a citizen after all those years, especially since her husband, Kostanty, became a citizen in 1940. In July, while I was at the Massachusetts Archives, I tried to find Helen's Naturalization Papers on microfilm, but I found that only the index cards for 1953 had been microfilmed. Nonetheless, I did find the index card for my grandmother's naturalization.

Index Card for the Naturalization of Helen Anne Niedzialkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Index Card. The record is actually very informative. The card states that she was granted Certificate of Naturalization No. 7089706, that her name was Helen Anne Niedzialkowski, that she lived at 40 Barnes Ave., Worcester, Mass., that she was born 2/15/97 (that's 1897), and that she became a citizen on 6/12/53 (her Certificate of Naturalization was dated the same day) at the Superior Court at Worcester, Mass. She had filed Petition of Naturalization No. 46714 and had previously held Alien Registration No. 3179566. Since I now know her Petition number and Certificate of Naturalization number, I should be able to find her complete naturalization records at the Superior Court at Worcester, Massachusetts. Perhaps even more interesting is that, since she waited so long to become a citizen, she was obligated to register as an alien and she had an Alien Registration Number. With this number, I should be able to request a copy of her alien registration from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:22:04 +0000

PDF of Stephania Meleski's Naturalization Index Card

Stephania Meleski's Naturalization Index Card

Steve — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:22:45 +0000

Stephania Meleski's Naturalization Index Card

Steve — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 05:25:34 +0000

While looking for my grandmother, Helen Niedzialkowski, in the Naturalization Index, I thought I'd also look for her sister, Stephanie Meleski. I found the record on the same roll of microfilm as the record for Helen.

Index Card for the Naturalization of Stephania Meleski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Index Card for Stephania. The card states that she was granted Certificate of Naturalization No. 6119990, that her name was Stephania Meleski, that she lived at 15 Charlton St. Worcester, Mass., that she was 58 years old at the date of admission (meaning that she was born in about 1885-1886), and that she became a citizen on Mar. 2, 1944 (her Certificate of Naturalization was dated the same day) at the Superior Court at Worcester, Mass. She had filed Petition of Naturalization No. 39405.

The information on this card provided enough information to look for Stephania's Naturalization Papers, since the records for 1944 have been microfilmed. Stephania's Certificate of Naturalization was No. 6119990 and her Petition for Naturalization was No. 39405.

In addition to the information on how to find Stephania's Naturalization Papers, the Index Card provides several useful pieces of information. Stephania was living at 15 Charlton St. in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1944. This is useful information since I haven't been able to find Stephania in the Census Records. The second useful piece of information is that she spelled her name Stephania Meleski, not Stephanie Meleski as I previously thought.

Although the Index Card does not provide a space for an Alien Registration Number, Stephania would have been required to register as an alien in response to the Alien Registration Act of 1940. All aliens over the age of 14 were required to fill out a two page form (the AR-2, including a perforated section, the AR-3)) at their local post office. After the form was processed, the AR-3 (the Alien Registration Card) was torn from the AR-2 and mailed to the applicant. Aliens were required to carry this card with them.

Most aliens registered between July and December 1940. Registrations completed between July 1940 and April 1944 have been microfilmed and were placed in the custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. These records are searchable by name, date of birth, and place of birth, and copies of these records may be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

Further information on the Alien Registration Act is available at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Requests for the alien registration documents may be made on a Form G-639, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Request. No fees are required until you are notified by the USCIS. The first 100 pages of reproduction and two hours of search time are provided without charge unless the requester is a commercial organization. Be prepared for a long wait (more than six months) before receiving the papers. I'm sending in the forms for my ancestors this week.

The last piece of information I obtained from the Naturalization Index was a complete surprise for me, and it appeared on the very next image after Stephania's Index Card.

Tomorrow: The Surprise!

Change of Name for Stefania Chmielewski

Steve — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 05:15:21 +0000

Change of Name for Stefania Chmielewski

PDF

Steve — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 05:15:50 +0000

PDF Change of Name for Stefania Chmielewski

The Surprise - A Change of Name

Steve — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 05:17:08 +0000

While looking for the Naturalization Index Card for my great aunt Stephania Meleski, I happened to look at the very next card after the Naturalization Index Card and found the following card:

Change of Name for Stefania Chmielewski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Change of Name card. I had always thought that my great aunt's name was Stephanie Meleski. Her Naturalization Index Card showed that her name was Stephania Meleski. Now, this card shows that she changed her name from Stefania Chmielewska as part of the naturalization process.

In the past, I had not been able to find Stephania in the census records. Now that I have some alternate names, perhaps I'll have better luck!

Original Petition for Naturalization for Stefania Chmielewska

Steve — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:01:37 +0000

Original Petition for Naturalization for Stefania Chmielewska

PDF

Steve — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:02:07 +0000

PDF of Original Petition for Naturalization for Stefania Chmielewska

Stefania Chmielewska's Declaration of Intention

Steve — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:03:29 +0000

After I found the Naturalization Index Card for my Great Aunt Stephania, I looked up her Declaration of Intention on a microfilm that contained images of the Original of the three copies of the Declaration that were prepared. The Original was retained by the clerk, the Duplicate was forwarded to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, and the Triplicate was provided to the applicant.

Original Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Original Declaration. According to the definitions of Original Source and Derivative Source, this document is an Exact Image of an Original Source.

The Declaration states that:

Stefania Chmielewska made her Declaration of Intention No. 52410 to become a citizen of the United States in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of Worcester, in the Superior Court of Massachusetts of Worcester
She resided at 15 Charlton St., Worcester, Worcester, Mass.
Her occupation was a rooming house keeper
She was 54 years old, female, white, medium complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 120 pounds, with no distinctive marks
She was of Polish race and of Polish nationality
She was born in Likiszki, Poland on Jan. 7, 1886
She was not married, had no children, and had not previously made a Declaration of Intention
Her last foreign residence was Likiszki, Poland
She emigrated from Bremen, German and entered the United States at New York, N.Y. under the name of Stefania Chmielewska on Sept. 16, 1901, but did not know the name of the ship on which she had traveled
She submitted her Declaration at Worcester, Mass. on November 25, 1940
Her Certificate of Arrival was No. 1x 81667
The Declaration was signed by William C. Bowen, Clerk of the Superior Court

The Declaration shows that Stefania's surname was corrected from Chmielewski to Chmielewska. The Certificate of Arrival number was also corrected: the space for the number shows xxxxxx and the actual number is typed to the left of the clerk's name.

As fate would have it, not only did Stefania forget the name of the ship on which she sailed, but she reported the wrong date of arrival.

I'm not sure where Stefania's birthplace of Likiszki is, but two choices are likely: the village Likishki Vel'ke [Likiškiai], Alytaus, Lithuania and the village of Lilishki [Liuliškiai], Vilniaus, Lithuania.

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska Front

Steve — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 05:12:16 +0000

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska Front

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska Back

Steve — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 05:12:48 +0000

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska Back

PDF

Steve — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 05:13:21 +0000

PDF of Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska

The Triplicate Copy of the Declaration of Intention

Steve — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 05:16:12 +0000

After finding the Original Copy of Great Aunt Stephania's Declaration of Intention, I moved from the microfilms labeled Naturalization - Declaration of Intention to the films labeled Naturalization - Petition and Record Book. This set of films included the Triplicate copy of Stefania's Declaration of Intention.

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska - Front

Triplicate Declaration of Intention for Stefania Chmielewska - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Triplicate Copy of the Declaration of Intention.

The films labeled Naturalization - Declaration of Intention included the Original Copy of the Declaration of Intention - the copy that remained with the Clerk of the Court. This new set of records included the triplicate copy - the copy that was given to the declarant. The Duplicate Copy was sent to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization.

The Triplicate Copy appears to be identical to the original with a few exceptions. In fact, the Triplicate appears to be a carbon copy of the original, since the two documents contains the same typographical eccentricities. Note, for example, the extra space between the "e" and "r" in "County of Worcester" near the top left, the way that the final "i" in "Chmielewski" is typed over with an "a", and the way that Stefania's first name about halfway down the page appears to have a "t" squeezed in between the "S" and "e" after the name was typed in.

Differences include the presence of Stefania's photo and signature on the Triplicate Copy, and the fact that the Triplicate Copy includes instructions to the declarant on the reverse. In addition, the Triplicate includes a stamp on the back:

RECEIVED FEB 1 - 1943 U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service [74] Tremont Street Boston, Mass.

Normally, a copy of the Original Document would be considered a Derivative Source. In this case, since all three copies were prepared simultaneously by carbon copy and each is clearly marked Original, Duplicate, or Triplicate, I consider each of these an Original Source (an Original Source of the Original, an Original Source of the Duplicate, and an Original Source of the Triplicate). The copies I have are Exact Images of Original Sources.

These documents include Primary Information about the place and date Stefania made her Declaration, her address, her occupation, and her physical characteristics. The documents include Secondary Information about Stefania's race, nationality, birthplace, last foreign residence, and immigration information.

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Front

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 05:44:29 +0000

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Front

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Back

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 05:45:11 +0000

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Back

PDF

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 05:46:23 +0000

PDF Copy of Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization

Steve — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 05:56:04 +0000

Great Aunt Stephania became of citizen of the United States on March 2, 1944. By law, she had to complete the naturalization process between two and seven years after filing her Declaration of Intention. She had filed her Declaration on November 25, 1940, so she was well within the required window of time.

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Front

Stephania Meleski's Petition for Naturalization - Back

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the document. The Petition shows that:

Stefania Chmielewska changed her name to Stephania Meleski as part of the naturalization process on Petition for Naturalization No. 39405
Stephania filed her Petition at the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester
Stephania still lived at 15 Charlton St. Worcester, Mass and worked in a rooming house
She was 57 years old, and was born on Jan. 7, 1886 in Likiszki, Vilna, Poland
She was female, white, of medium complexion, with hazel eyes, brown hair, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 125 pounds, and had a mole on her chin
She was of the white race, of Polish nationality, was not married, and had no children
Her last place of foreign residence was Likiszki, Vilna, Poland
She emigrated from Bremen, Germany and entered New York, N.Y. under the name Stefania Chmielewska on Sept. 16, 1901 on an unknown ship
Since entering the United States, she had not been absent for a period of 6 months or longer
She declared her intention to become a citizen of the United States on November 25, 1940 in the Superior Court of Massachusetts at Worcester, Mass.
She had been in the United States for at least five years, that is to say, since Sept. 16, 1901 and continuously in the state of Massachusetts for at least six months, that is, since Feb. 1933
Stephania's Petition was witnessed by Harriett Bell Thurston, a housewife, and Harry C. Thurston, retired, both residing at 56 Elm St. Worcester, Mass.
The Petition was subscribed and sworn at Worcester, Massachusetts on December 13, 1941 before Carl L. [Greenslil?], Deputy Clerk for William C. Bowen, Clerk
Stephania's Certificate of Arrival was No. 1X 81667
Stephania made her Oath of Allegiance on March 2, 1944 and was granted Certificate No. 6119990 by Carl L. [Greenslil?], Deputy Clerk for William C. Bowen, Clerk

In the three years since filing her Declaration of Intention, Great Aunt Stephania has changed her name, gained five pounds, developed a mole on her chin, changed her race from Polish to white, specified that Likiszki, Poland was Likiszki, Vilna, Poland, and still can't remember the ship on which she immigrated.

But, most interesting of all is her statement that she had been in Massachusetts since February of 1933. Since she immigrated in 1901, where did she spend the first 32 years of her life in America?

Passenger Manifest for Stefania Chmielewska

Steve — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 04:23:56 +0000

Passenger Manifest for Stefania Chmielewska

PDF

Steve — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 04:24:37 +0000

PDF of Passenger Manifest for Stefania Chmielewska

SS Barbarossa

Steve — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:12:26 +0000

SS Barbarossa

Stefania Chmielewska Arrives at Ellis Island

Steve — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:13:34 +0000

In her Naturalization Papers, Great Aunt Stephania couldn't remember the ship on which she emigrated to the United States, although she stated that she arrived at New York from Bremen on September 16, 1901. Two ships did arrive at New York from Bremen on September 16, 1901: the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse and the SS Friedrich der Grosse. Stefania wasn't aboard either of these ships.

The SS Barbarossa

Today, I received a message from Drew Smith (one of the Genealogy Guys) who told me that he found Stefania's Passenger Manifest on the Ellis Island site, and indeed he had! Stefania arrived on the SS Barbarossa on May 22, 1901 (a few months earlier than she reported in her naturalization papers)!

Passenger Manifest for Stefania Chmielewska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stefania's Passenger Manifest. The manifest shows that:

Stefania Chmielewska traveled on the S.S. Barbarossa, leaving Bremen on May 11, 1901 and arriving at New York
Although this page does not state the date of her arrival, other pages in the manifest show that the ship arrived in New York on May 22, 1901
Stefania is listed on page 255, line 9 of the manifest
She was a 14 year old single female with no occupation who could read and write
Her nationality was Russian, her last residence was Likiszki, and she would be landing at New York
Her final destination was Worcester, Mass., she had a ticket to her final destination, and her passage was paid by her brother
She had $7 with her, she had never been in the United States before, and she was planning to join her brother, Josef
She had never been in prison, almshouse, or supported by charity
She was not a polygamist and she was not under contract to work in the United States
Her mental and physical health were good, and she was not disabled or cripple

The Ellis Island indexes have Stefania listed as follows:

First Name: Stefnie [the manifest actually says Stefania]
Last Name: Chmielewska
Ethnicity: Russia
Last Place of Residence: Likiizki [the manifest actually says Likiszki]
Date of Arrival: May 11, 1901 [the actual date of arrival, as indicated on another page of the manifest, was May 22, 1901]
Age at Arrival: 14y
Gender: F
Marital Status: S
Ship of Travel: Barbarossa
Port of Departure: Bremen
Manifest Line Number: 0009

The Ellis Island index contains three transcription errors. I'll write to them and ask them to correct these errors. The folks at Ellis Island are happy to correct transcription errors, but they won't change misspellings or errors in the manifests, themselves. But, notice the checkmark in the first column of the manifest, in front of Stefania's name. This doesn't look good for Stefania, because this check mark means that Stefania was detained at Ellis Island. Tomorrow: What happened to Stefania when she was detained

Frederick Barbarossa

Steve — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:49:58 +0000

Frederick Barbarossa

Record of Detained Alien Passengers for Stefania Chmielewska

Steve — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:51:01 +0000

Record of Detained Alien Passengers for Stefania Chmielewska

PDF

Steve — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:51:36 +0000

PDF of Record of Detained Alien Passengers for Stefania Chmielewska

Stefania Chmielewska Detained at Ellis Island

Steve — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:55:15 +0000

When Stefania Chmielewska arrived in New York, she was detained, rather than immediately admitted to the United States. Various notations, such as an "X", "D", or "held" between columns 1 and 2, or in the name column on the passenger manifest, indicate that a passenger was detained. The manifest may also include other notations to indicate that a passenger was held for a Board of Special Inquiry, that a Certificate of Arrival was issued, that a Warrant of Arrest was issued, or a number of other events occurred. See the post on A New Look at Immigrant Passenger Manifests for more details. In Stefania's case, the actual manifest page shows that quite a few other passengers on the Barbarossa were detained as well, and many of these passengers had something in common - they were unaccompanied minors.

Frederick Barbarossa

Record of Detained Alien Passengers for Stefania Chmielewska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Record of Detained Alien Passengers for Stefania Chmielewska. This records show that:

Stefania Chmielewska was detained passenger number 175, listed on the manifest in Group A, Number 9
Stefania was traveling alone and the Cause of Detention was "to be tagged"
Stefania's disposition was "to R.R. jrny to" [to railroad journey to] her brother Joseph, 18 Lafayette St., Worcester, Mass.
She was discharged by inspector [Lr.] at 15:30 [3:30 PM] on May 22
She was not detained long enough to receive any meals at Ellis Island

The meaning of "to be tagged" is not explained, but I assume it meant that the officials at Ellis Island tagged her so that she would reach her brother's house safely. I assume that Stefania could not speak English, and probably traveled alone on the railroad to Worcester. All in all, the voyage from Lithuania to Bremen, from Bremen to New York, and then New York to Worcester must have been quite an exciting and frightening adventure for a 14 year old girl traveling alone, and was probably the first time in her life she had ever traveled any significant distance from home.

The Bremen Emigration Lists

Steve — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:57:20 +0000

Doug Bowerman left a comment on the August 27 post Stefania Chmielewska Arrives at Ellis Island, where I mentioned that my Great Aunt Stefania had sailed on the SS Barbarossa from Bremen to New York. Doug had read that the records for Bremen had been destroyed in a fire during World War II bombings and asked if there is any way to access the records that survived this catastrophe. The short answer to this question is that, yes, some emigration records from Bremen did survive and one may be able to obtain those records. To begin, Bremen was once a major port for emigration from Europe, processing over seven million emigrants over the past two centuries. Bremen is located on the Weser River and served as a major port of departure until silt in the river began to restrict access to Bremen's docks. In 1825, the mayor and senate of Bremen purchased land for a new port at the mouth of the river and, in 1830, the port of Bremerhaven opened and served as the actual place of embarkation for those emigrating through Bremen. Beginning in 1832, all companies transporting emigrants from Bremen were required to file lists of emigrants with Bremen's emigration department. Between 1875 and 1908, these passenger lists were purposely destroyed for lack of space, and only the most recent three years of passenger lists were maintained. Thus, all Bremen Passenger Emigration Records prior to 1905 were destroyed, but the records from 1905-May 1914 were preserved. Unfortunately, even these records were destroyed during an Allied bombing raid on Bremen on October 6, 1944. However, Bremen Emigrant Passenger Lists for the years 1920-1923 and 1925-1939 still exist. The surviving passenger lists are maintained at the Handelskammer Archiv in Bremen, and, although these lists are not indexed, the archives personnel will search these lists on request. The lists have also been transcribed and are searchable online at Die Maus. Some other lists, indexes, and historical materials for earlier years also exist. Some ships that departed from Bremen provided copies of the emigration lists to officials at the ports of arrival. The information on these lists is summarized in Lists of Passengers Bound from Bremen to New York. The reference works Germans to America and Migration from the Russian Empire also include information on emigrants who passed through Bremen. These works are available through the Genealogical Publishing Company and many public and private libraries. In addition, some information may be obtained directly from Germany. The City Archives of Bremerhaven holds some records on emigrants, the Bremen State Archives holds copies of passenger lists for ships involved in court cases, and the Deutsches Schiffahrtsmuseum holds plans, photographs, and logs of emigrant ships. Finally, the Family History Library holds a few microfilms of indexes to the Bremen Emigration Lists under the title Namenskartei aus den "Bremen Schiffslisten" 1904-1914. These indexes were prepared in 1941 and contain mainly information on emigrants from Germany, but not on the 80% of emigrants who were Slavs, Jews, and Hungarians.

1910 Census Record for Stefania Chmielewska

Steve — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:48:14 +0000

1910 Census Record for Stefania Chmielewska

PDF

Steve — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:49:00 +0000

PDF of the 1910 Census Record for Stefania Chmielewska

Great Aunt Stefania in the Convent

Steve — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:52:57 +0000

After learning about Great Aunt Stephania's legal name change in 1944 from Stefania Chmielewska to Stephania Meleski, I made another attempt to find her in the census. I found one entry for a Stefania Chmielewska living in Pennsylvania. When Stefania immigrated in 1901, she traveled to Worcester, Massachusetts to stay with her brother. When she filed her Petition for Naturalization in 1943, she stated that she had lived in Massachusetts continuously since February 1933, so she very well could have been living in Pennsylvania in 1910.

1910 U.S. Census Record for Stefania Chmielewska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the 1910 U.S. Census Record for Stefania Chmielewska. The census shows that:

Stefania was a border in a rented building at 818 East Race Street, Shamokin Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
She was a single, white female, age 23
She and her parents were born in Russia (Poland) and spoke Polish
She immigrated in 1902, but there was no indication of whether she was naturalized
She could speak English, and could read and write
She was a sister in a convent

This information actually agrees with some family stories I had heard. I had been told that my great aunt was a nun, but all the information I could find stated that she worked in a rooming house in Worcester, Massachusetts. This census record seems to be evidence that she was a nun for a period of time. This could open up a whole line of research into religious records.

The data in this record agrees well with the other information I have about Stefania. Her legal name at the time was Stefania Chmielewska, she was born January 7, 1886 (making her 24 in 1910) in the Russian Partition of Poland, she could speak Polish, and she immigrated in 1901. She was also very religious. While not all the information matches the data in the 1910 census exactly, everything is close enough to convince me that this is probably my Great Aunt Stephania Meleski.

Unfortunately, I still can't find her in the 1920 and 1930 census indexes.

The Dańkos of Nienadowa and Wesoła

Steve — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 05:25:44 +0000

Back in May, I wrote that I found three passenger manifests that might include the name of my Great Aunt Mary (Dańko) Goliński:

Marianna Dańko, age 25, from Nienadowa, Austria

Marya Dańko, age 27, from Nienadowa, Austria

Marya Dańko, age 22, from Wesoła, Austria

The 27 year old is my grandmother, Marya (Dziurzyńska) Dańko. The 25 year old is from the right village, but according to my cousins, her age did not match Mary (Dańko) Goliński's birthdate. The 22 year old was the correct age, but from the wrong village. Based on a thorough analysis of all the information I was able to obtain about Mary (Dańko) Goliński, I concluded that my Great Aunt Mary was the 25 year old from Nienadowa. Recently, Lidia left a comment that sheds some light on the Marya Danko from Wesoła:

Hallo, My name is Lidia, I’m 29 years old. I don’t speak English very well so first forgive me my mistakes. If I could make your search easier, I must say that is really low probability that Marya Dańko from Wesoła could be your Great Aunt Mary. My mother’s family lives in Wesoła near Dynów. Maybe both families (from Wesoła and from Nienadowa) are connected but this connection might have very long history. I suppose that we must separate them and continue searching on right direction. Marya could be my mother’s Great Aunt. My mother’s Great Father’s name was Wawrzyniec Dańko. He married Katarzyna Wielgus (?) and they had seven children: Maria (was born about 1914), Ignacy, Tomasz, Józef, Magdalena, Wiktoria (my Great Mother, born in 1919) and Salomea (she’s the only one who lives now). My family lives in Wesoła, Barycz and Ryta Górka. They are family connected with such families like: Majda, Sowa, Kustra.

This helps to clear things up a bit. Apparently, there was one Dańko family in Nienadowa, and another in Wesoła. I am related to the Dańkos of Nienadowa and Lidia is related to the Dańkos of Wesoła. Based on the information Lidia and I have on our respective ancestors, there is no evidence for a direct connection between the two families, although both Dańko families are related to people with the surname Sowa. The villages of Nienadowa and Wesoła are, nevertheless, not far from each other. The Wesoła parish belongs to the deaconate of Dynów, and the village of Nienadowa belongs to the deaconate of Dubiecko. The two deaconates are adjacent to each other. Lidia's message helps to clear up some questions about my Great Aunt Mary, but leads to the question of whether the two Dańko families are related to each other. With additional research on the two families, perhaps a connection could be found. Given that the parish records in Poland generally don't extend back farther in time than the late 18th century, any connection between the two families must have occurred within the last 200 years for parish records to provide an answer to this question. Yet, it's still exciting to think that Lidia may be a distant cousin. Unfortunately, the Family History Library has not yet microfilmed the records from either Dubiecko (where the records for Nienadowa were maintained) or Wesoła and any research on these church records must be conducted at the parishes themselves.

Marriage Record of Jakub Danko and Agnieszka Sowa

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:17:50 +0000

Marriage Record of Jakub Danko and Agnieszka Sowa

PDF

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:18:33 +0000

PDF of the Marriage Record of Jakub Danko and Agnieszka Sowa

Jan Danko

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:20:37 +0000

Baptismal Record of Jan Danko

Michal Danko

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:21:10 +0000

Baptismal Record of Michal Danko

Zofia Danko

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:21:33 +0000

Baptismal Record of Zofia Danko

The Marriage of Jakub Dańko & Agnieszka Sowa

Steve — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 06:22:59 +0000

A while back, I published the Birth and Baptismal Records for my Uncle Jan Dańko, my Aunt Zofia Dańko, and my Grandfather Michał Dańko, all born in Nienadowa, and baptised in Dubiecko, Galicia (Austria-Poland). The information on the Birth and Baptismal Records for Uncle Jan and Aunt Zofia showed that they were the children of Grandfather Michał (no surprise there). The next document in the family line is the Marriage Record for Michał's parents, Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa, married in the church in Dubiecko, Galicia.

Marriage Record for Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record. The record, like other records from this part of Poland, is written in columnar form and in Latin. The record is a bit more complex than others because it includes some writing in Polish.

The record states that:

The couple was married in Dubiecko on October (8ber) 18, 1870; their marriage was the 6th marriage for a couple from Nienadowa in 1870
Jakub Dańko was a farmer, the legitimate son of the legally married couple Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska, farmers
Jakub was from house number 122, and was a 27 year old Catholic, never before married
Agnieszka Sowa was the daughter of the legally married couple Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jach, farmers
Agnieszka was from house number 105, and was a 16 year old Catholic, never before married
The witnesses were Antoni Sowa and Michał Zaleski, farmers
The officiant was Reverend Niedzialski
Because Agnieszka was only 16 years old at the time of her marriage, her father had to give his permission for the marriage and the witnesses attested to not only the marriage, but the fact that Agnieszka's father gave his permission

The Latin headers mean:

Sponsus = Groom
Sponsa = Bride
Testes = Witnesses
Dies et Mensis = Day and Month
Nrus Domus = House Number
Nomen = Name
Nomina = Names
Religio = Religion
Catholica = Catholic
Aut alia = Anything else (any religion other than Catholic)
Aetas = Age
Coelebs = Unmarried
Viduus = Widower
Vidua = Widow
Conditio = Occupation

With the information on this record, I have traced the family back one more generation to four of my great-great-grandparents, Pawel Dańko, Zofia Szymańska, Maciej Sowa, and Katarzyna Jach.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marcin Dańko

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 06:32:46 +0000

Yesterday, I showed the Marriage Record for Jakub Dańko and Agnieszka Sowa, and previously I had shown the Birth and Baptismal Records for their children, Michal Danko (my grandfather) and Marianna (my Great Aunt Mary Dańko Goliński). I was told that Jakub and Agnieszka had several other children, including Józef, Adalbert, Jan, Katarzyna, and Julianna, but I have been able to find the Birth and Baptismal Record for only one other child: Marcin.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Marcin Dańko

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record. Marcin's record shows that:

Marcin was the 80th birth in Nienadowa in 1890 and was born in house number 207
He was born on November 11, 1890 and baptized on November 12, 1890
Marcin was a legitimate, Catholic boy
Marcin's father was Jakub Dańko, son of the legitimately married couple Andrzej Dańko and Zofia Szymańska
Marcin's mother was Agnieszka Sowa, daughter of the legitimately married couple Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jach
Marcin's godparents were Jakub Sowa, a farmer, and Zofia the wife of Jan Bal, also a farmer
The priest who baptized Marcin was J. S. Sasiowski and the midwife who delivered him was Rozalia Jarewa

In addition to Marcin's Birth and Baptismal Record, the same ledger page lsits several other baptismal events, and the surnames listed there also appear in my own family history: Wajda, Głowacz, and Giergont. Also, from the comment provided by Lidia a few days ago, three surnames on this page appear in Lidia's family history: Dańko, Sowa, and Majda.

The midwife who delivered Marcin, Rozalia Jarewa, might be using the feminine form of the surname Jara, and it's interesting to note that Michał Dańko's Mother-in-Law was Magdalena Jara.

One piece of information that doesn't agree with other information I have is the given name of Jakub's father. Every other document I have on the family states that Jakub's father was Pawel Dańko. This record, however, states that Jakub's father was Andrzej Dańko. Perhaps the priest just confused Pawel Dańko with Pawel's half-brother Andrzej. But that's another story.

Marianna

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:04:45 +0000

PDF of the baptismal record for Marianna Danko

PDF

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:05:24 +0000

PDF of the baptismal record for Marcin Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record for Marcin Danko

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:06:14 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Marcin Danko

Marriage Record

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:08:42 +0000

Marriage Record for Jakub Danko and Agnieszka Sowa

The FGS Conference and a Surprise for Steve Danko

Steve — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 22:33:46 +0000

Today's article is written by Barbara Poole, who kindly offered to write about her experiences at the FGS Conference, and then surprised me with the report that my Blog was featured in one of the lectures at the conference! I, myself, will be attending the Annual Meeting of the Polish Genealogical Society of America later this week, so I'll be taking a few days off from writing this blog to get ready for that conference. Enjoy Barbara's report!

As a favor to Steve Danko, the owner of this site, I am giving him a break for a day or two by writing about the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference held in Boston last week. This is my 3rd guest blog on this site and the FGS Conference was the 3rd large genealogy conference I've attended. I know from personal emails that Steve has been anxiously waiting for this report and I know he will be surprised at some of the things I am sharing here. The annual FGS Conference was held in Boston beginning August 30, 2006 and lasted four days. Because this conference was held close to where I live (over an hour commute), I wanted to take advantage of attending many lectures and volunteering as much as possible. On Tuesday, Aug. 29 (the day before conference), I spent much of the day at the convention center spending assembling conference materials and inserting them into the black canvas briefcases for the attendees. These briefcases were strong enough to hold the syllabus, a four-volume set of about 1200 pages - a volume for each day. My bag, books & printed materials weighed 8 lbs., so I built up some muscles during the convention. There was a nice group of volunteers, some of whom I already knew through the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) or through genealogy clubs. Meeting new people through volunteering is a bonus. Two volunteers were from California, and they spent time helping out when they could have been doing something fun in Boston. At 3 p.m. on Tuesday, early registration began, and attendees could pick up their registration packets and bags. There were so many people who wanted to get their hands on the goodies immediately. Fortunately, I was able to get mine early - a benefit of volunteering!!! The conference began on the following day. Now, this was not a small conference, it was huge! It was hard to pick one lecture to attend when the choices could be as many as 19 selections for one particular hour! A total of 379 lectures were offered for the four day period!! What did I enjoy? The lectures of course, but I also enjoyed seeing people I knew, not only from my area, but from other places, as well. I saw two people I knew from Washington, DC, one of whom is a genealogist who worked at the DAR when I did, and who got me started on the hobby (I didn't even know she was going to be there). You never know whom you will see at a conference. While on the registration desk, several people came up to me and inquired if somebody was either registered or had checked in. On Thursday morning, while waiting for the exhibit hall to open, I saw Cindy Rowzee, an instructor for a number of online classes through MyFamily.com. Both Steve and I took several of her classes, and that is how he and I met. Cindy and I went into the exhibit hall together, heading to Ancestry.com's exhibit, and later I ran into her two more times, now like old friends. The exhibit hall is the place where attendees have the opportunity to meet the vendors and find out about new products and services. I learned that ProQuest will be adding 6,000 new books to their book section of HeritageQuest next month. The Ancestry.com booth had new books, and the authors were there signing them. Another instructor Steve and I know from the MyFamily.com classes, George Morgan, was there signing his book, so I said "Hi!" for Steve and me. I chatted with the author of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, Dick Eastman, whom I've met a few times in the past. Dick was interested in seeing this blog, so I promised to send him the address this week. I also met the publisher and editor of Internet Genealogy magazine Mr. Halvor Moorshead. Since Mr. Moorshead wasn't too busy, I told him that I loved his magazine and how I had mentioned it in my previous guest columns on Steve's blog. Well, he checked out my articles, and was impressed. He wrote down the URL, so who knows what will happen! It really is fun seeing what is being offered to genealogists. FamilySearch.org was there as were many other vendors, too many to name all. Some vendors were offering door prizes and attendees received 30 coupons to fill out and then decide where to place them. Among the prizes were a $50 gift certificate for Barnes & Noble, a seven-night stay in Salt Lake City, many specific books and other things. Most of the exhibiters gave away pamphlets, brochures, candy, pens, and staple removers. I was lucky enough to pick up free issues of three recently printed magazines and a free CD with a 30-day trial of The Master Genealogist software. On Wednesday, I attended a lecture about blogs entitled Dear Genealogy Diary: Today I Made a Great Discovery by Drew Smith. As Drew was setting up his presentation, I saw that he had Steve's blog on the screen! Steve had asked me to say "Hi!" to Drew, and with Steve's blog on the screen, it made it very easy for me to introduce myself. As it turned out, a good part of the lecture was on Steve's site. If you're interested in reading more about the FGS conference, I know Dick Eastman will have something on his newsletter at http://blog.eogn.com, and George Morgan and Drew Smith will be talking about the conference on the Genealogy Guys Podcast at http://www.genealogyguys.com. Even if you couldn't attend the conference, you can still listen to many of the talks for just $1.99 per lecture by going to http://stores.lulu.com/fgs2006. What a great deal! In the past, I had to buy cassettes, and the cost was much higher than this. I hope in the future many of you can get to a conference. Every year, there are several large conferences presented by different organizations. Next year, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) at will hold their conference in Richmond, Virginia, and FGS will hold their conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. But, you don't have to go to a large conference, since there are many smaller conferences being held all the time, all around the country. Often, the same speakers will present the same lecture at both a large national conference and a small local conference. As a case in point, Diana Smith presented a talk on Why Use Those Blankety-Blank Forms? at FGS, and will present the same talk on October 7, 2006 at the Fairfax Genealogical Society's 3rd Annual Genealogy Fair. Since most lectures take a lot of time to prepare, the same talks are often presented at multiple events and in multiple locations. Even though this FGS conference lasted four days, an attendee could register for just a single day or for the entire conference. Many, or I really think most, of the attendees went by themselves. Almost everybody I knew went alone. Very few people knew one another in the lecture halls; so in essence, everybody was doing their own thing alone. Dress was very casual, I began the first day wearing low flats, the next day it was sandals and the other days I was in sneakers. There was so much walking, and I have blisters to show for it. These lectures are for all levels, beginner and advanced, with a wide range of topics. Last notes, my husband went with me on Saturday to check out the exhibit hall. The hall was free for the public, and I saw many people there, learning about genealogy. So in closing, the FGS conference was a wonderful experience, and I truly hope you will all be able to attend a genealogy conference soon.

1930 Census Record for Stephania Chmielewski

Steve — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:50:19 +0000

1930 Census Record for Stephania Chmielewski

PDF

Steve — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:51:11 +0000

PDF of the 1930 Census Record for Stephania Chmielewski

Is That Great Aunt Stephania in the 1930 Census?

Steve — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:55:30 +0000

Drew Smith (one of the Genealogy Guys) wrote to tell me that he may have found my Great Aunt Stephania in the 1930 Census. Recently I found that in 1910, Stephania (or Stefania) was living in a convent in Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Drew found someone who seems to match her stats in the 1930 Census in Coal Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Stephania Chmielewski in the 1930 Census

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Stephania Chmielewski in the 1930 Census. The census record shows that:

Stephania was listed on line 65 of Sheet No. 13B, Supervisor's District No. 9, Enumeration District No. 49-10 in (part of) Coal Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Stephania was a lodger in a house on 851 Chestnut Street where the head of household was Emelia Florek
All of the lodgers in the household were either teachers in a parochial school or domestics performing housework
A priest and a clergyman live in the next household enumerated
Stephania is listed as a single, white, female, 44 years old
She was not attending school, and could read and write
She was from Poland, as were her parents, and her native tongue was Polish
She immigrated in 1900, was an alien, and could speak English
She was employed as a domestic performing housework

The information provided in the census matches up well with the information I have on Great Aunt Stephania. The Ancestry.com index has her listed as Stephania Chmielinski, but the actual census record could be interpreted as Chmielewski. Her age is right on the money; since she was born on January 7, 1886 her age should be 44. Stephania immigrated in 1901, but the census record looks like either 1900 or 1910. If it actually says 1900, it's not far off.

The census lists Stephania's occupation as a domestic performing housework in a house full of teachers. The house was apparently near a house with a priest and a clergyman. This is consistent with what I know about Stephania, since I know that she was very religious, was living in a convent in 1910, and later worked as a housekeeper in a rooming house in Massachusetts.

I know Stephania was living in Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania in 1910. Coal Township is adjacent to Shamokin. Moreover, I know from her naturalization records that Stephania was not living continuously in Massachusetts until 1933. Thus, Coal Township is a reasonable location, based on information in other sources.

This looks like it's the correct census record for Great Aunt Stephania.

Now, it looks like I should search religious records and school records for the Roman Catholic Diocese to which Northumberland County belonged (the Harrisburg Diocese). Perhaps I can learn more about Stephania in those records.

Getting Ready for the PGSA Conference

Steve — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 04:12:16 +0000

On Friday, I leave for the 28th Annual Conference of the Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) in Schaumburg, Illinois (just outside of Chicago). I've lined up a tentative schedule from the choices for concurrent sessions: Friday

The Importance of the National Archives: Records Not Found on the Internet
The Grasinski Girls: The Importance of Oral History
Mariana: Matka, Żona, Córka, Siostra

Saturday

Polish Heraldry
Sources for Researching Polish Nobility
Polish Nobility
Cemeteries: Look High and Low, Above and Below!

Sunday

Sto Lat: A Plan for Finding 100 Years of Ancestors
Maps for Genealogy: Old, New and Electronic

My Saturday schedule is heavy on Heraldry and Nobility, since I've traced one of my grandfathers back to Polish Nobility. I've been told that records were maintained for the nobility long before records existed for the commoners. Who knows? Perhaps I'll find out how to trace this line back a bit further, before the churches kept baptism, marriage, and death records. More information on the conference is available on the PGSA website. Now, it's time for me to pack. I hope to see some of you at the conference!

The First Day of the PGSA Conference

Steve — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 04:03:21 +0000

I woke up at 5:15 this morning to catch my flight to Chicago. Pretty much everything went smoothly - no traffic to the airport, the plane was on time. My plane was scheduled to arrive at 3 PM and the conference began at 4 PM, so I decided to carry my luggage on the plane so I could get to the conference as soon as possible. Unfortunately, security screening seized my toothpaste. Since this is a Polish Genealogy Conference, while on the plane, I got myself in a Polish genealogical mood by reading The Peasants - Autumn by Władysław Reymont. This book is the first volume of a four volume historical novel on the peasants of Poland. Each volume relates the lives of the peasants in a Polish village through a different season. In 1924, Reymont won the Nobel Prize for Literature for this work. A year ago at the PGSA Conference, Ceil Jensen presented a wonderful lecture on The Peasants, and after I returned home, I spent some time trying to find copies of the books. The books are currently out of print, but I finally found a complete set of used copies and, after just the first two chapters, I found that I'm really interested in finding out what happens to these people! Their lives were probably very similar to the lives of my father's ancestors (now, my mother's ancestors - that's another story entirely!). Now, admittedly, I've only read the first two chapters. I spent the rest of the time on the plane napping. The plane arrived at Midway Airport on time; I picked up the rental car, and then entered Chicago rush hour traffic. From the time the plane landed, it took me an hour and 45 minutes to reach the hotel. I checked into my room (the front desk clerk kindly provided me with toothpaste to replace the toothpaste seized at security in Oakland), checked into the conference, and found that I had missed most of the first lecture on The Importance of the National Archives. Ah, but not all was lost. Rather than worry about the lecture that was almost over, I simply took the opportunity to introduce myself to James Conroyd Martin, the author of Push Not the River and Against a Crimson Sky, two Polish historical novels published by St. Martin's Press. I purchased copies of both books on the spot and Mr. Martin kindly autographed them for me. About a month ago, Jasia reported on her blog that she attended one of Mr. Martin's lectures and book signings. After meeting Mr. Martin, I explored the vendor area and picked up a copy of Following the Paper Trail: A Multilingual Translation Guide by Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman. I thought this book was out of print, but I guess it's back in print now, in a new hardcover edition. Before the evening lectures, I made an appointment for translation assistance with Ola Heska, who provided 15 minutes of free Polish and Russian translation assistance. She helped me finish up the translation of the birth and baptismal record for Stanisław Markiewicz, helped me a little with the birth and baptismal record for Stanisław's brother, Antoni, and got me started on the translation of what appears to be the record for Stanisław's father's second marriage. From there, I had a quick bite to eat and then attended the evening lectures. In the first lecture, Professor Mary Patrice Erdmans gave an informative and entertaining lecture on The Grasinski Girls: The Importance of Oral History where she described how she recorded the oral history of her mother and aunts. I need to do the same with my living aunts and uncles. The final presentation of the day was by Ceil Jensen who spoke on Mariana: Matka, Żona, Córka, Siostra, Researching the Female Line - Mariana: Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister. In her lecture, Ceil mentioned the rule of thumb to look for a child every two years after a couple is married. If a child isn't born approximately every two years, perhaps the father was away, or perhaps a child died young. That reminded me that my grandfather, Michał Dańko, left Poland in 1905 and my grandmother didn't immigrate to America until 1909. Further, I know that one child died young and there was supposed to be a second child who died young. I should apply this two year rule and see how well it predicts the time my grandfather spent away from the family and the deaths of the two children. Ceil also talked about alien registrations, searching collateral lines, midwives, education records, and sacramental records, and ended with a beta version of an audio-video presentation where Ceil's mother talks about her own mother in Polish. Ceil's presentations are always informative and entertaining, and this lecture was no exception. Ceil is presenting several more lectures on Saturday and Sunday. It's now almost 11 PM here in Chicago (OK, it's Schaumburg). I plan to read a bit more in The Peasants and then get a good night's rest before the lectures tomorrow morning.

The Second Day of the PGSA Conference

Steve — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 04:37:16 +0000

Saturday at the conference was pretty much full of lectures with a few hours for meals. Most of the lectures I attended today were presented by Mikołaj Petraszak Dmowski, a guest lecturer from Poland who present five hours of lectures on the Polish Nobility. I can't say that I now completely understand the Polish nobility and how to research them; I can certainly say I've learned enough to want to learn more. To start with, I know from various church records that my Niedziałkowski ancestors are listed as "owners of a part of the village", indicating that they were landed gentry. My Chotkowski ancestors (who are also ancestors of some of my Niedziałkowski ancestors) are listed in the church records as "Nobles". Thus, I have some reason to be interested in the Polish nobility. According to Mikołaj, Poland was a democratic country, but the benefits of democracy only applied to the szlachta, or noble classes. The peasants were simply peasants, and the peasants did not enjoy the benefits of democracy. The szlachta apparently originated as the warrior class who protected Poland from her enemies. By the 14th century, the szlachta were essentially synonymous with knights. Eventually, the szlachta evolved into a privileged social class, and in order to be admitted to the szlachta, one must either prove his noble birth or be declared noble by the King or the Polish Sejm (the Polish Parliament). Because of a significant number of peasants and merchants who pretended to be szlachta, those who claimed to be members of the noble classes eventually had to prove their claim. There was good reason to have a claim to be a member of the noble class. At several times throughout history, when the King of Poland wanted an agreement from the szlachta regarding his successor, the King granted the szlachta new privileges, including reductions of taxes, the inviolability of the nobles' property, and a guarantee against the arbitrary arrest of the nobility. Several reference works discuss the nobility in Poland and provide genealogies for those families. Church records for the Polish population seldom extend further back than the late 18th century, but the genealogies of the nobility extend much farther back in time. Some useful resources for researching the Polish nobility include:

Sławomir Górzyński. Nobilitacje w Galicji w latach 1882-1918. Wydawnictwo DiG. Warszawa. 1999.
Elżbieta Seczys. Szlachta wylegitymowana w Królestwie Polskim w latach 1836-1861. Wydawnictwo DiG. Warszawa. 2000.
Kasper Niesiecki, S.J. Herbarz Polski. Lipsk edition. 1839-1846.
Adam Boniecki. Herbarz Polski; Wiadomosci Historyczno-genealogiczne o Rodach Szlacheckich. Warszawa. Gebethner i Wolff. 1899-1914.

In addition to the lectures on Polish nobility, I also attended a lecture on Cemeteries: Look High and Low, Above and Below! by Jeffrey Bockman. In this lecture, Mr. Bockman discussed how to find cemeteries, what to do when cemeteries are moved, what to do when cemeteries are no longer active, and what cemetery iconography can tell you about the person who's buried there. some helpful hints when doing cemetery research are: remember that the cemetery office is running a business, be considerate if they are busy, and be considerate of grieving families. Finally, one of the highlights of the conference was the annual awards luncheon with performances by the Lajkonik Dancers. This year, there was even a Polish selection at lunch (roast pork with bigos, potatoes, and pierogi). One more half-day of the conference to go, and then I head back home!

The Final Day of the PGSA Conference

Steve — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 06:09:54 +0000

I woke this morning to rainy skies in the Chicago area. The weather made me a little worried about my drive back to Midway Airport, especially since the trip from Midway to Schaumburg on Friday took much longer than I expected. With that in mind, I checked out of my hotel room before heading down to the final presentations. The two final lectures of the 28th Annual Conference of the Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) were both presented by Ceil Jensen. Ceil's lectures are always entertaining and packed with useful information, and I was sure not to let my mind wander lest I miss something important. Having spent many years as a school teacher, Ceil observes everything going on about her, and she's sure to notice anyone not paying attention. Still, I haven't yet seen her assign anyone to detention for not paying attention in her genealogy lectures! Ceil's first lecture of the day was entitled Sto Lat: A Plan for finding 100 Years of Ancestors. The lecture was based on her forthcoming book Sto Lat: A Modern Approach to Polish Genealogy to be published by the Polish Genealogical Society of America. Ceil mentioned that a study of our Polish ancestors starts with vital records, the Social Security Death Index, and the US Census. A free genealogy toolkit of useful forms is available at Lineages, Inc. One of the most important pieces of information Polish genealogists need in order to find their ancestors in Poland is the name of the ancestral village, but even if we know what the name of the village was, we might still have difficulty finding the village on a modern map. Finding villages that might have disappeared from the map, or village names that were later changed, or even the names of villages that were misspelled in our ancestors' records presents a challenge that may be resolved by consulting Shtetl Seeker. Shtetl Seeker provides a Slavic language-based Soundex that can result in success when the normal English-based Soundex fails. Ceil also mentioned this blog and Jasia's blog in her lecture. Thanks for the plugs, Ceil! The final lecture of the conference, also presented by Ceil Jensen, was on Maps for Genealogy: Old, New and Electronic. I had attended an earlier version of this lecture at the United Polish Genealogical Societies Conference in Salt Lake City this past April, but Ceil's lecture today presented a lot of new information. One good point that Ceil made in her lecture was that maps of the appropriate time period are crucial to understanding where our ancestors lived, where to find other records concerning our ancestors, and why our ancestors migrated to the places they did. One valuable resource for finding maps of the appropriate time period is Google Earth. With Google Earth, a free, downloadable application, a researcher can find maps of various time periods for the places the world over. Help with finding maps of various places around the globe for different time periods may be obtained by placing a request with the Library of Congress Ask A Librarian service. With this service, the best results will be obtained by providing information that is as specific as possible, with the exact name and time period of the place and the latitude and longitude of the place in question, if possible. An excellent set of 1907 maps of Russia-Poland, The Illustrated Geographic Atlas of the Kingdom of Poland can be viewed on the PGSA website. Military Maps of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from about 1910 are available. These maps cover Galicia, the Austrian Partition of Poland, and include regions adjacent to Austria-Hungary, including Russia, Prussia, and others. By clicking on the appropriate section of the index map, researchers can view a very detailed map of the selected region. A map of German-Poland is available online in the collections of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in An Atlas of the German Empire. Kartenmeister can provide the corresponding German and Polish names for villages in the Prussian Partition of Poland. Finally, for maps of Poland today, visit http://mapa.szukacz.pl/. Type the name of the Polish village or city in the box under Miejscowość and click on the Pokaż button. So much information was presented at the PGSA Conference, and I can only relay a small amount of that information here. if you have further questions, leave a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll try to answer your questions directly, but if I don't know the answer I can let you know how to contact someone else who may be able to help. Well, I have to be honest, because of my concerns about the weather and my flight schedule, I skipped out on the last 15 minutes of Ceil's lecture on maps. I suspect she noticed me trying to slip away through the door of the lecture hall, and I'll have to apologize profusely the next time I see her (and I'll probably have to make reparations by volunteering at the UPGS Conference in 2008, which Ceil is co-chairing with Linda Ulanski)! I drove through the rain and reached the airport, where there was quite a long line of cars trying to reach the rental car return location at Midway Airport. One of the airport workers told me that this kind of traffic jam always happens on a big football weekend. No. 1 ranked Notre Dame hosted No. 21 ranked Penn State on Saturday, September 9, so that might have been the game in question. Final Score from Saturday's Game: Notre Dame 41 - Penn State 17.

The Birth and Baptism of Stanisław Markiewicz

Steve — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 06:00:16 +0000

Several weeks ago, I reported on the immigration and naturalization of Stanisław Markiewicz, the grandfather of my cousin's cousin. To put this another way, Stanisław's daughter Bernice married Edward Skowronski. Edward Skowronski was the brother-in-law of two of my uncles: Joseph Danko and Michael Danko. In the immigration and naturalization records, I learned that Stanisław was born in the village of Braciejowice in the Russian Partition of Poland. By consulting a gazetteer, the Słownik Geograficny Królestwa Polskiego (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland), I discovered that the village of Braciejowice belonged to the Roman Catholic Parish in Piotrawin. Thus, the baptismal, marriage, and death records for Stanisław's family should be in the record books maintained by the Piotrawin parish. I checked the Family History Library's (FHL) catalog and, luckily, the FHL had microfilm copies of the parish records from 1810-1915. I ordered two of these films through my local Family History Center (FHC). After two trips to my local FHC to view the films, I found the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Markiewicz. Unfortunately for me, the record was in Russian.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the original record, a transcription of the record, and a translation into English. The record states:

64. Braciejowice - Markiewicz Stanisław

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 7th/19th day of April 1893 at four in the afternoon. Tomasz Markiewicz appeared in person, age 35, the owner of a house in the village of Braciejowice, in the presence of Maciej Zagozdon from the village of Grabwiec, age 36, and Franciszek Turski, from the village of Braciejowice, age 56, the owner of a house - and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in the village of Braciejowice on the 6th/18th of April of this year, at 6 o'clock after midnight of his lawful wife Franciszka nee Piontkowa, age 28. To this child at Holy Baptism performed on this date was given the name of Stanisław, and his godparents were the above-mentioned Maciej Zagozdon and Zofia Pietrasowa. This document was read to the declarant father and to the witnesses, all of whom are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish, keeper of the documents of the civil state

The information I already had on Stanisław indicated that he was born either on April 23, 1891 or April 20, 1892 in Braciejowice and that his father's name was Tomasz Markiewicz.

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that he was actually born at 6 AM on Tuesday, April 18, 1893 in Braciejowice, baptized at 4 PM on Wednesday, April 19, 1893 in Piotrawin, his father was Tomasz Markiewicz, his mother was Franciszka Piontkowa, his godparents were Maciej Zagozdon and Zofia Pietrasowa, and he was baptized by the Rev. C. Trembiński.

Stanisław was the 64th child baptized in Piotrawin in 1893. You'll notice that two dates are given for his birth and baptism. The earlier date is based on the Julian Calendar and the later date is based on the Gregorian Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar is the one we use today, but the Julian Calendar was still the official calendar used in Russia at the time of this baptism.

Some cautions about the transcription and translation: I might not have spelled all of the surnames correctly, since the Polish names were translated into Russian and I translated them back into Polish. Also, I might not have correctly spelled the name of the village Grabwiec mentioned in the document; I have not found this village on a map. Further, the surnames of the women are the feminized versions of the surnames. The actual surname of Stanisław's mother might actually be Piątek or Piętek and the surname of his godmother might actually be Pietras.

This is the first of the Markiewicz family records that I found. I think I've found a few others, and I still have a couple of weeks left to view the microfilms before they're sent back to Salt Lake City.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:46:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Steve — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:47:38 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanislaw Markiewicz

Birth and Baptismal Record of Antoni Markiewicz

Steve — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 00:41:15 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Antoni Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 01:04:45 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Antoni Markiewicz

The Birth and Baptism of Antoni Markiewicz

Steve — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 01:05:43 +0000

After finding the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Markiewicz, I searched for the records of other children born of the same parents. I found one fairly quickly - Antoni Markiewicz.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Antoni Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the original record, a transcription of the record, and a translation into English. The record states:

2. Braciejowice - Markiewicz Antoni

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 25th day of December / 6th day of January 1894/5 at one in the afternoon. Tomasz Markiewicz appeared in person, age 37, the owner of a house in the village of Braciejowice, in the presence of Stanisław Kań from the village of Piotrawin, age 40, and Jakub Pastwaski, from the village of Braciejowice, age 41, the owner of a house - and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in the village of Braciejowice on the 23rd of December / 3rd of January of this year, at 4 o’clock after midnight of his lawful wife Franciszka nee Piontkowa, age 32. To this child at Holy Baptism performed on this date was given the name of Antoni, and his godparents were the above-mentioned Stanisław Kań and Leokadia Barfiska. This document was read to the declarant father and to the witnesses, all of whom are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish, keeper of the documents of the civil state

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Antoni was born at 4 AM on January 6, 1895 in Braciejowice, baptized at 1 PM on January 3, 1895 in Piotrawin, his father was Tomasz Markiewicz, his mother was Franciszka Piontkowa, his godparents were Stanisław Kań and Leokadia Barfiska, and he was baptized by the Rev. C. Trembiński.

As with the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Markiewicz, I had a little trouble with the surnames - Kań, Pastwaski, and Barfiska. Other than those names, I'm very happy with this translation.

Note that when Stanisław was born two years earlier, Tomasz was 35. In this record Tomasz is 37. Thus, Tomasz' age is consistent between the two documents. Tomasz was therefore born in about 1857-1858.

When Stanisław was born, Franciszka was 28. In this record she is 32, having aged four years in the space of only two years. Still, having a narrow range for Franciszka's year of birth will be helpful in finding other records about her. Thus, Franciszka was born in about 1862-1865.

The Children of Tomasz Markiewicz

Steve — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 06:30:21 +0000

When I originally translated the baptismal records for Stanisław and Antoni Markiewicz, I transliterated the mother's surname as Piontkowa. However, the names in these documents should be translated into the same sounds in Polish, not necessarily the same letters. The correct Polish translation of Franciszka's surname is Piątkowa, and Piątkowa is the feminine version of the surname Piątek. I received an email from Walter, a descendant of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa. Walter told me that his great-grandmother's surname was Piatek, which is the English language version of Piątek. (All of this is probably confusing if you can't see Eastern European characters on your computer, but the Polish spelling of Franciszka's surname includes an "a-ogonek", that is, an "a" with a little hook underneath.) Thus, I'm fairly certain that I'm on the right track here. So, with the added confidence provided by Walter's email, I stopped off at the Family History Center (FHC) in San Bruno today after work to look through more of the church records from Piotrawin parish where Stanisław and Antoni were baptized. In the Piotrawin baptismal records, I found what appear to be several children of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa:

1895 - Antoni Markiewicz (reported yesterday)
1893 - Stanisław Markiewicz (reported the day before yesterday)
1891 - Wawrzyniec Markiewicz
1890 - Michał Markiewicz
1889 - Jan Markiewicz

There was also a baptismal record for a child that was born to Tomasz Markiewicz and Marianna [Fotow], suggesting that Tomasz may have been married twice. This child, the daughter of Tomasz and Marianna, is:

1885 - Petronella Markiewicz

I also found a marriage record for Tomasz Markiewicz and Marianna showing that they were married two years before the birth of Petronella. Thus, the Tomasz and Marianna in this marriage record are likely to be the parents of Petronella. The question that remains, however, is whether the Tomasz in this marriage record was also the husband of Franciszka Piątkowa. Unfortunately, I did not find a marriage record for Tomasz and Franciszka in the Piotrawin marriage books. Finally, I checked some of the death records, where I found the following deaths:

1890 - Michał Markiewicz
1892 - Jan Markiewicz
1892 - Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

These names and death dates are recorded soon after the births of the first three children of Tomasz and Franciszka, and might be the records of the children's deaths. At this point, much of what I have recorded here is speculation. I'll need to translate the records I've found to see if the names, dates, and ages are consistent with the relationships I've proposed here. I'll also need to search for some additional records to learn the names of the parents of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 06:39:50 +0000

PDF copy of the baptismal record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

The baptismal record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Steve — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 06:40:40 +0000

The baptismal record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

The Birth and Baptism of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Steve — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 06:41:54 +0000

Among the records from the Piotrawin parish that I found at the Family History Center yesterday was the birth and baptismal record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz, born a few years before Stanisław and Antoni.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the original record, a transcription of the record, and a translation into English. The record states:

2. Braciejowice - Markiewicz Wawrzyniec

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 28th day of July / 9th day of August 1891 at twelve in the day. Tomasz Markiewicz appeared in person, age 32, a house owner in the village of Braciejowice, in the presence of Stanisław Jakobik, age 26, and Andrzej Lejwoda, age 34, house owners in the village of Braciejowice - and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in the village of Braciejowice on the 26rd of July / 7th of August of this year, at ten o’clock in the morning - of his lawful wife Franciszka nee Piontkowa, age 23. To this child at Holy Baptism performed on this date was given the name of Wawrzyniec, and his godparents were the above-mentioned Stanisław Jakobik and Katarzyna Lejwoda. This document was read to the declarant father and to the witnesses, all of whom are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Wawrzyniec (Lawrence) was born at 10 AM on August 7, 1891 in Braciejowice, baptized at 12 Noon on August 9, 1891 in Piotrawin, his father was Tomasz Markiewicz, his mother was Franciszka Piontkowa, his godparents were Stanisław Jacobik and Katarzyna (Katherine) Lejwoda, and he was baptized by the Rev. C. Trembiński.

I didn't have much trouble with the surnames in this record, partly because I recognized the surnames immediately. Most significantly, two of the people mentioned in this document have the surname Lejwoda. After immigrating to the United States, Stanisław Markiewicz married Antonina Lejwoda. Antonina may even have been related to the Andrzej and Katarzyna Lejwoda named in this document.

According to this document, Tomasz was born in 1858-1859 and Franciszka was born in 1867-1868. When considering their ages in the two previous baptismal records, Tomasz was born between 1857 and 1859, and Franciszka was born between 1862 and 1868.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:20:33 +0000

PDF copy of the birth and baptismal record for Michal Markiewicz

The birth and baptismal record for Michal Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:21:24 +0000

The birth and baptismal record for Michal Markiewicz

The Birth and Baptism of Michał Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:26:21 +0000

A year before the birth of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz, another son was born to Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa - Michał (Michael).

Birth and Baptismal Record for Michał Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the original record, a transcription of the record, and a translation into English. The record states:

117. Braciejowice - Markiewicz Michał

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 22nd day of July / 3rd day of August 1890 at one in the afternoon. Tomasz Markiewicz appeared in person, age 31, a house owner in the village of Braciejowice, in the presence of Piotr Fatz, age 29, and Franciszek Turski, age 52, house owners in the village of Braciejowice - and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in the village of Braciejowice on this date, the 22nd of July / 3rd of August of this year, at six o'clock after midnight - of his lawful wife Franciszka nee Piontkowa, age 25. To this child at Holy Baptism performed on this date was given the name of Michał, and his godparents were the above-mentioned Piotr Fata and Agnieszka Makosiowa. This document was read to the declarant father and to the witnesses, all of whom are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Michał (Michael) was born at 6 AM on August 3, 1890 in Braciejowice, baptized at 1 PM on the same day in Piotrawin, his father was Tomasz (Thomas) Markiewicz, his mother was Franciszka (Frances) Piontkowa, his godparents were Piotr (Peter) Fatz and Agnieszka (Agnes) Makosiowa, and he was baptized by the Rev. C. Trembiński.

The surnames of the two women are feminized. The masculine form of the surname Makosiowa is probably Makosz, and that of the surname Piontkowa (or Piątkowa) is probably Piątek. One of the named witnesses was Franciszek Turski, who was also a witness for the baptism of Stanisław Markiewicz.

At the very top of the document, the page number in the record book is noted - page 355. Also, there is a stamp. I'm not sure what the first word is, but the second line says "Nowo Aleksandryski". The villages of Braciejowice and Piotrawin were in the Nowo Aleksandryja Powiat, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland, Russia.

According to this document, Tomasz was born in 1858-1859 and Franciszka was born in 1865-1866. When considering their ages in the three previous baptismal records, Tomasz was born between 1857 and 1859, and Franciszka was born between 1862 and 1868.

The Birth and Baptism of Jan Markiewicz

Steve — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 06:30:51 +0000

The last Birth and Baptismal Record that I found for the children of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa was for a son Jan.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the original record, a transcription of the record, and a translation into English. The record states:

42. Braciejowice - Markiewicz Jan

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 15th / 27th day of February 1889 at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Tomasz Markiewicz appeared in person, age 30, a house owner in the village of Braciejowice, in the presence of Stanisław Piątek from the village of Brzeliow, age 21, and Franciszek Turski from the village of Braciejowice, age 48, house owners - and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in the village of Braciejowice on this date, the 15th / 27th day of February of this year, at twelve o’clock in the day - of his lawful wife Franciszka nee Piontkowa, age 25. To this child at Holy Baptism performed on this date was given the name of Jan, and his godparents were the above-mentioned Stanisław Piątek and Agnieszka Turska. This document was read to the declarant father and to the witnesses, all of whom are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Jan (John) was born at 12 Noon on February 27, 1889 in Braciejowice, baptized at 6 PM on the same day in Piotrawin, his father was Tomasz (Thomas) Markiewicz, his mother was Franciszka (Frances) Piontkowa, his godparents were Stanisław (Stanley) Piątek and Agnieszka (Agnes) Turska, and he was baptized by the Rev. C. Trembiński.

Of particular interest is the fact that Stanisław Piątek was the godfather. He may be related to Franciszka, the mother. I'm not sure about the spelling of Stanisław Piątek's village - I couldn't find it on a map. Also of interest is the fact that Franciszek Turski also appears as a witness in the Birth and Baptismal Records for Michał and Stanisław Markiewicz. The godmother, Agnieszka Turska, may be related to Franciszek Turski, who appeared as a witness at Stanisław Markiewicz' baptism.

According to this record, Tomasz Markiewicz was 30 years old, indicating that he was born between 1858-1859, and Franciszka Piątkowa was 25 years old, meaning that she was born between 1863-1864. Combined with the ages in other baptismal documents, Tomasz was born between 1857-1859, and Franciszka was born between 1862-1868.

There is one unusual notation on the original document - located in the left margin, just below the name of the village and the name of the child. It says:

= February of this CT k

This notation indicates that the priest left the words "February of this" out of the written document and these words should be inserted in the document where he has indicated two strokes (looks like and equal sign) and a vertical slash between two words on the 8th line, towards the left hand side. The letters "CT" are the priest's initials and I think the "k" stands for ksiądz - the Polish word for priest. I'm not absolutely sure that the letter "k" follows the priest's initials, but I'm not sure what the marks after the "CT" would be otherwise.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 08:05:39 +0000

PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Markiewicz

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Markiewicz

Steve — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 08:06:32 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Markiewicz

The Manor in Nienadowa

Steve — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 06:17:33 +0000

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 drawing of the manor in Nienadowa on the internet.

The Manor in Nienadowa

Click on the thumbnail above to visit Rafał's website with picture and the original information on the manor (in Polish). The drawing looks like it was done in pastels and was completed in 2002 by Rafał Marian Bogusławski who describes himself as the "grandson of Casimir Bogusławski" - he must be a genealogist himself! 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.

Dwor w Nienadowej

Steve — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 07:09:57 +0000

Dwor w Nienadowej

zdjecia z polski - Piotrawin

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:10:03 +0000

zdjecia z polski - Piotrawin - sunset

zdjecia z Polski - Piotrawin 2

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:12:22 +0000

zdjecia z Polski - Piotrawin 2 - field

urzad gminy Laziska - Piotrawin

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:14:08 +0000

urzad gminy Laziska - Piotrawin - church

urzad gminy Laziska - Bracieowice

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:15:26 +0000

urzad gminy Laziska - Bracieowice - field

Photos of Piotrawin and Braciejowice

Steve — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:56:12 +0000

Stanisław Markiewicz and his siblings were born in Braciejowice and baptized in Piotrawin in the Kingdom of Poland. I've never been to either of these villages. However, in the year 2000, I visited Kazimierz Dolny, a village just a short distance to the north. I posted photos from Kazimierz Dolny on June 18, 2006 and July 30, 2006. Today, I found some great photographs of both Braciejowice and Piotrawin on the internet. Because these aren't my own pictures and I don't have permission to reproduce them here, I'm providing thumbnails for each of the four internet webpages where I found these photos. Just click on the thumbnails to go to the webpages themselves where you can view all the pictures.

Urząd Gminy Łaziska (Office of the District of Łaziska) - Photos of Braciejowice

Urząd Gminy Łaziska (Office of the District of Łaziska) - Photos of Piotrawin

The Urząd Gmina Łaziska (Office of the District of Łaziska) site includes lots of information about the district (in Polish), and the Info o Gminie (Information about the District) link provides access to a map of the district. By clicking on the name of a village on the map, you can access pictures of many of the villages in the district.

Zdjęcia z Polski (Photographs from Poland) - Photos of Piotrawin 1

Zdjęcia z Polski (Photographs from Poland) - Photos of Piotrawin 2

The Zdjęcia z Polski (Photographs from Poland) site provides photographs from all over Poland. Click on Rejony Geograficne to see photos from different Geographical Regions of Poland. Click on Miasta i Miejscowocści to see photos from Towns and Localities. Click on Pory Roku to see photos from Seasons of the Year (wiosna = spring, lato = summer, jesień = autumn, and zima = winter).

One Death, Two Cities

Steve — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 06:20:31 +0000

Often, while looking for obituaries, death notices, and funeral notices in the newspapers, I come up empty-handed. This wasn't the case for my the newspaper records of my grandmother's death, however. My grandmother, Marianna Dziurzyńska Dańko, was born in Sielnica, Galicia, lived most of her life in Worcester, Massachusetts, and died in Albany, New York. Her funeral was held at Our Lady of Częstochowa Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, and she was buried next to my grandfather in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts. I remember grandmother's death well. She died at 6:20 AM on Monday, September 8, 1969. I remember waking up when my father came home from the hospital, and I heard him say "Mother passed away". I cried and fell back asleep. A short time later, my mother came in to my room to wake me up and tell me that grandmother had died. I didn't tell her that I already knew. On the day of her death the following obituary appeared in the Albany Knickerbocker News:

Date: Monday, September 8, 1969 Section: Obituaries Page: 20
Mrs. Danko, 93, Native of Poland

Mrs. Michael Danko, a native of Poland who came to Albany in 1950, died today at St. Peter's Hospital after a long illness. She was 93.

She was the former Mary Dzuizynski of Slevnica, Poland. She resided at 315 Colonie Street.

Survivors include three sons, Frank, Albany; Michal and Joseph, of Worcester, Mass., and five daughters, Mrs. John Petri; Mrs. Statia Iwaniec and Mrs. Clark Gibson, all of Albany; and Mrs. Oscar Yousophian and Mrs. Bertha McGinn, both of Worcester, Mass.

Funeral services are being arranged by Henrys Funeral Home of Worcester, Mass. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Mass.

The next day, the following obituary appeared in the Albany Times Union:

Date: Tuesday, September 9, 1969 Section: Death Notices Page: 20
DANKO - September 8, 1969, at St. Peter's Hospital, Maryanna Danko of 12 Dan Avenue, wife of the late Michael Danko; mother of Michael J., Joseph, both of Worcester, Mass.; Francis of Albany; Mrs. Sophie Gibson, Mrs. Statia Iwaniec both of Albany; Mrs. Bertha McGinn, Mrs. Mary Yousophian both of Worcester; Mrs. Helen Petri of Albany and the late Jack Danko; also survived by 23 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral from the Henry Funeral Home, 33 Ward Street, Worcester, Mass., Thursday morning at 8:15 and 8:30 at Our Lady of Czestochowa where a High Mass of Requiem will be celebrated. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may call at the funeral home Wednesday. Interment Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester.

Before grandmother's funeral, four more newspaper accounts of her death and funeral were published, this time in the Worcester Telegram.

Tomorrow: The newspaper accounts of grandmother's death in the Worcester paper.

Grandmother Danko's Obituary in the Worcester Newspaper

Steve — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 04:59:44 +0000

The day after my grandmother Dańko died, her obituary appeared in the Worcester Telegram. At the time of her death, four of her children were still living in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her funeral and burial were planned for Worcester. Her obituary read as follows:

Date: September 9, 1969 Edition: Final Section: Obituaries Page: 20
Mrs. Mary Danko
Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko, 90, widow of Michael Danko, of 12 Dana Ave., Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, died yesterday in St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, N.Y. She was born in Slewnica, Poland, and came to this country in 1909 and lived in Worcester prior to moving to Albany in 1953. Her husband died in 1953. She leaves three sons, Francis J. Danko of Albany, and Michael J. and Joseph J. Danko of Worcester; five daughters, Sophie, wife of Clark Gibson, Statia, widow of Alfred Iwaniec, and Helen, wife of John Petri, all of Albany, Bertha, wife of George McGinn and Mary, wife of Oscar Yousoufian, both of Worcester, 24 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held Thursday from the Henry funeral Home, 33 Ward St., with a High Mass at 8:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home are 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.

In addition, the Worcester Telegram published a death notice on the same day:

Date: September 9, 1969 Edition: Final Section: Deaths Page: 20 DANKO - in Albany, N.Y., Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko, 90, formerly of Worcester.

On September 10, The Worcester Telegram published a funeral announcement:

Date: September 10, 1969 Edition: Final Section: Funerals Page: 30 DANKO, Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski), Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, tomorrow, 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St.

And finally, on September 11, the Worcester Telegram published one final funeral announcement:

Date: September 11, 1969 Edition: Final Section: Funerals Page: 20 DANKO, Mrs. Mary (Dziwrzynski), Albany, N.Y., formerly of Worcester, today, 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 36 Ward St.

Tomorrow: Memories of my grandmother.

Memories of Grandmother Danko

Steve — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 06:30:41 +0000

I knew my grandmother for 14 years before her death in 1969, and even though I remember her well, I honestly can't say that I knew her well. The problem was that my grandmother never learned to speak English. My grandmother, Marianna Dańko, was born on August 14, 1881 in Sielnica, Galicia, the Austrian Partition of Poland. Her maiden name at birth was Dziura, but while she was still in Poland the family changed the surname to Dziurzyński (the feminine form of this surname is Dziurzyńska). She married my grandfather, Michael Dańko, on August 14, 1898. I'm told that my grandparents met for the first time not long before their wedding. The wedding itself was probably held in Dylągowa parish, which was the parish for the village of Sielnica. After their marriage, my grandparents lived in my grandfather's home village of Nienadowa. They had three children while they lived in Galicia, one of whom died there. My grandfather immigrated to the United States in 1905 and left my grandmother and her children behind. My grandmother and the two surviving children immigrated in 1909, arriving at Ellis Island on May 24, 1909. The family reunited in Worcester, Massachusetts, where my grandfather had secured lodging between the Rural Cemetery and the railroad tracks. Grandfather worked as a wire straightener at the nearby American Steel and Wire Factory, and Grandmother kept house. My grandparents had eight more children, one of whom died of broncho pneumonia at the age of one. For a period of time, the family shared their house with as many as seven other Polish immigrants, and Grandmother's brother, Jan Dziurzyński lived with the family for a while, as well.

Marianna Danko and Her Children

On January 2, 1953, my grandfather died. For many years after my grandfather's death, my grandmother lived with my Aunt Helen on Colonie Street in Albany, New York. I remember their apartment well - it was low-income housing in Arbor Hill, one of the poorer sections of Albany. The best memories I have of my grandmother were from the 1960s. On Sundays after church, my family would go to my grandmother's apartment and spend the day with Grandmother, whom we called "Nanny Danko". We celebrated birthdays and holidays with Nanny Danko, and my Aunt Helen would cook szynka (ham), kielbasa, pierogi, and ziemniaki (potatoes). Birthdays, especially Nanny Danko's birthdays, were some of the most festive occasions for us. Nanny loved to hear us sing "Happy Birthday", and she loved to watch the lighted candles on the birthday cake, so much so that she refused to blow them out. She would just sit, watch the candles, and smile. Finally, when we couldn't stand it any longer, my sisters and I would blow out the candles, and Nanny Danko loved to watch that, too. Nanny never quite grasped the concept of television. She was convinced that, if she could see people on the television, they could see her, too. She absolutely loved to watch Mitch Miller's program "Sing Along with Mitch" even though she couldn't understand the words. Before she would watch Mitch Miller, she would get dressed in her best clothes, do her hair, and place her rocker squarely in front of the television so Mitch could have an unobstructed view of her. I think she may have been sweet on Mitch. Many times when we visited, Nanny Danko would sit in a hard, wooden chair in a corner of the living room, next to a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Periodically, she would pick up the picture and kiss it. I suspect she may have been praying. My father told us that she kissed that picture so often, he was surprised she hadn't worn the picture completely away. I sometimes wonder what became of that picture. Nanny Danko had a special sweet spot for her sons and grandsons. Even though she could only speak a few words of English and I could only speak a few words of Polish, I remember spending time alone with her. I remember she would run her fingers like a spider crawling up my arm and across the back of my neck. I would laugh (after all, it tickled!) and she would smile. Every now and then, just as we were leaving for the night, Nanny Danko would go to her bedroom and emerge with three crisp, new dollar bills, one for me and one for each of my sisters. For years my father couldn't figure out where she got these brand new dollar bills until one day he caught her washing and ironing her paper money. She told him she hated dirty money! For much of the time I knew her, Nanny Danko was not in the best of health. At one point, she slipped on the ice and broke either her leg or her hip (I don't remember which) and she had to use a walker thereafter. Even though she saw a doctor for her ailments, she wouldn't take her medication and preferred to flush the pills down the toilet. Even so, she lived to age 90.

Nanny Danko (with Me in the Baby Carriage)

I remember that Nanny Danko was always kind and gentle with her grandchildren, but she was very strong willed and she made sure that her own children knew what was on her mind. I seldom knew what she was talking about, since I couldn't understand Polish well enough to follow the conversation. She called me Staś, the diminutive name for Stanisław (Stanley), but nobody ever corrected her. She was not well schooled, and she couldn't read and write. Even her spoken language was not well refined; she tended to use Polish slang rather than the proper Polish words. I'm told that instead of the Polish word twarz (face) she used the word gęba (mug, kisser). But, I guess she never needed a better education - she was a Polish farmer's daughter who married young, had eleven children, and whose responsibilities were limited to raising the children. Nanny Danko died on September 8, 1969, shortly after I started High School. I wasn't allowed to go to the funeral in Worcester, and it wasn't until years later that I was able to visit her grave. I think of her often, and fondly. Kocham ci, babciu!

Marianna Danko and Her Children

Steve — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:13:06 +0000

Marianna Danko and Her Children

Nanny Danko and Me (in Baby Carriage)

Steve — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:13:43 +0000

Nanny Danko and Me (in Baby Carriage)

Danko Anniversary

Steve — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:16:15 +0000

Danko Anniversary

World War II

Steve — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:16:46 +0000

World War II

Steve's Confirmation

Steve — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:17:14 +0000

Steve's Confirmation

Steve's First Christmas

Steve — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:17:47 +0000

Steve's First Christmas

Photographs of Grandmother Danko

Steve — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:28:06 +0000

Nanny Danko died 37 years ago this month. Today, in her memory, I'm publishing a few photographs of her.

During World War II

This photograph is apparently related to my Uncle Joe's service in the Army during World War II. I'm not sure of the exact date or location, but since Joe enlisted on January 16, 1941 and World War II ended in 1945, I assume the photo was taken in that time period in or around Worcester, Massachusetts. From the left, in the back are Grandfather Michael Danko, George McGinn, Bertha (Danko) McGinn, Joseph Danko, Grandmother Marianna (Dziurzyńska) Danko, Michael Danko. From the left, in front are Marguerite McGinn, and Geraldine McGinn.

The 50th Anniversary Party

This photograph was taken at Marianna and Michael Danko's 50th Anniversary party in August 1948. The photograph was taken in my Aunt Statia (Danko) Iwaniec's house on Knox Street in Albany, New York. The knife my grandparents are using to cut the cake was made by their son Michael.

My First Christmas

This photograph was taken at my parents' house in Albany, New York in December 1955. Nanny Danko is holding me on her lap and my sister Beverly is standing next to us.

My Confirmation

This photograph was taken at Nanny Danko's apartment in Albany, New York on April 25, 1965, the day of my Confirmation (hence, the robe I'm wearing). In this photo, you can see the picture of Jesus that Nanny kissed so often. I was a geek.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Cecylia Chotkowska

Steve — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:28:41 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Cecylia Chotkowska

PDF

Steve — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:29:46 +0000

PDF of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Cecylia Chotkowska

The Birth and Baptism of Cecylia Chodkowska

Steve — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:41:38 +0000

I received an email message today from a second cousin (once removed) whom I have never met. In fact, I've only actually met one of my relatives from that branch of my family. Our common ancestor is Wojciech Niedziałkowski, who lived in the Łomza Gubernia of the Kingdom of Poland (the Russian Partition of Poland). Wojciech was my great-great-grandfather. Wojeciech was the son of Antoni Niedziałkowski and Karolina Milewska, and Antoni was the son of Tomasz Niedzialkowski and Cecylia Chodkowska. Cecylia's birth and baptismal record is the oldest birth and baptismal record I have for a direct ancestor. [caption id="attachment_6293" align="aligncenter" width="411" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record for Cecylia Chodkowska - 1767"][/caption] Click on the image to englarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Cecylia Chodkowska. Cecylia's record is the second record from the top of this page, and the record, written in November 1767, states:

Franciszek Przedpełski, CRL

56. Mosaki Rukle, the 22nd of November, Cecylia

I, who am named above, baptized and infant by the name of Cecylia, daughter of the nobleman Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna, a legally married couple. The godparents in the sacred font were the nobles Katarzyna Grochowska and Stefan Mosakowski.

Cecylia's parents are called nobles in this record, and this is the first documented evidence that any of my ancestors belonged to the Polish nobility. Because the only records for Polish peasants were church records, and because the church records rarely began before the early 1700s, it is generally not possible to trace the ancestors of Polish peasants further back than the church records extend. The Polish nobility, however, maintained records back much further in time. Although I haven't explored records that might document the genealogy of the nobility, there is at least a chance there might be earlier records for the Chodkowski family.

Note that this record is written in Latin. Later records from this part of Poland were written in Polish, and after a rebellion against the Russian government, the records from this region were kept in Russian.

Note also that the name of the month, November, was abbreviated 9bris, a historical reference that November was once the ninth month of the year, and the word November actually derives from the Latin word for nine - novem.

Update 18 Oct 2009: The maiden name of Cecylia Chodkowska's mother was Mossakowska. Also, I have changed the spelling of the surname Chotkowski to Chodkowski, reflecting the fact that most living descendants with this surname currently use that spelling.

The Marriage of Andrzej Chodkowski and Marianna Mossakowska

Steve — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 06:13:59 +0000

The earliest recorded Birth and Baptismal Record that I've found for any of my ancestors was that for Cecylia Chodkowska, recorded in 1767. However, I've found her parents' Marriage Record, making this marriage record the earliest record that I've yet found for any of my ancestors. [caption id="attachment_6311" align="aligncenter" width="389" caption="The Marriage Record of Andrzej Chodkowski and Marianna Mossakowska - 1741"][/caption] The entire page, shown above, contains one marriage and a whole lot of deaths (on the right-hand side of the page). Click on the image to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Andrzej Chodkowski and Marianna Mossakowska.

I wasn't able to translate the entire record. Some of the words were illegible, crossed out, or not in my dictionaries. Nonetheless, I can understand the basic information in the record. This record states that:

The marriage of Andrzej Chodkowski and Marianna Mossakowska took place in Krasne
Karol Kucharski from the Krasne Parish officiated at the wedding
The wedding took place on February 13, 174[1]
The witnesses were Józef Milewski, Paweł Krepki and Antoni Krepki

The exact year of the marriage is illegible, but looks like 1741. The witnesses all appear to be men. The final line of the document apparently refers to edits in the record made by the priest.

My Latin dictionary doesn't include words from Church Latin, so I think a dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin will be one of my next genealogy purchases. I also need to take another look at these records. Perhaps some of the other marriage records from this time and place will help me decipher the rest of the document.

UPDATE 18 Oct 2009: I have changed the spelling of the groom's surname from Chotkowski to Chodkowski to reflect the spelling used by most descendants of this line.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:08:24 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna Mossakowska

Marriage Record for Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna Mossakowska

Steve — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:09:02 +0000

Marriage Record for Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna Mossakowska

The Birth and Baptism of Franciszek Niedziałkowski

Steve — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 06:30:51 +0000

When my grandfather Kostanty Niedziałkowski came to America, he stayed with his Uncle Franciszek Niedziałkowski in Worcester, Massachusetts. Franciszek generally used the name Frank Niedzialkoski in the United States, dropping the "w" from the surname. I found the Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek in the Szwelice Parish, north of Warsaw. As with other documents from Kingdom Poland (the Russian Partition) during the late 19th century, this document is in Russian.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record. I wasn't able to transcribe and translate the entire document. I'm not familiar with some of the words used in this document, and some of the words are fairly illegible. Nonetheless, I was able to determine that:

Franciszek was born in the village of Pomoski on the 8th day of an illegible month in the year 1876
Franciszek was baptized in the Szwelice parish on the 13th day of an illegible month in the year 1876 at 1 PM
Franciszek's parents were Wojciech (Adalbert) Niedziałkowski and Julianna Gutowska, both age 40
Franciszek's godparents were Franciszek Niedziałkowski and Józefa Niedziałkowska
Stanisław Kudkowski was present at the baptism
The priest who baptized Francizek was a Father Gutkowski

Wojciech Niedziałkowski had a brother Franciszek. Wojciech may have named his son after his brother and asked his brother to be the godfather of his child. Wojciech's brother was born in 1842, and the Franciszek named as the godfather is about the right age.

I'll have to work on this document some more to try to decipher the month of birth. I may need to go back to the original microfilm and look at other documents written by this priest in order to figure this out.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 07:45:54 +0000

PDF of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Niedzialkowski

Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Niedzialkowski

Steve — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 07:46:20 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Niedzialkowski

The Death of Frank Niedzialkosky

Steve — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:45:05 +0000

My great-great uncle, Frank Niezialkosky died in 1955.

The Death Certificate for Frank Niedzialkosky

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Certificate. The document states that:

Frank died at his residence on Tuttle Road in Sterling, Worcester County, Massachusetts where he had lived for 42 years
Frank died at 9 P.M. on October 23, 1955 of arteriosclerotic heart disease
He had been treated by Walter F. Crosby, M.D. from September 1, 1952 until his death
Frank was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Gardner, Massachusetts on October 26, 1955 by funeral director John W. Bobka of 149 Franklin Street, Clinton, Massachusetts
Frank was a 78-year old, white male, married to Ceslevia Bonislawski
His usual occupation was that of a moulder in a steel foundry
His Social Security Number was not obtainable
Frank was born in Poland, and was the son of Wojciech Niedzialkosky and Julia Gutowska, both born in Poland
The informant of Frank's death was his wife, Ceslavia Niedzialkosky, Tuttle Road, Sterling

This record is of great importance in tracing both my own ancestors and those of Frank's descendants, because it lists the names of Frank's parents, and Frank's parents are my great-great-grandparents.

The information on this record agrees with that on Frank's Birth and Baptismal Record:

The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Frank Niedzialkosky's name at birth was Franciszek Niedziałkowski
The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Frank was born in 1876; the Death Certificate shows that he was born in 1876-1877
The Birth and Baptismal Record shows that Frank's parents were Wojciech Niedziałkowski and Julianna Gutowska; the Death Certificate lists the parents as Wojciech Niedzialkosky and Julia Gutowska

Frank's place of death was Tuttle Road in Sterling, Massachusetts, and so he died at his farm, called Sky Farm. I don't know why the farm was named Sky Farm. Perhaps one of Frank's direct descendants knows. The entry for Frank's Social Security Number states "no obtainable". Since Frank's usual occupation was listed as "moulder, steel factory", I would expect that Frank would have been required to apply for a Social Security Number, but the number is not listed on this Death Certificate. I also find it interesting that, although Frank owned a farm, his usual occupation was a moulder in a steel factory. The Death Certificate shows that Frank was born in Poland, but does not specify where in Poland. Without a more specific location, it would be impossible to find Polish records for Frank and his ancestors. Fortunately, I knew that my grandfather was from Pomoski, a village that was part of the Szwelice Parish in the Łomża Gubernia in Kingdom Poland, and that's exactly where I found Frank's Birth and Baptismal Record.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:47:16 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Certificate for Frank Niedzialkosky

Death Certificate for Frank Niedzialkosky

Steve — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:47:59 +0000

Death Certificate for Frank Niedzialkosky

Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage

Steve — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:42:32 +0000

Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage of Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski

Original Record of Marriage of Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski

Steve — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:43:21 +0000

Original Record of Marriage of Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski

PDF

Steve — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:43:58 +0000

PDF Copy of the Record of Marriage of Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski

The Marriage of Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski

Steve — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:49:38 +0000

My great-great uncle Frank Niedzialkowski married Cecilia Bonislawski in 1904. Certified copies of Massachusetts vital records are available from three places: records after 1915 are kept at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics in Dorchester, records up through 1915 are kept at the Massachusetts Archives in Dorchester, and all records for a particular town are maintained at the town level. In Worcester, Massachusetts, the Worcester City Clerk has copies of the vital records from 1686 to the present. In addition to these records, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City has various microfilmed copies of Massachusetts vital records up through 1910. The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston has microfilmed copies of Massachusetts Vital Record in their library in Boston, and has an online index and some digital images of Massachusetts Vital Records up through 1910 on their website (access is restricted to members of the NEHGS). I obtained a copy of the marriage record for Frank Niedzialkowski and Cecilia Bonislawski from the Massachusetts Archives. The cost for a Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage from the Massachusetts Archives was $3. The City of Worcester charges $8 for the same record if ordered in person, $11 if ordered by mail. The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics charges $18 for records ordered in person and $28 for records ordered by mail. The Massachusetts Archives not only provided a Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage, but they also provided a photocopy of the relevant page from the original record book. Frank and Cecilia's marriage is recorded as the last record at the bottom of page 483 in the original record book.

Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage

Copy of the Original Record Book

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certified Copy of the Record of Marriage and the image from the Original Record Book. The record shows that:

Frank Niedzialkowski, age 28, and Cecilia Bonislawski, age 18, were married in the City of Worcester on August 17, 1904
Frank was a Weaver born in Russia Poland and his parents were Adalbert Niedzialkowski and Julia Gutowska
Cecilia was an Operative born in Russia Poland and her parents were Adam Bonislawski and Petronella Niedzialkowski
The couple was married by John Moneta, a priest in Worcester
The marriage was recorded on August 26, 1904 and was entered as record number 774 on page 483 of volume 548

In this marriage record, Frank Niedzialkowski was still using the "w" in his surname. Eventually he dropped the "w", possibly because English-speaking people pronounced the name more correctly without the "w".

Frank's age in this record indicates that he was born in 1875-1876, which agrees with the date of 1876 on his Birth and Baptismal Record from Poland. The names of Frank's parents also agree with those on his Birth and Baptismal Record.

Interestingly, Cecilia's mother's maiden name was Niedzialkowska. Although I don't have any idea of where Cecilia was born, the fact that her mother's maiden name was Niedzialkowska suggests that she may have been born in or near the same village where Frank was born. I'll have to search the Birth and Baptismal Records for Szwelice Parish for a Cecylia Bonislawska born in about 1885-1886.

The Marriage Certificate of Constantine Niedzialkowski and Helena Chmielewska

Steve — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:31:11 +0000

The Marriage Certificate of Constantine Niedzialkowski and Helena Chmielewska

PDF

Steve — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:31:53 +0000

PDF of the Marriage Certificate of Constantine Niedzialkowski and Helena Chmielewska

The Marriage of Constantine Niedzialkowski & Helena Chmielewska

Steve — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:36:38 +0000

My grandparents, Helena Chmielewska and Kostanty Niedzialkowski, were called "Ma and Pa" by their descendants. The proper Polish spelling of Pa's name was Konstanty Niedziałkowski, but for most of his life he spelled his name Kostanty Niedzialkowski. For his marriage record, he used the English equivalent of his first name: Constantine.

The Marriage Record for Constantine Niedzialkowski & Helena Chmielewska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate. This record states that:

Constantine Niedzialkowski, age 25, residing in Worcester, Massachusetts married Helena Chmielewska, age 22, also residing in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 10, 1918 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Both Constantine and Helena were white, they were both born in Poland, and they were both single at the time of this, the first marriage for each of them
Constantine was a machinist and Helena was a mill operative
Constantine's parents were Theophil Niedzialkowski and Xaveria Zygmuntowicz
Helena's parents were Vincent Chmielewski and Anastasia Wolnowska
The intention of marriage was entered by W Henry Towne, City or Town Clerk or Registrar, in the records of the city of Worcester on June 26, 1918 and the marriage certificate was issued on July 1, 1918
The couple was married by B A Bojanowski, a priest residing at 15 Richland Street in Worcester who certified that he joined Constantine and Helena in marriage in Worcester on July 10, 1918
The certificate was received by the city or town clerk on August 10, 1918
This marriage was registered no. 870, intention no. 793

The Certificate of Marriage doesn't list the village in Poland where either Constantine or Helena was born, but at least it provides the names of their parents.

They were married by Father Bolesław A. Bojanowski, who was the fourth pastor of Our Lady of Częstochowa Church in Worcester, suggesting that Constantine and Helena were married in that church. The 1920 US Federal Census enumerates them living in a rented apartment at 42 Perry Street in Worcester, in an area served by Our Lady of Częstochowa Church and home to Worcester's thriving Polish community. This area was on the east side of Worcester and was called "The Island".

The proper Polish spellings of the names on this document are:

Constantine Niedzialkowski = Konstanty Niedziałkowski
Helena Chmielewska = Helena Chmielewska
Theophil Niedzialkowski = Teofil Niedziałkowski
Xaveria Zygmuntowicz = Ksaweria Zygmuntowicz
Vincent Chmielewski = Wincenty Chmielewski
Anastasia Wolnowska = Anastazja Wojnowska

As mentioned in previous articles, Constantine was the nephew of Frank Niedzialkosky This means that Constantine's father Theophil was Frank's brother, and Theophil's parents were Wojciech Niedziałkowski and Julianna Gutowska. Tomorrow: Not everything on an official document is necessarily correct - or is it?

Don't Believe Everything You Read - Or Should You?

Steve — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 06:47:09 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the Marriage Certificate for my grandparents, Kostanty Niedzialkowski and Helena Chmielewska. In that document, my grandfather listed his parents as Theophil Niedzialkowski and Xaveria Zygmuntowicz. I found one other record for my grandfather that also lists the names of his parents - Kostanty's Application for a Social Security Account Number (SS-5).

Kostanty Niedzialkowski's SS-5

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Kostanty Niedzialkowski's Application for a Social Security Account Number. The record states that:

Kostanty Niedzialkowski received Social Security Number 034-09-4891
He was living at 18 Huntington Avenue, Worcester, Massachusetts
Kostanty was working for Worcester pressed Steel, 100 Barber Avenue in Worcester
He was born on October 28, 1892 in Poland and was 44 years old in 1936 when he applied for his Social Security Account Number
His parents were Teofil Niedzialkowski and Ksavera Napierkowski
He was a white male

In this document, Kostanty stated that his mother was Ksavera Napierkowski. However, in his Marriage Certificate, he stated that his mother was Xaveria Zygmuntowicz. What's going on here?

Did Kostanty forget his mother's maiden name in one or both of these documents and simply guess at her name? The first name could be different spellings of the same name in both documents - Xaveria and Ksavera - but there is no way the surname could be variants of the same name.

Is the name of Kostanty's mother incorrect on one of these documents? If so, which one?

Clearly, the document that would answer this question is Kostanty's Birth and Baptismal Record from Poland. Unfortunately, I could not find his Birth and Baptismal Record in the Parish Records where he said he was born, nor could I find the Marriage Record for his parents.

I did find Birth and Baptismal Records for what appear to be two brothers and a sister, and these three records list the mother as Ksawera Zygmuntowicz. However, this is not clear evidence that Kostanty's mother was the same woman.

Here are two hypotheses on the correct name of Kostanty's mother. The first assumes that only one of the two documents is correct and the second assumes that both documents are correct:

Kostanty's mother's maiden name was Ksavera Zygmuntowicz and he simply made a mistake on his SS-5
Kostanty's mother was married twice, meaning that either Napierkowski or Zygmuntowicz was her maiden name, and the other name was the surname of her first husband

The only Szwelice parish records where I found the surname Zygmuntowicz were the Birth and Baptismal Records for Kostanty's brothers and sister. In Szwelice, the surname Napierkowski is extremely common. At this point, I assume that Ksawera was from a different parish, and that Teofil married Ksawera and the couple gave birth to Kostanty in Ksawera's parish, not in Szwelice. Which parish that was, I have no idea. This document contains two other interesting facts. Kostanty was working for Worcester Pressed Steel in 1936. He continued to work at Worcester Pressed Steel until he retired in 1961. In 1936, the family was living at 18 Huntington Avenue in Worcester. This house was owned by Kostanty's uncle, Frank Niedzialkosky.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 07:46:12 +0000

PDF of the SS-5 for Kostanty Niedzialkowski

SS-5 for Kostanty Niedzialkowski

Steve — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 07:46:41 +0000

SS-5 for Kostanty Niedzialkowski

The Big Book of Names

Steve — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 22:57:47 +0000

After my recent posts where I mentioned that my grandfather listed his mother with two different names in two different documents (Xaveria Zygmuntowicz on his Certificate of Marriage and Ksavera Napierkowski on his Application for a Social Security Account Number), I received an email from Drew Smith of the Genealogy Guys Podcast. Drew found a site with a wealth of information about Polish given names. The site is part of a Polish e-card site and is called Wielka księga imion or The Big Book of Names. In Polish, the word imię is the nominative singular form of the English word name, and imion is the genitive plural form, translated as of names. Imię specifically refers to first names or given names. The first page of the site provides the researcher the opportunity to select a name from those provided, to jump to another page for names starting with a specific letter, and to search for names by typing a name in a search box and clicking the Szukaj (Search) button. Drew Smith provided me with a direct link to the name Ksawera. I'll translate the information on that page here:

The Big Book of Names KSAWERA Feminine form of the first name - Ksawery. Diminutives: Kszwerka, Ksawercia. Other forms: Ksaweryna. Foreign forms: Xavera, Xaveria (Latin), Xaviera, Xavier (English), Xaveria (German), Xavière (French), Javiera (Spanish), Saceria (Italian), Ksaverija, Ksavera (Southern Lexicon).

Since the name Ksawera is the feminine form of the name Ksawery, I also took a look at the page for Ksawery, which provides a whole lot more information:

The Big Book of Names KSAWERY Nickname of Saint Francis, apostle in India, originating from the name of the place of his birth, the castle Xavier in Spain. Often suitable as a second name in combination - Franciszek Ksawery [Francis Xavier]. Diminutives: Ksawerek. Other forms: Ksaweryn, Zawery. Foreign forms: Xaverius (Latin), Xavier (English), Xaver, Xavierius (German), Xavier (French), Javier, Xavier (Spanish), Saverio (Italian), Ksaverij, Saverij (Russian), Xaver (Czech, Slovak), Ksaver, Ksaverije, Saver (Southern Lexicon). Feminine form: Ksawera, Ksaweryna. SURNAMES: Ksawer, Ksawera, Ksaweryna, Ksaweyński PATRON: Św. Franciszek Ksawery [Saint Francis Xavier] WELL-KNOWN PERSONAGES: Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski, initiator of peasant reforms (March 30, 1739-November 17, 1827). Franciszek Ksawery Dmochowski, polish painter (December 2, 1762 - June 20, 1827). Ksawery Bronikowksi, Polish journalist and statesman (1796-1852). Ksawery Pillati, polish painter and draftsman (1843-January 31, 1902). Frances Xavier Cabrini, first saint in the USA (July 15, 1850 - December 22, 1917). Franz Xaver Josef Conrad, Austrian field marshal (November 11, 1851 - August 25, 1925). Franciszek Ksawery Brziński, Polish composer (September 6, 1867 - August 6, 1944). Ksawery Franciszek Prauss, activist Polish Socialist Party, co-organizer Association of the University of Workers (November 1874 - December 14, 1925). Xawery Dunikowski, Polish sculptor (November 24, 1875 - January 26, 1964). Ksawery Pruszyński, Polish writer (December 4, 1907 - June 13, 1950). Javier Perez de Cuellar, was the Secretary General of the United Nations Organization (born January 19, 1920). HEROES OF ART: Ksawery Horsztyński in the tragedy of J. Słowackiego Horsztyński (1835). Ksawery Biliński in the three-volume novel Fame and Glory of J. Iwaszkiewicz (1956-62). Ksawery Kopystka in Of a Bag of Wheat of S. Czernik. IN POETRY: There were times, Xavier, where sleepy dreams Superstition commanded to pick up the world for a gift display. The age of reason and faith overthrew the altar, Which the superstition of the idle once dedicated in a dream. -Cyprian Godebski, "Dream"

I have to admit, my ability to translate Polish poetry is pretty weak. Translating poetry is an art, and I'm sure I haven't adequately conveyed the intent of the poet in the translation above. Even though the site is in Polish, it's easy to find the equivalent of Polish names in other languages, diminutive forms of the names, other forms of the names, and masculine/feminine equivalents. The Polish abbreviations for other languages, as used on this site are:

łac. = Latin
ang. = English
niem. = German
fr. = French
hiszp. = Spanish
wł. = Italian
ros. = Russian
czes. = Czech
słowac. = Slovak

I'll be spending some more time on this site, looking up other names of my Polish Ancestors. And, finally, thanks to Jasia of Creative Gene who provided a third hypothesis to explain why my great grandmother seems to have had two different maiden names. The Big Book of Names provides an entry for Janina, showing the diminutive form Jasia.

Top Ten Reasons The Genealogue is Better Than Your Morning Cup of Coffee

Steve — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 11:21:54 +0000

The Genealogue is one of the genealogy blogs read regularly, and I've set up an RSS feed to be alerted to new posts. The author, Chris Dunham, warns that the site contains "Genealogy News You Can't Possibly Use". Here are the top ten reasons The Genealogue is better than your morning cup of coffee:

10. Chris Dunham is descended from not one, but two Salem witches. 9. When Chris leaves for vacation, he not only notifies his readers that he will be away from the computer, but he provides directions and a detailed map if one needs to find him in an emergency. 8. Chris doesn't pretend to know everything, except of course that which he, himself invents. 7. The Genealogue has participated in Censuswhacking. 6. Like Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak's contest to find out what happened to Annie Moore, The Genealogue has launched a immigration research contest and has offered a fabulous reward for the lucky person who discovers Where's Arne? 5. Chris Dunham's profile shows that his occupation is "Unprofessional Genealogist". Of course, that still doesn't compare with the occupation of Alfred Goold, whose occupation is listed in the 1901 British Census as "living on condensed milk". 4. Chris is the proud author of The Genealogist's Glossary, described as "Recommended for every family historian who has ever laughed at the archives or giggled in a cemetery". 3. The Genealogue's Top Ten Lists provide valuable guidance that genealogists knew they never needed. Cases in point are the Top Ten Genealogist Pick Up Lines and the Top Ten Ways to Make Genealogy More Exciting. 2. The Genealogue Exclusive in which Chris interviewed Annie Moore is the best piece of genealogical journalism on the net. Chris even managed to scoop The National Enquirer and The Weekly World News on this one! 1. Caffeine has been shown to increase blood pressure. The Genealogue has been shown in unsupervised, uncontrolled, non-clinical studies to lower blood pressure. We all want to make sure you live long enough to finish your genealogy.

Bernard P. Niedzialkosky

Steve — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 05:11:39 +0000

PDF copy of the WWII Army Enlistment Record for Bernard P. Niedzialkosky

Edward W. Niedzialkosky

Steve — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 05:12:04 +0000

PDF copy of the WWII Army Enlistment Record for Edward W. Niedzialkosky

World War II Army Enlistment Records for Edward and Bernard Niedzialkosky

Steve — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 05:18:46 +0000

Joe Beine, author of the Genealogy Roots Blog, posted an article yesterday about the World War II Army Enlistment Records database at NARA. I visited the NARA website and conducted a search for records of my relatives. I found quite a few records, including one for Edward W. Niedzialkosky and another for Bernard P. Niedzialkosky. Both of these men were first cousins to my grandfather, Kostanty Niedzialkowski. The record for Edward W. Niedzialkosky reads as follows:

Army Serial Number: 31073487 Name: Niedzialkosky Edward W Residence: State: Massachusetts Residence: County: Worcester Place of Enlistment: Ft Devens Massachusetts Date of Enlistment Day: 18 Date of Enlistment Month: 03 Date of Enlistment Year: 42 Grade: Alpha Designation: Private Grade: Code: Private Branch: Alpha Designation: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA Branch: Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA Field Use as Desired: # Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Longevity: ### Source of Army Personnel: Civil Life Nativity: Massachusetts Year of Birth: 05 Race and Citizenship: White, citizen Education: Grammar school Civilian Occupation: Traktor Driver* or Truck Driver, Heavy or Chauffeur or Truck Driver, Light Marital Status: Single, without dependents Component of the Army: Selectees (Enlisted Men) Card Number: # Box Number: 0391 Film Reel Number: 3.112

The record for Bernard P. Niedzialkosky reads as follows:

Army Serial Number: 31511069 Name: Niedzialkosky Bernard P Residence: State: Massachusetts Residence: County: Worcester Place of Enlistment: Ft Banks Boston Massachusetts Date of Enlistment Day: 08 Date of Enlistment Month: 05 Date of Enlistment Year: 46 Grade: Alpha Designation: Private Grade: Code: Private Branch: Alpha Designation: No branch assignment Branch: Code: No branch assignment Field Use as Desired: # Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Longevity: ### Source of Army Personnel: Civil Life Nativity: Massachusetts Year of Birth: 28 Race and Citizenship: White, citizen Education: Grammar school Civilian Occupation: Gunsmith* (Armorer.) or Diesel Mechanic (Automobile mechanic, Diesel engine.) or Camera Repairman (Camera repairman, still camera.) or Instrument Repairman, Nonelectrical (Instrument maker.) or Utility Repairman (Mechanic, general.) or Equipment Maintenance Man, Motion Picture (Motion picture equipment repairman.) or Radio Repairman* (Radio electrician.) or Office machine Serviceman or Electric Motor Repairman or Refrigeration Mechanic* or Shop Maintenance Mechanic or Master Mechanic or Locksmith* or Calker Marital Status: Single, without dependents Component of the Army: Selectees (Enlisted Men) Card Number: # Box Number: 0451 Film Reel Number: 3.173

For my own files, I copied the records, reduced the font size and the table cell size so each record would fit on one page, and converted the files to PDF. Click on the links to see the PDF files for Edward W. Niedzialkosky and Bernard P. Niedzialkosky. On his blog, Joe Beine explains the origin of this database. These particular records are of great value since a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in Saint Louis destroyed about 80% of the records for US Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960.

Jane Niedzialkowski Danko

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 06:30:45 +0000

My mother, Jane Niedzialkowski Danko, was born on October 6, 1922. She would be 84 years old on Friday, but she died at age 57. At her birth, she was given the name Jennie Niedzialkowski, but she used the name Jane for most of her life. Here are some photographs of my mother in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

About 1927 - Sky Farm Jane Niedzialkowski (third from the right in the middle row) Fred Niedzialkowski (second from the left in the front row)

1934 - First Communion Ray Niedzialkowski and Jane Niedzialkowski

1942 - Worcester, Massachusetts Kostanty Niedzialkowski (Pa) and Jane Niedzialkowski

May 22, 1947 - Wedding Day Frank and Jane (Niedzialkowski) Danko

Ray and Jane First Communion

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 06:52:36 +0000

Ray and Jane First Communion

Pa and Jane 1934

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 06:53:21 +0000

Pa and Jane 1934

Frank and Jane Danko Wedding

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 06:53:56 +0000

Frank and Jane Danko Wedding

Sky Farm

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 06:54:38 +0000

Sky Farm

memo from L. Beria to Stalin

Steve — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:00:37 +0000

memo from L. Beria to Stalin

The Death of Michał Markiewicz

Steve — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 05:33:56 +0000

I had previously found the 1890 Birth and Baptismal Record for Michał (Michael) Markiewicz, the son of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa while searching Polish Parish Records at my local Family History Center. I had also found an entry in the Death Index for the same parish that showed that a Michał Markiewicz died in 1890. The question is, are these two records for the same person? Did Michał Markiewicz die the same year in which he was born?

Death Record for Michał Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Michał Markiewicz. Translated from the Russian, the record reads:

111. Braciejowice – Markiewicz Michał

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 8th / 20th day of August 1890 at eleven o’clock in the morning. Tomasz Markiewicz, age 31, the father of the child, and Franciszek Turski, age 52, house owners in the village of Braciejowice, appeared and stated that on the 6th / 18th day of August of this year at 6 o'clock in the evening Michał Markiewicz died in Braciejowice, having been born and lived there for two weeks, son of the aforementioned married couple Tomasz and Franciszka Piątkowa – after eyewitness testimony on the death of Michał Markiewicz.

This document was read to the declarants who are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

The death record does, indeed, record the death of the infant recently born to Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa.

As with other documents from the Kingdom of Poland (the Russian Partition of Poland), the dates are recorded according to both the Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar. In 1890, when this document was written, the two calendars differed by 12 days. Since we use the Gregorian Calendar (the more accurate calendar), the correct date of death is the later date: August 18, 1890.

Franciszek Turski appears in many records for the Markiewicz family, including the Births and Baptisms of Jan, Michał, and Stanisław Markiewicz. It's possible that Franciszek Turski was a neighbor or relative of the Markiewicz family.

One final note about the surname Markiewicz. In many of these records, the name appears to be written as Markowicz, rather than Markiewicz. At this point, it's not clear if this was just an issue with transliteration of the name into Russian, or if the correct spelling is actually Markowicz.

Death Record of Jan Markiewicz

Steve — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 05:23:29 +0000

Death Record of Jan Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 05:24:16 +0000

PDF of the Death Record of Jan Markiewicz

The Death of Jan Markiewicz

Steve — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 05:25:13 +0000

The second Markiewicz death record I found at the Family History Center was that for Jan (John) Markiewicz, the infant son of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa.

The Death Record of Jan Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record of Jan Markiewicz. Translated from the Russian, the record reads:

32. Braciejowice – Markiewicz Jan

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 14th / 26th day of March 1892 at seven o’clock after midnight. Tomasz Markiewicz, age 32, the father of the child, and Franciszek Turski, age 51, house owners in the village of Braciejowice, appeared and stated that on the 12th / 24th day of March of this year at 7 o'clock after midnight, Jan Markiewicz died in Braciejowice at the age of 3 years old, having been born and lived there, son of the aforementioned married couple Tomasz and Franciszka Piątkowa – after eyewitness testimony on the death of Jan Markiewicz.

This document was read to the declarants who are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

Jan was born on February 27, 1889. Jan's death record correctly shows that he was three years old when he died on March 24, 1892.

Comparing this record with the Death Record of Michał Markiewicz who died on August 18, 1890, some additional information about the birth date of Tomasz Markiewicz can be deduced. Tomasz was 31 years old on August 20, 1890 and 32 years old on March 26, 1892. Since Tomasz only recorded one birthday between these two dates, Tomasz must have been born between March 1859 and August 1859.

Unfortunately, the ages recorded in these Church Records are not always accurate. A case in point is the fact that Franciszek Turski was 52 years old in Michaeł's Death Record 1890, but only 51 years old in Jan's Death Record in 1892.

The Death of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 06:17:56 +0000

The last of the records for the Markiewicz family that I found in the Piotrawin Parish Records at the Family History Center was for the death of Wawrzyniec (Lawrence) Markiewicz, the infant son of Tomasz Markiewicz and Franciszka Piątkowa. With this death, all three children of Tomasz and Franciszka had died, and the last two died within a month of each other.

Death Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz. The record, translated from the Russian, reads as follows:

42. Braciejowice – Markiewicz Wawrzyniec

This happened in the village of Piotrawin on the 9th / 21st day of April 1892 at eleven o’clock in the morning. Tomasz Markiewicz, age 33, the father of the child, and Stanisław Jakubczyk, age 26, house owners in the village of Braciejowice, appeared and stated that on the 7th / 19th day of April of this year at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, Wawrzyniec Markiewicz died in the same Braciejowice at the age of 9 months old, having been born and lived there, son of the aforementioned married couple Tomasz and Franciszka Piątkowa – after eyewitness testimony on the death of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz.

This document was read to the declarants who are illiterate, and signed by us.

Rev. C. Trembiński, pastor of the Piotrawin Parish - Keeper of the documents of the civil state

An interesting point in this record is that the age of Tomasz Markiewicz is 33. In the Death Record for Jan Markiewicz, recorded the previous month, Tomasz was 32. This observation allows the hypothesis that Tomasz was born in March or April 1859. How does this date agree with all the other information on the birthdate of Tomasz Markiewicz?

Feb 27, 1889 - Birth of Jan - Tomasz age 30 - (born 1858-1859) July 22, 1890 - Birth of Michał - Tomasz age 31 (born 1858-1859) Aug 20, 1890 - Death of Michał - Tomasz age 31 (born 1858-1859) Jul 28, 1891 - Birth of Wawrzyniec - Tomasz age 32 (born 1859-1860) Mar 26, 1892 - Death of Jan - Tomasz age 32 (born 1859-1860) Apr 21, 1892 - Death of Wawrzyniec - Tomasz age 33 (born 1858-1859) Apr 19, 1893 - Birth of Stanisław - Tomasz age 35 (born 1857-1858) Dec 25, 1894 - Birth of Antoni - Tomasz age 37 (born 1856-1857)

The first six events are all consistent with the hypothesis that Tomasz was born in 1859. The last two events suggest Tomasz was born in 1857-1858 and 1856-1859. Tomasz seems to have aged two years between 1892 and 1893, and another two years between 1893 and 1894! The Birth Records for Jan and Wawrzyniec are not consistent with a birthdate in March or April 1859, although they are consistent with a birthdate in 1859.

A conservative estimate is that Tomasz was born between December 26, 1856 and July 28, 1860. Ignoring the two outlying dates, a more liberal estimate is that Tomasz was born between February 28, 1858 and July 28, 1860. So, even though the Death Records for Michał, Jan, and Wawrzyniec suggest a birth in March or April 1859, the Birth Records for all five sons indicate that a wider range should be considered.

Death Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 06:30:25 +0000

Death Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

Death Record for Michal Markiewicz

Steve — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 06:33:08 +0000

Death Record for Michal Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 06:44:42 +0000

PDF Death Record for Michal Markiewicz

PDF

Steve — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 06:49:19 +0000

PDF Death Record for Wawrzyniec Markiewicz

The Descendants of Mikołaj Markiewicz

Steve — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 05:54:30 +0000

Yesterday, I finished the translations of all the Markiewicz family documents I found recently at the Family History Center. Today, I'll summarize what I found about the family, through the first generation born in the United States. This summary only includes information on deceased individuals.

Descendants of Mikolaj Markiewicz
Generation No. 1 1. MIKOLAJ MARKIEWICZ was born in Kingdom of Poland. Child of MIKOLAJ MARKIEWICZ is: 2. i. TOMASZ MARKIEWICZ, b. Bet. 1857 - 1859, Kingdom of Poland. Generation No. 2 2. TOMASZ MARKIEWICZ (MIKOLAJ) was born Bet. 1857 - 1859 in Kingdom of Poland. He married FRANCISZKA PIATKOWA Bef. 1889 in Kingdom of Poland. She was born Bet. 1862 - 1868 in Kingdom of Poland. Children of TOMASZ MARKIEWICZ and FRANCISZKA PIATKOWA are: i. JAN MARKIEWICZ, b. 27 Feb 1889, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland; d. 24 Mar 1892, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland. ii. MICHAL MARKIEWICZ, b. 03 Aug 1890, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland; d. 18 Aug 1890, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland. iii. WAWRZYNIEC MARKIEWICZ, b. 07 Aug 1891, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland; d. 19 Apr 1892, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland. 3. iv. STANISLAW J. MARKIEWICZ, b. 18 Apr 1893, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland; d. 06 Oct 1971, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. v. ANTONI MARKIEWICZ, b. 06 Jan 1895, Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland. Generation No. 3 3. STANISLAW J. MARKIEWICZ (TOMASZ, MIKOLAJ) was born 18 Apr 1893 in Braciejowice, Powiat Nowo Aleksandryja, Lublin Gubernia, Kingdom of Poland, and died 06 Oct 1971 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married ANTONINA LEJWODA 02 Feb 1913 in South Framingham, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. She was born 27 Apr 1891 in Poland, and died 17 Nov 1976 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of STANISLAW MARKIEWICZ and ANTONINA LEJWODA are: i. STEPHEN J. MARKIEWICZ, b. 22 Jan 1914, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 20 Jun 1996, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. MARY E. BOHACIK; b. 10 Jun 1922, Houtzdale, Clearfield Co., Pennsylvania; d. 18 Nov 2002, Hingham, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. ii. BERNICE CELIA MARKIEWICZ, b. 07 Oct 1915, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 14 Oct 1974, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. EDWARD ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI, 21 Nov 1936, St. Mary's Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; b. 20 Aug 1912, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 29 Aug 1995, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iii. WALTER P. MARKIEWICZ, b. 15 Aug 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 11 Feb 1999, Olympus Health Care /Webster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. JEANNE F. HAJEC, Abt. 1941; b. 23 Aug 1917, Dudley, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 07 Mar 1993, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts - Memorial /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iv. EDWARD S. MARKIEWICZ, b. 17 Dec 1919, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 20 Jan 2004, UMass Memorial Healthcare /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts v. HELEN E. MARKIEWICZ, b. 14 Mar 1922, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 25 May 2000, UMass Memorial Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. JOHN E. DYLEWICZ, SR., Abt. 1948; b. 20 Jan 1925, Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 10 Jan 2000, Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

I also wanted to make note of the fact that my original post on the Death of Michał Markiewicz included the wrong image from the parish records. I inadvertently included the image for the death of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz instead. I have corrected the error, and I have posted the correct image with the article and on the PDF file associated with the article. I've also made some edits to that post and to the posts on the Death of Jan Markiewicz and the Death of Wawrzyniec Markiewicz.

The Descendants of Tomasz Niedziałkowski

Steve — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 06:53:23 +0000

I've been able to trace my Niedziałkowski ancestors back to the early 18th century. The earliest records I've found for this family are actually for Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna Mossakowska, whose daughter Cecylia married Tomasz Niedziałkowski. The following is a genealogy report for the Niedziałkowski family through the first generation born in the United States. The report contains information only on deceased individuals.

Descendants of Tomasz Niedziałkowski

Generation No. 1
1. TOMASZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born about 1754, and died 17 Dec 1826 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. He married CECYLIA CHOTKOWSKA 15 Nov 1785 in Krasne, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, daughter of ANDRZEJ CHOTKOWSKI and MARIANNA MOSSAKOWSKA. She was baptized 22 Nov 1767 in Mosaki, Ziemia Ciechanowska, Mazowsze, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Her parents were married 13 Feb 1741 in Rukle, Ziemia Ciechanowska, Mazowsze, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Children of TOMASZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and CECYLIA CHOTKOWSKA are:
i. WALENTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was baptized 17 Feb 1796, Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. ii. JAN WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was baptized 12 Jul 1797, Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. iii. ANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was baptized 29 Jul 1798, Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. iv. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was baptized 05 Jul 1801 Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. v. LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was baptized 24 Jun 1808, Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. 2. vi. ANTONI NIEDZIAŁLKOWSKI was baptized 14 Sep 1811, Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. vii. LUDWIKA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born about 1809, and died 19 Jun 1810, Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland.

Generation No. 2
2. ANTONI NIEDZIALKOWSKI (TOMASZ) was born 14 Sep 1811 in Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. He married KAROLINA MILEWSKA 23 Nov 1831 in Krasne, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH MILEWSKI and ANNA MALONKA. She was born Abt. 1808 in Rukle, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. Children of ANTONI NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and KAROLINA MILEWSKA are:
i. MARYANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 06 Nov 1832, Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, and died 10 Jul 1833, Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. 3. ii. LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 14 Jan 1834, Godacze/Mosaki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. 4. iii. WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI, was born 27 Aug 1836, Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, and died 27 Apr 1901, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomzynskiej, Congress Poland. iv. TEODOR NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born about 1837, and died 03 Nov 1840, Mosaki/Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. v. MAŁGORZATA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 17 Jul 1840, Mosaki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. 5. vi. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 02 Oct 1842, Mosaki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland.

Generation No. 3
3. LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 14 Jan 1834 in Godacze/Mosaki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland. He married JÓZEFA POMASKA 21 Apr 1861 in Szwelice, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, daughter of DOMINIK POMASKI and WIKTORIA NOSARZEWSKA. She was born 01 Jun 1838 in Pomaski Wielkie, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. Children of LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and JÓZEFA POMASKA are:
i. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 24 Oct 1862, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, and died 02 Nov 1862, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. ii. PETRONELLA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 09 Apr 1864, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. iii. MARIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 22 Sep 1866, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. iv. PELAGIA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 16 Jan 1869, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. v. JOANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 16 Feb 1871, Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland.
4. WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 27 Aug 1836 in Godacze, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, Kingdom of Poland, and died died 27 Apr 1901 in Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. He married JULIANNA GUTOWSKA Bef. 1861 in Kingdom of Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH GUTOWSKI and ANNA JABŁONOWSKI. She was born Abt. 1833 in Warszawa, Powiat Warszawski, Gubernia Warszawskiej, Congress Poland, and died 25 Apr 1900 in Pomoski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, CongressPoland. Children of WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI and JULIANNA GUTOWSKA are:
6. i. TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born between Oct 1861 - May 1862, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. ii. KAROLINA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 25 Dec 1870, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. iii. JULIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 02 May 1874, Glodki, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. She married JAN BOLESLAW MILEWSKI, 12 Feb 1899, Szwelice, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. He was born about 1876. 7. iv. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOSKI, born 08 Jul 1876, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Kingdom of Poland; died 23 Oct 1955, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.
5. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 02 Oct 1842 in Mosaki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Poland, Kingdom of Poland. He married MARIANNA GRABOWSKA 07 Jun 1865 in Szwelice, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, daughter of JOZEF GRABOWSKI and ANNA RANÓW. She was born about 1833 in Mawach. Children of FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and MARIANNA GRABOWSKA are: i. ANNA NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 12 Jul 1866, Głodki, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. ii. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 02 Apr 1869, Głodki, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland.
Generation No. 4
6. TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born Bet. Oct 1861 - May 1862 in Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. He married KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ Bef. 1892 in Congress Poland. She was born Bet. Oct 1871 - Mar 1872 in Congress Poland. Children of TEOFIL NIEDZIALKOWSKI and KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ are:
8. i. KOSTANTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 28 Oct 1892, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, and died 14 Mar 1978, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI, born 05 May 1897, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. He married (1) JOZEFA KOLAROWIRA, 28 Jan 1928, Trelkowo, Prussia. He married (2) ANASTASIA CHESCHOWSKA, 12 Jul 1934, Trelkowo, Prussia. iii. SABINA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA, born 13 Oct 1899, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. She married EDWARD NOWAKOWSKI, 14 Sep 1924, Szwelice, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Kingdom of Poland. iv. STANISŁAW NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI, born 15 Mar 1902, Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland. He married MARIANNA DOMASZEWSKA, 15 Aug 1937, Pułtusk, Powiat Pułtuski, Gubernia Warszawskiej, Kingdom Poland.
7. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOSKI (WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 08 Jul 1876 in Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, and died 23 Oct 1955 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married CZESLAWA BONISLAWSKA 17 Aug 1904 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of ADAM BONISLAWSKI and PETRONELA NIEDZIALKOWSKA. She was born about 20 Jul 1887 in Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, and died 10 Nov 1965 in Rutland Heights Hospital /Rutland, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of FRANCISZEK NIEDZIALKOSKI and CZESLAWA BONISLAWSKA are:
i. EDWARD NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 22 Jun 1905, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 24 May 1964, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 9. ii. MARY M. NIEDZIALKOSKA was born 08 Jun 1907, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 27 Nov 1998, Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center /Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. 10. iii. JOHN NIEDZIAL, SR. was born 08 Jun 1914, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Nov 1990, Berlin, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. iv. ANDREW NIEDZIALKOSKI was born 30 Nov 1916, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Sep 2001, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. v. RALPH FRANCIS NEWMAN, SR. was born 12 Nov 1921, Clinton Hospital /Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jun 1995, Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital /Milford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 13. vi. BERNARD PAUL NIEDZIALKOSKI was born 22 Jan 1928, Carter Memorial Hospital /Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 Mar 1997, Leominster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

Generation No. 5
8. KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI (TEOFIL, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 28 Oct 1892 in Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Łomżyńskiej, Congress Poland, and died 14 Mar 1978 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA 10 Jul 1918 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA. She was born 15 Feb 1897 in Trakai, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia /Lithuania, and died 23 Nov 1980 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI and HELEN CHMIELEWSKA are:
i. JANE ANN NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 06 Oct 1922, 194 Prescott Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Apr 1980, St. Peter's Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York. ii. FREDERIC FRANCIS NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 26 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 Jan 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JANICE VIRGINIA QUINTIN, 05 Jun 1948, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She was born 19 Aug 1925, Fall River, Bristol Co., Massachusetts, and died 05 Apr 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.
9. MARY M. NIEDZIALKOSKA (FRANCISZEK NIEDZIALKOSKI, WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 08 Jun 1907 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 27 Nov 1998 in Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center /Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. She married STANLEY BUCHYN 1939. He was born 30 Jul 1910 in Massachusetts, and died 02 Nov 2001 in Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center /Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. 10. JOHN NIEDZIAL, SR. (FRANCISZEK NIEDZIALKOSKI, WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 08 Jun 1914 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Nov 1990 in Berlin, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARILEA P. MORSE Abt. 1935 in Massachusetts, daughter of EARLE MORSE and MARY PETTEE. She was born 01 Mar 1915 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 May 2003 in Clinton Hospital /Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. ANDREW NIEDZIALKOSKI (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 30 Nov 1916 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Sep 2001 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. RALPH FRANCIS NEWMAN, SR. (FRANCISZEK NIEDZIALKOSKI, WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 12 Nov 1921 in Clinton Hospital /Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jun 1995 in Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital /Milford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JANE PHYLLIS MARCINKIEWICZ, daughter of FELIX MARCINKIEWICZ and MARY MUSZYNSKA. She was born 13 Sep 1927 in Worcester City Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 26 Apr 1981 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 13. BERNARD PAUL NIEDZIALKOSKI (FRANCISZEK NIEDZIALKOSKI, WOJCIECH NIEDZIALKOWSKI, ANTONI, TOMASZ) was born 22 Jan 1928 in Carter Memorial Hospital /Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 Mar 1997 in Leominster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

In preparing this genealogy report, I noticed something that I had not noticed before. My great uncle Józef Niedziałkowski was married twice, and both times the marriages took place in Trelkowo. I had thought that Trelkowo was near Pomoski where Józef was born. To my surprise, when I checked out the location on a map, Trelkowo was located in Prussia, not the Kingdom of Poland. I'll have to check this new revelation out, since this is the first relative I've found with connections to Prussia.

Changes at Ancestry.com

Steve — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:03:57 +0000

Barbara Poole sent me a link to an article discussing recent changes at Ancestry.com (a division of MyFamily.com). I notice that online dating comes up a lot in recent articles about Ancestry.com, but that's not surprising since Tim Sullivan, the (relatively) new chief executive at MyFamily.com is a refugee from the online dating industry.

"Ancestry.com is accustomed to competing with public institutions that give away genealogy information for which it charges. EllisIsland.org gives away data about immigrant ship manifests to help raise awareness about Ellis Island, while FamilySearch.org, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, gives away census data at least partly to help its members who would like to baptize ancestors into the church. Mr. Sullivan of Ancestry.com said the company would offer DNA searching in the near future, and would compete with the Sorenson database as it does with the other free sites — by surrounding its own version of the service with a broader range of features." ...read more

Source: Tedeschi, Bob. 2006. Genealogy for the Living, the Dead, the Far Away. The New York Times October 9, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/09/technology/09ecom.html (accessed October 9, 2006).

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jozef Niedzialkowski

Steve — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 07:39:05 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jozef Niedzialkowski

PDF

Steve — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 07:48:32 +0000

PDF Birth and Baptismal Record for Jozef Niedzialkowski

The Birth and Baptism of Józef Niedziałkowski

Steve — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 07:48:55 +0000

When I posted the Descendants of Tomasz Niedziałkowski, I noticed that my grandfather's brother Józef married twice, both times he was married in Trelkowo, and that Trelkowo appears to have been in Prussia. The only document I have for Józef if his Birth and Baptismal Record. Józef's record is number 42, the record on the bottom half of the page below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Józef Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Józef. The record, translated from the Russian, states:

№ 53. Pomoski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on the 4th / 16th day of May 1897 at one o’clock in the afternoon. Teofil Niedziałkowski appeared in person, ___ owner _____ part _____ age 35, residing in Pomoski, in the presence of Ludwik Niedziałkowski, ______ age 52, and _____ Mossakowski, age 44, residing in Pomoski and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in Pomoski on the 23rd of April / 5th day of May of the current year, at ten o’clock in the evening of his lawful wife Ksawera born Zygmuntowicz, age 20. At Holy Baptism performed on this date by Father Władysław Sędzicki, Assistant Pastor of this place, this child was given the name of Józef, and his godparents were Józef Nosarzewski and Joanna his wife. This document was read to the declarant and the illiterate witnesses, and signed by us alone -

M. d. Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State - Father Sędzicki

I still haven't figured out some of the Russian, but (good news), translating this document helped me figure out some of the tricky parts of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Niedziałkowski because the handwriting was more legible on Józef's record. I'll have to go back and look at Franciszek's document again.

However, this isn't all the information on this document. There are notes on the left side of the document in the margin that is normally left blank.

Tomorrow: What are these marginal notes on Józef's Birth and Baptismal Record?

PDF

Steve — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 06:55:41 +0000

PDF of Marginal Marriage Notations for Jozef Niedzialkowski

Marginal Marriage Notations for Jozef Niedzialkowski

Steve — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 06:56:12 +0000

Marginal Marriage Notations for Jozef Niedzialkowski

Marginal Notations

Steve — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 07:03:55 +0000

Marginal notations on Polish Church Records were made for a number of reasons including:

Correction of errors
Legitimization of out-of-wedlock births
Adoptions
Records of marriage
Records of death

The parish records were maintained according to a fairly strict set of rules which included the content of the record, the language in which the record was to be maintained, and prohibitions against erasing entries. If the registrar noticed an error in the entry, he made a notation in the margin and marked both the error in the text and the marginal entry with either a forwards or backwards "F". An example of this type of marginal entry was noted in the Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Markiewicz. The Birth and Baptismal Record of Józef Niedziałkowski included two marginal notations.

Marginal Notations in the Birth and Baptismal Record for Józef Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the marginal entries for Józef Niedziałkowski. The marginal entries, translated from the Polish (although the original document is written in Russian) state:

Józef Niedziałkowski was joined in marriage with the widow Józefa Kotakowska from Pomaski in Trelkowo on the 28th of January 1928 Pastor of Szwelice, Father Godlewski
Józef Niedziałkowski, a widower, was joined in marriage with Anastazja Chełkowska in Trelkowo on the 12th of July 1934 Pastor of Szwelice, Father Chełmiński

My grandfather's brother, Józef, was married twice, once to a widow, and then after this wife's death, Józef married again. Both times, the marriage took place in Trelkowo, not in Szwelice where Józef was born.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Sabina Niedzialkowska

Steve — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 06:10:46 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Sabina Niedzialkowska

The Birth and Baptism of Sabina Niedziałkowska

Steve — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 07:07:36 +0000

I found one record for a daughter of my Niedziałkowski great-grandparents: Sabina Niedziałkowska. On the page shown below, Sabina's Birth and Baptismal Record is number 85, the record at the top of page 206 in the parish register.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Sabina Niedziałkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Sabina Niedziałkowska. Translated from the Russian, the record states:

№ 85. Pomoski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on the 3rd / 15th day of October 1899 at one o’clock in the afternoon. Teofil Niedziałkowski appeared in person, residing in Pomoski with his father, owner of the noble part _____ age 38, in the presence of Piotr Napierkowski, age 50, and Andrzej Bonacki, age 34, owner of the noble part residing in Pomoski and he presented to us a child of the female sex, stating that it was born in Pomoski on the 1st / 13th day of October of the current year, at nine o’clock in the evening of his lawful wife Ksawery born Zygmuntowicz, age 28. At Holy Baptism performed on this date by Father Władysław Sędzicki, Assistant Pastor of this place, this child was given the name of Sabina, and her godparents were Felix Pomaski and Marianna his wife. This document was read to the declarant and the illiterate witnesses, and signed by us alone -

M. d. Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State - Father Sędzicki

I figured out a few more of the words that have been giving me trouble in these documents. I'll have to go back to some of the previous records and fill in the missing pieces.

The document states that Teofil is an owner of the noble part (of the village?). The godparents of his child are members of the Pomoski family - the noblemen after whom the village was named.

Notice that this record also includes a note in the margin. More about that marginal notation tomorrow.

Marginal Notation for the Marriage of Sabina Niedzialkowska

Steve — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:10:44 +0000

Marginal Notation for the Marriage of Sabina Niedzialkowska

PDF

Steve — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:11:15 +0000

PDF of the Marginal Notation for the Marriage of Sabina Niedzialkowska

Marginal Marriage Notation for Sabina Niedziałkowska

Steve — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:12:19 +0000

On Sabina Niedziałkowska's Birth and Baptismal Record, there is a marginal notation of her marriage. Usually, these marginal notations of marriage were made if the marriage took place in another parish. This one, however, is a bit unusual, since the marriage took place in the same parish where Sabina was baptized.

Marginal Notation of Marriage for Sabina Niedziałkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the marginal notation for the Marriage of Sabina Niedziałkowska. The record, translated from Polish, states:

Sabina Niedziałkowska married Edward Nowakowski in Szwelice on the 14th of September in the year 1924

I, the Pastor of Szwelice, witness

Father [T. Hacyński]

The signature of the priest is difficult to read. When transcribing documents, professional genealogists often enclose difficult-to-read words in square brackets to indicate that the transcription is uncertain. If words within a document are completely illegible, transcribers may simply indicate the number of illegible words within square brackets thus:

[two words]

Square brackets are also used to enclose the transcriber's notes within a transcription.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:17:26 +0000

PDF of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Sabina Niedzialkowska

PDF

Steve — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:19:14 +0000

PDF of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Niedzialkowski

Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Niedzialkowski

Steve — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:19:54 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Niedzialkowski

The Birth and Baptism of Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Steve — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:22:16 +0000

In the parish records of Szwelice, Poland, I found the Birth and Baptismal Records for three siblings of my grandfather, Kostanty Niedziałkowski: Józef, Sabina, and Stanisław. I previously reported the records for Józef and Sabina, and the final record is that for Stanisław. Stanisław's record is number 30, on the bottom half of this page.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanislaw Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Russian, the record states:

№ 30. Pomaski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on the 13th / 26th / day of March 1902 at one o’clock in the afternoon. Teofil Niedziałkowski, age 30, residing in Pomaski, appeared in person with a child, in the presence of Franciszek Milewski, age 54, and Tomasz Mossakowski, age 52, owner of the noble part residing in Pomaski and he presented to us a child of the male sex, stating that it was born in Pomaski on the day before yesterday at three o’clock in the morning of his lawful wife Ksawery née Zygmuntowicz, age 30. At Holy Baptism performed on this date by Father Władysław Sędzicki, Assistant Pastor of this place, this child was given the name Stanisław, and his godparents were Jan Niedziakowski and Rozalia [Sierpowska]. This document was read to the declarant and the illiterate witnesses, and signed by us alone -

[J.] d. Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State - Father [Sędzicki]

My grandfather Kostanty was born on October 28, 1892. I have not yet found a Birth and Baptismal Record for him. His brother Jożef was born on May 5, 1897 in Pomaski, Vistula Land, Russian Empire. His sister Sabina was born on October 13, 1899 in Pomaski, Vistula Land, Russian Empire, and his brother Stanisław was born on March 15, 1902 in Pomaski, Vistula Land, Russian Empire.

Notice the difference in the birth year for Kostanty and his siblings. Five years separated Kostanty from Józef, but Józef, Sabina, and Stanisław were born about 2-3 years apart from each other. This suggests that there may be other siblings between Kostanty and the other three. Since I haven't found the Birth and Baptismal Record for Kostanty in the Szwelice Parish, I assume that he was born elsewhere. Other siblings may have also been born in a different parish. But where is that parish? At the present time, I really don't have a good lead.

Since Stanisław was born in the twentieth century, the Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar had drifted yet one more day apart. In the eighteenth century, the two calendars were 12 days apart, but in the twentieth century, the calendars were 13 days apart. Thus, the two dates in the record are now 13 days apart. We use the Gregorian Calendar today, so the date of birth for Stanisław was March 15, 1902.

One peculiarity in this record is the name of Stanisław's Godfather. The Polish priests were required to write these records in Russian, and they were supposed to transliterate the names, not translate the names. The name of Stanisław's godfather was Jan, which transliterates into Russian with three letters. If the name had been translated, not transliterated, the Russian record would have said Ivan, the Russian equivalent of Jan (the English equivalent of Jan is John).

However, when this priest attempted to transliterate the name, instead of rendering it as "Jan", he transliterated it as "Czoann". While "Czoann" sounds somewhat like "Jan", this transliteration had me very confused. Perhaps I'm the one who made the mistake and the name of Stanisław's godfather wasn't Jan. But, for the life of me, I can't figure out what else it could be.

Once again, there is a marginal notation on Stanisław's Birth and Baptismal Record. More about that tomorrow.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:39:55 +0000

PDF of the Marginal Marriage Record for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Marginal Marriage Record for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Steve — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:40:32 +0000

Marginal Marriage Record for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Marginal Marriage Notation for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Steve — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:43:01 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Records for Józef Niedziałkowski and Sabina Niedziałkowska included a notation in the margin with details of their marriages. Fortunately, the priest in the Szwelice parish seems to have been rather diligent about recording marriages in the margins of the Birth and Baptismal Records, because the record for Stanisław Niedziałkowski also includes a marginal marriage notation.

Marginal Marriage Notation for Stanisław Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the marginal marriage notation for Stanisław Niedziałkowski. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

Stanisław Niedziałkowski married Aniela Marianna Domaszewska in Pułtusk on the 15th day of August in the year 1937

Pastor of Szwelice-

Father [G. Gutowski]

The name of Stanisław's bride, Aniela Marianna Domaszewska, is unusual in that the name includes a "middle" name.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 05:55:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Death Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Steve — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 05:56:39 +0000

Death Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

The Death of Wojciech Niedziałkowski

Steve — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 06:01:37 +0000

Between the births of Teofil Niedziałkowski's children Sabina and Stanisław, Teofil's father died. The Death Record for Teofil's father, Wojciech (Adalbert) Niedziałkowski, is number 13, the top record on this page from the Szwelice parish records.

The Death Record for Wojciech Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Wojciech Niedziałkowski. The record, translated from the Russian, states:

№ 13. Pomoski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on April 16th / 29th 1901 at 9 o’clock in the morning. Teofil Niedzialkowski, age 40, and Piotr Napierkowski, age 50, farmers living in Pomaski, appeared and stated that on the day before yesterday, after one o’clock past midnight in Pomaski, Wojciech Niedzialkowski died, a widower, age 67, born in Mosaki, Krasne parish, and lived with his son, a farmer in Pomaski, the son of the deceased Antoni and Karolina née Milewski Niedzialkowski, after eyewitness testimony on the death of Wojciech Niedziałkowski, – this document was read to the declarant, who is illiterate, and was signed by us alone. I.d Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State

Father [Sędzicki]

I have not found the birth record for my grandfather, Kostanty Niedziałkowski. I have also not found the Birth or Marriage Records for my great-grandfather, Teofil Niedziałkowski. However, I do have copies of the Birth and Death Records for Franciszek Niedziałkowski (Kostanty's uncle and Teofil's brother) which state that Franciszek's (and, by extrapolation, Teofil's) father was Wojciech Niedziałkowski.

Wojciech's Death Record further helps to confirm that Wojciech is Teofil's father, since Teofil reported the death and the record further states that Wojciech was living with his son. Still, I need to find Kostanty's and Teofil's Birth Records to be absolutely sure of these relationships.

This record does not directly state the date of death - it merely states "the day before yesterday", indicating that Wojciech died on April 27, 1901.

Finally, the record names Wojciech's parents - Antoni Niedziałkowski and Karolina Milewska - my great-great-great grandparents.

Questions and Ancestors

Steve — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 05:15:38 +0000

On Tuesday, during one of the online chat sessions I attend as part of the classes I'm taking through the National Institute of Genealogical Studies, I learned that the Canadian television program Ancestors in the Attic is premiering this week. I searched the program schedule for Dish Network to see if, by chance, the program would be available here in San Francisco. It is not. I did, however, find a listing for a genealogical television program that I hadn't heard of before - Questions and Ancestors. This program airs on BYUTV and I tuned in on Tuesday evening to a half-hour of How To Do British Research. The show is the televised version of a radio program that answers genealogical questions submitted by listeners/viewers and is actually part of the Ancestors series that ran on PBS a few years back. Episodes in the series include:

How To Get Started
How To Use the Internet In Your Research
Preserving Family Heritage
How To Do African American Genealogy (The Freedman Bank Records)
How To Do British Research
Daughters of the American Revolution
How To Do Oral History
Using Cemetery Records
Coats of Arms In Family History
Using Military Records In Family History
Native American Genealogy
Tracing LDS Families
Asian Genealogical Research
Early American Immigration
British Military Records
Hispanic Research
Basic Scandinavian Family History Research

The Questions and Ancestors website provides a form to submit your questions, an episode guide with air dates for future programs, and links to downloadable podcasts of the episodes that can be played on your computer, downloaded to an iPod, or burned to a CD. Tune in and watch, or download and listen!

Death Record for Julianna Niedzialkowska

Steve — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:01:25 +0000

Death Record for Julianna Niedzialkowska

PDF

Steve — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:02:04 +0000

PDF of the Death Record for Julianna Niedzialkowska

The Death of Julianna (Gutowska) Niedziałkowska

Steve — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:05:02 +0000

My Great-Great Grandmother Julianna Niedziałkowsa, the wife of Wojciech Niedziałkowski, died one year before her husband. Julianna's record is number 38, at the bottom of page 133 in the parish register.

The Death Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska. The record, translated from the Russian states:

№ 38. Pomoski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on April 13th / 26th 1900 at 12 Noon. Wojciech Niedziałkowski, the husband of the deceased, age 65, and Piotr Napierkowski, age 60, farmers living in Pomaski, appeared and stated that on April 12th / 25th of this year at 4 o’clock in the morning in Pomaski, Julianna Niedziałkowska died, age 67, born in Warsaw, Holy Cross parish, and living with her husband as a farmer woman in Pomaski, the daughter of the deceased Wojciech and Anna née Jabłonowski Gutowski. She is survived by her husband, the widower Wojciech Niedziałkowski. After eyewitness testimony on the death of Julianna Niedziałkowska, this document was read to the declarant, who is illiterate, and was signed by us alone. Id. Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State -.

Father [Sędzicki]

Not only did the deaths of Wojciech and Julianna Niedziałkowska occur a year apart, but Wojciech died a year after Julianna - almost to the day. Julianna died on April 25, 1900 and Wojciech died on April 27, 1901.

This record provides the names of my great-great-great grandparents, Wojciech Gutowski and Anna Jabłonowska. It further documents that Julianna was born in Holy Cross Parish in Warsaw. This discovery, while interesting and valuable information, presents a difficulty. Holy Cross Parish is very large, with thousands of baptisms every year - but the parish records are not indexed. As yet, I haven't been able to find Julianna's Birth and Baptismal Record.

Julianna's death at age 67 indicates that she was born in about 1832-1833.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedzialkowski - Polish

Steve — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:27:27 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedzialkowski - Polish

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedzialkowski - Russian

Steve — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:28:10 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedzialkowski - Russian

The Birth and Baptism of Julianna Niedziałkowska

Steve — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:29:33 +0000

My grandfather, Teofil Niedziałkowski, had at least three siblings: Franciszek who emigrated to America and established Sky Farm in Sterling, Massachusetts, and two sisters, Karolina and Julianna. Julianna was born in 1874 - a significant time in the history of Partitioned Poland - for just a decade earlier, in January 1863, the ill-fated January Insurrection of the Poles against the occupying powers took place. In its aftermath, the Russian government took steps to "russify" the Poles, and one of those steps was the requirement to keep Polish parish records in Russian. This is the reason many of the documents I have posted here were written in Russian. The change from record keeping in Polish to record keeping in Russian took place at different times in different parts of Russian-Poland. In the case of the Szwelice parish, the change began in the early 1870s and started with the custom of keeping the records in both Polish and Russian. Later, the records were kept only in Russian. Julianna Niedziałkowska's Birth and Baptismal Record was one of the documents written in both Polish and Russian:

Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska

Russian Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

29. Głódki

It happened in the church-owned village of Szwelice on the 22nd day of April / 3rd day of May 1874 at one o’clock in the afternoon that Wojciech Niedzialkowski presented himself, age 30, living in the inherited part of Pomaski, in the presence of Victor Kołokowski, age 28, and Joseph Pecuski, age 31, living in Głódki, and he showed us a female child, declaring that she was born in Głódki yesterday at six o’clock in the morning, born to his wife Julianna née Gutowska, age 36; At Holy Baptism performed this day by Father Ignatius Kołakowski, pastor of this locality, the child was given the name Julianna, and her Godparents were Victor and his wife Rosalia Kołakowski. This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses and signed by us, because the declarants and the witnesses cannot write.

Rev. Ignatius Kołakowski, Pastor of Szwelice Maintaining the Public Register

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist, Szwelice, Poland. Księga Urodzonych Parafii Szwelice (Book of Births of the Szwelice Parish). 1874. Page 290, Entry Number 29. FHL INTL Film 1958806, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Notice that the surname of the priest is the same as the surname of the godparents. I suspect they were related to each other.

Although I could have translated the Russian version of this record, I find it easier to translate Polish, and the Polish document does not suffer from the problem of poor transliteration of names and places from Polish to Russian.

Curiously, although her parents lived in the village of Pomoski, Julianna was born in Głódki. On modern maps, Pomoski is called Pomoski Wielki and Głódki is called Pomoski-Głódki

PDF

Steve — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:09:42 +0000

PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedzialkowska

Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedzialkowska

Steve — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:10:37 +0000

Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedzialkowska

Russian Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedzialkowska

Steve — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:11:07 +0000

Russian Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedzialkowska

The Birth and Baptism of Karolina Niedziałkowska

Steve — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:13:08 +0000

The final Birth and Baptism Record that I found for the siblings of my Great Grandfather Teofil Niedziałkowski was that for Karolina, born in 1870. Like the Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedziałkowska, Karolina's birth and baptism was recorded in both Polish and Russian.

Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedziałkowska

Russian Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedziałkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Polish Birth and Baptismal Record for Karolina Niedziałkowska. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

Pomoski 78.

This happened in the church-owned village of Szwelice on the 14th / 26th day of December 1870 at twelve noon. Wojciech Niedzialkowski presented himself, age 32, living in the inherited part of Pomaski, in the presence of Felix Mossakowski, age 35, and Jan Pomoski, age 52, living in the inherited part of Pomaski, and he showed us a female child, declaring that she was born in Pomaski yesterday at eleven o’clock at night, born to his wife Julianna née Gutowska, age 34 - At Holy Baptism performed this day by Father Ignatius Kołakowski, Pastor of this locality, the child was given the name Karolina and her godparents were the married couple Antoni and Karolina Niedziałkowski – This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses and signed only by us, because the declarants and the witnesses cannot write.

Father Ignatius Kołakowski, Pastor of Szwelice Maintaining the Public Register

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist, Szwelice, Poland. Księga Urodzonych Parafii Szwelice (Book of Births of the Szwelice Parish). 1870. Page 52, Entry Number 78. FHL INTL Film 1958806, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Notice that my Great-Great Grandfather Wojciech Niedziałkowski is described as "living in the inherited part of Pomaski". This is an indication that he is a member of the landed gentry or noble class, rather than the peasantry.

The very last notation at the bottom of the page, actually extending across the bottom of pages, states:

Tu się koncą Akta Urodząnych

This means "Here end the Birth Records". As far as I can tell, the priest made a spelling error in the final word - it should be spelled "Urodzonych", although the word would be pronounced the same either way. Karolina was the 78th child to be baptized in the Szwelice Parish in 1870, and she was also the last child to be baptized in Szwelice that year.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:49:18 +0000

PDF of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Niedzialkowska

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Steve — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 04:01:21 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

The Birth and Baptism of Wojciech Niedziałkowski -1836

Steve — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 04:16:52 +0000

Although I haven't found the Birth and Baptismal Records for my Grandfather, Kostanty Niedziałkowski, or for my Great-Grandfather, Teofil Niedziałkowski, I already knew that my Great-Great Grandfather was Wojciech Niedziałkowski from other records. He was born in 1836 at a time when this part of Poland was under Russian rule, but the church records were still maintained in Polish. I also knew from Wojciech Niedziałkowski's Death Record that he was born in Mosaki, in the Krasne Parish, and indeed that's where I found his Birth and Baptismal Record. Wojciech's Birth and Baptismal Record is number 47, the last entry on this page. [caption id="attachment_6414" align="aligncenter" width="340" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Wojciech Niedziałkowski -1836"][/caption] Click on the image to view it in higher resolution. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wojciech Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Polish, the record states:

47. Godacze

This happened in the church-owned village of Krasne on the 16th / 28th day of August 1836 at four o’clock in the afternoon. The well-born Antoni Niedziałkowski presented himself, age 26, living in the inherited part of Godacze, in the presence of the well-born Maciej Grzybowski, age 34, and Jan Rusczyński, age 75, both of the inherited part of Godacze, and he showed us a male child, declaring that he was born in Godacze yesterday at eleven o’clock at night, born to his wife Katarzyna née Milewska, age 26; At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Wojciech, and his Godparents were the married couple Walenty Grabowski and Elzbieta Grabowska the well-born Józef and Petronela Łyszkowski. This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses, the declarants and the witnesses cannot write. -

Reverend [Aleksy Luszczewski] Assistant Pastor of the Krasne Parish

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist, Krasne, Poland. Księga Urodzonych Parafii Krasne (Book of Births of the Krasne Parish). 1836. Page 15, Entry Number 47. FHL INTL Film 0702793, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Notice that the church records continue to refer to the Niedziałkowski's as "living in the inherited part" and "well-born", further confirming the noble status of this family.

Since Wojciech was born the day before his baptism, his birthdate was August 27, 1836 (Gregorian Calendar). This document lists his parents, my great-great-great grandparents: Antoni Niedziałkowski and Katarzyna Milewska.

Wojciech's Death Record stated that he was born in Mosaki in the Krasne Parish, but this record states that he was born in Godacze in the Krasne Parish. Why the difference? It seems that Godacze was a settlement that was part of Mosaki. The name of the settlement was sometimes written as Godacze and sometimes as Mosaki-Godacze, so there really is no discrepancy here.

There is, however, a discrepancy in this record. Wojeciech's mother is listed as Katarzyna Milewska, but his death record states that his mother was Karolina Milewska. Other records should help clear up this confusion. I suspect, at this point, that the priest simply made a mistake in the Birth and Baptismal Record, but I'll be ready to revise that conclusion after I examine other relevant records.

At first, I was confused by the names of the godparents. I finally decided that the names Walenty Grabowski and Elzbieta Grabowska were struck out and replaced with the well-born Józef and Petronela Łyszkowski. It looks like Antoni and Katarzyna decided at the last minute to offer the godparent responsibility to the couple with the more distinguised ancestry, leaving Walenty and Elzbieta to watch from a distance!

PDF

Steve — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:18:03 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Entry for Mosaki/Mossaki

Slownik Entry for Mosaki

Steve — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:21:41 +0000

Slownik Entry for Mosaki

Slownik Entry for Mossaki

Steve — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:22:10 +0000

Slownik Entry for Mossaki

The Polish Village of Mosaki

Steve — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:25:02 +0000

Genealogical research is usually enhanced when one uses maps and gazetteers to place the locations of ones ancestors in context with the geography of the area. In Polish genealogical research, the use of maps and gazetteers is essential to finding the ancestral village of ones ancestors and to finding the parish where the records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths are maintained. My Great-Great Grandfather Wojciech Niedziałkowski's Death Record stated that he was born in Mosaki, but his Birth and Baptismal Record stated that he was born in Godacze. A gazetteer helps to understand why these two records are both correct. The Polish gazetteer that I use most often is the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowanskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries). This monumental work is a 16 volume gazetteer published in Warsaw under the direction of Filip Sulimierski in the years 1880-1902. The Słownik provides descriptions of nearly every city, town, and village in Poland and the surrounding areas, and was written at about the time the ancestors of many Polish-American citizens still lived in the old country. The entry for Mosaki is short and to the point.

Słownik Geograficny Entry for Mosaki

Translated from the Polish, this entry states:

Mosaki, see Mossaki

Well, it didn't take me long to translate that. The entry for Mossaki appears later in the same volume.

Słownik Geograficny Entry for Mossaki

Translated from the Polish, this entry states:

Mossaki also known as Mosaki, a nobleman’s neighborhood, Powiat [District] Ciechanów, Zalesie gmina [municipality], Krasne parish, 23 wiorstas [kilometers] from Ciechanów. It possesses a common elementary school. Within it, there are contained: a) Mossaki-Godacze, a village, it has 6 houses, 44 inhabitants, 133 mórgs of good arable land, 11 unused. It is part of Krasne. b) Mossaki-Iłówko also known as Iłowe, a village, it has 4 homes, 32 inhabitants, 74 mórgs of good arable land, 3 unused. It formed one whole village with the village of Chełchy Iłowe. c) Mossaki-Łyżkowo, a village, it has 2 homes, 15 inhabitants, 180 mórgs of good arable land, 5 of unused land. Lower level noblemen live here. d) Mossaki-Rukle, a village, it has 15 homes, 100 residents, 315 mórgs of good arable land, 12 unused. Lower level noblemen. e) Mossaki-Starawieś, a village, it possesses a tavern, it has 14 homes, 118 inhabitants, 186 mórgs of good arable land, 6 unused. Lower level noblemen live here.

One term that may be unfamiliar is mórg. A mórg is a measure of area - theoretically the amount of land one man could plow in a single day. The actual size of a mórg varied between the Polish Partitions: 1 mórg in the Russian Partition was 1.388 acres, in the Prussian Partition a mórg was 0.631 acres, and in the Austrian Partition a mórg was 1.422 acres. Since Mosaki (or Mossaki) was in the Russian Partition, 1 mórg in Mosaki was equal to about 1.388 acres. This entry states that Mossaki-Godacze was part of Mossaki. The reference to Godzcze in Wojciech Niedziałkowski's Birth and Baptismal Record apparently means Mossaki-Godacze, and therefore both the Birth and Baptismal Record and the Death Record are correct. At the time this entry was published in 1885, Mossaki-Godacze had just 6 houses and 44 inhabitants. This entry also verifies that Krasne is the parish for the village of Mossaki and that Mossaki is a village of lower-level nobility. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik entry for Mosaki/Mossaki.

SGKP-Pomaski

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:43:46 +0000

SGKP-Pomaski

SGKP-Glodki

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:44:13 +0000

SGKP-Glodki

PDF

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:53:40 +0000

PDF SGKP Pomaski

The Polish Villages of Pomaski and Głodki

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:53:57 +0000

The earliest records for my Niedziałkowski ancestors are in the Krasne parish where the villages of Mosaki and Godacze were located, but my Great-Great-Grandfather, Wojciech Niedziałkowski, moved to the Szwelice parish sometime during his life. In the Szwelice parish, all of the church records I've found for the Niedziałkowski family were reported from either Pomaski or Głodki. Here are the Słownik Geograficny entries for those two villages.

Słownik Geograficny entry for Pomaski

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Słownik Geograficny entry for Pomaski. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

Pomaski, a village of noblemen, Maków Powiat [District] , Smrock gmina [municipality], Szwelice parish. It is made up of three parts: Pomaski Kownaty, in 1827 4 homes, 29 inhabitants; Pomaski Sikuty, in 1827 11 homes, 62 inhabitants; Pomaski Wielkie, in 1827 25 homes, 142 inhabitants.

SOURCE: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Władysław Walewski, and Filip Sulimierski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1887, Volume VIII, page 737. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Słownik Geograficny entry for Głodki

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Słownik Geograficny entry for Głodki. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

Głodki, a village of noblemen, Maków Powiat [District], Smrock gmina [municipality], Szwelice parish. In the year 1827 there were 20 houses and 129 inhabitants here.

SOURCE: Sulimierski, Filip, Bronisław Chlebowski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1881, Volume II, page 602. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:56:02 +0000

PDF SGKP Glodki

Dubiecko Cemetery 1

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:07:49 +0000

Dubiecko Cemetery 1

Dubiecko Cemetery 2

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:08:19 +0000

Dubiecko Cemetery 2

Dubiecko Cemetery 3 Danko

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:09:02 +0000

Dubiecko Cemetery 3 Danko

Dubiecko Cemetery 4 Danko

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:09:31 +0000

Dubiecko Cemetery 4 Danko

The Catholic Cemetery in Dubiecko

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:32:30 +0000

When I was in Poland in October 2000, I visited the Catholic Cemetery there. I thought I might look for the surnames of my relatives there, but I had heard that most graves in Poland are rented, not purchased, so I didn't expect to find the graves of any of my ancestors. Nonetheless, my traveling companions and I searched the entire cemetery for relevant surnames. While we were searching, there were several elderly Polish women who were in the cemetery, sweeping fallen leaves off the graves. These women were very curious about us and kept watching us as we walked up and down the rows of graves. Finally, one of the women came up to us and asked us whose grave we were trying to find, and we told her that we were looking for the graves of the Dańkos. The woman's first reaction was to ask "The Dańkos from Nienadowa?". And, of course, she was correct. I showed this woman a list of other surnames for which I was searching. She saw one of these names - Sawa - and she said the name was probably Sowa, not Sawa. Later, I found out she was, once again, correct.

If you look at the crucifix on the grave of Katarzyna and Stanisław Dańko, you'll notice that the lower part, the body, is missing. If you further look at the crucifix on the grave on Jan Dańko, you'll notice that the lower part does not seem to be in proportion to the upper part - each arm is as long as the entire body. Finally, if you compare the two crucifixes, you'll notice that it looks like the lower part of the crucifix from Katarzyna and Stanisław's grave was placed on the grave of Jan. I wonder what was going on here?

Also notice that most of the graves appear to be tombs built above ground. I wonder if this is because these graves were built on top of other graves, after the grave rental expired on the older graves.

For more information on cemeteries in Poland and the significance of All Saint's Day in Poland, visit Jasia's blog entry on Grave Tending: A National Holiday. When you visit Jasia's blog, be sure to click on the links Old Cemetery in Tarnow and Old Cemetery in Tarnow at night for some wonderful Polish cemetery photos. When you read Jasia's blog entry, you'll understand why the women were sweeping the leaves off the graves in Dubiecko, and you'll understand the significance of the candles you can see in the photos I've posted here.

Good Morning America - Chris Cuomo

Steve — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 21:42:39 +0000

You may have heard that Ancestry.com was going to be on Good Morning America on Thursday October 26, Wednesday November 1, Thursday November 2, and Friday November 3. Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak blogged about this yesterday and Barbara Poole alerted me by email. If you didn't get a chance to see today's episode tracing Chris Cuomo's roots to Italy, the episode is available on the Good Morning America website as both an article and a video. As part of Good Morning America's Family History series, Ancestry.com is offering free access for 3 days. Just follow the link from the genealogy article on the Good Morning America website.

I signed in to Ancestry.com through the link on the Good Morning America page and, sure enough, I have access to all the Ancestry.com databases. I guess I'd better get to work. My three days will be up soon!

Slownik Geograficny Entry for Szwelice

Steve — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:12:28 +0000

Slownik Geograficny Entry for Szwelice

PDF

Steve — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:13:09 +0000

PDF for the Slownik Geograficny Entry for Szwelice

The Polish Village of Szwelice

Steve — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:14:42 +0000

Szwelice was the church-owned village that housed the parish to which the villages of Pomoski and Głodki belonged, and therefore was the home parish to my Niedziałkowski ancestors for many years. Generally the gazetteer entries in the Słownik Geograficny were more detailed for the parish villages than for the smaller villages, and the entry for Szwelice is no exception. In this entry are recorded the history of Szwelice, the origin of the parish, the names and holdings of some of the more eminent residents, information about rents and taxes (often paid in geese, eggs, oats, and the like), numbers of houses and of residents, and information about military service.

Słownik Geograficny Entry for Szwelice

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficny entry for Szwelice. Translated from the Polish, the record states:

Szwelice 1.) a village on the Pełtą river, Maków Powiat [District], Karniewo gmina [municipality], Szwelice parish. The parish owns a wooden church and has 1078 mórgs of territory. Lesser nobility live here. In 1827 there were 46 homes and 344 inhabitants. The village was from the deed of the Bishop of Płock. The deed of Father Konrad in the year 1203 mentions it (in the Pultusk Castellany). Bishop Wojciech Baranowski founded here a parish and the Church of Saint Lawrence. The parish is made up of the old villages of the bishop: Boby, Czarnostowo, Dębiny, Dzierżanowo, Gościejewo, Głodowo, Wójty and the villages of the lesser nobility: Głodki, Pomarki Wielkie, Pomaski Sikuty, Pomaski Kownaty, Slasy, Złotki, Zelki-Dąbrowe. The rectory grounds were composed from the old province of Szwelice; calculating from 4 włóki [a włóka is about 16.8 hectares] each with 3 fields of the village, as this charter of prince Ferdinand testifies, the Bishop of Płock transferred to the parish the charter of Hilary Krzysztof Szembek, Bishop of Płock, on the 7th of April 1756; by Bishop Michał Poniatowski confirms this charter on the 27th of May 1778. At the village in 1783 one finds 5 farms of mercenaries, out of which Mateusz Wieńczyk, with wife and daughter, has 2 beef cows; Kajetan Lendzian, married, 2 horses; Adam Przychodzień, with wife and 3 sons, 2 oxen; each landholder worked for the rectory for 2 days a week; moreover, there was found a certain Mister Mróz, a servant near the manor in Czarnostowo and the sexton grandfather with his daughter. Bishop Szembek on the 3rd of July 1758 granted to the church half a włóka in exchange for men from the Czarostawski manor, but evidently in spite of these men in Czarnostowo further was collected because in 1783 on the 19th of March Bishop Poniatowski confers on the church a new half włóka for 9 corps of men from Czarnostowo. The church possessed an enrollment: 500 Polish złoty in the Chrzanowo village (Karniewo parish) in the year 1750, 500 Polish złoty in Łosiny (Pniewo parish) in the year 1744 and 400 Polish złoty in Szyg (Rożan parish) in the year 1744. In the year 1819 to the priest of the parish, curate, organist, 2 medical personnel, 2 serfs and 14 farmers (10 planters for 2 korzecs [vessels for storing grain] of barley and ½ of winter wheat, between them a blacksmith, and 4 by 4 korzecs of winter wheat and 4 vegetables). An elementary school. The village of Szwelice in the year 1819 consisted of two parts: one entered in the storehouse of the Rożan economy, the second to Górek. In the Górek part in the year 1820 there were 2 rents (a blacksmith, planting 2 korzecs of winter wheat and 2⅓ of vegetables, paying 62 złoty 22 grosze rent and 8 days of furlough [?]; the chair of the village council 4 korzecs of vegetables and 4 of winter wheat and 111 Polish złoty 18 grosze of rent); 10 mercenary farmers planting in 4 korzecs of winter wheat and 4 of winter wheat, working for 78 days coupled with 78 days of infantry, 16 days stationed and 4 furloughed [?] and coupled with 4 złoty 18 grosze 1 ½ shillings rent, a goose, 2 capons, 2 chickens, 20 eggs; 1 serf, planting 1 ½ korzecs of vegetables, 52 days of infantry and 4 furloughed [?], unpaid labor paid back to Czarnostaw. Moreover, the group paid the manor 67 Polish złoty of hiberna [tax paid to maintain the army during winter] and a tenth sheaf to the rectory in Gąsewo. At the same time in the Góreki part and at the rectory in the year 1820 there were 173 residents (33 men, 3 women; younger children 27 male, 25 female and 12 male and 10 female children over 10 years old; 26 male farmhands, 7 female farmhands); 19 horses, 42 oxen, 45 cows, 30 calves, 50 pigs. In the Rożan part in 1805 (at the time of measuring) 429 mórgs [1.388 acres per mórg]; at that time there was 1 half-knight farmer Żmuda, performing 156 days coupled with 4 days furloughed [?] and 16 stationed and paying back 20 Polish złoty of rent of the land, 5 Polish złoty 5 grosze for hiberna [tax paid to maintain the army during winter], 2 złoty 15 grosze for the watchman, 1 korzecs of oats, a goose, 2 chickens, 2 capons, 20 eggs and 3 elbows of yarn from the fibers of the manor. In the year 1806 two new farmers settled on the half-włóka: Łuniewski and Golba. In the year 1819 we run across 3 half-włóka settlements, from which all wages equally natural; only Golba and Łuniewski from a lack of harnesses made for unpaid labor for 104 days on foot, 16 stationed, and 4 furloughed [?]; 2 half włókas (Ampała and Gadomski), they worked for 104 days by hand for 4 złoty 15 grosze of rent, 16 gallons of oats, ½ of a goose, a capon, a chicken, 10 eggs and 1½ elbows [a measure of length] of the estate’s fibers; 2 gardeners, working off for 2 days furloughed [?] and 8 stationed. Those stationed giving back in Bysewa, a tenth of a sheaf to the parish priest in Gąsewo. Together in the Rożan part were 36 residents (7 men, 7 women; 8 male young children, 6 female young children; 4 male children older than 10, 2 female children older than 10; 2 ministers); 3 horses, 4 oxen, 6 cows, 6 pigs, 14 sheep. In the year 1821 both parts were included into the economy of Górki. In the year 1827 in the whole village 344 residents, 46 homes. Szwelice parish, Maków deconry, 2197 souls. 2.) Szwelice-Pajewo, Ciechanów county, see Pajewo 1).

Lud. Krz.

SOURCE: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Filip Sulimierski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1892, Volume XII, pages 89-90. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

This entry was difficult to translate because many of the words are abbreviated, and unless one is fairly fluent in Poland, it takes a while to find likely translations for these words. Further, several of the words in this passage are archaic. I checked with a native speaker of Polish for help with the archaic words, and even she was only partially successful in translating these words.

Of particular interest, though, are the words: gmina: municipality, hibernia: tax to maintain the army during the winter, korzec: vessel for storing grain, łokieć: elbow (a measure of the length of spun fibers?) mórg: 1.388 acres (in the Russian partition), powiat: district or county, włóka: about 16.8 hectares.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:46:53 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Malgorzata Niedzialkowska

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Malgorzata Niedzialkowska

Steve — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:47:40 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Malgorzata Niedzialkowska

The Birth and Baptism of Małgorzata Niedzialkowska - 1840

Steve — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:48:47 +0000

My Great-Great Grandfather Wojciech (Albert) Niedziałkowski was born in 1836. His sister Małgorzata (Margaret) was born in 1840. [caption id="attachment_6440" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Małgorzata Niedziałkowska - 1840"][/caption] 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.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:58:38 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Gravestone for Jane Danko

Steve — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:37:11 +0000

Gravestone for Jane Danko

Jane Niedzialkowski Danko's Gravestone

Steve — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:42:46 +0000

I've been working all day on the genealogy classes I'm taking through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies / University of Toronto, so I didn't have much time to blog. Nonetheless, I thought I'd at least post a photo. My mother died in 1980 in Albany, New York, and is buried in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery. I took the following snapshot while I was in Albany in July.

The flowers around the gravestone are rather tame this year. My sisters, my father, and my cousins keep the flowers watered all through the growing season, so the area is usually full of color even when the grass is brown and dry.

Although you can't read the inscription from the photograph, the stone reads:

DANKO SORROW IS NOT FOREVER LOVE IS
FRANCIS J. JANE A. 1924 - 1922 - HIS WIFE - 1980

The grave is located within Our Lady of Angels Cemetery at St. Francis Shrine - A, Row D, Grave 8.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:06:11 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Teodor Niedzialkowski

Birth and Baptismal Record for Teodor Niedzialkowski

Steve — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:06:52 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Teodor Niedzialkowski

The Birth and Baptism of Teodor Niedziałkowski - 1839

Steve — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:09:28 +0000

Between the births of my Great-Great Grandfather, Wojciech Niedziałkokwski, and his sister Małgorzata was the birth of their brother Teodor (Theodore) on 19 January 1839 in Mosaki-Godacze. [caption id="attachment_6427" align="aligncenter" width="378" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Teodor Niedziałkowski - 1839"][/caption] Click on the image for a higher resolution view of the document. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Teodor Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Polish, the record states that:

5. Mosaki Godacze

This happened in the church-owned village of Krasne on the 8th / 20th day of January 1839 at three o’clock in the afternoon. Antoni Niedziałkowski presented himself, owner of a part, living in the village of Mosaki Godacze, age 30, in the presence of Andrzej Niedziałkowski, owner of a part, living in the village of Rukle, age 22, likewise Paweł Milkowski, owner of a part, living in the village of Godacze, age 32, and he showed us a male child born in the village of Godacze yesterday at seven o’clock in the morning, born to his wife Karolina Milewska, age 28; At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Teodor, and his Godparents were the above mentioned Andrzej Niedziałkowski and Domicela Milewska - This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses who cannot write -

Reverend Józef Bonikowski Pastor of the Krasne Parish

The Godparents, Andrzej Niedziałkowski and Domicela Milewska, may be relatives. As of yet, I don't know how they might fit into the family tree.

The name of Teodor's mother is Karolina Milewska, which is the same as the mother of Małgorzata. Wojciech's mother was reported as Katarzyna Milewska, but this may be an error on the part of the priest. I'll have to check the records of Wojciech's siblings who were born before Wojciech and see what those records say.

I was actually surprised to find this record among the digital images I brought back from one of my trips to Salt Lake City. I knew Wojciech had a brother Teodor who died young, but I didn't realize I had made a copy of the record of Teodor's birth!

This record extended over two pages in the parish register. For convenience, I spliced the two pieces together. You can tell where I spliced the images because there is a white space extending across the record where the splice was made.

The Dańkos of Kraków

Steve — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 06:30:55 +0000

I received a surprise in my email today - a message from my half-second cousin Piotr Dańko in Kraków! If you listened to the recent Genealogy Guys Podcast from October 23, 2006, you'll know that Drew Smith interviewed me over the telephone and we discussed, among other things, my trip to Poland in 2000. Drew asked me if I had met any of my relatives still living in Poland, and I told him that, although I met some of the Dańkos in Nienadowa, nobody there thought I was related to them. In the end, there was a suggestion that I might be related to a Dańko living in Kraków. I remember that my Aunt Helen told me that my Great-Grandmother Agnieszka Sowa fell while picking cherries and died. My Great-Grandfather Jakub Dańko then married Zofia Głowacz and the couple had a son. Further, one of the descendants of this line went to live in Kraków. When I received the email from Piotr Dańko today, he provided me information that convinced me that he is descended from this line, the marriage of Jakub Dańko and Zofia Głowacz. This makes us half-second cousins. Jakub Dańko is our common ancestor - he is a great grandfather to both of us. However, we are half-cousins, because we have different great grandmothers. I'm looking forward to exchanging information with Piotr. This is the first contact I've had with any relatives still living in Poland. I've included in today's post a photo of my grandfather, Michał Dańko. My grandfather Michał is the half-brother of Piotr's grandfather. I don't know the date of this photo. I guess it was taken on Henchman Street in Worcester, Massachusetts in the 1930s or 1940s.

Michał Dańko (Michael Danko)

Thanks to my cousin, Marguerite Martin, for providing me with this photograph.

Michael Danko on Henchman Street

Steve — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 07:54:10 +0000

Michael Danko on Henchman Street

Birth and Baptismal Record for Piotr Danko

Steve — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 06:43:07 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Piotr Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Piotr Dańko

Steve — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 06:46:03 +0000

I previously wrote that my Great Grandfather Jakub Dańko was married twice. His first marriage was to Agnieszka Sowa, my great grandmother. After Agnieszka's tragic death, Jakub married Zofia Głowacz. Two years after this second marriage, Zofia bore Jakub a son, Piotr. Piotr's record is number 53, the second record on page 238 of the parish register. Like other church records in Galicia, these records were maintained in Latin in a columnar format.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Piotr Dańko

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Piotr Dańko. Translated from the Latin, the record states that:

Page: 238 Number: 53 Birth: June 28, 1898 Baptism: June 29, 1898 House Number: 207 Name: Piotr Dańko Religion: Catholic Sex: Boy Legitimacy: Legitimate Father: Jakub Dańko, son of the married couple Paweł Dańko and Zofia née Szymańska Mother: Zofia Głowacz, daughter of the married couple Jan Głowacz and the deceased Maria née Szymańska Godparents: Jakub Sowa, farmer, and Zofia daughter of Jan Bal, farmer Priest: Father Tomasz [Kaprinowicz] Midwife: Katarzyna Kijanka

Jakub married Zofia when he was 53 years old and Zofia was 25. Piotr was born when Jakub was 55 and Zofia was 27. Jakub died less than a year after Piotr was born.

Before the name of Zofia's mother there is an abbreviation "p.d.", which probably stands for "post delictam", indicating that Zofia's mother was deceased at the time of Zofia's marriage.

I imagine that Zofia probably remarried after Jakub's death.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 06:54:58 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Piotr Danko

The Descendants of Józef Dańko

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 06:30:16 +0000

I've been able to trace my Dańko ancestors as far back in time as the Parish Records were maintained (the late 1700's). Since I've blogged about these records for several months now, I thought it would be useful to publish the family history with links to the various records that I've already discussed. This history does not include information on living individuals.

Descendants of Józef Dańko

Generation No. 1
1. JÓZEF DAŃKO was born about 1717, and died 26 Oct 1787 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Child of JÓZEF DAŃKO is:
2. i. WOJCIECH DAŃKO was born between 1770 - 1772; died 28 Dec 1853, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 2
2. WOJCIECH DAŃKO (JÓZEF) was born about 1769 - 1772, and died 28 Dec 1853 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (1) MARIANNA JEDLIŃSKA 11 Nov 1793 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH JEDLIŃSKI. She was born about 1771 - 1772 and died between 1816 - 1818. He married (2) ROZALIA CHRUŚCICKA 06 Jul 1818 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JÓZEF CHRUŚCICKI. She was born about 1796 in Galicia, Austria-Poland and died before 1854. Children of WOJCIECH DAŃKO and MARIANNA JEDLIŃSKA are:
i. PAWEL DAŃKO, baptized 01 Jul 1796, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; probably died before 1799, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 3. ii. PAWEL DAŃKO, baptized 04 Jan 1799, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 31 Jul 1850, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. WIKTORIA DAŃKO, baptized 06 Dec 1800, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iv. ROZALIA DAŃKO, baptized 10 Aug 1804, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. v. MACIEJ DAŃKO, baptized 01 Jan 1808, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. STANISŁAW DAŃKO, baptized 07 May 1810, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vii. MICHAŁ DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1816, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.
Children of WOJCIECH DAŃKO and ROZALIA CHRUSCICKA are:
4. viii. ANDRZEJ DAŃKO, born 16 Dec 1819, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. ix. MARIA DAŃKO, born 27 Mar 1822, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. x. JAN DAŃKO, born 12 Nov 1824, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xi. JAKUB DAŃKO, born 23 Jul 1827, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xii. WIKTORIA DAŃKO, baptized 27 Jul 1830, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xiii. ANNA DAŃKO, born 26 May 1833, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 3
3. PAWEL DAŃKO (WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was baptized 04 Jan 1799 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 31 Jul 1850 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA 20 Nov 1825 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of ANDRZEJ SZYMAŃSKI and ANNA UNKNOWN. She was born about 1808. Children of PAWEL DAŃKO and ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA are:
i. MARIANNA DAŃKO, born 13 Dec 1826, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. ii. SZYMON DAŃKO, born 17 Oct 1829, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. KATARZYNA DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1832, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iv. PAWEL DAŃKO, born 19 Jan 1835, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. v. AGNIESZKA DAŃKO, born 06 Jan 1838, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. TOMASZ DAŃKO, born 07 Dec 1840, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 5. vii. JAKUB DAŃKO, born 02 Jul 1843, Tuligłowy, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 15 Mar 1899, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. viii. JADWIGA DAŃKO, born 09 Sep 1847, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.
4. ANDRZEJ DAŃKO (WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 16 Dec 1819 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married JADWIGA PANOWSKA, daughter of MARCIN PANOWSKI. Children of ANDRZEJ DAŃKO and JADWIGA PANOWSKA are:
i. ROZALIA DAŃKO, born 01 Sep 1847, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 4
5. JAKUB DAŃKO (PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JOZEF) was born 02 Jul 1843 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 15 Mar 1899 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (1) AGNIESZKA SOWA 18 Jul 1870 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of MACIEJ SOWA and KATARZYNA JACHOWA, who were married 28 May 1844 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland. She was born 06 Jan 1855 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died between 20 Jun 1895 - 03 Sep 1896 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (2) ZOFIA GŁOWACZ 03 Sep 1896 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAN GŁOWACZ and ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA. She was born 15 Dec 1870 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Children of JAKUB DAŃKO and AGNIESZKA SOWA are:
6. i. MICHAEL JACOB DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1877, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 02 Jan 1953, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. JÓZEF J. DAŃKO, born about 1880. iii. WOJCIECH DAŃKO, born 18 Sep 1882, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 7. iv. MARY AGNES DAŃKO, born 12 Jan 1884, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 18 Sep 1975, Fairlawn Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. v. JAN DAŃKO, born 18 May 1886, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. KATARZYNA DAŃKO, born 21 Feb 1887, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 8. vii. MARCIN DANKO, born 11 Dec 1890, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. viii. JULIANNA DAŃKO, born 20 Jun 1895, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.
Child of JAKUB DAŃKO and ZOFIA GŁOWACZ is:
9. ix. PIOTR DAŃKO, born 28 Jun 1898, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died England, United Kingdom.

Generation No. 5
6. MICHAEL JACOB DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 22 Sep 1877 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 02 Jan 1953 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. He married MARIANNA DZIURZYŃSKA 14 Aug 1898 in Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAN DZIURA and MAGDALENA JARA who were married 16 Sep 1875 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Marianna was born 14 Aug 1881 in Sielnica, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 08 Sep 1969 in St. Peter’s Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America Children of MICHAEL DAŃKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYŃSKA are:
i. SOPHIA MARY DAŃKO, born 12 Jan 1901, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 06 Oct 1977, Albany, Albany Co., New York; married CLARK GIBSON, between 12 Jan - 19 Jun 1923; born 20 Jun 1894, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, United States of America; died 19 Jan 1984, Guilderland Center Nursing Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. ii. KAROL DAŃKO, born about 02 Apr 1902, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died before May 1909, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. JOHN JOSEPH DAŃKO, born 02 May 1905, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 30 Dec 1962, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; married ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON, 27 Jun 1935, Ste. Maries Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; born 01 Oct 1904, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; died 25 Sep 1992, St. Peter’s Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. iv. STATIA FRANCES DANKO, born 13 May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 21 Oct 1979, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; married ALFRED ALOYSIUS IWANIEC, SR., 29 Sep 1934, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; born 24 Sep 1914, Mount Vernon, Westchester Co., New York, United States of America; died 11 Sep 1964, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. v. BRONISLAWA DANKO, born 03 Jan 1912, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 13 Jan 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. vi. MICHAEL JOHN DANKO, born 13 Sep 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 19 Nov 1981, 15 Marion Avenue /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI, 12 Jul 1952, St. Marys Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 31 Mar 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 18 Oct 1996, Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. vii. BERTHA THERESA DANKO, born 28 Oct 1915, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 29 Jul 1978, The Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married GEORGE EDWARD JOSEPH MCGINN, 20 Oct 1934, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 23 Sep 1908, Fredericton, York Co., New Brunswick, Canada; died 21 Mar 1981, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. viii. MARY THERESA DANKO, born 07 Oct 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 05 Jan 1986, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married (1) NISHAN JOHN MOORADIAN, 25 Sep 1942, 118 Elm St. /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 04 Dec 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 07 Jun 1990, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts - Memorial /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married (2) OSCAR YOUSOUFIAN, 17 May 1950, Auburn, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 16 Mar 1898, Erzeroum, Armenia; died 02 Jun 1973, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. ix. JOSEPH JOHN DANKO, SR., born 02 Sep 1919, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 05 Jul 1991, Medical Center of Central Massachusetts - Hahnemann /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America.
7. MARY AGNES DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 12 Jan 1884 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 18 Sep 1975 in Fairlawn Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. She married PAUL GOLIŃSKI 04 Oct 1915 in Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America, son of JAN GOLIŃSKI and MARIA DARAŻ. He was born 15 Dec 1888 in Sliwnica, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 22 Feb 1968 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. Children of MARY DAŃKO and PAUL GOLIŃSKI are:
i. VICTORIA THERESA GOLINSKI, born 19 Jul 1916, Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 23 Oct 1998, St. Vincent Hospital /Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. ii. PAWEL GOLINSKI, born 14 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 15 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America.
8. MARCIN DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 11 Dec 1890 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married TERESA BAL 22 May 1919 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAKUB BAL. She was born about 1897 in Galicia, Austria-Poland. 9. PIOTR DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JOZEF) was born 28 Jun 1898 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died in England, United Kingdom. He married KATARZYNA CHRUŚCICKA 01 Jun 1933 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemysl, Województwo Lwowskie, Second Polish Republic, daughter of MARCIN CHRUŚCICKI and ANNA SLIMAK. She was born 20 Mar 1905, and died in England, United Kingdom.

The links are to posts in this blog that describes an original source with primary information about the event described. Many of the dates and places in the family history are based on secondary information, meaning that I may have obtained the date of birth of an individual from a Marriage Record, for example, rather than from a Birth and Baptismal Record. I will update this blog entry with additional links as I add more images of original documents.

Piotr Danko

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:23:29 +0000

Piotr Danko

Katarzyna Chruscicka

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:23:51 +0000

Katarzyna Chruscicka

Marriage Record for Piotr Danko and Katarzyna Chruscicka

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:25:55 +0000

Marriage Record for Piotr Danko and Katarzyna Chruscicka

PDF

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:26:45 +0000

PDF of the Marriage Record for Piotr Danko and Katarzyna Chruscicka

The Marriage of Piotr Dańko and Katarzyna Chruścicka

Steve — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:39:15 +0000

My grandfather's half-brother, Piotr Dańko, son of Jakub Dańko and Zofia Głowacz, was married to Katarzyna Chruścicka, daughter of Marcin Chruścicki and Anna Klimak, in 1933.

Piotr Dańko Katarzyna Chruścicka

Thanks to my cousin, Piotr Dańko, for the photographs of his grandparents. The Marriage Record for Piotr and Katarzyna is Number 7, the second from the top of this page in the Duciecko Parish records.

The Marriage Record of Piotr Dańko and Katarzyna Chruścicka

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Copulatorum (Book of Marriages). 1933, Entry Number 7. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Piotr Dańko and Katarzyna Chruścicka. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Number: 7 Date: June 1, 1933 House Number: Not provided Groom: Piotr Dańko, son of Jakub Dańko and Zofia Głowacz, born June 28, 1898 Religion: Catholic Age: 35 Marital Status: Unmarried Name of Bride: Katarzyna Chruścicka, daughter of Marcin Chruścicki and Anna Klimak, born March 20, 1905 Religion: Catholic Age: 28 Marital Status: Unmarried Witnesses: Antoni Chruścicki and Tomasz Gerek Banns Read: May 14, May 21, and May 25, 1933 Priest: [Ceued Młynarski]

After examining the Birth and Baptismal Record and the Marriage Record for Piotr Dańko, some interesting facts are apparent

1. Piotr was born one year before his father died 2. My grandfather, Michał, married my grandmother just a few months after Piotr was born 3. Piotr was only about seven years old when my grandfather left for America 4. World War I was waged all around Poland in the years when Piotr was growing up 5. Piotr and Katarzyna were married in the Second Polish Republic, a country formed after over a hundred years of the Polish Partitions 6. Six years after Piotr married Katarzyna, Poland was invaded by both Nazi Germany and Russia

My cousin told me that Piotr and Katarzyna died in England. The emigration to England is a story about which I'll have to ask more questions.

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak on Good Morning America

Steve — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 06:55:02 +0000

In case you missed the four episodes of Good Morning America where Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak helped the four anchors trace their roots, here's a summary of the links:

Chris Cuomo's story and video
Sam Champion's story and video
Robin Roberts' story and video
Diane Sawyer's story and video

Megan has also been answering genealogy questions posted at the Good Morning America website. Visit these links and you may find that you're still able to sign up for a 3-day free trial of Ancestry.com. If you want to learn more from Megan, visit her blog at Roots Television.

Gladys Hendricksen Graig, 76

Steve — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 07:50:40 +0000

I'm flying back to New York today to attend the funeral of Gladys Graig. I met Gladys about 17 years ago, shortly before my sister Barbara married Gladys' son Jeffrey. Gladys was born in 1930 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants Telef Henricksen and Gerda Sofie Larsen, both from Aust-Adger, Norway. She married Vernon Arthur Graig in 1948 in Summit, Schoharie Co., New York. Gladys is survived by her brother Bernhard; three sons, Gary, Thomas, and Jeffrey; four grandsons; and two granddaughters. She was predeceased by her husband Vernon in 2001, and by her sister Elsie Andresen in 2004. After her husband's death, Gladys moved to Arizona, but she visited her family in New York every summer. This year, she arrived in Albany in early July, and I was able to spend a few hours with her before I had to fly back to California at the end of my vacation. Shortly before she was due to return to Arizona, Gladys was diagnosed with cancer. She spent the last few weeks of her life surrounded by her family and loved ones. I knew Gladys as a kind and thoughtful woman. Knowing I was studying Polish, she sent me a copy of the Polish National Anthem along with a note that read "The next time I see you, I expect you to sing this for me". I will miss her.

Obituary for Gladys Graig

Steve — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 03:11:14 +0000

STAMFORD – Gladys Graig, 76, died at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by her loving family Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, after a brief illness. She was married in Jefferson in 1948 to her loving husband, Vernon A. Graig, who predeceased her in 2001. Gladys was a loving wife, caring mother and devoted grandmother. She was very dedicated to her family, who loved her dearly. She is survived by her sons, Gary A. of Mesa, Ariz., Thomas A. (Bobbie) of Stamford, and Jeffrey A. (Barbara J.) of Albany; her grandchildren, Andrea, Gary, Emily, Keith, Kyle and Lukas; a brother, Bernard Hendricksen of Mesa, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews. Friends called at the Hall Funeral Home, 40 Main St. (corner of Liberty Street), Stamford, Sunday between 2 and 5 p.m. Funeral services will be at noon today, Nov. 6, at the Stamford Trinity Church with Pastor David Nuss officiating and Mary Louise Hendricksen and Deacon Schemerhorn assisting. Donations may be made in memory of Gladys to the Stamford Trinity Lutheran Church or the Hospice Inn, care of Community Hospice at 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the hall Funeral Home under the direction of William A Tari.

SOURCE: Gladys Graig Obituary, The Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, 6 November 2006, page 5.

Trinity Lutheran Church

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:19:15 +0000

Trinity Lutheran Church

Trinity Lutheran Church Interior

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:19:43 +0000

Trinity Lutheran Church Interior

Gladys' Casket at Jefferson Evergreen Cemetery

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:20:26 +0000

Gladys' Casket at Jefferson Evergreen Cemetery

Lukas Graig at His Grandmother's Graveside

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:21:03 +0000

Lukas Graig at His Grandmother's Graveside

Gravestone for Vernon and Gladys Graig

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:21:41 +0000

Gravestone for Vernon and Gladys Graig

Photographs from Gladys Graig's Funeral

Steve — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 06:26:16 +0000

I just returned from Gladys Graig's funeral in Stamford, New York. While there, I took quite a few photographs for the family.

Trinity Lutheran Church, Stamford, New York

Trinity Lutheran Church, Interior

Gladys' Casket at Jefferson Evergreen Cemetery, Jefferson, New York

Lukas Graig at His Grandmother's Grave

Gravestone for Vernon and Gladys Graig

The Birth and Baptism of Zofia Głowacz

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 06:30:51 +0000

My great grandfather, Jakub Dańko, was married twice. His first marriage was to my great grandmother Agnieszka Sowa who died after falling while picking cherries. His second marriage was to my cousin Piotr's great grandmother, Zofia Głowacz. Zofia was born in Nienadowa in 1870. Zofia's Birth and Baptismal Record is Number 89, the second from the top on this page of the parish register.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Głowacz

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Głowacz. The record, translated from the Latin states that:

Page Number: Not provided Number: 89 Birth: December 15, 1870 Baptism: December 19, 1870 House Number: 118 Name: Zofia Głowacz Religion: Catholic Sex: Girl Legitimacy: Legitimate Father: Jan Głowacz, gardener, son of the married couple Józef Głowacz and Anna Giergont Mother: Marianna Szymańska, daughter of the married couple Piotr Szymański and Zofia Witkowska Godparents and their occupations: Pawel Podgórniak, gardener, and Zofia, wife of Wojciech Głowacz, farmers Baptized by: Father Karol Niedzielski Midwife: Zofia Wrotna

Like other church records from the former Galicia, this document is written in columnar format in Latin.

This record not only provides the names of Zofia's parents, Jan Głowacz and Anna Giergont, but also provides the names of her grandparents, Józef Głowacz and Anna Giergont, and Piotr Szymański and Zofia Witkowska.

This page of the register shows two other records, both of which include names associated with my ancestors: Pilch, Bal, Szymański, Wrotny, Chruścicki, and Dańko.

In fact, the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bębenek shows that her mother is Zofia Dańko, the daughter of Maciej Dańko, which means that Wiktoria is my great grandfather Jakub's second cousin! Unfortunately, I don't have an image of this complete page, and so I'm not able to read all of the information in her record.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Glowacz

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:02:14 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Glowacz

PDF

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:04:06 +0000

PDF Copy of The Birth and Baptismal Record for Zofia Glowacz

Crew Manifest of the S.S. Daniel Drake

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 21:56:02 +0000

Crew Manifest of the S.S. Daniel Drake

PDF

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 21:58:37 +0000

PDF Copy of the Crew Manifest of the S.S. Daniel Drake

The Crew Manifest of the World War II Liberty Ship 'Daniel Drake'

Steve — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 22:09:06 +0000

Today I saw that no fewer than four genealogy blogs, Chris Dunham's The Genealogue, Joe Beine's Genealogy Roots Blog, Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, and Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings mentioned the fact that Ancestry.com has now digitized and indexed all readily available U.S. Passengers Lists from 1820 to 1960. Moreover, Ancestry's entire Immigration Collection is FREE until the end of November. I immediately took a look and I found much more than I expected, because the records in this collection are not just Immigrant Passenger Lists, but also include Crew Lists for World War II Naval Ships and Passenger Lists for Vacation Cruise Ships! In particular, I found the record of my father's World War II service on the S.S. Daniel Drake, where he served in the U.S. Naval Armed Guard on the Murmansk Run.

Crew Manifest for the S.S. Daniel Drake (Page 2)

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the entire manifest. My father's record states that:

The manifest is that of the S/S Daniel Drake, United States Line
The ship departed London on 20 September 1943 and arrived in New York on 01 October 1943
Francis Danko is listed on line 14 as part of the Armed Guard
His Serial Number was 801 66 21
His rate (rank) was S1c (Seaman, First Class)
His service was USNR (United States Naval Reserve)

The manifest also lists 42 crew members and 27 other members of the Armed Guard. I'll have to ask my father if he remembers any of these names. He has several photographs of his shipmates, but doesn't remember the names of most of them. Perhaps now with this list, he can name the people in some of his World War II photographs.

I found some interesting details on this manifest, including the fact that five of the crew members on this United States Liberty Ship were not U.S. citizens. Also of interest is that, of the members of the U.S. Armed Guard, only one was in the USN, the United States Navy; all the rest were in the USNR, the United States Naval Reserve.

For those who are not familiar with the Liberty Ships in World War II, I'll have to write a piece on Liberty ships one day. For now, just realize that the Liberty Ship crews consisted of a number of Merchant Marines (who were, in fact, not part of the U.S. Navy) and a group of Navy personnel called the Armed Guard who were trained to protect their ship and the Merchant Marines aboard it.

I never would have guessed that the Crew Manifests of World War II U.S. Liberty Ships would be in this collection!

The Crew Manifest of the World War II Liberty Ship 'Joaquin Miller'

Steve — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 06:30:54 +0000

I've been taking the opportunity to search the Immigration Collection at Ancestry.com during the Free access to this database through the end of the month of November. Yesterday, I found the Crew Manifest for the World War II Liberty Ship S. S. Daniel Drake on which my father served. Today, I found the Crew Manifest for the World War II Liberty Ship S. S. Joaquin Miller, on which my uncle Frederick F. Niedzialkowski served.

Crew Manifest for the S.S. Joaquin Miller (Page 1)

Click on the link for a PDF copy of page 1 of the manifest. My uncle’s record states that:

The manifest is that of the S/S Joaquin Miller
The ship departed Boston and arrived in New York
Frederick F. Niedzialkowski is listed on line 21
He had been to sea for 1 year at this point in time
His position in the ship's company was Seaman 1/c (Seaman, First Class)
He was not to be discharged at the port of arrival (New York)
He was able to read
He was 19 years old, was of the male sex, was of the Polish race, and his nationality was US
Fred's height was 6'1", and his weight was 176 (pounds)
He had a scar on his right wrist

Other pages of the manifest show that the ship was operated by the Isthmian Steamship Co., 71 Broadway, New York, and that it arrived in New York on 31 August 1943. Other pages show that the ship was expected to leave New York on 11 September 1943 and that it stopped in Newport News, Virginia on 14 September 1943, thence heading for foreign locations.

There is also an enigmatic notation on one page that the ship had previously left Bizerte (Tunisia?) on 20 July 1943. In this notation about Bizerte, the port of departure Boston was crossed out and the port of Bizerte was written in.

I'll have to check with my cousins to see if they have a copy of Fred's military records to see if those records include any additional information on Fred's destinations while in the Navy.

Crew Manifest for the SS Joaquin Miller page 1

Steve — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 08:41:23 +0000

Crew Manifest for the SS Joaquin Miller page 1

PDF

Steve — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 08:42:05 +0000

PDF Copy of the Crew Manifest for the SS Joaquin Miller page 1

Murmansk Run

Steve — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 04:14:39 +0000

Murmansk Run

Frank Danko - Navy

Steve — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 04:15:17 +0000

Frank Danko - Navy

World War II Convoys JW-54A and RA-55A

Steve — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 04:37:49 +0000

As part of the US Naval Armed Guard, my father served on the Liberty Ship the S. S. Daniel Drake on two convoys as part of the Murmansk Run, delivering war supplies to the Eastern Front. The Murmansk Run was one of the most dangerous assignments for an American serviceman in World War II. Convoy JW-54A sailed from Liverpool, England to Kola Inlet, Russia (near Murmansk) and on the return trip, Convoy RA-55A sailed from Kola Inlet, Russia to Loch Ewe, Scotland. The ship's manifest for the S. S. Daniel Drake that I posted previously was the list of the crew just prior to the departure of Convoy JW-54A, but not necessarily of the same crew as that in Convoy JW-54-A.

Frank Danko in the U.S. Naval Armed Guard

Convoy JW-54A

Convoy JW-54A departed Liverpool on November 15, 1943 and arrived at Kola Inlet on November 24, 1943. Nineteen vessels made up this convoy:

COPELAND (Br)
DANIEL DRAKE (Am)
EDMUND FANNING (Am)
EMPIRE CARPENTER (Br)
EMPIRE CELIA (Br)
EMPIRE NIGEL (Br)
FORT YUKON (Br)
GILBERT STUART (Am)
HENRY VILLARD (Am)
JAMES GORDON BENNETT (Am)
JAMES SMITH (Am)
JUNECREST (Br)
MIJDRECHT (Du)
NORLYS (Pan)
OCEAN VANITY (Br)
OCEAN VERITY (Br)
PARK HOLLAND (Am)
THOMAS SIM LEE (Am)
WILLIAM WINDOM (Am)

The convoy was escorted by the following ships:

Nov. 15-Nov. 18: Destroyers Brissenden, Termagant and Polish Burza
Nov. 15-Nov. 24: Destroyers Inconstant, Whitehall, corvette Heather and minesweeper Hussar
Nov. 18-Nov. 25: Destroyers Impulsive, Onslaught, Onslow, Orwell, and Canadian Haida, Huron and Iroquois
Nov. 18-Nov. 19: Obedient (returned early with defects)
Nov. 24-Nov. 26: Minesweeper Seagull.
Nov. 19-Nov. 24: Cruiser cover by Bermuda, Jamaica and Kent, distant cover by battleship Anson, cruiser USS Tuscaloosa, American destroyers Corry, Fitch, Forrest and Hobson.

The Murmansk Run

Convoy RA-55A

Convoy RA-55A departed Kola Inlet on December 22, 1943 and arrived at Loch Ewe on January 1, 1944. Twenty-three vessels made up this convoy:

ARTHUR L. PERRY (Am)
DANIEL DRAKE (Am)
EDMUND FANNING (Am)
EMPIRE CARPENTER (Br)
EMPIRE CELIA (Br)
EMPIRE NIGEL (Br)
FORT MCMURRAY (Br)
FORT YUKON (Br)
GILBERT STUART (Am)
HENRY VILLARD (Am)
JAMES SMITH (Am)
JUNECREST (Br)
MIJDRECHT (Du)
OCEAN STRENGTH (Br)
OCEAN VANITY (Br)
OCEAN VERITY (Br)
PARK HOLLAND (Am)
RATHLIN (Br)
SAN ADOLFO (Br)
THOMAS KEARNS (Am)
THOMAS SIM LEE (Am)
WILLIAM L. MARCY (Am)
WILLIAM WINDOM (Am)

The convoy was escorted, at least in part, by the Acanthus, Ashanti, Athabaskan, Beagle, Belfast, Borage, Dianella, Hound, Hydra, Matchless, Meteor, Milne, Musketeer, Norfolk, Opportune, Poppy, Saumarez, Savage, Scorpion, Seagull, Sheffield, Stord, Virago, Wallflower, and Westcott.

My Father's World War II Medals

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 06:30:18 +0000

My father earned three service medals in World War II: The American Campaign Medal, The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and The World War II Victory Medal. In 1985, upon the 40th Anniversary of World War II, the Russian Federation awarded a medal to US personnel who participated in the Murmansk Run.

The American Campaign Medal

Awarded for service outside the United States in the American theater for 30 days or within the continental United States for one year between 1941 and 1946.

The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

Awarded for service in the European-African-Middle Eastern theater for 30 days or receipt of any combat decoration between 1941 and 1945.

The World War II Victory Medal

Awarded for service in the United States Armed Forces between 1941 and 1946.

The Murmansk Run Medal

Awarded by the government of the Russian Federation upon the 40th anniversary of World War II to all sailors, armed guards, and merchant marines from the United States who participated in convoys to Murmansk during World War II.

Cuff Trim of Seaman First Class

The Navy Seaman's cuff had one stripe for Apprentice Seaman, two stripes for Seaman Second Class, and three stripes for Seaman First Class. My father began his naval service as Apprentice Seaman, and was promoted to Seaman Second Class and then to Seaman First Class.

Armed Guard Mark

The Armed Guard Mark was worn midway between the left wrist and the elbow.

American Campaign Medal

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:03:30 +0000

American Campaign Medal

American Campaign Medal Reverse

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:03:52 +0000

American Campaign Medal Reverse

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:04:31 +0000

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Reverse

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:04:51 +0000

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Reverse

World War II Victory Medal

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:05:22 +0000

World War II Victory Medal

World War II Victory Medal Reverse

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:05:42 +0000

World War II Victory Medal Reverse

Murmansk Run Medal

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:06:10 +0000

Murmansk Run Medal

Armed Guard Mark

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:40:10 +0000

Armed Guard Mark

Cuff Trim of Seaman First Class

Steve — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:40:36 +0000

Cuff Trim of Seaman First Class

The Death of Jack Arnold Gibson

Steve — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 06:50:55 +0000

Of all the people in my family who served in World War II, there was only one combat death - my cousin Jack Arnold Gibson. Jack was the eldest son of my Aunt Sophie Danko and her husband Clark Gibson. Jack was also the first grandchild of my grandparents, Michał Dańko and Marianna Dziurzyńska. The following description of the circumstances of his death are excerpted from Captain Edmund G. Love's book The 27th Infantry Division in World War II.

The Third Platoon had moved down through this draw an hour before without opposition of any kind. They had found one cave which they grenaded and investigated, but there seemed to be no life in it so they had moved on by without incident. The 2d Platoon, now coming upon this same cave was to run into trouble, however. Pfc. Perry Hill, who as acting as lead scout, came across a Japanese soldier lying just outside the cave mouth. The enemy was playing dead, a fact which Hill discovered by poking him, so the rifleman finished off the actor, "giving a little truth to his lie." When this happened, however, Hill heard movement inside the cave and decided that it was full of enemy. His called Medina who, in turn, called Sgt. Jack Gibson of the engineers to come down with his flamethrower. Gibson gave the cave opening one short burst and five enemy came running headlong from their hiding place. All were killed. Other Japanese inside the cave immediately opened fire and in the first burst Gibson was mortally wounded and Pfc. Elmer Bottke, Medina's bazooka man, was killed. Gibson, who had been badly hit, was in great pain and lying almost directly in front of the cave's mouth. Although Medina could by-pass this cave if he was careful, he felt that he should get the wounded man out of danger. He asked for volunteers, and Pfc. Lathie Simmons and Pfc. Richard King moved forward to try and drag Gibson out of the way. Both men got within a few feet of the engineer, however, and were then spotted and pinned down. After several minutes, Gibson was finally prevailed upon to roll down from in front of the cave. After one or two quick rolls he was far enough for Private First Class Guld to grab him by the feet and drag him out of danger. Guld gave him aid, but he died later.

SOURCE: Love, Edmund G., The 27th Infantry Division in World War II (Washington: Infantry Journal Press, 1949), 512-513. Jack was born in Albany, New York on 10 November 1923 and died in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on 08 July 1944. Despite the reference to him as sergeant in Captain Love's book, military records list him as a private. He is buried in Section 8, Site 464, Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Schuylerville, New York. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star.

The Military Medals of Jack Arnold Gibson

Steve — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 06:30:49 +0000

My cousin, Jack Arnold Gibson was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.

The Silver Star

The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces.

The Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is awarded to those who were wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States.

The Purple Heart

Steve — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 08:02:40 +0000

The Purple Heart

The Silver Star

Steve — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 08:03:05 +0000

The Silver Star

Slownik Entry for Losice

Steve — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:39:35 +0000

Slownik Entry for Losice

PDF

Steve — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:48:26 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Entry for Losice

The Polish Village of Łosice

Steve — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:48:48 +0000

One of the readers of this blog wrote to me and asked if there was an entry in the Słownik Geograficny Królestwa Polskiego (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland) for the Polish village of Łosice. There are, in fact, two entries for Łosice, one in the Konstantynów Powiat and the other in the Kobryń Powiat.

The Słownik Entry for Łosice

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik entry for Łosice. Translated from the Polish, the entry reads:

Łosice, an urban settlement on the Tuczna River in the Konstantynów Powiat [District], gmina [municipality] and parish of Łosice. It lies in the riverside lowlands, 28 versts [1 verst = 1.0668 kilometers] not far from Siedlce. It possesses a wooden parish church, a Uniate Orthodox church, a synagogue, an elementary school, a local court for the 4th district, and a post office. In 1827 there were 190 homes and 1543 residents here, in 1862 there were 199 homes (6 made of stone) and 1755 residents (838 Jews); currently there are 208 homes, 2610 residents, and 3332 mórgs [1 mórg in the Russian Partition = 1.388 acres] of urban land. Łosice belongs to the oldest ruling urban settlement in Podlasa. In the year 1505, Aleksander Jagiełło moved the local townspeople from Russian Law to German Law. At that time a town hall with a butcher’s shop, scales, a shearing room were erected, and a fair was set up. Despite this, the district governor of the place did not stop oppressing the townfolk, and his collectors collected fees according to Lithuanian laws. Not until the resolution of the Sejm [the Polish parliament] in the year 1573 was the exploitation ended. Władysław the fourth, with the charter in the year 1647, allowed the townspeople to distill vodka and to distribute it freely. Destroyed at the time of the Swedish War, in the year 1677 Łosice was granted confirmation and expansion of the charter for the establishment and sales of alcoholic beverages, but the arrival of the Jews, the protégés of the district governors, prohibited the competition of the townspeople and led them into extreme poverty. The royal ban, confirmed several times, did not rectify the abuse; the Christian population had to shift to agricultural labor. In the year 1511, the Catholic Church of Saint Zygmunt was founded and paid for by Zygmunt the first. The stone chapel of Saint Stanisław stood near it. A Russian Orthodox Church was established in an even earlier time. The Łosice parish of the Konstantynów deaconry had 3252 souls. The Gmina of Łosice belongs to the district court of the 3rd district, there were 2675 residents in that place. Bronisław Chlebowski
Łosice, a village in the Kobryń Powiat [District], near the road from Chomsk to Drohiczyn and Antopol.

SOURCE: Sulimierski Filip, Bronisaw Chlebowski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1884, Volume V, page 732.

Barbara Poole on Genealogy Magazines

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:40:23 +0000

At the September meeting of my local genealogy society, I brought some magazines I had received free from the FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) Conference held in August, in Boston for 4 days. All 4 magazines were current editions and were familiar to me, but none of which I subscribe to. Some of the club members enjoyed looking through them and even pulling out the inserts to order a subscription. When I got around to reading them recently, I realized how different they were from one another. The magazines were Everton's Genealogical Helper, Family Tree Magazine, Ancestry and German Life. I thought I would give a little input on how the first three differ from one another. Everton's Genealogical Helper, has been around for about 50 years, had over 176 pages of articles, queries and surname index. What I really liked was the large print, a calendar of upcoming genealogy events throughout the world, a Beginner's Corner section, review of books, and the major topics are on the cover with page number. Their website is http://www.everton.com and you receive 6 issues a year for $27. This is a little less than the cost in 2000. This is an old publication with a new editor and the Heritage Quest magazine has been combined into the Genealogical Helper. Family Tree Magazine (not affiliated with Family Tree Maker software) also comes out 6 times a year for $24. Their website is http://www.familytreemagazine.com. The two state research guides are nice (for Texas and Rhode Island), but at that rate, it will take years to complete this series, or maybe not, since I don't know when the series began. Ancestry Magazine was very impressive, and I will subscribe to it. The glossy pages, nice color pictures, articles (although rather short…maybe to hold your attention), and few advertisements are the pluses. The contributors are well known in the genealogical community. Their web site is http://www.ancestry.com and click on store tab; I had to type magazine in product box. Their price is similar to the others, 6 issues for $24.95. I especially enjoyed the article on the Evolution of Family History, a 10 year history. Some interesting things that began in 1996 were: there were 100,000 websites and 14% of Americans using the internet; Ancestry.com, RootsWeb.com, FamilyTreeMaker.com and Cyndi's List began. Other milestones during the 10 year span to date were included, now jump to 2006 where there are over 11.5 billion web pages and 77% of Americans are now online. Recently, I found some old copies of three magazines (1994-2001), they were Everton's Genealogical Helper, Heritage Quest, and Genealogical Computing. Obviously some of the articles are outdated, but some still pertain today, such as: Source Documentation: Is it Time to Change the Standards (pertaining to the internet); Genealogy Made Inexpensive; State and Federal Census articles. I wish I had seen the 7 page article about Albany, NY area Churches and Synagogue Vital Records many years ago, what a useful source that would have been for me. I also wondered what happened to a Lexington company that in 1994 made Quinsept, a "software that works for generations. The most exciting genealogical research system available." Sure glad I didn't buy that! There are now two new genealogy magazines focusing on using the internet for research. In a past newsletter, I discussed Internet Genealogy magazine http://www.internet-genealogy.com (where you can download a free copy). My fourth issue arrived a few weeks ago. I continue to like this magazine. However, I love Digital Genealogist, a magazine that just came out. Digital Genealogist will be in PDF format, so you print what you want. They are offering a free issue, and it prints out at 42 pages. Go to http://www.digitalgenealogist.com and check it out. I loved the first issue of Digital Genealogist for a few reasons. First, it is very easy to read & is colorful and second, it is nice to know some of the writers personally. I see Joshua Taylor every time I go to NEHGS and Laura G. Prescott will be speaking at our club in 2007. So now you can download free issues of two different genealogy publications, or print just the pages that interest you.

Many thanks to Barbara Poole for contributing her column on genealogy magazines as today's GuestBlog!

Ancestry Magazine

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:54:40 +0000

Ancestry Magazine

Digital Genealogist

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:55:07 +0000

Digital Genealogist

Everton's Genealogical Helper

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:55:38 +0000

Everton's Genealogical Helper

Family Tree Magazine

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:56:06 +0000

Family Tree Magazine

Internet Genealogy

Steve — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:57:01 +0000

Internet Genealogy

Preparing for a Trip to Salt Lake City

Steve — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 06:30:51 +0000

I'm getting ready for my annual fall research trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. I'll spend two full days at the library with nothing to distract me. I have two major goals this trip: 1. Niedziałkowski Family Records: review the microfilms for the Krasne and Szwelice parish records that document the church records for my Niedziałkowski ancestors. I intend to better document the records I already have so that I can properly cite my sources. I also intend to look for additional records for the siblings of my ancestors. 2. Skowroński Family Records: look for the ancestral village of my Skowroński relatives. I previously reported that I found 12 villages named Grądy in the Łomża Gubernia. I intend to examine as many records as I can find to try to find the ancestral village of Aleksander Skowroński, the immigrant ancestor of several of my first cousins. I found that the Family History Library holds microfilm records for the following relevant parishes: Długosiodło, Jelonki, Wąsewo, Krasnosiek, Lubiel, Rajgród, Nowogród, Wąsosz, Wiskitki, Wizna, and Wyszków. The Family History Library does not have microfilmed records for Rzekuń or Nowa wieś. Because some of these films are in the vault, I called the Family History Library to order the vault films so that they will have them available while I'm in Salt Lake City. I also have several minor goals: 1. Examine the marriage indexes and the Marriage Records for the Graig and Hillis families of Otsego County, New York. Dick Eastman recently reported that the Family History Library has microfilm copies of many New York State Marriage Records from 1908 to 1935. I didn't know that! The Graigs and the Hillis' are the ancestors of my sister's husband, and I have been working on these family lines for the past few years. The Family History Library holds the Otsego County Index to Marriages from 1908 to 1935, Marriage Licenses, Consents, and Affidavits from 1908 to 1915, and Marriage Records from 1908 to 1926. I think I should be able to find marriage documents for anywhere from six to twelve of the Graig and Hillis marriages. 2. Examine the typescript death records (index?) for Schoharie and Otsego Counties 1918-1953 for Graig and Hillis names. 3. Review the information I have for the Markiewicz family from Braciejowice to verify the source citations in the documents I previously discovered. 4. Examine the records of the Orthodox Church in Troki (Trakai), Lithuania to see if this might be the parish in which my mother's mother lived. I had to order vault films for this parish. That's a lot of ground to cover in two days!

Finding the Church Where My Grandparents Were Married

Steve — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 06:30:58 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, George Morgan wrote about Types of Marriage Records in his "Along Those Lines..." Blog. In that article he mentioned something I never thought of: if you're trying to find the church where your ancestors were married, but the marriage records only list the name of the person who officiated the marriage, search the City Directory for the name of the person who officiated and you may find the church!

Today, I checked the marriage record for my grandparents, Kostanty Niedzialkowski and Helen Chmielewska. The marriage record states that they were married on July 10, 1918 by B. A. Bojanowski, priest, Worcester, Massachusetts. I then checked out the 1918 City Directory for Worcester, Massachusetts, available online at Ancestry.com, and found the following entry:

1918 Worcester City Directory Entry for Boleslaw A. Bojanowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Worcester City Directory entry for Boleslaw A. Bojanowski. The record states:

Bojanowski Boleslaw A rector St Mary's church h 15 Richland

St. Mary's Church, which opened on August 15, 1906, is still standing, although it is now known as Our Lady of Częstochowa Church. The church still offers mass in Polish, and the elementary school and high school associated with the church are still known as St. Mary's School. The rectory, previously located at 15 Richland Street is now located around the corner at 34 Ward Street. The 15 Richland Street location is now part of the path of Interstate 290, the construction of which split the parish community in half.

George Morgan's nifty trick worked! Thanks, George!

PDF

Steve — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 07:24:10 +0000

1918 Worcester City Directory

Steve — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 07:25:38 +0000

1918 Worcester City Directory

Francis Smith

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:35:14 +0000

Francis Smith

Charles Crocker

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:35:41 +0000

Charles Crocker

Julia Morgan

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:36:21 +0000

Julia Morgan

Domingo Ghirardelli

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:36:57 +0000

Domingo Ghirardelli

Cemetery Fog

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:37:28 +0000

Cemetery Fog

Mountain View Cemetery - Oakland, California

Steve — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:59:44 +0000

I had a few errands to run today and I decided to stop by the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California. Like many genealogists, I find cemetery research fascinating and today seemed like a good day to visit one of the most impressive cemeteries in California.

Mountain View Cemetery is the final resting place of many people important in the history of the Bay Area including the pioneer coffee producer James A. Folger (1835-1889), the founding president of the University of California Rev. Henry Durant (1802-1875), and the father of hydraulic mining who founded the first Chabot Observatory Anthony Chabot (1813-1888). Here are some of the photographs I took today in the cemetery.

Francis Marion "Borax" Smith

Francis Marion "Borax" Smith (1846-1931) made his fortune in "Twenty Mule Team Borax", Key Route trains, streetcars, ferries; he built the Claremont Hotel.

Charles Crocker

Charles Crocker (1822-1888) was one of the "Big Four" builders of the Central Pacific Railroad.

Julia Morgan

Julia Morgan (1872-1957) was California's first woman architect; she designed nearly 800 buildings in California including Hearst Castle.

Domingo Ghirardelli

Domingo Ghirardelli (1817-1894) was the San Francisco chocolate king; he moved his family graves from St. Mary's Cemetery to Mountain View Cemetery.

Overview of the Cemetery in the Fog

Today, the fog never burned off of San Francisco, although in Oakland, where the Mountain View Cemetery is located, the fog cleared for a bit. The trees here are turning color and this photograph of the trees, the cemetery, and the fog provides a little glimpse of autumn in the Bay Area.

There is an online index of the tombstones at the Mountain View Cemetery, complements of the California Tombstone Project. The Mountain View Cemetery website has a detailed online map in PDF format.

The Birth and Baptism of Agnieszka Sowa

Steve — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 06:30:31 +0000

My great grandmother, Agnieszka Sowa, was the first wife of my great grandfather, Jakub Dańko. Agnieszka was born in Nienadowa, Galicia (Austria-Poland) in 1855. Agnieszka was the first child born in Nienadowa in 1855.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Sowa

Click on the link for a PDF copy of Agnieszka Sowa's Birth and Baptismal Record. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Page: not stated Number: 1 Birth: January 6, 1855 Baptism: January 7, 1855 House Number: 105 Name: Agnieszka Sowa Religion: Catholic Sex: Girl Legitimacy: Legitimate Father: Maciej Sowa, farmer Mother: Katarzyna Jach, daughter of Wojciech Jach and Hedwig Markowa daughter of Pawel Marek Godparents and their occupations: Piotr Sowa, farmer and Rozalia [Dryska], widow Priest: Father Józef Karpiński Midwife: Zofia Grabowa

Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Sowa

Steve — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:07:35 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Sowa

PDF

Steve — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:16:32 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Sowa

The Marriage of Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa

Steve — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 06:30:27 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Sowa, my great grandmother. Today, we'll look at the Marriage Record for Agnieszka's parents, my great great grandparents, Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa. Their marriage record is the middle record on this image. If you look carefully, though, you'll notice that someone with the surname Sowa is mentioned in all three marriage records on this image. [caption id="attachment_6853" align="aligncenter" width="363" caption="The Marriage Record of Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa"][/caption] Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa. The record shows that:

Page: 47 Number: Not stated Date: 28 May 1844 House Number: Bride 35 to Groom 105 Groom: Maciej Sowa, farmer, widower left behind after the death of Anna Religion: Catholic Age: 34 Marital Status: Widower Name of Bride: Katarzyna Jachowa, daughter of Wojciech Jach and Jadwiga Markowa, farmer Religion: Catholic Age: 24 Marital Status: Unmarried Witnesses: Wawrzyniec Klepacki and Szymon Zaleski, farmers in Nienadowa Banns Read: 11 May 1844 Priest: Father Karol Poprawski

This record demonstrates an interesting confounding factor for translating Polish records from the Latin into English. The given names in this record are written in Latin (Mathias, Catharina, Laurentius, Simon). I've chosen to translate these names into Polish, rather than English, but I easily could have done either:

Latin = Polish = English
Mathias = Maciej = Matthew
Catharina = Katarzyna = Katherine or Catherine
Laurentius = Wawrzyniec = Lawrence
Simon = Szymon = Simon
Hedwig = Jadwiga = Hedwig

The surnames are actually written in Polish, since there really is no Latin or English equivalent for surnames. Another difficulty, however, is that the surnames of women are usually feminized in Polish. In this record, two feminized surnames are Jachowa and Markowa. The male equivalents of these surnames, and the form most often used in English-speaking countries, are Jach and Marek.

When translating these records, I've decided to translate the given names and surnames from Latin into Polish, rather than into English.

Notice that this record provides the names of Katarzyna Jachowa's parents, my great great great grandparents: Wojciech Jach and Jadwiga Marek. Unfortunately, the record does not provide the names of the parents of my great great grandfather, Maciej Sowa.

For more details on Polish first names, refer to the Big Book of Names.

Marriage Record for Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa

Steve — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:20:59 +0000

Marriage Record for Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa

PDF

Steve — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:21:35 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Maciej Sowa and Katarzyna Jachowa

Oral History from Janice Niedzialkowski

Steve — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 06:30:01 +0000

My Uncle Fred Niedzialkowski married Janice Quintin in 1948 and they spent the rest of their lives together. Uncle Fred died on 23 January 2005. Aunt Janice was big on genealogy. She had a huge chart of her own ancestry hanging on a wall in her house and at least two huge binders full of documents relating to her family.

Janice Virginia (Quintin) Niedzialkowski, 1925-2005

In February 2005, a month after Uncle Fred died, I was in Massachusetts for a weeklong genealogy research trip. I stopped in to visit Aunt Janice while I was there and she and I talked quite a bit about family history. She told me a lot of family stories I had never heard before. Since I didn't have a voice recorder, I took notes. Here are some of the stories Janice told me on 20 February 2005. To make things a bit easier, let me note here that my Niedzialkowski grandparents were known to everyone as "Ma" and "Pa". All notes in square brackets are my own comments.

Ma's sister Stefania was a nun - she lived in Worcester. Ma went to clean Stefania's house twice a week. Ma always had tape on her fingers - she cleaned rooms at the hotel - it was called the Bancroft Hotel then - and her fingers were cracked and bandaged. With her earnings from the hotel, Ma paid for the house on Barnes Ave. herself. Pa worked at Worcester Pressed Steel. He carried a big long wrench with him all day, but I don't know what he did. He wore a white shirt and bib overalls. He called his car his "Budick" [Buick]. He couldn't afford antifreeze, so in the winter he drained the radiator every night and put fresh water in the next day. When asked about her life in the old country, Ma said "I never want to go back there again. There was so much misery" and when pressed on what life was like in Poland, Ma just said "Don't talk foolish!" Ma said that in Poland they had dirt floors in their house. Ma said her father had a horse and wagon. It tipped over and he was afraid that the horse was injured. Ma's scalp was a mess. She said in Poland that she kept her hair in braids - Ma had clips in the braids. She got too close to the fire and her hair caught fire. When Ma came to the United States, she traveled in steerage and when she arrived at Ellis Island, she was too sick to even care about her belongings. Ma had a place to stay her in Worcester when she came - Pa stayed at Sky Farm. Ma and Pa had a grocery store on Prescott Street, and the family lived upstairs from the store. If Pa had two customers in the store he would bang on the pipes to get Ma to come down to help him. They went out of business because they extended credit to everyone during the depression, but nobody could pay. Ma said she lost a child before Nat and another after Henry. [The next entries refer to Pa's Niedzialkoski cousins from Sky Farm] Joe Niedzialkoski married a school teacher. They had kids. Joe was deaf. Andrew was a good guy - he came to Ma's funeral and Pa's funeral. John borrowed $20,000 from the government to start his own farm. He walked off his father's farm because his parents wouldn't accept his girlfriend who was Swedish. When he went out, he took the cow with him and left. He never went back except for his parents' funerals. When John Sr. died, John Jr. inherited the house. His mother still lives there. They put in an artificial pond and another house with horses. He's done well. He's the only boy. Fred worked at Sky Farm. He wasn't paid, but he ate well. They had ducks, geese, chickens, lambs, and Elsa [Janice's sister] would take her children up there. They had no heat in the house [at Sky Farm] and no indoor plumbing. The mother ruled the roost. The kids would get dressed and run out to the barn to get warm between the cows. Fred would go on the milk route. He never got paid but he got a good breakfast. [Janice now began to talk about her own family] Fred was born on Endicott Street. I was born at home at 8:15 AM. I was 22 and Fred was 23 when we got married. Fred tried to go to Art School in New York, but couldn't get in. He won $100 for designing a toilet cover in plastics at Worcester Art Museum when he went to school. The curator of the Art Museum said "Never let him put his brushes down", but Fred never picked up a brush again. My brother could do woodworking, and Fred learned to do woodworking. We had a flat that was alive with cockroaches. It took 14 pounds of plaster to repair the walls. It was a $12 per month cold water flat. It had a collapsible bathtub. We heated water on the stove. That's where we learned how to paper walls. From 1948-1949 we lived at 10 Denny Street in Worcester, then we moved to 41 Cutler Street, then to 719 Main Street in Clinton. A train used to go by overhead on Main Street in Clinton. Then we moved to Gifford Drive. The time the tornado came through, there was no wind, no birds, the sky was yellow. I called my mother who said "Fred will be home all right". He got home at 9 PM. The tornado took all the paint off the car. We bought it brand new - it was a '49 Plymouth. The car lasted through all that. I couldn't wait to get away from the stairs at the old house on Gifford Drive. We started to clean the multiple layers of paint off the woodwork. My mother would take care of the kids and I'd strip the paint off and sand it. It was colonial maple. Part of that time, Fred was in the hospital with TB. The only thing that wasn't refinished was the bathroom. When we bought the house on Gifford Drive, we put $10 down on a dirty table in their kitchen. We had a sweet little kitten. Jimmy [Fred and Janice's son] went fishing and left the pole in the hall. The cat bit into the hook. I took the cat to the vet. The vet said "Come back in an hour". I went back for kitty, and the cat was a rag from the anesthetic. I paid the vet bill and put kitty on the back seat. The floor of the car was rusted through and the cat fell through the floor. Fred went out and beat the bushes to find the cat, but all he found was poison ivy. [Janice now switched to talking about Fred's brothers and sisters] Mary [the wife of Fred's brother Ray Niedzialkowski] was one of 11 children. Her father graduated from high school in Dorchester or somewhere near. For a graduation present he got a trip to Ireland. He met Hannah [his future wife] there and married her within weeks. They came back to the United States after Mary was born. Nat worked for a lawyer - she always looked nice. One of Ralph's [Nat's husband] sister's sons died early from cancer. Jane would go downtown at Christmastime with a buck and spend 19 cents for a toy Christmas present. Ray would go to the dump and find something with wheels on it to make a toy with. [and finally, Janice talked about the last time she saw Fred before he died] When Fred was taken out of the house the last time on a stretcher, he said "I've got the Power and Light bill paid but it needs a stamp on it". I said "I'll put two". Fred said "No, just one".

Aunt Janice died on 05 April 2005, just a little over a month after I wrote all this down.

Janice Niedzialkowski

Steve — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 08:23:35 +0000

Janice Niedzialkowski

Friday at the Family History Library

Steve — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 03:37:46 +0000

I'm in Salt Lake City, spending two intense days in the Family History Library. Today, it seemed like my research was running pretty cold. I spent four hours trying to find the Skowronski family in the microfilmed church records from Poland without much luck. Then, this evening, when I was looking for Niedzialkowski ancestors, I found a few new records for people I already had in my database, and I found three new children of one of my ancestral great grandparents (I don't remember how many greats). It's now 8:35 PM and the staff here at the Family History Library is getting ready to escort everyone out the door at 9:00 PM. Tonight was the big ceremony to turn on the Christmas lights in Temple Square, so I'm sure the streets outside are busy with holiday shoppers and those just viewing the lights.

Saturday at the Family History Library

Steve — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 02:56:50 +0000

Today was my second and last day at the Family History Library. I can say that, in the past two days, I have added a few names to my Niedzialkowski family line (two more children of my great great great great grandparents), and i added more details about the lives of some people already in my database. Also, in response to a request, i took a few photographs, both inside and outside of the Family History Library. I was told I could take all the photographs I wanted inside the library, as long as I only take photographs of people who consent to being photographed. Those photos will have to wait until i get home so I can upload them to the server. I also managed to finish the final exams for two of the genealogy courses I'm taking through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies - Canadian Census Records Part 2, and US Probate Records. And, yes, I think I did very well on the final exams, thank-you for asking. Sunday will be a relaxing day for me. I might even take the opportunity to read the Sunday paper and have room service deliver breakfast. Then, it's back home to sort out the information I found while I was here. To tell the truth, I haven't finished sorting out the information I collected from the last two trips I made to Salt Lake City! I have another hour before the Family History Library closes for the evening. Just enough time to make sure I have all my sources correctly cited!

Back from Salt Lake City

Steve — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 06:30:51 +0000

I just returned from Salt Lake City. I'll go into detail about my research there in the upcoming days. For now, here are photographs of the two libraries I visited in Salt Lake City: the venerable Family History Library, and the beautiful main branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library.

The Family History Library

The Salt Lake City Main Public Library

Family History Library

Steve — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:50:16 +0000

Family History Library

Salt Lake City Public Library

Steve — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:50:48 +0000

Salt Lake City Public Library

Inside the Family History Library

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:30:28 +0000

I generally make two trips to the Family History Library every year. I could just order the microfilms through my local Family History Center, but I enjoy the atmosphere at the Library in Salt Lake City and I can focus totally on genealogy during the few days I'm there. With all the trips I've made to Salt Lake City, I've become fairly familiar with the Family History Library and I've witnessed quite a few changes over the years. A floor plan of the library is available on the Family Search website. On my most recent trip, I asked if I could take some pictures in the Library and the staff told me that I could take pictures of anything I wanted. The only caution they made was that I shouldn't take pictures of any people unless I first obtained their permission. Since Thanksgiving weekend is a slow time for the Library, I had few problems taking pictures without people.

Computers (Main Floor)

These are the computers closest to the front entrance. The computers have a direct connection with the Family History Library Catalog and can also be used to search the web. The Family History Library has subscriptions to Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and several other online databases.

Descendants of Anne Hutchinson (Main Floor)

This impressive family tree on the main floor shows the descendants of Anne Hutchinson, including George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Stephen Douglas, Mitt Romney, and Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Microfilm Cabinets on the International Floor (B-1)

This is just one aisle of the microfilm cabinets on the International Floor. There are about eight of these rows of cabinets on this floor, with even more cabinets on the British Isles Floor (B-2), and the US/Canada films floor (second floor). Even with all these cabinets, many more films are stored in the Granite Mountain Vault and in onsite high-density storage.

Microfilm Readers on the International Floor (B-1)

These are just a few of the microfilm readers on the International Floor. Just as there are rows and rows of microfilm cabinets on three floors, there are rows and rows of microfilm readers on those same floors. If this hadn't been Thanksgiving weekend, all of these readers would have been in use.

Descendants of Anne Hutchinson

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:39:54 +0000

Descendants of Anne Hutchinson

Microfilm Cabinets

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:40:25 +0000

Microfilm Cabinets

Microfilm Readers

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:41:03 +0000

Microfilm Readers

First Floor Computers

Steve — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:41:36 +0000

First Floor Computers

Temple Square

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 06:30:20 +0000

I took these pictures in Temple Square on the day after Thanksgiving after the Family History Library closed for the evening. This was the night when the holiday lights were turned on in Temple Square and the whole downtown area was full of people.

Salt Lake Temple

The neo-gothic Salt Lake Temple is the most recognizable structure in Salt Lake City. You can see the gilt statue of the Angel Moroni on top of one of the towers.

Between the Visitors' Center and the Temple

The Temple is on the left and the Visitors' Center is on the right. In the background the tall building to the left is the LDS Church Office Building and the shorter building to the right is the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where the Family Search Center is located.

The Assembly Hall

The Assembly Hall is my favorite building in Temple Square. The gothic structure was built between 1877-1882. The pillar to the left with the golden seagull on top is Seagull Monument to commemorate an event in June 1848 when swarms of crickets (now called "Mormon Crickets") threatened the crops of the pioneers. Flocks of seagulls arrived and devoured the crickets, saving the crops.

Inside the Assembly Hall

The Assembly Hall houses a 3,489 pipe organ and is most often used for free weekly concerts. The columns (a couple can be seen under the balcony to the right) are contructed of white pine and painted to look like marble.

Assembly Hall

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:21:14 +0000

Assembly Hall

Inside the Assembly Hall

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:21:46 +0000

Inside the Assembly Hall

Between the Visitors' Center and the Temple

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:22:25 +0000

Between the Visitors' Center and the Temple

Salt Lake Temple

Steve — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:23:05 +0000

Salt Lake Temple

The Birth of Walenty Niedziałkowski-1796

Steve — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 05:30:32 +0000

While in Salt Lake City, I searched for the records of children of my great-great-great-great grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecilia Chotkowska who were married 15 November 1785 in the Krasne Parish. One Baptismal Record I found was for Walenty Niedziałkowski, born in 1796 in Mosaki Godacze. The record of his baptism is the fourth record on page 149 of the Book of Baptisms of the Krasne Church 1781-1807. [caption id="attachment_6325" align="aligncenter" width="434" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Walenty Niedziałkowski - 1796"][/caption] Click on the image to enlarge it Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Walenty Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Year 1796, Page 149

12. Mosaki Godacze, the 17th day of the month of February

I, Stanisław Opolski, CSL, pastor of Krasne, baptized an infant by the name of Walenty, the son of Thomas and Cecilia née Chodkowska Niedziałkowski, a legally married couple. The Godparents in the font were the Nobleman Jan Puszczyński and the Noblewoman Marianna Kierkowska of the Krasne Parish.

I had previously found the baptismal records for five children born to this couple, but the earliest of those occurred in 1801. This birth in 1796 is much closer to the wedding date for the couple. Still, I would have expected a birth within the first two or three years of the marriage.

Notice that no date of birth is provided. The date mentioned in this record is the date of baptism, but since most Polish infants were baptized within a day or two of their birth, the date of baptism is a good substitute for the date of birth.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:53:40 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Walenty Niedzialkowski

Baptismal Record for Walenty Niedzialkowski

Steve — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:54:32 +0000

Baptismal Record for Walenty Niedzialkowski

Why I Researched the Wrong Julianna Gutowska

Steve — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 06:00:46 +0000

A Lesson on the Genealogical Proof Standard

A couple of years ago, while searching for Polish parish records on microfilm at the Family History Library, I tried tracing the ancestry of my Niedziałkowski ancestors. I knew my grandfather was from the Szwelice parish and I was able to find the Birth and Baptismal Record for my grandfather's siblings Józef, Sabina, and Stanisław Niedziałkowski. All of their records showed that their parents (my great grandparents) were Teofil Niedziałkowski and Ksawera Zygmuntowicz. I also found the Birth and Baptismal Records for my great grandfather Teofil Niedziałkowski's siblings, Karolina, Julianna, and Franciszek Niedzialkowski. All their records showed that their parents (my great-great grandparents) were Wojciech Niedziałkowski and Julianna Gutowska. I wasn't able to find the Birth and Baptismal record for either my grandfather or my great grandfather, but I knew I was following the correct family because the information in the Polish parish records agreed with information I already had obtained from family records and Massachusetts vital records. With certainty I was on the right track, I looked for the Birth and Baptismal Record for my great-great grandmother, Julianna Gutowska, born in about 1836. I searched the Szwelice parish records and found a Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Gutowska. Translated from the Polish, the record states:

94 Głodki This happened in the church-owned village of Szwelice on the 17th / 29th day of December 1836 at one o’clock in the afternoon. Mikołaj Gutowski presented himself, age 27, from Głodki, in the presence of Maciej Chrzanowski, age 40, and Kasper Trościński, age 60, from Głodki, and he showed us a female child born in Głodki yesterday at four o’clock in the morning, born to his wife Rosalia née Biedrzycka, age 18. At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Julianna, and her Godparents were Stanisław and Maryanna Trościński. This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses and signed only by us, because those appearing and the witnesses mentioned in this document cannot write. Rev. Ignatius Kołakowski, Pastor of Szwelice

Well, it looked like I found the Birth and Baptismal Record for my great-great grandmother! She was born in the right year in the same parish as my Niedziałkowski ancestors. I merrily researched the families of Mikołaj Gutowski and Rozalia Biedrzycka without much difficulty since this line was well documented in the Szwelice records. Then I found another record - the Death Record for my grandmother, Julianna née Gutowska Niedziałkowska. Translated from the Russian, this record reads:

№ 38. Pomoski

This happened in the village of Szwelice on April 13th / 26th 1900 at 12 Noon. Wojciech Niedziałkowski, the husband of the deceased, age 65, and Piotr Napierkowski, age 60, farmers living in Pomaski, appeared and stated that on April 12th / 25th of this year at 4 o’clock in the morning in Pomaski, Julianna Niedziałkowska died, age 67, born in Warsaw, Holy Cross parish, and living with her husband as a farmer woman in Pomaski, the daughter of the deceased Wojciech and Anna née Jabłonowski Gutowski. She is survived by her husband, the widower Wojciech Niedziałkowski. After eyewitness testimony on the death of Julianna Niedziałkowska, this document was read to the declarant, who is illiterate, and was signed by us alone. Id. Administrator of the parish of Szwelice, Assistant Pastor, Keeper of the Documents of the Civil State -.

Father [Sędzicki]

At this point, everything fell apart. I was certain this was the Death Record for my great-great grandmother. However, it states that Julianna's parents were Wojciech Gutowski and Anna Jabłonowski and that Julianna was born in Warsaw, Holy Cross Parish. I had been researching the wrong family!

I have not yet found the Birth and Baptismal Record for Julianna Gutowska. Like many of my other ancestors, her records have eluded me. I searched the Baptismal Records for Holy Cross Parish in Warsaw, but that parish is extremely large, performing thousands of baptisms a year - and the records aren't indexed - and the records are in Russian.

The lesson here is don't assume someone is your ancestor just because they have the right name and were born at what you think was the right time and place. I have since learned that the Genealogical Proof Standard requires much more.

A Polish proverb says:

"Nauka nie poszła w las."

Literally, this is translated as "The lesson didn't go into the forest". It means "The lesson has not been forgotten".

How Christopher Became the Family's Youngest Genealogist

Steve — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:37:00 +0000

As far as I know, Christopher, my first cousin twice removed, is my family's youngest genealogist. He started researching his ancestry when he was about 9 years old, and now that he's in high school he's become quite an accomplished genealogist. He wrote an article for this blog explaining how he got involved in researching his family history. Here is his story:

I began researching my family almost eight years ago now. The earliest notebook I have is dated October 1998- that’s the month that one night at dinner I showed my grandparents a list I had been making of all of the relatives in my family that I knew of. It was at that time that my step-grandfather brought out his pedigree that traced his family history back into the 1700s, and that’s how it all began. At that time I began picking the brains of all of my relatives, I was only about nine years old. When I began doing my research I began on my mother's side because the information was more readily accessible to me than my fathers side. My mothers mother luckily had already collected some information from relatives in the early 1990s before my great-grandmother and her brother Paul Charron had died. She also had a list of rough birthdates and death dates from her uncle Joe Danko for members on her fathers side. The information that my grandmother had was the basic facts that I used to start my research on my mothers side of the family. One night in 1999 my mother received a phone call from her cousin Stephen Danko, who was working out a family tree for his father. I wonder if he was surprised when she had told him that her ten year old son could give him more information about her own family than she could. Every now and than Steve and I chat to keep each other up-to-date on our family. Steve even helped me in researching information on sides of my family that he is not a relative of. He has been very helpful and my family tree wouldn’t be nearly as plentiful as it is without his most appreciated help and research. I have learned a lot about Genealogy just by searching for family members online, at courthouses, churches, and cemeteries and by interviewing family members. About five years ago I found a distant cousin and fellow genealogist Kelly Townsend through Ancestry.com. She had traced my mother's maternal grandmother's family back into the late 1500s in France. We began chatting, and after about a year of correspondences we finally met at a cemetery where our relatives were buried. About a year afterwards my grandparents, grandaunt, and I attended the Patenaude Family Reunion in Montreal, Canada. Kelly is just one of a few of my distant cousins that I have found. While looking into standard ways of documenting sources, I realized that Family Tree Maker is a savior at documenting sources. Without that software my information would probably never be as organized as it is. Sometimes I think to myself, if I have gotten this far and I’m only seventeen now, imagine how much more I will know and understand about my family years from now. Genealogy has even gotten me interested in learning about genetics! Researching the history of my family has also taught me to appreciate my own family more, and I will continue to study my family history because after all it is a project that can never be complete.

Christopher and I get together now and then to compare notes and do some collaborative research in New York or Massachusetts. Since I live in California and Christopher lives in Florida, we usually meet at the ancestral family homestead in Albany, New York. Both Christopher and I grew up in the same house in Albany, although the times each of us lived there were separated by 29 years. Christopher probably knows when his great grandfather bought the house the Albany (I think it was in the 1940s). The house is still in the family; it's now owned by Christopher's older brother William. At age 17, Christopher has 8 years of genealogy research experience under his belt, and his family history research has led to a new interest in genetics. Perhaps Zoe Williams should interview Christopher for her column someday.

The Birth of Jan Wojciech Niedziałkowski - 1797

Steve — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 06:30:24 +0000

While searching for the records of children of my great-great-great-great grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chodkowska, I found the Baptismal Record Jan Wojciech Niedziałkowski, born in 1797 in Mosaki Godacze. The record of his baptism is the second record on page 160 of the Book of Baptisms of the Krasne Church 1781-1807. [caption id="attachment_6332" align="aligncenter" width="307" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jan Wojciech Niedziałkowski - 1797"][/caption] Click on the image to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Jan Wojciech Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Page 160, Year 1797

49 Mosaki Godacze the 12th day of July

I, Stefan Nożewski parish priest of Krasne baptized a male infant by the name of Jan Wojciech, the son of Tomasz and Cecylia née Chodkowska Niedziałkowski, a legally married couple. The Godparents were Jakub Mossakowski and Marianna Kinkowska.

As with the Baptismal Record for Walenty Niedziałkowski, no date of birth is provided. The date mentioned in this record is the date of baptism, but since most Polish infants were baptized within a day or two of their birth, the date of baptism is a good substitute for the date of birth.

The fact that this child was given two names is rather unusual in Polish records, but not unheard of. Wojciech is generally accepted as the Polish equivalent of the English name Albert or Adalbert.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 08:47:18 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Jan Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Baptismal Record for Jan Wojciech Niedzialkowski

Steve — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 08:47:59 +0000

Baptismal Record for Jan Wojciech Niedzialkowski

The Birth of Anna Niedziałkowska - 1798

Steve — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 06:30:08 +0000

While searching for the records of children of my great-great-great-great grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska, I found the Baptismal Record Anna Niedziałkowska, born in 1798 in Mosaki Godacze. The record of her baptism is the second record on page 167 of the Book of Baptisms of the Krasne Church 1781-1807. [caption id="attachment_6348" align="aligncenter" width="423" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Niedziałkowska - 1798"][/caption] Click on the image to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Anna Niedziałkowska. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Page 167

44 Mosaki Godacze, the 29th of July 1798

I, Maciej Milewski, CRL, baptized a female by the name of Anna, daughter of the well-born Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia, a legally married couple. The Godparents were the well-born Józef Grabowski and the well-born Małgorzata Kierzkowska, an unmarried woman.

As with the Baptismal Records I've found from this time period, no date of birth is provided. Properly, this article should be entitled "The Baptism of Anna Niedziałkowska". The date mentioned in this record is the date of baptism, but since most Polish infants were baptized within a day or two of their birth, the date of baptism is a good substitute for the date of birth.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 07:41:21 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record of Anna Niedzialkowska

Baptismal Record of Anna Niedzialkowska

Steve — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 07:42:10 +0000

Baptismal Record of Anna Niedzialkowska

The Birth of Józef Niedziałkowski

Steve — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:30:16 +0000

While in Salt Lake City a week ago, I found the Baptismal Record for Józef Niedziałkowski, born in 1801 in Mosaki Godacze. He is the son of my great-great-great-great grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chodkowska. The record of his baptism is record 39 for the year and the second record on page 202 of the Book of Baptisms of the Krasne Church 1781-1807. [caption id="attachment_6357" align="aligncenter" width="299" caption="The Birth and Baptismal Record of Józef Niedziałkowski - 1801"][/caption] Click on the image to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Józef Niedziałkowski. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Page 202

39 Mosaki Godacze, the 5th Day of July in the Year 1801

I, Andrzej Roman, Canon Regular of the Laterans, baptized an infant by the name of Józef born on [illegible] day, the son of the Noble Tomasz and Cecylia née Chotkowska Niedziałkowska, a lawfully married couple. The Godparents in the Sacred Font were the Noble Augustyn Obydzieński and Małgorzata Kierzkowska.

As compared to the Baptismal Records for the children previously born to Cecylia Chodkowska and Tomasz Niedziałkowski, this record apparently has a reference to the actual date of birth. The word after "natum die" may tell when Józef was born. Unfortunately, I can't tell what that word is. The only thing I'm relatively sure of is that the word is not "hodie" meaning "today".

Notice, too, that the priest referred to Tomasz and Cecylia as "Noble". This probably doesn't mean that they had any high status in Poland, but rather that they owned land in the village. They probably belonged to the "lesser nobility".

PDF

Steve — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 08:02:38 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Jozef Niedzialkowski

Baptismal Record for Jozef Niedzialkowski

Steve — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 08:03:37 +0000

Baptismal Record for Jozef Niedzialkowski

The Marriage of Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska

Steve — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 06:15:05 +0000

My great-great-great-great grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chotkowsa were married in 1785 in the Church in Krasne, Poland. Theirs was the 20th marriage in Krasne that year. [caption id="attachment_6285" align="aligncenter" width="368" caption="The Marriage Record of Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chodkowska - 1785"][/caption] Click on the image to enlarge it. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chodkowska. Translated from the Latin, the record shows that:

20. Mosaki Rukle, the 15th day of November 1785

I, Jan Napierkowski CRL pastor of Krasne: a Marriage Contract between the Nobles Tomasz Niedziałkowski, an unmarried man from the village of Kłonowo of the Pałuki Parish, and Cecylia Chotkowska, an unmarried girl from the village of Mosaki Rukle of the Krasne Parish, immediately following the presentation of three banns before the people to the divine audience of the congregation made in the Krasne Parish Church as well as in the Pałuki Parish Church in order that no testimony shown on either part stands as an impediment being free in appearance the Church confirms and blesses. The witnesses present were the noble Adam Łyczkowski, the noble Stanisław Milewski, and the noble Wiktor Chrzanowski, and a number of others.

Of particular interest is the fact that Tomasz Niedziałkowski was from a different parish, explaining why I could not find earlier records for the Niedziałkowskis in the Krasne Parish.

UPDATE (24 June 2007): Thanks to an email from Agnieszka, the correct spelling of Tomasz Niedziałkowski's parish is Pałuki. The Family History Library has microfilmed records from this parish from 1658-1904, opening up a whole new set of records for me to search! I have now found both the village of Klonowo and the parish of Pałuki on a map.

The name of the month is shown as 9bris, an abbreviation referring to November. While one might expect that the 9th month should be September, the number nine refers to the Latin word for nine - novem, and the fact that November was once the ninth month of the year. In fact, the last four months of the year take their names from the Latin numbers seven through ten:

September - septem - seven October - octo - eight November - novem - nine December - decem - ten

I had a bit of trouble translating this document. I suspect this is because my high school Latin is rusty, but it doesn't help that I don't have a proper Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin (in case anyone is wondering what they should get me for Christmas).

Marriage Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska

Steve — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 07:29:39 +0000

Marriage Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska

PDF

Steve — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 07:30:20 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska

Grave Arthur Closeup

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:56:45 +0000

Grave Arthur Closeup

Grave Arthur Distant

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:57:30 +0000

Grave Arthur Distant

Grave Arthur Entire

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:58:23 +0000

Grave Arthur Entire

Grave Arthur Plaque

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:59:07 +0000

Grave Arthur Plaque

Gibson Monument 2005

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 05:42:01 +0000

Gibson Monument 2005

President Chester A. Arthur's Grave in Albany Rural Cemetery

Steve — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 05:45:55 +0000

Chris at the Genealogue wrote about this year's White House Christmas Ornament in honor of former president Chester A. Arthur. In particular, he wrote about how Peter Hess, the head of Albany Rural Cemetery, was outraged by the biographical information about President Arthur that accompanied the ornament. My Aunt Sophie Danko and her husband Clark Gibson are buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, as are my Step-Grandparents Samuel Bohok and Tekla Halaszyn, and I've visited their graves and the grave of Chester A. Arthur several times. Chester A. Arthur's monument is the focal point of the part of Albany Rural Cemetery where he is buried:

In a previous article, Chris wrote about the controversy about President Arthur's birthplace. Officially, Chester A. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont in 1830, but the New York Times issue of 22 December 1880 speculated that he may have been born in Canada. This suggestion may be rooted in the fact that the border between Vermont and Lower Canada (which became Canada East in 1841 and the Province of Quebec in 1867) was rather porous, and families tended to move back and forth without much concern that they were crossing a border.

Like Chester A. Arthur, my Aunt Sophie's husband Clark was born in Fairfield, Vermont. I have not been able to locate a birth record for Clark to substantiate his date or place of birth, although the census records document that he lived in Fairfield when he was young. Clark's grandparents were born in Lower Canada and their children were born alternately in New York and Canada East. The family finally moved to Fairfield, Vermont, where Clark was born.

Gibson Monument in Albany Rural Cemetery

The Death of Tomasz Niedziałkowski

Steve — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 06:30:46 +0000

My great-great-great-great grandfather, Tomasz Niedziałkowski, died in 1826. His was the 52nd death in the Krasne Parish that year.

The Death Record for Tomasz Niedziałkowski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Tomasz Niedziałkowski. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

52. Mosaki Godacze This happened in the church-owned village of Krasne on the seventeenth of December one thousand eight hundred twenty six at two in the afternoon there presented themselves the well-born Józef Niedziałkowski, age twenty-five and Leon Chotkowski, age twenty-five, owners of the noble part, both living in Mosaki Godzcze of the Krasne Parish and stated that on this day at seven in the morning, in his home at number three, the well-born Tomasz Niedziałkowski died, a country-squire, age seventy-two, residing in Mosaki Godacze, leaving behind his widowed wife Cecylia née Chotkowska. After visual confirmation of the death of Niedziałkowski, this document was read aloud to those appearing, of whom the first is the son of the deceased, it was signed by us those appearing to the document are unable to read.

Reverend Norbert Zalewski, Preacher, Krasne Parish

This record names the Tomasz' wife, Cecylia Chotkowska, and his son, Józef Niedzialkowski. It also names Leon Chotkowski, likely a relative of Cecylia. In this record, Józef and Leon are both described as "well-born" and "owners of the noble part" of the village, and Tomasz is described as "well-born" and "a country squire".

The record further identifies where Tomasz died: "in his home at number three", suggesting that his home may have been either close to the center of the village or at one edge of the village since the numbering of houses often started in one of those two places. In Polish villages, the houses were numbered, but the streets were not named. The house number was sufficient to uniquely identify each house.

The Priest who prepared the record described himself as "Kaznodzieja", meaning "Preacher". This is the first record in which I've seen a Polish Priest describe himself as a preacher.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 08:10:50 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski

Death Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski

Steve — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 08:11:24 +0000

Death Record for Tomasz Niedzialkowski

The Birth of Julianna Chotkowska

Steve — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 06:00:18 +0000

My great-great-great-great grandmother, Cecylia Chotkowska was born in 1767. Her sister, Julianna, was born in 1758. The record of her baptism is record 36 for the year and the third record on this page of the Book of Baptisms of the Krasne Church 1755-1781.

The Baptismal Record for Julianna Chotkowska

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Julianna Chotkowska. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

36. Mosaki Rukle

I, Jacób Pilchowski Ca: Re: Lo: on the 21st of September, baptized an infant by the name of Julianna, the daughter of the Noble Andrzej Chotkowski and Marianna née Mosakowska his wife, a lawfully wedded couple. The Godparents in the Sacred Font were the Nobles Julianna Chotkowska and Slaski of the country home Szlazy.

One problem I have had while researching my Chotkowski ancestors is that the Krasne parish has another family with a similar name: Chełchowski. In the handwriting of the time, it's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the names since the letter T and the letter ł look similar, and the letter k sometimes looks like the letter combination ch. To make matters worse, At the time Andrzej and Marianna Chotkowski were having children, another couple, Andrzej and Marianna Chełchowski, were also having children.

In fact, before I realized there were two different surnames, I copied a large number of births from the indexes before I realized that the children in my list were born less than 9 months apart! It was then I realized I was dealing with two families with similar names.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 07:07:53 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Julianna Chotkowska

Birth Record for Julianna Chotkowska

Steve — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 07:08:26 +0000

Birth Record for Julianna Chotkowska

My Genealogy Christmas Wish List

Steve — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 06:30:38 +0000

I've noticed a few genealogy bloggers have posted their Christmas wish lists and I don't want to be left out. Here's my list:

10. A Pigma Micron Pen so I can finally write the names, dates, and places on the backs of all my photographs. Pigma ink is lightfast, waterproof, permanent, and archival-safe. 9. The new edition of "The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy". 8. A Canon Digital Rebel XTi camera. 7. A digital voice recorder for recording oral histories. 6. A subscription to "Digital Genealogist". Well, it's only fair to ask for a subscription to this publication if I'm also asking for a digital camera and a digital voice recorder. 5. A Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin. And, while we're at it, let's get Simple Latin for Family Historians back in print. 4. A easy and legal way to make attractive, topographic maps onto which I can superimpose the locations where my ancestors lived, the paths of my ancestors' migrations, and the routes my relatives traveled while in the military service. Family Atlas comes close, but it's not exactly what I want. 3. An autographed copy of "How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy" by George Morgan. 2. "In Their Words: A Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin, and Russian Documents" by Jonathan D. Shea & William Hoffman, Volume III: Latin, and Volume IV: German. OK, I know they haven't been published yet, but this is a wish list! 1. The birth records for my grandparents Marianna Dziura (Dziurzyńska), Kostanty Niedziałkowski, and Helena Chmielewska.

The Descendants of Wincenty Chmielewski

Steve — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 06:30:08 +0000

Tracing my ancestors of my maternal grandmother, Helen (Helena) Meleski (Chmielewska) is one of my most difficult brick walls. The reasons this line is so difficult are that:

My grandmother never liked to talk about her past.
This line lived in what is now Lithuania and Lithuanian records are not very abundant in the Family History Library.
I'm not exactly sure where my Chmielewski ancestors lived or where the parish was.

To be honest, I do have living relatives in Lithuania. One of my cousins, Liliana, was born there but now lives in the United States. Liliana's mother is still living in Lithuania, but doesn't know much about our common ancestors, Wincenty Chmielewski and Anastasia Wojnowska. This is what I do know about the Chmielewski line. Living individuals are not represented in this chart.

Descendants of Wincenty Chmielewski

Generation No. 1
1. WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI was born in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia. He married (1) SCHOLASTYKA WOJTCZUKA before 1874. He married (2) ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA after 1886. She was born in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia. Children of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and SCHOLASTYKA WOJTCZUKA are:
2. i. JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI was born 03 Apr 1874, Wilno, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia /Lithuania, and died before 1934 in Massachusetts. ii. STEPHANIE S. MELESKI was born 07 Feb 1886, Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 Jan 1973, Worcester City Hospital/Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iii. ARTURS CHMIELEWSKI was born about 1880. iv. VINCENT CHMIELEWSKI, JR. was born about 1891.
Children of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA are:
3. v. HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA was born 15 Feb 1897, Trakai, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died 23 Nov 1980, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 4. vi. ONA CHMIELEWSKA was born 18 Jun 1899, Likiskiai, Co. Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 May 1969, Alytus, Alytaus Co., Lithuania, USSR.

Generation No. 2
2. JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI (WINCENTY) was born 03 Apr 1874 in Wilno, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia /Lithuania, and died Bef. 1934. He married KATARZYNA WARCHOL 01 Oct 1894 in Chicopee, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, daughter of JAN WARCHOL and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born between 1873 - 1880 in Poland, and died 28 Aug 1928 in Massachusetts. Children of JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI and KATARZYNA WARCHOL are:
i. HARRY JOHN MELESKI was born 03 May 1898, Holyoke, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jan 1981, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARGARET WERME, after 1930. She was born 23 Feb 1902, Massachusetts, and died 22 Apr 1983, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. FRANCIS J. CHMIELEWSKI was born 04 Oct 1901, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died before 2000. iii. HELENE RITA MELESKI was born 02 Dec 1904, Holyoke, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jun 1993, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married ZYGMUND STANLEY MIKOLOSKI, about 1929; born 21 Dec 1899, Bielsk, Powiat Plocki, Gubernia Płocka, Kingdom Poland; died 09 Oct 1972, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iv. ANTHONY P. MELESKI was born 14 Jun 1907 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 Oct 2000 in MetroWest Medical Center, Leonard Morse Campus /Natick, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married ANNA M. KOSCIUSKO, daughter of ADAM KOSCINCZYK and VALERIE HELEN BURAKIEWICZ. She was born 01 Apr 1910 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Sep 2002 in Medway Country Manor /Medway, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts. Her parents were married 21 May 1906 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. v. ANASTASIA RITA MELESKI was born 22 Feb 1911, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 01 Jan 2000, Mayflower Place Nursing Center /West Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) ALBERT FRANCIS BLACKMAN 08 May 1946 in St. Mary's Church, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of CLIFFORD A. BLACKMAN AND JANE A. GOODRICH. He was born about 1914-1915, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, and died 11 Jul 1966, 146 Cullinane Drive /Marlborough, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. His parents were married 17 Sep 1907 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) BERNARD JOSEPH IZBICKI 04 Jun 1968 in Our Lady of Częstochowa Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He was born 12 May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Apr 1985, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.
3. HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA (WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI) was born 15 Feb 1897 in Trakai, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died 23 Nov 1980 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI 10 Jul 1918 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of TEOFIL NIEDZIALKOWSKI and KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ. He was born 28 Oct 1892 in Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Lomzynskiej, Congress Poland, and died 14 Mar 1978 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of HELEN CHMIELEWSKA and KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI are:
i. JANE ANN NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 06 Oct 1922 in 194 Prescott Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Apr 1980 in St. Peter's Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York. ii. FREDERIC FRANCIS NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 26 May 1924 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 Jan 2005 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JANICE VIRGINIA QUINTIN 05 Jun 1948 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of LEOPOLD QUINTIN and CELINA FONTAINE. She was born 19 Aug 1925 in Fall River, Bristol Co., Massachusetts, and died 05 Apr 2005 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.
4. ONA CHMIELEWSKA (WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI) was born 18 Jun 1899 in Likiškiai, Co. Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 May 1969 in Alytus, Alytaus Co., Lithuania, USSR. She married JONAS SAMSANAVICIUS. He was born 28 Jan 1887 in Stakliškes, Co. Jeznas, Trakai region, Gubernia Wilenska, Lithuania, and died 17 Jul 1980 in Panevežys, Panevezio, Lithuania. Children of ONA CHMIELEWSKA and JONAS SAMSANAVICIUS are:
i. ELENA SAMSANAVICIUTE, died Abt. 1996. ii. VYTAUTAS SAMSANAVICIUS, died Oct 2000. iii. JUOZAS SAMSANAVICIUS was born Abt. 1927; died Abt. 1936.

As I look over the records I've posted so far on the Chmielewski line, I see I've rather neglected this family. I've only posted one birth, marriage, or death record for the Chmielewski/Meleski family, although I've posted cemetery records, images of gravestones, naturalization papers, and notices of change of name for this family. As I post additional records, I'll link the events listed on this page to the actual records. Despite the fact that I have so little information on my Chmielewski ancestors, my cousin Liliana has provided me with a lot of information about our cousins living in Lithuania and Russia. Since Liliana still visits her mother in Lithuania regularly, I'll have to see what I can do to travel back to Lithuania with her someday so I can walk through the ancestral family villages and visit the church archives.

The Lithuanian Villages of Butrymonys and Likiskiai

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 06:30:42 +0000

My Chmielewski ancestors were from the Lithuanian villages of Butrymonys and Likiskiai. I'm not sure if the Chmielewskis were Polish or Lithuanian, but given the surnames, it's likely they were Poles who settled in Lithuania during the time when the two countries were united. These two villages are listed in the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries) as Butrymańce and Likiszki.

Slownik Entry for Butrymonys

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik entry for Butrymonys. The entry, translated from the Polish, states:

Butrymańce, 1.) a little town in the Troki Powiat [District], on the Pinsówek River, 54 versts [1 verst = 1.0668 kilometers] from Troki, 115 versts distant from Wilno [Vilnius]. There is a wooden Catholic church under the name of the Redeemer, erected by the Reverend Jezierski, a sister parish to Punia: 1834 souls. Butrymańce is famous for its fair and for the manufacture of gingerbread. There are 2400 inhabitants. It is the property of Count Józef Tyszkiewicz; in the year 1850 it was the property of the Bogateks, the Wnorowskis, and the Morawskis. The township of Butrymańce totals 521 houses, 6798 peasants under wages, the local government is in Butrymańce. The township consists of 7 rural districts and 73 villages. The districts are: 1) Butrymańce, 2) Ajciuny, 3) Punie, 4) Girejkańce, 5) Krążnńce, 6) Skrejciany, 7) Piwoszuny. The circumference of the village of Butrymańce totals in its area the little village of Butrymańce, the villages of Gryszkańce, Pieskuńce, Płasowniki, Kasperzyszki, Trokieniki, Mażuńce; the area of Rejż. Butrymańce has a post office on the Koszendary-Hanuszyszki road. 2.) Butrymańce, a village in the Lidzki Powiat, the Catholic church of Saint Michael is there, erected of wood by the Baron Schrotter, a chapel of Bieniakoski. F.O.

SOURCE: Sulimierski, Filip, Bronisław Chlebowski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1880, Volume I, page 484. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Słownik Entry for Likiskiai

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik entry for Likiskiai. The entry, translated from the Polish, states:

Likiszki, a village in the township of Butrymańce, Trocki Powiat [District], the 4th administrative circuit, 48 versts [1 verst = 1.0668 kilometers] from Troki, 5 homes, 42 inhabitants of which 41 are Catholic, and 1 is Orthodox.

SOURCE: Sulimierski, Filip, Bronisław Chlebowski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1884, Volume V, page 230. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

The Słownik generally indicates the location of the parish church, and for Butrymonys (Butrymańce), it appears that the parish is located in Butrymonys itself, although there is a reference to a sister parish in Punia. Oddly enough, there is no reference to the location of the parish church for Likiskiai (Likiszki).

Finally, the reason there are two spellings for the names of these villages is simply that the current locations are spelled in Lithuanian, but the Słownik spellings are Polish.

Slownik Entry for Butrymance

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 07:53:17 +0000

Slownik Entry for Butrymance

Slownik Entry for Likiszki

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 07:54:00 +0000

Slownik Entry for Likiszki

PDF

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 07:54:59 +0000

PDF of the Slownik Entry for Likiszki

PDF

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:06:19 +0000

PDF of the Slownik Entry for Butrymance

The Death of Harry Meleski

Steve — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:30:17 +0000

My grandmother's half-nephew, Harry Meleski, was a prominent attorney in Worcester, Massachusetts. His Death Certificate is filed with the City of Worcester, with a copy to the State of Massachusetts. I obtained this copy from the State of Massachusetts, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

The Death Certificate for Harry J. Meleski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Certificate for Harry J. Meleski. The record states that:

Harry J. Meleski was born on May 3, 1898 in Massachusetts and Died January 8, 1981 in Hahnemann Hospital, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Harry's wife was Margaret Werme
His residence was 33 Hill Top Circle, Worcester, Massachusetts
His occupation was Retired Attorney for the City of Worcester
His parents were Joseph Meleski and Katherine Warchol, both born in Poland
Harry was buried in Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on January 12, 1981 by A J Jozefowski of Alexander Memorial Chapel at 52 Ward Street, Worcester
An autopsy was performed
Harry died as a result of respiratory failure, due to weeks of aspiration pneumonia, as a consequence of Parkinson's Syndrome
Harry also suffered from benign prostatic hypertrophy
Harry's death was certified by Leonard Morse, MD

Harry and his wife died childless. Their grave has been largely neglected.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 07:53:42 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Certificate for Harry Meleski

Death Certificate for Harry Meleski

Steve — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 07:54:15 +0000

Death Certificate for Harry Meleski

Copy of Record of Birth for Harry Chmielewski

Steve — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:36:33 +0000

Copy of Record of Birth for Harry Chmielewski

Birth Register for Harry Chmielewski

Steve — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:37:24 +0000

Birth Register for Harry Chmielewski

The Birth of Harry Chmielewski

Steve — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:42:56 +0000

Harry Chmielewski was born in the year 1898 at a time when births in Massachusetts were recorded by the state in a register. These registers were microfilmed by the Massachusetts State Archives and the quality of the microfilm record is rather poor. For a charge of three dollars, the Massachusetts Archives provided me with a photocopy of the microfilmed record and a certified Copy of Record of Birth. When I compared the two documents, I found that the Copy of Record of Birth is an accurate and complete transcription of the actual register.

Copy of Record of Birth of Harry Chmielewski

The Birth Register for Harry Chmielewski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record of Harry Chmielewski. The record states that:

Harry Chmielewski was born at 8 Oliver St., Holyoke, Massachusetts on May 3, 1898
Harry was a white male
His father was Joseph Chmielewski, a laborer from Russia
His mother was Katie Varchol from Austria
The record is from the Register of Births for 1898, Volume 475, Page 735, Number 577

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts State Archives. Record of Birth. Worcester County. 1898. Volume 475, Page 735, Number 577. Harry Chmielewski.

While the Copy of Record of Birth is a complete and accurate transcription of the register, other documents indicate that the correct spelling of Harry's mother's maiden name is Warchol, not Varchol.

Harry's father was Joseph Chmielewski, my grandmother's half brother and Stefania Chmielewska's full brother. Harry is my half-first cousin, once removed.

Harry Chmielewski's surname was later changed to Meleski.

The Birth of Anthony Chmielewski

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:30:44 +0000

While I don't have any information on my Chmielewski ancestors further back than my great grandparents, I do have a number of documents from the descendants of my great grandparents, most of which are from the State of Massachusetts. The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) has posted a database of Massachusetts Vital Records up through 1910 and has digitized and linked many of the original documents to the database. The database is restricted to members and access to this database is only one of the many reasons I faithfully renew my membership each year. One remarkable aspect of the digitized records on the NEHGS website is that the images are apparently digital photographs of the original registers, not just digitized versions of the microfilms. The microfilm copies of these registers are generally of poor quality, but the digitized images at NEHGS are excellent. Compare the image in today's post with that in yesterday's post to see the difference. One of the records I found recently was that for Anthony Chmielewski, a younger brother of Harry Chmielewski.

The Birth Register for Anthony Chmielewski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Register for Anthony Chmielewski. The record states that:

Anthony Chmielewski was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on June 14, 1907
Anthony was a white male
His father was Joseph Chmielewski, a laborer from Russia, Poland
His mother was Katie Kwarket from Russia, Poland
The record is from the Register of Births for 1907, Volume 568, Page 475, Number 659

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts State Archives. Record of Birth. Worcester County. 1907. Volume 568, Page 475, Number 659. Anthony Chmielewski.

The maiden name of Anthony's mother is listed as Katie Kwarket. Most records list her maiden surname as Warchol.

These registers were not completed at the time of the event. They were prepared periodically from the records accumulated over a number of months. This record is an exact image of an original document. I consider this record to be an original source of primary birth information for Anthony Chmielewski, but because these records may have been compiled several months after the actual events by people not present at the event, is the birth information really secondary, rather than primary?

Birth Register for Anthony Chmielewski

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 06:49:21 +0000

Birth Register for Anthony Chmielewski

PDF

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 06:56:11 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Anthony Chmielewski

PDF

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 06:59:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Harry Chmielewski

Niewiem Left

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 22:47:18 +0000

Niewiem Left

Niewiem Right

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 22:49:44 +0000

Niewiem Right

Perhaps He Just Didn't Know

Steve — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 23:02:25 +0000

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.

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.

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.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 05:48:14 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Left

Steve — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 05:49:14 +0000

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Left

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Right

Steve — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 05:49:46 +0000

1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household - Right

John Rawding in the 1901 Census of Canada

Steve — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 05:51:54 +0000

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 Side)

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 1901 Census Record for the John Rawding Household. 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.

James Rawding Crosses the United States - Canada Border

Steve — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 06:30:01 +0000

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.

Detroit Card Manifest for James Rawding, Front

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 attached PDF file. 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.

Allister Rawding Registers for the World War I Draft

Steve — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 07:01:04 +0000

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 - 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 Allister Rawding. 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 microfilm 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.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:39:14 +0000

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Front

Steve — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:40:06 +0000

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Front

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Back

Steve — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:40:43 +0000

PDF of the Border Crossing Record of James Rawding Back

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

Steve — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 06:47:44 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

Steve — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 06:48:07 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 07:05:14 +0000

PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding

Not All Microfilms Are Created Equal

Steve — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:30:08 +0000

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 - 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, Microfilm No. 1684748, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration Card for Allister Rawding. I was surprised at how much clearer these images are than the same images I had downloaded from the internet. I suspect the difference in quality of the electronic images was related to the quality of the microfilm from which the electronic images were prepared.

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 the microfilm copy of a set of documents is of poor quality, there might be a better film housed at some other facility.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:42:02 +0000

PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration Card of Allister Rawding (FHL)

World War I Draft Registration Card of Allister Rawding (FHL) - Front

Steve — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:42:44 +0000

World War I Draft Registration Card of Allister Rawding (FHL) - Front

World War I Draft Registration Card of Allister Rawding (FHL) - Back

Steve — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:43:15 +0000

World War I Draft Registration Card of Allister Rawding (FHL) - Back

Is this John Rawding in the 1911 Census of Canada?

Steve — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:30:38 +0000

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 Side)

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 1911 Census Record for John Rawding. 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?

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Left

Steve — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:15:01 +0000

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Left

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Right

Steve — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:15:25 +0000

1911 Census Record for John Rawding - Right

PDF

Steve — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:16:03 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1911 Census Record for John Rawding

Assembly Hall

Steve — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:42:26 +0000

Assembly Hall

Tree of Lights

Steve — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:42:59 +0000

Tree of Lights

Salt Lake Temple

Steve — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:43:34 +0000

Salt Lake Temple

Nativity Scene

Steve — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:44:07 +0000

Nativity Scene

Happy Holidays!

Steve — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:50:04 +0000

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

Diaphanous Christmas Tree

Salt Lake Temple

Nativity Scene

Aunt Bronisława's Monument

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 06:30:36 +0000

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.

Bronisława's Monument - Front

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 map of the 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.

Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

Aerial View of Notre Dame Cemetery

Bronisława's Grave - Front

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 17:35:12 +0000

Bronisława's Grave - Front

Bronisława's Grave - Back

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 17:35:34 +0000

Bronisława's Grave - Back

Notre Dame Cemetery Aerial View

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 18:00:09 +0000

Notre Dame Cemetery Aerial View

Notre Dame Cemetery Map

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 19:59:02 +0000

Notre Dame Cemetery Map

PDF

Steve — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 20:03:21 +0000

PDF Copy of the Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

Życzę wam szczęścia i wszystkego najlepszego w nowym roku!

Steve — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 06:30:12 +0000

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.

The Marriage of Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

Steve — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 06:30:35 +0000

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.

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. 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. 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.

Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

Steve — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 09:42:47 +0000

Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

PDF

Steve — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 10:02:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Certificate for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski

The Marriage of Clifford A Blackman and Jane A Goodrich

Steve — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:30:14 +0000

After finding the Marriage Record for Albert Francis Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski, I looked for the Birth Record for Albert. Apparently Albert was born in 1915, so his birth record was not available at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics or on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). The only repository that holds the Massachusetts Vital Records for 1911-1915 is the Massachusetts State Archives, so I'll have to wait for a chance to visit the archives for this record. I then looked for the Marriage Record of Albert Blackman's parents, Clifford A Blackman and Jane A Goodrich, since their names were on the Marriage Record of Albert and Anastasia Rita. This record was on the website of the NEHGS, and as I mentioned in a previous article, the records on the NEHGS website are much superior to the microfilm images available through the Massachusetts State Archives.

Marriage Register for Clifford A Blackman and Jane A Goodrich

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Register for Clifford A Blackman and Jane A Goodrich. The record states that:

Clifford A Blackman and Jane A Goodrich were married on 17 Sep 1907 in Boston, Massachusetts
Clifford was 25 years old, this was his first marriage, he lived at 56 Francis Street in Boston, and his occupation was as an Editor
Clifford was born in Boston and his parents were Allen Blackman and Abbie F Peterson
Jane was 23 years old, this was her first marriage, she lived at 18 Sunset Street in Boston, and her occupation was listed as "At Home"
Jane was born in Everett and her parents were Charles I Goodrich and Helen C Sherlock
The couple was married by Sinon J Grogran, a priest whose residence was at 1545 Tremont Street in Boston
The marriage was recorded on 18 Sep 1907 as entry number 5259

Tomorrow: A girl named James

Marriage Record for Clifford Blackman and Jane Goodrich

Steve — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:19:31 +0000

Marriage Record for Clifford Blackman and Jane Goodrich

PDF

Steve — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 08:20:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Clifford Blackman and Jane Goodrich

PDF

Steve — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 06:43:28 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Jane A. Goodrich

Birth Record for Jane A. Goodrich

Steve — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 06:44:25 +0000

Birth Record for Jane A. Goodrich

The Birth of Jane A. Goodrich - A Girl Named James?

Steve — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 06:45:38 +0000

Jane A. Goodrich was the mother of Albert Francis Blackman and the mother-in-law of my half-cousin once-removed Anastasia Rita Meleski. Based on information in the marriage records for Albert Blackman and Anastasia Rita Meleski and for Charles I. Goodrich and Jane A. Goodrich, I was able to find Jane's Birth Record on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. However, Jane's birth record lists her first name as James.

The Birth Record for Jane A. Goodrich

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Jane A. Goodrich. The record states that:

The name of the child was recorded as James A Goodrich, a female child, born on 17 September 1883
The birth was recorded in volume 341, page 97, number 91 in the town of Everett
Jane was born in Everett
Jane's parents were Charles I. and Helen C.
Jane's father was a confectioner born in Michigan
Jane's mother was born in Indianapolis

Based on Jane's marriage record, she was born between September 1883 and September 1884, so the date is correct. The names of the parents and the location of birth are also correct. I could find no other record in Everett for the birth of a child between 1841 and 1910 with the surname Goodrich. Furthermore, although the name of the child is James A. Goodrich instead of Jane A. Goodrich, the sex of the child is listed as female.

The question now is, was Jane's name at birth really James, or did the registrar make a mistake? The older Massachusetts town vital records were not immediately recorded in the registers, and this particular register does not show exactly when this birth was recorded. The clerk who recorded the birth was almost certainly not present at the event and probably recorded births only once every three or six months.

I am relatively certain that this is the correct record of Jane's birth, despite the difference in the name.

Some Genealogical Resolutions for the New Year

Steve — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 04:59:05 +0000

The year 2006 is rapidly reaching its end, and with the advent of the New Year it's a good time to evaluate my genealogical research and prepare a research plan for the next twelve months. In no particular order, other than the order in which these thoughts come to mind, here are my genealogical resolutions for the New Year:

Complete the coursework for a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS) through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies / University of Toronto
Hire a professional genealogist in Poland to visit Dubiecko and Dylągowa parishes to help trace my Dańko and Dziurzyński ancestors there (these records have not yet been microfilmed by the Family History Library)
Renew my lapsed membership with the California Genealogical Society and volunteer to help with one of their projects (this group has transcribed an incredible number of records from the San Francisco Bay area)
Finish the transcription of Polish village names in powiat makowski for the Polish Genealogical Society of America
Record oral histories from my relatives, a big project that I think is best undertaken a little at a time, but one that I need to begin
Finish reading The Peasants by Wladysław Reymont
Attend a major national genealogical conference or genealogy cruise
Clear out "The Box" - this pile of genealogical papers has become so large that I'm convinced they're reproducing on their own
Publish an updated family history for at least one of my family lines and distribute copies to my relatives
Begin a one-name study of the Niedziałkowski surname

Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about all this! I may not accomplish all of these goals in 2007, but that's OK, too. A little at a time, bit by bit, record by record, the story of my ancestors unfolds.

The Marriage of Bernard J. Izbicki and Rita (Meleski) Blackman

Steve — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:30:01 +0000

My half first cousin once removed, Anastasia Rita Meleski, was married twice. Her first marriage was to Albert Francis Blackman, who predeceased her. In the record of her marriage to Bernard J. Izbicki, her name is listed as Rita (Meleski) Blackman.

The Marriage Record for Bernard J. Izbicki and Rita (Meleski) Blackman

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Bernard J. Izbicki and Rita (Meleski) Blackman. This record states that:

Bernard J. Izbicki was a 58 year old white man born in Worcester, Massachusetts and residing at 10 Ripley Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
He was a postal worker, and his parents were Boleslaus Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynska
Rita (Meleski) Blackman was a 57 year old white woman born in Worcester, Massachusetts and residing at 147 Cullinane Drive, Marlborough, Massachusetts
She was a social worker, and her parents were Joseph Meleski and Katherine Warchol
Bernard was divorced, Rita was widowed, and this was the second marriage for both of them
The intention of marriage was entered at Marlborough on 17 May 1968 and the certificate was issued on 24 May 1968 by Rita T. Lapine
The wedding was solemnized on 04 Jun 1968 in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in Worcester by the Right Reverend Charles J. Chwalek, a priest residing at 34 Ward Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
The certificate was received by the city or town clerk, Rita T. Lapine on 06 Jun 1968
The Registered No. was 90 and the Intention No. was 86
There is a notation that "Meds on file" (probably the medical certificate of death for Rita's first husband) and that Divorce papers on file" (Bernard's divorce)
The certificate also notes the page number 311 in Volume 49 of the Marriage Records for Marlborough in 1968, and further there is a hand written notation 14-61

The record shows that Rita was still living in the home that she and Albert Blackman shared before his death two years earlier.

The most interesting part of this marriage record, however, is that even though Bernard Izbicki was divorced, this marriage took place in a Roman Catholic Church. The only way that I think this could have happened is if Bernard's first marriage was not solemnized in the Catholic Church. Very unusual. I'll have to look for the record of Bernard's first marriage and the record of his divorce. Very unusual, indeed.

Marriage Record for Bernard Izbicki and Rita Meleski Blackman

Steve — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:14:56 +0000

Marriage Record for Bernard Izbicki and Rita Meleski Blackman

PDF

Steve — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:15:28 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Bernard Izbicki and Rita Meleski Blackman

The Death of Albert F. Blackman

Steve — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 05:30:52 +0000

Anastasia Rita Meleski's first husband, Albert F. Blackman, died on 11 Jul 1966. The Certificate of Death for Albert Blackman is not the Standard Certificate of Death. It is, rather, a Medical Examiner's Certificate of Death. I'm not sure what circumstances required a Medical Examiner's Certificate. Perhaps the fact that Albert was a relatively young, 51-year-old man when he died prompted the investigation.

Medical Examiner's Certificate of Death for Albert F. Blackman

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Medical Examiner's Certificate of Death for Albert F. Blackman. The Certificate shows that:

Albert F. Blackman, a 51-year-old white male, married to Rita Meleski, died on 11 Jul 1966 at 147 Cullinane Drive, Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Albert was a veteran of World War II and had resided at 147 Cullinane Drive for 10 years
Albert's usual occupation was as a writer for the Record American; he apparently did not have a Social Security Number
He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts; his father was Clifford Blackman who was born in Boston, Massachusetts; his mother was Jane Goodrich who was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts
The informant was his wife, Mrs. Rita Blackman of 147 Cullinane Drive, Marlboro, Massachusetts
The cause and manner of Albert's death was heart disease, presumably coronary sclerosis - he was found dead in bed
Albert's death was not an accident, suicide, or homicide, no autopsy was performed, and his death was not related to his occupation
The death was certified by R. N. Rittenhouse, M.D. of 540 Bolton St., Marlboro, Massachusetts on 11 Jul 1966
Albert was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on 14 Jul 1966 by John J. Brown & Son of 95 West Main Street, Marlboro, Massachusetts
The certificate was filed on 12 Jul 1966 by Rita T. Lapine and the burial permit was issued on 12 Jul 1966 by Peter P. Cottone, an Agent for the Board of Health
The Certificate of Death was recorded in Volume 72, Page 35 of the 1966 Death Certificates of Marlboro June 2 - Dec 30 to Medford Jan 1 - Mar 31
Miscellaneous other numbers on the Certificate include a handwritten 9-28 and a stamped number that appears to be 028935; the word MEDICAL appears in large print across the face of the document

Albert died very young. It's no wonder that Anastasia Rita remarried two years later.

The certificate states that Albert's mother, Jane Goodrich, was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, but other documents, including Albert and Anastasia Rita's Marriage Certificate and Jane Goodrich's Birth Record, state that Jane was born in Everett.

One curious statement on the Death Certificate form itself is that the Agent of the Board of Health certified that a satisfactory STANDARD Certificate of Death was filed. In fact, a Standard Certificate of Death was not filed - a Medical Examiner's Certificate of Death was filed instead.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 06:49:27 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Albert F Blackman

Death Record for Albert F Blackman

Steve — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 06:50:10 +0000

Death Record for Albert F Blackman

The Death of Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 06:30:20 +0000

Bernard Izbicki, the second husband of Anastasia Rita Meleski, died on 30 Apr 1985.

Death Record for Bernard Izbicki

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Bernard Izbicki. The record states:

Bernard Izbicki was a 74 year old white male who died on 30 Apr 1985 in Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (he did not arrive DOA)
Bernard was married to Rita M. Meleski
His usual occupation was a clerk for the post office
His social security number was 017-10-8784 and he was a veteran of World War II
His residence was 112 Redwood Lane, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts 02647
His parents were Boleslaus Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynska, both born in Poland
The informant was his wife, Mrs. Rita M. Izbicki of 112 Redwood Lane, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
Bernard was buried on 03 May 1985 in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Centerville, Massachusetts
The funeral was supervised by Edward M. Blute of Doane Beal & Ames, 160 West Main Street, Hyannis, Massachusetts
The immediate cause of death was Bilateral Cerebral and Cerebellas Infarction, 17 days before death, due to or as a consequence of Mitral Valve Disease, with a duration of years
Other significant conditions were Bullous Emphysema, Lung Infarcts, Spleen, and Kidneys
An autopsy was performed; the case was not referred to the medical examiner
Death occurred at 5:06 A.M. on 30 Apr 1985, was certified by Thomas S. Durant M.D., although the attending physician was Dr. C. Bouchet
The certifying physician was Thomas S. Durant, M.D. of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts 02114
The burial permit PO2/665 was issued on 30 Apr 1985 by E Doyon H.A.
The acting city clerk, Judith A. McCarthy received the Death Certificate in Boston on 02 May 1985

Two interesting notes: the clerk misspelled "Massachusetts" as "Massachusett" and misspelled "cemetery" as "cemetary". Perhaps I should be careful about mentioning misspellings. I've made enough of my own!

Death Record for Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:24:41 +0000

Death Record for Bernard Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:25:11 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Bernard Izbicki

The Death of Rita M. Izbicki

Steve — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 06:30:30 +0000

My half first cousin once removed, Anastasia Rita Meleski Blackman Izbicki died on New Year's Day 2000.

The Death Record for Rita M. Izbicki

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record for Rita M. Izbicki. The record states:

Rita M. Izbicki, a white female, died on January 1, 2000 in the Mayflower Place Nursing Home in Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Her Social Security Number was 013-22-3601, she was not a US war veteran
Rita was 88 years old at the time of death; she was born 22 Feb 1911 in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was the widow of Bernard J. Izbicki; she was a Social Worker for the City of Worcester, and she lived at 579 Buck Island Road, Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts 02673
Her father was Joseph Meleski and her mother was Katherine Warchol, both born in Poland
The informant was Rita's niece Joan M. Kenney of 8 King Philip Trail, Norfolk, MA 02056
Rita was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts on 11 Jan 2000 by Doane, Beal & Ames, Inc. of 160 W. main St., Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601
Rita died of Parkinson's Disease, from which she suffered for years; there were no underlying causes or significant conditions
No autopsy was performed, the case was not referred to the medical examiner, and her death was natural
Rita's death occurred on 03 Jan 2000 at 7:00 PM, as stated on the pronouncement form by Kelly Wenzel, R.N. and as certified by Edward A. Hutchinson, M.D. of 196 Higgins Crowell Road, W. Yarmouth, Massachusetts, license number 32328
The Burial Permit was issued 05 Jan 2000 by Bruce T. Murphy
The Death Certificate was received in the town of Yarmouth by Jane E. Hastings on 05 Jan 2000

This Death Certificate provides a clue to another relative: Joan M. Kenney, Rita's niece.

The Death Record for Rita M Izbicki

Steve — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:25:00 +0000

The Death Record for Rita M Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:25:48 +0000

PDF of the Death Record for Rita M Izbicki

Application for Social Security Account Number for Anastasia Rita Meleski

Steve — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:30:14 +0000

Anastasia Rita Meleski applied for a Social Security Account Number in 1945.

Application for Social Security Account Number for Anastasia Rita Meleski

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Application for Social Security Account Number for Anastasia Rita Meleski. The application states:

Anastasia Rita Meleski lived at 5 Beaver Street in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was 33 years old when she applied; she was born on 22 Feb 1911 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
The name given her at birth was Anastasia Rita Meleski
Her parents were Joseph Meleski and U. Katherine Warchol
She was a white female and had not previously applied for a Social Security Account Number or a Railroad Retirement Number
Her employer was the City of Worcester Welfare Department, Worcester, Massachusetts
She applied on 15 Jan 1945 and was granted Social Security Number 013-22-3601

There are several stray marks on Anastasia Rita Meleski's application, including the initials CL at the top, the initial M in two places at the bottom, the numbers 420 and 21 to the right, and the notation "Park View Rest." on the left.

The way Anastasia Rita Meleski initially entered her name on the application was A. RITA MELESKI, indicating that she may have routinely used the name Rita instead of Anastasia at this point in her life.

The name Anastasia Rita provided for her mother was U. Katherine Warchol. This is the first time I've seen the letter "U" used in Katherine Warchol's name. Perhaps her first name is not Katherine after all. The Big Book of Names provides a number of choices for Polish first names beginning with "U". The most common I've seen is Urszula. I'll have to keep this in mind if I look for the Birth Record for U. Katherine Warchol.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:58:56 +0000

PDF Copy of the SS5 for Anastasia Rita Meleski

SS5 for Anastasia Rita Meleski

Steve — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:59:31 +0000

SS5 for Anastasia Rita Meleski

The Birth of Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:30:12 +0000

Anastasia Rita Meleski's second husband, Bernard Izbicki, was born in 1910.

Birth Record for Bernard Izbicki

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Bernard Izbicki. The record states:

The Birth Record for Bernard Izbiski is recorded in Volume 592, Page 514, Line Number 1767 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1910
Bernard Izbiski, a white male, was born on 12 May 1910 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Bernard's father was Boleslaw Izbiski, a laborer born in Russia Poland
Bernard's mother was Victoria Krutzinski, born in Russia Poland
Bernard's birth was recorded in January 1911

It's interesting to note that the names in this record are spelled differently than they are spelled in other records. In this record, the surname is spelled Izbiski, but in later records, the surname is spelled Izbicki. In this record, Bernard's father is Boleslaw, but in later records his name is spelled Boleslas. In this record, Bernard's mother is Victoria Krutzinski, but in later records her name is spelled Victoria Kruczynska.

Bernard's Death Certificate shows that the place of origin of his parents is Poland. His Birth Record is a bit more specific - it states that Bernard's parents were born in Russia-Poland.

In most of these earlier Vital Records, there are two page numbers listed - one written at the top center of the page. The one that is actually used to find the records is stamped in the upper left.

The actual image for this record was obtained from the high quality images on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. These images are just one reason why those with New England Ancestors should join the NEHGS.

Birth Record for Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:42:19 +0000

Birth Record for Bernard Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:42:54 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Bernard Izbicki

Descendants of Jozef Dańko

Steve — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:55:15 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. JÓZEF DAŃKO was born about 1717, and died 26 Oct 1787 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Child of JÓZEF DAŃKO is:

2. i. WOJCIECH DAŃKO was born between 1770 - 1772; died 28 Dec 1853, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 2

2. WOJCIECH DAŃKO (JÓZEF) was born about 1769 - 1772, and died 28 Dec 1853 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (1) MARIANNA JEDLIŃSKA 11 Nov 1793 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH JEDLIŃSKI. She was born about 1771 - 1772 and died between 1816 - 1818. He married (2) ROZALIA CHRUŚCICKA 06 Jul 1818 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JÓZEF CHRUŚCICKI. She was born about 1796 in Galicia, Austria-Poland and died before 1854. Children of WOJCIECH DAŃKO and MARIANNA JEDLIŃSKA are:

i. PAWEL DAŃKO, baptized 01 Jul 1796, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; probably died before 1799, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 3. ii. PAWEL DAŃKO, baptized 04 Jan 1799, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 31 Jul 1850, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. WIKTORIA DAŃKO, baptized 06 Dec 1800, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iv. ROZALIA DAŃKO, baptized 10 Aug 1804, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. v. MACIEJ DAŃKO, baptized 01 Jan 1808, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. STANISŁAW DAŃKO, baptized 07 May 1810, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vii. MICHAŁ DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1816, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Children of WOJCIECH DAŃKO and ROZALIA CHRUSCICKA are:

4. viii. ANDRZEJ DAŃKO, born 16 Dec 1819, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. ix. MARIA DAŃKO, born 27 Mar 1822, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. x. JAN DAŃKO, born 12 Nov 1824, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xi. JAKUB DAŃKO, born 23 Jul 1827, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xii. WIKTORIA DAŃKO, baptized 27 Jul 1830, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. xiii. ANNA DAŃKO, born 26 May 1833, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 3

3. PAWEL DAŃKO (WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was baptized 04 Jan 1799 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 31 Jul 1850 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA 20 Nov 1825 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of ANDRZEJ SZYMAŃSKI and ANNA UNKNOWN. She was born about 1808. Children of PAWEL DAŃKO and ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA are:

i. MARIANNA DAŃKO, born 13 Dec 1826, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. ii. SZYMON DAŃKO, born 17 Oct 1829, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. KATARZYNA DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1832, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iv. PAWEL DAŃKO, born 19 Jan 1835, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. v. AGNIESZKA DAŃKO, born 06 Jan 1838, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. TOMASZ DAŃKO, born 07 Dec 1840, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 5. vii. JAKUB DAŃKO, born 02 Jul 1843, Tuligłowy, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 15 Mar 1899, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. viii. JADWIGA DAŃKO, born 09 Sep 1847, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

4. ANDRZEJ DAŃKO (WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 16 Dec 1819 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married JADWIGA PANOWSKA, daughter of MARCIN PANOWSKI. Children of ANDRZEJ DAŃKO and JADWIGA PANOWSKA are:

i. ROZALIA DAŃKO, born 01 Sep 1847, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Generation No. 4

5. JAKUB DAŃKO (PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 02 Jul 1843 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 15 Mar 1899 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (1) AGNIESZKA SOWA 18 Jul 1870 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of MACIEJ SOWA and KATARZYNA JACHOWA, who were married 28 May 1844 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland. She was born 06 Jan 1855 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died between 20 Jun 1895 - 03 Sep 1896 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married (2) ZOFIA GŁOWACZ 03 Sep 1896 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAN GŁOWACZ and ZOFIA SZYMAŃSKA. She was born 15 Dec 1870 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Children of JAKUB DAŃKO and AGNIESZKA SOWA are:

6. i. MICHAEL JACOB DAŃKO, born 22 Sep 1877, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 02 Jan 1953, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. JÓZEF J. DAŃKO, born about 1880. iii. WOJCIECH DAŃKO, born 18 Sep 1882, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 7. iv. MARY AGNES DAŃKO, born 12 Jan 1884, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 18 Sep 1975, Fairlawn Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. v. JAN DAŃKO, born 18 May 1886, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. vi. KATARZYNA DAŃKO, born 21 Feb 1887, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. 8. vii. MARCIN DANKO, born 11 Dec 1890, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. viii. JULIANNA DAŃKO, born 20 Jun 1895, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland.

Child of JAKUB DAŃKO and ZOFIA GŁOWACZ is:

9. ix. PIOTR DAŃKO, born 28 Jun 1898, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died England, United Kingdom.

Generation No. 5

6. MICHAEL JACOB DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 22 Sep 1877 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 02 Jan 1953 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. He married MARIANNA DZIURZYŃSKA 14 Aug 1898 in Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAN DZIURA and MAGDALENA JARA who were married 16 Sep 1875 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. Marianna was born 14 Aug 1881 in Sielnica, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 08 Sep 1969 in St. Peter's Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America Children of MICHAEL DAŃKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYŃSKA are:

i. SOPHIA MARY DAŃKO, born 12 Jan 1901, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 06 Oct 1977, Albany, Albany Co., New York; married CLARK GIBSON, between 12 Jan - 19 Jun 1923; born 20 Jun 1894, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, United States of America; died 19 Jan 1984, Guilderland Center Nursing Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. ii. KAROL DAŃKO, born about 02 Apr 1902, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died before May 1909, Galicia, Austria-Poland. iii. JOHN JOSEPH DAŃKO, born 02 May 1905, Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland; died 30 Dec 1962, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; married ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON, 27 Jun 1935, Ste. Maries Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; born 01 Oct 1904, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; died 25 Sep 1992, St. Peter's Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. iv. STATIA FRANCES DANKO, born 13 May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 21 Oct 1979, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; married ALFRED ALOYSIUS IWANIEC, SR., 29 Sep 1934, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America; born 24 Sep 1914, Mount Vernon, Westchester Co., New York, United States of America; died 11 Sep 1964, Albany, Albany Co., New York, United States of America. v. BRONISLAWA DANKO, born 03 Jan 1912, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 13 Jan 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. vi. MICHAEL JOHN DANKO, born 13 Sep 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 19 Nov 1981, 15 Marion Avenue /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI, 12 Jul 1952, St. Marys Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 31 Mar 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 18 Oct 1996, Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. vii. BERTHA THERESA DANKO, born 28 Oct 1915, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 29 Jul 1978, The Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married GEORGE EDWARD JOSEPH MCGINN, 20 Oct 1934, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 23 Sep 1908, Fredericton, York Co., New Brunswick, Canada; died 21 Mar 1981, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. viii. MARY THERESA DANKO, born 07 Oct 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 05 Jan 1986, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married (1) NISHAN JOHN MOORADIAN, 25 Sep 1942, 118 Elm St. /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 04 Dec 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 07 Jun 1990, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts - Memorial /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; married (2) OSCAR YOUSOUFIAN, 17 May 1950, Auburn, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; born 16 Mar 1898, Erzeroum, Armenia; died 02 Jun 1973, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. ix. JOSEPH JOHN DANKO, SR., born 02 Sep 1919, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 05 Jul 1991, Medical Center of Central Massachusetts - Hahnemann /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America.

7. MARY AGNES DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 12 Jan 1884 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 18 Sep 1975 in Fairlawn Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. She married PAUL GOLIŃSKI 04 Oct 1915 in Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America, son of JAN GOLIŃSKI and MARIA DARAŻ. He was born 15 Dec 1888 in Sliwnica, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 22 Feb 1968 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. Children of MARY DAŃKO and PAUL GOLIŃSKI are:

i. VICTORIA THERESA GOLINSKI, born 19 Jul 1916, Barre, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 23 Oct 1998, St. Vincent Hospital /Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America. ii. PAWEL GOLINSKI, born 14 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America; died 15 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, United States of America.

8. MARCIN DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 11 Dec 1890 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland. He married TERESA BAL 22 May 1919 in Dubiecko, Galicia, Austria-Poland, daughter of JAKUB BAL. She was born about 1897 in Galicia, Austria-Poland. 9. PIOTR DAŃKO (JAKUB, PAWEL, WOJCIECH, JÓZEF) was born 28 Jun 1898 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died in England, United Kingdom. He married KATARZYNA CHRUŚCICKA 01 Jun 1933 in Dubiecko, Powiat Przemysl, Województwo Lwowskie, Second Polish Republic, daughter of MARCIN CHRUŚCICKI and ANNA SLIMAK. She was born 20 Mar 1905, and died in England, United Kingdom.

Descendants of Krzysztof Niedziałkowski

Steve — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 02:11:39 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. KRZYSZTOF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI married KONSTANCJA ŻABOKLICKA. Children of KRZYSZTOF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and KONSTANCJA ŻABOKLICKA are:

i. BARBARA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 31 Dec 1713 in Pałuki, Powiat Ciechanowski, Województwo Mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 2. ii. IGNACE NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 13 Feb 1718 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He died 28 Apr 1805 in Klonowo, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. iii. KAZIMIERZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 27 Feb 1722 in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 01 Mar 1722 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. iv. MARIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 14 Aug 1725 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. v. KLARA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 15 Aug 1727 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. vi. KATARZYNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 08 May 1729 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. vii. SZYMON NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and baptized 14 Oct 1731 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 3. viii. KATARZYNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 21 Mar 1734 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Generation No. 2

2. IGNACE NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (KRZYSZTOF) was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 09 Feb 1718 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and died 28 Apr 1805 in Klonowo, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. He married ZOFIA SZAMIŃSKA on 20 Feb 1846 possibly in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Children of IGNACE NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and ZOFIA SZAMIŃSKA are:

4. i. TOMASZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 20 Dec 1750 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ii. MARTINA ANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 30 Jan 1753 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

3. KATARZYNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA (KRZYSZTOF) was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 21 Mar 1734 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She married JÓZEF OBIDZIEŃSKI on 22 Nov 1751 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Children of KATARZYNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA and JÓZEF OBIDZIEŃSKI are:

i. AGNIESZKA OBIDZIEŃSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 04 Jan 1756 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ii. JÓZEFATA OBIDZIEŃSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 21 Feb 1758 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. iii. MARYANNA OBIDZIEŃSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 08 Dec 1759 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. iv. FAUSTYNA APOLONIA OBIDZIEŃSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 28 Feb 1762 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. v. JÓZEF OBIDZIEŃSKI was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 09 Mar 1764 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. vi. JÓZEFATA OBIDZIEŃSKA was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 21 Feb 1768 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Generation No. 3

4. TOMASZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born in Klonowo, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 20 Dec 1750 in Pałuki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He died 17 Dec 1826 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He married CECYLIA CHOTKOWSKA 15 Nov 1785 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, daughter of ANDRZEJ CHOTKOWSKI and MARIANNA MOSSAKOWSKA. She was born in Mosaki, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized 22 Nov 1767 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Her parents were married 13 Feb 1741 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo mazowieckie, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Children of TOMASZ NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and CECYLIA CHOTKOWSKA are:

i. WALENTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Mosaki Godacze and baptized 17 Feb 1796 in Krasne, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. ii. JAN WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Mosaki Godacze and baptized 12 Jul 1797 in Krasne, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. He died on 30 Jul 1797 in Mosaki Godacze and was buried on 30 Jul 1797 in Krasne, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. iii. ANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born in Mosaki Godacze and baptized 29 Jul 1798 in Krasne, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. iv. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Mosaki Godacze and baptized 05 Jul 1801 in Krasne, Kreise Przasnysz, Departement Plozk, New East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia. v. LUDWIKA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 24 Jun 1808 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Przasnysz, Departament Płock, Duchy of Warsaw, and died 19 Jun 1810, Mosaki Godacze, Powiat Przasnysz, Departament Płock, Duchy of Warsaw. 5. vi. ANTONI NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born in Godacze and baptized 14 Sep 1811 in Krasne, Krasne Gmina, Powiat Przasnysz, Departament Płock, Duchy of Warsaw.

Generation No. 4

5. ANTONI NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 14 Sep 1811 in Godacze, Departament warszawski, Duchy of Warsaw. He married KAROLINA MILEWSKA 23 Nov 1831 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockie, Congress Kingdom of Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH MILEWSKI and ANNA MALONKA. She was born about 1808 in Rukle, Departament warszawski, Duchy of Warsaw. She died on 05 Oct 1886 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was buried on 06 Oct 1886 in Krasne, Okręg ciechanowski, Guberniya Plotskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. Children of ANTONI NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and KAROLINA MILEWSKA are:

i. MARYANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 06 Nov 1832, Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and died 10 Jul 1833, Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. 6. ii. LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 14 Jan 1834, Mosaki Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. 7. iii. WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 27 Aug 1836 in Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 28 Aug 1836 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland He died 27 Apr 1901 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. iv. TEODOR NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 19 Jan 1839 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 20 Jan 1839 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He died 02 Nov 1840 in Mosaki Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. 8. v. MAŁGORZATA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 17 Jul 1840 in Mosaki, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and baptized 19 Jul 1840 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. She and JULIAN MILEWSKI, son of JAKÓB MILEWSKI and ELEONORA MÓRAWSKA, were married 18 Feb 1862 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He was born 08 Feb 1842 in Mosaki Stara Wieś, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 09 Feb 1842 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. 9. vi. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 02 Oct 1842 in Mosaki, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia Płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 02 Oct 1842 in Krasne, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. vii. TEODOR NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 15 Dec 1844 in Mosaki Godacze, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and baptized 15 Dec 1844 in Krasne, Powiat makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. viii. MARIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 25 Apr 1847 in Godacze, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and was baptized 27 Apr 1847 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. She died 17 Aug 1848 in Godacze, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and was buried 18 Aug 1848 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. ix. ROZALIA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 24 Jun 1849 in Godacze, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and was baptized 25 Jun 1849 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. x. TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 26 Feb 1852 in Godacze, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and was baptized 29 Feb 1852 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland.

Generation No. 5

6. LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 14 Jan 1834 in Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Województwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He and JÓZEFA POMASKA, daughter of DOMINIK POMASKI and WIKTORIA NOSARZEWSKA, were married on 21 Apr 1861 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. She was born 01 Jun 1838 in Pomaski Wielkie, Powiat makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. Children of LUDWIK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and JÓZEFA POMASKA are:

i. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 24 Oct 1862 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 25 Oct 1862 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He died 31 Oct 1862 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. ii. PETRONELLA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 09 Apr 1864 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 10 Apr 1864 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. iii. MARIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 22 Sep 1866 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 23 Sep 1866 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. iv. PELAGIA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 16 Jan 1869 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 17 Jan 1869 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. v. JOANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 15 Feb 1871 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and baptized 16 Feb 1871 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. vi. ADAM NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was baptized 22 Dec 1877 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire.

7. WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 27 Aug 1836 in Godacze, Powiat ciechanowski, Wojewódstwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 28 Aug 1836 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Wojewódstwo płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and died 27 Apr 1901 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He married JULIANNA GUTOWSKA before 1861 probably in Wojewódstwo warszawski, Congress Kingdom of Poland, daughter of WOJCIECH GUTOWSKI and ANNA JABŁONOWSKI. She was born about 1833 in Warszawa, Powiat warszawski, Wojewódstwo warszawskiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, and died 25 Apr 1900 in Pomoski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. Children of WOJCIECH NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and JULIANNA GUTOWSKA are:

10. i. TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born between Oct 1861 - May 1862 probably in Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. ii. KAROLINA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 25 Dec 1870 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 26 Dec 1870 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. iii. JULIANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 02 May 1874 in Głodki, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 03 May 1874 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. She and JAN BOLESŁAW MILEWSKI were married 12 Feb 1899 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He was born about 1876. 11. iv. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 08 Jul 1876 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 13 Jul 1876 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He died 23 Oct 1955, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA.

8. MAŁGORZATA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA (ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 17 Jul 1840 in Mosaki, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and baptized 19 Jul 1840 in Krasne, Powiat ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. She and JULIAN MILEWSKI, son of JAKÓB MILEWSKI and ELEONORA MÓRAWSKA, were married 18 Feb 1862 in Krasne, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He was born 08 Feb 1842 in Mosaki Stara Wieś, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 09 Feb 1842 in Krasne, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. Child of MAŁGORZATA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA and JULIAN MILEWSKI is:

i. MARYANNA MILEWSKA was born 17 May 1863 in Mosaki Stara Wieś, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland and was baptized 18 May 1863 in Krasne, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland.

9. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 02 Oct 1842 in Mosaki, Okręg ciechanowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He married MARIANNA GRABOWSKA 07 Jun 1865 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland, daughter of JÓZEF GRABOWSKI and ANNA RANÓW. She was born about 1833 in Mawach. Children of FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and MARIANNA GRABOWSKA are:

i. ANNA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 12 Jul 1866, Głodki, Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. ii. JÓZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 02 Apr 1869, Głodki, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire.

Generation No. 6

10. TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born Bet. Oct 1861 - May 1862 probably in Okręg makowski, Gubernia płockiej, Congress Kingdom of Poland. He married KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ before 1892 in Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. She was born between Oct 1871 and Mar 1872 in Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. Children of TEOFIL NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ are:

12. i. KOSTANTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born on 28 Oct 1892 possibly in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire, and died 14 Mar 1978, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. USA. ii. JOZEF NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 05 May 1897 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 16 May 1897 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He married (1) JÓZEFA KOLAROWIRA, 28 Jan 1928 in Groß Schöndamerau, Ortelsburg Kreis, East Prussia, Germany. He married (2) ANASTASIA CHESCHOWSKA, 12 Jul 1934 in Groß Schöndamerau, Ortelsburg Kreis, East Prussia, Germany. iii. SABINA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA was born 13 Oct 1899 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 15 Oct 1899 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. She married EDWARD NOWAKOWSKI 14 Sep 1924 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. iv. STANISŁAW NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI was born 15 Mar 1902 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized 15 Mar 1902 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He married MARIANNA DOMASZEWSKA on 15 Aug 1937 in Pułtusk, Powiat pułtuski, Wojewódstwo warszawski, Second Polish Republic.

11. FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 08 Jul 1876 in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and was baptized on 13 Jul 1876 in Szwelice, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire. He died on 23 Oct 1955 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. He married CZESLAWA BONISLAWSKA 17 Aug 1904 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA, daughter of ADAM BONISLAWSKI and PETRONELA NIEDZIAŁKOWSKA. She was born about 20 Jul 1887 probably in Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and died 10 Nov 1965 in Rutland Heights Hospital /Rutland, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. Children of FRANCISZEK NIEDZIAŁKOSKI and CZESLAWA BONISLAWSKA are:

i. EDWARD NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 22 Jun 1905, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 24 May 1964, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 13. ii. MARY M. NIEDZIALKOSKA was born 08 Jun 1907, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 27 Nov 1998, Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center /Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts, USA. 14. iii. JOHN NIEDZIAL, SR. was born 08 Jun 1914, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 30 Nov 1990, Berlin, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 15. iv. ANDREW NIEDZIALKOSKI was born 30 Nov 1916, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 16 Sep 2001, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 16. v. RALPH FRANCIS NEWMAN, SR. was born 12 Nov 1921, Clinton Hospital /Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 08 Jun 1995, Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital /Milford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 17. vi. BERNARD PAUL NIEDZIALKOSKI was born 22 Jan 1928, Carter Memorial Hospital /Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 19 Mar 1997, Leominster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA.

Generation No. 7

12. KOSTANTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI (TEOFIL, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 28 Oct 1892 possibly in Pomaski, Okręg makowski, Guberniya Lomzhinskaya, Vistulan Country, Russian Empire and died 14 Mar 1978 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. He married HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA 10 Jul 1918 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA, daughter of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA. She was born 15 Feb 1897 in Trakai, Guberniya Wilenska, Russian Empire, and died 23 Nov 1980 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. Children of KOSTANTY NIEDZIAŁKOWSKI and HELEN CHMIELEWSKA are:

i. JANE ANN NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 06 Oct 1922, 194 Prescott Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 16 Apr 1980, St. Peter’s Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. ii. FREDERIC FRANCIS NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 26 May 1924, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 23 Jan 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. He married JANICE VIRGINIA QUINTIN, 05 Jun 1948, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. She was born 19 Aug 1925, Fall River, Bristol Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 05 Apr 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA.

13. MARY M. NIEDZIALKOSKA (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 08 Jun 1907 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 27 Nov 1998 at the Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center in Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts, USA. She married STANLEY BUCHYN 1939. He was born 30 Jul 1910 in Massachusetts, USA and died 02 Nov 2001 at the Cranberry Pointe Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center in Harwich, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts, USA. 14. JOHN NIEDZIAL, SR. (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 08 Jun 1914 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 30 Nov 1990 in Berlin, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. He married MARILEA P. MORSE about 1935 in Massachusetts, daughter of EARLE MORSE and MARY PETTEE. She was born 01 Mar 1915 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 23 May 2003 at the Clinton Hospital in Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 15. ANDREW NIEDZIALKOSKI (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 30 Nov 1916 in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 16 Sep 2001 at the St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 16. RALPH FRANCIS NEWMAN, SR. (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 12 Nov 1921 at the Clinton Hospital in Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 08 Jun 1995 at the Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital in Milford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. He married JANE PHYLLIS MARCINKIEWICZ, daughter of FELIX MARCINKIEWICZ and MARY MUSZYNSKA. She was born 13 Sep 1927 at the Worcester City Hospital in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 26 Apr 1981 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. 17. BERNARD PAUL NIEDZIALKOSKI (FRANCISZEK, WOJCIECH, ANTONI, TOMASZ, IGNACE, KRZYSZTOF) was born 22 Jan 1928 at the Carter Memorial Hospital in Clinton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA and died 19 Mar 1997 in Leominster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA.

Descendants of Wincenty Chmielewski

Steve — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 02:19:58 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI was born in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia. He married (1) SCHOLASTYKA WOJTCZUKA before 1874. He married (2) ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA after 1886. She was born in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died in Gubernia Wilenska, Russia. Children of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and SCHOLASTYKA WOJTCZUKA are:

2. i. JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI was born 03 Apr 1874, Wilno, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia /Lithuania, and died before 1934 in Massachusetts. ii. STEPHANIE S. MELESKI was born 07 Feb 1886, Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 Jan 1973, Worcester City Hospital/Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iii. ARTURS CHMIELEWSKI was born about 1880. iv. VINCENT CHMIELEWSKI, JR. was born about 1891.

Children of WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI and ANASTASIA WOJNOWSKA are:

3. v. HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA was born 15 Feb 1897, Trakai, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died 23 Nov 1980, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 4. vi. ONA CHMIELEWSKA was born 18 Jun 1899, Likiskiai, Co. Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 May 1969, Alytus, Alytaus Co., Lithuania, USSR.

Generation No. 2 2. JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI (WINCENTY) was born 03 Apr 1874 in Wilno, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia /Lithuania, and died Bef. 1934. He married KATARZYNA WARCHOL 01 Oct 1894 in Chicopee, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, daughter of JAN WARCHOL and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born between 1873 - 1880 in Poland, and died 28 Aug 1928 in Massachusetts. Children of JOSEPH CHMIELEWSKI and KATARZYNA WARCHOL are:

i. HARRY JOHN MELESKI was born 03 May 1898, Holyoke, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jan 1981, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARGARET WERME, after 1930. She was born 23 Feb 1902, Massachusetts, and died 22 Apr 1983, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. FRANCIS J. CHMIELEWSKI was born 04 Oct 1901, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died before 2000. iii. HELENE RITA MELESKI was born 02 Dec 1904, Holyoke, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 08 Jun 1993, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married ZYGMUND STANLEY MIKOLOSKI, about 1929; born 21 Dec 1899, Bielsk, Powiat Plocki, Gubernia Płocka, Kingdom Poland; died 09 Oct 1972, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. iv. ANTHONY P. MELESKI was born 14 Jun 1907 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 Oct 2000 in MetroWest Medical Center, Leonard Morse Campus /Natick, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He married ANNA M. KOSCIUSKO, daughter of ADAM KOSCINCZYK and VALERIE HELEN BURAKIEWICZ. She was born 01 Apr 1910 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Sep 2002 in Medway Country Manor /Medway, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts. Her parents were married 21 May 1906 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. v. ANASTASIA RITA MELESKI was born 22 Feb 1911, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 01 Jan 2000, Mayflower Place Nursing Center /West Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) ALBERT FRANCIS BLACKMAN 08 May 1946 in St. Mary’s Church, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of CLIFFORD A. BLACKMAN AND JANE A. GOODRICH. He was born about 1914-1915, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, and died 11 Jul 1966, 146 Cullinane Drive /Marlborough, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. His parents were married 17 Sep 1907 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) BERNARD JOSEPH IZBICKI 04 Jun 1968 in Our Lady of Częstochowa Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He was born 12 May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Apr 1985, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.

3. HELEN ANNE CHMIELEWSKA (WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI) was born 15 Feb 1897 in Trakai, Gubernia Wilenska, Russia, and died 23 Nov 1980 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI 10 Jul 1918 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of TEOFIL NIEDZIALKOWSKI and KSAWERA ZYGMUNTOWICZ. He was born 28 Oct 1892 in Pomaski, Powiat Makowski, Gubernia Lomzynskiej, Congress Poland, and died 14 Mar 1978 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of HELEN CHMIELEWSKA and KOSTANTY NIEDZIALKOWSKI are:

i. JANE ANN NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 06 Oct 1922 in 194 Prescott Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 16 Apr 1980 in St. Peter’s Hospital /Albany, Albany Co., New York. ii. FREDERIC FRANCIS NIEDZIALKOWSKI was born 26 May 1924 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 23 Jan 2005 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JANICE VIRGINIA QUINTIN 05 Jun 1948 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of LEOPOLD QUINTIN and CELINA FONTAINE. She was born 19 Aug 1925 in Fall River, Bristol Co., Massachusetts, and died 05 Apr 2005 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

4. ONA CHMIELEWSKA (WINCENTY CHMIELEWSKI) was born 18 Jun 1899 in Likiškiai, Co. Butrimonys, Alytaus Region, Russia, and died 31 May 1969 in Alytus, Alytaus Co., Lithuania, USSR. She married JONAS SAMSANAVICIUS. He was born 28 Jan 1887 in Stakliškes, Co. Jeznas, Trakai region, Gubernia Wilenska, Lithuania, and died 17 Jul 1980 in Panevežys, Panevezio, Lithuania. Children of ONA CHMIELEWSKA and JONAS SAMSANAVICIUS are:

i. ELENA SAMSANAVICIUTE, died about 1996. ii. VYTAUTAS SAMSANAVICIUS, died Oct 2000. iii. JUOZAS SAMSANAVICIUS was born about 1927; died about 1936.

Descendants of John Gibson

Steve — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 06:08:51 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN GIBSON was born about 1800 in the USA, and died between 1861-1890. He married SARAH WATERS, daughter of JOHN WATERS and JEAN ALDRIDGE. She was born about 1804 in the USA. She died 02 Jan 1890 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Québec, Dominion of Canada and was buried 04 Jan 1890 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. Children of JOHN GIBSON and SARAH WATERS are:

2. i. CLARK ADOLPHES GIBSON was born 16 Oct 1823, Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Lower Canada, Province of Québec and was baptized 13 Jun 1867 in the Wesleyan Methodist Congregation, Circuit of Saint Armand, Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He died 23 Jul 1884 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and was buried 25 Jul 1884 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. ii. JAMES GIBSON was born about 1829-1830 in Lower Canada, Province of Québec. iii. MARTHA GIBSON was born about 1832-1834 in Lower Canada, Province of Québec. iv. WILLIAM GIBSON was born about 1835-1837 in Lower Canada, Province of Québec. v. SARAH GIBSON was born about 1840-1842 in Lower Canada, Province of Québec. vi. GEORGE GIBSON was born Feb 1849 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada, and may have died 18 Sep 1938 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA?.

Generation No. 2

2. CLARK ADOLPHES GIBSON (JOHN) was born 16 Oct 1823, Clarenceville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec, and was baptized 13 Jun 1867 in the Wesleyan Methodist Congregation, Circuit of Saint Armand, Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He died 23 Jul 1884 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and was buried 25 Jul 1884 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He and MARYETTE OLDS, daughter of WILLARD OLDS and HANNAH SHULTS, were married 04 Nov 1851 in the Baptist Church in Stanbridge, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada. She was born 13 May 1833 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Lower Canada, and baptized 18 Nov 1866 in the Wesleyan Methodist Congregation, Circuit of Saint Armand, Missisquoi Co., Lower Canada, Province of Canada. She died 14 Aug 1895 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. Children of CLARK GIBSON and MARYETTE VON OLDS are:

3. i. WILLARD OLDS GIBSON was born 09 Nov 1852 in Morrisville, Madison Co., New York, USA, and died 19 Oct 1931. ii. HANNAH GIBSON was born about 1853-1854 in Canada East, Province of Québec. iii. EMILY GIBSON was born about 1855-1856 in the USA. iv. EMMA GIBSON was born about 1857? in Frelighsburgh, Canada East, Province of Canada. She and NELSON W. LAKE were married 16 Jul 1879 in Highgate, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. 4. v. ADA MAY GIBSON was born 04 Aug 1859 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada, and died 12 Jan 1955 in Auburn, Placer Co., California, USA. 5. vi. ARNOLD R. GIBSON was born 17 Aug 1862 in Alburg, Grand Isle Co., Vermont, USA, and died 14 Mar 1928 in Worcester, Washington Co., Vermont, USA. vii. HATTIE GIBSON was born about 1865 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada. She and HARLEY R. RICE were married 06 Dec 1885 in Highgate, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. viii. MARTHA GIBSON was born about 1869. 6. ix. LEWIS DWIGHT GIBSON was born 24 Jan 1874 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada, and died about 1930. x. JOHN FRANK GIBSON was born about 1875-1876 in Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He died 17 Jan 1878 in St. Armand West, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada, and was buried 18 Jan 1878 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada.

Generation No. 3

3. WILLARD OLDS GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 09 Nov 1852 in Morrisville, Madison Co., New York, USA, and died 19 Oct 1931. He and HANNAH ELIZA BLANCHARD were married 08 Mar 1875 in the Wesleyan Methodist Church of the Village of Philipsburg, Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. She was born Oct 1854 in Canada East, Province of Canada. Children of WILLARD GIBSON and HANNAH BLANCHARD are:

i. WILLIAM EDWARD GIBSON was born about Mar 1877, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He died 06 Dec 1878 in St. Armand West, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada and was buried 07 Dec 1879 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. ii. JENNIE MAUD GIBSON was born 27 Jul 1879 in Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada and was baptized 13 May 1883 in the Church of Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada.

4. ADA MAY GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Aug 1859 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Québec, and died 12 Jan 1955 in Auburn, Placer Co., California, USA. She and GEORGE SAXTON, the son of THOMAS SAXTON and ANN NEWCOMB, were married 22 Oct 1875 in St. Armand, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He was born 29 Oct 1854 in Belton, Lincolnshire, England, and died 13 Jan 1935 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She and FRANK WALLACE PAGE, son of ROBERT LEE PAGE, were married 09 May 1891 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He was born 1860 in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, USA, and died 1927 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA. Children of ADA GIBSON and GEORGE SAXTON are:

i. GEORGE ERNEST SIDNEY SAXTON was born 09 Jul 1877 in St. Armand, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada, and died 21 Mar 1956 in Placer Co., California, USA. ii. THOMAS CLARK SAXTON was born 07 Oct 1878 in St. Armand West, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He and ANNIE ELIZA ANDERSON were married 13 May 1902 in Rigby, Jefferson Co., Idaho, USA. She was born 25 Jun 1882 in Pleasant View, Weber Co., Utah, USA, and died 30 Jul 1945. iii. ANNIE ELIZABETH SAXTON was born 12 Feb 1881 in Acton Vale, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. 7. iv. CHARLES EDWARD SAXTON was born 05 Mar 1881 in Stanbridge Twp., Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada. He died 07 Feb 1920 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. 8. v. WILLARD OLDS SAXTON was born 04 Aug 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He died 18 Nov 1919 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA.

Children of ADA GIBSON and FRANK PAGE are:

vi. FRANCES MAY PAGE was born Jan 1892 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She died 31 Jan 1892 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. 9. vii. MYRTLE VERA PAGE was born 04 Feb 1893 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She died 11 Sep 1987 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., California, USA. 10. viii. FRANK ROBERT PAGE was born 06 Jan 1895 in Virginia City, Storey Co., Nevada, USA. He died in 1949. 11. ix. MYRON BRUCE PAGE was born 30 Sep 1897 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. x. YUMA LEE PAGE was born 19 Nov 1900 in Cisco, Grand Co., Utah. She died 22 Jul 1979 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA. She and TOM BUTLER were married; he was born about 1896. She and UNKNOWN KANE were married. xi. MARGRET T. JOHNSON was born about Jun 1909 in California; she was an adopted child.

5. ARNOLD R. GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 17 Aug 1862 in Alburg, Franklin Co., New York, USA, and died 14 Mar 1928 in Worcester, Washington Co., Vermont, USA. He and HATTIE FADDEN, the daughter of ABRAM FADDEN and MARY UNKNOWN, were married 01 Jul 1885 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She was born about 1867 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 02 Jan 1930 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. Children of ARNOLD GIBSON and HATTIE FADDEN are:

i. UNKNOWN GIBSON was born 18 Jul 1886 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. ii. UNKNOWN GIBSON was born between 1886 - 1900 and died between 1886 - 1900. 12. iii. NELLIE MAY GIBSON was born 1888 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. 13. iv. CLARK GIBSON was born 20 Jun 1894 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. He died 19 Jan 1984 in Guilderland Center Nursing Home, Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. v. MARRIETTA GIBSON was born 20 Oct 1897 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. vi. RILLA GIBSON was born about 1905. vii. LEWIS A. GIBSON was born 01 Mar 1905 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. viii. ADESA D. GIBSON was born about 1906 in Vermont.

6. LEWIS DWIGHT GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 24 Jan 1874 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada, and died after 1930. He and CARRIE E. MALONE, the daughter of BARNEY MALONE and FLORA HUNTER, were married about 1894. She was born Feb 1871 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died after 1930. Children of LEWIS GIBSON and CARRIE MALONE are:

14. i. GRACE IRENE GIBSON was born 05 Dec 1895 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She died 12 Jul 1983 in Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. ii. LULA PEARL GIBSON was born 02 May 1898 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. She died 07 Nov 1898 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. iii. BERNARD GIBSON was born 24 Jan 1900 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He died 23 May 1900 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. iv. ARNOLD M. GIBSON was born 07 Apr 1901 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He died before 1910. v. LEON L. GIBSON was born 02 Sep 1902 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He died 07 Feb 1904 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. vi. UNNAMED CHILD GIBSON was born 22 Aug 1904 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He/she died 03 Sep 1904 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. vii. THELMA AGNES GIBSON was born 16 Jan 1906 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She and MORTON MELVIN SWEET were married 27 Aug 1934 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. 15. viii. CHARLES DANA GIBSON, SR. was born 19 Dec 1908 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He died Aug 1975 in Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont, USA. ix. OSBORNE MALONE GIBSON was born 13 Nov 1911 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He died 31 Aug 1912 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA.

Generation No. 4

7. CHARLES EDWARD SAXTON (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 05 Mar 1881 in Stanbridge, Missisquoi Co., Province of Québec, Dominion of Canada, and died 07 Feb 1920 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. He and FANNIE MAY DAVIS, the daughter of THOMAS DAVIS and SOPHIA VICKERY, were married 13 Jun 1901 in Price, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. She was born 13 Nov 1884 in Holden, Millard Co., Utah, USA, and died 03 Jan 1958 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. Children of CHARLES SAXTON and FANNIE DAVIS are:

i. RELAH SAXTON was born 21 Apr 1902 in Sunnyside, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. She died 23 Dec 1967. ii. GEORGE EDWIN SAXTON was born 08 Sep 1903 in Huntington, Emery Co., Utah, USA. He died 05 Mar 1904 in Huntington, Emery Co., Utah, USA. iii. ADA MAE SAXTON was born 27 Apr 1906 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She died 12 Dec 1966 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She and SAMUEL LAMBERT were married. She and FLOYD BOWMAN were married 07 Aug 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He was born 26 Dec 1902 in Hot Springs, Fall River Co., South Dakota, USA. He died 26 Mar 1951 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. iv. CHARLES EARL SAXTON was born 14 Jan 1908 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He died 31 May 1982 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He and GLADYS SUDIE BALCH were married 14 Jan 1939 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada. She was born 07 Nov 1908 in Miami, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma and died 15 Jan 1990 in Provo, Orem Co., Utah, USA. v. NETTIE LAPREAL SAXTON was born 19 Oct 1912 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. She died 04 Jun 1921 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. vi. DORA IRENE SAXTON was born 09 Jun 1913 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. She died 13 Jun 1913 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. vii. SELENNA BERNICE SAXTON was born 29 Jun 1915 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah. She died 08 Aug 1985 in Nevada. She and PETER EUGENE MATTSON were married. viii. DON CARL SAXTON was born 29 Nov 1917 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah. He died 20 Sep 1975 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA.

8. WILLARD OLDS SAXTON (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Aug 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA, and died 18 Nov 1919 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He and MARIAN JANE THOMAS, the daughter of EDWARD THOMAS and ANN BIVANS, were married 28 May 1907. She was born 01 Apr 1887 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania, USA, and died 03 Jun 1931 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. Children of WILLARD SAXTON and MARIAN THOMAS are:

i. HELLEN E. SAXTON died before 2004. She and UNKNOWN CRAIG were married. ii. MYRTLE ROSAMOND SAXTON was born 14 Apr 1910 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She died 27 Jun 1988 in Ogden, Weber Co., Utah, USA. She and CALVIN M. LITTLEFORD were married 21 Dec 1927 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He died 03 Jun 1983. iii. WILLARD ERNEST SAXTON was born 01 Feb 1913 in Price, Carbon Co., Utah, USA. He died 18 Apr 1993 in West Valley City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He and MILDRED LUCILLE ENGELS were married 23 Sep 1933 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She was born 24 Apr 1915 in Callaway, Custer Co., Nebraska, USA, and died 10 Apr 2001 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. iv. ANNIE LAVON SAXTON was born 20 Jan 1916 in Magna, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. She died 06 Feb 2004 in Saint George, Washington Co., Utah. She and CLEO SHILL EGGETT were married in 1935; he died before 2004. She and HARVEY NORMAN BERNA were married 1943; he died before 2004. v. MARY S. SAXTON was born 26 Nov 1919 in Utah, USA, and died 25 Feb 2000 in Utah, USA. She and RAYMOND MAX WOOLSEY, SR. were married 07 Aug 1937.

9. MYRTLE VERA PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Feb 1893 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA, and died 11 Sep 1987 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., California, USA. She and HENRY YOUNG were married. He was born about 1887. She and PHILLIP RUDE, the son of ARON RUDE and BERTHA ROTHSTEIN, were married 07 Jan 1915 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California USA. He was born 29 Nov 1894 in London, Whitecastle, England, and died 25 Apr 1975 in Kentfield, Marin Co., California, USA. Children of MYRTLE PAGE and PHILLIP RUDE are:

i. PHILIP C. RUDE was born 08 Jan 1916 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA. ii. BERTHA VERA RUDE was born 06 May 1921 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA, and died 19 Nov 1992 in Sonoma, Sonoma Co., California, USA. She and FRANCIS JOSEPH GREENAN III were married 15 Apr 1942 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada, USA. He was born 11 Aug 1920 in Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada, and died 13 Jun 1966 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA.

10. FRANK ROBERT PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 06 Jan 1895 in Virginia City, Storey Co., Nevada, USA, and died 1949. He and MAMIE UNKNOWN were married. She was born about 1895 in Colorado. Child of FRANK PAGE and MAMIE UNKNOWN is:

i. MARCIE J. PAGE was born about Aug 1915 in Colorado USA.

11. MYRON BRUCE4 PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 30 Sep 1897 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA. He and TOMINA BARNETT were married. She was born about 1901. He and IRMA MARY BREDEHOFT, daughter of UNKNOWN BREDEHOFT and UNKNOWN OTT were married. She was born 24 Nov 1894 in California, USA, and died 26 Jun 1959 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA. Child of MYRON PAGE and IRMA BREDEHOFT is:

i. MYRON MARTIN WALLACE PAGE was born 21 Sep 1917 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA, and died 28 Nov 1986 in San Pablo, Contra Costa Co., California, USA.

12. NELLIE MAY GIBSON (ARNOLD R., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN1) was born 1888 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She and FRANK A. MCGEE, son of HENRY MCGEE and ELIZABETH UNKNOWN, were married 29 Dec 1904 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He was born about 1882 in New York. She and WILLIAM BURNS were married about 05 Jun 1911 in Swanton, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. Child of NELLIE GIBSON and FRANK MCGEE is:

i. DOROTHY MAY MCGEE was born 20 Feb 1905 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She and EDGAR LEE MIDDLETON were married 13 Mar 1922 in Worcester, Washington Co., Vermont, USA.

13. CLARK GIBSON (ARNOLD R., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 20 Jun 1894 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 19 Jan 1984 in Guilderland Center Nursing Home, Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. He and MARGARET COYLE, daughter of JOHN COYLE and BRIDGET UNKNOWN, were married 20 Oct 1915 in St. Rose's Catholic Church, Short Hills, Essex Co., New Jersey, USA?. She was born 1893 in Ireland. He and SOPHIA MARY DANKO, daughter of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA, were married between 12 Jan - 19 Jun 1923. She was born 12 Jan 1901 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria, and died 06 Oct 1977 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. Child of CLARK GIBSON and MARGARET COYLE is:

i. ANNA MAY GIBSON was born 04 Sep 1916 in St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 04 Sep 1988 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. She and MANUS MCFADDEN were married in Ireland.

Children of CLARK GIBSON and SOPHIA DANKO are:

ii. JACK ARNOLD GIBSON was born 10 Nov 1923 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA, and died 08 Jul 1944 in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia while enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. iii. MARY GIBSON was born 25 Aug 1928 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA, and died 25 Aug 1928 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. iv. ROBERT JOHN GIBSON was born 12 Jun 1934 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA, and died 28 Jan 1983 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. He and VINCETTA DELORES GARDY were married 16 Sep 1956 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA. She was born 28 May 1936 in Scranton, Lackawanna Co., Pennsylvania, USA, and died 03 Sep 1973 in Albany, Albany Co., New York, USA.

14. GRACE IRENE GIBSON (LEWIS D., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 05 Dec 1895 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 12 Jul 1983 in Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She and WARD STURGESS PARADEE, son of BRADLEY PARADEE and ALICE STURGESS, were married 25 Sep 1917 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He was born 10 May 1885 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 09 Mar 1963 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. Children of GRACE GIBSON and WARD PARADEE are:

i. MALE CHILD PARADEE was born 12 Apr 1919 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 12 Apr 1919 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. ii. WARREN STUART PARADEE was born 17 Jun 1920 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 24 Mar 2003 in Northwester Medical Center, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. He and FRANCES E. FOSTER were married 23 May 1953 in Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont, USA. He was born 08 Dec 1917 in Vermont and died 25 Sep 1998 in St. Albans City, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. iii. CAROLYN ALICE PARADEE was born 21 Feb 1926 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 03 Aug 1996, St. Albans City, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She and DELYLE ERNEST WHITE were married. He was born 03 Jul 1925 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 20 Nov 1998. iv. WAYNE LOUIS PARADEE was born 28 Dec 1928 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 26 Sep 1930 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. v. JOHN GARY PARADEE was born 25 Sep 1934 in St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died 25 Sep 1934 in St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA.

15. CHARLES DANA GIBSON (LEWIS D., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 19 Dec 1908 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA, and died Aug 1975 in Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont, USA. He and ADESSA MCGEE MIDDLETON were married 26 Apr 1928 in Braintree, Orange Co., Vermont, USA. He and FLORENCE CATHERINE ELLIOTT were married 08 Mar 1931 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA. She was born about 1915. Child of CHARLES GIBSON and FLORENCE ELLIOTT is:

i. LEWIS JOHN GIBSON was born 29 Oct 1932 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA and died 05 Jul 1934 in Saint Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont, USA.

The Descendants of John Gibson

Steve — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 06:50:24 +0000

A new comment was posted today on The Lost Family of Clark Gibson. The author of the comment was the granddaughter of Clark Gibson. Clark had been married twice, the first time to Margaret Coyle who, for reasons unknown, packed up her three children and moved back to Ireland. After Margaret's departure, Clark married my Aunt Sophie Danko. Eighty years after Margaret Coyle Gibson returned to Ireland, I found a message posted on the internet by Margaret's great-grandson and was able to reconnect the family in the United Kingdom with the family in the United States. The only reason I found the message on the internet was because I had begun to research Clark Gibson's ancestry. The following report describes Clark's family. I have deleted the names of anyone who I believe may still be living. I have also listed this genealogy report and the reports on other family lines under "PAGES" in the sidebar.

The Descendants of John Gibson

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN GIBSON was born about 1800 in United States of America, and died after 1861. He married SARAH WATERS, daughter of JOHN WATERS and JEAN ALDRIDGE. She was born about 1804 in United States of America, and died 02 Jan 1890 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada. Children of JOHN GIBSON and SARAH WATERS are:

2. i. CLARK ADOLPHES GIBSON, born 11 Oct 1823, Clarenceville, Quebec, Canada; died 23 Jul 1884, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. ii. JAMES GIBSON, born about 1829-1830, Lower Canada. iii. MARTHA GIBSON, born about 1832-1834, Lower Canada. iv. WILLIAM GIBSON, born about 1835-1837, Lower Canada. v. SARAH GIBSON, born about 1840-1842, Lower Canada. vi. GEORGE GIBSON, born Feb 1849, Clarenceville, Quebec, Canada; died 18 Sep 1938, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont.

Generation No. 2

2. CLARK ADOLPHES GIBSON (JOHN) was born 11 Oct 1823 in Clarenceville, Quebec, Canada, and died 23 Jul 1884 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. He married MARYETTE OLDS 04 Nov 1851 in Baptist Church /Stanbridge, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, daughter of WILLARD OLDS and HANNAH SHULTS. She was born 13 May 1833 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, and died 14 Aug 1895 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Children of CLARK GIBSON and MARYETTE VON OLDS are:

3. i. WILLARD OLDS GIBSON, born 09 Nov 1852, Morrisville, Madison Co., New York; died 19 Oct 1931. ii. HANNAH GIBSON, born about 1853-1854, Lower Canada. iii. EMILY GIBSON, born about 1855-1856, USA. iv. EMMA GIBSON, born about 1857?, Frelighsburgh, Quebec, Canada; married NELSON W. LAKE, 16 Jul 1879, Highgate, Vermont. 4. v. ADA MAY GIBSON, born 04 Aug 1859, Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Province of Quebec, Canada; died 12 Jan 1955, Auburn, Placer Co., California. 5. vi. ARNOLD R. GIBSON, born 17 Aug 1862, Alburg, Grand Isle Co., Vermont; died 14 Mar 1928, Worcester, Washington Co., Vermont. vii. HATTIE GIBSON, born about 1865, Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; married HARLEY R. RICE, 06 Dec 1885, Highgate, Vermont. viii. MARTHA GIBSON, born about 1869. 6. ix. LEWIS DWIGHT GIBSON, born 24 Jan 1874, Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; died about 1930. x. JOHN FRANK GIBSON, born about 1875, Quebec, Canada; died 17 Jan 1878, Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada.

Generation No. 3

3. WILLARD OLDS GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 09 Nov 1852 in Morrisville, Madison Co., New York, and died 19 Oct 1931. He married HANNAH ELIZA BLANCHARD 08 Mar 1875 in Methodist Church /Philipsburg, Quebec, Canada. She was born Oct 1854 in Canada. Children of WILLARD GIBSON and HANNAH BLANCHARD are:

i. WILLIAM EDWARD GIBSON, born about Mar 1877, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; died 06 Dec 1878, Saint Armand West, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada. ii. JENNIE M. GIBSON, born Jul 1879, Canada.

4. ADA MAY GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Aug 1859 in Clarenceville, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, and died 12 Jan 1955 in Auburn, Placer Co., California. She married (1) GEORGE SAXTON 22 Oct 1875 in St. Armand Twp. /Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, son of THOMAS SAXTON and ANN NEWCOMB. He was born 29 Oct 1854 in Belton, Lincolnshire, England, and died 13 Jan 1935 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. She married (2) FRANK WALLACE PAGE 09 May 1891 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, son of ROBERT LEE PAGE. He was born 1860 in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, and died 1927 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California. Children of ADA GIBSON and GEORGE SAXTON are:

i. GEORGE ERNEST SIDNEY SAXTON, born 09 Jul 1877, St. Armand Twp. /Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; died 21 Mar 1956, Placer Co., California. ii. THOMAS CLARK SAXTON, born 07 Oct 1878, St. Armand West, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; married ANNIE ELIZA ANDERSON, 13 May 1902, Rigby, Jefferson Co., Idaho; born 25 Jun 1882, Pleasant View, Weber Co., Utah; d. 30 Jul 1945. iii. ANNIE ELIZABETH SAXTON, born 12 Feb 1881, Acton Vale, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada. 7. iv. CHARLES EDWARD SAXTON, born 05 Mar 1881, Stanbridge Twp., Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada; died 07 Feb 1920, Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah. 8. v. WILLARD OLDS SAXTON, born 04 Aug 1884, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 18 Nov 1919, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah.

Children of ADA GIBSON and FRANK PAGE are:

vi. FRANCES MAY PAGE, born Jan 1892, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 31 Jan 1892, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. 9. vii. MYRTLE VERA PAGE, born 04 Feb 1893, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 11 Sep 1987, Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., California. 10. viii. FRANK ROBERT PAGE, born 06 Jan 1895, Virginia City, Storey Co., Nevada; died 1949. 11. ix. MYRON BRUCE PAGE, born 30 Sep 1897, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. x. YUMA LEE PAGE, born 19 Nov 1900, Cisco, Grand Co., Utah; died 22 Jul 1979, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California; married (1) TOM BUTLER; born about 1896, ; married (2) UNKNOWN KANE. xi. MARGRET T. JOHNSON, born about Jun 1909, California; Adopted child.

5. ARNOLD R. GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 17 Aug 1862 in Alburg, Franklin Co., New York, and died 14 Mar 1928 in Worcester, Washington Co., Vermont. He married HATTIE FADDEN 01 Jul 1885 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, daughter of ABRAM FADDEN and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born about 1867 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died 02 Jan 1930 in Albany, Albany Co., New York. Children of ARNOLD GIBSON and HATTIE FADDEN are:

i. UNKNOWN GIBSON, born 18 Jul 1886, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. ii. UNKNOWN GIBSON, born between 1886 - 1900; died between 1886 - 1900. 12. iii. NELLIE MAY GIBSON, b. 1888, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. 13. iv. CLARK GIBSON, born 20 Jun 1894, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 19 Jan 1984, Guilderland Center Nursing Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. v. MARRIETTA GIBSON, born 20 Oct 1897, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. vi. RILLA GIBSON, born about 1905. vii. LEWIS A. GIBSON, born 01 Mar 1905, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. viii. ADESA D. GIBSON, born about 1906, Vermont.

6. LEWIS DWIGHT GIBSON (CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 24 Jan 1874 in Philipsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, and died after 1930. He married CARRIE E. MALONE about 1894, daughter of BARNEY MALONE and FLORA HUNTER. She was born Feb 1871 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died after 1930. Children of LEWIS GIBSON and CARRIE MALONE are:

14. i. GRACE IRENE GIBSON, born 05 Dec 1895, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 12 Jul 1983, Northwestern Medical Center /St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont. ii. LULA PEARL GIBSON, born 02 May 1898, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 07 Nov 1898, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. iii. BERNARD GIBSON, born 24 Jan 1900, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 23 May 1900, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. iv. ARNOLD M. GIBSON, born 07 Apr 1901, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died before 1910. v. LEON L. GIBSON, born 02 Sep 1902, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 07 Feb 1904, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. vi. UNNAMED CHILD GIBSON, born 22 Aug 1904, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 03 Sep 1904, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. vii. THELMA AGNES GIBSON, b. 16 Jan 1906, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont; m. MORTON MELVIN SWEET, 27 Aug 1934, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. 15. viii. CHARLES DANA GIBSON, SR., b. 19 Dec 1908, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont; d. Aug 1975, Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont. ix. OSBORNE MALONE GIBSON, b. 13 Nov 1911, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont; d. 31 Aug 1912, Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont.

Generation No. 4

7. CHARLES EDWARD SAXTON (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 05 Mar 1881 in Stanbridge Township, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada, and died 07 Feb 1920 in Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah. He married FANNIE MAY DAVIS 13 Jun 1901 in Price, Carbon Co., Utah, daughter of THOMAS DAVIS and SOPHIA VICKERY. She was born 13 Nov 1884 in Holden, Millard Co., Utah, and died 03 Jan 1958 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Children of CHARLES SAXTON and FANNIE DAVIS are:

i. RELAH SAXTON, born 21 Apr 1902, Sunnyside, Carbon Co., Utah; died 23 Dec 1967. ii. GEORGE EDWIN SAXTON, born 08 Sep 1903, Huntington, Emery Co., Utah; died 05 Mar 1904, Huntington, Emery Co., Utah. iii. ADA MAE SAXTON, born 27 Apr 1906, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 12 Dec 1966, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; married (1) SAMUEL LAMBERT; married (2) FLOYD BOWMAN, 07 Aug 1923, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; born 26 Dec 1902, Hot Springs, Fall River Co., South Dakota; died 26 Mar 1951, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. iv. CHARLES EARL SAXTON, born 14 Jan 1908, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 31 May 1982, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; married GLADYS SUDIE BALCH, 14 Jan 1939, Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada; born 07 Nov 1908, Miami, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma; died 15 Jan 1990, Provo, Orem Co., Utah. v. NETTIE LAPREAL SAXTON, born 19 Oct 1912, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 04 Jun 1921, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. vi. DORA IRENE SAXTON, born 09 Jun 1913, Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah; died 13 Jun 1913, Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah. vii. SELENNA BERNICE SAXTON, born 29 Jun 1915, Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah; died 08 Aug 1985, Nevada; m. PETER EUGENE MATTSON. viii. DON CARL SAXTON, born 29 Nov 1917, Hiawatha, Carbon Co., Utah; died 20 Sep 1975, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California.

8. WILLARD OLDS SAXTON (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Aug 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, and died 18 Nov 1919 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. He married MARIAN JANE THOMAS 28 May 1907, daughter of EDWARD THOMAS and ANN BIVANS. She was born 01 Apr 1887 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania, and died 03 Jun 1931 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Children of WILLARD SAXTON and MARIAN THOMAS are:

i. HELLEN E. SAXTON, died before 2004; married UNKNOWN CRAIG. ii. MYRTLE ROSAMOND SAXTON, born 14 Apr 1910, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 27 Jun 1988, Ogden, Utah; married CALVIN M. LITTLEFORD, 21 Dec 1927, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 03 Jun 1983. iii. WILLARD ERNEST SAXTON, born 01 Feb 1913, Price, Carbon Co., Utah; died 18 Apr 1993, West Valley City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; married MILDRED LUCILLE ENGELS, 23 Sep 1933, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah; born 24 Apr 1915, Callaway, Custer Co., Nebraska; died 10 Apr 2001, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. iv. ANNIE LAVON SAXTON, born 20 Jan 1916, Magna, Salt Lake Co., Utah; died 06 Feb 2004, Saint George, Washington Co., Utah; married (1) CLEO SHILL EGGETT, 1935; died Bef. 2004; married (2) HARVEY NORMAN BERNA, 1943; died before 2004. v. MARY S. SAXTON, born 26 Nov 1919, Utah; died 25 Feb 2000, Utah; married RAYMOND MAX WOOLSEY, SR., 07 Aug 1937.

9. MYRTLE VERA PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 04 Feb 1893 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah, and died 11 Sep 1987 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., California. She married (1) HENRY YOUNG. He was born about 1887 in . She married (2) PHILLIP RUDE 07 Jan 1915 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, son of ARON RUDE and BERTHA ROTHSTEIN. He was born 29 Nov 1894 in London, Whitecastle, England, and died 25 Apr 1975 in Kentfield, Marin Co., California. Children of MYRTLE PAGE and PHILLIP RUDE are:

i. PHILIP C. RUDE, born 08 Jan 1916, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California. ii. BERTHA VERA RUDE, born 06 May 1921, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California; died 19 Nov 1992, Sonoma, Sonoma Co., California; married FRANCIS JOSEPH GREENAN III, 15 Apr 1942, Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada; born 11 Aug 1920, Reno, Washoe Co., Nevada; died 13 Jun 1966, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California.

10. FRANK ROBERT PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 06 Jan 1895 in Virginia City, Storey Co., Nevada, and died 1949. He married MAMIE UNKNOWN. She was born about 1895 in Colorado. Child of FRANK PAGE and MAMIE UNKNOWN is:

i. MARCIE J. PAGE, born about Aug 1915, Colorado.

11. MYRON BRUCE4 PAGE (ADA MAY GIBSON, CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 30 Sep 1897 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. He married (1) TOMINA BARNETT. She was born about 1901 in . He married (2) IRMA MARY BREDEHOFT, daughter of UNKNOWN BREDEHOFT and UNKNOWN OTT. She was born 24 Nov 1894 in California, and died 26 Jun 1959 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California. Child of MYRON PAGE and IRMA BREDEHOFT is:

i. MYRON MARTIN WALLACE PAGE, born 21 Sep 1917, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California; died 28 Nov 1986, San Pablo, Contra Costa Co., California.

12. NELLIE MAY GIBSON (ARNOLD R., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN1) was born 1888 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. She married (1) FRANK A. MCGEE 29 Dec 1904 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, son of HENRY MCGEE and ELIZABETH UNKNOWN. He was born about 1882 in New York. She married (2) WILLIAM BURNS about 05 Jun 1911 in Swanton, Vermont. Child of NELLIE GIBSON and FRANK MCGEE is:

i. DOROTHY MAY MCGEE, born 20 Feb 1905, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; married EDGAR LEE MIDDLETON, 13 Mar 1922, Worcester, Vermont.

13. CLARK GIBSON (ARNOLD R., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 20 Jun 1894 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died 19 Jan 1984 in Guilderland Center Nursing Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. He married (1) MARGARET COYLE 20 Oct 1915 in St. Rose's Catholic Church /Short Hills, Essex Co., NJ, daughter of JOHN COYLE and BRIDGET UNKNOWN. She was born 1893 in Ireland. He married (2) SOPHIA MARY DANKO between 12 Jan - 19 Jun 1923, daughter of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA. She was born 12 Jan 1901 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 06 Oct 1977 in Albany, Albany Co., New York. Child of CLARK GIBSON and MARGARET COYLE is:

i. ANNA MAY GIBSON, born 04 Sep 1916, St. Albans, Vermont; died 04 Sep 1988, Glasgow, Scotland, UK; married MANUS MCFADDEN, Ireland.

Children of CLARK GIBSON and SOPHIA DANKO are:

ii. JACK ARNOLD GIBSON, born 10 Nov 1923, Albany, Albany Co., New York; died 08 Jul 1944, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. iii. MARY GIBSON, born 25 Aug 1928, Albany, Albany Co., New York; died 25 Aug 1928, Albany, Albany Co., New York. iv. ROBERT JOHN GIBSON, born 12 Jun 1934, Albany, Albany Co., New York; died 28 Jan 1983, Albany, Albany Co., New York; married VINCETTA DELORES GARDY, 16 Sep 1956, Albany, Albany Co., New York; born 28 May 1936, Scranton, Lackawanna Co., Pennsylvania; died 03 Sep 1973, Albany, Albany Co., New York.

14. GRACE IRENE GIBSON (LEWIS D., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 05 Dec 1895 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died 12 Jul 1983 in Northwestern Medical Center /St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont. She married WARD STURGESS PARADEE 25 Sep 1917 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, son of BRADLEY PARADEE and ALICE STURGESS. He was born 10 May 1885 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died 09 Mar 1963 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. Children of GRACE GIBSON and WARD PARADEE are:

i. MALE CHILD PARADEE, born 12 Apr 1919, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 12 Apr 1919, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. ii. WARREN STUART PARADEE, born 17 Jun 1920, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 24 Mar 2003, Northwester Medical Center /St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont; married FRANCES E. FOSTER, 23 May 1953, Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont; born 08 Dec 1917, Vermont; died 25 Sep 1998, St. Albans City, Franklin Co., Vermont. iii. CAROLYN ALICE PARADEE, born 21 Feb 1926, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 03 Aug 1996, St. Albans City, Franklin Co., Vermont; m. DELYLE ERNEST WHITE; born 03 Jul 1925, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 20 Nov 1998. iv. WAYNE LOUIS PARADEE, born 28 Dec 1928, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 26 Sep 1930, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. v. JOHN GARY PARADEE, born 25 Sep 1934, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 25 Sep 1934, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont.

15. CHARLES DANA GIBSON (LEWIS D., CLARK ADOLPHES, JOHN) was born 19 Dec 1908 in Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont, and died Aug 1975 in Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont. He married (1) ADESSA MCGEE MIDDLETON 26 Apr 1928 in Braintree, Orange Co., Vermont. He married (2) FLORENCE CATHERINE ELLIOTT 08 Mar 1931 in Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont. She was born about 1915. Child of CHARLES GIBSON and FLORENCE ELLIOTT is:

i. LEWIS JOHN GIBSON, born 29 Oct 1932, Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont; died 05 Jul 1934, St. Albans, Franklin Co., Vermont.

The Death of Arnold Gibson

Steve — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:30:20 +0000

I posted the Gibson family genealogy report yesterday without any sources, so today I'll post one source. I knew from my cousins that their father, Clark Gibson, was born in Fairfield, Vermont and that his parents were Arnold Gibson and Hattie Fadden. I don't qualify to obtain Clark's death certificate, since New York State, where Clark died, restricts death records for 50 years. Instead, I was able to obtain a copy of the Certificate of Death for Clark's father, Arnold Gibson.

Certificate of Death for Arnold Gibson

SOURCE: The State of Vermont. Department of Health. Certificate of Death. 1928. Arnold Gibson. FHL US/CAN Film 2022665, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Death for Arnold Gibson. The record states that:

Arnold Gibson was a white male, born on 17 Aug 1859 in Island Pond, Vermont
He was a farmer, married to Hattie Fadden
His parents were Clark Gibson and Maryetta Olds, both born in Canada
Arnold died at 5 AM on 14 Mar 1928 at the age of 68 years, 6 months, and 27 days
There was no medical attendance at the time of his death and the cause of death was reported as "unknown natural causes" and "sudden death"
The circumstance of Arnold's death were reported to the State Attorney who authorized a Certificate of Death without autopsy
Arnold was buried in Worcester, Vermont on 16 Mar 1928 by Barber & Lavier of Montpelier, Vermont
Mrs. Arnold R. Gibson of Worcester, Vermont provided the personal and statistical particulars
Clarence H. Burr, M.D. of Montpelier signed the Certificate of Death on 14 Mar 1928
Jessie M. Putnam, Town Clerk filed the record on 15 Mar 1928

The information about Arnold's birthplace on this Certificate of Death disagrees with that in some other sources, which state that Arnold was born in Alburg, New York. Discovering Arnold's place of birth may require additional investigation. This record provides very useful information on finding further records for Arnold and his parents.

Of interest is the place of death at the top of the page. The words "City (or) town" are struck through. I assume this was done because Worcester, Vermont did not have the status of a city or town. The 1920 US Federal Census listed Worcester as a township.

As I post source documents on the Gibson family, I'll hyperlink the Gibson genealogy report listed in the pages in the sidebar.

The Death Record for Arnold Gibson

Steve — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:37:34 +0000

The Death Record for Arnold Gibson

PDF

Steve — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:50:51 +0000

PDF Copy of the Certificate of Death for Arnold Gibson

The Burial of Arnold Gibson

Steve — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:00:31 +0000

Arnold Gibson, Clark Gibson's father, died on 14 Mar 1928 and was buried on 16 Mar 1928.

Permit for Burial, Entombment or Removal for Arnold R. Gibson

SOURCE: The State of Vermont. Department of Health. Permit for Burial, Entombment or Removal. 1928. Arnold R.Gibson. FHL US/CAN Film 2022665, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Permit for Burial, Entombment or Removal for Arnold R. Gibson. The permit states that:

The permit was issued to Barber & Lanier, the undertakers for Arnold Gibson, in Montpelier, Montpelier County, Vermont
Arnold R. Gibson died on 14 Mar 1928 age 68 years, 6 months, 27 days
The cause of death was unknown, natural causes, sudden death, circumstances reported to States Attorney who authorized certificate without autopsy
The propose date of burial was 16 Mar 1928 and the proposed place of burial was Worcester, Vermont
The manner of burial was usual
The permit was signed by Jessie M. Putnam, Town Clerk, on 16 Mar 1928

This permit was microfilmed along with the vital records for Vermont and appeared on the microfilm immediately following Arnold Gibson's Death Certificate.

The manner of burial was described as "usual", which makes me wonder what an "unusual" manner of burial would entail.

Neither the Death Certificate nor the Burial Permit for Arnold Gibson is more specific about the place of burial than Worcester, Vermont.

Burial Permit for Arnold Gibson

Steve — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:55:32 +0000

Burial Permit for Arnold Gibson

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Steve — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:56:01 +0000

PDF Copy of the Burial Permit for Arnold Gibson

The Burial of Harriett (Fadden) Gibson

Steve — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 06:30:01 +0000

Harriett (Fadden) Gibson died less than two years after the death of her husband, Arnold R. Gibson. An unusual aspect of her death is that she died, not in Vermont where she lived all her life. She died in Albany, New York, and her body was removed to Worcester, Vermont to be buried next to her husband.

The Burial Permit for Harriett Gibson

SOURCE: New York State Department of Health. Official Burial (or Removal) Permit. 1930. Harriett Gibson. FHL US/CAN Film 2022665, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Burial Permit for Harriett Gibson. The permit states:

Harriett Gibson died on 2 Jan 1930 in Albany, Albany County, New York
Harriett was a white woman, who was 63 years old at the time of her death
On 03 Jan 1930, Florence M. Griffith, Deputy Local Registrar, granted a burial permit to [illegible] A. Simmons of Albany, New York to inter the body
Harriett was buried on 04 Jan 1930 in Worcester, Vermont
Two numbers appear on the permit: 38 1/2 in the upper right and 101 in the upper left

Tomorrow: Why was Harriett Gibson in Albany, New York when she died?

PDF

Steve — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:37:36 +0000

PDF Copy of the Burial Permit for Harriett Gibson

Burial Permit for Harriett Gibson

Steve — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:38:08 +0000

Burial Permit for Harriett Gibson

Peggy Yvonne Middleton a.k.a. Yvonne DeCarlo a.k.a. Lily Munster

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:00:31 +0000

Yvonne DeCarlo died on 08 Jan 2007. She was born Margaret Yvonne Middleton on 01 Sep 1922 in Vancouver, British Columbia, although the exact date of her date of birth is the subject of some speculation. Through her life, Margaret usually went by the name of Peggy. Peggy's father left in 1925, and when she was 15 years old, her mother brought her to Hollywood. For a stage name, Peggy took her own middle name and her mother's middle name to become Yvonne DeCarlo. A beautiful young woman, Peggy began a successful career in motion pictures; one of her most important roles was as the wife of Moses in the film The Ten Commandments. The role for which she is best known, however, was as Lily Munster on the television show The Munsters. Peggy was born too late to be listed on the currently available Canadian Census Records, and she arrived in the United States too late to be listed on the currently available United States Census Records. However, genealogical information about Peggy Yvonne Middleton is readily available on the internet, such as this clipping about her marriage to Robert Morgan.

Yvonne DeCarlo's Marriage to Robert Morgan

SOURCE: "Yvonne DeCarlo Weds". Dallas Morning News. November 22, 1955. Page 16. http://www.GenealogyBank.com.

The greatest source of records about Peggy on Ancestry.com is the Immigration Records, since she traveled frequently. Being a Canadian Citizen, she had to register as an alien each time she entered the United States. Peggy frequently traveled with Constance MacKenzie.

Passenger Manifest from Mallorca to New York 1951

Based on this manifest, Peggy was born in 1924 and Constance was born in 1901. This manifest shows that the two women sailed in First Class on the S.S. Independence from Mallorca. Constance traveled with 5 pieces of luggage. Peggy traveled with 8 pieces of luggage. I don't even own 8 pieces of luggage.

Passenger Manifest from Southampton to New York 1952

Based on this manifest, Peggy and Constance have both become younger. Although this manifest was prepared a year after the previous manifest, both Peggy and Constance have become a year younger. Based on this information, Peggy was born in 1926, and Constance was born in 1903. This time, the two women traveled First Class on the S.S. United States from Southampton. Constance traveled with 4 pieces of luggage and Peggy with 8.

By examining the immigration records at Ancestry.com, one can follow Peggy around the world in the 1940s and 1950s. While most of our ancestors left behind only one passenger manifest, Peggy left dozens.

Yvonne DeCarlo Marriage

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 06:07:15 +0000

Yvonne DeCarlo Marriage

Peggy Middleton 1952 Southampton

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 06:08:38 +0000

Peggy Middleton 1952 Southampton

Peggy Middleton 1951 Southampton

Steve — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 06:09:39 +0000

Peggy Middleton 1951 Southampton

The Birth of Anna May Gibson

Steve — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:30:20 +0000

Clark Gibson and his first wife Margaret Coyle had three children. I've been able to find the Birth Record for only one of these children, namely Anna May Gibson.

Birth Record for Anna May Gibson

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Anna May Gibson. The record shows that:

Anna May Gibson was born live on 04 Sep 1916 in the City of St. Albans, Vermont
She was white and the first child of her mother
The mother, Margaret Coyle, was 22 years old, was born in Ireland, and was living in Fairfield
The father, Clark Gibson, was a 22 year old farmer who was born in Fairfield, Vermont
The name of the informant was H. H. Johnson and the City Clerk was BM Hopkins

After the birth of her third child, Margaret Coyle Gibson returned to Ireland with the children, including Anna May. Clark remained in the United States. As far as anyone knows, Clark never heard from Margaret or her children again.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:24:29 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Anna May Gibson

Birth Record for Anna May Gibson

Steve — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:25:06 +0000

Birth Record for Anna May Gibson

My Second Cousin Liliana is in Town!

Steve — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 06:30:43 +0000

My second cousin Liliana is in town! She and her husband Valery are in San Francisco for a wedding and I surprised them by meeting them at San Francisco International Airport and bringing them to their hotel. We spent a couple of hours together before I left them to rest up before the wedding tomorrow. Liliana and I share great grandparents Wincenty Chmielewski and Anastasia Wojnowska. Our grandmothers Helena and Ona were sisters, and, while many of the cousins I've mentioned on this blog are half-cousins, Liliana and I are full second cousins. To give some background, our great grandfather Wincenty was married twice. His first marriage to Scholastyka Woytczuka resulted in the birth of my half great uncle Joseph Meleski and my half great aunt Stefania Meleski. My grandmother and Ona, however, were full sisters and were very close growing up in Lithuania. I learned tonight from my cousin Liliana that Ona never spoke Lithuania until she was married, and that both of our grandmothers, although they lived in Lithuania, were Polish - not Lithuanian. Liliana and I made tentative plans to travel to Lithuania in October to visit her relatives and see the villages where our Chmielewski ancestors lived. Since Liliana was born and raised in Lithuania, this is a chance I can't afford to let pass by! So, in honor of Liliana's visit, here's a photo of my grandparents and their children:

The Niedzialkowski Family

From the left: Fred, Jane, Helena (Chmielewski / Meleski), Henry, Kostanty, Nat, and Ray.

This is one of my favorite photographs. Just look at those knickers!

The Niedzialkowski Family

Steve — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 10:05:19 +0000

The Niedzialkowski Family

The Marriage of Arnold Gibson and Hattie Fadden

Steve — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 05:30:35 +0000

I previously published the death record and burial permit for Arnold Gibson and the burial permit for Hattie Fadden Gibson. Arnold and Hattie were married in Sheldon, Vermont in 1885.

The Marriage Record for Arnold Gibson

SOURCE: The State of Vermont. Department of Health. Marriage Record. 1916. Arnold Gibson and Hattie Fadden. FHL US/CAN Film 2022665, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Arnold Gibson. The record states:

Arnold Gibson and Hattie Fadden were married on 1 Jul 1885 in Sheldon, Vermont
Arnold was born in Alburgh
Arnold was 23 years old at the time of marriage and this marriage was his first marriage
Arnold's parents were Clark Gibson and Mariette [no surname given]; the birthplaces of Clark and Mariette are not provided
W. N. Roberts, a minister, officiated at the marriage
The document includes the number P599 and is documented by E. M. Brown, Town Clerk in Sheldon

In Vermont, the marriage records for this period are recorded on separate cards. This card is for the groom.

The birthplace for Arnold Gibson, as stated on this record, is Alburgh in Grand Isle County, Vermont. This conflicts with the information on Arnold's Death Certificate, which stated he was born in Island Pond, Essex County, Vermont.

Marriage Record for Arnold Gibson

Steve — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 06:31:23 +0000

Marriage Record for Arnold Gibson

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Steve — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 06:31:56 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Arnold Gibson

The Baptism of Ada May (Gibson) Saxton

Steve — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 06:30:17 +0000

According to the best sources I've found, Ada May Gibson and her brother Arnold Gibson were born 13 days apart in different countries. Ada May was born on 04 Aug 1859 in Quebec and Arnold was born on 17 Aug 1859 in Vermont. The evidence for Ada May's birthdate is derived from her Baptismal Record.

The Baptismal Record for Ada May (Gibson) Saxton

SOURCE: The Methodist Church Serving Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada. Baptismal Records. 1881. Ada May Saxton. FHL US/CAN Film 2027346 Item 3, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Ada May (Gibson) Saxton. The record states that:

Fifth folio [H?] [@@@]

Baptism:- Mrs. A. M. Saxton

Adie May Gibson, wife of George Saxton of St Armand West in the county of Missisquoi and province of Quebec, was born on the fourth day of August Eighteen hundred and fifty-nine and was baptized on the twenty-first day of March Eighteen hundred and eighty-one in the presence of the subscribing witnesses by me [Signed] J.E Richardson M.M.
Witnesses:- [Signed] Adie May Saxton [Signed] Thomas Hightman

The notation M.M. after the minister's name stands for "Methodist Minister".

Curiously, Ada May (or Adie May as she is called in this record) was a witness at her own baptism!

Ada May was baptized as an adult. Although her birthdate is listed as 04 Aug 1859, the accuracy of the date is suspect, since the information was recorded some 22 years after the fact.

Ada May's brother Arnold was born on 17 Aug 1859, but this information is derived from Arnold's Death Certificate - 68 years after the fact.

Either one or both of these dates is wrong. But which one? And how do I find a better source for their birthdates?

Baptismal Record of Ada May (Gibson) Saxton

Steve — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 07:32:08 +0000

Baptismal Record of Ada May (Gibson) Saxton

PDF

Steve — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 07:32:34 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record of Ada May (Gibson) Saxton

The Baptism of Thomas Clark Saxton

Steve — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:00:41 +0000

Thomas Clark Saxton, son of George Saxton and Ada May Gibson, was baptized in the Methodist Church on the same day as his mother.

The Baptismal Record for Thomas Clark Saxton

SOURCE: The Methodist Church Serving Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada. Baptismal Records. 1881. Thomas Clark Saxton. FHL US/CAN Film 2027346 Item 3, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Thomas Clark Saxton. the record states:

Fourth folio [H?] [@@@]

Baptism:- T. C. Saxton

Thomas Clark, son of George Saxton of St. Armand West in the county of Missisquoi and province of Quebec and of Ada May Gibson his wife, born on the seventh day of October Eighteen hundred and seventy eight and was baptized on the twenty-first day of March Eighteen hundred and eighty-one in the presence of the subscribing witnesses by me [Signed] J.E Richardson Meth. Minister
Witnesses:- [Signed] Adie May Saxton [Signed] Thomas Hightman

Thomas Clark was baptized on the same day as Ada May, his mother, was baptized. His mother served as a witness, and the second witness, Thomas Hightman, also witnessed Ada May's baptism.

Since Thomas Clark Saxton was baptized only 2-1/2 years after birth, the date of birth provided in this record is probably fairly accurate.

One lingering question I have is: Did the child's father attend the baptism? The mother signed the baptismal records as a witness but the father did not.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:18:01 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Thomas Clark Saxton

Baptismal Record for Thomas Clark Saxton

Steve — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:18:45 +0000

Baptismal Record for Thomas Clark Saxton

The Baptism of Charles Edward Saxton

Steve — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 06:30:00 +0000

Charles Edward Saxton, son of George Saxton and Ada May Gibson, was baptized in the Methodist Church on the same day as his mother Ada May Saxton and his brother Thomas Clark Saxton.

The Baptismal Record for Charles Edward Saxton

SOURCE: The Methodist Church Serving Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada. Baptismal Records. 1881. Charles Edward Saxton. FHL US/CAN Film 2027346 Item 3, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Charles Edward Saxton. The record states:

Baptism:- C. E. Saxton

Charles Edward, son of George Saxton of the Parish of St. Armand West in the county of Missisquoi and province of Quebec and of Ada May Gibson his wife, was born on the fifth day of March Eighteen hundred and eighty-one and was baptized on the twenty-first day of March Eighteen hundred and eighty-one in the presence of the subscribing witnesses by me [Signed] J.E Richardson M.M.
Witnesses:- [Signed] Adie May Saxton [Signed] Thomas Hightman

Since Thomas Clark Saxton was baptized only 16 days after birth, the date of birth provided in this record is probably fairly accurate.

In the 1851 and 1861 Canadian Census Records, Ada May's grandparents were listed as Methodist. In the 1861 Canadian Census Records, Ada May, her parents, her brother Willard, and her sisters Hannah and Emily are listed as having no religion.

The family of George and Ada May Saxton later joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What was the religion of George Saxton before he emigrated from England? When did the family join the LDS Church?

Baptismal Record for Charles Edward Saxton

Steve — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:51:33 +0000

Baptismal Record for Charles Edward Saxton

PDF

Steve — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:52:01 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Charles Edward Saxton

The Gibson Households in the 1861 Census of Canada East (Québec)

Steve — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:30:49 +0000

After I presented the problem of the birthdates of Ada May Gibson and her brother Arnold Gibson, Cindy Henry posted a comment that helps to clear up the issue. According to Ada May's Baptismal Record, Ada May was born on 04 Aug 1859 in Canada, and according to Arnold's Death Certificate, Arnold was born on 17 Aug 1859 in Vermont. Something is wrong here. Cindy wrote:

I found Arnold and Hattie Gibson in the 1910 and 1920 Vermont census on Ancestry.com. His age of 48/58 respectively provides an estimated birthdate of 1862.

I, myself, found Ada May in the 1861 Census of Canada East (Québec). She is enumerated on line 10:

The Gibson Households in the 1861 Census of Canada East (Québec)

SOURCE: Clark Gibson and John Gibson Households, 1861 Canada East Census (Québec), Parish of St. Georges de Clarenceville, Missisquoi County, page 253, lines 5-10 and 24-30. National Archives of Canada Film C-1297 Nominal. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 517397, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Gibson Households in the 1861 Census of Canada East (Québec). The census record shows:

Clark Gibson is enumerated with his wife and family on lines 5-10 of page 253 in the census of the Parish of St. Georges de Clarenceville, Missisquoi County, Canada East
Clark is a 37-year old blacksmith born in Lower Canada
Clark's wife is Maryette Gibson, 27 years old, born in the U.S.A.
Clark's children are Willard, 9 years old, born in the U.S.A.; Hannah, 7 years old, born in Lower Canada; Emily, 5 years old, born in the U.S.A.; and Addia [Ada May], 2 years old, born in Lower Canada
John Gibson [Clark's father] is enumerated with his wife and family on lines 24-30 of the same page in the same census as Clark
John is a 60-year-old farmer born in the U.S.A.
John's wife is Sarah Gibson, 47 years old, born in the U.S.A.
John's children are James, a 31-year-old laborer born in Lower Canada; William, a 24-year-old laborer born in Lower Canada; Martha, a 27-year-old spinster born in Lower Canada; Sarah, a 19-year-old spinster born in Lower Canada; and George, 12 years old, born in Lower Canada
Clark and his family are all listed as having no religion; John and his family are listed as being Wesleyan Methodists

This record shows that Ada May was 2 years old in 1861, so she was born in about 1859. This estimate agrees with the date on her Baptismal Record.

The census records that Cindy found indicate that Arnold was born in about 1862. Arnold does not appear in the 1861 census with the rest of the family, so it is likely that 1862 is a better estimate of his birth year than the 1859 date shown on his Death Certificate.

An examination of other census records between the 1861 Canadian Census and the 1910 US Census may help confirm these assumptions.

Since Clark Gibson's family is listed as having no religious affiliation, it would be unlikely that his children would be baptized as infants. This may explain why Ada May was baptized at age 22 and why I haven't been able to find Baptismal Records for any of Clark's other children.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 06:11:50 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1861 Census Record for the John Gibson and Clark Gibson Households

1861 Census Record for the John Gibson and Clark Gibson Households

Steve — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 06:12:25 +0000

1861 Census Record for the John Gibson and Clark Gibson Households

The Gibson Households in the 1851 Census of Lower Canada (Québec)

Steve — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:30:44 +0000

In 1851, the families of John Gibson and Clark Gibson are enumerated in St. Georges de Clarenceville in the county of Rouville, Lower Canada (Québec) on lines 19-27 of pages 37-38. Only the first half of page 37 is shown below.

The Gibson Households in the 1851 Census of Canada East (Québec)

SOURCE: John Gibson Household, 1851 Lower Canada Census (Québec), St. Georges de Clarenceville, Caldwell (Manoir), Rouville (County), pages 37-38, lines 19-27. National Archives of Canada Film C-1137 Schedule A. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 517289, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Gibson Households in the 1851 Census of Lower Canada (Québec). The Census Record for Schedule A (the nominal household census) covers pages 37-38. The image above is only the first half of page 37. The record states:

John Gibson, a 50-year-old farmer, is enumerated with his 45 year-old wife, Sarah Gibson
John and Sarah Gibson's children are James, a 21-year-old laborer; Martha, 18 years old; William, a 15-year-old laborer; Sarah, 10 years old; and George, 2 years old
In addition, Clark Gibson, 29 years old, is listed with his wife Maryette, 19 years old
John and Sarah are listed as Methodist; there is no mark in the religion column for the others
John and Sarah were born in the United States; their children, including Clark and Maryette, were born in Canada
Clark and Maryette are shown as living in St. Armand in the "Residence if out of limits" column

Additional information is provided on parts of the census not shown above:

John, Sarah, Clark, and Maryette are married; all others are single
All individuals are listed as "Members" except for Clark and Maryette who are listed as "Not Members"
None of the household members are listed as attending school
There were no births or deaths in the family during 1851
None of the household members were "Colored Persons - Negroes", "Indians if any", "Members absent", "Deaf & Dumb", "Blind", or "Lunatics"
The family's residence was a one-story log farmhouse; this family was the only family occupying the house
There were no "Vacant" homes, no "Buildings", no "Shops, Stores, Inns, Taverns, &c.", no "Public Buildings", no "Places of Worship", no "Information as to Mills, Factories, &c., &c., their cost, power, produce, &c.", no "Number of persons usually employed therein", and no "General Remarks of the Enumerator"

The information in this Census Record shows that Clark and Maryette were married in or before 1851. The header of this Census Record states in full: "PERSONAL CENSUS - ENUMERATION DISTRICT, No. Ten OF St. George de Clarenceville IN THE COUNTY OF Rouville COMPRISING the Parish of St. George of Clarenceville OF THE SAID County TAKEN UNDER ACT 14th & 15th Vict. Chap. 49. Wm. T. Ford ENUMERATOR.

The 1851 Census Record for John Gibson and Family

Steve — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:10:01 +0000

The 1851 Census Record for John Gibson and Family

PDF

Steve — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:11:00 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1851 Census Record for John Gibson and Family

The World War I Draft Registration of Lewis Dwight Gibson

Steve — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 06:30:47 +0000

When attempting to find the birthdates for the children of Clark Gibson, I realized that the job would not be easy. There were no civil registrations available for the children, and because Clark's family apparently adhered to no religion, there were no infant baptisms available for the children. For Ada May, I used a combination of her age in the 1861 Canadian Census Record and her stated date of birth listed in her adult baptism to determine that she was born on 04 Aug 1859 in Canada. For Arnold, I used a combination of his age in the 1910 and 1920 US Census Records, his absence from the 1861 Canadian Census Records, and his stated date of birth on his Death Certificate to determine that he was born on 17 Aug 1862 in Vermont. For Lewis Dwight Gibson, the route to finding the date of birth required a third approach. I found the World War I Draft Registration Card for Lewis where he stated that his date of birth was 24 Jan 1874. The 1910, 1920, and 1930 US Census Records provided Lewis' age as 36, 45, and 55, respectively, indicating he was born between 1873-1875, so the date in the World War I Draft Registration is consistent with that in three census records.

The World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Front

The World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Back

SOURCE: Louis Dwight Gibson, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Micropublication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), roll VT5.

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson. The record shows that:

Lewis Dwight Gibson lived at R.F.D. Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont
On September 12, 1918, Lewis was 44 years old; his birthdate was 24 Jan 1874
He was white
He was not a native US citizen, he was not naturalized, but he was a US citizen because he was younger than the age of majority when his father became of citizen
Lewis was a farmer and was employed by Ward Paradee of R.F.D. Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont
Lewis' nearest relative was Mrs. Carrie Gibson of R.F.D. Fairfield, Franklin Co., Vermont
Lewis was tall, of medium build, with hazel eyes, brown hair, and no deformities

The Registrar filled out this form, and spelled Lewis' first name as Louis. Lewis correctly spelled his name when he signed the form.

Mrs. Carrie Gibson, and Ward Paradee, are listed on the form. Carrie Gibson was Lewis' wife. Ward Paradee was Lewis' employer. Ward Paradee's son, Ward Sturgess Paradee, would later marry Lewis and Carrie Gibson's daughter, Grace Irene Gibson.

Of note is the fact that Lewis had derivative citizenship, since his father became a US citizen before Lewis attained the age of majority. Since I don't have any idea where the family lived between 1861 and 1900, this piece of information shows that Clark Gibson had become a US citizen no later than the early 1890s.

Take a look at the year of birth as written on this card. At first glance, the year looks like 1884, but close inspection reveals that the year is actually 1874, as evidenced by the curved downstrokes on the "8" and the strong, straight downstroke on the "7".

PDF

Steve — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:12:50 +0000

PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson

World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Front

Steve — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:13:41 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Front

World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Back

Steve — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:14:06 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Lewis Dwight Gibson - Back

The Death and Burial of John Frank Gibson

Steve — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 06:30:05 +0000

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.

Burial Record for John Frank Gibson

Steve — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:38:09 +0000

Burial Record for John Frank Gibson

PDF

Steve — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:38:47 +0000

PDF Copy of the Burial Record for John Frank Gibson

I've Been Tagged!

Steve — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:12:02 +0000

I've been tagged by Jasia and asked to reveal five facts about myself that you probably don't know. Well, here goes:

I hold a B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York and a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.
I've taught Archery at summer camps in New York and Vermont.
While in elementary school, Gregory Maguire and I wrote At Kenter's Lane and Amberside, unpublished books about the adventures of two brothers living in England. Greg has gone on to become the best-selling author of many books, including Wicked, the book which became the basis for the Broadway musical of the same name.
My all-time favorite children's author is Edward Eager who wrote Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, The Well Wishers, and Magic or Not?
My blue jeans were on display at the Smithsonian Institution (The National Museum of American History) in Washington, DC from 1995-2006. They are now in storage while the museum undergoes renovation.

The second part of the tagging challenge is to tag five others to reveal five things about themselves. Are George Morgan, Drew Smith, Apple, James Curley, and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak up to the challenge?

How my Jeans Ended Up in the Smithsonian

Steve — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 06:01:53 +0000

After I blogged that my bluejeans had been on display in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History from 1995-2006, I received a lot of messages and comments. I thought I would save the story until after I found the photos of the exhibit. Sad to say, I haven't found the photos, but I did find the negatives. It'll be a few days before I can have prints made, so I decided to end the suspense. Back in 1994, when I was working for a company called Genencor, curators from the Smithsonian visited the company and asked for a tour. The employees who usually led such tours were at an off-site meeting, so the company receptionist asked me if I could show the guests from the Smithsonian around the facility. The curators explained to me that the National Museum of American History was preparing a new permanent exhibit on "Science in American Life" and was looking for some ideas to include in the section on biotechnology. I told them about Genencor's project to use enzymes from microorganisms to give a stonewashed look to jeans. Up until then, manufacturers of bluejeans actually washed the jeans with pumice stones to abrade the jeans and give them a "worn" look and feel. The technology Genencor was developing would avoid the use of stones, avoid a lot of wear and tear on the washing machines, provide a more uniform product, and avoid the problem of having to clean the residue of the stones from the jeans after they were stonewashed. The curators from the Smithsonian liked this idea and asked if I could provide some materials for the exhibit. So, I sent them two pairs of jeans - one was a stiff, dark blue, unwashed pair (you can hardly find these in the stores anymore) and one was a pair that I washed with cellulase enzymes (and yes, I actually wore the jeans before I sent them to the Smithsonian). Today, almost all "stonewashed" jeans are really enzyme-washed. The Science in American Life exhibit opened in 1995 and, a few years later, the museum moved Julia Child's kitchen into a space right across the hall from where my jeans were displayed. I was honored that my bluejeans shared the company of Julia Child's pots and pans. Presently, the museum is closed during renovation and will reopen in 2008. Unfortunately, the Science in American Life exhibit will not have a place in the remodeled museum. Still, for 11 years my bluejeans were on display to the public. So, no racy stories at all. No protests, no arrests. But, I wonder how many people have viewed my bluejeans in awe and wonder over the years? And, by the way, may I have my jeans back now?

The Birth of Leon Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:00:26 +0000

After posting information on Bernard Izbicki, the second husband of my cousin Anastasia Rita Meleski, I received a message from Tadeusz Izbicki, a distant cousin of Bernard. Tadeusz lives in Poland and the common ancestor of Bernard and Tadeusz is Bartlomiej Izbicki, Bernard's great-great-grandfather. Bernard's parents, Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska, had several other children in Worcester, Massachusetts, including Leon Izbicki. Leon's birth is recorded on line 1755 of page 490 in volume 544 of the 1904 birth register for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Leon Izbicki

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1904. Leon Izbicki. Volume 544, Page 490, Number 1755. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Leon Izbicki. The record states:

The Birth Record for Leon Jzbicki is recorded in Volume 544, Page 490, Line Number 1755 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1904
Leon Jzbicki, a white male, was born on 04 Oct 1904 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Leon’s father was W. Bolesław Jzbicki, a laborer born in Poland
Leon’s mother was Vicktoria Krucznoka, born in Poland
Leon’s birth was recorded in January 1905

The surname of the family was misspelled Jzbicki in this record. Since this record is a transcription of the originals maintained at the town level, this may be a transcription error. Leon's father is listed as W. Bolesław Jzbicki. The initial "W." preceding the name stands for "William", a name that Bolesław used in the United States. Leon's mother is listed as Vicktoria Krucznoka. The proper spelling of her name is probably Wiktoria Kruczyńska. As a last note, tonight I watched the televised version of "Questions and Ancestors" on BYU Television. Tonight's episode was entitled "Researching New England Ancestors" and featured David Lambert from the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston. David described ways to search for ancestors in New England and also discussed the resources available at the NEHGS. During the show, David Lambert confirmed what I have suspected: the images of Massachusetts Vital Records from 1841-1910 available to members on the NEHGS website are digital images of the original ledgers, not the microfilms. These images are incredibly superior to the microfilm images available elsewhere.

Birth Record for Leon Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:09:23 +0000

Birth Record for Leon Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:09:59 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Leon Izbicki

The Birth of Victoria Izbicki

Steve — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:00:44 +0000

Among the children of Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska is their daughter Victoria, born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1908. Victoria is listed on line 1875 of page 512 in volume 576 of the 1908 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1908. Victoria Izbicki. Volume 576, Page 512, Number 1875. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki. The record states that:

The Birth Record for Victoria Jzbiski is recorded in Volume 576, Page 512, Line Number 1875 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1908
Victoria Jzbiski, a white female, was born on 05 Sep 1908 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Victoria’s father was Boleslaw Jzbiski, a laborer born in Russia Poland
Victoria’s mother was Victoria Kruceuski, born in Russia Poland
Victoria’s birth was recorded in January 1909

The family surnames are spelled Jzbiski and Kruceuski in this record. Although the records are indexed on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the fact that each record spells the surnames differently makes searching for these birth records a bit of an adventure.

The Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki

Steve — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:06:39 +0000

The Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki

The Birth of Władysław Izbicki

Steve — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 04:30:34 +0000

The third Birth Record I found for a child of Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska is for their son Władysław, born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1906. Władysław is listed on line 1744 of page 495 in volume 560 of the 1906 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Władysław Izbicki

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1906. Władysław Izbicki. Volume 560, Page 495, Number 1744. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Władysław Izbicki. The record states that:

The Birth Record for Vladyslof Jbicki is recorded in Volume 560, Page 495, Line Number 1744 in the Birth Records for the City of Worcester for the year 1906
Vladislof Jbicki, a white male, was born on 02 Dec 1906 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Vladislof’s father was Boleslaw Jbicki, a laborer born in Russia
Vladislof’s mother was Victeria Crstenska, born in Russia
Vladislof’s birth was recorded in January 1907

Once again, the names are badly misspelled in this record. The misspellings and the correct spellings are:

Vladislof Jbicki = Władysław Izbicki
Boleslaw Jbicki = Bolesław Izbicki
Victeria Crstenska = Wiktoria Kruczyńska

It's a good thing I knew who to look for in the records, because the spelling of the names presents a real challenge!

The Birth Record for Wladyslaw Izbicki

Steve — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:39:05 +0000

The Birth Record for Wladyslaw Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:39:43 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Wladyslaw Izbicki

Bolesław Izbicki in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 05:30:43 +0000

I previously found the Birth Records for Bernard, Victoria, Władysław, and Leon Izbicki on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. The 1920 U.S. Federal Census for the household of Bolesław Izbicki shows these children and three others: John, Bolesław, and Stanisław:

The Bolesław Izbicki Household in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census

SOURCE: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1920. Microfilm T625, Roll 749, Worcester City Ward 5, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Supervisors District No. 3, Enumeration District No. 255, Sheet No. 13B, Lines 56-64.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Bolesław Izbicki Household in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census. The Census Record states that:

Boleslaw Izbicki, the head of the household, was enumerated with his family in a rented house at 2 Meade Street, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts in Supervisor's District No. 3, Enumeration District No. 255, Sheet No. 13B, Lines 56-64 in part of Precinct 1, Worcester City Ward 5, in Dwelling No. 129, and as Family No. 228
The enumeration was made on 12 Jan 1920 by Mrs. Frances Janowski
Boleslaw Izbicki, the head of household, was a married white male, age 44, immigrated in 1888, naturalized in 1900, employed as a Jacker in a Tannery
Viktorya, his wife, was a married white female, age 38, immigrated in 1900, naturalized apparently by derivative citizenship of her husband, not employed
John, his son, was a single white male, age 18, employed as a Sliper Maker in a Sliper Factory [Slipper Maker in a Slipper Factory]
Boleslaw, his son, was a single white male, age 16, employed as a Machine Operator in a Factory
Leon, his son, was a single white male, age 15, employed as a Bus Boy in a Hotel
Wladyslaw, his son, was a single white male, age 13, who attended school
Viktorya, his daughter, was a single white female, age 11, who attended school
Bernard, his son, was a single white male, age 9, who attended school
Stanislaw, his son, was a single white male, age 2
Boleslaw Izbicki, his wife, and their parents were born in Poland and their native language was Polish
The children were all born in Worcester, Massachusetts and could all read and write, except for the two-year-old Stanislaw

The occupation of Bolesław has me a bit perplexed - he was a Jacker in a Tannery. The 2000 U.S. Federal Census List of Occupations includes Jacker but groups this occupation under code 51-6099:

All textile, apparel, and furnishings workers not listed separately.

Based on the information in the census, the approximate years of birth for the members of the household, and the actual dates from their Birth Records, where available, are:

Boleslaw - 1875-1876
Viktorya - 1881-1882
John - 1901-1902
Boleslaw - 1903-1904
Leon - 1904-1905 - actual birthdate 04 Oct 1904
Wladyslaw - 1906-1907 - actual birthdate 02 Dec 1906
Viktorya - 1908-1909 - actual birthdate 05 Sep 1908
Bernard - 1909-1910 - actual birthdate 12 May 1910
Stanislaw - 1917-1918

For once, all the known birthdates agree with the ages in the census!

1920 US Federal Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 06:54:09 +0000

1920 US Federal Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

PDF

Steve — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 06:54:51 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1920 US Federal Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

The Twenty-Six-Year-Old Baby

Steve — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 05:30:17 +0000

While conducting some research on the Saxton family today, I found a record that I couldn't resist sharing. I've written before about the baptisms of Ada May Gibson Saxton and her sons, and the record I found today on Ancestry.com is the 1910 US Federal Census Record for the family of Ada May's son Willard Olds Saxton. Willard Olds Saxton was born on 04 Aug 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah. Marian Jane Thomas was born on 01 Apr 1887 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania. The two were married on 28 May 1907. Their first child, Ada Saxton, was born on 23 Mar 1908 in Salt Lake City and died the same day. Their second child, Myrtle Rosamond Saxton, was born in Salt Lake City on 14 Apr 1910. The enumerator for the 1910 US Federal Census visited Willard Saxton's household on 19 Apr 1910 and followed the instructions to enumerate all those living in the household on 15 Apr 1910. Myrtle Rosamod Saxton qualified to be inlcuded in the 1910 Census by virtue of a single day!

The 1910 US Federal Census Record for Willard, Marian, and Myrtle Saxton

The 1910 US Federal Census Records recorded:

Willard Saxton, head of household, male, color white, age 25, married for the first time 3 years earlier
Mary Ann Saxton, wife, female, color white, age 23, married for the first time 3 years earlier, mother of 2 children, 1 still living
Baby unnamed Saxton, daughter, female, color white, age 0/12 [zero twelfths of a year], single

There are no surprises here except, perhaps, for the fact that Marian is listed as Mary Ann.

But the really interesting part of the record was the information supplied by Ancestry.com in the census index:

Index to the 1910 US Federal Census on Ancestry.com

The Ancestry.com index lists the age of Baby Saxton Unamed (Myrtle Rosamond Saxton) as 26 years old!

Granted, without any additional information, the age of the baby in the original census record is difficult to read. Poor Myrtle probably rolled over in her grave when Ancestry.com listed her age as 26, when she was but a single day old!

Ancestry.com allows customers to suggest alternate names in the census indexes, but doesn't allow any other suggestions regarding the information in the indexes. Ancestry.com will also not remove any inaccurate transcriptions from the indexes. Myrtle will have to remain in the index as being born fully grown and older than her parents.

1910 US Federal Census Record for the Family of Willard Saxton

Steve — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 06:54:46 +0000

1910 US Federal Census Record for the Family of Willard Saxton

Ancestry Index to the 1910 US Federal Census for the Family of Willard Saxton

Steve — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 06:55:32 +0000

Ancestry Index to the 1910 US Federal Census for the Family of Willard Saxton

1910 US Federal Census Record for the Family of Willard Saxton

Steve — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:02:13 +0000

1910 US Federal Census Record for the Family of Willard Saxton

PDF

Steve — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:03:25 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1910 US Federal Census Record for the Family of Willard Saxton

Willard Saxton and Family in the 1910 US Federal Census

Steve — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:05:07 +0000

Yesterday, I posted a portion of the 1910 US Federal Census for Willard Saxton and his family to point out the error in the newborn baby's age. Here's the entire census record:

1910 US Federal Census for the Willard Saxton Family

SOURCE: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. Microfilm T624, Roll 1607, Election District 35, Salt Lake City Ward 3, Salt Lake County, Utah, Supervisors District No. Utah, Enumeration District No. 127, Sheet No. 3A, Lines 19-21.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the 1910 US Federal Census for the Willard Saxton Family. The record states:

The enumeration of the family was conducted on 19 Apr 1910 by Joseph E. Wilson as part of Supervisor's District No. Utah, Enumeration District No. 127, Sheet No. 3A, and lines 19-21
The family lived in a rented home at 71 Grape Street (dwelling no. 36, family no. 51) in Election District 35 of Salt Lake City Ward 3, Salt Lake County, Utah
Willard Saxton, the head of the family, was a 25 year old white male, in his first marriage for 3 years
Willard was born in Utah, his father was born in England (and spoke English), and his mother was born in Vermont
He spoke English, was able to read and write, and he worked as a blacksmith, although he was out of work for 9 months in 1909 and was out of work at the time of the census
Mary Ann Saxton, his wife, was a white female, 23 years old, in her first marriage for 3 years, and was the mother of two children but only one was still alive
She was born in Pennsylvania, her father was born in Wales and spoke Welsh, and her mother was born in the US
She spoke English, was able to read and write, and did not have an occupation
Their daughter was listed as Baby unnamed Saxton, a single white female, 0/12 of a year old

As fate would have it, Willard died before the next census was taken.

Summary of Records for the Bolesław Izbicki Family

Steve — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:47:36 +0000

Bolesław Izbicki and Wiktoria Kruczyńska married in Worcester, Massachusetts and had seven children, all born in Worcester. I've found the Birth Records for four of the children on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). Two of the remaining children are indexed on the NEHGS website, but there are no images available. I also found a marriage indexed for Wiktoria Kruczyńska but not for Bolesław Izbicki. Unfortunately there is no image available for this marriage. Here is a summary of the Records (and potential records) for the Izbicki family:

Krucenska Victorzia, Worcester, 1900, volume 502, page 428, marriage
Izbiecki John N., Worcester, 1901, volume 510, page 445, birth
Izbiecki Boleslavus, Worcester, 1903, volume 534, page 463, birth
Jzbicki Leon, Worcester, 1904, volume 544, page 490, birth
Jbicki Vadislof, Worcester, 1906, volume 560, page 495, birth
Jzbiski Victoria, Worcester, 1908, volume 576, page 512, birth
Izbiski Bernard, Worcester, 1910, volume 592, page 514, birth
Izbicki, Stanislaw, Worcester, probably 1918

I have published the Birth Records for Leon, Władysław, Wiktoria, and Bernard. I still need to obtain copies of the records highlighted above in bold. The first three records are available at the NEHGS and at the Massachusetts State Archives. The last, the Birth Record for Stanislaw Izbicki, is available at the Worcester Town Clerk's Office (for $12.00) and the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics (for $42.50 by internet, fax, or phone, for $28.00 by mail, or for $18.00 in person). Ordering records from the Massachusetts State Archives is easy and inexpensive. The records cost $3.00 each (a bargain) and the citations I have are sufficiently complete that I'm confident I'll receive the correct records. The final record, the birth of Stanislaw, is a bit more problematic. Both the Department of Vital Records and Statistics and the Worcester Town Clerk will only search on a single spelling of the last name. If I don't have the same spelling of the surname that appears in the records, I will be charged for the record but receive a "notice of no record found". Given the inconsistent spelling of the surname for the other children in the family, I think I'll just have to wait for my next trip to Boston and search for that record myself.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:59:52 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Victoria Izbicki

Application for Social Security Account Number for Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 06:30:19 +0000

Bernard Izbicki, future husband of my cousin Anastasia Rita Meleski, applied for a Social Security Account Number on 25 Nov 1936.

Application for Social Security Account Number for Bernard Joseph Izbicki

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Application for Social Security Account Number for Bernard Joseph Izbicki. The application states:

Bernard Joseph Izbicki lived at 1 Arwick Ave. in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was employed by American Steel & Wire Co. of N.E. located at 94 Grove Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
She was 33 years old when she applied; she was born on 22 Feb 1911 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
At the time of application, Bernard was 26 years old; he was born on 12 May, 1910 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Her parents were Boleslaus Dominick Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynski
He was a white male, not registered with the U.S. Employment Service and had not previously applied for a Social Security Account Number
He applied on 25 Nov 1936 and was granted Social Security Number 017-10-8784

There are two stray marks on the application: the number 212 near the upper right and 1-1 written near the bottom right. Many Polish immigrants and their sons worked at American Steel and Wire in Worcester. The jobs there did not require a lot of specialized training and paid poorly. Immigrants were often grateful to have jobs, even if the work was hard and the wages low. My grandfather, Michael Danko, also worked at American Steel and Wire.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:44:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the SS-5 for Bernard Izbicki

SS-5 for Bernard Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:44:55 +0000

SS-5 for Bernard Izbicki

Bolesław Izbicki in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census

Steve — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:30:03 +0000

I previously found the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for the household of Bolesław Izbicki. The 1910 Census shows the same family with a slightly different family structure.

The Bolesław Izbicki Household in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census

SOURCE: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. Microfilm T624, Roll 632, Worcester City Ward 5 (Part of Precinct 3), Worcester County, Massachusetts, Supervisors District No. 119, Enumeration District No. 1883, Sheet No. 7A, Lines 23-32. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Bolesław Izbicki Household in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census. The Census Record states that:

Boleslaw Isbicski, the head of the household, was enumerated with his family in a rented house at 11 Meade Street, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts in Supervisor’s District No. 119, Enumeration District No. 1883, Sheet No. 7A, Lines 23-32 in part of Precinct 3, Worcester City Ward 5, in Dwelling No. 25, and as Family No. 77
The enumeration was made on 19 Apr 1910 by William Connell
Boleslaw Isbicski, the head of household, was a married white male, age 36, immigrated in 1892, naturalized, employed as a Laborer in the City Works
Victoria, his wife, was a married white female, age 39, immigrated in 1899, naturalization status not indicated, not employed, mother of 5 children, all still living
John N., his son, was a single white male, age 8
Boleslaw, his son, was a single white male, age 7
Leo, his son, was a single white male, age 5
Wladyslaw, his son, was a single white male, age 3
Victoria, his daughter, was a single white female, age 1-7/12
Kayetan Isbicski, his brother, was a single white male, age 23, immigrated in 1905, an alien, employed as a Laborer in a Tannery
John Kruzynski, a boarder, was a single white male, age 21, immigrated in 1909, an alien, employed as a Laborer in a Cotton Mill
Stephen Kruzynski, a boarder, was a single white male, age 25, immigrated in 1909, an alien, employed as a Laborer in a Cotton Mill
Boleslaw, his wife Victoria, his brother John, and boarders John and Stephen Kruzynski, were all from Russia and spoke Polish
The children of Boleslaw and Victoria were all born in Massachusetts
Boleslaw could speak English, but the other adults could not
Sons John N, Boleslaw, and Leo were all attending school
Boleslaw and Victoria were married for 9 years and the marriage was the first for each

This record is of particular interest for two reasons: the record shows Boleslaw's brother Kajetan living with the family, and the record shows two boarders living with the family. In the early part of the 20th Century, Polish immigrants in Worcester often took in boarders in order to make ends meet.

1910 Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

Steve — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 07:35:18 +0000

1910 Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

PDF

Steve — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 07:46:00 +0000

PDF Copy of the 1910 Census Record for the Boleslaw Izbicki Family

The Marriage of Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic

Steve — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 06:30:20 +0000

Kajetan Izbicki, the brother of Bolesław Izbicki, was enumerated with Bolesław's family in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census on 15 Apr 1910. On 09 May 1910, Kajetan was married.

The Marriage Record for Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marriages Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1910. Volume 596, Page 502, No. 465. Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic. http://www.newenglandancestors.org

Click on the link for a PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic. The record shows that:

Kajetan Izbicki, age 23, and Anielia Iaczswic, age 18, were married on 09 May 1910 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Their marriage was recorded in Volume 596 on Page 502, Line 465 in the Marriage Register for Worcester in 1910
This was the first marriage for both Kajetan and Anielia
Kajetan's parents were Dominick Izbicki and Jozefa Biziewski
Kajetan was born in RussiaPoland and lived in Worcester
Anielia's parents were Antoni Iaczswic and Anna Iankowska
Anielia was born in RussiaPoland and lived in Worcester
The couple was married by P. C. Reding, a priest residing in Worcester
The marriage was recorded on 24 May 1910

The bride's name is apparently misspelled in this record as Anielia Iaczswic. Her given name should be spelled Aniela. Her surname is most likely Jacewicz, Jachowicz, Jakiewicz, or Jackowiec.

I have not found any records for Kajetan Izbicki that were recorded after the date of this Marriage Record. The couple may have changed their names or moved from Worcester.

Marriage Record for Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic

Steve — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 07:37:33 +0000

Marriage Record for Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic

PDF

Steve — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 07:51:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Kajetan Izbicki and Aniela Iaczswic

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:30:06 +0000

The 1910 U.S. Federal Census showed that Kajetan Izbicki, the brother of Bolesław Izbicki, arrived in the United States in 1905. The passenger manifest for the S.S. Ryndam includes his record.

The S. S. Ryndam

The Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki

SOURCE: Immigration and Naturalization Service. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, Roll 551, List L, Line 10.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki. The record shows:

Kajetan Izbicki, a 20-year-old, single male, departed Rotterdam on the S.S. Ryndam on 11 Mar 1905 and arrived in New York on 29 Mar 1905
Kajetan was a farm laborer and was able to read and write
He was Polish and a citizen of Russia from the village of Piertany
He had never been in the US before; his destination was 12 Grosvenor Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, the home of his brother, B. Izbicki
Kajetan had a ticket to his destination; passage was paid by his brother; he had with him ~~$10~~ $25
He was never in prison, was not a polygamist or anarchist, and was not coming to the US as a result of any offer or solicitation of employment
His health was good, and he was not deformed or crippled

Kajetan did, indeed, go to stay with his brother, Bolesław. In 1905 Bolesław was living at 12 Grosvenor Street in Worcester. In 1910, Boleslaw was living with his family and Kajetan at 11 Meade Street in Worcester, just one block from the house on Grosvenor Street. In May 1910, Kajetan was married. I have not yet found any records for Kajetan after the record of his marriage.

Kajetan's village in Poland was spelled Piertany on the Passenger Manifest. The correct spelling of this village is Piertanie. Today, Piertanie is located in the far northeast corner of Poland.

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:20:42 +0000

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:25:22 +0000

PDF Copy of the Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Kajetan Izbicki

SS Ryndam

Steve — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:43:21 +0000

SS Ryndam

A Plan to Find My Niedziałkowski Ancestors

Steve — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 06:30:11 +0000

I spent most of today working on one of the courses I'm taking through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (Methodology - Part 5: How To Prove It). One of the assignments was to describe a problem we are having with our research and to formulate a plan to solve this problem. Here's my answer:

One problem I have in my research is finding records my Niedzialkowski ancestors in Poland. Records for my grandfather (Kostanty Niedzialkowski) usually state that he was from Pomaski, Poland (Szwelice parish), but one record states that he was born in Warsaw, Poland. I have not found Kostanty’s Baptismal Record in the Szwelice parish records, but I found the Baptismal Records for his siblings there. I have not found the Baptismal Records or the Marriage Record for my great-grandfather (Teofil Niedzialkowski), although I found the Baptismal Records for Teofil’s siblings in the Szwelice parish records. I found the Baptismal Records for my great-great-grandfather (Wojciech Niedzialkowski) and his siblings and those of my great-great-great-grandfather (Antoni Niedzialkowski) and his siblings in the Krasne parish. My great-great-great-great-grandfather (Tomasz Niedzialkowski) was born in the ~~Palucene~~ Pałuki parish, but I don’t even know where the ~~Palucene~~ Pałuki parish is.
UPDATE: 22 Jun 2007, thanks to Agnieszka who left a comment, below, I now know that the name of this parish is Paluki. The records for Paluki have been filmed by the Family History Library and go back as far as 1658 - a full century earlier than the records I currently have!
The problem is I don’t know where to find the Baptismal Records for Kostanty, Teofil, or Tomasz, and I don’t know where to find the Marriage Records for Teofil or Wojciech. Compounding the problem is that the Niedzialkowski family is described in most of the records as “noble”, “well-born”, or “owners of part of the village”, and as such they always married “well-born” women from other villages, often from other parishes. I have attempted to find the missing records in the surrounding parishes, without luck. I have attempted to find the missing Baptismal Records in Szwelice by looking for illegitimate births, again without luck. Using the problem-solving techniques from the lessons, I intend to search surrounding parishes again, looking not only for the Niedzialkowski surname, but also the surnames of the wives of my Niedzialkowski ancestors. My experience with Polish records is that surnames tend to be clustered in particular villages, so if I can’t find a Niedzialkowski, perhaps I can find the surname for their wives. There is also the possibility that some of the missing Baptismal Records may be recorded as illegitimate births under the mother’s maiden name, and so I plan to search for illegitimate births in surrounding parishes. Because the missing records may be difficult to find, I plan to search substitute records. I’m not certain which substitute records are available in Poland, so I plan to take the National Institute course in Research: Polish Ancestors in February. I understand that there may be “Status Animarum” records in Polish parishes that record parish records according to family groups, providing details of the births, marriages, and deaths of individuals in the family. These records would be invaluable to solving some of my problems. Census Records and Property Records could also be useful. Because the Niedzialkowskis are of noble birth, I intend to learn more about the records of the Polish nobility to see if I can find clues there. As far as I know, there are no One Name Studies for the Niedzialkowski surname. I plan to start such a study in the hopes that the ancestral villages of other Niedzialkowskis may lead me to the records for my own ancestors. With that in mind, I’m planning to take the National Institute course in Organizing a One Name Study.

The Marriage of Leo Izbicki and Anna L. Baronisky

Steve — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:30:19 +0000

I previously wrote about the marriage of Bernard Izbicki to my second cousin Anastasia Rita Meleski. Bernard's brother Leo married Anna L. Baronisky:

The Marriage Certificate of Leo Izbicki and Anna L. Baronisky

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate of Leo Izbicki and Anna L. Baronisky. The record states that:

Leo Izbicki was a 27 year old white man born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was a baker, and his parents were William Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynski
Anna L. Baronisky was a 25 year old white woman born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was an operator, and her parents were John Baronisky and Louise Zadeckas
They were both single, and this was the first marriage for each of them
The intention of marriage was entered at Worcester on 12 Nov 1931, and the certificate was issued on 12 Nov 1931 by Malcolm C. Midgley
The wedding was solemnized on 16 Nov 1931 in Our Lady of Vilna Church in Worcester by Constantine A. Vasys, a priest residing at 15 Highfield Rd., Worcester, Massachusetts The certificate was received by the city or town clerk, Malcolm C. Midgley on 16 Nov 1931
The Registered No. was 1129 and the Intention No. was 1054
The certificate also notes the page number 400 in the Volume of the Marriage Records for Worcester in 1931

Leo is sometimes listed as Leon in other records, including his Birth Record. The name Leon was probably his given name, since his father had a brother named Leon.

The bride's surname, Baronisky, is a little odd. Other records spell this surname in a variety of ways, including Baron. Since the couple was married in a Lithuanian Church (Our Lady of Vilna) and Leo Izbicki was Polish, one might suspect that Anna L. Baronisky might be Lithuanian. The spelling of the surname, however, suggests she was Russian. It's highly unlikely, however, that a Pole and a Russian would marry in a Lithuanian Church!

Without going into a lot more detail here, it turns out that the historical surname of Anna's family was Baranauckas, a fine Lithuanian surname, indeed. Anna's Lithuanian heritage is also revealed by her mother's maiden name: Zadeckas, another fine Lithuanian surname.

Note that the given name of Leo's father's is listed as William, not Bolesław. Bolesław Izbicki apparently used the name William after he arrived in the United States. Some of his records list his name as Bolesław W. Izbicki, to reflect his use of the alias "William".

Marriage Certificate for Leo Izbicki and Anna L Baronisky

Steve — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:01:38 +0000

Marriage Certificate for Leo Izbicki and Anna L Baronisky

PDF

Steve — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:02:11 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Certificate for Leo Izbicki and Anna L Baronisky

The Marriage of John Baranauckas and Louisa Zideckas

Steve — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 05:00:32 +0000

Yesterday I posted the Marriage Certificate for Leo Izbicki and Anna L. Baronisky. Anna's parents were listed as John Baronisky and Louise Zadeckas. The marriage record for Anna's parents reveals some more information about the family surname and origins.

The Marriage Record for John Baranauckas and Louisa Zideckas

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marriages Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1905. Volume 556, Page 479, No. 619. John Baranauckas and Louisa Zideckas. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for John Baranauckas and Louisa Zideckas. The record shows that:

The marriage was recorded in Volume 556, Page 479, Number 619 of the marriage registers for the city of Worcester, Massachusetts in 1905
John Baranauckas, age 24, residing in Worcester and working as an operative, was born in Russia-Lithuania, the son of George Baranauckas and Catharine [Denulevicz?]
Louisa Zideckas, age 20, residing in Worcester and working as an operative, was born in Russia-Lithuania, the daughter of Joseph Zideckas and Eva Dambrauckas
The couple was married on 19 Jun 1905 by Joseph Jaksztys, a Clergyman from Worcester
This was the first marriage for each of them
The marriage was recorded on 19 Jun 1905

This record helps to confirm the hypothesis that Anna L. Baronisky's surname was changed at some time and that her parents were from Lithuania.

In the 1905 Worcester City Directory, Joseph Jaksztys is listed as the pastor of St. Casimir Church, residing at 22 Waverly St., Worcester, so it is likely that John Baranauckas and Louisa Zideckas were married in St. Casimir's. St. Casimir's Church was a Roman Catholic Church serving a predominantly Lithuanian congregation. The church itself is located at 41 Providence Street at the intersection of Waverly Street.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 06:01:58 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for John Baranauskas and Louisa Zideckas

Marriage Record for John Baranauskas and Louisa Zideckas

Steve — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 06:02:44 +0000

Marriage Record for John Baranauskas and Louisa Zideckas

The Marriage of George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:00:26 +0000

Continuing with the marriages of the siblings of Bernard Izbicki, Bernard's sister Victoria was married in 1935.

The Certificate of Marriage for George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Certificate of Marriage. City of Worcester. 1935. Volume Unknown. Page 391. George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Marriage for George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki. The record shows that:

George W. Card was a 27 year old white man born in New Haven, Connecticut and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was a greaser, and his parents were Henry R. Card and Mary E. Connors
Victoria Izbicki was a 26 year old white woman born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was a seamstress, and her parents were William D. Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynska
They were both single, and this was the first marriage for each of them
The intention of marriage was entered at Worcester on 08 Aug, and the certificate was issued on 13 Aug 1935 by Malcolm C. Midgley
The wedding was solemnized on 07 Sep 1935 in St. Mary's Church in Worcester by B. A. Bojanowski, a priest residing at 15 Richland St., Worcester, Massachusetts
The certificate was received by the city or town clerk, Malcolm C. Midgley on 10 Sep 1935, the Registered No. was 1129 and the Intention No. was 1054
The certificate also notes the page number 391 in the Volume of the Marriage Records for Worcester in 1935

In this record, Victoria's father is listed as William D. Izbicki, rather than Bolesław Izbicki. Bolesław often used the alias William after he arrived in the United States. This is the first record in which I've seen a middle initial for him, though. I don't know what the D. stands for.

The marriage took place in the Roman Catholic St. Mary's Church in Worcester. St. Mary's Church is known today as Our Lady of Częstochowa Church. At the time George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki were married, the congregation of St. Mary's Church was mostly Polish, and is still largely Polish today. Each Sunday, two masses at Our Lady of Chęstochowa Church are still celebrated in the Polish language.

The Certificate of Marriage for George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:15:55 +0000

The Certificate of Marriage for George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:16:33 +0000

PDF Copy of the Certificate of Marriage for George W. Card and Victoria Izbicki

The Marriage of Bernard J. Izbicki and Josephine I. Maslowski

Steve — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 06:30:34 +0000

Before marrying my cousin Anastasia Rita Meleski, Bernard J. Izbicki married Josephine I. Maslowski.

The Marriage Certificate for Bernard J. Izbicki and Josephine I. Maslowski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Certificate of Marriage. City of Worcester. 1936. Volume Unknown. Page 178. Bernard J. Izbicki and Josephine I. Maslowski.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate for Bernard J. Izbicki and Josephine I. Maslowski. The record states that:

Bernard J. Izbicki was a 25 year old white man born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was a Cold Roller, and his parents were Boleslaus Izbicki and Victoria Kruczynski
Josephine I. Maslowski was a 22 year old white woman born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
She was a Sticher and her parents were Stanislaus Maslowski and Agatha Szkutnik
They were both single, and this was the first marriage for each of them
The intention of marriage was entered at Worcester on 25 Jan 1936, and the certificate was issued on 30 Jan 1936 by Malcolm C. Midgley
The wedding was solemnized on 22 Feb 1936 in St. Mary’s Church in Worcester by John F. Mieczkowski, a priest residing at 15 Richland St., Worcester, Massachusetts
The certificate was received by the city or town clerk, Malcolm C. Midgley on 11 Mar 1936, the Registered No. was 178 and the Intention No. was 74
The certificate also notes the page number 464 in the Volume of the Marriage Records for Worcester in 1936

Bernard Izbicki later married Anastasia Rita Meleski in the same church. Bernard was divorced and Anastasia Rita was widowed at the time. The question now is, did Bernard Izbicki and Josephine Maslowski obtain a divorce? If they did, how did Bernard and Anastasia Rita manage to be married in the Roman Catholic Church?

Another possibility is that Josephine died and Bernard remarried outside the Catholic Church. If that happened, the Catholic Church would not have recognized the marriage outside the Church and Bernard would have been free to remarry.

On my to-do list: look for a possible death of Josephine, look for a possible divorce of Bernard and Josephine, and look for another possible marriage of Bernard between his marriage to Josephine and his marriage to Anastasia Rita.

The Marriage Certificate for Bernard J Izbicki and Josephine I Maslowski

Steve — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:21:49 +0000

The Marriage Certificate for Bernard J Izbicki and Josephine I Maslowski

PDF

Steve — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:22:33 +0000

PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate for Bernard J Izbicki and Josephine I Maslowski

The Marriage of Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall

Steve — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:00:17 +0000

The last of the Marriage Certificates I have for the members of the Izbicki family is for Stanley Joseph Izbicki, who married Dorothy Roslyn Crandall in 1946.

The Marriage Certificate for Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Certificate of Marriage. City of Worcester. 1946. Volume 152. Page 107. Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Certificate for Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall. The record states that:

Stanley Joseph Izbicki was a 28 year old white man born and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
He was a Postal Clerk, and his parents were William D. Izbicki and Victoria Miller
Dorothy Roslyn Crandall was a 28 year old white woman born in West Haven, Connecticut and residing in Middletown, Connecticut
She was a Payroll Supervisor and her parents were Julian L. Crandall and Ethel Willis
They were both single, and this was the first marriage for each of them
The wedding was solemnized on 14 Feb 1946 in West Haven, Connecticut by Gerald J. Jud, a Minister of the Gospel residing at 141 Main Street, West haven, Connecticut
The certificate was received by the registrar, Malcolm C. Midgley on 16 Apr 1946, the Registered No. was 278
The certificate also notes the page number 107 in the Volume of the Marriage Records for Worcester in 1946 and specifies that this is a Copy of a Certificate of Marriage for a resident of Worcester that was solemnized outside of that city

This document is an official record in the city of Worcester that recorded the marriage of a resident (Stanley Joseph Izbicki) that occurred in West Haven, Connecticut, the hometown of the bride (Dorothy Roslyn Crandall).

The marriage was solemnized by a Minister of the Gospel, indicating that this marriage took place outside the Roman Catholic Church. The exact location of the marriage was not specified in this record.

Stanley Izbicki was a Postal Clerk, just as his older brother Bernard was in later life.

Stanley listed his father's name as William D, the alias for Bolesław Izbicki, and he listed his mother's name as Victoria Miller. I have no idea where the Miller surname came from. The maiden name of Stanley's mother was Victoria Kruczyńska.

Marriage Certificate for Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall

Steve — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 06:00:09 +0000

Marriage Certificate for Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall

PDF

Steve — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 06:00:43 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Certificate for Stanley Joseph Izbicki and Dorothy Roslyn Crandall

The Polish Village of Piertanie

Steve — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:30:35 +0000

The ancestral village of the Izbicki family is Piertanie, a village that was in the Russian Partition of Poland at the time the family emigrated.

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Piertanie

SOURCE: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Władysław Walewski, and Filip Sulimmierski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1887, Volume VIII, page 101.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Piertanie. The entry, translated from the Polish, states:

Piertanie, a village on the small lakes Pierty and Wigry, Suwalki Powiat [District], Hutta Gmina [municipality], Wigry parish. Twelve viersts [1 vierst = 1.0668 km] not far from Suwalki, it has 15 homes, 109 inhabitants, 327 mórgs [1 mórg in the Russian Partition = 1.388 acres] in territory. Swampy land. In 1827 there were 7 homes, 38 inhabitants.

The parish for Piertanie is in Wigry. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has church records for Wigry from 1808-1882. I may be able to find some relevant records in these microfilms.

I've mentioned the Słownik Geograficzny several times in the past. I use this reference often to discover to which parish a particular village belonged and to learn more about the village. Some entries, like the entry for Piertanie, are very brief. The entry for Wigry, the parish, is much more extensive.

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Piertanie

Steve — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:59:16 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Piertanie

PDF

Steve — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:59:49 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Piertanie

Five Best Resources for Researching Family History in Massachusetts

Steve — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 06:30:36 +0000

Much of my United States family history research is centered on ancestors who lived in Massachusetts. In the course of that research, I found many useful resources that I use over and over again. Five of the best resources are:

The New England Historic Genealogical Society Located in Boston, the NEHGS was founded in 1845 and owns the nation's oldest genealogical library. Despite the name of the organization, the collection includes materials from many places outside New England, with especially large collections for Eastern Canada. The organization's website includes several online databases, some of which are restricted to members. In particular, the online database for Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910 includes images of the original documents prepared from the original sources, not just scans of microfilm images.
The Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library was founded in 1848 and was the first large free municipal library in the United States. The collection includes American Loyalist Claims, Civil War Histories, town and county histories, genealogies, genealogical newsletters, city directories, and a collection of newspapers on microfilm that includes more than five thousand titles. Virtually all Massachusetts newspapers and many newspapers from surrounding states are included in the collection. The library's website includes an "Ask a Librarian" link that can provide incredible assistance in breaking down brickwalls.
The Massachusetts State Archives The Massachusetts State Archives in located in the Dorchester Section of Boston, adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the UMass Boston campus. The collection includes Massachusetts Vital Records from 1841-1915 and is the only repository that currently holds Vital Records for the entire state for the period from 1911-1915. Other collections include Post of Boston Immigration Records, Massachusetts Federal and State Census Records, Naturalization Records, Probate Records, Adoption Records, and Witchcraft Trial Records.
The Massachusetts Registry of Deeds The Massachusetts Registry of Deeds maintains an online database with images of original documents from Massachusetts property transactions. The database mainly lists more recent property transactions and does not yet cover the entire state. However, this database provides an opportunity for those who have not yet researched Massachusetts property records with a way to easily access those records for free.
The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics Massachusetts Vital Records from 1916 to the present can be viewed at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The facility is located near the Massachusetts State Archives in the Dorchester section of Boston. The facility charges nine dollars an hour to conduct research there. Indexes to Massachusetts Vital Records from 1916 to the present can be searched by researchers who may then request to view the original record books. Researchers may not photocopy these records, but may order certified copies which are rapidly prepared by the staff.

There are many other important resources for family historians studying their Massachusetts ancestry. These five resources are just the ones I have used most in my research.

The Baptism of Jakub Dańko

Steve — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:30:58 +0000

Jakub Dańko is the common ancestor for all my living Dańko relatives (at least those of whom I'm aware), including my relatives in Poland and England. I've had a copy of his Baptismal Record for a few years, but until now I hadn't translated everything in the record. Most parish records from Galicia are much simpler than this one. In general, Galician parish records simply report the required information in tabular form. This record, however, includes a lot more information than is typical.

The Baptismal Record for Jakub Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Birth and Baptism). 1843. Page Unknown, Entry Number 42. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Baptismal Record for Jakub Dańko, including a transcription and translation of the record. Translated from Latin to English, the record states:

Serial Number: 42
Date of Birth: 02 Jul 1843
Date of Baptism: 03 Jul 1843
House Number: under No. 12. in Tuligłowy and from No. 140. in Nienadowa
Name: Jakub
Religion: Catholic
Sex: Boy
Legitimacy: Legitimate
Father: Pawel Dańko, gardener
Mother: Zofia, born of the father Andrzej Szymański, gardener
Godparents: Marcin Tanowski, gardener from Nienadowa, and Maria, widow left behind after the death of Andrzej Poloczni, farmer from Tuligłowy. Standing by: Jakub Kuzienko, gardener from Nienadowa, and Rozalia, wife of Błażej Wajda, farmer from Nienadowa.
Midwife: Maria Regentowa
This infant was born outside the parish in the village of Tuligłowy in the vicinity of [Panemisto?], and baptism was performed there by AK. Ludwik Wodziński, Curate of the place and Deacon [for.?] the Roman Catholic Parish on the date noted above. Written in this Book of Baptisms, these events were from the schedule presented from there.
[Removed?] 14 Aug 1878 No. 84

While I don't have every word translated here, the meaning is clear. My great-grandfather, Jakub Dańko, was born and baptized in Tuligłowy, not Nienadowa as I had thought.

The record includes a curious note that I think means "removed 14 Aug 1878 No. 84". Does this mean that my grandfather moved to a new house on 14 Aug 1878, or does it mean something else?

Some of the participants are listed with an occupation of hortulanus - gardener. This means that they farmed a very small plot of land, probably only enough to supply the needs of their own families. The Godmother, Maria Poloczni, is listed as Cmethonifsa, and Błażej Wajda is listed as Cmethonis, indicating that these people operated full-sized farms.

This is the first Galician Baptismal Record I've seen that listed people "standing by". Were these two additional witnesses listed because the child was born and baptized outside the parish?

I assume Jakub's baptism is also listed in the parish records in Tuligłowy. but, why was he born there in the first place? Was Jakub's mother from the village of Tuligłowy, and did she return there to give birth? As far as I know, all of Jakub's brothers and sisters were born in Nienadowa, not Tuligłowy, and Jakub was the seventh of eight children.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:14:32 +0000

PDF Copy of the Baptismal Record for Jakub Danko

Baptismal Record for Jakub Danko

Steve — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:16:35 +0000

Baptismal Record for Jakub Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Marianna Dańko

Steve — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 06:30:02 +0000

My great-grandfather, Jakub Dańko, had several siblings, one of whom was named Marianna. When compared to the Birth and Baptismal Record for my great-grandfather, that for his sister Marianna is quite simple. Marianna's birth is recorded as the third baptism on this page:

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Marianna Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Birth and Baptism). Nienadowa. 1826. Page 781, Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Marianna Dańko. Transcribed and translated from the Latin, the record states:

Marianna Dańko was born in Nienadowa on 13 Dec 1826 and baptized on the same day
The baptism is recorded as the third entry on page 781 in the Book of Baptisms for Nienadowa in 1826
Marianna was born in house number 140
Her birth was legitimate and she was a girl born to a Catholic family
Her father was Pawel Dańko, a farmer from Nienadowa
Her mother was Zofia Szumańska, daughter of Andrzej Szumański, farmer
Her Godparents were Marcin Janowski, a farmer, and Rozalia, a farmer and wife of Błażej Wayda
The midwife was Zofia Grzegorzakowa
Marianna was baptized by Pacificus Suchański, Parish Assistant

Two surnames appear to be misspelled: Szumański should probably be Szymański and Wayda should probably be Wajda.

The first name of the priest is Pacificus, a name that I'm not sure how to translate into Polish. Historically, Pacificus was a disciple of St. Francis of Assisi. Still, it is an unusual name for a Polish man.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:09:22 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Marianna Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record for Marianna Danko

Steve — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:10:05 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Marianna Danko

Questions and Answers: How Do I Find Ancestral Records in Poland?

Steve — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:00:24 +0000

Today I received an email from Erik, who asked:

I saw while browsing Google for Powiat Ciechanowski I stumbled across your family history website and saw you have ancestors from there. Well, I do too, and I was wondering how you went about researching the people of that area. My great-grandfather and his family were all from a town called Szulmierz in that county and I really know nothing but his name, the year of his birth, and his father's name. How do you recommend I go about researching his family? Are there any microfilmed records of the area? Since I see you've done Polish genealogy I was hoping you could provide me with some tips.

This is a great question, Erik. When I first began to study my family history, I had no idea how to go about this, and for a while I thought this was an obstacle I would never get past. You're already part way to your goal, in that you know the name of your ancestors' village. Here's a plan on how to proceed from here: 1. The first thing to do is to find the name of the parish to which Szulmierz belonged by consulting a gazetteer. I looked for Szulmierz in the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries):

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Szulmierz

The entry, translated from the Polish, states:

Szulmierz, a village and grange [a grange is a large manorial farmstead], Ciechanów Powiat [District], it has 2068 mórgs [1 mórg in the Russian Partition = 1.388 acres] in the grange (720 mórgs of settled forest) and 287 mórgs in the manor. Compare Sulmierz and Dunoch.

I then looked up the entry for Sulmierz:

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Sulmierz

The entry for Sulmierz, translated from the Polish, states:

Sulmierz, a village and grange [a grange is a large manorial farmstead], Ciechanów Powiat [District], Regimin Gmina [municipality], Niedzborz parish. Eight viersts [1 vierst = 1.0668 km] not far from Ciechanów, it has 25 homes, 317 inhabitants, 1924 mórgs [1 mórg in the Russian Partition = 1.388 acres].

Finally, I looked up the entry for Dunoch:

Słownik Geograficny Entry for Dunoch

The entry for Dunoch, translated from the Polish, states:

Dunoch, a forest area in Ciechanów Powiat [District], Regimin Gmina [municipality], Koziczynek and Lekowo parishes, belonging to the property of: Kosiczyn, Szulmierz, Włosty and others. It consists predominantly of coniferous trees, although it is frequently possible to come across whole areas consisting of oak forests and birch groves. Formerly, this forest was joined with the forests owned by the Opinogórski Manor in the village of Lekowo.

So, it appears that the Baptismal, Marriage, and Death Records for the Polish village of Szulmierz were probably maintained by the parish in Niedzborz. However, since Szulmierz was part of the Dunoch forest area, it is possible that the records could have been maintained by the parishes of Koziczynek or Lekowo.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny entries for Szulmierz, Sulmierz, and Dunoch, along with transcriptions and translations of those entries.

2. The second thing to do is see if the records have been microfilmed at by the Family History Library. Go to http://www.familysearch.org , click on the "Library" tab at the top of the page, then click on "Family History Library Catalog". Then click on "Place Search", enter the name of the parish in the "Place" box, and click on the Search button. I checked for Niedzborz, Koziczynek, and Lekowo. I found that there were baptismal, marriage, and death records in Niedzborz from 1644-1900 (with some gaps), and there are baptismal, marriage, and death records in Lekowo from 1808-1903 (but the records for 1860 appear to be missing). I could not find records for Koziczynek in the Family History Library Catalog, nor could I find Koziczynek on a map. 3. The third thing to do is to go to your local Family History Center (you can find a list of Family History Centers at http://www.familysearch.org by entering the place where you live in the search box near the bottom of the main page). Order the films you want, pay a small fee (usually about $5.50 - $6.50 US) and wait until the films arrive. Then, you can search the films for the records of your family. The FamilySearch website includes additional information about Family History Centers. One difficulty is that records up through the early 19th Century are in Latin, from the early 19th Century to about 1865-1870 they'll be in Polish, and after that they'll be in Russian. If you can't read these languages you may have to find someone who can. Usually (but not always), these church records will have an index at the end of each year and a cumulative index every ten years. You can look up the name in the index and find the record. For the Polish and Latin records, you shouldn't have a problem finding the names in the indexes, but the Russian records usually only index the names in Russian using the Cyrillic alphabet. Stephen Morse has a webpage at http://www.stephenmorse.com/russian/eng2rus.html that will transliterate English or Polish names to Russian. The webpage will give you lots of possibilities, but sometimes doesn't come up with the correct transliteration at all. The webpage shows the transliteration in print form rather than handwritten form, so you still may need help in finding names handwritten in Russian in the church records. Most of the Polish and Russian records will follow a consistent format. I've shown some of these records, along with transcriptions and translations, on my website. Additional help with translations can be found elsewhere on the web and in the excellent translation guides by Jonathan Shea and Fred Hoffman published by Language and Lineage Press:

Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, In Their Words. A Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin, and Russian Documents. Volume I: Polish (New Britain, Connecticut: Language & Lineage Press, 2000). Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, In Their Words. A Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin, and Russian Documents. Volume II: Russian (New Britain, Connecticut: Language & Lineage Press, 2002).

Volume I: Polish is out of print, but should be back in print soon. Volumes III and IV (German and Latin) have not yet been published. Good Luck!

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Sulmierz

Steve — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:56:21 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Sulmierz

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Szulmierz

Steve — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:56:44 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Szulmierz

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Dunoch

Steve — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:57:11 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Dunoch

PDF

Steve — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:27:28 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny Entries for Szulmierz Sulmierz and Dunoch

The Birth and Baptism of Jadwiga Dańko

Steve — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:30:13 +0000

My great grandfather, Jakub Dańko, had several brothers and sisters, including Jadwiga, born in 1847. Her Birth and Baptismal Record is the third from the top in the image below:

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Jadwiga Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Birth and Baptism). 1847. Page Unknown, Entry Number 43. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Jadwiga Dańko. Translated from the Latin, the record states that:

Jadwiga Dańko was born and baptized on 09 Sep 1847
Her birth was the 43rd birth in Nienadowa that year and she was born in house number 158 there
She was a legitimately born, Roman Catholic girl
Her father was Pawel Dańko, farmer
Her mother was Zofia, the daughter of Andrzej Szymański
Her Godparents were Marcin Tanowski and Zofia, the wife of Jan Wajdowicz, farmer from Nienadowa
The district midwife who delivered Jadwiga was Katarzyna Kazienkowa, who signed the record with her mark (X)
Jadwiga was baptized by Karol Poprawski, Parish Assistant
A notation on the record shows that she apparently moved on 16 Aug 1878 [to house number?] 90

The more I look at these records from Galicia, the better I'm able to translate the Latin. In these records, the priest often abbreviates words, complicating the translation.

I'm more convinced now that the notations I've seen that begin with "Extra" indicate that the individual moved to a new house. In Jadwiga's case, she was born in 1847 in house number 158. In 1878, when she would have been 31 years old, she apparently moved to house number 90.

While not a common notation among the Dubiecko Parish Baptismal Records I've seen, the Baptismal Records of several of Jakub Dańko's brothers and sisters show this type of notation:

Agnieszka - Extra 28 May 1881 No. 50
Daughter Jadwiga - Extra 16 Aug 1878 No. 90
Jakub - Extra 14 Aug 1878 No. 84
Katarzyna - no notation
Marianna - no notation
Pawel - no notation
Szymon - Extra 14 Aug 1878 No. 88
Tomasz - no notation

Notice that three of the notations were made in August 1878 and one was made in May 1881. This suggests to me that some event occurred in 1878 that forced the family members to move. At this point, I don't know what that event would have been. Finally, take a look at the Birth and Baptismal Record just above Jadwiga's record in the image above. This record shows the baptism of Rozalia Dańko, daughter of Andrzej Dańko and Jadwiga Panowska. Rozalia's Godfather is Pawel Danko, my great-great grandfather. Andzrej is Pawel's younger brother.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Jadwiga Danko

Steve — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:00:53 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Jadwiga Danko

PDF

Steve — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:01:20 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Jadwiga Danko

The Obituary of Michael Danko

Steve — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 06:30:20 +0000

My grandfather, Michael Danko, died before I was born. His obituary was published in the Worcester, Massachusetts Telegram:

Michael Danko, 76, of 47 Main street, formerly of 15 Henchman street, died Friday at his home. He was a wire drawer at American Steel & Wire Co. for 38 years, retiring 10 years ago. Mr. Danko was born in Nirnadowa, Galicia, Poland, son of the late Jacob and Agnes (Sawa) Danko, and lived in Worcester for 48 years. He leaves his wife, Mary (Dziwrzynski) Danko; four sons, John J. and Francis J. Danko, both of Albany, N.Y., and Michael J. and Joseph J. Danko of Worcester; five daughters, Sophie, wife of Clark Gibson, Statia, wife of Alfred Iwaniec, and Miss Helen Danko, all of Albany, and Bertha, wife of George McGinn and Mary, wife of Oscar Yousoufian, both of Worcester; a sister, Mary, wife of Paul Golinski of Worcester; 18 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held Monday morning from Karolkiewicz Funeral Home, 7 Richland street, followed by a high mass at 10 in St. Mary’s Church. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home are 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m. today.

SOURCE: Michael Danko Obituary, Worcester Telegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, 4 January 1953, page C19. There are a few typos in this obituary:

Nirnadowa should be spelled Nienadowa
Dziwrzynski should be spelled Dziurzynska
Sawa should be spelled Sowa

Technically, grandfather was born in Nienadowa, Galicia, Austria. The area in which he was born was controlled by Austria at the time, although historically the area was part of Poland. Today, Nienadowa is once again in the country of Poland. A funeral notice appeared in the same paper the next day:

DANKO, Michael, 47 Main street, today, 10 a.m., St. Mary’s Church.

SOURCE: Michael Danko Funeral Notice, Worcester Telegram, Worcester, Massachusetts, 5 January 1953, page 15.

The Marriage of Pawel Skowroński and Marjanna Zaborczyk

Steve — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 05:00:36 +0000

I've mentioned before that two of my father's brothers married two of the Skowronski sisters. I've tried to research the Skowronski family, but I've run into a few problems, including an uncertainty of the location of the ancestral village of the family and a disturbing uncertainty of some of the family relationships. Yesterday, I received a message from Louise, whose husband is a cousin to my two Skowronski aunts. Louise provided me with a few key pieces of information about the family that allowed me to remove most of the Skowronski records from my "may be related" file and add them to the family tree. One of these records is the marriage of Pawel Skowroński and Marjanna Zaborczyk.

The Marriage Record for Pawel Skowroński and Marjanna Zaborczyk

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marriages Registered in the Town of Gardner for the Year 1909. Volume 588, Page 326, No. 134. Pawel Skowroński and Marjanna Zaborczyk. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Pawel Skowroński and Marjanna Zaborczyk. The record states:

The marriage was recorded in Volume 588, Page 326, Number 134 of the marriage registers for the town of Gardner, Massachusetts in 1909
Pawel Skowronski, age 20, residing in Gardner and working as a Chairmaker, was born in Poland, the son of Franciszek Skowronski and Malgorzata Parzyk
Marjanna Zaborczyk, age 20, residing in Gardner and working at home, was born in Poland, the daughter of Piotr Zaborczyk and Marjanna Gawkozawka
The couple was married on 09 Oct 1909 by Julius Rodziewicz, a priest in Gardner
This was the first marriage for each of them
The marriage was recorded on 13 Oct 1909

I had always read that Pawel's mother was Margrette Podeswa. This record lists her name as Małgorzata Parzyk. The correct Polish spelling of the first name is Małgorzata, but I'm not sure about the last name.

Based on the information that Louise gave me yesterday, I am confident that this is the correct Marriage Record for the correct family. However, the names of Marjanna's parents don't match the information Louise provided. The best way to resolve these inconsistencies will be to find the Baptismal Record for Marjanna Zaborczyk in Poland.

Marriage Record for Pawel Skowronski and Marjanna Zaborczyk

Steve — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 06:24:42 +0000

Marriage Record for Pawel Skowronski and Marjanna Zaborczyk

PDF

Steve — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 06:36:19 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Pawel Skowronski and Marjanna Zaborczyk

The Grave of William P. and Mary V. Izbicki

Steve — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 06:30:40 +0000

I have written about the Izbicki family, and I've shown birth records for several members of the family. One family member for whom I don't have a birth record is Bolesław Izbicki, although I know Bolesław was born in Worcester in 1903. I looked through my files of gravestone photographs today and found a photograph of the grave marker for William P. and Mary V. Izbicki. William P. Izbicki was born with the name Bolesław, but, like his father, he used the name William for most of his life.

The Grave of William P. and Mary V. Izbicki

SOURCE: William P. and Mary V. Izbicki grave marker, Garden of Valor I, Lot 3, Graves 3 & 4, Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the overall map for Worcester County Memorial Park and a detailed map for the Garden of Valor.

This marker shows that William P. Izbicki was born in 1903 and died in 1976. He was buried on 05 Jun 1976 in Grave 3. His wife, Mary V., was born in 1900 and died in 1993. She was buried on 04 May 1993 in Grave 4. The marker includes the inscription "TOGETHER FOREVER".

Worcester County Memorial Park only permits markers that are flush with the ground. The small round object at the top of the marker is a vase in which fresh flowers may be placed. When the vase is not in use, the vase is turned upside-down and inserted into the marker so that it, too, is level with the ground.

From June through December, the cemetery provides an area where fresh flowers may be picked in order to place flowers on the graves.

Cemetery Marker for William P and Mary V Izbicki

Steve — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 08:04:19 +0000

Cemetery Marker for William P and Mary V Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 08:20:52 +0000

PDF Copy of the Map of the Garden of Valor in the Worcester County Memorial Park

The Grave of Roberta J. Izbicki

Steve — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:30:24 +0000

Roberta J. Izbicki, the daughter of William P. Izbicki and Mary V. Kuchnicki, died in 2004 and was buried near her parents in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton, Massachusetts.

The Grave of Roberta J. Izbicki

SOURCE: Roberta J. Izbicki grave marker, Garden of Valor I, Lot 3, Grave 2, Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the overall map for Worcester County Memorial Park and a detailed map for the Garden of Valor.

This marker shows that Roberta J. Izbicki was born in 1936 and died in 2004. She was buried on 12 Jan 2004 in Grave 2, next to her parents, who were buried in Graves 3 and 4. The marker includes the inscription “IN LOVING MEMORY”.

When I took this photograph in September 2005, Roberta's marker had not yet been set in place; it was leaning upright against a support. I imagine that Roberta's relatives had purchased the marker sometime in 2005, at least a year after Roberta was buried.

The Grave Marker of Roberta J Izbicki

Steve — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:38:43 +0000

The Grave Marker of Roberta J Izbicki

The Graves of Joseph Meleski, Catherine Warchol, and Rita M. B. Izbicki

Steve — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 06:30:19 +0000

A large number of my relatives are buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts. Among those are Joseph Chmielewski (alias Meleski), my half great uncle. Joseph is buried with his wife, Catherine Warchol, and his daughter, Rita M. B. Izbicki.

Meleski - Warchol - Izbicki Grave (Front)

Meleski - Warchol - Izbicki Grave (Back)

SOURCE: Joseph Meleski, Catherine Warchol, Rita M. B. Izbicki grave marker, Section 25A, Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The front of the marker reads:

+

MELESKI

JOSEPH MELESKI 1872-1933
CATHERINE WARCHOL HIS WIFE 1873-1928
RITA M. B. IZBICKI 1911-2000

Rita's initials stand for her maiden name, Meleski, and the surname of her first husband, Blackman. I'm not sure why Rita is buried here with her parents rather than with one of her husbands. Finding the graves of her two husbands may help explain this unusual arrangement.

I have not seen a marker like this before. The back of the monument is rough cut and stands out in the cemetery. This portion of Notre Dame Cemetery is graced by mature trees and is quite peaceful. I don't have a cemetery record or exact lot and grave location for this grave, but I recall that it is at the northwest corner of Section 25A. Click on the link for a PDF map of Notre Dame Cemetery.

UPDATE: On 10 August 2009, I obained the cemetery record for Rita M. B. Izbicki. It states:

Owner ID: 00008625 Deceased/Reserved: Izbicki, Rita Blackman, Mrs. Age: 88 Location: Sec-25 Lot-100 Grv-2RU Buried: 01/11/2000 Property Owner: Meleski, Joseph

Meleski Izbicki Monument - Front

Steve — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:09:37 +0000

Meleski Izbicki Monument - Front

Meleski Izbicki Monument - Back

Steve — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:10:08 +0000

Meleski Izbicki Monument - Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:23:14 +0000

PDF Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 06:30:08 +0000

Leon Izbicki, the brother of Bolesław Izbicki, arrived in the United States in 1902. The passenger manifest for the S.S. Rotterdam includes his record.

S. S. Rotterdam

The Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki

SOURCE: Immigration and Naturalization Service. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, Roll 243, List F, Line 18.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki. The record shows:

Leon Izbizki, a 20-year-old, single male, departed Rotterdam on the S.S. Rotterdam on 24 Apr 1902 and arrived in New York on 04 May 1902
Leon was a laborer and was able to read and write
He was Polish and a citizen of Russia from the village of Pjertani
He had never been in the US before; he was going to stay with his brother Bol[esław] Izbicki, Lab[orer] of Sta. No. 1, Box 52, Worcester, Mass
Leon was in possession of $2 when he arrived in New York
He was never in prison, was not a polygamist or anarchist, and was not under contract, expressed or implied, to labor in the United States
His mental and physical health were good, and he was not deformed or crippled

Leon’s village in Poland was spelled Pjertani on the Passenger Manifest. The correct spelling of this village is Piertanie. Today, Piertanie is located in the far northeast corner of Poland.

Leon did not remain in the United States. He returned to Poland.

SS Rotterdam

Steve — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:40:45 +0000

SS Rotterdam

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki

Steve — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:41:58 +0000

Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:43:14 +0000

PDF of the Immigrant Passenger Manifest for Leon Izbicki

The Birth and Baptism of Agnieszka Dańko

Steve — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 06:30:25 +0000

Agnieszka Dańko, the daughter of Pawel Dańko and Zofia Szymańska, and the sister of my great grandfather, Jakub Dańko, was born in Nienadowa on 06 Jan 1838. Agnieszka's record is the second entry on this page.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1838. Page 44. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Dańko, along with a transcription and translation from the Latin. The record states:

Agnieszka Dańko was born on 06 Jan 1838 in house number 158 in Nienadowa
She was baptized in the church in Dubiecko on 07 Jan 1838 by Antoni [Itselczycki?]
She was a legitimately born, Catholic girl
Her father was Pawel Dańko, a farmer
Her mother was Zofia Szymański, daughter of Anna and Andrzej Szymański, farmer
Her Godparents were Marcin Tanowski, and Rozalia Wayda, the wife of Błażej Wayda, both farmers
The midwife present at the birth was Agnieszka Pilchowa, who was "not tested"
The priest who baptized the child was Antoni [Itselczycki?]
Agnieszka apparently moved to house number 50 on 28 May 1881

It's interesting to note that the priest who performed the baptism only signed the first baptismal record on the page. On all other records, he signed "same as above".

The midwife, Agnieszka Pilchowa, was described as "not tested". I suppose this means that she did not have a license as a midwife. When compared with the Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka's sister Jadwiga, Jadwiga's midwife was listed as "District Midwife".

Pawel Dańko often called on Marcin Tanowski and Rozalia Wayda to be the Godparents of his children. I don't know who Marcin Tanowski married, but he may be a relative or the husband of a relative of Pawel. Rozalia Wayda, wife of Błażej Wayda, may well be Pawel's younger sister, but I'll have to search for the marriage record for Błażej and Rozalia to be sure.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Danko

Steve — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:02:00 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Danko

PDF

Steve — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:24:35 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Agnieszka Danko

The Birth of Adam Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 06:30:51 +0000

I have been searching for years for the Birth Record for Adam Skowronski, the first child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek, and today I found the record on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Two of the daughters of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek married two of my paternal uncles. Adam was born in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts in 1906. Adam is listed on line 393 of page 321 in volume 560 of the 1906 Birth Registrations for Worcester.

The Birth Record for Adam Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the Town of Gardner for the Year 1906. Adam Skowronski. Volume 560, Page 321, Number 393. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

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

The Birth Record for Adam Skuronsky is recorded in Volume 560, Page 321, Line Number 393 in the Birth Records for the Town of Gardner for the year 1906
Adam Skuronsky, a white male, was born on 24 Dec 1906 in Gardner, Massachusetts
Adam’s father was Alexander Skuronsky, a laborer born in Russia
Adam’s mother was Francis Dmak, born in Russia
Adam’s birth was recorded in January 1907

As I've seen in other Massachusetts Birth Records from this time period, the names are misspelled in this record. The misspellings and the correct spellings are:

Adam Skuronsky = Adam Skowronski
Alexander Skuronsky = Alexander Skowronski
Francis Dmak = Frances Dymek

This Birth Record fills one of the gaping holes in my knowledge of the family of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek.

On a related note, the New England Historic Genealogical Society has announced that they have received the microfilms for Massachusetts Vital Records for the period 1911-1915.

Birth Record for Adam Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:38:54 +0000

Birth Record for Adam Skowronski

The Death of Adam Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 06:30:56 +0000

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.

Death Record for Adam Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 07:17:58 +0000

Death Record for Adam Skowronski

The Grave of Alexander Skowronski, Frances Dymek, Michael J. Danko, and Jean B. Skowronski Sharron

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 06:30:59 +0000

The parents of Adam Skowronski, who birth and death records I posted yesterday and the day before, was Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek. They are buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Skowronski, Dymek, Danko Monument - Front

Skowronski, Dymek, Danko Monument - Back

SOURCE: Alexander Skowronski, Frances Dymek, Michael J. Danko, Jean B. Skowronski Sharron grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Graves 1, 2, 3, 3OB, 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

This marker shows that Alexander Skowronski (1887-1970) and his wife Francis Dymek (1888-1963) are buried here along with Michael J. Danko (1913-1981) and his wife Jean B. Skowronski Sharron (1917-1996).

Jean B. Skowronski Sharron was the daughter of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek. Jean was also the wife of my paternal uncle, Michael J. Danko. Jean's full name on the gravestone reflects the fact that she was married to Robert H. Sharron before his untimely death in 1946. Robert Sharron is buried elsewhere in Notre Dame Cemetery.

The motto on the front of the monument reads (in Polish) "Proszę o Zdrowaś Marja", which means "I ask for a 'Hail Mary' ".

Alexander is buried in Grave 1, Frances in Grave 2, Jean in Grave 3, and Michael in Grave 4. Cemetery records show that there is another burial in this lot (in Grave 3OB), not inscribed on the monument. In addition, the lot contains two additional markers flush with the ground.

Tomorrow: About the additional burial and the two additional markers.

Skowronski Monument - Front

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:26:42 +0000

Skowronski Monument - Front

Skowronski Monument - Back

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:27:18 +0000

Skowronski Monument - Back

Cemetery Records and Details of the Skowronski / Dymek / Danko Grave

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 22:30:38 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the photograph of the monument on the graves of Alexander Skowronski, his wife Frances Dymek, his daughter Jean B. Sharron Danko, and Jean's husband (my uncle) Michael J. Danko in Notre Dame Cemetery. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the map of Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Cemetery Record, provided by Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts, reads as follows:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 04 - Owner: Skowronski, Alexander, Mr. Lot - Sec-HF Lot-245 Grv-1- ================= 12 X 11 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3OB 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Resvd Burial Date Age Container ------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------ ------ -------------- 1 Skowronski, Alexander, Owner 01/07/1970 82 ASPH 2 Skowronski, Frances, Wife 06/25/1963 73 ASPH 3 Danko, Jean B., Mrs., Daughter 10/22/1996 79 WILB 3OB Danko, Jean, Baby, Great Grandchild 09/21/1999 Stillb COMBO 4 Danko, Michael J., Son-in-law 11/21/1981 68 PALMER AAAAAAEnd of ListAAAAAAA

I mentioned yesterday that there was one additional burial in this lot that was not inscribed on the monument. This burial was for Jean Marguerite Danko, granddaughter of Michael and Jean Danko and great granddaughter of Alexander & Frances Skowronski.

Marker for Jean Marguerite Danko

SOURCE: Jean Marguerite Danko grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 3OB (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

There is also another marker, commemorating Michael Danko's service in the US Navy.

Marker for Michael J. Danko, Jr.

SOURCE: Michael J. Danko, Jr. grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The marker for Michael J. Danko, Jr. reads:

MICHAEL J DANKO JR SF1 US NAVY WORLD WAR II SEP 13 1913 NOV 19 1981

The SF1 indicates that Michael J. Danko, Jr. was a Shipfitter First Class. The US Navy Classification Guide describes a Shipfitter as:

Makes repairs to hull and deck structures. Puts ship plates in place, rivets together sections of steel plates and hull framing. Scarfs and closes seams between overlapping steel plates. Cuts, chips, files, and caulks angles, seams, and rivets. Welds. Renews gaskets in watertight doors, parts, and hatches. Installs and repairs pump connections. lays out, bends and shapes sheet metal and metal sections. Threads and fits pipes. Works closely with Metalsmith and Carpenter's Mate.

To the left of the main monument is a US Flag. The flag holder includes a medallion that reads: US VETERAN:

Medallion on Flag Holder

SOURCE: Michael J. Danko, Jr. Flag Holder Medallion, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The "Rules, Regulations and Policies" of Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum state:

FLAGS: One (1) American flag is permitted on each grave in which a Veteran is interred. The cemetery is not responsible for placing flags on lots. However, flags may be obtained at the cemetery office.

PLEASE NOTE: Only one flat granite marker is allowed at the foot of each grave. This also includes Veteran markers.

SOURCE: Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum, Rules, Regulations and Policies (Worcester, Massachusetts: Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum).

Grave Marker for Jean Marguerite Danko

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:39:10 +0000

Grave Marker for Jean Marguerite Danko

US Veteran Flag Marker for Michael J Danko Jr

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:41:05 +0000

US Veteran Flag Marker for Michael J Danko Jr

US Military Veteran Marker for Michael J Danko Jr

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:42:13 +0000

US Military Veteran Marker for Michael J Danko Jr

PDF

Steve — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:55:59 +0000

PDF Copy of the Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

PDF

Steve — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 00:09:35 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Adam Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 00:12:01 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Adam Skowronski

Cemetery Medallions - GuestBlog from George G. Morgan

Steve — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 04:00:54 +0000

After posting the information on the Skowronski / Dymek / Danko gravestone in Notre Dame Cemetery, I received a message from George G. Morgan, well-known genealogy author and lecturer. Many people are familiar with George through the online classes he teaches, his "Along Those Lines..." column, and the Genealogy Guys Podcast he hosts with Drew Smith. In his message, George provided some interesting information about cemetery medallions:

Thanks for the response on your blog about the medallion on the grave in MA. I am really a cemetery addict -- a taphophile of the first magnitude -- and have photos of tens of thousands of cemetery markers from all over the world that I've taken or that have been taken for me by great friends. I hadn't seen that particular medallion in recent times. However, I did go back and found a couple of examples. I suspect that they, like the Confederate Cross of Honor stakes that the UDC placed on Confederates' graves, have been stolen (or removed by cemetery workers 'cleaning' the graves). BTW, in my hometown in NC, there was a terrible rash of cemetery vandalism about a decade ago in which the vandals pried DAR, SAR, Mayflower Descendants, Masonic, Eastern Star, and other bronze medallions from footstones and tried to sell them for scrap. Fortunately, several scrap metal dealers contacted the police and more than a dozen people were arrested, tried, and convicted of felony destruction of property and grand theft.

Thanks, George! I have to admit, I really haven't paid much attention to the medallions in cemeteries. I'll have to correct that slight!

The Grave of Robert Sharron and Barbara Sharron Haffty

Steve — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:00:05 +0000

Alexander Skowronski's lot in Notre Dame Cemetery includes the graves of Alexander Skowronski, his wife Frances Dymek, his daughter Jean B. Skowronski Sharron, and Jean's husband Michael Danko. Jean's name, as inscribed on the monument, makes reference to her first husband, Robert H. Sharron, who died in 1946. Robert Sharron's grave is located in another section of Notre Dame Cemetery.

Monument for Robert H. Sharron and Barbara J. Sharron Haffty - Front

Monument for Robert H. Sharron and Barbara J. Sharron Haffty - Back

SOURCE: Robert H. Sharron and Barbara J. Sharron Haffty grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Section 25-C, Graves 1, 2 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The inscription on the monument reads:

ROBERT H. SHARRON 1917 -- 1946 SEAMAN 1/C USN HIS DAUGHTER BARBARA J. SHARRON HAFFTY 1942 -- 2003 OUR LOVING MOTHER

The US Navy Classification Guide describes a Seaman as:

Keeps deck ship-shape. Acts as messenger, lookout, sideboy, telephone talker. Stands anchor watch, lifebuoy watch. Mans guns and handles ammunition. Mans boats. must know organization of ship, including personnel and plan of ship. Ties knots used in seamanship, splices rope, handles ground tackle. Takes soundings. Performs specifically assigned duties at general quarters and emergency drills.

As a final note, the initial "B." in Jean B. Skowronski Sharron's name - stands for Barbara, the same name she gave her daughter.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the map of Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Monument of Robert Sharron - Front

Steve — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:09:36 +0000

Monument of Robert Sharron - Front

Monument of Robert Sharron - Back

Steve — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:10:08 +0000

Monument of Robert Sharron - Back

The Descendants of Franciszek Skowroński

Steve — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:30:16 +0000

I posted a number of images of Vital Records, Cemetery Monuments, Immigration Records, and Naturalization Records for the Skowroński Family. I decided it's time to show a genealogy report for the Skowroński's so I can keep track of what I've posted and to provide links back to the original documents. The summary below does not include references to living individuals.

Descendants of Franciszek Skowronski
Generation No. 1 1. FRANCISZEK SKOWRONSKI He married MALGORZATA PODESWA, daughter of MICHAL PODESWA and ANNA RAJENKA. Children of FRANCISZEK SKOWRONSKI and MALGORZATA PODESWA are: 2. i. ALEXANDER FRANK SKOWRONSKI, born 02 Feb 1886, Gradi, Lomza, Russia-Poland; died 04 Jan 1970, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 3. ii. PAWEL F. SKOWRONSKI, born 28 Oct 1890, Grondy, Lomza, Russia-Poland; died 05 Dec 1959, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 4. iii. JOSEFA SKOWRONSKI, born 13 Dec 1891, Grondi, Lomza Gubernia, Congress Poland; died 28 Aug 1989, Gardner Manor Nursing Home /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Generation No. 2 2. ALEXANDER FRANK SKOWRONSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 02 Feb 1886 in Gradi, Lomza, Russia-Poland, and died 04 Jan 1970 in Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married FRANCES DYMEK 19 Feb 1906 in Woonsocket, Providence Co., Rhode Island, daughter of JOSEPH DYMEK and BRONISLAWA GOLASH. She was born 03 May 1888 in Poland, and died 22 Jun 1963 in Massachusetts. Children of ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI and FRANCES DYMEK are: i. ADAM SKOWRONSKI, born 24 Dec 1906, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 28 Dec 1906, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI, born 24 Aug 1908, Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. 5. iii. BENJAMIN STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, SR., born May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 06 Nov 1998, Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 6. iv. EDWARD ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI, born 20 Aug 1912, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 29 Aug 1995, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 7. v. CHESTER STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, born 17 Dec 1914, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 22 Jan 2005, St. Camillus Nursing Center /Whitinsville, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 8. vi. JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI, born 31 Mar 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 18 Oct 1996, Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. vii. FRANCIS SKOWRONSKI, born 26 Oct 1919, 16 Dorchester St. /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died Bef. Apr 1930. viii. SOFIE SKOWRONSKI, born 1926; died 1926. 3. PAWEL F. SKOWRONSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 28 Oct 1890 in Grondy, Lomza, Russia-Poland, and died 05 Dec 1959 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARJANNA H. ZABORCZYK 09 Oct 1909 in St. Joseph Church /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of FRANK ZABORCZYK and MARY LADA. She was born 14 Oct 1888 in Poland, and died 24 Nov 1971 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of PAWEL SKOWRONSKI and MARJANNA ZABORCZYK are: 9. i. AGNES H. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Dec 1910, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 04 Nov 2002, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. EDMOND SKOWRONSKI, b. 31 Dec 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. May 1986, Tucson, Pima Co., Arizona. 10. iii. MARY A. SKOWRONSKI, b. 20 Jun 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 17 Jan 2005, Webster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. iv. CHARLOTTE M. SKOWRONSKI, b. 07 Mar 1919, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 30 Nov 1996, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. v. THEODORE P. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Mar 1922, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 30 May 1993, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 13. vi. IRENE P. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Jul 1926, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 12 Oct 2003, UMASS Memorial Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 4. JOSEFA SKOWRONSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 13 Dec 1891 in Grondi, Lomza Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 28 Aug 1989 in Gardner Manor Nursing Home /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married CZESLAW PSZCZOLKOWSKI on 26 Oct 1908 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He was born 16 May 1887 in Ostroleka, Lomza Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 1959. Children of JOSEFA SKOWRONSKI and CZESLAW PSZCZOLKOWSKI are: i. ZIGMUND PSZCZOLKOWSKI, b. 27 Apr 1915, Massachusetts; d. 26 Dec 1992, Shirley, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; m. RACHEL YVONNE SEGUIN; b. 27 Sep 1922; d. Nov 1963. 14. ii. KAZMERA S. PSZCZOLKOWSKI, b. 03 Mar 1913, Massachusetts; d. 06 Sep 2000, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Generation No. 3 5. BENJAMIN STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, SR. (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born May 1910 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 06 Nov 1998 in Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married (1) MARY B. RADZIK. She was born 1918, and died Feb 1959. He married (2) RUTH E. GRILLO Abt. 1964, daughter of ANTHONY GRILLO and GERTRUDE VON ROSSELER. She was born 15 Jun 1926 in Jersey City, Hudson Co., New Jersey, and died 17 Dec 2000 in Fletcher Allen Health Care /Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont. 6. EDWARD ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 20 Aug 1912 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 29 Aug 1995 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married BERNICE CELIA MARKIEWICZ 21 Nov 1936 in St. Mary's Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of STANISLAW MARKIEWICZ and ANTONINA LEJWODA. She was born 07 Oct 1915 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 14 Oct 1974 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 7. CHESTER STANLEY SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 17 Dec 1914 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 22 Jan 2005 in St. Camillus Nursing Center /Whitinsville, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARY A. PIANOWSKI 12 Jun 1937 in St. Mary's Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of FRANK PIANOWSKI and GERTRUDE CHORNZY. She was born 25 Dec 1919 in Princeton, Mercer Co., New Jersey, and died 19 Jan 1997 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of CHESTER SKOWRONSKI and MARY PIANOWSKI is: i. CHESTER R. SKOWRONSKI, SR., b. 1938, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 22 May 2005, Awendaw, Charleston Co., South Carolina. 8. JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 31 Mar 1917 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 18 Oct 1996 in Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) ROBERT H. SHARRON, SR. 18 Feb 1939 in St. Mary's Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of GEORGE SHARRON and ADORINE TATRO. He was born 15 Apr 1917 in Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 1946 in Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) MICHAEL JOHN DANKO 12 Jul 1952 in St. Mary's Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA. He was born 13 Sep 1913 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 Nov 1981 in 15 Marion Avenue /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of JEAN SKOWRONSKI and ROBERT SHARRON is: i. BARBARA J. SHARRON, b. 22 Aug 1942, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 24 Dec 2003, Worcester Medical Center, St. Vincent Hospital / Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. GEORGE T. HAFFTY; b. Abt. 1923, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 23 May 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 9. AGNES H. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEL F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Dec 1910 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 04 Nov 2002 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) JOHN KUPSTAS, son of JACOB KUPSTAS and VERONICA SEMAUKOWSKAS. He was born 1908 in Massachusetts, and died 28 Sep 1936 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) PETER O'PACKI, son of RAYMOND O'PACKI and DOMENICA OLENDER. He was born 22 Feb 1919 in West Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 31 Jul 2004 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of AGNES SKOWRONSKI and JOHN KUPSTAS is: v. LORRAINE KUPSTAS, d. 27 Feb 1959, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 10. MARY A. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEL F., FRANCISZEK) was born 20 Jun 1917 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 17 Jan 2005 in Webster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married RAYMOND ARTHUR GAGNON, SR., son of GEORGE GAGNON and REGINA DUBE. He was born 02 Jun 1913 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 09 May 1984 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. CHARLOTTE M. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEL F., FRANCISZEK) was born 07 Mar 1919 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Nov 1996 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married PAUL S. OJERHOLM Bet. 1941 - 1942, son of JULIUS OJERHOLM and EMMA HULT. He was born 26 Oct 1921 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 28 Aug 2002 in St. Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. THEODORE P. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEL F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Mar 1922 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 May 1993 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JOSEPHINE A. MYEFSKI Bet. 1940 - 1941, daughter of JOSEPH MYEFSKI and BENEDICTA TOMKUS. She was born 24 Jun 1921 in Massachusetts, and died 15 Oct 2001 in 15 Granite Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of THEODORE SKOWRONSKI and JOSEPHINE MYEFSKI are: i. THADDEUS P. SKOWRONSKI, JR., b. 14 Nov 1954, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 07 Jun 1989, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 13. IRENE P. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEL F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Jul 1926 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 12 Oct 2003 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married ANTHONY P. KIRVILAITIS. He was born 12 Jul 1917 in Ohio, and died 18 May 1999 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of IRENE SKOWRONSKI and ANTHONY KIRVILAITIS is: i. ANTHONY KIRVILAITIS, b. 07 Aug 1956, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 14 Jan 2002, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachussetts. 14. KAZMERA S. PSZCZOLKOWSKI (JOSEFA SKOWRONSKI, FRANCISZEK) was born 03 Mar 1913 in Massachusetts, and died 06 Sep 2000 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) STANLEY DYMEK Bef. 1968. He was born 21 Jul 1912, and died Mar 1968. She married (2) JAMES SUTHERBY Aft. 1968, son of JAMES SUTHERBY and BRIDGET COLE. He was born Abt. 1912 in New York City, New York Co., New York, and died 16 Dec 1995 in Heywood Hospital /Massachusetts.

The Birth of Chester Skowronski

Steve — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 06:00:09 +0000

The fifth child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was Chester Skowronski, born in 1914. The records for 1914 are available on microfilm at the Massachusetts State Archives and at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). Unfortunately the Massachusetts Vital Records 1911-1915 are not yet available online at the NEHGS website. The Birth Certificate I have was generated in 2005 at the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, although the records for 1914 are no longer available from that agency.

Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1914. Chester Skowronski. Volume 624, Page 641, Number 4165. The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski. The record shows that:

Cheslow Skowronski, a male child, was born on 17 Dec 1914 in Worcester, Massachusetts
His mother was Franciska Dimek who was born in Russia Poland and lived in Worcester, Massachusetts
His father was Alexsandra Skowronski, occupation Moulder, who was born in Russia Poland
The event was recorded in Jan 1915 as Reg. No. 4165, Vol. 624, Page 641

Although listed as Cheslow on the certificate, the child used the name Chester throughout life.

Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski

Steve — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:59:23 +0000

Copy of Record of Birth for Chester Skowronski

The Birth of Alexander Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 04:30:14 +0000

The second child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Alexander. He was born in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. His birth is recorded on line 510 of the Birth Register, which I found on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Pittsfield for the Year 1908. Alexander Skowronski. Volume 574, Page 123, Number 510. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski. The record states that:

Alexander Skowronsky, a male child, was born on 24 Aug 1908 at 13 Waconah Street, Pittsfield
His birth was recorded on line 510 of page 123 of volume 574 of the Birth Register for the City of Pittsfield for the year 1908 and was entered in the register on 15 Sep 1908
His father was Alexander Skowronsky, a laborer born in Poland
His mother was Frances Dimeck, born in Poland
His parents' residence was 13 Waconah Street, Pittsfield

As is typical for the Vital Records Registers for Massachusetts for this period of time, there are a number of names spelled in ways that don't agree with later records:

Alexander Skowronsky = Alexander Skowronski
Frances Dimeck = Frances Dymek
Waconah St = Wahconah St

It took me a while to figure out the name of the street where Alexander was born. To figure out the correct spelling of the name, I went to Stephen Morse's website and explored the 1910-1940 Census Street Finder: Obtaining Streets in the 1910 to 1940 Census in One Step. After choosing the 1930 census for Pittsfield, Massachusetts, I looked at the street names listed for each Enumeration District. There, I found the name Wahconah Street, which I then checked out a MapQuest.

The Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 06:49:06 +0000

The Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 06:49:44 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Alexander Skowronski

The Birth of Benjamin Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 05:30:32 +0000

The third child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Benjamin. He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His birth is recorded on line 3540 of the Birth Register, which I found on the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Births Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1910. Benjamin Soborowski. Volume 592, Page 553, Number 3540. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski. The record states that:

Bennie Soborowski, a male child, was born in May 1910 in Worcester
His birth was recorded on line 3540 of page 553 of volume 592 of the Birth Register for the City of Worcester for the year 1910 and was entered in the register in Jan 1911
His father was Alek, a laborer born in Russia Poland
His mother was Frances Demek, born in Russia Poland
His parents’ residence was in Worcester

This record is unusual in that the surname for Bennie is Soborowski, which is the surname for his father's stepfather. Even though the birth records for the two children born before Bennie show the Skowronski surname, this record shows Soborowski.

The actual date of birth is not given. Only the month and year are provided.

The Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 06:08:39 +0000

The Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 06:09:22 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Benjamin Skowronski

The Birth of Francis Skowronski

Steve — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:30:57 +0000

The seventh child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Francis. He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His birth is recorded on page 102 of the Birth Register, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

The Birth Record for Francis Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Return of a Birth. City of Worcester, 1919. Francis Skowronski. Volume Unknown, Page 102, Registered Number 3930. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth Record for Francis Skowronski. The record states:

Francis Skowrouski was a male child born alive at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 26 Oct 1919
His father was Alexander Skowrouski, a 32 year-old, white laborer born in Poland and residing at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester
His mother was Frances Dymek, a 32 year-old, white housewife born in Poland and residing at 16 Dorchester Street, Worcester
S. C. Mieczkowksi, M.D. of 8 Richland Street, Worcester personally attended the birth
The Return of a Birth was received at the office of the city clerk on 27 Oct 1919 as attested by W. Henry Towne, Registrar

Note that the surname of Francis and his father is spelled as Skowrouski, not Skowronski. The mother's name is correctly spelled as Dymek.

The Skowronskis lived at 16 Dorchester Street at this time, just a block from the address of the physician who attended the birth. Both addresses were close to the addresses of many other families whose children would later marry the Skowronski children.

The area where the Skowronskis lived was the Polish neighborhood on the east side of Worcester, known as "The Island". St. Mary's Church, the Polish parish now known as Our Lady of Częstochowa Church, was just about a block away from the Skowronskis' residence.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 09:33:10 +0000

PDF copy of the Birth Record for Francis Skowronski

The Birth Record for Francis Skowronski

Steve — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 09:34:25 +0000

The Birth Record for Francis Skowronski

The Birth of Jean Skowronski

Steve — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 06:30:05 +0000

The sixth child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek was named Jenettie (Jean). She was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Her birth is recorded on a Copy of Record of Birth, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

The Birth Record for Jean Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Copy of Record of Birth. City of Worcester. 1917. Jenettie Skowronski. Volume 642, Page 585, Registered Number 1388. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

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

Jenettie Skowronski was a female child of single birth born in Worcester, Massachusetts on 31 Mar 1917
Her birth is recorded in Volume 642, Page 585, Registered Number 1388 of the Register of Births for the City of Worcester for the year 1917
Her mother was Frances Skowronski, maiden name Frances Dymek, born in Poland and residing in Worcester, Massachusetts
Her father was Alexander Skowronski, a laborer born in Poland
The birth was recorded in Jan 1918

Although the child's name was Jenettie at birth, she used the name Jean for most of her life.

The Birth Record for Jean Skowronski

Steve — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 07:49:48 +0000

The Birth Record for Jean Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 07:50:20 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Jean Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 07:58:55 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Record for Chester Skowronski

The Grave of Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and Ruth E. Grillo

Steve — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 04:30:15 +0000

Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and his second wife, Ruth E. Grillo, are buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. The grave is located in the St. Mark Section, Lot 107, Graves 1 and 2. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the map of Notre Dame Cemetery.

Monument for Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and Ruth E. Grillo - Front

Monument for Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and Ruth E. Grillo - Back

SOURCE: Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and Ruth E. Grillo grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Section St. Mark, Lot 107, Graves 1, 2 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The front of the monument lists the family name: SKOWRONSKI.

The back of the monument reads:

BENJAMIN S. SKOWRONSKI SR. 1910-1998 HIS WIFE RUTH E. GRILLO 1926-2000

The cemetery record for this lot states:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 04 - Owner: Skowronski, Ruth E., Mrs. Lot - Sec-SMARK Lot-107 Grv ================= 12 X 10 1/2 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Resvd Burial Date Age Container ------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------ ------ -------------- 1 Skowronski, Benjamin S., Sr. 11/10/1998 88 PLANTE 2 Skowronski, Ruth, Wife 12/21/2000 74 PLANTE 3 4 AAAAAAEnd of ListAAAAAAA

SOURCE: Burial Record, Benjamin S. Skowronski, Sr. and Ruth Grillo, St. Mark Section, Lot 107, Graves 1-4. Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. My experience in obtaining cemetery records varies from cemetery to cemetery, but generally I've been able to obtain burial records and other cemetery records on file. Occasionally, a cemetery has asked for a photocopying fee. Once, a cemetery asked for a donation of five dollars per record. Some cemeteries would not provide a copy of the records at all. Notre Dame Cemetery was helpful in providing computer printouts of their records at no charge, but they would only provide a few records while I waited. When I requested a large number of records at one time, they preferred to search and print the records at their convenience and mail the records to me at a later date. Once, they even provided me with a photocopy of the original, hand-written records when I had a question about the accuracy of the computer record.

Monument for Benjamin Skowronski and Ruth Grillo - Front

Steve — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:34:36 +0000

Monument for Benjamin Skowronski and Ruth Grillo - Front

Monument for Benjamin Skowronski and Ruth Grillo - Back

Steve — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:35:09 +0000

Monument for Benjamin Skowronski and Ruth Grillo - Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 06:01:06 +0000

PDF Copy of the Map of Notre Dame Cemetery

The Grave of Mary B. Radzik Skowronski

Steve — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:30:05 +0000

Benjamin S. Skowronski was married twice. He is buried with his second wife, Ruth E. Grillo, whose monument and Burial Record I reported yesterday. Benjamin's first wife, Mary B. Radzik, died in 1959. She is buried in a separate grave in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the map of Notre Dame Cemetery.

Monument for Mary B. Radzik Skowronski - Front

Monument for Mary B. Radzik Skowronski - Back

SOURCE: Mary B. Radzik Skowronski grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Section 25-C, Lot 1032, Grave 2 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The front of the monument lists the family name: SKOWRONSKI and the Polish inscription "PROSZE O ZDROWAS MARJA" which means "I ask for a Hail Mary".

The back of the monument reads:

BENJAMIN S. SKOWRONSKI 1910 - 1998 HIS WIFE MARY B. RADZIK 1918 - 1959

The cemetery record for this lot states:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 02 - Owner: Skowronski, Alexander, Mr. Lot - Sec-25 Lot-1032 Grv-1 ================= 6 X 10 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Resvd Burial Date Age Container ------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------ ------ -------------- 1 Reserved 2 Skowronski, Mary B., Daughter-in-la 02/10/1959 42 WHITE AAAEnd of ListAAA

SOURCE: Burial Record, Mary B. Radzik, Section 25-C, Lot 1032, Grave 2. Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. This situation, where one person is listed on two monuments, is not uncommon when one spouse dies and the other remarries. In a case such as the one illustrated here, where Benjamin's birth and death are listed on both monuments, one may not be able to determine in which grave an individual is actually buried without examining the cemetery records. In Benjamin's case, the cemetery records show that he is buried with his second wife, Ruth Grillo.

The Monument for Mary B Radzik Skowronski - Front

Steve — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:29:16 +0000

The Monument for Mary B Radzik Skowronski - Front

The Monument for Mary B Radzik Skowronski - Back

Steve — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:29:58 +0000

The Monument for Mary B Radzik Skowronski - Back

The Grave of Chester S. Skowronski, Mary A. Pianowski, and Chester R. Skowronski

Steve — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:30:37 +0000

Another child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts is Chester S. Skowronski. He is buried with his wife, Mary A. Pianowski, and his son, Chester R. Skowronski. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Map of Notre Dame Cemetery.

The Monument for Chester S. Skowronski, Mary A. Pianowski, and Chester R. Skowronski - Obverse

The Monument for Chester S. Skowronski, Mary A. Pianowski, and Chester R. Skowronski - Reverse

SOURCE: Chester S. Skowronski, Mary A. Pianowski, and Chester R. Skowronski grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 244, Graves 2,3,4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005. The front of the monument lists the family name: SKOWRONSKI. The back of the monument reads:

1914 CHESTER S. SKOWRONSKI 2005 HIS WIFE 1920 MARY A. PIANOWSKI 1997 1938 CHESTER R. SKOWRONSKI 2005 HIS WIFE 1941 CAROLE A. FOX

The cemetery record for this lot states:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 04 - Owner: Skowronski, Mary A., Mrs. Lot - Sec-HF Lot-244 Grv-1- ================= 12 X 11 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Resvd Burial Date Age Container ------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------ ------ -------------- 1 Skowronski, Carol A., Mrs 2 Skowronski, Chester R., Son 05/28/2005 66 3 Skowronski, Mary A., Owner, wife 01/21/1997 77 MONT 4 Skowronski, Chester S., Mr. 01/27/2005 90 AAAAAAEnd of ListAAAAAAA

SOURCE: Burial Record, Chester S. Skowronski, Mary A. Pianowski, and Chester R. Skowronski, Holy Family Section, Lot 244, Graves 2,3,4. Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts. Chester S. Skowronski died on 22 Jan 2005, just a day before my uncle, Frederick Niedzialkowski, who died on 23 Jan 2005. Frederick's wife, Janice died a few months later on 05 Apr 2005. Chester R. Skowronski died the next month, on 22 May 2005. An interesting point to note: the owner of this cemetery lot was Mary A. (Pianowski) Skowronski, who was also the first to be buried in the lot. More often, I've seen that the surviving spouse was the owner of the lot. This lot is an exception.

Monument of Chester Skowronski - Front

Steve — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:43:04 +0000

Monument of Chester Skowronski - Front

Monument of Chester Skowronski - Back

Steve — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:43:37 +0000

Monument of Chester Skowronski - Back

The Amateurologist

Steve — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:31:15 +0000

I found a new genealogy blog of note today - The Amateurologist. Welcome back, Lee! ;-)

Descendants of Franciszek Skowroński

Steve — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 22:16:52 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. FRANCISZEK SKOWROŃSKI He married MAŁGORZATA PODESWA, daughter of MICHAŁ PODESWA and ANNA RAJENKA. Children of FRANCISZEK SKOWROŃSKI and MAŁGORZATA PODESWA are:

2. i. ALEXANDER FRANK SKOWROŃSKI, born 02 Feb 1886, Grądi, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland; died 04 Jan 1970, Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 3. ii. PAWEL F. SKOWROŃSKI, born 28 Oct 1890, Grądy, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland; died 05 Dec 1959, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 4. iii. JOSEFA SKOWROŃSKI, born 13 Dec 1891, Grądi, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland; died 28 Aug 1989, Gardner Manor Nursing Home /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

Generation No. 2

2. ALEXANDER FRANK SKOWROŃSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 02 Feb 1886 in Grądi, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 04 Jan 1970 in Hahnemann Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married FRANCES DYMEK 19 Feb 1906 in Woonsocket, Providence Co., Rhode Island, daughter of JÓZEF DYMEK and BRONISŁAWA GOŁASH. She was born 03 May 1888 in Poland, and died 22 Jun 1963 in Massachusetts. Children of ALEXANDER SKOWROŃSKI and FRANCES DYMEK are:

i. ADAM SKOWRONSKI, born 24 Dec 1906, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 28 Dec 1906, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI, born 24 Aug 1908, Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. 5. iii. BENJAMIN STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, SR., born May 1910, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 06 Nov 1998, Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 6. iv. EDWARD ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI, born 20 Aug 1912, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 29 Aug 1995, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 7. v. CHESTER STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, born 17 Dec 1914, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 22 Jan 2005, St. Camillus Nursing Center /Whitinsville, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 8. vi. JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI, born 31 Mar 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died 18 Oct 1996, Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. vii. FRANCIS SKOWRONSKI, born 26 Oct 1919, 16 Dorchester St. /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; died Bef. Apr 1930. viii. SOFIE SKOWRONSKI, born 1926; died 1926.

3. PAWEŁ F. SKOWROŃSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 28 Oct 1890 in Grądi, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 05 Dec 1959 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARJANNA H. ZABORCZYK 09 Oct 1909 in St. Joseph Church /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of FRANK ZABORCZYK and MARY LADA. She was born 14 Oct 1888 in Poland, and died 24 Nov 1971 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of PAWEŁ SKOWROŃSKI and MARJANNA ZABORCZYK are:

9. i. AGNES H. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Dec 1910, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 04 Nov 2002, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. ii. EDMOND SKOWRONSKI, b. 31 Dec 1913, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. May 1986, Tucson, Pima Co., Arizona. 10. iii. MARY A. SKOWRONSKI, b. 20 Jun 1917, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 17 Jan 2005, Webster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. iv. CHARLOTTE M. SKOWRONSKI, b. 07 Mar 1919, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 30 Nov 1996, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. v. THEODORE P. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Mar 1922, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 30 May 1993, St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 13. vi. IRENE P. SKOWRONSKI, b. 22 Jul 1926, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 12 Oct 2003, UMASS Memorial Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

4. JOSEFA SKOWROŃSKI (FRANCISZEK) was born 13 Dec 1891 in Grądi, Łomża Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 28 Aug 1989 in Gardner Manor Nursing Home /Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married CZESŁAW PSZCZOLKOWSKI on 26 Oct 1908 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He was born 16 May 1887 in Ostrolęka, Łomza Gubernia, Congress Poland, and died 1959. Children of JOSEFA SKOWROŃSKI and CZESŁAW PSZCZOLKOWSKI are:

i. ZIGMUND PSZCZOLKOWSKI, b. 27 Apr 1915, Massachusetts; d. 26 Dec 1992, Shirley, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; m. RACHEL YVONNE SEGUIN; b. 27 Sep 1922; d. Nov 1963. 14. ii. KAZMERA S. PSZCZOLKOWSKI, b. 03 Mar 1913, Massachusetts; d. 06 Sep 2000, Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

Generation No. 3

5. BENJAMIN STANLEY SKOWRONSKI, SR. (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born May 1910 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 06 Nov 1998 in Memorial Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married (1) MARY B. RADZIK. She was born 1918, and died Feb 1959. He married (2) RUTH E. GRILLO Abt. 1964, daughter of ANTHONY GRILLO and GERTRUDE VON ROSSELER. She was born 15 Jun 1926 in Jersey City, Hudson Co., New Jersey, and died 17 Dec 2000 in Fletcher Allen Health Care /Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont. 6. EDWARD ALEXANDER SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 20 Aug 1912 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 29 Aug 1995 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married BERNICE CELIA MARKIEWICZ 21 Nov 1936 in St. Mary’s Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of STANISLAW MARKIEWICZ and ANTONINA LEJWODA. She was born 07 Oct 1915 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 14 Oct 1974 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 7. CHESTER STANLEY SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 17 Dec 1914 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 22 Jan 2005 in St. Camillus Nursing Center /Whitinsville, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married MARY A. PIANOWSKI 12 Jun 1937 in St. Mary’s Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, daughter of FRANK PIANOWSKI and GERTRUDE CHORNZY. She was born 25 Dec 1919 in Princeton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 Jan 1997 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of CHESTER SKOWRONSKI and MARY PIANOWSKI is:

i. CHESTER R. SKOWRONSKI, SR., b. 1938, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 22 May 2005, Awendaw, Charleston Co., South Carolina.

8. JEAN BARBARA SKOWRONSKI (ALEXANDER FRANK, FRANCISZEK) was born 31 Mar 1917 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 18 Oct 1996 in Memorial Health Care /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) ROBERT H. SHARRON, SR. 18 Feb 1939 in St. Mary’s Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of GEORGE SHARRON and ADORINE TATRO. He was born 15 Apr 1917 in Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 1946 in Millbury, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) MICHAEL JOHN DANKO 12 Jul 1952 in St. Mary’s Church /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, son of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA. He was born 13 Sep 1913 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 Nov 1981 in 15 Marion Avenue /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of JEAN SKOWRONSKI and ROBERT SHARRON is:

i. BARBARA J. SHARRON, b. 22 Aug 1942, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 24 Dec 2003, Worcester Medical Center, St. Vincent Hospital / Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; m. GEORGE T. HAFFTY; b. Abt. 1923, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 23 May 2005, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

9. AGNES H. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEŁ F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Dec 1910 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 04 Nov 2002 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) JOHN KUPSTAS, son of JACOB KUPSTAS and VERONICA SEMAUKOWSKAS. He was born 1908 in Massachusetts, and died 28 Sep 1936 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (2) PETER O’PACKI, son of RAYMOND O’PACKI and DOMENICA OLENDER. He was born 22 Feb 1919 in West Sutton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 31 Jul 2004 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of AGNES SKOWRONSKI and JOHN KUPSTAS is:

v. LORRAINE KUPSTAS, d. 27 Feb 1959, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

10. MARY A. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEŁ F., FRANCISZEK) was born 20 Jun 1917 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 17 Jan 2005 in Webster, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married RAYMOND ARTHUR GAGNON, SR., son of GEORGE GAGNON and REGINA DUBE. He was born 02 Jun 1913 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 09 May 1984 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 11. CHARLOTTE M. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEŁ F., FRANCISZEK) was born 07 Mar 1919 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 Nov 1996 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married PAUL S. OJERHOLM Bet. 1941 - 1942, son of JULIUS OJERHOLM and EMMA HULT. He was born 26 Oct 1921 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 28 Aug 2002 in St. Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 12. THEODORE P. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEŁ F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Mar 1922 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 30 May 1993 in St. Vincent Hospital /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. He married JOSEPHINE A. MYEFSKI Bet. 1940 - 1941, daughter of JOSEPH MYEFSKI and BENEDICTA TOMKUS. She was born 24 Jun 1921 in Massachusetts, and died 15 Oct 2001 in 15 Granite Street /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Children of THEODORE SKOWRONSKI and JOSEPHINE MYEFSKI are:

i. THADDEUS P. SKOWRONSKI, JR., b. 14 Nov 1954, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 07 Jun 1989, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.

13. IRENE P. SKOWRONSKI (PAWEŁ F., FRANCISZEK) was born 22 Jul 1926 in Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, and died 12 Oct 2003 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center /Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married ANTHONY P. KIRVILAITIS. He was born 12 Jul 1917 in Ohio, and died 18 May 1999 in Oxford, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. Child of IRENE SKOWRONSKI and ANTHONY KIRVILAITIS is:

i. ANTHONY KIRVILAITIS, b. 07 Aug 1956, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts; d. 14 Jan 2002, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachussetts.

14. KAZMERA S. PSZCZOLKOWSKI (JOSEFA SKOWROŃSKI, FRANCISZEK) was born 03 Mar 1913 in Massachusetts, and died 06 Sep 2000 in Gardner, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. She married (1) STANLEY DYMEK Bef. 1968. He was born 21 Jul 1912, and died Mar 1968. She married (2) JAMES SUTHERBY Aft. 1968, son of JAMES SUTHERBY and BRIDGET COLE. He was born Abt. 1912 in New York City, New York Co., New York, and died 16 Dec 1995 in Heywood Hospital /Massachusetts.

The Death of Frances Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 06:30:25 +0000

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 - 1963

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.

Death Certificate for Frances Skowronski

Steve — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 07:40:44 +0000

Death Certificate for Frances Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 07:41:20 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Certificate for Frances Skowronski

The Death of Alexander F. Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 06:30:56 +0000

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

Certificate of Death for Alexander F. Skowronski - 1970

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.

Death Record for Alexander Skowronski

Steve — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 09:45:20 +0000

Death Record for Alexander Skowronski

PDF

Steve — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 09:45:53 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Alexander Skowronski

The Marriage of Czesław Pszczółkowski and Józefa Skowrońska

Steve — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 06:30:33 +0000

Józefa Skowrońska, the daughter of Franciszek Skowroński and Małgorzata Podeszwa, married Czesław Pszczółkowski in 1908 in Gardner, Massachusetts.

The Marriage Record for Józefa Skowrońska and Czesław Pszczółkowski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marriages Registered in the Town of Gardner for the Year 1908. Volume 580, Page 311, No. 90. Czesław Pszczółkowski and Józefa Skowrońska. http://www.newenglandancestors.org.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Józefa Skowrońska and Czesław Pszczółkowski. The record states that:

The marriage was recorded in Volume 580, Page 311, Number 90 of the marriage registers for the town of Gardner, Massachusetts in 1908
Azislaw Psczilkowski, age 21, residing in Gardner and working as a Sander, was born in Russia, the son of John Psczilkowski and Julija Korder
Jozefa Skoweronska, age 17 residing in Gardner and working as a Weaver, was born in Russia, the daughter of Kazimierz Skoweronska and Adela Podeska
The couple was married on 26 Oct 1908 by John F. McDermott, a Roman Catholic Clergyman in Gardner
This was the first marriage for each of them
The marriage was recorded on 27 Oct 1908

As I've often found in these hundred-year-old vital records from Massachusetts, this record includes a number of errors:

Azislaw Psczilkowski should be spelled Czesław Pszczółkowski
Jozefa Skoweronska should be spelled Józefa Skowrońska
John Psczilkowski should be spelled Jan Pszczółkowski
Julija Korder should be spelled Julianna [Kordek?]
Kazmierz Skoweronska should be Franciszek Skowroński
Adela Podeska should be [Małgorzata?] Podeszwa

All other records I have for the Skowroński family indicate that the given name of Józefa's father should be Franciszek, not Kazmierz. Józefa's mother should probably be Małgorzata, not Adela, although most records show her name anglicized to Margrette.

Why would the names of Józefa's parents be so far off? Perhaps one reason is that both of her parents were deceased at the time of her marriage. Her father died when she was very young and her mother died earlier in 1908. In addition, Józefa was only 17 years old when she was married. Perhaps Józefa simply didn't know the correct names of her parents.

The Marriage Record for Czeslaw Pszczolkowski and Jozefa Skowronska

Steve — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 09:27:31 +0000

The Marriage Record for Czeslaw Pszczolkowski and Jozefa Skowronska

PDF

Steve — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 09:28:25 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Czeslaw Pszczolkowski and Jozefa Skowronska

The Marriage of Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek

Steve — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 06:30:39 +0000

While searching the Massachusetts Vital Records on the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) today, I found this record for the marriage of Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek. The parents of Władysława Dymek are very similar to those for Frances Dymek, the wife of Alexander Skowroński, leading me to think that Władysława and Frances were sisters. In addition, the time and place, 1910 in Worcester, Massachusetts, is correct for the family I'm researching.

The Marriage Record for Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marriages Registered in the City of Worcester for the Year 1910. Volume 596, Page 503, No. 469. Matthew Emilian and Vladislava Dymek. http://www.newenglandancestors.org. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek. The record states that:

The marriage was recorded in Volume 596, Page 503, Number 469 of the marriage registers for the city of Worcester, Massachusetts in 1910
Matthew Emilian, age 23, residing in Worcester and working as a Laborer, was born in Russia-Poland, the son of Matthew Emilian and Rose Seniuki
Vladislava Dymek, age 22 residing in Worcester and working as an Operative in a Woolen Mill, was born in Russia-Poland, the daughter of Joseph Dymek and Brovislava Goralgolasz
The couple was married on 30 May 1910 by P. C. Reding, a Priest in Worcester
This was the first marriage for each of them
The marriage was recorded on 02 Jun 1910

Aside from the spelling errors commonly seen in these records, the only difference between the parents of Frances Dymek and Władysława Dymek is that Frances' mother's maiden name was Golash and Władysława's mother's maiden name was Goralgolasz. There are certainly people in Poland today with the surname Golasz, but not with Golash or Goralgolasz. As for the spelling errors in the first names, Vladislava should be spelled Władysława, and Brovislava should be spelled Bronisława. After finding this marriage record on the NEHGS website, I searched for the couple on Ancestry.com but I could find no trace of either of them in any record on that website.

Marriage Record for Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek

Steve — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:51:15 +0000

Marriage Record for Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek

PDF

Steve — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:51:49 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record for Matthew Emilian and Władysława Dymek

2007 Genealogy Seminar at Sea

Steve — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:51:49 +0000

The 2007 Genealogy Seminar at Sea originally scheduled for October 27, 2007 to November 3, 2007 aboard Royal Caribbean's newest ship "Liberty of the Seas" has been cancelled

Speakers on the program were:

John Philip Colleta Stephen J. Danko Michael J. Leclerc Paul Milner George G. Morgan Donna M. Moughty Laura G. Prescott Paula Stuart-Warren

The itinerary was to be as follows:

October 27, 2007 - Depart Miami, Florida October 28, 2007 - At Sea October 29, 2007 - San Juan, Puerto Rico October 30, 2007 - Philipsburg, St. Maarten October 31, 2007 - At Sea November 1, 2007 - Labadee, Haiti November 2, 2007 - At Sea November 3, 2007 - Return to Miami, Florida For further information contact Cindy at Fly Away Travel at 1-800-837-0295 or email FlyAwayTravel@neo.rr.com .

Photo of Stephen J Danko

Steve — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:01:44 +0000

Photo of Stephen J Danko

Steve — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:25:06 +0000

Photo of Stephen J Danko

About Steve

Steve — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:29:13 +0000

I was born in Albany, New York. Through the years I've lived in Vermont, Nebraska, and Oregon, and I now reside in San Francisco, California. I earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University. I am currently studying for a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. All my grandparents were Polish immigrants, which has led me to concentrate on 20th Century American Records and 18th and 19th Century Polish Records. My research in Poland has led to a new appreciation for European History and Languages. Since April, 2006, I've been writing a daily research blog, where I've posted images of the documents important in my personal research and I discuss the relevance of those records in documenting my family history. In the course of writing this blog, I've reconnected with lost cousins in Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. I am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, the California Genealogical Society, the Polish Genealogical Society of America, and the Polish Genealogical Society of California.

The Grave of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski

Steve — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:30:32 +0000

I've been exchanging information about the Skowronski family with a cousin of a cousin, Louise Gagnon. Yesterday, Louise visited St. John's Cemetery in Gardner, Massachusetts and Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts and sent me copies of the photographs she took there. I was especially interested in the photographs Louise took of the grave of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski. Sophie was the last child of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek. John was Alexander Skowronski's half brother. John Soboroski and Alexander Skowronski immigrated to the United States together on the S.S. Graf Waldersee, arriving at Ellis Island on 29 Mar 1903. Both are listed on the passenger manifest under the surname Siborowski.

SOURCE: Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Section Unknown (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Louise Gagnon, 12 Mar 2007. The front of the monument reads:

SKOWRONSKI

The back of the monument reads:

SOPHIE 1926 - 1926 JOHN SOBOROSKI 1897-1976

I'm not sure exactly where this monument is located within Notre Dame Cemetery, but Louise mentioned that it was way in the back of the cemetery by Lyman Street. From that description, I suspect this monument is not far from where my Aunt Bronisława Dańko is buried.

Monument of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski - Front

Steve — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:50:29 +0000

Monument of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski - Front

Monument of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski - Back

Steve — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:50:58 +0000

Monument of Sophie Skowronski and John Soboroski - Back

The Grave of Joseph J. Danko

Steve — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:30:21 +0000

My uncle, Joseph J. Danko, died in 1991. He is buried in Notre Dame Cemetery where many other Danko and Skowronski relatives are buried. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Map of Notre Dame Cemetery.

Monument for Joseph J. Danko - Obverse

Monument for Joseph J. Danko - Reverse

Military Marker for Joseph J. Danko

SOURCE: Joseph J. Danko grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, St. Matthew Section, Lot 122, Grave 2 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005. The front of the monument reads:

DANKO HE WILL RAISE THEM UP ON EAGLE'S WINGS AND HOLD THEM IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND

The back of the monument reads:

1919 JOSEPH J. DANKO 1991 HIS WIFE HELEN F. SKOWRONSKI Yours Only Forever

The military marker reads:

JOSEPH J DANKO SGT US ARMY WORLD WAR II SEP 2 1919 JUL 5 1991

Joseph J. Danko served as a sergeant with Company A, 366th Military Police Service Battalion, United States Army, in the European-African-Middle Eastern theater, and was a member of the 713th Military Police Association. The Cemetery Record for this lot shows that:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 06 - Owner: Danko, Joseph & Helen Lot - Sec-SMATT Lot-122 Grv-1-6 ============== 12 X 16 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 6 3 ----------------------------------------- 3 5 3 3 3 3 3 UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA? 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU Space Deceased/Resvd Burial Date Age Container ------- --------------------------------------------- ------------------ ------ -------------- 1 Reserved 2 Danko, Joseph J., Husband 07/08/1991 71 PALMER 3 Danko, Helen, Wife 4 Reserved 5 Reserved 6 Reserved AAAAAAEnd of ListAAAAAAA

As with my Uncle Mike Danko's grave, there is an American flag on Uncle Joe's grave. The medallion on the flag holder states "WW II US VETERAN".

Joseph J Danko Monument - Front

Steve — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:02:14 +0000

Joseph J Danko Monument - Front

Joseph J Danko Monument Back

Steve — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:22:44 +0000

Joseph J Danko Monument Back

Joseph J Danko Military Marker

Steve — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:23:23 +0000

Joseph J Danko Military Marker

The Birth of Joseph Danko

Steve — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 05:30:08 +0000

The ninth child of Michael Dańko and Marianna Dziurzyńska was named Joseph. He was born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His birth is recorded on page 430 of the Birth Register for the City of Worcester for the year 1919, a copy of which I obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Vital Records and Statistics.

Canvasser's Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Return of a Birth. City of Worcester. 1919. Joseph Danko. Volume Unknown, Page 430, Registered Number 3183. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records And Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Canvasser's Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko. The record states that:

Joseph Danko was a male child born alive at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 02 Sep 1919
His father was Michael Danko, a 43 year-old, white wiredrawer born in Poland and residing at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester
His mother was Mary Guginski, a 38 year-old, white woman, no occupation listed, born in Poland and residing at 19 Prescott Place, Worcester
Katie Tutudar personally attended the birth, no further information provided
The name of the canvasser and the date the return was obtained were not provided
The Canvasser's Return of a Birth was filed in Jan 1920 as attested by W. Henry Towne, Registrar

The Canvasser's Return of a Birth was used to record Joseph Danko's birth because he was born at home and the birth had not been previously recorded.

The name of Joseph's mother is listed as Mary Guginski. Nearly every document spells Mary's name differently. Other documents list her first name as Maria, Marya or Marianna, and list her surname as Dziura, Dziurzynski, Dziurzyńska, Dziurznska, Ginsky, Dzevirzynska, Jusuka, Dzuizynski, Dziwrzynski, Durzinski, and Dzinski. Whew!

Canvassers Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko

Steve — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:21:25 +0000

Canvassers Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko

PDF

Steve — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:32:56 +0000

PDF Copy of the Canvassers Return of a Birth for Joseph Danko

The Death of Joseph J. Danko

Steve — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 06:30:38 +0000

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.

Death Record of Joseph J Danko

Steve — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 09:14:09 +0000

Death Record of Joseph J Danko

PDF

Steve — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 09:14:47 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record of Joseph J Danko

The Death of Michael J. Danko, Jr.

Steve — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 06:30:19 +0000

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.

The Death Record for Michael J Danko Jr

Steve — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:52:38 +0000

The Death Record for Michael J Danko Jr

PDF

Steve — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:53:15 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Michael J Danko Jr

The Death of Jean B. Danko

Steve — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 06:30:47 +0000

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.

Death Record of Jean B. Danko

Steve — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:04:35 +0000

Death Record of Jean B. Danko

PDF

Steve — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:07:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record for Jean Danko

The Grave of Pawel F. Skowronski, Marianna H. Zaborczyk, and William Ojerholm

Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 06:30:43 +0000

Pawel F. Skowronski, the brother of Alexander Frank Skowronski, is buried with his wife, Marianna H. Zaborczyk, and their great-great grandson, William Ojerholm, in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

The Monument for Pawel F. Skowronski, Marianna H. Zaborczyk, and William Ojerholm - Front

The Monument for Pawel F. Skowronski, Marianna H. Zaborczyk, and William Ojerholm - Back

SOURCE: Pawel F. Skowronski, Marianna H. Zaborczyk, and William Ojerholm grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Section Unknown (Worcester, Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Louise Gagnon, 12 Mar 2007.

The front of the monument reads:

SKOWRONSKI

PROSZE O ZDROWAS MARJA

The back of the monument reads:

PAWEL F. SKOWRONSKI 1890 - 1959
HIS WIFE MARIANNA H. 1888 - 1971
GREAT GRANDSON WILLIAM OJERHOLM 1963-1963

The inscription on the front, translated from the Polish, reads: I ask for a Hail Mary.

Monument for Pawel Skowronski - Front

Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:10:33 +0000

Monument for Pawel Skowronski - Front

Monument for Pawel Skowronski - Back

Steve — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:11:01 +0000

Monument for Pawel Skowronski - Back

The Grave of Chester Pszczolkowski, Josephine Skowronski, and James Paul Carlberg

Steve — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 05:00:20 +0000

Józefa Skowroński (Josephine Skowronski) married Czesław Pszczółkowski (Chester Pszczolkowski). They are buried in St. John's Cemetery in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts with James Paul Carlberg.

The Monument for Chester Pszczolkowski, Josephine Skowronski, and James Paul Carlberg - Front

The Monument for Chester Pszczolkowski, Josephine Skowronski, and James Paul Carlberg - Back

SOURCE: Chester Pszczolkowski, Josephine Skowronski, and James Paul Carlberg grave marker, St. John's Cemetery, Section Unknown (Gardner, Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Louise Gagnon, 12 Mar 2007.

The front of the monument reads:

PSZCZOLSKOWSKI

The back of the monument reads:

CHESTER PSZCZOLKOWSKI 1887-1959
HIS WIFE JOSEPHINE SKOWRONSKI 1891-1989
JAMES PAUL CARLBERG AUG 7, 1971

With this monument, I've published photographs of the monuments of all the children of Małgorzata (Margaret) Podeszwa.

Monument for Chester Pszczolskowski - Front

Steve — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:17:36 +0000

Monument for Chester Pszczolskowski - Front

Monument for Chester Pszczolskowski - Back

Steve — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:18:04 +0000

Monument for Chester Pszczolskowski - Back

The Birth and Baptism of Wiktoria Bębenek

Steve — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 06:30:43 +0000

I received a message from Kasia Tropiło who provided me with quite a bit of information on her ancestors, including Katarzyna Dańko. As it turns out, Kasia and I appear to be fourth cousins, twice removed! While the final documents to prove the connection are still missing, the document I have that supports the connection is the Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Bębenek. Wiktoria's record is at the bottom of the image of the parish record book shown below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bębenek

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Birth and Baptism). 1870. Entry Number 90. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bębenek. The record shows that:

Wiktoria Bębenek was the 90th child born in 1838 in Nienadowa, Galicia (Austria Poland), and was born on 19 Dec 1870 in house number 44
She was baptized in the church in Dubiecko on 20 Dec 1870
She was a legitimately born, Catholic girl
Her father was Antoni Bębenek, a gardener, son of Franciszek Bębenek and [?]
Her mother was Zofia Dańko, daughter of Maciej Dańko and Franciszka [?]
Her Godparents were Wawrzyniec Chruścicki [?] and Zofia, the wife of [?]
Wiktoria died on 16 Dec 1871

The bottom part of this record was not included in the digital image I have. In fact, this record was not even the subject of my interest at first. The record immediately above the record for Wiktoria Bębenek was the Birth and Baptismal Record for my step-great grandmother, Zofia Głowacz. I only noticed Wiktoria's record by chance, long after the image was obtained.

Because the bottom of the record was not included, I don't know the name of Antoni Bębenek's mother or the maiden surname of Zofia Dańko's mother (although I can tell that Zofia's mother's maiden name begins with the letter "J"). Other information is also missing.

This record shows that Wiktoria's maternal grandfather was Maciej Dańko, and it is Maciej Dańko who is the critical link between Kasia's family tree and my family tree. I believe Maciej Danko is Kasia's gggg grandfather and the brother of my gg grandfather, Pawel Dańko.

To confirm this link, I'll have to obtain this complete record and Maciej's marriage record. These two records will either complete the link or disprove the link.

In addition to this evidence, the time and place are correct for the Maciej Dańko in my ancestry and in Kasia's, and several surnames repeat in both our records.

The records from the Dubiecko parish have not been microfilmed, and so Kasia and I will have to obtain the records directly from the church in Dubiecko.

One final observation: notice the cross (+) and the date on the record. This notation indicates Wiktoria Bębenek's death. She died just a year after she was born.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:44:04 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bebenek

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bebenek

Steve — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:44:52 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bebenek

The Birth and Baptism of Maciej Dańko

Steve — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 04:30:36 +0000

Maciej Dańko, son of Wojciech Dańko and Marjanna Jedlińska and brother of my great great grandfather, Pawel Dańko, was born in 1808. The record of his baptism is the fourth on the page from the Book of Births and Baptisms of the parish in Dubiecko.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maciej Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Birth and Baptism). 1808. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Maciej Dańko. The record states that:

Maciej Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa
He was baptized on 01 Jan 1808 in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marjanna Jedlińska
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Pawel Jedliński and Marjanna Markoska
A notation was made that on 14 Jun 1882 he was in house number 59

The register notes that he was baptized on the same date as the entry above, meaning 01 Jan 1808. No clear notation was made of the date of his birth, which may actually have been a day or two earlier, but could also be the same day as the baptism.

The baptismal records for this time period provide minimal information. No notation of the names of the grandparents, the name of the priest who performed the baptism, or the name of the midwife was made.

The far right side of the record was cut off in this image. The missing portion describes the occupations of the Godparents.

In dealing with names in the records from the former Galicia (Austria Poland), I always translate the names from Latin to Polish for my reports. In this record, the translations of the names are:

Mathias (Latin) = Maciej (Polish) = Matthew (English) Adalbertus (Latin) = Wojciech (Polish) = Adalbert, Albert, George (English) Marjanna (Latin) = Marjanna (Polish) = Marianna (English) Paulus (Latin) = Pawel (Polish) = Paul (English)

As in many of the Dańko records from Dubiecko, there is a notation that Maciej was living in a different house at some later date. Curiously, not all baptismal records include such a notation. In particular, on this page, only the record of Maciej Dańko includes this notation.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maciej Danko

Steve — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 05:26:53 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maciej Danko

PDF

Steve — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 05:37:45 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Maciej Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Pawel Dańko

Steve — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 04:00:12 +0000

My great-great grandfather, Pawel Dańko, was born in 1799. Pawel was the older brother of Maciej Dańko, whose Birth and Baptismal Record I showed yesterday. Pawel's baptism is recorded as the last record on this page from the Dubiecko parish records. His baptism was the first baptism recorded for Nienadowa that year.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1799. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Dańko. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Pawel Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa
He was baptized on 04 Jan 1799 in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedleńska
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Szymon Jedleński and Marianna Makowska
He was baptized by Tomasz Lazarowiz, Assistant Pastor
There is an enigmatic note "1. Ertu"

Note that the house number for Pawel is the same as that for Maciej: 161. House numbers are a good way to verify that the individuals named in the records are part of the same family group.

The church records in Galicia were almost never indexed. House numbers provide a quick way to find records for individuals in the same family group because the researcher can quickly scan the House Number column instead of reading each name.

Notice, too, that the mother's maiden name in this record is spelled Jedleńska, but is spelled Jedlińska in Maciej's record. Other spelling differences between the records include Marianna / Marjanna and Makowska / Markoska.

The parents and Godparents named in these records probably could not read or write and probably didn't know how to spell their own names. The duty of correctly spelling the names was up to the priest, and different priests often spelled the names differently.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 04:20:02 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1799

Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1799

Steve — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 04:20:39 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1799

The Birth, Baptism, and Death of Pawel Dańko

Steve — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:00:31 +0000

My great-great grandfather, Pawel Dańko, was born in 1799. There is, however, a Birth and Baptismal Record for another Pawel Dańko, born of the same parents in 1796, three years before my great-great grandfather's birth. The Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Dańko born in 1796 is the third record on the image below.

The Birth and Baptism of Pawel Dańko - 1796

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1796. Pawel Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptism of Pawel Dańko - 1796. The record states:

Pawel Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa
He was baptized on 01 Jul 1796 in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Wojciech Trupiło and Zofia Waydzina, farmers (peasants)
He was baptized by Tomasz Lazarowiz, Assistant Pastor

The sponsors signed with a mark "X". This is distinguished from the mark "+" that indicates the death of the person named in the baptismal record, as on the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Bębenek. The "+" mark is the sign of the cross and is sometimes circled to distinguish it from the "X" used to sign the records.

The fact that the next male child born to Wojciech and Marianna was also named Pawel is a good indication that their son Pawel born in 1796 died before the next male child was born. After the death of a young child, Poles often used the same name for a child born later.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1796

Steve — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:52:38 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1796

PDF

Steve — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:53:16 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Pawel Danko 1796

The Birth and Baptism of Wiktoria Dańko

Steve — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 05:30:15 +0000

The third child and first daughter of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska was named Wiktoria. She was born in 1800 and is listed as the third baptism from the top of the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1800. Wiktoria Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Dańko. The record states:

Wiktoria Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa
She was baptized on [06 December 1800 ?] in the church in Dubiecko
Her parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska
Her Godparents (Sponsors) were Wojciech Trupiło, a landless farmer, and Marianna Markoska, [well-considered of the parishioners of Nienadowa ?]
She was baptized by [Gabriel Golecki ?]

The left side of this document has deteriorated to the point where it is difficult to read. Click on the image above and enlarge it as much as you can so you can see the rough texture of the paper on which this document is written.

Personally, I think that images such as this, taken with a digital camera, are so much superior to the microfilm images commonly available for historical records. Not only are the photographic images usually clearer than microfilm images, but you can see the texture and color of the paper in the photographic image.

The records for the parish in Dubiecko, Poland have not been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, so I had to hire a genealogist in Poland to obtain these images for me.

The genealogist indicated that the date of baptism for Wiktoria was 06 Nov 1800, but the name of the month looks more like December to me.

The name of the priest who baptized Wiktoria is difficult to read, but I think it is Gabriel Golecki. I also couldn't translate the occupation of Marianna Markoska, one of the sponsors. I believe the occupation may say in Latin "Coctrix de Adela Nin", which I have translated as "well-considered of the parishioners of Nienadowa", meaning that Marianna may have been a member of the nobility, but I'm not at all certain about this translation.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Danko

Steve — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 06:44:51 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Danko

PDF

Steve — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 06:45:24 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Wiktoria Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Rozalia Dańko

Steve — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:00:54 +0000

The fourth child of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska was born in 1804. She was named Rozalia and her Baptismal Record is the last one at the bottom of the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Rozalia Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1804. Rozalia Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Rozalia Dańko. The record states:

Rozalia Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa, a girl legitimately born to a Catholic family
She was baptized on 10 Aug 1804 in the church in Dubiecko
Her parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska
Her Godparents (Sponsors) were Wojciech Trupiło, a landless farmer, and Marianna Markoska, wife of a farmer
She was baptized by Leopold Kuczki

Several of the five children of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska whose Birth and Baptismal Records I've shown so far have the same Godparents (sponsors). The Godfather of three of the children was Wojciech Trupiło and the Godmother of four of the children was Marianna Markoska.

Why were these two people asked to be the Godparents of the Dańko children over and over again? Perhaps Wojciech Trupiło and Marianna Markoska were close neighbors, prominent citizens in the community, or family members.

Throughout the Galician records, several different Latin words were used for farmers. The ones I seen most often are agricola, meaning a farmer who owned land, rusticus, meaning a landless farmer, and hortulanus, meaning a gardener who owned a small amount of land.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Rozalia Danko 1804

Steve — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 05:10:12 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Rozalia Danko 1804

PDF

Steve — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 05:10:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Rozalia Danko 1804

The Birth and Baptism of Stanisław Dańko

Steve — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:30:15 +0000

The sixth child of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska was born in 1810 and was named Stanisław. His record is the fifth from the top of the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1810. Stanisław Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Stanisław Dańko. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Stanisław Dańko was born in house number 161 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family
He was baptized on 07 May 1810 in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlinska
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Szymon Jedlinski, a landless farmer, and Marjanna Markoska, wife of a farmer
He was baptized by Leopold Rudzki

Stanisław's Birth and Baptismal Record actually includes the header of the page. Many records I have do not include the header, and so I used the header of this record to identify the contents of the record.

In the first column of Stanisław's record is written the Latin word "Idem", meaning "the same", and so I had to look at the previous entries to determine that the month was May and the name of the priest was Leopold Rudzki.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:49:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Danko

Steve — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:50:00 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Stanislaw Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Michał Dańko - 1816

Steve — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 06:00:38 +0000

The seventh child of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska was named Michał. He is listed as the first birth recorded on page 692 of the Birth and Baptismal Register for Nienadowa in 1816.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Michał Dańko - 1816

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1816. Michał Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Michał Dańko - 1816. The record states:

Michał Dańko was born on 22 Sep 1816, in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family
He was baptized on 23 Sep 1816 by A.R. Ignacy Miłucki in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Marianna Jedlinska, daughter of Wojciech Jedlinski, [born a servant of the court ?]
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Wawrzeniec Markowski and Marianna Markowska, occupations illegible

With this record, the dates of both the birth and baptism were recorded.

Note that Michał was born in house number 140. All the previous children born to Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska were born in house number 161.

A notation under the mother's name appears to state that Marianna Jedlińska was born to Wojciech Jedliński, born a servant to the court. If this translation is correct, it appears that Marianna's father was well-connected in the community.

The occupations of the Godparents (sponsors) are largely illegible, since it was cut off in this image. However, the words "servant" and "wife" appear to be in this description.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:27:54 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Michal Danko - 1816

Birth and Baptismal Record of Michal Danko - 1816

Steve — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:28:32 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Michal Danko - 1816

The Marriage of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska

Steve — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:00:30 +0000

After showing the Birth and Baptismal Records of the children of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska, it's about time to show the marriage record for the couple. The Marriage Record for Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska is the third marriage recorded on the page shown below.

The Marriage Record for Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Conjugorum (Book of Marriages). 1793. Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record for Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska. The record states that:

The marriage of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlenszczonka was recorded on page 96 of the marriage records for 1793 for house number 11 in Nienadowa
The couple was married on 11 Nov 1793 in Dubiecko by Walenty [Kruzoski ?], assistant pastor
Wojciech was a 21-year-old unmarried Catholic and Marianna was a 21-year-old unmarried Catholic
The witnesses were Jan Szumanski and Wojciech Trupiło, [farmers without land]
There is a notation that reads Extrad 10/10 879 No. 96

The priest was rather creative with Marianna's surname, spelling it Jedlenszczonska rather than Jedlińska. The bride and groom were most likely unable to read and write, so there was no way for them to verify the spelling.

Note that one of the witnesses to the marriage was Wojciech Trupiło, who later would be the Godfather (sponsor) for several of the couple's children.

Since both Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska were 21 years old at the time of marriage, they were both born about 1771-1772. Their births predate the time when records of Births and Baptisms were maintained in Dubiecko, so this marriage record may be the best extant source for their birth year.

I am not certain what the notation Extrad 10/10 879 No. 96 means here. I previously thought that the notation meant that the individual moved, but the date indicated here, 10 Oct 1879, was probably after the death of both Wojciech and Marianna. Perhaps this notation shows when the marriage information was extracted in order to produce a marriage certificate. This is just a guess.

On a final note, there is a large "X" to the left of this record, and the names of the bride and groom are both underlined with a different pen than that used on the rest of the page. I am unsure of the meaning of these markings, but one possibility is that the marks were made after the death of one of the spouses, when the other remarried.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 06:03:57 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Marianna Jedlinska

Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Marianna Jedlinska

Steve — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 06:05:07 +0000

Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Marianna Jedlinska

The Marriage of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka

Steve — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 04:00:47 +0000

My great-great grandfather, Wojciech Dańko, was married a second time in 1818. His new wife was Rozalia Chruścicka. The record of their marriage is the first record on the image below.

The Marriage Record of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Conjugorum (Book of Marriages). 1818. Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

The marriage of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was recorded in the marriage records for 1818 in Nienadowa
The couple was married on 06 Jul 1818 in Dubiecko
Wojciech was a 48-year-old Catholic widower and Rozalia was a 22-year-old unmarried Catholic
The witnesses were Wojciech Trupiło and Walenty Blaut

The information in this record agrees with other information about Wojciech Dańko. He was born in about 1769-1770, was living in Nienadowa, and was a widower.

Based on the fact that the last child of Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska was born in 1816 and the marriage of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka occurred in 1818, I conclude that Marianna Jedlińska Dańko died between 1816 and 1818.

Wojciech's second wife, Rozalia, was 26 years younger than her new husband and, as it turns out, would bear him at least six more children.

Once again, Wojciech Trupiło was a witness to this event in the lives of the Dańko family.

Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Rozalia Chruscicka

Steve — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 04:15:40 +0000

Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Rozalia Chruscicka

PDF

Steve — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 04:17:31 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Wojciech Danko and Rozalia Chruscicka

The Birth and Baptism of Andrzej Dańko

Steve — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 06:30:49 +0000

The first child of Wojceich Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was born a year after their marriage and was named Andrzej. Andrzej's record is the first one on the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Andrzej Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1819. Andrzej Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Andrzej Dańko. The record states that:

Andrzej Dańko was born on 16 Nov 1819, in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family
He was baptized on the same day by I [Miłucki ?] in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia Chruścisnanka
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Kazik and Barbara Kazińska

Andrzej was baptized on the same day he was born. Usually, Polish infants were baptized within two days after their birth, but baptisms on the day of birth are relatively rare.

The Godparents' (sponsors') names are not completely legible, since the right side of this page is missing. It's interesting, though, that the surnames of the sponsors are very similar. Perhaps I'm missing part of Kazimierz' surname and the two surnames are the same.

Finally, Rozalia Chruścicka's surname appears to be spelled Chruścisnanka. I'm not sure why her name was spelled this way.

The priest who baptized Andrzej was Ignacy [Miłucki ?] the same priest who baptized Michał Dańko, the last son of Wojciech Dańko and his first wife, Marianna Jedlińska.

PDF

Steve — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 07:16:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Andrzej Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record of Andrzej Danko

Steve — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 07:16:53 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Andrzej Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Maria Dańko

Steve — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:30:07 +0000

The second child born to Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was born in 1822 and named Maria. Her record is the first on the page shown below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Maria Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1822. Maria Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Maria Dańko. The record states that:

Maria Dańko was born on 27 Mar 1822, in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a girl legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Zofia Grzegorzczycka
She was baptized on the same day by Szymon Musiewicz in the church in Dubiecko
Her parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia, daughter of Józef Chroscicki
Her Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Chroscicki, a farmer, and Barbara Kazinkowa, the wife of a farmer

This record provides not only the names of Maria's parents, but it also provides the name of Rozalia's father - Józef.

This record is also one of the earliest Birth and Baptismal Records to list the midwife - Zofia Grzegorzczycka.

The family is still residing in house number 140, the same residence reported for the birthplace of Wojciech's two previous children.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maria Danko

Steve — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:59:56 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maria Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Jan Dańko - 1824

Steve — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 05:30:26 +0000

The third child of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was born in 1824 and was named Jan. His record is in the middle of the image shown below, the first child born in Nienadowa in December of that year.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jan Dańko

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1824. Jan Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jan Dańko. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Jan Dańko was born on 11 Dec 1824, in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Zofia Grzegorzkowa
He was baptized on the same day by Szymon Musiewicz, assistant pastor of the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia, daughter of Józef Chróścicki
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Chróścicki and Barbara Kazienkowa

Jan's record bears many similarities to that of his sister Maria's: both were baptized on the day of their births, both were delivered by the same midwife and baptized by the same priest, and both had the same Godparents.

In Jan's record, Rozalia's father was Józef Chróścicki, while in other records, the surname is spelled Chruścicki. In Polish, the letters "ó" and "u" are pronounced in a similar manner, so I'm not surprised to see these two variants in spelling.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jan Danko - 1824

Steve — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 05:40:55 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jan Danko - 1824

The Birth and Baptism of Jakub Dańko - 1828

Steve — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:30:43 +0000

The fourth child of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was born in Nienadowa in 1828 and was named Jakub. Jakub's Birth and Baptismal Record is the fifth record from the top of the page below, the first birth in Nienadowa in July 1828.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jakub Dańko - 1828

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1828. Jakub Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jakub Dańko - 1828. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Jakub Dańko was born on 23 Jul 1828, in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Zofia Grzegorzkowa
He was baptized on the next day, 24 Jul 1828 in the church in Dubiecko
His parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia, daughter of Józef Chruscicki
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Chruscicki, farmer, and Barbara, wife of Marcin Kazienko, farmer

Jakub was the 11th child of Wojciech, the fourth child with his second wife, Rozalia. Wojciech was about 58 years old at the time his son Jakub was born.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:52:07 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jakub Danko - 1828

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jakub Danko - 1828

Steve — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:54:45 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jakub Danko - 1828

PDF

Steve — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:01:42 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Jan Danko - 1824

PDF

Steve — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:06:59 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Maria Danko - 1822

The Birth and Baptism of Wiktoria Dańko

Steve — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:30:52 +0000

My great-great-great grandfather, Wojciech Dańko, had two daughters named Wiktoria, one by each of his two wives. The first was baptized on 06 Dec 1800, the second on 27 Jul 1830. The second Wiktoria Dańko's Birth and Baptismal Record is the third record on the image below, the last baptism recorded for Nienadowa in July 1830.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Danko - 1830

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1830. Wiktoria Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Danko - 1830. The record states:

Wiktoria Dańko was born in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a girl legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Anna Janowska
She was baptized on 27 Jul 1830 in the church in Dubiecko
Her parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia, daughter of Józef Chróscicki
Her Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Chróscicki, farmer, and Barbara, wife of Marcin Kazienko, farmer

The left side of this image is cut off, and so I assume the date on this record is the date of Wiktoria's baptism. The date of birth, when recorded, is usually written to the left of the date of baptism.

The name of the priest who baptized Wiktoria is not listed in this image. In Wiktoria's record, the priest's name is indicated as "ut supra", meaning "as above". Since the top of the image is missing, I don't know the name of the priest written "above".

Wiktoria's Godparents (sponsors) are the same two people who were Godparents for the previous children of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka; however, the midwife who delivered Wiktoria was someone new: Anna Janowska.

Since Wojciech had two daughters named Wiktoria, the first Wiktoria Dańko may have died before 1830. I'll have to keep this in mind as I search for more records on this family.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:43:09 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Danko - 1830

Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Danko - 1830

Steve — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:43:44 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Wiktoria Danko - 1830

The Birth and Baptism of Anna Dańko

Steve — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:30:11 +0000

The youngest child of Wojciech Dańko and Rozalia Chruścicka was born in 1833 and named Anna. Her Birth and Baptismal Record is the next to last entry on the page below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Dańko - 1833

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1833. Anna Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Dańko - 1833. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Anna Dańko was born in house number 140 in Nienadowa, a girl legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Marianna Wojtowicz, not examined
Anna was baptized by Ignacy Hrabanowiz, Assistant Pastor, on the same day she was born, [26] May 1833 in the church in Dubiecko
Her parents were Wojciech Dańko, a farmer, and Rozalia, daughter of Józef Chruścicki
Her Godparents (Sponsors) were Kazimierz Chruscicki, farmer, and Barbara, wife of Marcin Kaziejko, farmer

While the top part of the page is missing, it appears that the form used to record births and baptisms changed between 1830 and 1833. Later records in my possession that include the header confirm that the forms did, indeed, change.

The columns for legitimate and illegitimate births have apparently been reversed, and the two columns previously used to record the names and occupations of the Godparents have apparently been combined into one.

Two columns to the left of the form appear to be missing from this image. There should be a column for the sequential number of birth and the date of birth. This record only states "the same", indicating that the date of baptism was the same as the date of birth.

Since the date of birth is missing from this image, I have to depend on the notes of the researcher who took this picture. The notes state that Anna was born on 26 May 1833 in Nienadowa.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:43:11 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Danko - 1833

Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Danko - 1833

Steve — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:44:00 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Anna Danko - 1833

The Death of Wojciech Dańko

Steve — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 06:30:46 +0000

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.

Death Record of Wojciech Danko

Steve — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 07:02:23 +0000

Death Record of Wojciech Danko

PDF

Steve — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 07:02:57 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record of Wojciech Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Szymon Dańko

Steve — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 05:30:14 +0000

The second child born to my great-great grandparents, Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska, was named Szymon. His Birth and Baptismal Record is the third entry for October in the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Szymon Dańko - 1829

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1829. Szymon Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Szymon Dańko - 1829. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Szymon Dańko was born on 17 Oct 1829, in house number 158 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Teresa Durys
He was baptized on the next day, 18 Oct 1829 in the church in Dubiecko by Ignacy Hrobanowicz, Assistant Pastor
His parents were Paweł Dańko, a farmer, and Zofia, daughter of Andrzej Szymański, a farmer
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Błażej Wayda and Maria, wife of Marcin Janoski, a farmer
A notation says "removed 14 Aug 1878 to No. 88"

I had previously published the Birth and Baptismal Record of Paweł Dańko, the Marriage Record of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska, and the Birth and Baptismal Record of the couple's first child, Marianna Dańko.

Note that three of the four children listed on the image above were boys, and all three boys were named Simon (Szymon). Was Simon a popular name for boys that year? The Feast of Saint Simon is celebrated on 28 Oct, so there is good reason for Catholics to give the name Simon (Szymon) to a son born in the month of October.

I'm still not certain what the "Ext" notations mean. At first, I thought it was an indication that the individual moved to a different house. However, the Marriage Record for Wojciech Dańko and Marianna Jedlińska shows a similar notation with a date that was long after both Wojciech and Marianna had died.

My best guess is that the notation is the date when the information was extracted for an official certificate, but I'm still not sure about this.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Szymon Danko

Steve — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 06:04:45 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Szymon Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Katarzyna Dańko

Steve — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:30:24 +0000

The third child of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska was born in 1832 and was given the name Katarzyna. Her record is the second entry on the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Katarzyna Dańko - 1833

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1832. Katarzyna Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Katarzyna Dańko - 1833. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Katarzyna Dańko was born on 22 Sep 1833, in house number 158 in Nienadowa, a girl legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Katarzyna [Golwioska?]
She was baptized on the same day in the church in Dubiecko by Ignacy Hrobanowicz, Assistant Pastor
Her parents were Paweł Dańko, a farmer, and Zofia, daughter of Andrzej Szymański, a farmer
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Marcin Janoski, a farmer, and Rozalia, the wife of Błażej Wayda, a farmer

The first three children of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska shared Godparents.

The Godparents of the first two daughters, Marianna and Katarzyna, were Marcin Janoski and Rozalia, the wife of Błażej Wayda.

The Godparents of the second child, Szymon Dańko, were Błażej Wayda and Maria, the wife of Marcin Janoski.

It seems that I've discovered the spouses of the Godparents without even trying! Now, if I can only figure out why these people were so important in the lives of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska that they were repeatedly asked to be the children's Godparents.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 07:02:19 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Szymon Danko

PDF

Steve — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 07:12:07 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Katarzyna Danko

Birth and Baptismal Record of Katarzyna Danko

Steve — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 07:12:47 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Katarzyna Danko

The Birth and Baptism of Paweł Dańko - 1835

Steve — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 05:30:09 +0000

The fourth child of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska was born in 1835 and was given the name Paweł. His record is the last entry on the image below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Paweł Dańko -1835

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1835. Paweł Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Paweł Dańko -1835. The record, translated from the Latin, states:

Paweł Dańko was born on 19 Jan 1835, in house number 158 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Agnieszka Pilchowa
He was baptized the next day, 20 Jan 1835, in the church in Dubiecko by Aleksander Bylina, Assistant Pastor
His parents were Paweł Dańko, a farmer, and Zofia, daughter of Andrzej Szymański, a farmer
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Marcin Janoski, a farmer, and Rozalia, the wife of Błażej Wayda, a farmer

Many early church records in the Dubiecko parish were not signed by anyone other than the priest. This record shows that the midwife and the Godparents all signed the record with an "X" inside a circle. The "X" mark was circled to distinguish it from the cross "+" that indicated death.

The fact that the midwife and the Godparents signed with a mark "X" indicates that these three people were not able to read and write. Most Polish peasants could not read or write and relied on the priest to correctly record the births, marriages, and deaths in the village.

Paweł's Godparents were Marcin Janoski and Rozalia, the wife of Błażej Wajda. The two daughters previously born to Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska had the same Godparents. The Godparents of the other child, Szymon, were the spouses of Marcin Janoski and Rozalia Wajda.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 05:41:57 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Pawel Danko - 1835

Birth and Baptismal Record of Pawel Danko - 1835

Steve — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 05:42:42 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Pawel Danko - 1835

PDF

Steve — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 05:27:37 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Tomasz Danko - 1840

Birth and Baptismal Record of Tomasz Danko - 1840

Steve — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 05:28:29 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Tomasz Danko - 1840

The Birth and Baptism of Tomasz Dańko

Steve — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 06:30:38 +0000

The sixth child of Paweł Dańko and Agnieszka Szymańska was named Tomasz. The Birth and Baptism of Tomasz Dańko is the second entry on page 80 of the Book of Births and Baptisms for Nienadowa in 1840.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Tomasz Dańko - 1840

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Dubiecko, Poland. Liber Natorum et Baptisatorum (Book of Births and Baptisms). 1840. Tomasz Dańko. Text in Latin, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Tomasz Dańko - 1840. Translated from the Latin, the record states:

Tomasz Dańko was born on 07 Dec 1840 in house number 158 in Nienadowa, a boy legitimately born to a Catholic family and delivered by the midwife Agnieszka Pilch
He was baptized the next day, 08 Dec 1840, in the church in Dubiecko by E. Ciesielski, Assistant Pastor
His record is entered on page 80 of the Book of Births and Baptisms for Nienadowa for the year 1840
His parents were Paweł Dańko, a farmer, and Zofia, daughter of Andrzej Szymański, a farmer
His Godparents (Sponsors) were Błażej Wayda and Maria, wife of Marcin Janoski

With this entry, I have published the Birth and Baptismal Records for all the children of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska.

Błażej Wayda and his wife Rozalia, and Marcin Janoski and his wife Maria frequently appear as Godparents for the children of Paweł Dańko and Zofia Szymańska. This fact suggests that these two couples were either related to the family or were close friends or neighbors.

The Death and Burial Record of Paweł Dańko - 1850

Steve — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:30:44 +0000

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.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:48:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial Record of Pawel Danko - 1850

Death and Burial Record of Pawel Danko - 1850

Steve — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 06:49:26 +0000

Death and Burial Record of Pawel Danko - 1850

Heading to Salt Lake City

Steve — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:04:02 +0000

Tonight, I'm flying to Salt Lake City to spend two days at the Family History Library (my annual spring trip). 2007 is the off-year for the United Polish Genealogical Societies Conference (held in Salt Lake City in even-numbered years in the spring); so, for me, I'll be able to spend two entire days in the Family History Library with no interruptions. I have a number of goals for this trip, including:

Find records for the Polish ancestors of the Izbicki family
Trace the Sicilian ancestors for a client (should be fun, I've never looked into Italian or Sicilian records before)
Track down the Vermont vital records for some elusive members of the Gibson family
Look up some Canadian census records for the Gibson family

I printed out film numbers for the microfilms I plan to view; and, two weeks ago, I emailed a request for the staff to pull five films from the vault so they would be available while I'm in Salt Lake City. I'll also get to see first-hand how the Family History Library patrons are dealing with the recent discontinuation of full access to Ancestry.com. In recent years, the census area on the second floor was all but abandoned since it was so much easier to just search the census on Ancestry.com. In the past, it seemed like whatever records I decided to copy at the Family History Library were made available online within a few months of my visit. I don't expect to see the Sicilian or Polish records online anytime soon, but I wouldn't be surprised to see additional years of the Canadian Census online in the coming months. Reminder to myself: Don't forget to bring the thumb drive this time!

Searching Italian Records at the Family History Library

Steve — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:30:50 +0000

My first day at the Family History Library involved something I never thought I'd be doing - hunting for Italian ancestors. The reason I thought this experience would be unlikely is simply that I don't have any Italian ancestors. I'm searching for these ancestors for a client who knows when and where her parents were born and the maiden names of their mothers, but little else. Fortunately, the Family History Library has microfilmed copies of the civil registration for Augusta, Siracusa, Italy from 1820 to 1929, and census records from 1682 to 1815, giving me coverage from 1682 to 1929! I spent the entire day yesterday searching through these records and was able to find records that listed my client's parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and even four of her great-great grandparents. Even so, I've barely begun to look through the records. One important record set for researching Italian roots that I never knew about are the allegati. More about that at a later date. An important website I learned about for researching Italian genealogy is italia.indettaglio.it. In particular, since I was researching Sicilian surnames, I was able to follow links on this site to the Sicilian Surnames Search Engine in order to confirm the spellings of the surnames I found in the records. In that way, I was able to confirm that the surnames I found in the civil registration records were frequently encountered names in Sicily, and was even able to find the frequency of those names in the village of Augusta. More tomorrow.

US, Canadian, and Polish Records at the Family History Library

Steve — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 02:22:14 +0000

Today I spent most of the day researching vital records in Vermont, particularly the Gibson and Paradee surnames. I could have spent the entire day on these records, but I wanted to look at a couple of other records, too. I searched the 1871 and 1881 Canadian census records for the Gibson family. I found three relevant Gibson families in the 1871 census, all related to John and Sarah Gibson, but I could only find the family of Willard Gibson in the 1881 census. I don't know where everyone else was in 1881. I also searched the San Jose city directories for two people who, according to the 1930 census, were residents of San Jose, California. The couple was listed in San Jose in the 1931 city directory, but not in later editions. From this information, I'm not sure if the couple moved out of San Jose or if one of them died. I'll have to look at other records. Finally, I searched the parish records for Wigry, Russia (now Poland) for records on the ancestors of the Izbicki family of Worcester, Massachusetts. I found a few records, but now I'm running out of time. The library closes soon, so I'll have to pack up and head back to the hotel. Unfortunately, my laptop has been acting up ever since I arrived in Salt Lake City. It now shuts down by itself after a few minutes. I have been able to copy sufficient information to paper in order to keep my research going, but I'm rather concerned about this situation. I suspect the fan is malfunctioning and the computer is overheating. I'll have to get the computer repaired, so blogging may be intermittent until things are fixed. Tomorrow, I plan to spend some time relaxing in the morning and then spend some time at the Salt Lake City Public Library in the afternoon. I head back to the west coast in the evening. All in all, it's been a productive weekend.

A Day at the Salt Lake City Public Library

Steve — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 06:30:04 +0000

My last day in Salt Lake City was a bit less frantic than Friday and Saturday were. I slept in late this morning and spent some time reading the Sunday newspaper (the print edition) while having breakfast at the Marriott City Center. My favorite places to stay in Salt Lake City are the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, the Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, and the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center. I usually stay at whichever is the cheapest and I can usually stay for $100 a night or less. For this trip, I stayed at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center because I wanted to visit the Salt Lake City Main Public Library today. The Marriott City Center is only a couple of blocks from the library, an easy walk. I have to admit that I don't know all the resources available at the Salt Lake City Main Library. The only thing I've ever done there is to research records in the Salt Lake City newspapers. One great thing about researching newspaper records on microfilm at the Salt Lake City Main Public Library is that paper copies from microfilm are free! Another bonus is that the other patrons researching newspapers on microfilm are generally a friendly and talkative bunch, so the time spent there is enjoyable. On this trip I was able to print out copies of about 30 newspaper records, most of which were obituaries. Along with all the records I found at the Family History Library, it'll take a while for me to digest all this new information. Now, I'm back in San Francisco, a bit bushed and ready to call it a night. Not to repeat myself, but I had a very productive weekend!

From the First Floor of the Family History Library

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:30:08 +0000

As I usually do, I took some photos while in Salt Lake City. Previously, I posted photos of my Fall 2006 trip to the Family History Library (FHL), Temple Square, and the Salt Lake City Main Public Library. Today, I'm presenting some photos from the first floor of the FHL. The first floor of the library houses the collections of Family Histories and Biographies (formerly located in the Joseph Smith Building) and also includes the orientation room and a large classroom.

The Eternal Family Through Christ

Visitors to the FHL are greeted with this painting as they enter the lobby of the Family History Library. Painted by Judith Mehr and entitled The Eternal Family Through Christ, the painting measures 7 feet by 23 feet. The work attempts to show the overall plan of salvation and the theme of family togetherness, as espoused in LDS church doctrine.

The Forward Movements of Man

This diagram on one of the first floor walls attempts to show the developments of man throughout the geologic ages.

The Stacks

A few years ago, all the Family Histories and Biographies were kept in the Joseph Smith Building, not in the FHL. Unfortunately, this arrangement made the collection less accessible, since few patrons of the FHL ventured over to the Joseph Smith Building. The collection is now located on the first floor of the FHL. If you're impressed by the number of Family Histories and Biographies in this aisle, be aware that there are seven more aisles just like it.

The Orientation Room

New visitors to the FHL are encouraged to visit the Orientation Room on the first floor of the FHL to learn about the library, to view a film about Family History Research, and to ask questions before venturing into the rest of the library.

FHL - Painting

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:17:58 +0000

FHL - Painting

FHL - Forward Movements of Man

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:18:44 +0000

FHL - Forward Movements of Man

FHL - Book Stacks

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:19:24 +0000

FHL - Book Stacks

FHL - Orientation Room

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:20:01 +0000

FHL - Orientation Room

My Happy First Anniversary Blog

Steve — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:30:24 +0000

Today marks the end of my first year with this blog. My fellow students in an online genealogy class encouraged me to start this blog and have been faithful readers all along. I've also had considerable support from George Morgan and Drew Smith of the Genealogy Guys Podcast. I started this blog on April 18, 2006 without a clue as to what I was doing or how I wanted to do it. I've now posted 344 articles and friends have contributed 9 GuestBlogs. I've posted something just about every day, but some days I simply didn't have access to the internet, so I've missed a few days here and there. The blog began with a chronicle of my spring trip to Salt Lake City; and, appropriately, the year ended with another trip to Salt Lake. Despite the fact that I can view microfilms at my local Family History Center, I find I can accomplish much more in a couple of intensive days at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City where I can conduct research without distraction, and can rely on help from the staff of the Family History Library if I need it. During the past year, I've made some remarkable progress in my family history research. I have been contacted by two cousins in Poland, two cousins in Britain, a cousin in Massachusetts, and a cousin in New York, none of whom had I ever contacted before. In fact, I probably would never have made contact with these people if they had not found me through this blog. In addition to these blood relatives, I've also been contacted by collateral relatives - cousins of my cousins and relatives of my cousins' spouses. Some of these contacts, including members of the Izbicki, Gibson, Skowronski, and Markiewicz families have provided me with a wealth of information to help me research these lines in more detail. I'm almost suffering from information overload as a result of their help. Not a bad situation to be in, though! I've also published research that I've conducted for others. In particular, the research I published on the family of Jan Savitt, the bandleader from the 1930s and 1940s, resulted in a quite unexpected benefit for Jan's daughters. Two people wrote to me to tell me that had memorabilia about Jan Savitt that they wanted to share with Jan's family, but they didn't know how to find them. Since I was conducting the research for Jan's daughter, Devi, it was easy to establish contact between these good Samaritans and the Savitt family. Jan Savitt's family now has newspaper articles, videos, and other precious memorabilia they never knew about before. I've made lots of new friends through this blog, including other bloggers, well-known genealogy lecturers, not to mention my new-found relatives and the other genealogists researching the same family lines. This blog is quite different than most other genealogy blogs in that I concentrate on disseminating information about my ancestors and share images of original documents. Because I concentrate on my ancestors, it is my own family who have found my blog most interesting. Most other genealogy bloggers share news and advice, and as such will naturally command a larger audience than I ever will. Despite that, the number of page views I've counted on this blog has increased constantly during the past year, to the point where I can honestly say I have an audience. I recently installed a Cluster Map on this site to pinpoint the locations from which people have accessed my blog. If you haven't looked at the Cluster Map yet, there's a link to the map in the upper part of the sidebar on the right of this page. I expected to see readers from the United States, Canada, Poland, and England, but I have to admit, I was a bit surprised and pleased to see that people in Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Australia, Mexico, and even Pakistan have read my blog. Well, I've rambled enough for one day; but, before I close, I do want to wish a Happy Anniversary to the other prolific genealogy bloggers I know who also started a blog in April 2006: Randy Seaver, Megan Smolenyak, and Joe Beine. Here's to you! Sto Lat!

Guest Blog from Cheryl Palmer

Steve — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:00:53 +0000

Cheryl Palmer asked me to post something she wrote to commemorate the first anniversary of my blog. Cheryl was the very first person to post a comment on my blog on April 18, 2006, the same day I wrote my first article. As the first person to post a comment, I think it's appropriate for Cheryl to write a GuestBlog to launch my second year. Thanks, Cheryl!

I hope I am the first to congratulate Steve on the one-year anniversary of his blog site! I believe the first day he posted his site was April 18, 2006. I “met” Steve through an online genealogy class. Even though we live approximately 45 minutes from each other, we have yet to meet in person. Through our class I found Steve to be friendly and helpful. I instantly took a liking to him! Several of our classmates still stay in touch and we have a great rapport. Through one of our communications on that particular site, Steve mentioned he was contemplating starting his own site. With some encouragement, and I don’t think he needed much; he had his site up and running. I have followed his site and watched it grow. He has accomplished in one year what I wish I could accomplish in maybe, 5 years? A week or so ago, I was searching through his site, mostly at some of his beginning postings. The beginnings of anything you choose to do are always a little nerve racking, wondering how to accomplish what you wish to accomplish. I am sure Steve had his concerns about how to do this and make it work the way he wanted to. He has shared the information of his family, along with many pictures and always with sources. He has taught many of us, but I am not sure he knows how much he has actually done that. Steve has devoted time every day to post to his blog, even when he had a guest blog; he was the one who posted it! He is making quite a name for himself with this site. I find his name almost everywhere I go on the Internet, concerning genealogical blogs and such. He has been praised for his work from accomplished professionals and us amateurs alike. He has had “guest” appearances on pod casts, and in other blogs. His blog link is located in most blogs I attend. Steve has “met” a lot of people through this site. Many doors have opened for him. From new family to bloggers to pros, he has gotten around! I personally do not have Polish ancestors, but I have to tell you, I keep up with Steve’s site as much as possible. I enjoy his site; he is so organized, dedicated and professional. He is a hard worker and thoroughly enjoys what he is doing, and it is obvious. I learn, share his frustration, joy and accomplishment. I appreciate all his hard work and the fact that he chooses to share with us. I love the pictures, the “sharing” of his trips, and what he learns as he goes along. Yes, I am a Steve Danko fan, and congratulate him on one marvelous year! I look forward to reading his blogs, and I try to do that daily. As long as they are free, I will be there! ;-) Thank you Steve for your contribution to the genealogy world. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed your site! Here’s to another fantastic year, can’t wait to see what it will unfold!
HAPPY “FIRST” ANNIVERSARY
Cheryl Palmer

Barbara Poole: Publishing Your Family Tree on the Internet

Steve — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:30:48 +0000

Barbara Poole, who has contributed several articles to this blog in the past, presents today's article. She offers her experience in publishing family trees on the internet. Thanks, Barbara!

Should you publish your genealogical information on the internet for others to see? I pondered that question many times before I submitted my GEDCOM to www.familysearch.org about five years ago. Since that time, I have received a number of inquires via snail mail, as I had given my address (I don’t think email addresses were used then). Even now, I receive letters with a question or two, and am amazed that these people took the time to write. One even tracked me down using my address in a Google search and found out my phone number and called. But I didn’t mind, as I know what it is like to really want to contact somebody immediately. These people are kind and I’ve never had a problem. Because of an article in the NEHGS eNews of January 3, 2007, called Drawing Attention to Your Book or Article by Helen Schatvet Ullmann, CG, FASG, I went a step further by submitting my tree to RootsWeb. I listen to Helen, as I’ve known her about 10 years and know she wouldn’t say something she didn’t mean. In her article, she mentioned that she submitted to RootsWeb a GEDCOM with a lot of members of her Peter Mills line (she had just published a book on this family). Because she submitted this GEDCOM to RootsWeb, her book sold out. After all the years of doing my genealogy, I wanted to share my information with a wider group of people and with people who could contact me immediately via email. Submitting a tree is rather simple; and, if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use a pseudonym as a contact name. I used my real name. Why use a pseudonym like Smith, if I want to touch base with a Poole? In my case, I use a separate email account just for the RootsWeb site, so mail about my genealogical information on RootsWeb is sent to a separate email account, not to my primary email account. With RootsWeb, you can choose whether or not to allow others to directly download your information into a reader’s file, but I decided not. If someone wants my information they’ll need to enter it into their file manually. Also, I didn’t include information on living relatives, and I didn’t include notes. You can remove your tree or update whenever you want, and I do so weekly. Very little effort is involved in updating my information, and I know my tree is pretty much up to date. Not only will the information you upload to RootsWeb be incorporated into Ancestry’s WorldConnect database, but others can find your information on Google. In the past, I found information published by other people; now it was time to give back and share what I have. Many people are unwilling to share their information. Sometimes, I wonder why they are even doing it if they are unwilling to share. I’ve recently had several, unresolved problems with Family Tree Maker (FTM), and so I decided I also wanted my information available to me. Now, when I’m at another computer or location, it is easy to access the information I’ve uploaded. Photos included in my file did not upload, but all the data transferred beautifully. Because of my RootsWeb site, I have been contacted by at least 1-2 persons a week. All have either asked for a little information or shared some really valuable information I didn’t have. Most people want to share accurate data about the lines they are researching, and this has all worked in my favor. The positive outweighs the negative. Actually, I can’t think of a negative and that is probably why RootsWeb is so popular. Granted, you have to sift through the databases to find what you are looking for, but heck, the information is free, and is even more valuable if the submitter included sources. Recently, I discovered another place to keep my information - Personal Family Trees on Ancestry.com. I uploaded the same GEDCOM to Ancestry.com that I had previously uploaded to RootsWeb. The features of Ancestry’s Personal Family Trees are really nice, and you can either keep this tree to yourself or share it with others. For now, I restrict access to my Ancestry Personal Family Tree to myself. The ability to upload a Personal Family Tree on Ancestry is a free feature for subscribers, and I was able to upload all 30,000 names in my database. The Personal Family Tree feature is being updated, as it has only been available since July 2006. According to Ancestry, “1,000,000 members started a tree (March 2007).” I love the automatic timeline feature in Personal Family Trees that automatically calculates the age of a person at the time of each life event entered. Researchers can also upload photos to Ancestry’s Personal Family Trees, but not to RootsWeb. Notes uploaded to Ancestry Personal Family Trees may only be viewed by the submitter. As with RootsWeb, you can view your tree from another location or computer by logging on to your Ancestry.com account and then clicking on the My Ancestry tab. Your information is right there, no need to open up FTM, if you didn’t want to. If you have ever worried about a hurricane, major storm, flood, or other disaster which could wipe out your genealogy data, storing your data on RootsWeb or Ancestry.com could be a life saver. Granted, many of us backup to CD’s, but often they are near the computer and could be destroyed along with the computer in a natural disaster. At least the information on RootsWeb and Ancestry.com is stored on servers many miles from me. The other day, I was merging information into my file and I was quite confident in what I was doing. While merging, I noticed that the parents of one of the people in my file were missing. I thought I really messed up the merge process and inadvertently deleted some data. I quickly went to the tree I had uploaded to Ancestry.com, pulled up the records for that individual, and sure enough, I never had his parents in the first place! Fortunately, I only had to worry about 2 minutes before I knew I was OK and the merge was fine. If I hadn’t submitted my tree, I would still be trying to figure out who James Mead’s parents were.

The Birth and Baptism of Dominik Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 06:30:22 +0000

I've previously written about my cousin Rita Meleski, her husband Bernard Izbicki, and her father-in-law, Bolesław Dominick Izbicki, all of whom lived in Worcester, Massachusetts. Bolesław was the immigrant ancestor of this family, and when he came to America, he left his parents, Dominik Izbicki and Józefata Marianna Bizewska behind in Piertanie, Poland. Dominik was born in 1848. His Birth and Baptismal Record was recorded in the Book of Births in the Parish of Wigry.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Wigry, Poland. Księga Urodzonych (Book of Births). 1848. Entry Number 103. FHL INTL Film 0752640, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki. Translated from the Polish, the record states:

103. Piertanie

This happened in the Wigry on the twelfth day of September 1848 at one o’clock in the afternoon. Franciszek Izbicki presented himself, age 20, a farmer living in the small village of Piertanie, in the presence of Karol Tomaszewski and Adam Daniłowicz both age 36, farmers living in Piertanie, and he showed us a male child born on the eleventh day of September of the present year at eight o’clock in the afternoon, born to his wife Franciszka née Bućko, age 20. At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Dominik, and his Godparents were Józef Daniłowicz and Maryanna Tomaczewska both from Piertanie. This document was read aloud to the declarants and signed by us. The father and the witnesses cannot write. -

Reverend W. Olszewski, parish priest in Wigry

I obtained this record while I was at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City last weekend. The library has birth, marriage, and death records from the Wigry parish from 1808 to 1882. Now that I've confirmed that the records for the correct family are on these microfilms, I can order the films to my local Family History Center and continue my research on this family without the need to travel to Salt Lake City.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki

Steve — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 10:03:49 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:48:42 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki

The Birth and Baptism of Piotr Izbicki

Steve — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 06:30:00 +0000

Dominik Izbicki's brother, Piotr, was born in Piertanie in 1851. His birth and baptism was recorded as entry number 90 for that year.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Piotr Izbicki

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Wigry, Poland. Księga Urodzonych (Book of Births). 1851. Entry Number 90. FHL INTL Film 0752640, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Piotr Izbicki. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

90. Piertanie This happened in the Wigry on the seventeenth / twenty ninth day of June 1851 at five o’clock in the afternoon. Franciszek Izbicki presented himself, a farmer living in Piertanie, age 27, in the presence of Antoni Omilianowicz, age 25, and Karol Daniłowicz age 40, both farmers living in Piertanie, and he showed us a male child born in Piertanie on the eighth / twentieth day of the present month and year at twelve o’clock noon, born to his wife Franciszka née Bućko, age 25. At Holy Baptism performed this day, the child was given the name Piotr, and his Godparents were Marcin Kielch and Rozalia Krupińska. Also present were Antoni Omilianowicz and Dorota Buchowna. This document was read aloud to the declarants and witnesses, all of whom cannot write, and was signed by us. - Reverend W. Olszewski, priest in Wigry parish

The records kept in Poland before 1918 differed depending on the partition. The records kept in the Russian partition were kept in Latin, Polish, or Russian, depending on the year. Before 1808, records were written in Latin in brief paragraphs. From about 1808 to about 1868, the records were usually written in Polish in detailed paragraphs. After about 1868, the records were written in Russian, again in detailed paragraphs. The reasons for these changes are tightly associated with the political events in the region. The exact year in which the churches began to maintain records of births/baptisms, marriages, and deaths varied somewhat, but the records were kept in Latin - the language of the Church, and typically these records were maintained for all Poles beginning in the late 18th century. In 1807, after Napoleon's conquests formed the Duchy of Warsaw from lands seized from Prussia, civil registration was mandated. Both church records and the transcripts of those records prepared for the state were written in Polish according to the format used in Napoleonic France. After Napoleon's defeat, the Congress of Vienna split the Duchy of Warsaw between Prussia and Russia. The portion allotted to Russia became known as the Kingdom of Poland, Congress Poland, or informally as Russian Poland. Records continued in Polish in the Napoleonic style. After the January Uprising, which lasted from 1863-1865, the Russian government decreed that all official records in the Kingdom of Poland be maintained in Russian. Consequently, by about 1868, the birth/baptism, marriage, and death records were written in Russian. The exact year of the change from Polish to Russian varied somewhat from parish to parish, but eventually all parishes kept their records in Russian.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Piotr Izbicki

Steve — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 08:51:16 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Piotr Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 09:07:24 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Piotr Izbicki

The Birth and Baptism of Franciszek Izbicki

Steve — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 05:30:56 +0000

Over the past couple of days, I posted the Birth and Baptismal Record of Dominik Izbicki and Piotr Izbicki. Their father was Franciszek Izbicki, who was born in 1824 and whose record was number 22 in the Birth Register for Wigry Parish that year.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Franciszek Izbicki -1824

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Wigry, Poland. Księga Urodzonych (Book of Births). 1824. Entry Number 22. FHL INTL Film 0752637, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Franciszek Izbicki -1824. The record, translated from the Polish, states:

22 Nowa Wieś

In the year one thousand twenty four on the second day of the month of April at ten o’clock in the afternoon, before us, the Civil Registrar of the Wigierski gmina [township] in the obwód [district] and województwo [province] of Augustów. Bartłomiej Izbicki presented himself, a farmer, age thirty-eight, living in Nowa Wieś, and he showed us a child of the male sex who was born in his house at number seven on the first day of April of the current year, stating that it was begotten of him and Katarzyna née Kramnitzówna, age thirty, the wife by his first marriage, and that it is his wish to give him the name Franciszek. After making the above statement and showing the child in the presence of Franciszek Jarasiewski, age thirty-four and also of Jan Anuskiewicz, age fifty, farmers living in Nowa Wieś in the Wigierski gmina. The present birth record was read aloud to the declarants and was signed by us, the registrar, since the father and witnesses cannot write.

Reverend Felix Nareszewicz Registrar of the Civil State

The format of this record is a bit different than the format used for the Birth and Baptismal Records for Dominik and Piotr Izbicki and many of the other Birth and Baptismal Records I've seen before from this area of Poland. Consequently, I had a bit of difficulty translating this record. In the end, I think I was able to figure out all the words, despite the fact that the handwriting in this record is fairly difficult to read.

Complicating the difficult handwriting are the facts that the Polish in these records doesn't always have the correct diacritical marks, is almost entirely devoid of punctuation, sometimes uses archaic words or spellings, and often refers to obsolete administrative divisions.

One point I had a question about is: since the mother is listed as "Katarzyna of the Kramnitz family", should I list her maiden name as Kramnitzówna?

I also noticed that the name of the village in which Franciszek Izbicki was born is listed at the top of the record as Wies Nowa. Today, the village is called Nowa Wieś. Which should I enter in my genealogy software - Wies Nowa or Nowa Wieś?

Two dates are provided in this record for the date of birth and date of baptism. The earlier date is entered according to the Julian Calendar used in Russia at the time. The later date is entered according to the Gregorian Calendar used in Poland at the time and still used today in most of the world.

PDF

Steve — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:25:44 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Izbicki - 1824

Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Izbicki - 1824

Steve — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:26:21 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Franciszek Izbicki - 1824

The Birth and Baptism of Maryanna Izbicki

Steve — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:30:32 +0000

Maryanna Izbicki, the sister of Franciszek Izbicki, was born a few years before Franciszek, in 1821.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Maryanna Izbicki - 1821

SOURCE: Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Wigry, Poland. Księga Urodzonych (Book of Births). 1821. Page 40. Entry Number 79. FHL INTL Film 0752637, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Text in Polish, translated by Stephen J. Danko.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Maryanna Izbicki - 1821. Translated from the Polish, the record states:

40 Number 79. Wieś Nowa

In the year one thousand eight hundred twenty-one on the fourth day of the month of July at four o’clock in the afternoon, before us, the Civil Registrar of the Wigierski gmina [township] in the obwód [district] and województwo [province] of Augustów. Bartłomiej Izbicki presented himself, a farmer, age thirty, living in Nowa Wieś, and he showed us a child of the male sex who was born in his house at number twenty-six on the second day of April of the current year, stating that it was begotten of him and Katarzyna née Kramniczówna, age thirty-two, the wife by his first marriage, and that it is his wish to give it the name Maryanna. After making the above statement and showing the child in the presence of Wawrzeniec Stronowski, age thirty and also of Ignacy Krasnowski, age forty, farmers settled and living in Nowa Wieś in the Wigry gmina. The present birth record was read aloud to the declarants and was signed by us, the registrar, since the father and witnesses cannot write.

Reverend Felix Nacieszewicz Registrar of the Civil State.

This record reports the birth of a child of Maryanna, the daughter of Barłomiej Izbicki and Katarzyna Kramniczówna. The priest who completed the record apparently wasn't paying attention to what he was writing, since he declared that Maryanna was a child of the male sex: dziecię płci Męskiej.

The ages of the parents are probably approximations, because in 1821, the father was reported to be 30, but in 1824, he was reported to be 38 - he became 8 years older in just 3 years! The mother's age is equally questionable. In 1821, she was reportedly 32, but in 1835, she was reported to be 30 - the mother became younger with time! The births of the parents occurred before 1808, the earliest date for which these parish records were microfilmed. I'll probably never know when they were actually born.

This is the last of the records for the Izbicki family that I found while in Salt Lake City recently. I'll either have to order films through my local Family History Library or wait until my fall trip to Salt Lake City if I want to find more records.

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maryanna Izbicki

Steve — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:36:34 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Maryanna Izbicki

PDF

Steve — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:37:14 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Maryanna Izbicki

The Families of John Gibson and William Gibson in the 1871 Census of Canada

Steve — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 05:30:20 +0000

While at the Family History Library recently, one of my goals was to obtain additional records of the Gibson family in the Canadian Census. I had previously presented the records from the 1851 Census and the 1861 Census. The records below show the families of John Gibson and William Gibson in the 1871 Census of Canada.

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census of Canada - Page 46

SOURCE: John Gibson and William Gibson Households, 1871 Canada East Census (Québec), Parish of St. Georges de Clarenceville, Missisquoi County, page 46, lines 18-20. National Archives of Canada Film C-10070 Nominal. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 0493463, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census of Canada - Page 47

SOURCE: John Gibson and William Gibson Households, 1871 Canada East Census (Québec), Parish of St. Georges de Clarenceville, Missisquoi County, page 47, lines 1-5 National Archives of Canada Film C-10070 Nominal. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 0493463, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

The images are difficult to read, but most of the information can be deciphered.

Census of 1871 Province of Quebec District No. 125 Missisquoi Sub-District b, Parish of St. George de Clarenceville Schedule No. 1 - Nominal Return of the Living
Page 46

Line 18, Dwelling 172, Family 178 Name: Gibson, John Sex: M[ale] Age: 70 Country or Province of Birth: United States Religion: W. Methodist Origin: Irish Profession, Occupation or Trade: Farmer Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 19, Dwelling 172, Family 178 Name: " [Gibson], Sarah Sex: F[emale] Age: 54 Country or Province of Birth: " [United States] Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 20, Dwelling 172, Family 178 Name: " [Gibson], James Sex: M[ale] Age: 34 Country or Province of Birth: Quebec Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Page 47

Line 1, Dwelling 172, Family 178 Name: Gibson, George Sex: M[ale] Age: 21 Country or Province of Birth: Quebec Religion: W. Methodist Origin: Irish Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 2, Dwelling 173, Family 179 Name: Gibson, William Sex: M[ale] Age: 34 Country or Province of Birth: " [Quebec] Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 3, Dwelling 173, Family 179 Name: " [Gibson], Margaret Sex: F[emale] Age: 38 Country or Province of Birth: " [Quebec] Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 4, Dwelling 173, Family 179 Name: " [Gibson], [Sothemon?] Sex: M[ale] Age: 8 Country or Province of Birth: " [Quebec] Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 5, Dwelling 173, Family 179 Name: " [Gibson], Carrie Sex: F[emale] Age: 6 Country or Province of Birth: " [Quebec] Religion: " [W. Methodist] Origin: " [Irish] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -

I had previously discovered that John Gibson (born about 1800) and Sarah Waters (born about 1804) had six children: Clark (born in 1823), James (born in about 1830), Martha (born in about 1833), William (born in about 1836), Sarah (born in about 1841), and George (born in about 1849).

John, Sarah, James, William, and George are mentioned in this record. Their ages in this record agree with the information I previously found, except for Sarah (who should be about 67 in this record, but is reported as 54) and James (who should be about 41, but is listed as 34).

Clark had previously married and was enumerated on another page. William is enumerated with his spouse and children immediately after John's family. I don't know where Martha and Sarah were in 1871, but it is likely they were married and enumerated with their spouses.

I was unable to read the first name of William's son. While in the Family History Library, I asked some of the staff if they could read the name, but none of us could tell what the name should be.

I didn't realize at the time, but the Family History Library has microfilm copies of the other schedules of the 1871 Census, including the Agricultural Schedule. I'll have to look up the Agricultural Schedule the next time I'm in Salt Lake City.

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census - Page 46

Steve — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:04:03 +0000

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census - Page 46

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census - Page 47

Steve — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:04:43 +0000

Gibson Families in the 1871 Census - Page 47

The Family of Clark Gibson in the 1871 Census of Canada

Steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:30:40 +0000

Clark Gibson, the son of John Gibson and Sarah Waters, was enumerated in the 1871 Census of Canada in the Village of Philipsburg, not far from where John and Sarah were enumerated.

Clark Gibson Family in the 1871 Census of Canada - Page 10

SOURCE: Clark Gibson Household, 1871 Canada Census (Province of Québec), Village of Philipsburg, Missisquoi County, page 10, lines 16-20. National Archives of Canada Film C-10070 Nominal. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 0493463, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Clark Gibson Family in the 1871 Census of Canada - Page 11

SOURCE: Clark Gibson Household, 1871 Canada Census (Province of Québec), Village of Philipsburg, Missisquoi County, page 11, lines 1-3. National Archives of Canada Film C-10070 Nominal. Microfilm FHL US/CAN Census Area 0493463, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Clark Gibson Family in the 1871 Census of Canada. The family is listed on pages 10 and 11, and includes six children.

Census of 1871 Province of Quebec District No. 125 Missisquoi Sub-District d, Village of Philipsburg Schedule No. 1 - Nominal Return of the Living
Page 10

Line 16, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: Gibson, Clark Sex: M[ale] Age: 45 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: W. Methodist Origin: ~~American~~ English Profession, Occupation or Trade: Blacksmith Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 16, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: " [Gibson], Maryette Sex: F[emale] Age: 35 Country or Province of Birth: United States Religion: W. Methodist Origin: " [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: M[arried]
Line 16, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: " [Gibson], Willard Sex: M[ale] Age: 18 Country or Province of Birth: "" [United States] Religion: W. Methodist Origin: " [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 16, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: " [Gibson], Hannah Sex: F[emale] Age: 16 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: W. Methodist Origin: " [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 16, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: " [Gibson], Emily Sex: F[emale] Age: 14 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: W. Methodist Origin: " [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Page 11

Line 1, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: Gibson, Addie Sex: F[emale] Age: 11 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: W. Methodist Origin: ~~American~~ English Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 2, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: " [Gibson], Arnold Sex: M[ale] Age: 8 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: ” [W. Methodist] Origin: ” [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -
Line 3, Dwelling 45, Family 45 Name: ” [Gibson], Martha Sex: F[emale] Age: 38 Country or Province of Birth: Q[uebec] Religion: ” [W. Methodist] Origin: ” [~~American~~ English] Profession, Occupation or Trade: - Married or Widowed: -

Clark and Margaret Gibson and their son Arnold are the direct ancestors of my Gibson relatives.

This census record clearly answers a question I had about the ages of Addie and Arnold. Addie is clearly Arnold's older sister.

The entry in column 17 of these records shows that Emily, Addie, and Arnold are all attending school.

Although both of John's parents were listed as Irish, Clark and his family are listed as ~~American~~ English.

1871 Canadian Census Record for the Family of Clark Gibson

Steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:35:34 +0000

1871 Canadian Census Record for the Family of Clark Gibson

1871 Canadian Census Record for the Family of Clark Gibson Page 2

Steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:36:10 +0000

1871 Canadian Census Record for the Family of Clark Gibson Page 2

PDF

Steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:36:36 +0000

PDF Copy of the Clark Gibson Family in the 1871 Census of Canada

The Birth and Baptism of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867

Steve — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:30:23 +0000

Clark Gibson, the son of John Gibson and Sarah Waters, was born in 1823 and baptized in 1867. His baptism is recorded in the folios of John Armstrong, a minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Congregations of the circuit of Saint Armand in Canada East, just weeks before the confederation of Canada.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867

SOURCE: John Armstrong, Minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Congregations of the Circuit of Saint Armand, Quebec, Canada. Register of the Acts of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for 1867. Clark Gibson, Baptism. Microfilm, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867. The record states:

Baptism of Clark Gibson

Clark son of John Gibson of the parish of St. George District of Bedford farmer and of Sarah his wife was born on the eleventh of October one thousand eight hundred and twenty three and was baptized on the thirteenth day of June one thousand eight hun- dred and sixty seven in the presence of the subscribing witnesses by me
[Signed] J. Armstrong Minister
[Signed] [J W Saxton?] [Signed] Lynda Smith

Clark was born in Lower Canada in 1823. In the 1861 Census of Canada East, the religion of the family of Clark Gibson was "none".

Clark was baptized in Canada East by John Armstrong, a circuit rider for the Wesleyan Methodist Congregations of the circuit of Saint Armand. This implies that there was no permanent Wesleyan Methodist minister assigned to a church in the area.

There is no indication why Clark Gibson finally decided to be baptized in 1867.

I copied this record many years ago and, unfortunately, I didn't write down a complete source description to indicate where I found the record. According to my notes, I found this record on microfilm at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, but I did not indicate the microfilm number.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City also holds a microfilm copy of this record; although I am not sure which film number contains this record. Ancestry.com has recently posted an image of this record online with the following source description:

Ancestry.com. Quebec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.

The image of this record on Ancestry.com is apparently from a different filming of these records, because the Ancestry.com images are of lesser quality than the one I've posted here, and the eraser end of the pencil in the image above is missing from the Ancestry.com image.

I'm not sure of the name of the first witness. The signature looks like it could be J. W. Saxton, but I'm not certain of this.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:54:21 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867

Birth and Baptismal Record of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867

Steve — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:54:55 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Clark Gibson - 1823 and 1867

The Death and Burial of Sarah Waters Gibson - 1890

Steve — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:30:42 +0000

Sarah Waters, the wife of John Gibson, died on 02 Jan 1890 and was buried on 04 Jan 1890. She was 85 years old at the time of her death.

The Death and Burial Record of Sarah Waters Gibson -1890

SOURCE: John W. Clipsham, Minister of the Clarenceville Council of the Methodist Church, Missisiquoi, Quebec, Canada. Register of the Acts of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for 1890. Sarah Waters Gibson Death and Burial. Ancestry.com. Quebec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Sarah Waters Gibson -1890. The record states:

folio two J.C. ccc

Burial Gibson Jan. 4th 1890

Sarah Waters, widow of the late John Gibson, in his lifetime of the Parish of Saint George of Clarenceville, farmer, died on the second day of January, one thousand eight hundred and ninety, aged eighty-five years, and was buried on the fourth day of the same month and year in presence of subscribing witnesses by me.
[Signed] John W. Clipsham. Minister
Witnesses Nelson S. Gibson Mary C. Gibson

The minister, John W. Clipsham, was described at the front of the folios:

...Reverend J.W. Clipsham of the Clarenceville Council of the Methodist Church in the County of Missisquoi in the District of Bedford in the Province of Quebec...

Sarah's Death and Burial Record states that she was a widow. Since she was enumerated in the 1871 census with her husband, then her husband, John Gibson, died between 1871 and 1890.

I don't know who the witnesses, Nelson D. Gibson and Mary C. Gibson, were. I assume they were relatives, but I don't know that for certain.

The Death and Burial Record of Sarah Waters Gibson

Steve — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:33:30 +0000

The Death and Burial Record of Sarah Waters Gibson

PDF

Steve — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:34:02 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial Record of Sarah Waters Gibson

The Birth and Baptism of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude - 1870

Steve — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 06:30:41 +0000

My uncle, John Danko, married Alice Charron. The two were my Godparents. Alice's mother was Marie-Zénaïde-Zite Patenaude, who was born in Coaticook, Québec, Canada in 1870, and was baptized in either the Mission of St. Edmond or the Mission of St. Herménégilde in Coatacook. Her Birth and Baptismal Record is the third record on this page, designated as B.68.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude -1870

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Quebec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude, Mission of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada, 1870. Back of Folio 12, B.68.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude -1870. The record, translated from French, states:

B.68 [baptism #68] M.Z.Z. Patenaude.
On the ninth of July one thousand eight hundred seventy, we, the parish priest whose name is signed below, baptized Marie-Zénaïde-Zite, daughter born on the twelfth day of June last, of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, farmer, and Osithe Gamache of Saint Herménégilde. Godfather, Octave Blain, laborer, godmother, Adeline Gamache, who don’t know how to sign. The father has signed with us.

[signed] C Patenaude [I.A. Dufresne ??]

This is the first French Canadian record I've found, and the first record I've translated from the French. Years ago, I had purchased a copy of:

Geyh, Patricia Keeney. 2002. French Canadian sources: a guide for genealogists. Orem, Utah: Ancestry Pub.

Luckily, I had this book around when I found Marie-Zénaïde-Zite Patenaude's Birth and Baptismal Record today. Page 147 shows an image, transcription, and translation nearly identical in format to the record I found.

So, even though I can't speak more than a dozen words of French, with the help of this book I was able to translate this record.

French-Canadian Sources

Steve — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:26:57 +0000

French-Canadian Sources

Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude

Steve — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:28:44 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie-Zenaide-Zite Patenaude

The Birth and Baptism of Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude - 1872

Steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:30:50 +0000

Born two years after Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude, Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude was born in 1872. His record is designated as B.28, near the top of this page, the front of folio seven.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude - 1872

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude, Mission of St. Herménégilde, Coaticook, Québec, Canada, 1872. Front of Folio 7, B.28.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude - 1872. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.28 [baptism #28] Patenaude Jos.Chs.Gédéon
On the tenth of March one thousand eight hundred seventy two, we, the undersigned parish priest, baptized Joseph Charles Gédéon, born on the second day of the current month, of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, farmer, and Osithe Gamache of Saint Herménégilde. Godfather, [Eani?] Dupont, farmer, godmother, Marie Edèse Mailloux [denoulair?] who do not know how to sign.

[signed] [M.Handry?], Priest

There were a few words I couldn't decipher in this record. In particular, I couldn't read the first name of the Godfather, and one word after the Godmother's name. Nonetheless, I was able to transcribe and translate the most important parts of this record.

Based on information in both this record and in the record for Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude, I think both children may have been baptized in the Mission of Saint Herménégilde, rather than the Mission of Saint Edmond, but it's hard to tell. Apparently, the records of several missions are reported together in the same fonds. I'll have to look into this in more detail.

One point about the names of children of French origin that I didn't really understand before today is that many children were given the honorific names Marie and Joseph. Generally, they used the second name as their given name. Thus, Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude went by the name Zénaïde, and Joseph Charles Gédéon probably went by Charles.

One final interesting note: someone in Québec has blogged about my blog. You can read the entry (in French) at Bloguevision. Étonnant, non?

Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Charles Gedeon Patenaude - 1972

Steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:28:02 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Charles Gedeon Patenaude - 1972

One Day Blog Silence

Steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:13:21 +0000

One Day Blog Silence

Steve — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:15:27 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2007 06:07:27 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude

PDF

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2007 06:39:18 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Zenaide Zite Patenaude

The Birth and Baptism of Henriette Patenaude - 1874

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:15:49 +0000

A sister of Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude was born in 1874 and was named Henriette. Henriette's record is number B.37, near the top of the page shown below. It can be found on the back of Foliio 9 for the year 1874 in the records of the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmond in Coaticook, Québec.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude - 1874

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude, Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Québec, Canada, 1874. Back of Folio 9, B.37.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude - 1874. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.37. [baptism #37] Patenaude Henriette.
On the twenty-fifth of March, one thousand eight hundred seventy four, we, the undersigned parish priest, Auxiliary Pastor of this parish, baptized Henriette, born on the eleventh of this month, of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache of Saint Herménégilde. Godfather, Moise Prévost, Godmother, [Uguluma?] Mailloux, both of Saint Herménégilde, who, as well as the father, did not sign.

[signed] P. Girard, Priest

I am not sure what Henriette's Godmother's first name was, but her surname is clear: Mailloux. Looking back at the Birth and Baptismal Record for Henriette's brother Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude, I can now see what I could not see initially - the name of Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude's Godmother was Marie Edèse Mailloux. I have updated my blog entry on Joseph Charles Gédéon Patenaude accordingly. I have also updated my blog entry on Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude.

At this point in time, it appears that St. Edmond had been promoted to the status of a Roman Catholic Parish, and the Patenaudes belonged to the Mission of St. Herménégilde, which was apparently a mission of the Parish of St. Edmond.

When I encounter names in these French records from Québec, I'm often at a loss to decipher them. I have, however, found some online sources to help with French given names and surnames. The website of the American-French Genealogical Society has a good listing of given names and surnames, and the e-prenoms website is also an excellent source of information on French given names.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:27:47 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Henriette Patenaude

The Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York

Steve — Wed, 02 May 2007 08:02:23 +0000

I wanted to write something for the 23rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy on "School Days", but I found this topic very difficult. The problem is that I know nothing about the schools my ancestors attended, and worse, I realized I know hardly anything about the schools I attended. Until now, I really didn't realize what a gaping hole this subject was in my family history. I grew up on Park Avenue and South Allen Street in Albany, New York. These addresses within walking distance of the elementary school and high school associated with the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Vincent de Paul. Except for a few months when my younger sister attended Albany High School, all the children in my family attended the Vincentian Institute from K-12.

Vincentian Institute Child Culture Division

Vincentian Institute Child Culture Division (VI-CCD), the K-8 elementary school, opened in 1934 in the former Hawley greenhouses on Morris Street between Main and Partridge. The first classes were actually held in the greenhouses themselves. As the school grew with the increasing population of the baby boom generation, additional classrooms were built. At the time the school was experiencing its largest enrollments in the 1960s, the school consisted of eight classrooms in the "Glass School" (the former greenhouses), two classrooms in the kindergarten building (another greenhouse), two classrooms in a building called "The Barn", and fourteen classrooms in the newest addition, "The Brick Building". In the 1960's classroom size was about 40 students in each of three classrooms for each grade level 1-8 and somewhat smaller class sizes (about 30 students) in each of two kindergarten classrooms. These days, the classes would probably be considered overcrowded. The elementary school classes were taught by the Sisters of Mercy, whose convent was on Morris Street, just half a block from the school. A few lay teachers also taught at the elementary school. The school published a newspaper called "The Lion's Roar". In 1985, VI-CCD closed.

Vincentian Institute High School

Vincentian Institute High School (VIHS) was dedicated in 1917 at the corner of Madison Avenue and Ontario Street. Martin Henry Glynn, publisher and editor of the Albany Times Union and the first Roman Catholic Governor in the history of New York State, delivered a speech entitled "As Solomon Gave His Treasure" at the dedication of the high school on 24 May 1917. In 1920, the Sisters of Mercy were assigned to teach at VIHS. The school opened in 1921 and the first graduating class passed through its doors in 1925. In 1936, four Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross joined the faculty of the high school. Brother John Baptist was appointed Superior. He was assisted by Brother Eymard, Brother Lawrence Justinian, and Brother Joel, all graduates of the University of Notre Dame. The Brothers of the Holy Cross continued to teach at VIHS until 1972. Initially, VIHS operated separate classes for boys and girls; the Sisters of Mercy taught the girls, and the Brothers of the Holy Cross taught the boys. In 1974, classes were combined and VIHS became truly co-educational for the first time. The school newspaper was called "The Blue Banner", the school's sports teams were the Lions, and the school yearbook was called "Crossroads". VIHS closed in 1977, and the building that housed the school is now Saint Vincent's Apartments, a community for senior citizens. Officially, VIHS merged with Cardinal McCloskey High School to form Bishop Maginn High School in the building of the former Cardinal McCloskey High School. Precious little information about Vincentian Institute is available on the web. I find this surprising since the students and alumni were fiercely loyal to the school. I'm not aware of any published history of the school, although I think there would be a local market for such a publication. Perhaps there's an opportunity here. For other posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

PDF

Steve — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:31:02 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Charles Gedeon Patenaude

PDF

Steve — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:40:15 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Francois Patenaude - 1876

Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Francois Patenaude - 1876

Steve — Thu, 03 May 2007 04:40:54 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Francois Patenaude - 1876

The Birth and Baptism of Pierre François Patenaude - 1876

Steve — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:01:23 +0000

Another child of Charles Patenaude and Ozithe Gamache was born in 1876 and was named Pierre François Patenaude. His record is listed as B.13 on the image below.

The Birth and Baptism of Pierre Francois Patenaude - 1876

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre François Patenaude, Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Québec, Canada, 1876. Front of Folio 3, B.13.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptism of Pierre François Patenaude - 1876. The record, translated from the French, states:

B.13. [baptism #13] Pierre François Patenaude.
On the fourth of February, one thousand eight hundred seventy six, we, the undersigned parish priest, baptized Pierre François, born on the second of the current month, of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, laborer, and Osithe Gamache of this parish. The Godfather was Aimé Lussier and the Godmother was Rachel Patin, who, as well as the father, did not sign.

[signed] LB Chrétien, Priest

Until recently, these folios from Québec were difficult to access. Now, these records are available on Ancestry.com as part of the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967. At the present time, the records are not indexed electronically. The records are, however, grouped according to location and year.

Fortunately, I knew some of the locations and years for events in the Patenaudes' lives, so the search wasn't especially burdensome. Furthermore, most of the records are indexed at the end of every year, which means that I didn't have to scroll through all the records, just the indexes. Still, I'll be happy when Ancestry.com posts an electronic index for these records.

PDF

Steve — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:09:53 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude

Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude

Steve — Fri, 04 May 2007 03:10:30 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude

The Birth and Baptism of Joseph François Adélard Patenaude - 1879

Steve — Fri, 04 May 2007 07:01:29 +0000

Joseph François Adélard Patenaude was born in 1879 in Coatacook, Québec, the son of Charles Patenaude and Ozithe Gamache. His birth and baptism are recorded in record B38 on the back of Folio 9.

The Birth and Baptism of Joseph François Adélard Patenaude - 1879

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph François Adélard Patenaude, Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Québec, Canada, 1879. Back of Folio 9, B.38.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptism of Joseph François Adélard Patenaude - 1879. Translated from the French, the record states:

B38 [baptism #38] Joseph François Adélard Patenaude
On the seventh of June, one thousand eight hundred seventy nine, by us, the undersigned parish vicar, was baptized Joseph François Adélard, born on the third of the current month, of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, laborer of this place, and Osithe Gamache. Godfather, Louis Laroche, Godmother, Mary Dupont, who did not sign.

[signed] N. Rainville, Priest

French Canadian birth and baptismal records from this time period all use the same format and, for the most part, the same words. Learn to translate one and you're in good shape to translate all the others. That said, different priests tended to use slightly different words, and the specifics of the events sometimes results in slightly different language.

Unlike the birth and baptismal records from Poland I recently published where the same people reappeared as Godparents in a given family's records, these French Canadian records show different Godparents for every child in the family. I don't know if this observation was made by chance or if there is a pattern here.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 06:38:14 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth Baptism and Death Record of Anonyme Patenaude

Birth Baptism and Death Record of Anonyme Patenaude

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 06:38:51 +0000

Birth Baptism and Death Record of Anonyme Patenaude

The Birth, Baptism and, Death of Unnamed Child Patenaude

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 07:01:57 +0000

A male child, born to Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache in 1881, died five hours after birth. The birth, baptism, and death are recorded as one entry in the register: entry S.11.B.24.

The Birth, Baptism, and Death of Unnamed Child Patenaude - 1881

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Unnamed Child Patenaude, Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Québec, Canada, 1881. Front of Folio 8, B.24, S.11.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth, Baptism, and Death of Unnamed Child Patenaude - 1881. The record, translated from the French, states:

S.11.B.24. [burial #11] [baptism #38] Unnamed Child Patenaude
On the tenth of March, one thousand eight hundred eighty-one, we, the undersigned parish vicar, have buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery, the body of an infant baptized provisionally at home and who died five hours after birth, born the previous evening of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache of this parish. Witnesses at the burial were Charles Patenaude and Jean Marcoux who are not able to write.

[signed] Chas. Ed. Milette, Priest and Vicar

This unnamed child is apparently a male child. In this record, the word né, rather than née is used to express the English word born. Since the masculine form of the verb is used, the child must have been a male child.

The child had been baptized provisionally at home, since the parents apparently did not have time to bring the child to the church to be baptized before the child died.

In centuries past, the Roman Catholic Church speculated that infants who died before being baptized entered a state of limbo instead of heaven. Roman Catholic parents considered infant baptism of utmost importance to ensure that their children would be able to enter heaven should they die as infants.

Recently, the International Theological Commission of the Roman Catholic Church stated that limbo represents an "unduly restricted view of salvation", thus reversing centuries of theological thought.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Febronie Patenaude - 1863

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 23:31:01 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Febronie Patenaude - 1863

PDF

Steve — Sat, 05 May 2007 23:31:42 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Febronie Patenaude - 1863

Notes on the Drouin Collection Online at Ancestry.com

Steve — Sun, 06 May 2007 00:08:35 +0000

During the past few weeks, I've spent quite a bit of time with the Drouin Collection recently available online at Ancestry.com.

ONE COPY OR TWO

The records in the Drouin Collection online at Ancestry.com are sometimes provided as a single copy and sometimes as two copies. For example, the records from Coatacook include a single copy of the birth and baptismal records, but the records from St. Valentin include two copies, presumably a civil copy and a church copy. Two different copies of a record provide a distinct advantage over a single copy: if one copy is difficult to read in whole or in part, the other record may help with the transcription. Further, one can check each copy against the other to determine if the two records differ from each other in any way and to decide if one record includes a transcription error. Generally, those localities in the Drouin Collection with two copies include one set prefaced with a paragraph stating that the copy was prepared for the locality. In the civil copy, the records for each new year generally starts on a new page, since the parish prepared sets of these records for the civil authorities annually. The folio numbers for the civil copies usually start over each year. The other set, which I assume is the church copy, does not include the preface, and the records for a new year usually continue on the same page as the records from the previous year. One might assume the church followed this practice to save paper and money. The folio numbers for the church copies are often continuous from year to year.

INDEXES

While none of the Drouin Collection is electronically index at the present time, many of the record sets include digital images of the hand-written indexes. Unfortunately, some record sets do not include an index of any kind. For some localities, the digital image of the index is provided through a separate link. For example, the records for St. Antoine sur Richelieu, St. Basile le Grand, St. Sulpice, and St. Valentin may be accessed through one link, and the digital images of the indexes are provided through a second link. In the case of St. Valentin, the index link provides digital images of the hand-written indexes only for the church copies of the records. The civil copies of the records include digital images of the hand-written indexes at the end of each year. I'll be spending a lot more time with the Drouin Collection, since the records of several families I'm researching are included in the collection.

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Fébronie Patenaude - 1863

Steve — Sun, 06 May 2007 07:01:41 +0000

I was told that Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude had four older siblings, the eldest of whom was named Marie Fébronie Patenaude. Fébronie's birth and baptismal record was recorded as number B.37 in the 1863 folios from St. Valentin.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Fébronie Patenaude - 1863

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Febronie Patenaude, St. Valentin, Lower Canada, 1863. Front of Folio 204, B.37.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Fébronie Patenaude - 1863. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.37 [baptism #37] Marie Fébronie Patenaude
On the twenty-ninth day of March, one thousand eight hundred sixty-three, by us, the undersigned priest, Marie Fébronie was baptized, born this day of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, laborer, and Osithe Gamache, of this parish. The Godfather was François Patenaude, and the Godmother was Marguerite Bluteau, who declared they, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] GT Lesage, Priest

Since Marie Fébronie Patenaude's birth and baptismal record was recorded in St. Valentin, the online Drouin collection on Ancestry.com includes two copies of the record - a civil copy and a church copy. The civil copy is found as image 11 of 62, record B.37 on the front of folio 11 for the year 1863 in St. Valentin. The church copy is found as image 45 of 62, record B.37 on the front of folio 204 for the year 1863 in St. Valentin. Note that both the civil copy and the church copy are available under the same link for St. Valentin - 1863 on Ancestry.com. Both copies have the same record number (B.37), although the folio numbers for the two records are different. Frequently, one of the most difficult parts of these records to decipher is the name of the priest, who signed his name as he normally would, sometimes in an almost unreadable script. The signature on this record is far from the worst I've seen, but I still had a hard time with it. I found the surname Lesage on the French-Canadian surnames list on the website of the American-French Genealogical Society.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Patenaude -1864

Steve — Sun, 06 May 2007 23:55:17 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Patenaude -1864

Church Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864

Steve — Mon, 07 May 2007 00:21:10 +0000

Church Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864

Steve — Mon, 07 May 2007 07:01:24 +0000

An older brother of Marie Zénaïde Zite Patenaude was named Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude. He was born in 1864 and his birth and baptism were recorded as entry B.47 in the parish records of St. Valentin, the first entry on the page shown below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Patenaude, St. Valentin, Canada East, 1864. Front of Folio 10, B.47.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864. The record, translated from the French, states:

B.47. [baptism #47] Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude.
On the fourteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred sixty-four, by us, the undersigned, vicar of this parish, Hormisdas Valentin was baptized, born today of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, farmer, and Osithe Gamache, of this parish. The Godfather was Salomon Patenaude and the Godmother was Marie Gamache, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] S. Oct. Perrault, Priest

As with other records from St. Valentin, there are two copies of this record. The one shown here is the civil copy which appears as entry B.47 on the front of folio 10 (image 10 of 53 in the records for 1864 in St. Valentin on Ancestry.com). The church copy appears as entry B.47 on the front of folio 230 (image 38 of 53 in the records for 1864 in St. Valentin on Ancestry.com).

In most cases, the civil and church copies of these records say the same things. Aside from minor difference in the way the record is formatted, the church copy of this record, shown below, has two significant differences from the civil copy.

The priest initially made an error on the church copy when he listed Charles Patenaude's occupation as "cultivateur" (farmer). He crossed out this occupation and wrote I (laborer) in the margin. His initials and title, "SOP ptre", are written next to the correction.
At the end of the record in the church copy, there is an additional notation, which I can't read very well. The words "mil et un" (thousand and one) appear in this sentence. Perhaps someone fluent in French can read it for me.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 08 May 2007 05:06:29 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude - 1866

the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude - 1866

Steve — Tue, 08 May 2007 05:07:15 +0000

the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude - 1866

PDF

Steve — Tue, 08 May 2007 05:22:06 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude - 1864

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Patenaude - 1865/1866

Steve — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:01:33 +0000

Marie Patenaude was born on 31 Dec 1865 and was baptized on 01 Jan 1866 in St. Valentin, Canada East. Her birth and baptismal record was recorded as the first entry of the year 1866 - B.1.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude - 1865/1866

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude, St. Valentin, Canada East, 1866. Front of Folio 1, B.1.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude - 1865/1866. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.1. [baptism #1] Marie Patenaude
On the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred sixty-six, by us, the undersigned, vicar of this parish, Marie was baptized, born the previous evening of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, laborer, and Osithe Gamache, of this parish. The Godfather was Guillaume Hénault and the Godmother was Célina Gamache, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] S. Oct. Perrault, Priest

Since Marie was baptized on 01 Jan 1866 and the record states that she was born the previous evening, Marie was born on 31 Dec 1855.

In her later life, Marie used the name Lea, and it is under that name that other records may be found.

As with other records from St. Valentin, there are two copies of this record. The one shown here is the civil copy which appears as entry B.1 on the front of folio 11 (image 1 of 54 in the records for 1866 in St. Valentin on Ancestry.com). The church copy appears as entry B.1 on the front of folio 269 (image 32 of 54 in the records for 1866 in St. Valentin on Ancestry.com).

Since this record was the first of the year 1866, the top of the register, above the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Patenaude, provides a description of the records included in this set of folios.

Top of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

Steve — Wed, 09 May 2007 05:49:25 +0000

Top of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

Bottom of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

Steve — Wed, 09 May 2007 05:50:16 +0000

Bottom of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

PDF

Steve — Wed, 09 May 2007 05:50:49 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Edwidge Patenaude - 1867

Steve — Wed, 09 May 2007 07:01:33 +0000

My cousin Chris found the birth and baptismal record for Marie Edwidge Patenaude, who was born in 1867. Chris was able to find this record even though Marie Edwidge's record was located in the records for Mission de Saint Thomas d'Aquin de Compton which are grouped with the records for Saint Herménégilde. The record extends from the back of folio 14 to the front of folio 15 and is far from easy to read.

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Marie Edwidge Patenaude -1867

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Edwige Patenaude, Mission de Saint Thomas d’Aquin de Compton, Québec, Canada, 1867. Back of Folio 14 and Front of Folio 15, B.?2.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Marie Edwidge Patenaude -1867. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.[?2] [baptism #?2] Patenaude Marie Edwidge
On the twenty-seventh day of October, one thousand eight hundred sixty-seven, by us, the undersigned priest, missionary, Marie Edwidge was baptized, born on the seventeenth of the current month of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache, of Barford. The Godfather was Calixte [Dupuy?] and the Godmother was Henriette Gamache, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] Wol[fgang] Lussier, Priest

This record was very faint. If Chris didn't have a good idea of what he was looking for and where to look, he probably wouldn't have found this record. When these records are indexed, I don't expect this one will be indexed correctly.

The Marriage of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache - 1862

Steve — Thu, 10 May 2007 07:01:21 +0000

I've published the birth and baptismal records for all the children of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache. Working backward in time, the parents were married in 1862. Their marriage is recorded as record M.13 in the records of the Parish of St. Bernard, Lacolle, St. Jean County, Canada East, in 1862.

The Marriage Record of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache -1862

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Marriage Record of Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache, Parish of St. Bernard, Lacolle, St. Jean Co., Canada East, 1862. Front of Folio 17, M.13.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache -1862. Translated from the French, the record states:

M.13. [Marriage #13] Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache
On the twenty-fourth of June, one thousand eight hundred sixty two, after the publication of three banns of marriage, made at the homilies of our parish masses, and at the homilies of the parish masses of St. Valentin and St. Cyprien, [two or three words?] by the certificates from Misters G. Lesage, priest of St. Valentin and F. Morrison, priest of St. Cyprien, on the date of the twenty-third of the current month, over three consecutive holy days, between Gédéon Patenaude of St. Valentin, of legal age, son of François Patenaude, farmer, and Marguerite Cognac of the first part, and Osithe Gamache of this parish, of legal age, daughter of François Gamache, farmer, and the deceased Osithe Martin of St. Cyprien of the second part; not finding any impediment to said marriage and [one word?] relatives, we, the undersigned priest of this parish, have received their mutual consent of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction in the presence of François Gamache, father of the bride, and of François Patenaude, father of the groom, and of several others who declared they were not able to sign, the bride and groom signed with us.

Gédéon Patenaude Ozite Gamache F. Rochette, priest

This record was the first marriage record I've ever translated from French, and it took a while for me to get through it. There were a few words I couldn't decipher; but, overall, I think I did a pretty good job on it, especially considering that I've never studied French. Comments and corrections are welcome!

This record provides several important pieces of information:

The date and place of marriage
The parishes in which the bride and groom resided prior to marriage
The names of the parents of the bride and groom
The facts that the bride's mother was deceased at the time of the marriage and all other parents were still alive
The facts that the bride and groom were of legal age at the time of marriage

This one document is quite a gold mine of information!

The Marriage Record of Gedeon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache - 1862

Steve — Thu, 10 May 2007 08:23:00 +0000

The Marriage Record of Gedeon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache - 1862

PDF

Steve — Thu, 10 May 2007 08:23:33 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Gedeon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache - 1862

PDF

Steve — Fri, 11 May 2007 06:41:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial Record of Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude - 1880

The Death and Burial Record of Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude - 1880

Steve — Fri, 11 May 2007 06:42:32 +0000

The Death and Burial Record of Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude - 1880

The Death and Burial of Joseph François Adelard Patenaude - 1880

Steve — Fri, 11 May 2007 07:01:39 +0000

Three of the children of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache died young. One of those children was Joseph François Adelard Patenaude, who died in 1880 at ten months of age. His death and burial record is number S.9 on the back of folio 8 of the parish of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Stanstead Co., Québec.

The Death and Burial Record of Joseph François Adelard Patenaude -1880

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Death and Burial Record of Joseph François Adelard Patenaude, Mission of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Stanstead Co., Québec, Canada, 1880. Back of Folio 8, S.9.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Joseph François Adelard Patenaude -1880. Translated from the French, the record states:

S.9 [Burial #9] Joseph Francois Adelard Patenaude
On the ninth of April one thousand eight hundred eighty, we, the undersigned priest vicar have buried in the cemetery of this parish, the body of Joseph François Adelard, ten months of age, an infant born of the legitimate marriage of Charles Patenaude, laborer, and Osithe Gamache of this parish. Those present were: the father of the infant, Charles Roy and Léon Giroux, who all signed with us.

[signed] Charles Patenaude [signed] Charles Roy [signed] Léon Giroux [signed] D.A. Prévost, Priest

This record provides the date and place of burial, but does not mention the date or place of death. In my database, I can list the date of death as "abt. 09 Apr 1880", but how do I indicate the place of death?

Ancestry.com subscribers can find this record in the Quebec Vital Records Collection in the records for Coaticook (St-Edmond) 1880, image 9 of 29.

All-Day Seminar with Dick Eastman

Steve — Sat, 12 May 2007 07:01:06 +0000

On Saturday, May 12, I'll be at the all-day seminar with Dick Eastman sponsored by the San Diego Genealogical Society and the computer Genealogy Society of San Diego. Dick will present four seminars:

Grandpa in Your Pocket - a demonstration of various gadgets that will make your genealogy research easier and do things not thought possible before.
The Internet - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - learn the many great and new things the Internet has to offer as well as the pitfalls and scams. A must for every researcher.
Google for Genealogists - learn how to maximize your results in using the world's most popular search engine; find out how to do things you never dreamed possible.
Putting the Genes in Genealogy - learn your family history to help your family fight or neutralize inherited diseases; something every genealogist needs to know.

Take a look at the flyer for more information. The program is now sold out, so I'm glad I got my reservation in early!

Report - All Day Seminar and Luncheon with Dick Eastman

Steve — Sun, 13 May 2007 07:01:56 +0000

I just returned from the all-day seminar and luncheon with Dick Eastman sponsored by The Computer Genealogy Society of San Diego and The San Diego Genealogical Society. I found out about this event from a post on Randy Seaver's blog. A total of 186 people attended the event, including 45 participants (myself included) who were not members of either of the sponsoring organizations. I flew down to San Diego last night after work and checked into my hotel. I'd like to extend many thanks to Gloria Osborn for her hotel recommendations! The venue for the seminar was easy to find, and San Diego traffic was light at 8 AM on Saturday morning, so I was able to arrive at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church on Lake Murray Blvd in plenty of time to get a good seat at a table with some wonderful people.

St. Andrew's Lutheran Church - San Diego

I've been a reader of Dick Eastman's blog for some time now, but this was my first opportunity to hear him speak. Dick is an engaging and entertaining speaker and I learned a lot from his presentations, not only about genealogy, but also about how to keep an audience's attention during a seminar.

Grandpa in Your Pocket
In Dick's first presentation, he demonstrated a number of gadgets useful in genealogy research, none of which are designed specifically for genealogy. Among the devices demonstrated and discussed are laptop computers, USB jump drives, digital cameras, portable scanners, personal digital assistants (PDA), global positioning systems (GPS), and communications devices. The part of the presentation I found most interesting was Dick's discussion of GPS devices. I have to admit that, when picking up my rental car last evening, I noticed one of the other renters had with him a portable GPS and I thought this was a great device to have when renting a car in an unfamiliar location. Much to my surprise, Hertz had supplied me with a car equipped with a GPS! I don't remember requesting this upgrade, but there it was, and I was certainly going to use it! GPS devices range from those with minimal capabilities for minimal cost (about US$90.00) to the outrageously expensive (about US$2000.00 for a device installed in a Lexus). The less expensive devices don't include maps, but only show a direction of travel arrow and the distance to one's destination. The more expensive models include maps and show where you are on the map. Dick described how he located a cemetery (on http://geonames.usgs.gov) and entered the coordinates into an inexpensive GPS device. The device directed him to a location on a dirt road, but he couldn't see a cemetery at the spot where the GPS declared he had reached his destination. After climbing out of the car and hunting through the undergrowth, Dick was able to find the fallen headstones of the cemetery buried under the brush. Without the GPS, Dick might never have found the cemetery.
The Internet - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Dick's second morning presentation was on the Internet. The Internet has been around for quite a while, but the World-Wide-Web has only been in existence since 1991. Seventy-three percent of all US adults use the internet. The Good - Good things on the Internet include email, search engines, news and genealogy. In fact, our lives have adapted to this technology, which offers opportunities to find and share information more easily than ever before. One of the newest opportunities for genealogists are wiki-based sites such as http://www.werelate.org that allow family historians to collaborate with one another. The Bad - The quality of online genealogical information varies considerably. Some genealogical information on the internet is simply incorrect. Dick pointed out that he wants to see every clue he can find, verified or not. He wants to know every piece of guesswork, every hypothesis. Genealogists should assume that they must personally verify the information they find, regardless of the source. The Ugly - Cons and scams have been around for a long, long time. With the advent of the internet and the world-wide-web, con artists simply have a new media in which they can attempt to exploit others. Pseudo-genealogy websites advertising millions of genealogy records turned out to be simply a collection of links to other websites. Email spam and phishing are other common scams.

At this point in the program, we broke for the buffet luncheon, supplied by Cupids Catering of El Cajon, California. The food was absolutely wonderful, and the lunchtime conversations were quite enjoyable, too. And then, it was time for Dick's afternoon presentations.

Google for Genealogists
Dick's first presentation of the afternoon was on some of the ways genealogists can use Google in their research. Google searches static web pages. Google will not find information on dynamic web pages, and so will not find the information embedded within sites like ancestry.com and familysearch.org. Google searches on a maximum of ten words and ignores trivial words (such as "a" and "the"). Dick showed how to use quotation marks to search for specific phrases, how to use Boolean operators such as "and", and how to use parentheses to further specify the parameters of a search. Of particular interest were the advanced operators that Dick discussed, such as intitle:, inurl:, inanchor:, site:, link:, cache:, daterange:, and filetype:. More details on these advanced operators can be found at http://www.google.com/help/operators.html . To name a few, these operators can help narrow a search to just searching for terms in the title of a webpage, just within a single website, or just within a specific date range. Information on Google advanced search can be accessed at http://www.google.com/help/refinesearch.html , and all sorts of support for using Google can be found at http://www.google.com/support/ . Dick finished up this presentation by discussing the Google book search to find books and even download complete books that are out of copyright. More information on this feature can be found at http://books.google.com/intl/en/googlebooks/about.html .
Putting the Genes in Genealogy
What genetic traits did we inherit from our ancestors? What can we learn about our relationships through the analysis of DNA? Dick mentioned that DNA analysis is better at disproving relationships than it is at proving relationships. While comparing our DNA to that of our ancestors is not possible, we can certainly compare our DNA to that of our living relatives. The advent of genetic genealogy led Dick to speculate on the possibility that DNA evidence could lead us to reconsider accepted lines of descent. DNA can provide information about inheritance of certain diseases, and may help families decide on treatment options to save the lives of loved ones who may have risk factors for inherited diseases.

I didn't have much time to socialize after the conclusion of the seminars. I drove back to the airport to catch my flight home, and I must say that San Diego is certainly a traveler-friendly city. There are gas stations close to the rental car lots, making it convenient to refuel before returning a rental car. The airport is efficient, the crowds are small, and the options for getting a bite to eat in the airport before boarding the plane are plentiful. And the weather? Absolutely perfect. Perhaps I should have stayed the rest of the weekend.

St Andrews Lutheran Church - San Diego

Steve — Sun, 13 May 2007 07:59:41 +0000

St Andrews Lutheran Church - San Diego

The Death of Hormisdas Patenaude -1881

Steve — Mon, 14 May 2007 07:01:15 +0000

Of the ten children born to Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache, three died young: Joseph François Adelard who died in 1880, an unnamed child who died shortly after birth in 1881, and Hormisdas who also died in 1881. This must have been a rough time for the family. The death of Hormisdas Patenaude is recorded as S.67 on the record below, which can be found on Ancestry.com as image 33 of 36 in the records for Coaticook (St-Edmond) for the year 1881.

The Death Record of Hormisdas Patenaude - 1881

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Death and Burial Record of Hormisdas Patenaude, Mission of St. Edmond, Coaticook, Stanstead Co., Québec, Canada, 1881. Front of Folio 33, S.67.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death Record of Hormisdas Patenaude - 1881. Translated from the French, the record states:

S.67 [Burial #67] Hormisdas Patenaude
On the twentieth of December, one thousand eight hundred eighty one, we, the undersigned priest have buried in the cemetery of this parish, the body of Hormisdas, who died on the eighteenth of the current month at seventeen years of age, the legitimate boy of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache of this parish. Those present were: Jean Marcoux and Charles Patenaude, who were not able to sign.

[signed] W[ilfred] Lussier, Priest

Hormisdas Valentin Patenaude was born on 14 May 1864, the second child and first-born son of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache. His death record correctly states that he was seventeen years old at the time of his death.

The name Hormisdas is rather unusual. Hormisdas was apparently named for Saint Hormisdas, who was Pope from 514 to 523.

Saint Hormisdas was a widower at the time of his election to the papacy and he had a son, Silverius, who was also elected to the papacy. Saint Hormisdas is known for reuniting the Eastern and Western Churches, and his papacy is remembered as a time of peace in the Church. Saint Hormisdas is the patron saint of grooms and stable boys. His feast is celebrated on 06 August.

The Death Record of Hormisdas Patenaude - 1881

Steve — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:07:53 +0000

The Death Record of Hormisdas Patenaude - 1881

PDF

Steve — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:08:29 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death Record of Hormisdas Patenaude - 1881

PDF

Steve — Tue, 15 May 2007 06:43:40 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882

The Marriage of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882

Steve — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:01:48 +0000

Febronie Patenaude, daughter of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache, married Joseph Normandin in 1882. The marriage is recorded as record number M.15 in the records of the Parish of St. Valentin for 1882.

The Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude, Parish of St. Valentin, St. Jean County, Québec, Canada, 1882. Back of Folio 18 & Front of Folio 19, M.15.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882. Translated from the French, the record states:

M.15. [Marriage #15] Jos[eph] Normandin et Febronie Patenaude
On the ninth of October, one thousand eight hundred eighty two, after the dispensation of the publication of two banns of marriage and of both publications for the diocese of Sherbrooke, agreed by Mister D.A. Maréchal, vicar general of this diocese, and after the publication of one other bann made at the homilies of our parish masses, here and at St. Bernard of Lacolle how he [one word?] by the certificate of Mister L.G. Plamondon, priest of this place, between Joseph Normandin, farmer of the parish of St. Bernard, of legal age, son of Joseph Normandin and the deceased Ursule Baulier of [Chavrely?] United States of the first part, and Febronie Patenaude of this parish, of legal age, daughter of Charles Patenaude and Osithe Gamache of Coatacook of the second part; not declaring any impediment to said marriage, we, the undersigned priest of this parish, have, with the agreement of the parents of the bride, received their mutual consent of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction in the presence of David Vaschereau, friend of the groom, Elzéar Cognac, friend of the bride, and several others, they have signed with the groom, the others have declared they were not able to sign.

[signed] Febronie Patenaude Joseph Normandin Corine Hébert Marguerite Patenaude J[ules] Lamoureaux Elzéar Cognac J. Chr. God. Gandin, priest

This record appears twice in the Drouin Collection. The first record, the civil copy, is on the back of folio 18 and the front of folio 19, found as image 21 of 51 on Ancestry.com. The second copy, the church copy, is on the back of folio 104 and front of folio 105, found as image 48 of 52 on Ancestry.com.

There were a couple of places in this document I couldn't decipher. One is the location of the groom's parents, who are from [Chavrely?] United States. This could be an important location, but I can't understand the word before United States.

The Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882

Steve — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:21:35 +0000

The Marriage Record of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude - 1882

PDF

Steve — Wed, 16 May 2007 05:05:41 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Henri Normandin - 1883

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Henri Normandin - 1883

Steve — Wed, 16 May 2007 05:06:37 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record for Joseph Henri Normandin - 1883

The Birth and Baptism of Joseph Henri Normandin

Steve — Wed, 16 May 2007 07:01:00 +0000

Almost exactly one year after the marriage of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude, Febronie gave birth to a son, Joseph Henri Normandin, whose birth and baptism is recorded as entry B.73 in the records of the Parish of St. Valentin, Québec for the year 1883.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Henri Normandin -1883

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Henri Normandin, Roman Catholic Parish of St. Valentin, Québec, Canada, 1883. Back of Folio 130, B.73.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Henri Normandin -1883. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.73 [baptism #73] Joseph Henri Normandin
On the fifteenth of June, one thousand eight hundred eighty-three, we, the undersigned vicar, baptized Joseph Henri, born on the previous evening, of the legitimate marriage of Joseph Normandin and Febronie Patenaude of this parish. The Godfather was David Vachereau, farmer, and the Godmother was Julienne Montmeny the wife of the last named, who, with the exception of the father, have declared that they do not know how to sign, and so a reading was made.

[signed] Hermidas Normandin [signed] F N. Plante Priest Vicar

As with other records of the parish of St. Valentin, there are two copies of this record. The civil copy is located on the back of folio 19 and the front of folio 20 of the records for 1883, and can be found as image 21 of 58 of the records of St. Valentin for 1883 in the Drouin Collection on Ancestry.com. The church copy is located on the back of folio 130, and can be found as image 52 of 58 of the records of St. Valentin for 1883 in the Drouin Collection on Ancestry.com.

In most cases, the two copies of the records from St. Valentin are essentially identical. The church copy of Joseph Henri Normandin's Birth and Baptismal Record (shown above), however, contains information not in the civil copy. The church copy states that the father signed the record and includes the signature of Hermidas Normandin. The civil copy does not include this signature.

The record itself states that the father was Joseph Normandin, but he signed the record as Hermidas Normandin. Was he baptized with the name Joseph Hermidas Normandin? In searching the e-prenoms website, I couldn't find the name Hermidas. The closest spellings I can find are Hormisdas and Hermias.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache - 1838

Steve — Thu, 17 May 2007 06:54:33 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache - 1838

The Birth and Baptism of Osite Gamache - 1838

Steve — Thu, 17 May 2007 07:01:54 +0000

Over the past couple of weeks I've shown the birth and baptismal records of the children of Charles Gédéon Patenaude and Osithe Gamache and the marriage record of the couple. The next step in tracing the ancestry of this family is to find the birth and baptismal records of Charles Gédéon and Osithe. I wasn't able to find the birth and baptismal record of Osithe Gamache, but my cousin, Chris, found it listed as record B.80 in the records of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie Parish in L'Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada in 1838.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache - 1838

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1838. Front of Folio 14, B.80.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache - 1838. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.80. [baptism #80] Osite Gamache
Today, on the twenty-third of May, one thousand eight hundred thirty-eight, we, the undersigned priest, have baptized Osite, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin. The Godfather was Louis Martin, and the Godmother was Marguerite Leblanc, wife of François Gamache, who did not know how to sign.

of this parish [one word?] J.C.P.

[signed] Jos[eph] Crivier, Priest

My cousin Chris and I had been told that Osite was born on 05 Aug 1847. According to Osite's death record, she died on 19 May 1899 at age 52, meaning that she was born in about 1846-1847. Osite's gravestone states that she died on 19 May 1889, not 1899. If Osite died in 1889 at age 52, she would have been born in about 1836-1837.

Chris pointed out that, if Osite had been born on 05 Aug 1847 and married on 24 Jun 1862, she would have been 14 years old at the time of her marriage, an unlikely occurrence.

Chris also realized that Osite's mother would likely give birth to her first child in her childhood parish, and he told me that Osite Gamache's mother, Osite Martin, was raised in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie in L'Acadie.

With these observations, Chris searched the records from Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie in L'Acadie starting with 1838, the year after Osite Gamache's parents were married. He found Osite Gamache's birth and baptismal record, shown here. According to this record, Osite Gamache was born on 22 May 1838 in L'Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, and baptized the next day.

The proper spelling of Osite's given name is Osithe, although many records spell the name Osite, Ozite, or Ausite.

This record includes an annotation at the bottom that says "of this parish" and is initialed by the priest. Apparently, he neglected to include this phrase when he first wrote the record and added it later. There appears to be one additional word after "of this parish" and the initials, but I can't make that word out.

This record may be found on Ancestry.com in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection 1621-1967) among the records for L'Acadie L'Acadie (Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie) in 1838 as image 14 of 34.

Gravestone of Ozite Gamache Patenaude

Steve — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:14:22 +0000

Gravestone of Ozite Gamache Patenaude

The Grave of Ozite Gamache Patenaude

Steve — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:01:39 +0000

Yesterday, I mentioned that information on the gravestone of Ozite Gamache Patenaude was useful in finding her birth and baptismal record. Ozite was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Waterford, Saratoga County, New York.

The Gravestone of Ozite Gamache Patenaude

SOURCE: Ozite Gamache Patenaude grave marker, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Section Unknown (Waterford, Saratoga Co.), New York, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 10 Sep 2005.

St. Joseph's Cemetery is a Roman Catholic Parish Cemetery located at 40 Middletown Road, Waterford, Saratoga County, New York. Although the cemetery is in Saratoga County, the parish to which it belongs is in Albany County: St. Joseph's Church, 65 Congress Street, Cohoes, Albany County, New York.

The gravestone is seriously weathered and difficult to read. In another generation, the incription might be totally obliterated. As best as I can tell the inscription reads:

Ozite [Gamache?] Epouse de Charles Patenaude Decede [?] 19 Mai 1889 Agee de [?] ans

Translated from the French, the inscription states:

Ozite [Gamache?] Wife of Charles Patenaude Died [?] 19 May 1889 Age [?] years

My cousins Helen and Chris tried to obtain additional information on the burials in this small cemetery from the caretaker, but he was not able to help them.

The Gravestone of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Front

Steve — Sat, 19 May 2007 06:08:06 +0000

The Gravestone of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Front

The Gravestone of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Back

Steve — Sat, 19 May 2007 06:08:42 +0000

The Gravestone of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Back

The Grave of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude

Steve — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:01:50 +0000

The grave of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude is in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Waterford, Saratoga County, New York, not far from the grave of Zenaide's mother, Osithe Gamache Patenaude.

The Graves of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Front

The Grave of Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude - Back SOURCE: Paul Charron and Zenaide Patenaude grave marker, St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Section Unknown (Waterford, Saratoga Co.), New York, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 10 Sep 2005. The inscription on the gravestone states:

FRONT: CHARRON BACK: PAUL CHARRON 1874-1943 HIS WIFE ZENAIDE PATENAUDE 1870-1959

Zenaide Patenaude married Paul Charron. Their daughter, Alice, married my uncle John Danko. John Danko and Alice Charron Danko were my Godparents. St. Joseph's Cemetery is the final resting place of a great number of French Canadians who moved to Cohoes, Albany County, New York.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1839

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 06:50:06 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1839

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Gamache - 1839

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:01:31 +0000

Osithe Gamache was baptized in 1838 in the parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfinde in L'Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada. He sister, Marie Gamache, was baptized a year later, but in a different place: the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville, Napierville County, Lower Canada.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1839

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Lower Canada, 1839. Front of Folio 42, B.222.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1839. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.222. [baptism #222] Marie Gamache
On the twenty-sixth of December, one thousand eight hundred thirty-nine, we, the undersigned priest, have baptized Marie, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was Etienne Martin, and the Godmother was Marie Gamache, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] N. L. Amiot, Priest

The Godparents, Etienne Martin and Marie Gamache, were most likely relatives. I'll have to keep an eye out for the records of their births.

The reason Marie was baptized in a different parish (and different county, for that matter) from Osithe was that their mother probably traveled back to her home village of L'Acadie to give birth to her first-born child Osithe in the house of her parents, but gave birth to her later children in her own home in Napierville.

This record may be found on the front of folio 42 (image 42 of 50 on Ancestry.com) of the records for St. Cyprien in Napierville for the year 1839.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1843

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 21:05:41 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1843

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Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:43:47 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:44:28 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Gamache - 1843

Steve — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:50:40 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Gamache - 1843

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Steve — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:01:07 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Gamache - 1839

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Steve — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:04:23 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Osite Gamache - 1838

The Death and Burial of Marie Gamache

Steve — Mon, 21 May 2007 07:01:41 +0000

Marie Gamache, born on 25 Dec 1839, died on 22 May 1843. Her death and burial are recorded as entry S.33 in the registers of the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville, Lower Canada.

The Death and Burial Record of Marie Gamache - 1843

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Death and Burial Record of Marie Gamache, Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada, 1843. Back of Folio 18, S.33.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Marie Gamache - 1843. Translated from the French, the record states:

S.33 [Burial #33] Marie Gamache
On the twenty-fourth of May, one thousand eight hundred forty-three, I, the undersigned priest, have buried Marie, who died the day before yesterday at the age of three years and six months, the daughter of François Gamache, farmer of this parish, and Osite Martin – Witnesses were Pierre Lyret and Jean Baptiste Remillard, who did not know how to sign.

[signed] A Morin, Priest

In the short time I've been looking at these records from the Drouin collection, I've noticed two things:

The families tended to move from parish to parish and county to county quite a bit. Usually, most of the children would be born in the same parish, but when the children were grown, they moved to a different parish. The children, did not, however, move far from their birthplaces. They usually just moved to a nearby parish or nearby county.
Several given names were very common. Marie and Joseph, of course are common honorific names, and many children given these names at baptism were also given a second name, and they used their second name as a given name throughout their lives.

This record may be found on the back of folio 18 as record number S.33 in the records of the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville for the year 1843. The record may also be found as image 25 of 59 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection) on Ancestry.com in the records for 1843 in Napierville St-Cyprien.

PDF

Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:11:21 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Gamache - 1843

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Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:18:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of David Gamache - 1845

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Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:31:33 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:32:38 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

PDF

Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:14:22 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial of Marie Gamache - 1843

The Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:26:18 +0000

The Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

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Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 06:27:02 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841

Steve — Tue, 22 May 2007 07:01:42 +0000

Marie Celine Gamache was born in the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville in 1841. Her birth and baptismal record is listed as record B.133 in the parish records for the year 1841.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada, East 1841. Back of Folio 39, B.163.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Celine Gamache - 1841. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.163. [baptism 163] Marie Celine Gamache….
On the fifteenth of August, one thousand eight hundred forty-one, we, the undersigned priest, have baptized Marie Celine, born today of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was Aubin Gamache, and the Godmother was Elisabeth Martin, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] N. L. Amiot, Priest

This record can be found in Ancestry.com's Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 as image 40 of 62 for Napierville St-Cyprien in the year 1841. The record is number B.163 located on the back of folio 39.

By the time Marie Celine was born, the Act of Union (1840) had been proclaimed. The area of Lower Canada became Canada East and the area of Upper Canada became Canada West, both in the Province of Canada.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 23 May 2007 04:34:54 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache - 1847

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache - 1847

Steve — Wed, 23 May 2007 04:35:39 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache - 1847

The Birth and Baptism of François Gamache - 1843

Steve — Wed, 23 May 2007 07:01:32 +0000

I had previously shown the death record of Marie Gamache. On the very same day that François Gamache and Osite Martin buried their daughter Marie, their son François was born and baptized. His record is listed as number B.95 for the year 1843 in the parish of St. Cyprien.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of François Gamache - 1843

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of François Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1843. Back of Folio 17, B.95.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of François Gamache - 1843. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.95. [baptism 95] François Gamache
On the twenty-fourth of May, one thousand eight hundred forty-three, I, the undersigned priest, have baptized François, born today of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was Edouard Cyre, the undersigned, and the Godmother was Désanges Martin, who did not know how to sign.

[signed] Edouard Cyre, A. Morin, Priest

The Death and Burial Record of Marie Gamache immediately follows the Birth and Baptismal Record for François Gamache in the record book.

This record can be found as image 25 of 59 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 for Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1843. The record is located on the back of folio 17 as record number B.95.

The Birth and Baptism of David Gamache - 1845

Steve — Thu, 24 May 2007 07:01:59 +0000

François Gamache and Osite Martin gave birth to their second son, David, on 29 Mar 1845. His birth and baptism is recorded as entry B.51 in the records for St. Cyprien in Napierville.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of David Gamache - 1845

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of David Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1845. Front of Folio 9, B.51.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of David Gamache - 1845. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.51. [baptism 51] David Gamache
On the thirtieth of March, one thousand eight hundred forty-five, I, the undersigned priest, have baptized David, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was David Dropin dit Leblanc, and the Godmother was Olive Fortin, who did not know how to sign.

[signed] A. Morin, Priest

This record may be found in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 as image 9 of 31 on Ancestry.com. The record is designated as entry B.51 on the front of folio 9 in Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1845.

This is the first record in which I've seen a name that has a unique French-Canadian flair: a dit name.

Briefly, a dit name, or dite name for women, is an alternate name. Literally, dit means called. Thus, David Dropin dit Leblanc is David Dropin called Leblanc. The dit name could have been adopted for a number of reasons:

The individual wanted to distinguish himself from other family members,
The individual wanted to specify his origin in France,
The individual wanted to identify himself with the place where he relocated,
The individual wanted to identify himself with a family that adopted him.

The exact reason someone assumed a dit name may never be known. To make matters more confusing for genealogists, a dit name wasn't always used consistently, and it may not have been used by successive generations.

The Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837

Steve — Thu, 24 May 2007 07:46:41 +0000

The Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837

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Steve — Thu, 24 May 2007 07:47:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837

The Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852

Steve — Fri, 25 May 2007 06:58:11 +0000

The Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852

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Steve — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:01:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Francois Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

Steve — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:01:42 +0000

Marie Domitille Gamache was born to François Gamache and Osite Martin on 07 Jun 1846. her birth and baptism are recorded as entry B.108 in the register of the parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache -1846

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1846. Back of Folio 18, B.108.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Domitille Gamache -1846. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.108 [baptism 108] M. Domitille Gamache
On the seventh of June, one thousand eight hundred forty-six, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Marie Domitille, born today of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was Jacob Pinsonneault, and the Godmother was Domitille Bonin, who did not know how to sign.

[signed] A. Morin, Priest

This record can be found as image 19 of 46 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967, for Napierville St-Cyprien in 1846. The record is located on the back of folio 18.

This record was apparently signed by the same priest, A. Morin, who signed many of the other records for the Gamache children. Oddly enough, the way the priest phrased the document was a bit different from the way he phrased earlier documents, and even his handwriting looks different on this document from the way it looked previously.

Perhaps someone else prepared this entry. Perhaps Father Morin was just getting older.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Ceade Gamache - 1854

Steve — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:04:22 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Ceade Gamache - 1854

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Steve — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:05:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Ceade Gamache - 1854

The Death and Burial of Marie Domitille Gamache - 1846

Steve — Sat, 26 May 2007 07:01:15 +0000

Marie Domitille Gamache was born on 07 Jun 1846 and died on 10 Jun 1846, when she was just a few days old. Her death and burial are recorded as entry S45, a couple of entries below her birth and baptismal record.

The Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache -1846

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache, Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada, 1846. Back of Folio 18, S.45.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Marie Domitille Gamache -1846. Translated from the French, the record states:

S45 [Burial #45] M. Domitille Gamache
On the tenth of June, one thousand eight hundred forty-six, by us, the undersigned priest, was ~~baptized~~ buried Marie, who died yesterday at the age of four days, the daughter of François Gamache, farmer of this parish, and Osite Martin. Witnesses were Isaac __ Pinsonneault and Elie Hébert who did not know how to sign One word stuck out __
[signed] A Morin, Priest

This record can be found as image 19 of 46 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 in Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1846 on Ancestry.com. The record is found on the back of folio 18.

The burial record states that Marie Domitille was four days old, so the priest apparently counted both the day she was born and the day she died when he calculated this number.

In the death and burial record, the priest inadvertently wrote baptized instead of buried. He struck out the word baptized and indicated at the end of the record that one word was stuck out.

The Birth and Baptism of Adeline Gamache - 1847

Steve — Sun, 27 May 2007 07:01:50 +0000

On 21 May 1847, the seventh child of François Gamache and Osite Martin, Adeline Gamache, was born. Her birth and baptism was recorded as entry B97 in the registers of the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache - 1847

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1847. Front of Folio 15, B.97.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Adeline Gamache - 1847. Translated from the French, the record states:

B97 [baptism 97] Adeline Gamache
On the twenty-second of May, one thousand eight hundred forty-seven, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Adeline, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and Osite Martin of this parish. The Godfather was Pierre Palin, and the Godmother was Catherine Martin, who did not know how to sign.

[signed] A. Morin, Priest

This record can be found as image 14 of 74 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 in the records for Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1847. The record appears on the front of folio 15.

Usually, the front of a folio matches the image number, so that image 14 should be the front of folio 14. This relationship does not always hold true, and I've found that sometimes an image is reproduced twice, or extra pages are inserted into the folio set. I have not previously seen a situation where the image number is lower than the folio number, however. I checked out the situation here, and I found that the back of folio 2 and the front of folio 3 are missing from this set. I'm just grateful that the record for Adeline was not on the missing pages.

François Gamache and his wife, Osite Martin, were having children with quite some regularity. Their seven children, up to this point, were born in 1838, 1839, 1841, 1843, 1845, 1846, and 1847. You have to wonder how they kept up with all these children!

The Marriage of François Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837

Steve — Mon, 28 May 2007 07:01:15 +0000

I've found the records of seven children born to François Gamache and Osithe Martin. Tracing the records back further in time, I found the marriage record for the couple in the records of the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada, Province of Canada in 1837.

The Marriage Record of François Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Marriage Record of François Gamache & Osythe Martin, Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada, Province of Canada, 1837. Back of Folio 38, M.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of François Gamache and Osythe Martin - 1837. Translated from the French, the record states:

M[arriage] François Gamache and Osythe Martin
On the twenty-sixth of September, one thousand eight hundred thirty-seven, after the publication of three banns of marriage made at the homilies of our parish masses, between François Gamache, laborer of legal age, son of François Gamache and Marguerite Leblanc, the father and mother, of this parish, of the first part, and Osythe Martin of this parish, of legal age, daughter of Nicolas Martin and the deceased Marie Giroux, the father and mother, also of this parish of the second part; not finding any impediment to said marriage, we, the undersigned priest of this parish, ”’ have received their mutual consent of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction in the presence of Daniel Firsterer and Magloire Lemmelin, witnesses of the groom, and Etienne Bonnel and Joseph Trahan, witnesses of the bride, who have signed with us, the others of the groom are not able to sign.

D[aniel] Finsterer Fran cois magloir lemlain Etienne Bonnelle Ousite Martin Nicolas Martin NL Amiot, Priest
”’the Consent of the parents of the underage parties NLA.priest.

The priest left out a phrase in the marriage record, which he added in the margin to the left of the record. The place where the phrase was inserted in the text is marked by three strokes ”’.

Oddly enough, the text states that the bride and groom were of legal age, but the annotation in the left margin states that they had the consent of the parents of the underage parties. Perhaps I haven't translated this correctly.

The spelling of the names in the text often differs from the spelling of the same names in the signatures at the bottom of the record. This record presents two new spellings of the bride's given name, Osithe, where it is spelled Osythe in the text and Ousite in the signature.

One of the witnesses is named Magloire Lemmelin in the text and Francois Magloir Lemlain in the signature section. In the signature, the witness left a distinct space in his first name and failed to capitalize his middle and last names.

This record can be found on Ancestry.com on image 41 of 64 in the records for Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1837. The record appears on the back of folio 38.

The Marriage of François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852

Steve — Tue, 29 May 2007 07:01:00 +0000

The last child of François Gamache and Osithe Martin was born in 1847. In 1852, François Gamache married Marguerite Duteau. The marriage was recorded as entry M.15 in the records of the parish of St. Cyprien in Napierville.

The Marriage Record of François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Marriage Record of François Gamache & Marguerite Duteau, Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada, Province of Canada, 1852. Back of Folio 23, M.15.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau - 1852. Translated from the French, the record states:

M.15 [Marriage #15] François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau
On the seventh of September, one thousand eight hundred fifty-two, after the publication of three banns of marriage made at the homilies of our parish masses for three consecutive Sundays, between François Gamache, farmer of this parish, of legal age, widower of Ausite Martin, of the first part, and Marguerite Duteau, daughter, under the legal age, of Jean Duteau, laborer, and Anastasia Mailloux of this parish of the second part; not finding any impediment to said marriage and with the notice of the parents of the underage party, we, the undersigned priest have received their mutual consent of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction in the presence of Jean Duteau, father of the bride, Joseph Roy, friend of the bride, and the undersigned David Leblanc, and many other people who, as well as the groom, do not know how to sign.

[signed] David-Leblanc [signed] DA Marechal priest

This record can be found as image 23 of 37 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 in Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1852 on Ancestry.com. The record is number M.51 on the back of folio 23.

Because the last child of François Gamache and Osithe Martin was born in 1847, and François married Marguerite Duteau in 1852, Osithe Martin must have died between 1847 and 1852. I have not yet found Osithe's death and burial record.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855

Steve — Wed, 30 May 2007 05:37:56 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855

PDF

Steve — Wed, 30 May 2007 05:38:30 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855

The Birth and Baptism of François Céade Gamache - 1854

Steve — Wed, 30 May 2007 07:01:10 +0000

The first child born to François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau was born on 12 May 1854 in Napierville and was named François Céade Gamache. His birth and baptism was recorded as entry B.59.

The Birth and Baptism of François Céade Gamache - 1854

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Birth and Baptismal Record of François Céade Gamache, St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1854. Back of Folio 17, B.59.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptism of François Céade Gamache - 1854. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.59 [baptism 59] François Céade Gamache
On the thirteenth of May, one thousand eight hundred fifty-four, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized François Céade, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and of Marguerite Duteau of this parish. The Godfather was François Fradette, and the Godmother was Anastasie Mailloux, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign.

[signed] Fr. Morrison, Priest

This image can be found as image 18 of 41 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 in Napierville St-Cyprien for the year 1854. The record is on the back of folio 17.

The Godmother of the child was Anastasie Mailloux. From the Marriage Record of François Gamache and Marguerite Duteau, I learned that Marguerite's mother was Anastasia Mailloux. Since women in Québec kept their maiden names, the Godmother of François Céade Gamache may have been his grandmother.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855

Steve — Thu, 31 May 2007 07:01:20 +0000

Joseph Gamache, son of François Gamache and Marguerite Bluto, was born in 1855. The record of his birth and baptism is recorded as entry B.144 in the records of the parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Napierville County, Canada East, Province of Canada, 1855. Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache, Front of Folio 37, B.144.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Joseph Gamache - 1855. Translated from the French, the record states:

B.144 [baptism 144] Joseph Gamache
On the sixteenth of September, one thousand eight hundred fifty-five, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Joseph, born the day before yesterday of the legitimate marriage of François Gamache, farmer, and of Marguerite Bluto of this parish. The Godfather was Joseph Trudeau, and the Godmother was Marie Rose Bissonnette, who, as well as the father, did not know how to sign. The Godfather has signed with us

[signed] Joseph Trudeaux [signed] F Chagnon Priest

Note that the name of the Godfather is spelled Joseph Trudeau by the priest, but the record is signed Joseph Trudeaux.

This record can be found as image 38 of 50 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 in the records for the year 1855 from Napierville St-Cyprien. The record appears on the front of folio 37.

Patent 5,805,278

Steve — Thu, 31 May 2007 07:43:49 +0000

Patent 5,805,278

Discovering the Creative Genes of an Inventor in the Family

Steve — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:01:54 +0000

In my full-time job, I sometimes search the patent literature for background information and evidence of prior art.

While searching the database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, I unexpectedly found a family member. My cousin, Joe Danko, has been awarded a number of patents, including:

6,879,391 Particle detection method and apparatus
6,774,991 Method and apparatus for inspecting a patterned semiconductor wafer
6,621,570 Method and apparatus for inspecting a patterned semiconductor wafer
5,805,278 Particle detection method and apparatus
5,659,390 Method and apparatus for detecting particles on a surface of a semiconductor wafer having repetitive patterns
5,325,174 Integrated optic gyro with one Bragg transducer
5,022,760 Compound resonator for improving optic gyro scale factor

I have to admit that the details of most of these patents are beyond my experience and understanding, but I am nonetheless impressed by how my cousin Joe has developed and expressed his Creative Genes. What little I know about the first five patents listed above is that Joe's inventions are used to inspect computer chips, and may even have been used to inspect the chips used in my own computer. The US Patent and Trademark Office database provides not only references to these patents but also provides online images of patents from 1790 to the present. Patents from 1790 through 1975 are searchable only by Issue Date, Patent Number, and Current US Classification, but patents from 1976 to the present are searchable by full-text, including name of inventor. After finding these patents for my cousin Joe, I searched for the surnames of my ancestors, and I found patents issued to inventors with the surnames Niedzialkowski, Jara, Sowa, Chotkowski, Dziura, and Mossakowski. Who knows? Some of these inventors may also be distant cousins. The patent database provides still another opportunity for reporting the results of our genealogical research. Throughout history, our ancestors have been greatly affected by the Creative Genes of others. Inventions such as the sewing machine, the electric lamp, the telephone, the zipper, aspirin, and the phonograph revolutionized the way our ancestors lived. Take a look at Jim Bieberich's Historical U.S. Patents site to find the patent numbers of the inventions that influenced the lives of your ancestors. Then, search the U.S. Patents and Trademark database to obtain a copy of the original patent. Information on the inventions that our ancestors embraced with awe and wonder can add color and depth to the stories of our ancestors' lives.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin -1818

Steve — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:02:12 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin -1818

PDF

Steve — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:02:48 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin -1818

The Birth and Baptism of Ausite Martin - 1818

Steve — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 07:01:41 +0000

The mother of Osithe Gamache was Ausite (Osithe) Martin, who was born in L'Acadie on 30 Sep 1818 and baptized on 01 Oct 1818. Her birth and baptism is recorded in the folios of the parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie as baptism number 252 at the bottom of the folio.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin - 1818

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin - 1818. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Ausite Martin 252
On the first of October, one thousand eight hundred eighteen, by us, the undersigned parish priest, was baptized Ausite, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux. The Godfather was Jean Baptiste [Dupuis?] and the Godmother was [Philosote?] Boutin who, as well as the father, declared that they cannot sign as required.

[signed] J[ean] B[aptiste] Paquien, priest

This record can be found in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com as baptism number 252 on image 44 of 58 in the records of the L'Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie for the year 1818. The record is on the front of folio 44.

Ausite Martin was born in L'Acadie and, although she lived in Napierville after her marriage, she returned to L'Acadie to give birth to her first child, Osithe.

The Birth and Baptism of Désanges Martin - 1817

Steve — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 07:01:08 +0000

After finding the Birth and Baptismal Record of Ausite Martin in the records of the parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfinde in L'Acadie in 1818, I started searching backwards in time, year-by-year, looking for the marriage of Ausite's parents, Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux. Before finding the marriage, I found the birth and baptismal records of several of Ausite's siblings, including that for Désanges Martin, born on 16 April 1817. The record of her birth and baptism is recorded as baptism number 114 at the bottom of the image, below.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Désanges Martin - 1817

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Désanges Martin - 1817. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Desanges Martin 114
On the seventeenth of April one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, by us, the undersigned parish priest, have baptized Desanges, born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of the undersigned Nicolas Martin, and Marie Giroux. The Godfather was Joseph Lebeau and the Godmother was Marie Noreau, who declared that they cannot sign as required.

[signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] J[ean] B[aptiste] Paquien, priest

In the original record, the priest wrote the words "mil huit" twice, and so in the translation above, I've faithfully recorded the translated year of birth as "one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and seventeen".

At first, I wasn't certain whether Désanges was the name of a male or female child, although I found the name in a list of French Canadian given names. The key to the child's sex lies in the French word for "born", which is spelled "née", indicating that the child is female. If the child had been masculine, the verb would have been "né", rather than "née".

Oddly enough, the Birth and Baptismal Record for Ausite Martin, born of the same parents a year later, the priest wrote that the father could not sign his name. This record shows that the father was perfectly capable of signing his name in 1817, so why couldn't he sign in 1818?

This record can be found in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com as image 17 of 55 in the records for L'Acadie L'Acadie Ste.-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie for the year 1817. The record appears on the front of folio 17.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Désanges Martin - 1817

Steve — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 08:38:14 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Désanges Martin - 1817

PDF

Steve — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:46:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Desanges Martin - 1817

PDF

Steve — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:46:12 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin - 1813

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin - 1813

Steve — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:46:55 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin - 1813

The Birth and Baptism of Etienne Martin - 1813

Steve — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 07:01:12 +0000

While continuing to follow the records of the parish of Ste. Marie de Blairfindie in L'Acadie back in time, I found the Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin, the son of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux. He was born on 02 Aug 1813.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin -1813

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Etienne Martin - 1813. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism Etienne Martin
On the third of August one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, we, the undersigned, have baptized Etienne born yesterday of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer in this parish, and Marie Giroux, the Godfather François Palin and the Godmother Susanne [Bissoneau?] who all live in this parish, did not sign [one word] the father who has signed with us -

[signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] L. C. Leduc, priest

Etienne's yonger sister Désanges was born in 1817, and the time between their births was four years. I generally would have expected another child or two to be born in that period. Perhaps I missed a birth. I'll have to review the records for 1814-1816 again to make sure I didn't miss someone.

This record can be found in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection) 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com as image 30 of 43 in the records of L'Acadie L'Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie for the year 1813. The record is on the front of folio 30.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Simon Jules Martin -1812

Steve — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:00:58 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Simon Jules Martin -1812

PDF

Steve — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:01:59 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Simon Jules Martin -1812

The Birth and Baptism of Simon Jules Martin - 1812

Steve — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:01:34 +0000

On 12 June 1812, a year before Etienne Martin was born, Simon Jules Martin was born.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Simon Jules Martin - 1812

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Simon Jules Martin - 1812. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of S. Jules Martin
On the twelfth of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Simon Jules, born today of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, & Marie Giroux, residing in this parish. The Godfather was Simon Lacroix and the Godmother was Josephte Lagrave who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required, the father has signed with us.

[signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[éné] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 14 of 38 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L'Acadie L'Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie. The record appears on the front of folio 14.

The Birth and Baptism of Pierre Martin - 1810

Steve — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:01:39 +0000

Moving back still further in time, a son, Pierre, was born to Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux on 15 Mar 1810.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Martin -1810

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Martin -1810. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Pierre Martin
On the fifteenth of March, one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and ten, by us, the undersigned, was baptized Pierre, born today of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, & Marie Giroux, residing in this parish. The Godfather was Pierre Visinot, and the Godmother was Marguerite Boissonneau ~~who declare~~ who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required, the father has signed with us.

[four words?] L[aneto] p[riest]

[signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 10 of 44 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L'Acadie L'Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie. The record appears on the front of folio 10.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Martin - 1810

Steve — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:08:54 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Martin - 1810

PDF

Steve — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:09:32 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Pierre Martin - 1810

PDF

Steve — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:56:56 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Martin -1809

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Martin -1809

Steve — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:57:35 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Martin -1809

The Birth and Baptism of François Martin - 1809

Steve — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 07:01:04 +0000

Another son of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux was born on 14 Feb 1809 and was named François.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of François Martin - 1809

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1809. Birth and Baptismal Record of François Martin, Back of Folio 7, B. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of François Martin - 1809. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Fr[ançois] Martin On the fourteenth of February, one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and nine, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized under condition François, born today of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux, residing in this parish. The Godfather was Louis Lhernelin, and the Godmother was Sabelle Lebus, who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required. [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest The father has signed with us. [signed] Nicolas Martin

This record can be found as image 8 of 42 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1809. The record appears on the back of folio 7. There are two words in this record that precede the name François. These two words may be additional first names, but I can't make them out. The margin shows that the child's name is Fr, which is an abbreviation for François. Oddly enough, the name in the index to these records looks like Theolisle, which doesn't match the unknown words or the clearly defined name François. Perhaps some other record for this child will help clarify this mystery. UPDATE 08 Jun 2007: Bob Chenard wrote "The two words are: sous condition (under condition) and thus are not names. He is Francois Martin, period." Thanks so much for your help, Bob. I was stumped! Several other names in this record are also difficult to read. I'm not absolutely certain of the surname of the Godfather, the first name of the Godmother, or the surname of the Godmother, but I think I've transcribed these names correctly. One difficulty with these records is that the priest sometimes misspelled the names, so even if I think I know what the names are supposed to be, the priest may have erred in the spelling.

The 38th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree and Resource Expo

Steve — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 07:01:27 +0000

I just have time for a short post this morning. I'm off to the 38th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree and Resource Expo in Burbank for three days of genealogy seminars. I just installed a wireless network card on my notebook computer just in case the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel has wireless available. The wireless network I installed in my house seems to be working, and all is well with the world. Friday's sessions at the Jamboree include a number of well-known speakers. There are several lectures scheduled concurrently, but after much thought, I decided to attend the following:

Bill Dollarhide - Alternatives to the US Census
Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak - Reverse Genealogy: Techniques for Finding Your Lost Loved Ones
George G. Morgan - Bring 'em Back to Life: Developing an Ancestor Profile

After all these lectures, I'll be at the Conference Banquet listening to Leland Meitzler talk about The End of Life.

Friday at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:01:23 +0000

The first day of Jamboree 2007 is over and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I met several old friends and made a few new ones.

State and Territorial Censuses and Substitutes

The first presentation I attended was on State and Territorial Censuses and Substitutes by Bill Dollarhide. Bill discussed sources that describe the various state censuses available and mentioned a book by Henry J. Dubester, one by Ann S. Lainhart, The Source, The Red Book, and The Genealogy Bulletin. Each of these is good for a particular purpose, and each has its weaknesses. One of the points that Bill Dollarhide made several times during his talk was that genealogy is in the county courthouse, and the census records can get you to the right courthouse. Bill pointed out that many census records were lost. Most of the 1890 US Federal Census was lost in a fire, but other census records, such as the 1790-1810 records for Georgia, the 1790 census for Kentucky, and the 1790-1820 records for New Jersey are also missing. Most states conducted a state census at some time, and the state censuses frequently asked more questions than did the federal censuses. Ancestry.com has started to post digital images of the state census records online. When census records are not available, other records may be able to substitute for the census. The 1860-1993 Arizona Obituary Card Index, the Florida 1845 election returns, and the 1862-1866 Internal Revenue Assessment Lists for New Hampshire are just some of the available records.

Reverse Genealogy: Finding Your Lost Loved Ones

The second presentation I attended was entitled Reverse Genealogy: Finding Your Lost Loved Ones and was presented by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak. Some reasons one may have to trace relationships forward, rather than backward in time include finding homes for orphan heirlooms, finding missing kin or friends, attracting reunion attendees, finding DNA study participants, and locating of returning family photos and Bibles.

Two different strategies can work to trace families forward in time: Help them find you (Broadcast) and Go find them (Seeking).

Broadcast strategies include posting on message boards and mailing lists, websites, email campaigns, photobases such as DeadFred and AncientFaces. Seeking strategies include adopting a surround and conquer mentality to first find clusters of associated people and then home in on the relevant individuals; starting with the most recently born, those with the most unusual names, and/or a male; going backwards in time in order to come forward; and following the trail of the deceased to find the living.

Megan has evaluated the value of resources to study Reverse Genealogy and mentioned that the relative rank of these resources changes with time. Currently, she ranks the resources as follows

Census indexes
Online phone directories
Online lineage collections
Online newspaper collections
Social Security Death Index
Online state vital records
Search engines (such as Google)
Other sources such as FindAGrave.com and Interment.net

Bring 'Em Back to Life - Creating an Ancestor Profile

Drew Smith presented Bring 'Em Back to Life - Creating an Ancestor Profile. Drew discussed a process to understand our ancestors as real people who lived full lives, rather than just disconnected pieces of information.

Creating a profile of our ancestors can help us to identify how much information we have, identify the quality of our sources, identify gaps in our research, place events in the lives of our ancestors in chronological order, understand why our ancestors may have made certain decisions during their lives, and form the basis for biographies of our ancestors.

To do this, we should locate our ancestors at every possible point in time through census records, land records, tax records, court records, estate records, and religious records. We should learn about other people in our ancestors' lives, study historical events that may have influenced our ancestors, and study the personal events in our ancestors lives that may have influenced them.

One online resource for placing our ancestors in historical perspective is OurTimeLines.com.

I look forward to tomorrow - an even busier day!

Saturday at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 07:01:50 +0000

The second day of Jamboree 2007 is over, and what a busy day it was! I was up at 6:45 AM to get ready for the first event of the day. I thought I was on vacation this weekend!!??!! When I registered for Jamboree 2007, I also joined the Southern California Genealogical Society. I suppose that means that this weekend I'm blogging not only for myself, but also for one of the societies to which I belong!

Effective Society Management

The first event this morning was a panel discussion on Effective Society Management over breakfast. Jana Sloan Broglin, Cath Trindle, and Drew Smith answered questions from the audience on Society Management. The first question asked "How do you find free speakers for your local society?" The panel reminded the audience that you often get what you pay for, although universities, high schools, law firms, local authors, reporters, other local societies in the area, and society members are good sources of local speakers. Another question was "How do you get people to volunteer". The panel advised the audience not to beg people to volunteer, but to show members how they are the best choices for the job, make them feel special, ask them what the like to do, and observe those who show up regularly to meetings, since those members are likely to be more reliable than those who don't regularly attend society functions. The panel answered several other questions, though space doesn't allow me to go into more detail here.

Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins

Lou Szucs began her talk on Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins by asking if anyone in the audience had witnessed a naturalization ceremony. What did naturalization mean to those being naturalized? Often, naturalization is an emotional event for those becoming citizens. The biggest problem in finding naturalization records is finding the court in which the records are maintained. Often, the Certificate of Citizenship was very valuable to the naturalized citizen and may have survived through the years in the hands of family members. Declarations of Intention and Petitions for Naturalization have been microfilmed for some courts throughout the country. The microfilms may be found in the Family History Library or in State Archives. In some areas, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) indexed the naturalization records. Lou, who lives in the Chicago area, described an example of where the original naturalization records burned in the Great Chicago fire. In that case, she found a document where an applicant reregistered for naturalization, stating "Through no fault of mine, the city of Chicago burned..." Sometimes, religious records can provide clues to the ethnic origins of ancestors. In one example, Lou explained how she researched an ancestor in the religious records, didn't find the person for who she searched, but she found records for the siblings of the individual. Using those records, she was able to trace the ancestor to Ireland, and was able to trace the family back further in time using Griffith's Valuation.

2007 Update on the Use of DNA in Tracing Your Ancestry

Bennett Greenspan, president of Family Tree DNA, discussed the latest information on Tracing Ancestry Using DNA. Using markers on the Y chromosome, men can trace their paternal ancestry (father-to-father-to-father-etc) directly. Using mitochondrial DNA markers, both men and women can trace their maternal ancestry (mother-to-mother-to-mother-etc). Family Tree DNA has over 4000 surname projects and hundreds of geographic projects. Each participant can join up to 6 projects. As long as people have signed releases, participants receive reports showing the names and addresses of those people whose DNA matches their own. Y DNA can point you in the direction of your ancestral migratory path. Mitochondrial DNA results can also point you in the direction of your ancestral migratory path, but also provide evidence for deep relationships or haplogroups. Family Tree DNA has a relationship with National Geographic. Family Tree DNA has sold 93,000 test kits directly, and National Geographic has sold 208,000 test kits.

Hanging Y Chromosome Data on Your Family Tree

Diahan Southard, a molecular biologist with Relative Genetics, presented a cogent talk on using Y chromosomal DNA in genealogical research. Diahan showed how analysis of Y chromosomal DNA can be used to sort out questionable family relationships. In particular, she showed how analysis of Y DNA enabled Relative Genetics to sort out family relationships in the Ethington family. A four step process was used to understand these relationships, using the DNA analysis of several family members.

Evaluate the data table. To determine if two individuals hare a common ancestor, simply count how many times the two individuals have different values for the same marker.
Visualize the results with a cladogram (haplocation diagram). A cladogram first separates the group of individuals into genetic lineages that includes individuals with no more than four differences from anyone else in the group. For each lineage determine the most common allele at each marker - this is the modal haplotype. Represent each lineage with a circle and connect lineages (circles) with lines to represent a single difference between two lineages.
Find the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) by carefully analyzing the mutations observed among the individuals in the study.
Compare the genetics data with the genealogical data to determine if the family relationships derived by traditional genealogy are correct.

This is certainly a difficult concept to describe in a limited amount of space here, but it was astonishing to see how analysis of the DNA of a number of individuals who are theoretically related can clearly identify relationships (or lack thereof) even if the traditional genealogical records are ambiguous or conflicting.

Genealogy Resources in the California History Room

Catherine Hanson-Tracy described the Genealogy Resources in the California History Room at the California State Library in Sacramento. The California State Library has an online catalog that includes a number of genealogically relevant resources including:

Books: County and local histories, biographies, diaries, guidebooks, cookbooks, novels, business and institutional histories.
Newspapers: 1846 to the present, more than 2200 titles, at least one major newspaper from every county, over 140,000 microfilm reels.
Magazines and Journals: more than 4,000 titles, 1856 to the present, scholarly and popular, historical society periodicals.
Maps: more than 5,000 items, originals and microfiche copies, early city and county maps, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.
Manuscripts: Personal correspondence, organization records, business records, more than 700 processed collections.
Pictorial Resources: Over 125,000 photographs, albums, and portfolios, postcards, letter sheets, lithographs, online picture catalog (with an emphasis on Southern California), and a lot of stereographs.
Ephemera: Posters, promotional brochures, menus, campaign literature, advertisements. Print-on-demand copies of some of these ephemera can be obtained through Zazzle.com.
Unique Indexes and Files: California Information File, San Francisco Newspaper Index, Biographical Card File, Biographical Information File.
Directories: City Directories as early as the 1850s, Telephone Directories 1899- Present, originals and microfilm copies.
Great Registers of Voters: 1866-1944, providing name, address, age, occupation of voters, arranged by county.
Vital Records Indexes: California marriage and death indexes, Nevada marriage and divorce indexes.
Census Records: California Federal Census Records, California State Census Records for 1852.

The location of the library is 900 N Street, Room 200, Sacramento, CA. The library is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM - 4 PM. The California State Library supports Research at a Distance with an online catalog, website, online archive, interlibrary loan, and assistance by email or phone.

The California Gold Rush

I have little knowledge of the California Gold Rush, and I've never found any connection of the California Gold Rush with my family history. Nonetheless, I decided to attend this lecture by Chuck Knuthson to provide myself with some background on the Gold Rush, primarily to learn more of the local history (I didn't grow up in California, so even though I've lived here for 18 years, my knowledge of local and state history is woefully lacking). In 1769, California's first Mission and Presidio were established in San Diego. For 200 years Europeans thought California was an island, and most early inhabitants arrived by sea. In 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, a war that ended in February 1848, shortly after gold was discovered in California. Mexico ceded more than half its territory, including California, to the United States. In 1850, California achieved statehood and, notably, entered the union as a free state, rather than a slave state. On 24 Jan 1848, James Marshall was building a sawmill on the American River for John Sutter, and discovered gold at Cullumah (now Coloma). In May 1848, a merchant named Samuel Brannan stocked up his store with mining supplies, and then ran through the streets of San Francisco waving a bottle of gold dust and crying, "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!" By the summer of that year, there were 2,000 miners at Coloma, and by 1849 there were 10,000 miners. Early prospectors were called "Forty-Niners" because they arrived in California in 1849. In 1850, 90% of the people in California were men. When researching records from the Gold Rush, one should apply the same techniques as one generally applies to American Records, tracing ancestry from the present to the past. Some records specific to the Gold Rush include Mining Claims (sometimes called Placer and Quartz Claims), water rights, and mineral rights.

Footnote.com

In the evening, I attended an update on Footnote.com hosted by Beau Sharbrough. Beau gave a tour of the Footnote.com website, reviewing the organization of the site, the content provided, and the plans for the future. To be brief here (it's getting very late and I have to be up again at 6:45 AM), I was impressed by the ambitious goals for Footnote.com and look forward to seeing new content in the coming months. One clear advantage of the subscription structure Footnote.com has established is that one can examine a low resolution image and the metadata for the image without subscribing. One can purchase a single image at a time, a monthly subscription to all images, or an annual subscription to all images. This pricing structure means that you don't have to purchase anything until you know there is a document of interest, and you don't have to commit to a long subscription term. Look for great new content on Footnote.com in the coming months!

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Schelly Talalay Dardashti

Steve — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 07:01:35 +0000

Now that Jamboree 2077 is over, I'm back in San Francisco. Today was another busy day, and I attended five lectures, the first one beginning at 7:30 AM and the last ending at 4 PM.

Creating Hope

I was pleased to be able to meet Schelly Talalay Dardashti who presented a breakfast lecture entitled "Creating Hope". Schelly is a native New Yorker who now resides in Tel Aviv. She is currently in the United States visiting relatives, attending conferences and giving lectures. When Schelly proposed to write a column on genealogy for the Jerusalem Post, her editor told her "Who wants to read about dead people?" Nonetheless, Schelly wrote her column "It's All Relative" from 1999-2005 and now works as a freelance writer. Several of her recent articles including, "Never give up the hope of finding family", "A tale of three women - and a lost family", and "Cutting-edge genealogy" can be found online. When approached to write a blog, she reminded her editor that she was over 20 years old. In its brief existence, Shelly's Tracing the Tribe has become an enormously popular blog that targets those studying Jewish genealogy yet is relevant to all genealogists. Schelly described her first forays into genealogy in 1989 when her daughter came home with an assignment to fill in a sheet with information up to her great-grandparents. Schelly noted that her own ancestry included origins in Belarus, with anecdotal evidence that the family arrived in Belarus from Spain, an unusual migration, indeed. Her husband's family was Persian, where there were no written records. Despite these obstacles, Schelly set out with her daughter to study those records she could find and, after looking at so many microfilms in their quest to discover their family history, her daughter now claims that looking at microfilms makes her dizzy. Through her research, Schelly has traced both her own ancestry and her husband's ancestry through Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Spain, Iran, and other countries back to about 1740. Schelly wrote an article for the JTA entitled "Ashkenazi or Sephardi? DNA Unites Jewish Families, but Raises Questions" in which she discusses the DNA evidence for a group of Litvaks and Galizianers who all genetically match Sephardi and Catholics from Spain and Puerto Rico. As Schelly described the groups, if a Litvak and a Galizianer cross the street to avoid each other, it's a good day, and so the connection was unexpected. Other information provided by Schelly is that Sephardic genealogy is relatively new, and DNA analysis of Sephardic Jews in Colorado has shown that these people carry the Ashkenazi breast cancer gene BRCA1. Many Sicilians may have Jewish ancestry since Jews once comprised a large population in Sicily. Although Jews were expelled from Sicily in 1493, many stayed, and so many present-day Sicilians have Jewish ancestry. Schelly also told a story of a Catholic in Canada who thought that his mother may have been a "hidden child", delivered by Jews to a Catholic family shortly before the entire Jewish population of that village was removed to concentration camps by the Nazis. Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed a connection to Ashkenazi Jews. In another story, Schelly explained that the Cohanim gene is carried by less than 1% of non-Jews, since the gene tracks with the Jewish priestly line who didn't marry non-Jews. A full 30% of the residents of one town carried this gene, although the residents did not identify as Jewish. As Schelly put it, DNA provides a spark to us to get where we're going. When you know where you're from, you know better where you're going. Jewish genealogical resources mentioned in Schelly's talk include: Yad Vashem - the Central Database of Shoah Victims, the Istanbul Jewish Genealogy Project, the JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry, the Holocaust in Latvia, Bezeq, the Israeli Telephone Company (for which Stephen Morse once provided a portal in English), Litvak on JewishGen, Gesher Galicia, and the general JewishGen website. When asked why genealogists are so nice, Schelly replied that you have to be nice to everyone, because you don't know who will have the next piece of the puzzle on which you're working. Later this week, I'll post more about the other Sunday lectures.

Drew Smith at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:42:38 +0000

Drew Smith at Jamboree 2007

Morgenstern Organizing

Steve — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:16:10 +0000

Morgenstern Organizing

Morgenstern Time Management

Steve — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:16:38 +0000

Morgenstern Time Management

Allen Getting Things Done

Steve — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 06:17:03 +0000

Allen Getting Things Done

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Drew Smith

Steve — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:01:39 +0000

Drew Smith of the Genealogy Guys Podcast presented a lecture on "What's My Next Step? The Organized Genealogist" on Sunday morning. When Drew previously presented this talk for a Jewish organization, he titled it "Doing Genealogy without the Guilt".

Drew Smith at Jamboree 2007

All too often, we find ourselves guilty of having unaswered e-mail, obtaining the same information more than once, being unsure of where we are in our research, and having piles of unfiled papers and unentered data. Reasons we are guilty range from depending too much on our limited human memory, to not having a view of the big picture, to lacking a plan, and to lacking a system to keep ourselves on track.

Drew presented ten ideas on how to keep ourselves organized:

Look at everything you already do to stay organized, identify what is already working, and apply those techniques to other parts of your life.
Identify your workspace, organize that space, even if you have to make messes elsewhere, and continue to organize and push out further.
Identify your activities and group together everything you need to perform those activities.
Items you use frequently should be within reach, while those items you use less frequently should be further away.
Locate the items you need where you can see them. Use transparent containers, standup file organizers, and wall calendars. Items that are out of sight are frequently out of mind.
Identify your goals for the year, break them up into manageable pieces, and make them visible. Review your goals at the beginning of each year.
A project is anything that takes more than one step. Decide what your next step is on each of your projects and make a list of these steps to form a "To Do" list.
Keep a folder for reminders of phone calls, emails, and orders for which you are waiting. Assign a date to these things and put them on your "To Do" list.
Put all incoming materials in a single location. Keep the wastebasket handy.
Organize your tasks according to where you need to be to perform those tasks. Check your "To Do" list so you can accomplish tasks for a single location at the same time.

Drew recommended three books for organizational techniques (citations for these books were automatically generated according to the Chicago Manual of Style at http://www.worldcat.org):

Allen, David. 2001. Getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity. New York: Viking.

Morgenstern, Julie. 2004. Organizing from the inside out: the foolproof system for organizing your home, your office, and your life. New York: Henry Holt.

Morgenstern, Julie. 2004. Time management from the inside out: the foolproof system for taking control of your schedule--and your life. New York: Henry Holt/Owl Books.

The Hidden Half of the Family

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:58:23 +0000

The Hidden Half of the Family

Leland Meitzler

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 06:05:55 +0000

Leland Meitzler

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Leland Meitzler

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:01:57 +0000

The last lecture I attended in the morning at Jamboree 2007 was "Finding the Women in Your Pedigree" presented by Leland Meitzler.

Leland Meitzler at Jamboree 2007

I was a few minutes late getting to Leland Meitzler's lecture and couldn't find an empty chair in the lecture hall. Nonetheless, I found a couple of square feet of empty floor space and enjoyed the lecture from there.

Leland talked about 23 sources to find the women in your pedigree.

Marriage records, including marriage applications, marriage licenses, marriage bonds, marriage returns, marriage certificates, and permissions to marry. These records will often list the maiden name of the bride and, if the bride is underage, a marriage consent will list the name of a parent with the parent's signature.
The Family Bible will often be full of maiden names. The most difficult part of researching the Family Bible is finding out who owns the Bible. Typically, the person who has possession of the Bible was often the person who got their hands on it first.
Death Certificates are a relatively new invention, and frequently provide maiden names. Unfortunately, the person who provided the maiden name for a death certificate sometimes wasn't a very good source for the name.
Federal Census Records may provide useful information on maiden names if in-laws were living with the family. Sometimes the same in-law will be listed in the census with more than one family, providing information on the maiden name for multiple daughters.
State Census Records may provide more information than Federal Census Records since the State Census asked different questions than the Federal Census did. State Census Records may show if a couple was married in the last year and may even provide maiden names.
The International Genealogy Index is a source for maiden names, but should be used with caution, since the reliability of user-provided information is sometimes questionable.
Cemeteries can show a variety of family relationships. Look at who is buried in the family plot and who is buried nearby.
Birth Indexes may provide the maiden name of the mother.
State Specific Indexes and Collections such as the Barbour Collection and the Ricker Collection can be a very useful source of maiden names.
Surname Files found in nearly every library with a genealogy collection should not be overlooked.
Historical Society Questionnaires are another source for maiden names.
Obituaries and Death Notices frequently provide the maiden name for deceased women, but may also provide the names of siblings, parents, and other survivors.
Cards of Thanks can be a rich source of names, since they often provide the names of everyone who attended a funeral.
D.A.R. Lineage Papers and Books are a great source of names for those who can trace their ancestry back to the American Revolution.
Funeral Home Records can be a great source of names, especially because funeral homes often have a close association with cemeteries and courthouses.
Death Registers in the town hall provide a source of information that frequently precedes Death Certificates required by the state.
State Hospitals are often reluctant to release information, but a request from a direct descendant looking for information for medical reasons and the signature of a medical doctor may open doors.
Church Membership Records are another useful source of names for tracing the women in your family.
Church Marriage Records, like civil registrations of marriage are some of the best sources of maiden names.
Church Birth Records may directly provide the maiden names of the mother. The Godparents or witnesses may also be related to the mother and may provide clues to the mother's maiden name.
Pension Files and Bounty Land Files are possibly an unexpected source of information about female ancestors. Sometimes laws changed after a pensioner had died, and so descendants applied for the pension. Women had to provide a lot of genealogical information for her claim. The widow had to provide proof of marriage.
Deeds may show family relationships and maiden names.
Social Security Applications provide the maiden name of a woman even when the SSDI lists only the married name.

Leland recommended Christina Schaefer's book for more information (the citation below was automatically generated according to the Chicago Manual of Style at Worldcat.org):

Schaefer, Christina K. 1999. The hidden half of the family: a sourcebook for women's genealogy. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co.

Susan Kitchens at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:29:48 +0000

Susan Kitchens at Jamboree 2007

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Susan Kitchens

Steve — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:01:37 +0000

Susan Kitchens attended the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree as an exhibitor, showing attendees how to record oral family histories using digital tools.

Susan Kitchens and Her Mother at Jamboree 2007

Susan is a prolific blogger who maintains at least three blogs: family oral history using digital tools, 2020 Hindsight, and AuntiAlias & Associates.

One of Susan's recent blog articles from 13 Jun 2007 talks about an exercise to spot the fake smile. I tried to spot the fake smiles and came up with a score of 10 out of 20 correct. That means I did no better than I would have done by randomly guessing. Susan, herself, scored 17 correct, and Jasia of Creative Gene scored 16 correct.

I've been reading Susan's blogs for a while and if there's anyone who is qualified to demonstrate how to use digital tools to record oral family history, it's Susan.

Back in March, I read Susan's blog entitled Have a video iPod? Get a Belkin TuneTalk. I'd been thinking for a while about buying an iPod so I could listen to podcasts without having to burn the podcast to CD, but I couldn't justify the purchase just to listen to podcasts more conveniently. After reading Susan's article, I suddenly had another reason to get an iPod.

When I visit my family, I often interview them about their lives and those of their ancestors. Up until now, I've just scribbled everything down in longhand, hoping I recorded everything accurately. I've thought about buying a digital audio recorder, but the ones in which I'm most interested are rather pricey. I've thought about buying a digital video camera, but I'm not crazy about lugging a digital video camera around with me as I'm flying from coast to coast and from house to house as I visit relatives.

An iPod accessorized with a Belkin TuneTalk seems to be a great option for me. I could carry the iPod and TuneTalk with me in my pocket, and it would always ready for me to use wherever I am.

And so, I recently purchased an iPod Video and, today, I purchased a Belkin TuneTalk. I'll play with it a bit in the next couple of weeks so I'll be able to use it confidently during my trip to visit family on the East Coast in July. I also bought a DLO TransPod so I can listen to the content on my iPod through the stereo in my car. So far, everything seems to be working well.

But I'm supposed to be writing about Susan Kitchens, here, not about myself!

Susan is gracious, gregarious, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful. I was able to speak with her for a while at Jamboree, although she was so busy with the mobs of people at her booth that I actually spent more time talking to her mother!

Susan showed people at her booth the Belkin TuneTalk, but she didn't have an iPod Video with which to demonstrate. Luckily, I had my iPod Video with me, so I offered the iPod to Susan to demonstrate TuneTalk. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the recording. The TuneTalk records in stereo, can be used with any line-level input such as an external amplified microphone, and has an auto-gain switch to optimize most recording situations. The auto-gain switch should be turned off when using an external amplified microphone or when recording in loud situations.

Susan pointed out that the TuneTalk employs omni directional microphones, and so is not ideal in an environment with a lot of background noise, such as a trade show. Indeed, while the quality of the recording was excellent, I could hear not only Susan and the woman she was interviewing, but I could also hear the voices of everyone else nearby.

Susan also demonstrated recording oral family history using a different setup with directional microphones, in which case the voices of the interviewer and the person being interviewed are isolated from the ambient noise. Quite nice!

Well, I'm now all set to start recording oral family histories in July. Thanks for your advice and help with this, Susan! And it was great to meet you and your Mom!

Suzanne Russo Adams at Jamboree

Steve — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 05:53:49 +0000

Suzanne Russo Adams at Jamboree

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Suzanne Russo Adams

Steve — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:01:07 +0000

Suzanne Russo Adams, AG®, the Professional Services Desk Manager for the Generations Network, presented a lecture on "Getting the Most from Ancestry.com", based on George Morgan's recently published book The Official Guide to Ancestry.com.

Suzanne Russo Adams at Jamboree 2007

George's book was certainly popular at Jamboree. The folks at the Ancestry.com booth sold all the copies they brought with them and were directing those looking to buy the book to other vendors. Suzanne explained that her talk would discuss the purpose of the website, how you can effectively use the site, the location of search tips and a tutorial, and the strengths and limitations of the website and its search engine. The Ancestry.com Home Page and What's New? Upon opening the Home Page of the site, the researcher is presented with a set of search boxes that can be used to search the site. To the right of the search boxes, under the heading "What's New on Ancestry.com" is a listing of the most recently added content, and within that box is a link to "What Else is New?" Clicking on that link brings the researcher to a whole lot more information on new databases, articles, and enhancements to the site. Searching Ancestry.com There are several ways to search Ancestry.com, depending on what you want to find. For help with search options, one can click on "Search Tips" (found under the "Search" tab) or go to "Help" and type in "Search". To search the entire site for a specified name, one can use a Global Search. Ancestry separated the Global Search on the Home Page into four tabs in order to provide specialized search fields for particular records. When searching Historical Records, available search fields are: First & Middle Name(s), Last Name, Birth Year, Birth Country, Death Year, and Death Country. When searching Photos & Maps, available search fields change to Keywords, Country, and Year Range. Specialized search fields for particular record groups makes a lot of sense. Ranked Searches Unless the "Exact Match" box is checked, Ancestry.com will perform a Ranked Search, which searches for close matches. Ancestry uses a name authority dictionary to find close matches for both first and last names. In this way, if a researcher enters "Joseph" in the search box, a Ranked Search may be able to find people entered with the first name "Joe" as well as those entered as "Joseph". Ancestry ranks names first, and ranks dates and places as a lower priority. Exact Searches Exact Match Searching allows the researcher to specify which search terms must match the index exactly. At the bottom of the search results page is a set of search boxes that allows one to refine the search. By clicking the "Exact Matches Only" check box, only those results that match the search terms exactly will be displayed. The only exception to this exact match feature is a choice to search an exact surname or a set of Soundex matches. Clicking the "Advanced Search" link allows the researcher to specify which search terms must be an exact match and which search terms can be close matches (ranked search, see below). One item of note when searching Census records is that the birthplace is indexed only by Head of Household. When searching, the researcher need not enter every piece of information in the search boxes. Sometimes less information will yield better search results. Alternate Spellings When viewing search results, a triangle will sometimes appear next to a name in a Census Record. This triangle indicates that Ancestry.com entered an alternate spelling in the index, because the Census Records were first indexed by Head of Household and again by all names. Sometimes the indexes resulting from these two indexing operations led to different spellings of the names. Both spellings are included in the index. If a user has added a spelling correction, a cartoon "talk balloon" with a yellow plus sign will appear.

As an example, my grandfather's record in the 1920 US Federal Census shows three spellings: Kostanty Pudgealkoski, Kostanty Niedzialkoski, and Kostanty Pudzealkoski. The first spelling was apparently entered when the census was indexed by Head of Household. The second spelling is the correction I entered when I saw that his name was badly transcribed, and is annotated with a "talk balloon" with a plus sign. The third spelling was apparently generated when the census was transcribed as an every name index, and is annotated with a yellow triangle. The incorrect transcriptions unfortunately remain attached to the record, and the first incorrect transcription will be the name that appears in the search results. This means that someone searching for Kostanty Niedzialkoski will have to click on Kostanty Pudgealkoski in order to see the correct spelling. In this case, I doubt most people searching for my grandfather would be able to find him in the census, since Pudgealkoski is so far off from the correct spelling. The Ancestry.com transcribers mistook a curlicue at the upper right end of the letter "N" for a "P".

Wildcard Searches Another search strategy is to use wildcards to search for names. The asterisk symbol * replaces from 0-6 characters and the question mark symbol ? replaces a single character. When using wildcards, the researcher must specify at least three letters before using a wildcard. Wildcards can be used for years, too. A search for 187* will search all years for the entire decade from 1870-1879. Making Corrections and Adding Comments If a researcher finds an incorrectly indexed record, a missing image, or wishes to add a comment to a record, the Comments and Corrections link allows the researcher to correct misspelled names, add alternate spellings, add a comment, or report a problem with an image. Corrections may take up to 3 months to appear, depending on when the next regularly scheduled update takes place. The original transcriptions will not be removed, but the corrections become searchable by all users. Users of Ancestry.com can upload or directly enter their family trees on the site, and link records to the individuals in their family tree. Owners of these trees can edit or delete the trees as they find new information and correct errors. Owners of these trees can specify whether the trees are public or private. If they wish, tree owners can also invite family members to view the trees and can also assign privileges of Guest, Contributor, or Editor to these invited family members, allowing these trees to become a family or community project. Other Features The Ancestry Community permits interactions with other users through Message Boards, Member Directories, and Member Connections. The Ancestry Learning Center includes many articles, columns, instructions, and excerpts from Ancestry books and magazines. The Ancestry Store provides an online shopping solution for those who wish to purchase genealogy-related books, CDs, maps, photographs, and gifts.

Sunday at Jamboree 2007 - Publishing Your Family History

Steve — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:01:24 +0000

The final session I attended at Jamboree 2007 was a panel discussion on Publishing Your Family History with experts Jim McNamara, Loretto (Lou) Dennis Szucs, and Tom Underhill. Jim McNamara has a background in technical writing and is the British Isles Family History Society - USA Newsletter editor.

Lou Szucs at Jamboree 2007

Loretto (Lou) Dennis Szucs is executive editor and vice president of community relations for Ancestry.com. Some of Lou's publications are The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy (co-editor Sandra Luebking), They Became Americans, Chicago and Cook County Sources, A Guide to the National Archives Field Branches (with Sandra Luebking), and Finding Answers in U.S. Census Records (with Matt Wright). Tom Underhill is publisher and senior designer at Creative Continuum, a company that designs and publishes short-run books. Since the format of this session was a panel discussion, the information exchanged consisted of answers to questions from the audience. Q = Question, A = Answer, C = Comment. Q: I've already written everything. What is my next step? A: Decide who your audience will be - who will want to read what you've written? Self-publish if the audience will be small. Q: But I don't want to self publish. I want to start at the top. A: Most royalty agents don't want to risk publishing if they can't make money on the venture. A smaller publisher will give you full control over your book. You will still own the copyright and control, and you can always go to a larger publisher later on. Q: Might there not be academic presses that would be interested? Where can I publish my ancestor's Civil War Diary? A: Go to a genealogy society in the area where your ancestor lived. Submit a smaller article to a military magazine first - this may launch an opportunity for a larger article. GuterbergPress.org is a way to self-publish, but you'll be giving your work away. Q: How do I start to write my Family History? A: Take a life history writing class. Get a lot of criticism. Go to the Southern California Genealogical Society writer's group and have them criticize your writing. C: Think about what made your ancestors' lives different. What was everyday life like? Read historical fiction to see how other authors paint the setting. Use all five senses when writing. Write about saddling the horse, opening the door. Describe emotions. Q: My grandfather wrote a book that is out of print. What can I do with it? A: Find out if the book is still under copyright. If it is, you will need the permission of the heirs - the people who now own the copyright - to reprint it. If the book is out of copyright, you can just reprint it. Q: How many copies should I print? A: Find out where the breakpoint is for cost. It may be less expensive to print the number of copies you need plus 25 extra than it will cost if you print a number of copies and then have to print 3 more. C: Nobody is publishing their information. More people should publish and deposit their family history in the Family History Library. If the book needs to be revised later, the author can always print a new edition. The value of loose papers is much less than that of a published book. Q: What should I write about? Why would anyone want to read what I've written? A: I would read what you write because nobody else has your experiences. In two generations, what you write will be ancient history. Wouldn't you love to have a family history published by your ancestors? Q: What's your impression of print-on-demand services like Lulu? A: Books from print-on-demand services are as good as the person who designs the book. Paperback books will not be archival quality. Q: How should I publish transcriptions of county records? A: A book version of transcriptions is designed to last, even if most people want a searchable digital form. Q: How do people find these family histories? A: Publishers promote books to suitable groups. C: Don't trust everything to electronic media. It's better to save to paper to ensure longevity. Q: What advice can you give for indexing a family history? A: In an index, more detail is better. An index entry for "Smith, John, marriage", or "Smith, John, career" is more useful than just "Smith, John". An entry such as "Smith, John, born 1824" is more useful than just "Smith, John" when many people have the same name. Highlight what you want to index in the text. Don't trust the computer to index itself. Q: What about citing sources? A: Most people don't read the sources, although sources help to prove the accuracy of the material and may help others find addition information. C: Include maps of the time period. Show how things have changed. Draw maps and tell stories. C: Some publishers will design, scan, and manage your book. Some require you to do everything on your own. Q: I like to write fiction. How can I get my book published? A: There are many examples of people who self-published their book, and then the book was picked up by a major publishing house. If you sell 1000 copies of a self-published book, you stand a better chance of being picked up by a major publishing house than if you sell only a few copies.

Lou Szucs at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:25:02 +0000

Lou Szucs at Jamboree 2007

My Galician Grandfather

Steve — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:01:34 +0000

Birth and Early Life

My paternal grandfather, Michael Danko (Michał Dańko), was born in Nienadowa, Galicia on September 22, 1877, the son of Jakub Dańko, a farmer, and Agnieszka Sowa. He was delivered by the midwife Agnieszka Pilch, and was baptized in the Roman Catholic parish church in Dubiecko, Galicia on September 23, 1877 by the Reverend [H. Karakulski?]. His Godparents were Andrzej Giergont and Marianna, the widow of Kazimierz Fudali.

Photograph of Michał Danko - 1948

Michał had a number of siblings, but the only ones I've confirmed are Marianna, born 12 Jan 1884, and Marcin, born 11 Dec 1890. His mother reportedly died in 1895 or 1896, after she fell while picking cherries. After the death of his mother, Michał's father married Zofia Głowacz on 03 Sep 1896, and Zofia gave birth to Michał's half-brother, Piotr Dańko, on 28 Jun 1898.

Marriage and the First Children

Michał married Marianna Dziurzyńska (Marianna Dziura) on 14 Aug 1898, probably in the Roman Catholic parish church in Dylągowa. The pair met only shortly before the marriage, which was apparently arranged. Over the next few years, Michał's wife gave birth to three children. The first was probably a son named Karol, but the details of this birth are missing. As a young child, Karol died in Galicia. A daughter, Zofia, was born on 12 Jan 1901, and a son, Jan, was born on 02 May 1905.

Immigration to the United States

When Michał was 27 years old, he set off by himself for Antwerp, boarded the S.S. Vaderland on 25 Feb 1905 and arrived in New York City on 07 Mar 1905. Upon arriving in New York, he was met by Isaac Flichtenfeld, a Jewish umbrella maker from Galicia, residing at 35 First Avenue in New York City. Michał had but $6 in his pocket when he arrived in America. For reasons unknown, my grandfather then traveled to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he would spend the rest of his life.

Family Arrives in Worcester

Michał's wife, daughter, and surviving son arrived in New York on the S.S. Vaderland on 24 May 1909, and his sister, Marianna, arrived on the S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria 26 Jun 1909.

Paweł Goliński, the future husband of Michał's sister Marianna, and Jan Dziurzyński, Michał's brother-in-law, traveled together and arrived on the S.S. Grosser Kurfurst on 21 May 1912.

Jan Dziurzyński returned to Galicia sometime after 1930, but Paweł Goliński and Marianna Dańko Goliński lived near Michał in Worcester all their lives.

Home and Hearth

In 1909, when his wife and children arrived, Michał was living at 9 Redding Court, a house located between the Rural Cemetery and the railroad tracks. The railroad tracks were, in fact, directly behind the house. In 1910, the family was living a block away at 3 Moran Court. The railroad tracks ran directly behind this house, too. The family shared their small, rented house with seven boarders, all Polish immigrants. By 1920, the family had moved to 19 Prescott Place, and still the railroad tracks ran right behind the house. The family lived in this house for a while. They were still living there in 1930. By 1942, the family was living at 15 Henchman Street. This house was just on the other side of the railroad tracks from the previous houses in which the family lived. All these houses have now been demolished. The family never lived in "The Island" where most of the Polish community in Worcester was located.

More Children

Over the next years, Michał's wife gave birth to several other children in Worcester: Stanisława, born 13 May 1910; Bronisława, born 03 Jan 1912, died 13 Jan 1913; Michael, born 13 Sep 1913; Bronisława, born 28 Oct 1915; Mary, born 07 Oct 1917, Joseph, born 02 Sep 1919; Helen; and my father, Francis.

The Great War and the Second Polish Republic

On 12 Sep 1918, Michał registered for the World War I draft, although he was not asked to serve. On 11 Nov 1918, the Second Polish Republic was formed. My grandfather probably celebrated the liberation of his homeland from over a century of occupation by Austria. Because Michał was born in Galicia, the Austrian partition of Poland, he was legally a citizen of Austria, although his ethnicity was Polish. In both the 1920 and 1930 censuses, MIchał reported that he had filed his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States. I have not found any evidence that he actually did become a citizen.

Education and Employment

I was told that Michał was well-educated and worked as a teacher in Galicia. At the time he immigrated to the United States in 1905, he could read and write, although he probably couldn't speak English very well, if at all. By the 1910 census, he reported that he could speak English. His wife never learned to speak English.

Postcard of American Steel and Wire - North Works

Like many Polish immigrants, Michał found employment at the American Steel and Wire plant located just a few blocks from where the family lived. There, he worked as a Wire Straightener or a Wire Cutter, among the most difficult and lowest paying jobs available. With the onset of the Great Depression in 1929, Michał was unemployed much of the time.

World War II

Michał registered for the World War II draft on 27 Apr 1942 as part of the "Old Men's Draft". By the time he registered for the draft, three of his four sons were already serving in the military. His son Michael served in the U.S. Navy, Joseph served in the U.S. Army, and Francis served in the U.S. Naval Armed Guard. All three sons survived the war.

The Children Leave Home

By 1920, Michał's daughter Zofia (Sophie) left home and was living and working in a boarding house. Soon after, she moved to Albany, New York. In the early 1930s, Michał's children Stanisława (Statia), Jan (John), and Helen followed Sophie and moved to Albany. Finally, in the 1940s, Francis and Michał's wife, Marianna, also moved to Albany, leaving Michał by himself. Michał's children Bronisława (Bertha), Mary, Joseph, and Michael continued to live in Worcester.

Michał's Death and Funeral

Michał died alone in a rooming house at 47 Main Street in Worcester on 02 Jan 1953 at age 76. His death was discovered by his son, Michael. Death was due to arteriosclerotic heart disease.

The Family of Michał Dańko - 1953

His wife and children all gathered in Worcester to mourn his passing. The only photographs I have of all Michał's children together were taken at the time of his funeral.

American Steel and Wire - North Works

Steve — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:23:02 +0000

American Steel and Wire - North Works

Michael Danko - 1948

Steve — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:23:39 +0000

Michael Danko - 1948

Michael Danko Family

Steve — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:24:12 +0000

Michael Danko Family

Megan and Me at Jamboree

Steve — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:01:54 +0000

I don't have much time to blog today, but here's a photo of Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak with me at the Southen California Genealogy Jamboree a week ago. Megan and I talked for a bit and she tried to convince me to try vlogging. Hmmm, well, I was thinking of taking some videos when I'm on the east coast in July. Well, we'll see how it goes...

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Steve Danko at Jamboree 2007

And, while you're here, take a look at my photo above and my grandfather's photo below. Do you see any family resemblance? Right now, I'm 19 years younger than my grandfather was when the photo below was taken.

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Steve Danko at Jamboree 2007

Steve — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:29:54 +0000

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Steve Danko at Jamboree 2007

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807

Steve — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:42:47 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807

The Birth and Baptism of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807

Steve — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:01:37 +0000

Another son of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux was born on 17 Oct 1807 and was named Jean Baptiste.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1807. Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin, Front of Folio 25, B. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of J[ean] Baptiste Martin On the seventeenth of October, one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and seven, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Jean Baptiste, born today of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux, residing in this parish. The Godfather was Jean ~~Bapt~~ Baptiste Surprenant, and the Godmother was Marie Anne Giroux, who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required. one word crossed out L[aneto] p[riest] [signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 25 of 38 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1807. The record appears on the front of folio 25. The priest crossed out one word in this record and made a note at the bottom that one word was crossed out. He signed this note with the initial of his surname and the letter p for prêtre - priest.

Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Martin - 1806

Steve — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:18:23 +0000

Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Martin - 1806

PDF

Steve — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:19:18 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Martin - 1806

PDF

Steve — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:32:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1807

PDF

Steve — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 05:19:50 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Francois Martin - 1809

The Birth and Baptism of Marie Martin - 1806

Steve — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:01:04 +0000

Continuing to follow the family of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux back in time, their daughter Marie was born on 03 Mar 1806. Her Birth and Baptism was recorded on the front of folio five, at the top of the page.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Martin - 1806

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1806. Birth and Baptismal Marie Martin, Front of Folio 5, B. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Marie Martin - 1806. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Marie Martin Fifth folio P[aschal] L[aneto] p[riest] On the fifth of March, one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and six, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Marie, born the night before last, of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux, of this parish. The Godfather was Pierre Leblanc and the Godmother was Josephte Giroux, who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required. The father has signed with us. [signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 5 of 34 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1806. The record appears on the front of folio 5.

My Personality

Steve — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 07:01:30 +0000

Randy at Genea-Musings posted his personality type on his blog and asked his readers what their personality types were. He tested as ISTP ("reserved, methodical, spirited, and intense"). Several other bloggers have reported their results, and here are mine:

Your Personality is Very Rare (INTP)

Your personality type is goofy, imaginative, relaxed, and brilliant. Only about 4% of all people have your personality, including 2% of all women and 6% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Well, I would never have described myself as "goofy", but maybe my nephew would. The "imaginative, relaxed, and brilliant" description is certainly flattering, but is it accurate? Somehow, I don't think I would ever have combined those four adjectives to describe any one person, with the possible exception of Jerry Lewis. Becky of kinexxions also scored as INTP. It would be fun to meet Becky and see how similar or dissimilar our personalities actually are. Miriam of AnceStories also reported her results on these tests (she tested as INFJ: "introspective, principled, self critical, and sensitive"). She also wrote quite a bit about the interpretation of the results and the interactions of people with different personality types. Indeed, she writes:

...when conflict arises between two people, it generally comes down to the fact that one is a J and the other is a P...

I think Miriam is right on target here, at least from my personal experience. There are times when I prefer to take a relaxed approach to a project, while those with whom I'm dealing will insist on more structure. To be honest, I work well with structure and planning, but I'm also very flexible and ready to change when circumstances change. Jasia tested as ESFP, described as "playful, charming, open minded, and energetic". She wasn't sure if she would use these adjectives to describe herself, but I think I would. Dana left a comment on Randy's blog that her personality type was INFP. Is this Dana Huff of the Our Family History Blog? Thanks, Randy, for pointing out this exercise. I might even ask my relatives to try it out during an oral history interview. It might be fun to have them take the test and then talk about how accurate they think the results are.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

Steve — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:29:22 +0000

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

PDF

Steve — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:31:50 +0000

PDF Copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

Steve — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:01:06 +0000

Continuing to follow the family of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux back in time, their son Jean Baptiste was born on 23 Mar 1804. His Birth and Baptism was recorded on the back of folio eight.

The Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1804. Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin, Back of Folio 8, B. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804. Translated from the French, the record states:

Baptism of Jean Baptiste Martin On the twenty third of March [one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and four], by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Jean Baptiste, born of the legitimate marriage of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux, living in this parish. The Godfather was Jean Baptiste Landry and the Godmother was Barbe Amable, who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required. The father has signed with us. [signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 9 of 32 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1804. The record appears on the back of folio 8. I had already found a record of birth for Jean Baptiste, the son of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux, recorded in 1807. The fact that this couple named two sons Jean Baptiste suggests that the first Jean Baptiste (the one recorded in the record shown here) died before 1807. I'll have to look for a death record for this child in the time period from 1804-1807.

The Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

Steve — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 04:59:27 +0000

The Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

PDF

Steve — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 05:00:10 +0000

PDF Copy of the Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

The Death and Burial of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

Steve — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 07:01:18 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the Birth and Baptismal Record of Jean Baptiste Martin, son of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux. Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux had two sons with the name Jean Baptiste Martin, suggesting that the first son named Jean Baptiste had died young. Indeed, the first Jean Baptiste died on 06 Aug 1804, just four months after his birth. His Death and Burial was recorded on the front of folio seventeen at the top of the page.

The Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1804. Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin, Front of Folio 17, Sep. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Death and Burial Record of Jean Baptiste Martin - 1804. Translated from the French, the record states:

B[urial] of Jean Baptiste Garant Martin Seventeenth Folio P[aschal] L[aneto] p[riest] On the eighth of August one thousand eight one thousand eight hundred and four, by us, the undersigned priest, was buried in the cemetery of this parish the body of Jean Baptiste, son of Nicolas Martin, farmer, and Marie Giroux, of this parish, who died the day before yesterday at the age of four months, in the presence of Nicolas and Jean Baptiste Garant, who have declared that they do not know how to sign as required. [signed] R[ené] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 17 of 32 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1804. The record appears on the front of folio 17. When recording the surname of the deceased, the priest first recorded the surname of the witnessed, crossed it out, and then wrote in the correct surname, Martin.

The Marriage of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803

Steve — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 07:01:02 +0000

After finding the Birth and Baptismal Records of Osithe Martin and her siblings, the next record to find is the Marriage record for their parents who were married one year before the birth of their first child, Jean Baptiste. The Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux was recorded in L'Acadie in 1803 on the back of folio four and includes a couple of surprises.

The Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803

SOURCE: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montréal, Québec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Parish of Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L’Acadie, St. Jean County, Lower Canada, 1803. Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux, Back of Folio 4, M. Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803. Translated from the French, the record states:

M[arriage] of Nicolas Martin and of Marie Giroux On the twenty-first of February, one thousand eight hundred three, after the publication of three banns of marriage made at the homilies of our parish masses, by three consecutive attempts, between François Gamache, farmer of legal age, widower of Marguerite Landry, residing in this parish, of the first part, and Marie Giroux, living in this parish, a minor, daughter of the deceased François Giroux, farmer, and the deceased Barbe Amable Babeau, the father and mother, of the second part, we have signed ( [seven words?] Marie Giroux) not finding any impediment to this marriage, we have obtained their mutual consent and have given them the nuptial benediction according to the proscribed forms of our mother, the Holy Roman Church, and in the presence of Joseph Landry, brother-in-law, Jean Baptiste Landry, brother-in-law, Joseph Hébert, friend of the groom, and of Jean Baptiste Giroux, paternal uncle, Louis Lhuilir, brother-in-law of the bride who have declared that they are not able to sign, as well as the bride. The groom has signed with us. One word crossed out. L[aneto], p[riest] [signed] Nicolas Martin [signed] R[enè] P[aschal] Laneto, priest

This record can be found as image 5 of 27 in the Québec Vital Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com in the records for L’Acadie L’Acadie Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie in the year 1803. The record appears on the back of folio 4. When recording this record, the priest made an error and crossed it out, thus requiring the note at the bottom that one word was crossed out. The surprises in this record include the fact that Nicolas Martin was a widower and his first wife was named Marguerite Landry. The witnesses to this marriage includes Marguerite Landry's brothers Joseph and Jean Baptiste. The record also shows that Marie Giroux had a paternal uncle named Jean Baptiste Giroux and a brother-in-law named Louis Lhuilir?. The bride's parents were both deceased at the time of the marriage. This record includes some language I couldn't understand: the words in the parentheses after "nous soussigné" (we, the undersigned). I also couldn't be sure of the surname of the last-named witness "Lhuilir". Still, not bad considering I don't understand French.

The Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803

Steve — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:35:14 +0000

The Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803

PDF

Steve — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:38:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Marriage Record of Nicolas Martin and Marie Giroux - 1803

Myślę, Dlatego Blogę

Steve — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:01:30 +0000

I Think, Therefore I Blog

I'm not sure how a native speaker of Polish would say "I think, therefore I blog" (or, indeed, if a native speaker of Polish would be inclined to say such a thing at all), but this title was the first that came to my mind when Becky at Kinexxions tagged me with the "Thinking Blogger Award".

I don't often write this blog with the intent to make people think, although there have been times I've written articles with exactly that goal in mind. More often, I get comments and emails saying "I think you've made a mistake here", and so if I get people to think about what I've written about my family and find errors in my analysis, I certainly benefit and so does my family history.

Well, the "Thinking Blogger Award" comes with a few rules:

If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think, tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all - blogs that really get you thinking!
The origin of the meme, is at The Thinking Blogger.
Display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

Simple, but a difficult choice, nonetheless.

My first choice was difficult, not because I doubted that the blog made me think, but because the writer recently passed away. Ken Aitken was a wonderful genealogy educator and I had only begun to get to know him when he died. He was an instructor with the National Institute for Genealogical Studies in which I am enrolled, and I was able to get to know him through the Analysis and Skills Mentoring Program there. While Ken is no longer with us, his Genealogy Education Blog is still available.
My second choice is someone whose writing and genealogical research I respect a great deal. Arlene Eakle provides food for thought with every entry on her blog. I found this choice difficult because I don't know Arlene, and I don't know if she will have the time to respond to this meme. Still, the Arlene H. Eakle Blog deserves the "Thinking Blogger Award".
George Morgan's Along Those Lines column has long been one of my favorites and his recent installments have been posted to his blog since March 2006. Well, OK, this one wasn't a difficult choice at all because George is a good friend and mentor. I'll be interested to see which blogs George chooses for the "Thinking Blogger Award".
Schelly Talalay Dardashti's Tracing the Tribe Blog is well written, informative, and thoughtful. I have no Jewish ancestry (at least none so far uncovered) but Schelly's articles have relevance far beyond the stated scope of Jewish genealogy. I was fortunate to be able to hear Schelly speak at the recent Southern California Genealogy Jamboree a few weeks ago. Listening to Schelly speak was like listening to a poet read her poems aloud. Her lecture was absolutely captivating, and so is her blog.
Now, my last choice was the most difficult. I wanted to select a blog that was somewhat different from the other blogs I chose here. How to Survive Suburban Life certainly fits the bill. Such wonderful prose. I know very little about the author of this blog other than she is a 60 year old woman living in Canada who chose to write her blog as a record for her new granddaughter. Fortunately, she has made her blog available to all the rest of us, too.

The Thinking Blogger has an interesting post and link to an online test to find out what kind of a thinker you are. Analysis of my answere categorized me as an Analytical Visionary. I think the details provided in the analysis were pretty much on target:

"You love to think, logically and creatively."
"You are most productive at work when you are solving problems."
"Others...are surprised when you question your own assumptions, facts and logic."
"You have an unassuming manner in getting people to follow what you want them to do."

Thinking Blogger

Steve — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:51:56 +0000

Thinking Blogger

The Ancestral Village of Tomasz Niedziałkowski

Steve — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 07:01:18 +0000

Back in December I wrote about the marriage of my fourth great-grandparents, Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska in Krasne, Poland. The marriage record stated the name of the village and parish where Tomasz lived before his marriage, but at the time I couldn't find these places on a map. Agnieszka, who is from the region of Krasne, corrected the spelling of the name of the parish, and from there I was able to find the parish and village on the Military Maps of the Austrian Empire. The name of the village from which Tomasz came was Klonowo and the name of the parish was Pałuki. These two villages are shown on the map below, which is a portion of one of the Military Maps of the Austrian Empire.

Portion of the Military Map Showing the Villages of Klonowo and Pałuki

SOURCE: 3rd Military Mapping Survey of Austria-Hungary, Sheet 38-53, Mlawa. Online http://lazarus.elte.hu/hun/digkonyv/topo/200e/38-53.jpg; downloaded 25 Jun 2007. I checked the Family History Library Catalog for records from the parish of Pałuki and was pleasantly surprised to find the following entries:

Księgi metrykalne, 1658-1836

Roman Catholic parish registers of baptisms, marriages, banns, deaths for Pałuki (Ciechanów), Warszawa, Poland. Includes comprehensive index. Text in Latin.

FHL INTL Film 1496612 Items 7-14: Akta urodzeń (w nieporządku) 1658-1694 Akta małżeństw (w nieporządku) 1662-1694 Akta zgonów 1691-1692 Akta urodzeń 1694-1715 Akta rozmaitości 1694-1701 Akta małżeństw 1694-1722 Akta zgonów 1694-1753 Akta urodzeń 1716-1739 Akta małżeństw 1723-1747 Akta urodzeń 1740-1754 Akta małżeństw 1747-1781 Akta urodzeń 1754-1760

FHL INTL Film 1496613: Akta urodzeń 1760-1775 Akta zgonów 1754-1781 Akta urodzeń 1775-1800 Akta zgonów 1781-1820 Akta małżeństw 1781-1826 Akta urodzeń 1800-1826 Akta zgonów 1821-1831 Indeks zgonów 1781-1808 Indeks małżeństw 1694-1808 Indeks urodzeń A-F 1695-1808 Indeks urodzeń G 1695-1794

FHL INTL Film 1496660 Item 1: Indeks urodzeń G 1794-1808 Indeks urodzeń H-Z 1695-1808 Indeks urodzeń 1808-1836

Akta urodzeń = Records of Births Akta małżeństw = Records of Marriages Akta zgonów = Records of Deaths Akta rozmaitości = Miscellaneous Records w nieporządku = in disorder Indeks = Index

Wow! These records go back all the way to 1658, a century and a half before most church records were kept in Poland! Based on his age at the time of his marriage in 1785, Tomasz Niedziałkowski was born in about 1754, so these records potentially include three or four generations before the birth of my 4th great-grandfather.

One difficulty here is that these older records tend to include very little information. As long as the names of the parents are listed, I should be able to trace this line back farther in time. My previous experience with Polish records from this time period is that the maiden name of the mother is often not listed in the baptismal records, and the handwriting is difficult to read.

Still, I have great hopes these records will help me trace my Niedziałkowski line back a few more generations.

PDF

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:27:31 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny entry for Klonowo

Slownik Geograficzny entry for Klonowo

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:29:06 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny entry for Klonowo

Map of Paluki and Klonowo

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:51:54 +0000

Map of Paluki and Klonowo

The Polish Village of Klonowo

Steve — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:01:46 +0000

Now that I've found that my Niedziałkowski ancestors lived in the village of Klonowo in the 18th century, I've begun to find out what I can about the village. The Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries) includes three major entries for villages named Klonowo. The first of these major entries includes descriptions of six different villages, the fifth of which is the correct entry for my ancestors' village.

First Major Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Klonowo

SOURCE: Sulimierski, Filip, Bronisław Chlebowski, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1887, Volume IV, page 162.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the First Major Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Klonowo. Translated from the Polish, the entry states:

Klonowo, 1.) village and grange [large manorial farmstead], Powiat [District] Nieszawa, gmina [municipality] Sędzin, parish Byczyna. The village of Klonowo consists of the Klonowo grange and Tarnówka, as well as the village of that name. The area amounts to 705 mórgs (about 1.388 mórgs per acre); the Klonowo grange: 409 mórgs of arable land and gardens, 50 mórgs of meadows, 17 mórgs of unused land and squares, altogether 476 mórgs; 10 brick buildings, 13-field crop rotation; the Tarnówka grange: 207 mórgs of arable land and gardens, 15 mórgs of meadows, 7 mórgs of unused land and squares, altogether 229 mórgs; 5 brick buildings. The village of Klonowo 16 settlements, with 17 mórgs of land; the village of Tarnówka 5 settlements, with 5 mórgs of land. The grange and village of Klonówek that is also there is extensive with 314 mórgs, 296 mórgs of arable land and gardens, 5 mórgs of meadows, 13 mórgs of unused land and squares; 10 brick buildings, 11-field crop rotation. The village of Klonówek 10 settlements, with 9 mórgs of land.

2.) K[lonowo], a village in the Koło powiat, Sompolno gmina, Lubstówek parish, 24 versts (0.66 miles per verst) not far from Koła, it has 5 houses, 47 inhabitants.

3.) K[lonowo], Łomża powiat, Lubotyń gmina and parish. See Red forest.

4.) K[lonowo], a village on the road of the same name, Rypin powiat, Sokołowo gmina, Działuń parish, 225 versts not far from Rypin. In 1827 there were 11 houses, 92 inhabitants here, currently there are 17 houses, 210 inhabitants, 755 mórgs of land, 29 mórgs of unused land. According to the Land Credit Company, the Klonowo grange extended 789 mórgs, 657 mórgs of arable land and gardens, 79 mórgs of meadows, 23 mórgs of water, 30 mórgs of unused land and squares; 6 brick buildings, 8 of wood, 11-field crop rotation. In 1867 this grange was separated from the village of Wielgie. In 1789 Klonowo belonged to the village of Działyń and brought 190 złoty rent.

5.) K[lonowo], a village on the Sona river, Ciechanów powiat, Bartołdy gmina, Pałuki parish, 13 versts not far from Ciechanów, it has 8 houses, 72 inhabitants, 280 mórgs of land, 2 mórgs unused:

6.) K[lonowo], a village, Maryampol powiat, Jaworowo gmina, Igłówka parish, 16 versts not far from Maryampol, it has 5 houses, 90 inhabitants. Br[onisław] Ch[lebowski]

Entry number 5 doesn't say much, but it shows that Klonowo was a very small village, with only 8 houses and 72 inhabitants. A quick calculation shows that each house sheltered an average of 9 residents.

Importantly, this entry confirms that Klonowo belonged to the parish in Pałuki, in agreement with the marriage record for my ancestors Tomasz Niedziałkowski and Cecylia Chotkowska.

Now, I just need to find some time to order the microfilms at my local Family History Center and search for my Niedziałkowski ancestors.

PDF

Steve — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 05:09:14 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Paluki

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Paluki

Steve — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 05:10:25 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Paluki

The Polish Parish of Pałuki

Steve — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:01:47 +0000

In the 18th Century, my Niedziałkowski ancestors lived in the village of Klonowo in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The parish to which the Klonowo belonged was in Pałuki, just a short distance to the sowthwest of Klonowo. The Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries) includes two major entries for villages named Pałuki. The first of these major entries includes the description for the village and parish of Pałuki with which my ancestors were connected.

The First Major Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Pałuki

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the First Major Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Pałuki. Translated from the Polish, the entry states:

Pałuki, a village and grange [large manorial farmstead], Powiat [District] Ciechanów, Opinogóra gmina [municipality], Pałuki parish, 8 versts (0.66 miles per verst) not far from Ciechanów, it includes a parish church of brick, a general elementary school, a windmill and an inn, 13 houses, 214 inhabitants, 924 mórgs (about 1.388 mórgs per acre) of territory of which 26 mórgs is unused. The Pałuki grange has 802 mórgs of territory and belongs to the welfare of the Opinogóra estate. In 1781 there were 105 inhabitants here. The parish church has existed here for a long time. Already in the 15th century the local parish priest renovated the ruined wooden church. One of the bells has the date 1581; the reverend Gotard Pałuki, heir to the village and the local rectory, purchased it. The present brick church was erected in 1843 by Count Wincent Krasiński. The Pałuki parish is in the Ciechanów deanery, 4073 souls (see The Century № 183 in 1881 and The Catholic Review № 49 in 1881).

The village and parish of Pałuki are very small, and the corresponding entry in the Słownik Geograficzny is brief. To learn more about the area, I can translate the entries for the gmina of Opinogóra and the Powiat of Ciechanów. These entries include quite a lengthy description of the area. I'll have to attempt those translations at some time in the future in order to understand the lives of my Niedziałkowski ancestors better.

The Sona River in Poland

Steve — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:01:56 +0000

The Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) described Klonowo, the ancestral village of my Niedziałkowski ancestors, as being on the Sona River. The Słownik Geograficzny also has an entry on the Sona River:

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for the Sona River

Source: Chlebowski, Bronisław, Władysław Walewski, and Filip Sulimierski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1890, Volume IX, pages 72-72.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny Entry for the Sona River. Translated from the Polish, the entry reads:

Sona, or Sonia, a creek, the origin is under Wola Wierzbowska in the Ciechanów Powiat [District], it flows around Wilków, through Osyski, Długołękę, Mirosy, Kołaczkowo, Łęki, Nieradowo, Obidzino, Ciemniewko, Sońsk, Gościmin, Łopacin, Nowe Miasto, and under Popielżynem in the Płońsk Powiat, falling to the Wkra, flowing about 40 versts (0.66 miles per verst) to Ciemniewko, taking on several inflows, from which the major one comes from Nieradowa; this inflow further passes in a meadow stream, it trickles weakly in the summer, but it reaches as far as the Przasnysz-Ciechanów road, always keeping the name of Sona. Other tributaries likewise spread in a meadow trail, one reaches Przedwojewo, at the above-mentioned road; these trails are also called Sona, so that in the southern part of the Ciechanów Powiat, the Sona is found an almost all sides, where the water flows only in the meadows and leads to difficulty identifying its source. Starting from Sońsk toward its outlet, that is for the length of 25 versts, it has many mills. J. Z.

PDF

Steve — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:40:34 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny Definition of Folwark

Slownik Geograficzny Definition of Folwark

Steve — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:41:24 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Definition of Folwark

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Sona

Steve — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:47:15 +0000

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Sona

PDF

Steve — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 06:47:46 +0000

PDF Copy of the Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Sona

The Polish Folwark

Steve — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 07:01:07 +0000

While reading the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries), researchers will frequently encounter unfamiliar terms. Many of these words are archaic, and even native speakers of Polish may have trouble with these. Some terms are simply untranslatable, and other terms are translated into equally obscure English words. One case in point is the Polish word Folwark, which is commonly translated as grange. The term grange may be described further as "large, manorial farmstead". While those descriptions may help, many genealogists, me included, may still be left in the dark about what a folwark really is. The Słownik Geograficzny provides additional help with some of these unfamiliar terms. Even those familiar with the Słownik may not be aware this assistance is there, because the definitions are nestled among the descriptions of the places, in alphabetical order with all the other Słownik entries. The definition of folwark is located in Volume I on page 396:

Słownik Geograficzny Definition of Folwark

Source: Sulimierski, Filip, Chlebowski, Bronisław, and Władysław Walewski, eds., Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries) - Warsaw 1880, Volume I, page 396.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny Definition of Folwark. Translated from the Polish, the entry reads:

Folwark, [Grange] (from the German Vorwerk) these days denotes the total farming development in which is situated livestock and farm equipment alike, necessary for farming of a certain more substantial cultivated field, generally including here the residence of either just the owner or the manager of the farm and the necessary servants for the conduct of work, the supervision of the dairy cows, etc. Aside from this more detailed meaning, it encompasses the name and the whole area of land which cultivation and harvest concentrate on in the folwark. The same name yet shows that the establishment of granges began with historical times together with the establishment of rural gminas [municipalities] in the German manner and a new social hierarchy was formed by gradually producing a hereditary landowner class, originally making community property of the whole union of settlements with also the village. Folwarks came into being on the land granted by the prince to the clergy, the religious orders, and the lay people. The population of the village cultivated it in part, on that territory designated as a grant, in part, on the other hand, deliberately for settling a colony. The lack of work hands and capital necessary for equipment of a larger farm was the reason that, in the 15th century, the folwark usually had an area that was not very large; indeed, in a single village one encounters several folwarks, but Długosz oversaw a harvest of 116 loads of wheat (in the year 1456) which was unprecedented and incredible. With the increase in the importance of the nobility and their advantage over the commoners, folwarks significantly increased in area by the purchases of the sołtys’ [elected chairmen of the village councils], displacing the peasants from the fields, clearing the forests, etc. In those places where the local circumstances of the time were favorable, such as in Ukraine, folwarks of truly enormous sizes sprung up and have existed up to the present.

Br[onisław] Ch[lebowski]

The Słownik Geograficzny includes many other definitions, all scattered throughout the many volumes of this gazetteer in alphabetical order with the descriptions of the villages. These definitions hellp make the Słownik an even more valuable resource for genealogists researching their Polish ancestry.

Learning about the US Naval Armed Guard

Steve — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 07:01:54 +0000

I spent all day Saturday working on my class assignments for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. One of the assignments for the class in US Military Records was to surf the web and report on interesting and useful websites relating to Military Records. Here is my response:

Since all my grandparents immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, my interests in military records center on 20th century records, especially about the US Naval Armed Guard. My father and one of my maternal uncles served in the US Naval Armed Guard, a branch of the military service that few people know about. The World War II U.S. Naval Armed Guard and World War II U.S. Merchant Marine website at http://www.armed-guard.com/ provided me with a whole lot of information about both the Merchant Marine and the now-defunct Armed Guard. The site includes photos, information, and Armed Guard Manuals, including one for the five inch thirty eight gun on the Liberty Ships. Wikipedia includes a brief article about the United States Navy Armed Guard at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Armed_Guard. The Naval Armed Guard Service in World War II website at http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq104-1.htm includes pages that describe what Armed Guard records are available and where they are located. The U.S. Naval Armed Guard Casualties During World War II webpage at http://www.usmm.org/armedguard.html lists the names of those members of the Armed Guard who were wounded or killed in World War II. The companion page for U.S. Merchant Marine Casualties during World War II at http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html provides the names of those members of the Merchant Marine who were wounded or killed in World War II.

When I have a bit more time, I'll write more about the US Naval Armed Guard and the US Merchant Marine.

The Polish Village and Gmina of Bartołdy

Steve — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:01:14 +0000

After Agnieszka told me that the correct spelling of my Niedziałkowski ancestors' parish was Pałuki, I learned that my 4th great grandfather, Tomasz Niedziałski, lived in the tiny village of Klonowo. Recently, I translated the brief entries for both Pałuki and Klonowo from the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavonic Countries). The entry for Klonowo revealed that the village was part of the Bartołdy gmina [municipality], and today I translated the Słownik entry for Bartołdy:

Słownik Geograficzny Entry for Bartołdy

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Słownik Geograficzny entry for Bartołdy. Translated from the Polish, the entry states:

Bartołdy, a village in Powiat [District] Ciechanów, gmina [municipality] of the same name, Zielona parish, to the right of the beaten track from Ciechanów to Przasnysz, about 6 versts (0.66 miles per verst) to the southwest of Przasnysz, it has 200 inhabitants, few owners, a windmill. The Bartołdy gmina belongs to the municipal court circle II in Opinogóra, post office in Przasnysz, 14 versts distant from Ciechanów. Three schools in the gmina, population 3648.

I had hoped that the entry for Bartołdy would provide a bit more information about the area around Klonowo. To find more information, I may have to translate the entry for Ciechanów, a prospect that I find a bit intimidating since the Słownik entry for Ciechanów goes on for several pages!

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Bartoldy

Steve — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:17:14 +0000

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Bartoldy

PDF

Steve — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:17:41 +0000

PDF Copy of the Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Bartoldy

The Family Home on South Allen Street

Steve — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 07:01:02 +0000

I'm heading back to Albany, New York to spend the Fourth of July with my father and my sisters. It should be an interesting trip. My younger sister, who owns the house on South Allen Street in which we grew up, has rented out the house for a number of years now. She and her husband have taken care of the place: shoveling the walk in the winter, mowing the lawn and trimming the shrubs in the summer, raking the leaves in the autumn. My sister has decided that it's time to sell the house, and I agreed with her, although not without some reservations. I certainly have a lot of memories about that house. I've now lived in my present place in San Francisco longer than I lived in the house in Albany, but I think I could write volumes about my memories of our family home in Albany. When I was born, my family lived on Park Avenue in Albany, a two-family structure owned by my paternal uncle, John Danko. Uncle John's great grandson now owns that building. My family bought the house on South Allen Street in 1961. It, too, was a two-family building. In 1961, my parents actually only bought the lower flat, and a few years later my cousin Al bought the upstairs flat. Al didn't live there; he bought it as an investment and rented it out. Later, and I don't remember exactly when, my parents bought the upstairs flat from Al and rented it out themselves. I remember several different families who lived upstairs from us, three of which included children who were the same ages as my sisters and I. Regardless of who owned the upper flat, my father always maintained the yard and shoveled the walk in the winter. The house included a full basement and a full attic. My sisters and I used to play in the basement. It was cool in the summer (we didn't have air conditioning) and warm in the winter (the oil furnace was located in the basement). My father built two model railroad setups in the basement, an O gauge system complete with a tunnel and landscaping, and an HO gauge system. I can still smell odor of the transformers. When we weren't playing with the trains, we lowered a cover made of plastic sheeting that my father had rigged to the basement ceiling with pulleys. On two occasions, my sisters and I put on shows in the basement for the neighborhood kids. In one show, we lip-synched to my cousin Al's 45s from the 1950s. The hit of the show was "Purple People Eater". We also spent time playing in the attic, although the attic was mainly used for storage. In the summer, the attic was stiflingly hot and, in the winter, it was bitterly cold. During my senior year in high school, I set up a room in the attic where I could study without being disturbed. After my sister moved out of the house, she left quite a lot of the family memorabilia in the basement and attic. Now that she is planning to sell the house, we'll have to clear everything out. I think we'll have to rent storage space somewhere; there's just so much stuff. I know that two sets of my maternal grandmother's china are stored there, all of our grade school and high school report cards and projects are there, and lots of books, toys, games, furniture, magazines, and LPs, are there, too. I don't know what else I might find. I could find some real treasures. While in Albany, I be spending a lot of my time helping to clear out the attic and basement. Going through all those boxes is sure to be a bittersweet experience.

A Day at the New York State Archives

Steve — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 04:00:06 +0000

I don't have a whole lot of time to write tonight, but I thought I'd at least provide an update on my activities. I spent a rainy Fourth of July at my sister's house with about fifteen other relatives. With the rain, it was a cozy bunch inside the house! Thursday, I went to the New York State Archives, where I spent about six hours looking through the New York State vital records indexes. New York State has a fairly restrictive policy for access to vital records for genealogy purposes:

To obtain birth records for genealogy purposes, the record must be 75 years old and the person named must be deceased; to obtain marriage and death records for genealogy purposes, the record must be 50 years old and the persons named must be deceased. The time limits for genealogy requests may be waived if the person requesting the record is a direct-line descendant. The person named in the record must be deceased.

Certified copies of vital records may be obtained without time restrictions and without the requirement that the named individual be deceased, but very few people qualify to receive certified copies of vital records:

Those entitled to obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate are the person whose birth is recorded on the certificate and the parents of the named individual. The parents must be named on the certificate themselves. Anyone else who wishes to obtain the birth certificate of a living individual must have a New York State Court Order. Those entitled to obtain a certified copy of the death certificate of someone who died less than 50 years ago are the spouse, parent or child of the deceased, and other persons who have a documented lawful right or claim, documented medical need, or a New York State Court Order. Those entitled to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate are the bride or groom, or other persons who have a documented judicial or other proper purpose, or a New York State Court Order. Those entitled to obtain a certified copy of a divorce certificate are the husband, the wife, and other persons with a New York State Court Order.

All the same, I examined the indexes to vital records (restricted to birth records at least 75 years old, and marriage and death records at least 50 years old). I had quite a bit of success finding vital records indexed for several births, marriages, and deaths. My next step with the vital records is to order the certificates, themselves.

Photos from Albany, New York

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 06:30:04 +0000

The Empire State Plaza was built between 1965 and 1978 in a historical part of Albany and required that a number of historical neighborhoods be demolished.

The Cultural Education Center

The New York State Archives, the New York State Library, and the New York State Museum are housed in the Cultural Education Center. The Cultural Education Center is part of the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza.

The Egg

The Egg is the Performing Arts Center in the Empire States Plaza.

The New York State Capitol

The New York State Capitol Building is located across the street from the Empire State Plaza and is connected with the plaza by underground tunnels. The building was completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million and was the most expensive government building ever built up to that time.

A Day at the New York State Library

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:30:55 +0000

I spent Friday at the New York State Library. Most of the stacks at the New York State Library are closed and require a wait of up to an hour before the requested books, microfilm, or other materials are retrieved. The staff gave me a brief overview of how to use the catalog, and I was on my way. My main goal was to look up some obituaries in New York State newspapers on microfilm. Luckily, the Albany Times Union and some other newspapers are in open stacks, so they were readily accessible. I ordered one microfilm for the Cohoes American from 1928 and the microfilm was available exactly when promised. I found obituaries for:

Paul Charron, Jr. who died on 26 Jan 1943
Maryanna Danko who died 08 Sep 1969
Laura C. Schroll Engel who died 06 Sep 1988
Frances M. Iwaniec who died 19 Jan 1951
Annette Girard Charron who died 28 Apr 1984

The obituary searches took longer than I expected because, in some cases, I only had a month and year of death from the Social Security Death Index and I had to search an entire month's microfilm to find the obituaries. On the upside, I now have exact dates of the deaths and, in most cases, I now have exact locations of the deaths. I also searched some City Directories and the 1925 New York State Census with great success. The searches of the New York State Census records were slow because the New York State Census has not been indexed. The New York State Library seems to cater to genealogists. Many of the holdings in open stacks are genealogically relevant materials, including D.A.R. Records, New York State Bible Records, New York Census Records, City Directories, and New York State Genealogies. The New York State Library even has a Volunteer Genealogist on hand to help answer questions and give research advice.

Cultural Education Center in Albany New York

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:24:18 +0000

Cultural Education Center in Albany New York

The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany New York

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:24:49 +0000

The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany New York

The New York State Capitol in Albany New York

Steve — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:25:25 +0000

The New York State Capitol in Albany New York

Photos of the Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York

Steve — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 03:30:35 +0000

Back on May 2, 2007, I wrote about the Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York for the Carnival of Genealogy. I've received some interesting comments on that post from former students who are apparently eager to share their experiences at Vincentian. This morning, I attended mass at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, the home parish for Vincentian. I then took a brief tour of the area and snapped a few photos of the former Vincentian Institute High School (VIHS) and the Child Culture Division (VI-CCD).

The Former Vincentian Institute High School in 2007

The front of VIHS, shown here, is now a community center. The back of the building on Yates Street is now the entrance to the St. Vincent Apartments.

The Former Convent of the Sisters of Mercy

The Sisters of Mercy taught at both VI-CCD (the grade school) and at VIHS. A few lay teachers also taught at both VI-CCD and VIHS. For most of the existence of the high school, the Brothers of the Holy Cross also taught there.

The Father Charles Memorial Building at VI-CCD

The last addition to VI-CCD was the Father Charles Memorial Building (the brick building). The Father Charles Memorial Building was purchased by the College of St. Rose. The glass school has been demolished.

The Barn at VI-CCD

The barn, where I attended third grade classes, is still standing. It, too, now belongs to the College of St. Rose where it is used as a theater.

For other posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children's Librarian

The Former Vincentian Institute High School - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:50:45 +0000

The Former Vincentian Institute High School - 2007

The Former Sisters of Mercy Convent - Albany New York - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:51:22 +0000

The Former Sisters of Mercy Convent - Albany New York - 2007

The Barn - Formerly Part of Vincentian Institute Child Cultural Division - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:52:09 +0000

The Barn - Formerly Part of Vincentian Institute Child Cultural Division - 2007

The Father Charles Memorial Building - Formerly Part of Vincentian Institute CCD - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:53:00 +0000

The Father Charles Memorial Building - Formerly Part of Vincentian Institute CCD - 2007

The Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:30:21 +0000

Today, I visited the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in order to take some photos. The church has been extensively remodeled since I was last here.

The Exterior of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul

The Church of Saint Vincent de Paul has been remodeled several times in the past. The exterior of the existing building is essentially the same as it was in 1957 was the church was significantly enlarged.

Stained Glass Depiction of "The Poor Widow"

One of many stained glass windows in the church, this scene depicts a scene from the Gospel of St. Luke, as described in the window itself: "This poor widow hath cast in more than they all" St. Luke XXI, 3. The window is dedicated "To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Rev. John J. McDonald".

Church Interior, Facing the Entrance

From 1957-1985, a choir loft with an organ graced the space above the entrance doors. In the remodeled church, the choir loft was removed, and the organ relocated to the altar area.

Church Interior, Facing the Altar

In the remodeled church, the pews were removed and replaced with chairs that surround the altar on three sides. The existing worship space was cut in half from the space present from 1957-1985 and approximates the worship space in the church in 1908, when the existing building was dedicated.

Before I left the church, I was presented with two books: a jubilee book to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church, and a book celebrating the first 65 years of the Vincential Institute, two volumes I was very happy to receive.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

Stained Glass Window of the Poor Widow in the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:47:33 +0000

Stained Glass Window of the Poor Widow in the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul

Altar of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:48:18 +0000

Altar of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

Facing the Entrance of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:48:58 +0000

Facing the Entrance of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

Exterior of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

Steve — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:49:39 +0000

Exterior of the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Albany New York - 2007

The Annunciation

Steve — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 06:30:51 +0000

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York is home to a number of stained glass windows imported from Munich, Germany. Eight of these windows depict events in the life of Christ. The first portrays the Annunciation as described in the Gospel of Luke.

The Annunciation

SOURCE: The Annunciation. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{1:26} Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, {1:27} to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. {1:28} And upon entering, the Angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” {1:29} And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be. {1:30} And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. {1:31} Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS. {1:32} He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity. {1:33} And his kingdom shall have no end.” {1:34} Then Mary said to the Angel, “How shall this be done, since I do not know man?” {1:35} And in response, the Angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God. {1:36} And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren. {1:37} For no word will be impossible with God.” {1:38} Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.
SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Luke 1:26-38. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-03_Luke.htm>. Accessed 10 Jul 2007.

This stained glass window includes the inscription: "To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Moore. Note that the bottom part of the window opens to allow the circulation of air.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

The Annunciation - Stained Glass Window from the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, NY

Steve — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:55:24 +0000

The Annunciation - Stained Glass Window from the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, NY

The Nativity

Steve — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:30:55 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ, the second of which portrays the Nativity.

The Nativity

SOURCE: The Nativity. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{2:1} And it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, so that the whole world would be enrolled. {2:2} This was the first enrollment; it was made by the ruler of Syria, Quirinius. {2:3} And all went to be declared, each one to his own city. {2:4} Then Joseph also ascended from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, {2:5} in order to be declared, with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. {2:6} Then it happened that, while they were there, the days were completed, so that she would give birth. {2:7} And she brought forth her firstborn son. And she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn. {2:8} And there were shepherds in the same region, being vigilant and keeping watch in the night over their flock. {2:9} And behold, an Angel of the Lord stood near them, and the brightness of God shone around them, and they were struck with a great fear. {2:10} And the Angel said to them: “Do not be afraid. For, behold, I proclaim to you a great joy, which will be for all the people. {2:11} For today a Saviour has been born for you in the city of David: he is Christ the Lord. {2:12} And this will be a sign for you: you will find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” {2:13} And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the celestial army, praising God and saying, {2:14} “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.”
SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Luke 2:1-14. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-03_Luke.htm>. Accessed 11 Jul 2007.

This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Mr Mrs James McDonough".

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

The Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York
The Annunciation
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
SOURCE: The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.
{2:21} And after eight days were ended, so that the boy would be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, just as he was called by the Angel before he was conceived in the womb. {2:22} And after the days of her purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem, in order to present him to the Lord, {2:23} just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “For every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord,” {2:24} and in order to offer a sacrifice, according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” {2:25} And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and God-fearing, awaiting the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was with him. {2:26} And he had received an answer from the Holy Spirit: that he would not see his own death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. {2:27} And he went with the Spirit to the temple. And when the child Jesus was brought in by his parents, in order to act on his behalf according to the custom of the law, {2:28} he also took him up, into his arms, and he blessed God and said: {2:29} “Now you may dismiss your servant in peace, O Lord, according to your word. {2:30} For my eyes have seen your salvation, {2:31} which you have prepared before the face of all peoples: {2:32} the light of revelation to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” {2:33} And his father and mother were wondering over these things, which were spoken about him. {2:34} And Simeon blessed them, and he said to his mother Mary: “Behold, this one has been set for the ruin and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and as a sign which will be contradicted. {2:35} And a sword will pass through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” {2:36} And there was a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years, and she had lived with her husband for seven years from her virginity. {2:37} And then she was a widow, even to her eighty-fourth year. And without departing from the temple, she was a servant to fasting and prayer, night and day. {2:38} And entering at the same hour, she confessed to the Lord. And she spoke about him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel. {2:39} And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city, Nazareth. SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Luke 2:21-39. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-03_Luke.htm>. Accessed 11 Jul 2007.
This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of John Minahan".
For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:
For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:
For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:
- Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian
Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple - Stained Glass Window - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

Steve — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:39:21 +0000

Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple - Stained Glass Window - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple

Steve — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:01:40 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The fourth portrays Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple. In the upper right you will see Mary and Joseph as they find Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem.

Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple

SOURCE: Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{2:40} Now the child grew, and he was strengthened with the fullness of wisdom. And the grace of God was in him. {2:41} And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover. {2:42} And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day. {2:43} And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this. {2:44} But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances. {2:45} And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. {2:46} And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them. {2:47} But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses. {2:48} And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: “Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.” {2:49} And he said to them: “How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?” {2:50} And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them. {2:51} And he descended with them and went to Nazareth. And he was subordinate to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. {2:52} And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and in age, and in grace, with God and men.

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Luke 2:41-52. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-03_Luke.htm>. Accessed 12 Jul 2007. This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Timothy Hogan”.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

The Wedding at Cana

Steve — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 07:01:19 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The fifth portrays The Wedding at Cana. This work shows Jesus, his mother, the bride and groom, the water becoming wine as a servant pours it into a jar, and the chief steward examining the water made wine.

The Wedding at Cana

SOURCE: The Wedding at Cana. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{2:1} And on the third day, a wedding was held in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. {2:2} Now Jesus was also invited to the wedding, with his disciples. {2:3} And when the wine was failing, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” {2:4} And Jesus said to her: “What is that to me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet arrived.” {2:5} His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” {2:6} Now in that place, there were six stone water jars, for the purification ritual of the Jews, containing two or three measures each. {2:7} Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” And they filled them to the very top. {2:8} And Jesus said to them, “Now draw from it, and carry it to the chief steward of the feast.” And they took it to him. {2:9} Then, when the chief steward had tasted the water made into wine, since he did not know where it was from, for only the servants who had drawn the water knew, the chief steward called the groom, {2:10} and he said to him: “Every man offers the good wine first, and then, when they have become inebriated, he offers what is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.” {2:11} This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus accomplished in Cana of Galilee, and it manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. John 2:1-11. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-04_John.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007. This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Mr Mrs James Brennan”.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

The Wedding at Cana - Stained Glass Window - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

Steve — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:08:53 +0000

The Wedding at Cana - Stained Glass Window - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

Jesus Blessing the Children - Stained Glass - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

Steve — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:24:52 +0000

Jesus Blessing the Children - Stained Glass - Church of St. Vincent de Paul - Albany, New York

The Agony in the Garden - Stained Glass - Church of St Vincent de Paul - Albany New York

Steve — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:46:52 +0000

The Agony in the Garden - Stained Glass - Church of St Vincent de Paul - Albany New York

The Resurrection - Stained Glass - Church of St Vincent de Paul - Albany New York

Steve — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:02:03 +0000

The Resurrection - Stained Glass - Church of St Vincent de Paul - Albany New York

Jesus Blessing the Children

Steve — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 07:01:19 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The sixth portrays Jesus Blessing the Children.

Jesus Blessing the Children

SOURCE: Jesus Blessing the Children. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{10:13} And they brought to him the little children, so that he might touch them. But the disciples admonished those who brought them. {10:14} But when Jesus saw this, he took offense, and he said to them: “Allow the little ones to come to me, and do not prohibit them. For of such as these is the kingdom of God. {10:15} Amen I say to you, whoever will not accept the kingdom of God like a little child, will not enter into it.” {10:16} And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them.

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Mark 10:13-16. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-02_Mark.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007. This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Mr Mrs Joseph Wiley”.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

The Polish Surnames in My Family Tree

Steve — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:00:57 +0000

In grade school I always enjoyed the day that came every year when our teachers would ask what our mothers' maiden names were. My mother's maiden surname - Niedziałkowski - always got everyone's attention because it was so unusual. My own surname - Dańko - hardly raised an eyebrow. Not until I began studying my family history in the late 1990s did I begin to realize that those names might have some meaning behind them. After all, a name is a name right? Fairly soon after I started researching my ancestry seriously, the second edition of Fred Hoffman's book on Polish surnames was published, and boy, was this a godsend!

Categories of Polish Surnames

In his book on Polish surnames, Fred Hoffman divides and discusses the surnames according to five general categories:

Personal Names and Coats of Arms
Toponyms (Place Names)
Occupations
Features or Objects (including verbs, animals, trees, plants, food, drink)
Foreign Names

Polish Surnames in My Family Tree

The surnames in my family tree span all of these five groups. Here is a list of some of them with their origins and meanings:

Bal: bal- “to tell tales”, first name Baltazar, Hungarian personal name Bal Bonislawski: village Bonisław, altered name Będzisław Chmielewski: chmiel “hops” Chotkowski: place names Chotków, Chotkowo Chruścicki: chrust “dry twigs” Dańko: dan- “given” or name element from Daniel Dymek: dym "smoke" or name element from Dymitr Dziura / Dziurzyński: dziura “hole” Głowacz: głowa “head” Goliński: goły “bare, naked”, golić “to shave”, or place name Golina Grabowski: grab “hornbeam”, grabić “to rob”, grabie “rake”, old first name Grab, or toponym Iwaniec: Ukrainian name Ivan = Polish name Jan (John) Izbicki: izba "hut, chamber" Jach: name element from Jan, Jakub, Jachym, etc. Jara: jar- “sharp, strict”, jary “of the spring, robust, young” Jedliński: jodła “fir tree” Kolarowira: kolarz “wheelwright” Malon: mały “small”, or a name root as in Małomir, also popular in toponyms Marcinkiewicz: first name Marcin from the Latin Martinus (of or relating to Mars) Markiewicz: first name Marek from the Latin Marcus (Mark) Milewski: ancient names Miłobor, Miłosław with the root miły “dear, beloved” Mossakowski: name Mojsław or Mojżesz (Moses) Muszynski: mucha “housefly” Niedziałkowski: nie działać “to do nothing”, niedziela “Sunday” (day of doing nothing) Nosarzewski: nos “nose” Panowski: pan “master, bridegroom”, names Pankracy, Pantelejmon, Opanas Pomaski: village of Pomaski Pszczółkowski: pszczoła "bee" Ranow: rana “wound”, rano “early”, or name Ranimir Skowroński: skowronek “lark’ (a kind of bird) Ślimak: ślimak “snail, slug” or “slow fellow” Sowa: sowa “owl” Szymański: name Szymon (Simon) (Hebrew), meaning “Hear my affliction” Tropiło / Trupiło: trop "trace, trail, scent", tropić "to track" Wojnowski: wojna “war, struggle” Zygmuntowicz: name Zygmunt, Germanic *sigis “victory” + *mundo “protect, guard” SOURCE: Hoffman, William F. 1998. Polish surnames: origins and meanings. Chicago: Polish Genealogical Society of America.

Evolution of Polish Surnames

I am often amazed at the number of different surnames used in Poland. Because fixed surnames are a rather recent phenomenon in Poland (and elsewhere), most not being fixed until the 18th century, many surnames have developed through something of a divergent evolution, where a surname such as Markowicz might diverge into Markowicz and Markiewicz over time. In fact, in addition to Markowicz and Markiewicz, a large number of names derive from the given name Marek and the numbers of individuals with these surnames in Poland in 1990 varied greatly, with only 1 person using the surname Marec, but with 16,202 people using the surname Marek. And, of course, not all the people in Poland with the same or similar surnames are related to each other. Many surnames arose independently all over Poland, resulting in a convergent evolution of surnames. Many of these Polish surnames present some difficulty for native speakers of English. I'm often asked "How is that name pronounced?" The short answer a native speaker of Polish would give is "Just the way it's spelled", but that's little comfort to most people. My mother's maiden name, Niedziałkowski, is mispronounced by nearly all native speakers of English. These difficulties of pronouncing the surname Niedziałkowski has led to a divergent evolution of the surname among my relatives in the United States, resulting in the surnames Niedzialkowski, Niedzialkoski, Niedzial, and even Newman, all in one family line. My own mother, while in her teens, briefly changed her surname to Nigel. But that's another story.

The Agony in the Garden

Steve — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 07:01:07 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The seventh portrays The Agony in the Garden. This window shows Jesus facing an angel who holds the chalice Jesus prays will pass from him. It also shows two of the men who joined him in the Garden of Gethsemani, one of whom holds the sword with which he would later cut the ear from the servant of the high priest. In the background, Judas is seen leading those who would come to arrest Jesus.

The Agony in the Garden

SOURCE: The Agony in the Garden. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{26:36} Then Jesus went with them to a garden, which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, “Sit down here, while I go there and pray.” {26:37} And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and saddened. {26:38} Then he said to them: “My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” {26:39} And continuing on a little further, he fell prostrate on his face, praying and saying: “My Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass away from me. Yet truly, let it not be as I will, but as you will.” {26:40} And he approached his disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: “So, were you not able keep vigil with me for one hour? {26:41} Be vigilant and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. Indeed, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” {26:42} Again, a second time, he went and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away, unless I drink it, let your will be done.” {26:43} And again, he went and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. {26:44} And leaving them behind, again he went and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. {26:45} Then he approached his disciples and said to them: “Sleep now and rest. Behold, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of sinners. {26:46} Rise up; let us go. Behold, he who will betray me draws near.” {26:47} While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people. {26:48} And he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: “Whomever I will kiss, it is he. Take hold of him.” {26:49} And quickly drawing close to Jesus, he said, “Hail, Master.” And he kissed him. {26:50} And Jesus said to him, “Friend, for what purpose have you come?” Then they approached, and they put their hands on Jesus, and they held him. 26:51} And behold, one of those who were with Jesus, extending his hand, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. {26:52} Then Jesus said to him: “Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. {26:53} Or do you think that I cannot ask my Father, so that he would give me, even now, more than twelve legions of Angels? {26:54} How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must be so?”

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Matthew 26:36-54. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-01_Matthew.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007. This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God - Gift of Mr & Mrs John Bowers”.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

The Resurrection

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 07:01:29 +0000

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The last portrays The Resurrection. This scene shows Jesus rising from the tomb, the guards terrified, and the angel who would announce the resurrection to those who would visit the tomb later. Note the marks from the nails in Jesus' hands and feet.

The Resurrection

SOURCE: The Resurrection. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{28:1} Now on the morning of the Sabbath, when it began to grow light on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. {28:2} And behold, a great earthquake occurred. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it. {28:3} Now his appearance was like lightning, and his vestment was like snow. {28:4} Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men. {28:5} Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: “Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified. {28:6} He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed. {28:7} And then, go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he will precede you to Galilee. There you shall see him. Lo, I have told you beforehand.” {28:8} And they went out of the tomb quickly, with fear and in great joy, running to announce it to his disciples. {28:9} And behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Hail.” But they drew near and took hold of his feet, and they adored him. {28:10} Then Jesus said to them: “Do not be afraid. Go, announce it to my brothers, so that they may go to Galilee. There they shall see me.”

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor. The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Matthew 28:1-10. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-01_Matthew.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007. This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and Loving Memory of Patrick Brennan”.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:12:53 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Front

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:13:55 +0000

World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding - Back

PDF

Steve — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:14:47 +0000

PDF Copy of the World War I Draft Registration for Allister Rawding

The Angel Raphael - Stained Glass - Church of Saint Vincent de Paul Albany New York

Steve — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 06:12:35 +0000

The Angel Raphael - Stained Glass - Church of Saint Vincent de Paul Albany New York

The Angel Raphael

Steve — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:01:31 +0000

In addition to the stained glass windows depicting events in the life of Christ, the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York has many other stained glass windows. Besides the eight Life of Christ windows, I have a photograph of only two other windows, one of which I showed previously: The Poor Widow. The only other photograph I have of the windows is one of the Angel Raphael.

The Angel Raphael

SOURCE: Raphael. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

There are a few pictures of the other windows on the web:

Angel with Trumpet (from the former choir loft)
St. Louise de Marillac (from the former choir loft)
Angel with Lyre (from the former choir loft)
The Baptism of Jesus
Michael the Archangel
Tributes to the First Three Pastors

The windows I've called the Angel with Trumpet, St. Louise de Marillac and Angel with Lyre can be seen in the photo I took of the interior of the church, facing the entrance. The Angel with Trumpet is on the left, St. Louise de Marillac is in the middle. and the Angel with Lyre in on the right. These widows were once at the back of the choir loft. In 1633, St. Louise de Marillac and St. Vincent de Paul formed the Daughters of Charity, the first community of non-cloistered nuns.

Three windows paying tribute to the first three pastors depict saints who were influential in the lives of the first three pastors of St. Vincent de Paul and also show parish buildings with which those pastors were associated:

In Honor of Father John J. Hanlon - Pastor from 1889-1902. Father Hanlon's tribute shows Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney and (at the bottom) the original Church of St. Vincent de Paul.
In Honor of Father Michael L. Walsh - Pastor from 1902-1913. Father Walsh's tribute shows Saint Dominic and (at the bottom) the new Church of St. Vincent de Paul formally dedicated on 01 Nov 1908.
In Honor of Father William R. Charles - Pastor from 1913-1944. Father Charles' tribute shows Saint Pius X and (at the bottom) the Vincentian Institute High School.

All these stained glass windows were installed when the new Church of St. Vincent de Paul was built between 1904 and 1908, except the tribute windows. The tribute windows were installed in 1957 in the new addition, when the church was enlarged.

For other posts on the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, see:

For posts on the Vincentian Institute, see:

For posts on the Pine Hills Branch of the Albany Public Library, see:

Mrs. Katzman, Children’s Librarian

Who Owns the Copyrights to Your Photographs?

Steve — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 07:01:57 +0000

The 28th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy on Surnames has been published.

Update: The topic for the 29th Edition was going to be Smile for the Camera. Jasia challenged bloggers to crack open the photo albums and blog about our favorite photos. As of Friday, 20 Jul 2007, the topic for the next Carnival of Genealogy has been changed to Moral or legal dilemmas in genealogy and genea-blogging, which ones have you had to deal with and how did you resolve them, if you did?

The deadline for submissions using the carnival submission form is August 1.

I recently completed the course in Genealogy & Copyright Guidelines through the National Institute for Genealogical Studies and, I must admit, I learned a lot about copyright law. Copyright law poses some important questions for the upcoming Carnival of Genealogy, not the least of which is: Who owns the copyrights to your photographs?

Copyright laws differ among countries, but in this article, I'll limit my discussion to the United States copyright laws. Be aware that I am not trained in the law and I am not qualified to provide legal advice. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice. Be sure to consult with a qualified legal representative to answer your questions about copyright laws.

Who Owns the Copyright?

Most people will not be surprised that, generally, the photographer owns the copyright in a photograph. However, the copyright may be transferred to another person. Upon the death of the photographer, the copyright is transferred to the copyright owner's heirs.

A somewhat unexpected consequence of this fact is that, in most cases, a professional photographer owns the copyright to the photographs he takes. This means that, if someone hires a professional photographer to take wedding pictures or studio portraits, the photographer owns the copyright to the photographs, not the person who hired the photographer.

One exception is if you ask someone else to take a photograph of you with your own camera, you own the copyright. In this case, even though someone else snapped the picture, you own the original negative or original digital image, and consequently you own the copyright.

Ownership of a photographic print or digital image does not confer ownership of the copyright of that photograph. The copyright is owned by the owner of the original negative or original digital image.

How Long Does Copyright Last?

Unless specific laws or agreements place a photograph in the public domain, most photographs are protected by copyright for a certain period of time. In order to be protected by copyright at all, the photograph must be original, but as long as the copyright is in effect, a photograph may not be reproduced or published without permission except as allowed by Fair Use (see below).

New Photographs. New photographs, meaning photographs taken after 01 Mar 1989, are automatically protected by copyright. The photographs need not include a notice of copyright, the photograph need not be published, and the photograph need not be registered with the copyright office to be protected.

Take note, however, that registration of the copyright of a photograph may be necessary to claim damages if your copyright is infringed. The current registration fee is $45, so it is unlikely that most genealogists will register the copyrights on their photographs.

If the photographer is known, the copyright is valid for the photographer's life + 70 years. If the photographer is unknown, the copyright is valid for the year of creation + 120 years, or the year of publication + 95 years, whichever is shorter.

Photographs Published Before 01 Mar 1989. To be covered by copyright, photographs published before 01 Mar 1989 must have been accompanied by a copyright notice. Photographs published before 01 Mar 1989 without a copyright notice are in the public domain. In this sense, publication means that the photograph is made available to the general public.

See the American Society of Media Photographers website and the comment by Robert Panzer (below) for more information.

Photographs Published before 1923. In the United States, all photographs published before 1923 are in the public domain. They may be used freely, although proper credit should still be provided to the photographer, if known.

Unpublished Photographs. Special care must be taken with photographs that are unpublished, where publication entails distribution to the public. Unpublished photographs are protected by copyright for the life of the photographer + 70 years, if the photographer is known. If the photographer is unknown, the copyright is valid for the year of creation + 120 years, or the year of publication + 95 years, whichever is shorter.

Most of my own family pictures fall into the category of unpublished photographs.

Obtaining Permission to Use Copyrighted Photographs

Unless someone is certain that either he owns the copyright to a photograph or that the photograph is in the public domain, he should obtain permission to use the photograph if he intends to use the photograph beyond the limits of Fair Use.

If the photographer is deceased, the copyright will usually pass to the photographer's heirs. If a photographic studio has been sold, copyrights may have been transferred to whoever purchased the studio. Permission to use professional photographs still under copyright should be obtained from whoever currently owns the copyright to those photographs. The owner of the copyright may ask for royalties in exchange for permission to publish the photographs in a family history or on the web.

This means that you may inherit the copyright for photographs your deceased parents took. It also means that you may share the copyright with your siblings. If you don't own sole copyright to the photographs you want to publish, you should obtain permission from all current copyright owners.

One-of-a-Kind Photographs

If a photograph is one-of-a-kind, such as a photograph found in an archives or private collection, the owner of the photograph may still charge a fee for use of the photograph, even if the photograph is in the public domain.

Privacy

Photographs that include recognizable people present additional concerns. Before publishing the images of living people, one must obtain the written permission of those people. Exceptions exist for the publication of the images of public figures when used in a context related to that person's public status.

Copyrighted Content in Photographs

Aside from the issue of copyrighted photographs themselves, one must be aware that the publication of photographs of copyrighted subjects and trademarks may also be protected.

Buildings constructed after 01 Dec 1990 may be protected by copyright and the publication of photographs of such structures may violate copyright laws. However, if the building is in a public place and photographable from a public place, publication of photographs of copyrighted buildings may not violate copyright laws.

An exception exists when a building includes copyrighted artwork. Permission to publish a photograph of copyrighted artwork must be obtained before publication.

The Picture Archive Council of America has assembled a list of structures that may be protected. This caveat does not mean that you can't take a picture of these structures. It does, however, mean that you must obtain permission to publish those photographs.

Fair Use

Fair Use permits the use of copyrighted material in limited circumstances determined by the intended use of the material, the nature of the copyrighted material, the amount of copyrighted material used, and the effect of the use on the market for the copyrighted material.

Based on this, one may be able to use copyrighted photographs for personal educational purposes, but reproduction of copyrighted photographs on the Internet or in a published family history is probably outside the limits of fair use.

Photographs on the Internet

While the Internet is widely used for the free exchange of information, one should never assume that photographs posted on the Internet are in the public domain. In turn, this observation does not mean that public domain images do not exist on the Internet. To find public domain images, try searching for "public domain images" using your favorite search engine. There are plenty of royalty-free public domain images available on the Internet as well as images available for use for a fee.

Conclusion

Before publishing a photograph on the Internet or in a Family History, be sure that you have the right to publish the photograph. If you are not certain that the photograph is in the public domain or that you own the copyright to the photograph, either obtain permission to publish or consider using another photograph.

And, if your photographs include recognizable images of living people, be sure to obtain the permission of those people before publication.

Once again, I am not trained in the law and I am not qualified to provide legal advice. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice. Be sure to consult with a qualified legal representative to answer your questions about copyright laws.

For More Information

To learn more about copyright issues for genealogists, consider enrolling in the Genealogy & Copyright Guidelines course offered by National Institute for Genealogical Studies.

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack has published a concise guide to copyright and contract issues for genealogists. In her book, Sharon describes her own experiences with copyrights and contracts and provides much more information in an easy to read Question and Answer format:

Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo. 2005. Carmack's guide to copyright & contracts: a primer for genealogists, writers & researchers. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub.

Additional information, including copyright basics and Frequently Asked Questions can also be obtained from the United States Copyright Office website.

The Descendants of Aubin Gamache

Steve — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:01:42 +0000

After posting many of the records of the Patenaude and Gamache families, it's time to assemble the information I've discovered. The following genealogy does not include living individuals.

Descendants of Aubin Gamache

Generation No. 1
1. AUBIN GAMACHE was born 01 Mar 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, Lower Canada, son of PIERRE GAMACHE and GENEVIÈVE BELANGER. He married MARIE TÉRÈSE SYLVESTRE. Child of AUBIN GAMACHE and MARIE SYLVESTRE is: 2. i. ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 31 Oct 1788 in Cap St. Ignace, Lower Canada.
Generation No. 2
2. ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS GAMACHE (AUBIN) was born 31 Oct 1788 in Cap St. Ignace, Lower Canada. He married MARGUERITE LEBLANC 15 Jun 1812 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada, daughter of PIERRE LEBLANC and MARGUERITE TRAHANT. She was born 14 Sep 1789 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. Children of ABRAHAM GAMACHE and MARGUERITE LEBLANC are: i. MARIE MARGUERITE GAMACHE, born 16 Apr 1813, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. 3. ii. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 21 Nov 1814, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. iii. AUBIN GAMACHE, born 20 Mar 1816, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. iv. PIERRE GAMACHE, born 04 Mar 1818, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. 4. v. MARIE GAMACHE, born 08 Sep 1820, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada; died 1898.
Generation No. 3
3. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE (ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 21 Nov 1814 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Lower Canada. He married (1) OSITHE MARTIN 26 Sep 1837 in St. Cyprien /Napierville, Lower Canada, daughter of NICOLAS MARTIN and MARIE GIROUX. She was born 30 Sep 1818 in L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Lower Canada, and died Bet. 1847 - 1852. He married (2) MARGUERITE DUTEAU 07 Sep 1852 in St. Cyprien /Napierville, Lower Canada, daughter of JEAN DUTEAU and ANASTASIA MAILLOUX. Children of FRANÇOIS GAMACHE and OSITHE MARTIN are: 5. i. OSITHE GAMACHE, born 22 May 1838, L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Lower Canada; d. 19 May 1889, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. ii. MARIE GAMACHE, born 25 Dec 1839, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada; died 22 May 1843, Napierville, Lower Canada. iii. MARIE CÉLINE GAMACHE, born 15 Aug 1841, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada. iv. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 24 May 1843, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada. v. DAVID GAMACHE, born 29 Mar 1845, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada. vi. MARIE DOMITILLE GAMACHE, born 07 Jun 1846, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada; died 10 Jun 1846, Napierville, Lower Canada. vii. ADELINE GAMACHE, born 21 May 1847, Napierville, Napierville Co., Lower Canada. Children of FRANÇOIS GAMACHE and MARGUERITE DUTEAU are: viii. FRANÇOIS CÉADE GAMACHE, born 12 May 1854, St. Cyprien /Napierville, Lower Canada. ix. JOSEPH GAMACHE, born 14 Sep 1855, St. Cyprien /Napierville, Lower Canada. 4. MARIE GAMACHE (ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 1829, and died 1898. She married PIERRE DANDURAND. He was born 1828, and died 1899. Children of MARIE GAMACHE and PIERRE DANDURAND are: i. ANRELINE DANDURAND, b. 1852; d. 1876; m. ELZEAR DAVIGNON; b. 1859; d. 1890. ii. STEPHANIE DANDURAND, b. 1863; d. 1877. iii. AUTHENIE DANDURAND, b. 1864; d. 1865.
Generation No. 4
5. OSITHE GAMACHE (FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 22 May 1838 in L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Lower Canada, and died 19 May 1889 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE 24 Oct 1862 in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Les Jardins-de-Napierville, Québec, Canada, son of FRANÇOIS PATENAUDE and MARGUERITE COGNAC-DIT-LEVEILLE. He was born 10 Jun 1840 in St. Valentin, Lower Canada, and died 30 Mar 1940 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Children of OSITHE GAMACHE and CHARLES PATENAUDE are: 6. i. MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE, born 19 Mar 1863, St. Valentin, Lower Canada. ii. HORMISDAS PATENAUDE, born 14 May 1864, St. Valentin, Lower Canada; died 18 Dec 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. 7. iii. MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, born 31 Dec 1865, St. Valentin, Lower Canada; d. 11 Jul 1926, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. iv. MARIE EDWIDGE PATENAUDE, born 17 Oct 1867, Barford, Québec, Canada; m. GEORGE PHANEUF-CHABOT, 11 Dec 1887, St. Joseph Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 8. v. MARIE ZÉNAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, born 12 Jun 1870, Coaticook, Québec, Canada; d. 21 May 1959, Central Ave. Convalesent Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. 9. vi. JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE, born 02 Mar 1872, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. vii. HENRIETTE PATENAUDE, born 11 Mar 1874, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; m. HENRY ROBITAILLE. viii. PIERRE FRANÇOIS PATENAUDE, born 02 Feb 1876, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. ix. JOSEPH FRANÇOIS ADELARD PATENAUDE, born 03 Jun 1879, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; died 09 Apr 1880, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. x. ANONYME PATENAUDE, born 09 Mar 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; died 09 Mar 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada.
Generation No. 5
6. MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 19 Mar 1863 in St. Valentin, Lower Canada. She married JOSEPH HORMISDAS NORMANDIN 09 Oct 1882 in Saint-Valentin, Le Haut-Richelieu, QC, Canada, son of JOSEPH NORMANDIN and URSULE BANLIER. He was born Abt. 1860 in New York. Children of MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE and JOSEPH NORMANDIN are: i. JOSEPH HENRI NORMANDIN, born 14 Jun 1883, St. Valentin, Québec, Canada. ii. EDWIDGE NORMANDIN, b. 1884, Lower Canada. iii. LEA NORMANDIN, b. 07 Oct 1885, New York. iv. GUILLIAME NORMANDIN, b. 06 Mar 1887, New York. v. RAOUL NORMANDIN, b. 17 Jun 1890, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. vi. RUDOLPH NORMANDIN, b. Abt. 1892. vii. EARL NORMANDIN, b. 28 Mar 1894. viii. BERTHA NORMANDIN, b. 1896. ix. LEOPOLD NORMANDIN, b. 1899. x. OMER NORMANDIN, b. 13 Sep 1901. xi. CHESTER J. NORMANDIN, b. 1904; d. Aft. 1930. xii. ARMAND J. NORMANDIN, b. 26 Jul 1905, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 7. MARIE LEA PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 31 Dec 1865 in St. Valentin, Lower Canada, and died 11 Jul 1926 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married (1) THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT. He was born 04 Jul 1859 in Churchill, Canada, and died 25 Jun 1960. She married (2) HENRI F. ARCHAMBAULT 05 Apr 1893 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of JOSEPH ARCHAMBAULT. He was born Feb 1865 in New York. Children of MARIE LEA PATENAUDE and THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT are: i. THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT. ii. CHRISTOPH ARSHAMBAULT. iii. LAKK ARSHAMBAULT. iv. WILLBERT ARSHAMBAULT. 10. v. ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT, b. 14 Apr 1912, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York; d. 25 Dec 1949, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Children of MARIE PATENAUDE and HENRI ARCHAMBAULT are: 11. vi. LEO ARCHAMBAULT, b. Jun 1894, New York. vii. VALMORE F. ARCHAMBAULT, b. 04 Mar 1897, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. Jul 1984, Maine; m. FLORENCE UNKNOWN, Abt. 1927; b. Abt. 1898, New York. viii. LUCILLA ARCHAMBAULT, b. Abt. 1900, New York. 12. ix. JEANNETTE I. ARCHAMBAULT, b. 12 Mar 1903, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 26 Dec 1938, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 8. MARIE ZÉNAÏDE ZITE PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 12 Jun 1870 in Coaticook, Québec, Canada, and died 21 May 1959 in Central Ave. Convalesent Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. She married PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, SR. 24 Oct 1900 in St. Joseph's Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of JOSEPH CHARRON and ADELINE GALIFEAU. He was born 26 Sep 1874 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 26 Jan 1943 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Children of MARIE ZÉNAÏDE PATENAUDE and PAUL CHARRON are: 13. i. ARTHUR ANTHONY CHARRON, b. 25 Sep 1901, 125 Columbia Street /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 23 Jan 1978, Hudson, Columbia Co., New York. 14. ii. CECELIA ANTONETTE CHARRON, b. 11 Nov 1902, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 07 Sep 1946, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 15. iii. ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON, b. 01 Oct 1904, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 25 Sep 1992, St. Peter's Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York. 16. iv. PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, JR., b. 04 Dec 1908, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 31 Dec 1991, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York. 17. v. GEORGE VALMORE CHARRON, b. 16 Apr 1911, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 11 Jan 1971, Burlington, Franklin Co., Vermont. 9. JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 02 Mar 1872 in Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. He married DIANA MARIE PENELOPE CARPENTER, daughter of JOSEPH CARPENTER and ODILE UNKNOWN. She was born Jan 1875 in Blackstone, Massachusetts. Child of JOSEPH PATENAUDE and DIANA CARPENTER is: 18. i. FRANCIS X. PATENAUDE I, b. 15 Dec 1909; d. Aug 1985.
Generation No. 6
10. ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 14 Apr 1912 in Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York, and died 25 Dec 1949 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married TENNA DEAY 30 Dec 1935 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York. He was born 26 Dec 1911 in Paris, France, and died 25 Dec 1949 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Child of ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT and TENNA DEAY is: i. THOMAS DEAY, b. 31 Dec 1940, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York; d. 30 Dec 1997, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York. 11. LEO ARCHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born Jun 1894 in New York. He married JEANETTE UNKNOWN Abt. 1913. She was born Abt. 1895 in Quebec, Canada. Children of LEO ARCHAMBAULT and JEANETTE UNKNOWN are: i. PAUL ARCHAMBAULT, b. 23 Dec 1913, Quebec, Canada; d. Mar 1953, New York. 12. JEANNETTE I. ARCHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 12 Mar 1903 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 26 Dec 1938 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 13. ARTHUR ANTHONY CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 25 Sep 1901 in 125 Columbia Street /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 23 Jan 1978 in Hudson, Columbia Co., New York. He married GOLDIE DUNTZ 25 Sep 1940 in Churchtown, Columbia Co., New York, daughter of BERTHA DUNTZ. She was born 18 Feb 1905 in Hudson, Columbia Co., New York, and died 04 Mar 2003 in New York. Child of ARTHUR CHARRON and GOLDIE DUNTZ is: i. ARTHUR PAUL CHARRON, b. 18 Aug 1941, Hudson, Columbia Co., New York; d. 25 Jan 2004, New York. 14. CECELIA ANTONETTE CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 11 Nov 1902 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 07 Sep 1946 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married WILLIAM THOMAS NORMILE 18 May 1934 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of THOMAS WILLIAM NORMILE. He was born 1898 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 23 Jun 1955 in Waterford, Saratoga Co., New York. Child of CECELIA CHARRON and WILLIAM NORMILE is: 20. i. THOMAS NORMILE, b. 28 Feb 1935, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 25 Sep 1998, Watervliet, Albany Co., New York. 15. ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 01 Oct 1904 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 25 Sep 1992 in St. Peter's Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York. She married JOHN JOSEPH DANKO 27 Jun 1935 in Ste. Marie's Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA. He was born 02 May 1905 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 30 Dec 1962 in Albany, Albany Co., New York. 16. PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, JR. (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 04 Dec 1908 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 31 Dec 1991 in Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York. He married ANNETTE GIRARD 24 Sep 1938 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, daughter of PETER GIRARD and MALVINA SHEPARD. She was born 19 Apr 1912 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 28 Apr 1984 in Cohoes Memorial Hospital /Latham, Albany Co., New York. 17. GEORGE VALMORE CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 16 Apr 1911 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 11 Jan 1971 in Burlington, Franklin Co., Vermont. He married ALICE KAY FINNIE in Jonesville, Saratoga Co., New York. She was born 01 Feb 1909 in Rennselaer Co., New York, and died 01 Apr 1997 in Decatur, Dekalb Co., Georgia. Child of GEORGE CHARRON and ALICE FINNIE is: ii. LINDA LEE CHARRON, b. 14 Jan 1946, Province of New Brunswick, Canada; d. 20 Aug 1954, Decatur, Dekalb Co., Georgia; Adopted child. Child of GEORGE CHARRON and his second wife is: iii. SUSAN MARY CHARRON, b. 23 Nov 1950; d. 07 May 2002, Reynoldsburg, Franklin Co., Ohio. 18. FRANCIS X. PATENAUDE I (JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN) was born 15 Dec 1909, and died Aug 1985. He married VERONICA ANGUS 1935, daughter of JOHN ANGUS and ROZALIA UNKNOWN. She was born 1910.

Descendants of Nicolas Gamache

Steve — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:22:04 +0000

Generation No. 1

1. NICOLAS GAMACHE was born in France. He and (1) MICHELLE POTEL were married before 31 Dec 1626 in France. She was born and died in France. He and (2) JACQUELINE CADOTTE were married before 13 Oct 1636 in France.

Child of NICOLAS GAMACHE and MICHELLE POTEL is:

i. JACQUES GAMACHE was born before 1626 in France.

Children of NICOLAS GAMACHE and JACQUELINE CADOTTE are:

2. ii. GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was born 13 Oct 1636 in France. She was buried 05 Nov 1709 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. 3. iii. NICOLAS GAMACHE was born 17 Apr 1639 in France. He was buried 30 Oct 1699 in the parish church of St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France.

Generation No. 2

2. GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE (NICOLAS) was born 13 Oct 1636 in France. She was buried 05 Nov 1709 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. She married JULIEN FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE 11 Nov 1652 in Canada, New France.

Children of GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE AND JULIEN FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE are:

4. i. BARBE FORTIN was born 21 Oct 1654 in Canada, New France. She died 26 Aug 1737 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France and was buried 27 Aug 1727 in the cemetery at Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l’Islet, L’Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. She and PIERRE GAGNON, son of PIERRE GAGNON AND VINCENTE DESVARIEUX, were married between 12 and 18 Nov 1669 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. She and PIERRE LESSARD, son of Étienne Lessard and Marguerite Sevestre, were married 16 Apr 1690 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. 5. ii. CHARLES FORTIN was born before 1656 in Canada, New France. He died 22 Jun 1735 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France and was buried 23 Jun 1735 in the parish of Notre Dame de Bonsecours de L'Islet, Canada, New France. He and MARIE SAINTE CLOUTIER, daughter of JEAN CLOUTIER and MARIE MARTIN-LESCOSSOIS, were married 11 Nov 1681 in Canada, New France. 6. iii. EUSTACHE FORTIN was born before 1658 in Canada, New France. He died 21 Jan 1736 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and was buried 23 Jan 1736 in the cemetery at St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He and LOUISE CLOUTIER, daughter of RENE CLOUTIER and MARIE ELISABETH LEBLANC, were married 25 May 1693 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. iv. JACQUES FORTIN was born 12 Jan 1660 in Canada, New France. He was buried 28 Feb 1730 in the parish of St. Peter et St. Paul de Baie St. Paul, Baie St. Paul, Canada, New France. He and MARIE CATHERINE BIVILLE-PICARD were married 11 Jun 1689 in Canada, New France. v. MARIE GENEVIÈVE FORTIN was born 08 Apr 1662 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was baptized 09 Apr 1662 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. She died 21 Mar 1703 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was buried 22 Mar 1703 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. She and NOEL GAGNON were married 08 Jul 1683 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. vi. JOSEPH FORTIN was born 15 May 1664 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was baptized 20 May 1664 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. He and AGNES CLOUTIER were married 25 Oct 1691 in Château Richer, Canada, New France. vii. MARIE ANNE FORTIN was born 01 Mar 1666 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was baptized 01 Mar 1666 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. She was buried 28 Dec 1702 in the cemetery of the parish of Notre Dame de Québec, Québec, Canada, New France. She and JEAN PICARD were married 1683 in St. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. viii. JULIEN FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE was born 17 Apr 1667 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was baptized provisionally 22 Apr 1667 in La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. He died 21 Nov 1687 in St. Joachim, Canada, New France and was buried 22 Nov 1687 in the cemetery of the parish of St. Joachim, Canada, New France. ix. PIERRE FORTIN was born 21 May 1669 in Château Richer, Canada, New France and was baptized 24 May 1669 at home in Cap Tourmente, Canada, New France (his baptism was included in the records of Château Richer). He died 03 Jan 1756 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France and was buried 04 Jan 1756 in the cemetery of the parish of Notre Dame de Bonsecours de L’Islet sur Mer, L’Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. He and MARIE GERTRUDE HUDON-BEAULIEU were married 04 Jul 1697 in Rivière Ouelle, Canada, New France. x. LOUIS FORTIN was born 07 Mar 1671 in St. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France and was baptized 19 Mar 1671 in St. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. He died 08 Dec 1687 in St. Joachim, Canada, New France. xi. JEAN FORTIN was baptized between 10 Jun 1674 and 25 Jul 1674 in St. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. xii. MARGUERITE FORTIN was born 28 May 1677 in St. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France and was baptized 05 Jun 1677 in the chapel at Cap Tourmente, Canada, New France (her baptism was included in the records of St. Anne de Beaupré). She was buried 15 Jan 1703 in the cemetery of the parish of Notre Dame de Québec, Québec, Canada, New France. She and PIERRE FRANÇOIS FROMAGE were married 23 Nov 1699 in the parish of Notre Dame de Québec, Québec, Canada, New France.

3. NICOLAS GAMACHE (NICOLAS) was born 17 Apr 1639 in France. He was buried 30 Oct 1699 in the parish church of St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He and ÉLISABETH URSULE CLOUTIER, daughter of CHARLES CLOUTIER and LOUISE MORIN, were married on 09 Nov 1676 in the parish of La Visitation de Notre Dame du Château Richer, Château Richer, Canada, New France. She was buried 24 Oct 1699 in the parish church of St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. Children of NICOLAS GAMACHE and ELISABETH URSULE CLOUTIER are:

7. i. LOUIS GAMACHE was born 20 Mar 1678 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and was baptized 17 Apr 1678 in the parish of Cap St. Ignace (baptism recorded in the books of Notre Dame, Québec), Canada, New France. He died 10 Feb 1745 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and was buried 11 Feb 1745 under his seigneurial bench in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He and MARIE ANGELIQUE MIVILLE were married on 26 Apr 1702 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada,, New France. 8. ii. NICOLAS GAMACHE was born 21 May 1680 in Cap de Vincelotte, Canada, New France and was baptized 09 Jun 1680 in Cap de Vincelotte, Canada, New France (the baptism was recorded in the records of Neuville). He died 01 Oct 1734 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France and was buried 02 Oct 1734 in L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. He and MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION were married on 20 Jan 1705 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. 9. iii. JEAN BAPTISTE GAMACHE was born 06 Jun 1682 and baptized 24 Jun 1682 in the Seigneury of Vincelotte, Canada, New France (the baptism was recorded in the records of Cap St. Ignace). He died 30 Oct 1750 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and was buried 31 Oct 1750 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He and AGATHE RICHARD were married on 18 Jan 1712 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. iv. IGNACE GAMACHE was born 20 Aug 1683 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and baptized 20 Aug 1683 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. 10. v. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE was born 26 Jan 1686 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and baptized 31 Jan 1686 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He and (1) MARGUERITE MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION were married on 23 Nov 1711 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet sur Mer, Canada, New France. He and (2) LOUISE CARON, daughter of PIERRE CARON and MARIE BERNIER, were married 28 Aug 1713 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. 11. vi. ELISABETH ISABELLE GAMACHE was born before 1688. She died 01 Feb 1750 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and was buried 02 Feb 1750 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She and PIERRE RICHARD were married on 07 Jan 1709 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. 12. vii. ANNE GAMACHE was born 25 Oct 1690 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and baptized 25 Oct 1690 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She died 15 Oct 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She married JEAN BAPTISTE RICHARD on 16 Jan 1713 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. 13. viii. GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was born 05 Oct 1692 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 07 Oct 1692 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She was buried 20 Mar 1736 in Rivière Ouelle, Canada, New France. She and (1) JOSEPH HUDON BEAULIEU, son of PIERRE HUDON-BEAULIEU and MARIE GOBEIL were married on 28 Jul 1711 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Canada, New France. He was born 21 Apr 1685 in Rivière Ouelle, Canada, New France and died 11 Dec 1711 in Rivière Ouelle, Canada, New France. She and (2) JEAN BAPTISTE GAGNON-BELLES-ISLES were married on 05 Sep 1713 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Canada, New France. 14. ix. MARIE GAMACHE was born 27 Oct 1694 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and baptized 28 Oct 1694 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She died 01 Dec 1759 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. She married LOUIS GUYON-BUISSON-DION on 03 Feb 1722 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Canada, New France. 15. x. PIERRE GAMACHE was born 13 Jan 1698 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France and baptized 14 Jan 1698 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France. He married MARIE GENEVIÈVE BELANGER 11 Aug 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Canada, New France.

Generation No. 3

4. BARBE FORTIN (GENEVIÈVE, NICOLAS) was born 21 Oct 1654 in Québec, New France and died 26 Aug 1737 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE GAGNON, son of PIERRE GAGNON AND VINCENTE DESVARIEUX, were married in 1669 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE LESSARD, son of Étienne Lessard and Marguerite Sevestre, were married 16 Apr 1690 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Canada, New France. Children of BARBE FORTIN and PIERRE GAGNON are:

i. MARIE MADELEINE RENÉE GAGNON was born 28 Mar 1671 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. She died 31 Jan 1744 in Rimouski, Québec, New France. She and RENE LEPAGE-DESATINTECLAIRE were married 10 Jun 1686 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. ii. JOSEPH GAGNON was born 01 Jan 1673 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 09 Feb 1736 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He and AGATHE BELANGER were married 17 Feb 1700 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. iii. GENEVIÈVE GAGNON was born 04 Mar 1674 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. She died 28 Apr 1749 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. She and CHARLES BELANGER were married 18 Feb 1692 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. iv. AUGUSTIN GAGNON was born 18 Oct 1675 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. v. PIERRE GAGNON was born 04 Jan 1677 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 03 Dec 1749 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He and ELISABETH ISABELLE LACROIX were married 14 Nov 1701 Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. vi. CHARLES GAGNON was born 17 May 1679 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 16 Feb 1759 in St. Michel de Dellechasse (La Durantaye). He and ANNE BELANGER were married 19 Jan 1706 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. vii. MARGUERITE GAGNON was born 09 Feb 1681 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. viii. MARGUERITE GAGNON was born 02 Feb 1682 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. She died 30 May 1686 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. ix. ALEXANDRE GAGNON was born 06 Jan 1684 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 22 Feb 1752 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ANGELIQUE CARON were married 26 Aug 1711 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. x. MARGUERITE GAGNON was born 07 Jan 1687 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. She died 24 Dec 1722 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE LEFRANCOIS were married 24 Nov 1704 in Château Richer, Québec, New France. xi. JEAN BAPTISTE GAGNON was born 25 Jan 1688 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 01 feb 1769 in La Pocatiére, Québec, New France. He and MARIE FRANÇOISE OUELLET were married 14 Jan 1714 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France.

5. CHARLES (GENEVIÈVE, NICOLAS) was born before 1656 in Québec, New France and died 22 Jun 1735 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. He and MARIE SAINTE CLOUTIER, daughter of JEAN CLOUTIER and MARIE MARTIN-LESCOSSOIS, were married 11 Nov 1681 in Québec, New France. Children of CHARLES FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE and MARIE SAINTE CLOUTIER are:

i. CHARLES FORTIN was born 15 Dec 1684 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE LOUISE GUIMOND were married 14 Nov 1712 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ii. MARIE GENEVIÈVE FORTIN was born 28 Oct 1686 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 30 Jul 1763 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and LOUIS LEMIEUX were married 11 Feb 1705 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. iii. MARIE ANNE FORTIN was born 08 Dec 1688 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. She died 08 Aug 1750 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH CARON were married 01 Jun 1711 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. iv. LOUIS FORTIN was born 15 Dec 1690 in Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Québec, New France. He died 05 Dec 1749 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ANNE BOSSE were married 05 Nov 1714 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. MARGUERITE FORTIN was born 17 Feb 1693 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 18 May 1732 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. MARIE ELISABETH FORTIN was born 05 Apr 1695 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 06 May 1733 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and FRANÇOIS GUIMOND were married 05 Feb 1714 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. vii. JULIEN FORTIN was born 30 Nov 1697 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 08 Dec 1749 in L'Islet dur Mer, Québec, New France. he and ELISABETH CARON were married 23 Oct 1724 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. viii. JEAN BAPTISTE FORTIN was born 25 Sep 1701 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. He died 08 Feb 1770 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE FRANÇOISE BELANGER-BONSECOUR were married 25 Oct 1723 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. ix. JOSEPH FORTIN was born 22 Aug 1703 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. He died 29 Jun 1733 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ELISABETH LEMIEUX were married 07 Nov 1729 in Montmagny, Québec, New France. x. UNKNOWN FORTIN was born 01 Sep 1705 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France. She died 19 Sep 1705 in L'Islet sur Mer, Québec, New France.

6. EUSTACHE FORTIN (GENEVIÈVE, NICOLAS) was born before 1658 in Québec, New France and died 21 Jan 1736 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and LOUISE CLOUTIER, daughter of RENE CLOUTIER and MARIE ELISABETH LEBLANC, were married 25 May 1693 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Children of EUSTACHE FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE and LOUISE CLOUTIER are:

i. MARGUERITE FORTIN was born 10 Feb 1694 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 24 Apr 1717 in Montmagny, Québec, New France. She and LOUIS COUILLARD-LEPINE were married 21 Jun 1716 in Québec, New France. ii. FRANÇOIS FORTIN was born 28 Oct 1695 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MADELEINE RICHARD were married 31 Jan 1719 in Québec, New France. iii. PIERRE FORTIN was born 29 Jun 1697 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 03 Apr 1752 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and LOUISE CARON were married 11 Jan 1719 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iv. MARIE LOUISE FORTIN was born 26 Mar 1699 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 28 Feb 1749 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and ALEXANDRE BERNIER were married 24 Nov 1723 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. JOSEPH FORTIN was born 12 Nov 1701 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 26 Feb 1773 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MARTHE BERNIER were married 20 Aug 1725 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. MARIE GENEVIÈVE FORTIN was born 16 May 1704 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 26 Apr 1760 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH ALEXIS LEMIEUX were married 14 Jun 1723 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vii. PHILIPPE FORTIN was born12 Jun 1706 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 20 Dec 1776 in Cap. St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE GENEVIÈVE RICHARD were married 21 Feb 1746 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. viii. JEAN BAPTISTE FORTIN was born 10 Aug 1708 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and ANGELIQUE RICHARD were married 06 May 1731 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ix. LOUIS FORTIN was born 24 May 1711 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE FRANÇOISE BLANCHET were married 26 Oct 1730 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. x. MARIE MADELEINE FORTIN was born 31 Dec 1713 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JEAN BAPTISTE COTE were married 17 Jul 1729 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. xi. MARIE CLAIRE FORTIN was born 28 Apr 1716 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JEAN BAPTISTE BERNIER were married 11 Jan 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

7. LOUIS GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 20 Mar 1678 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 17 Apr 1678 in the parish of St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France (baptism recorded in the books of Notre Dame de Québec, Québec, New France). He married MARIE ANGELIQUE MIVILLE, daughter of FRANÇOIS MIVILLE and MARIE LANGLOIS, on 26 Apr 1702 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 10 Feb 1745 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and was buried 11 Feb 1745 under his seigneurial bench in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Children of LOUIS GAMACHE and MARIE ANGELIQUE MIVILLE are:

i. LOUIS GAMACHE was born 25 Feb 1703 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married MARIE MADELEINE THIBAULT on 29 Oct 1732 in Montmagny, New France. He died on 20 Mar 1756 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ii. JEAN GAMACHE was born 07 May 1704 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and was baptized 08 May 1704 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married MARIE ELISABETH BAZIN on 15 Nov 1730 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 15 Nov 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iii. GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was born 25 Dec 1705 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She married AMBROISE FOUNIER on 30 Jun 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iv. JOSEPH GAMACHE was born 30 Apr 1707 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and died 04 Aug 1733 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE was born 17 Nov 1708 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married MARIE LEMIEUX on 09 Aug 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. MARIE MARTHE GAMACHE was born 20 Jul 1710 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She married JEAN HILAIRE BRIDEAU on 17 Jun 1754 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vii. URSULE MARIE GAMACHE was born 13 Dec 1712 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She married FRANÇOIS GUIMOND on 24 Nov 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. viii. MARIE MADELEINE GAMACHE was born 28 Jan 1714 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She married JACQUES JONCAS on 30 Aug 1751 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ix. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE was born 10 Mar 1715 in Cap St. Ignace, New France and died 31 Oct 1739 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. x. PIERRE GAMACHE was born 22 Aug 1716 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married MARIE MARGUERITE GAGNE-BELAVANCE on 17 Feb 1744 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. xi. IGNACE FELIX GAMACHE was born 05 Dec 1718 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. xii. MICHEL ARSENE GAMACHE was born 06 Jan 1721 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married MARIE FRANÇOISE FOURNIER 18 Nov 1742 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

8. NICOLAS GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 21 May 1680 in Cap de Vincelotte, Québec, New France and was baptized 09 Jun 1680 in Cap de Vincelotte, Québec, New France (the baptism was recorded in the records of Neuville). He married MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION on 20 Jan 1705 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He died 01 Oct 1734 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France and was buried 02 Oct 1734 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. Children of NICOLAS GAMACHE and MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION are:

i. MARIE GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was born 03 Nov 1705 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and FRANÇOIS XAVIER CARON were married 20 Nov 1731 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. ii. NICOLAS GAMACHE was born 07 Feb 1707 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. iii. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE was born 24 Sep 1708 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. iv. IGNACE GAMACHE was born 17 Feb 1710 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. v. MARIE GAMACHE was born 06 May 1712 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She died 18 Apr 1739 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH BELANGER were married 18 Jun 1737 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. vi. JOACHIM GAMACHE was born 11 Feb 1714 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. He and MARIE SCHOLASTIQUE THIBAULT were married 01 Dec 1741 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. vii. MARGUERITE GAMACHE was born 30 Nov 1715 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She died 15 Nov 1736 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and LOUIS CARON were married 05 Jul 1734 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. viii. ELISABETH GAMACHE was born 14 Mar 1719 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and FRANÇOIS CHALIFOUR were married 18 Nov 1737 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. ix. ALEXIS ISIDORE GAMACHE was born 03 Sep 1721 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. He and HELENE CHALIFOUR were married 29 Jul 1748 in Charlesbourg, Québec, New France. x. MARIE MARTHE GAMACHE was born 09 Jul 1724 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She died 19 May 1744 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. She and JEAN BOUCHET were married 23 Apr 1724 in L'Islet, Québec, New France.

9. JEAN BAPTISTE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 06 Jun 1682 in the Seigneury of Vincelotte, Québec, New France and baptized 24 Jun 1682 in the Seigneury of Vincelotte, Québec, New France (the baptism was recorded in the records of Cap St. Ignace). He died 30 Oct 1750 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and was buried 31 Oct 1750 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He married AGATHE RICHARD, daughter of PIERRE RICHARD and FRANÇOISE MIVILLE, on 18 Jan 1712 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Child of JEAN BAPTISTE GAMACHE and AGATHE RICHARD is:

i. JEAN GAMACHE was born 22 Nov 1712 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 25 Jan 1713 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

10. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 26 Jan 1686 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 31 Jan 1686 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and (1) MARGUERITE MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION were married on 23 Nov 1711 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He and (2) LOUISE CARON, daughter of PIERRE CARON and MARIE BERNIER, were married 28 Aug 1713 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Child of AUGUSTIN GAMACHE and MARGUERITE MARIE GUYON-BUISSON-DION is:

i. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE was born 06 Sep 1712 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. He died 07 Nov 1712 in L'Islet, Québec, New France.

Children of AUGUSTIN GAMACHE and LOUISE CARON are:

i. NICOLAS GAMACHE was born 20 Aug 1714 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He died 15 Nov 1714 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. ii. AUGUSTIN GAMACHE was born 20 Aug 1714 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. He die 15 Nov 1714 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. iii. MARIE LOUISE GAMACHE was born 08 AUg 1716 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. She and LOUIS LEMIEUX were married 22 NOv 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

11. vi. ELISABETH ISABELLE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born before 1688 in Québec, New France. She died 01 Feb 1750 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and was buried 02 Feb 1750 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE RICHARD, son of PIERRE RICHARD and FRANÇOISE MIVILLE were married on 07 Jan 1709 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Children of ELISABETH ISABELLE GAMACHE and PIERRE RICHARD are:

i. PIERRE RICHARD was born 05 Nov 1709 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 20 Aug 1733 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ii. ELISABETH RICHARD was born 30 Mar 1711 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iii. JEAN BAPTISTE RICHARD was born 25 Mar 1712 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 25 Nov 1755 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ANGELIQUE BOUCHER, were married 30 Jun 1739 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. iv. ELISABETH RICHARD was born 11 Nov 1713 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 08 Jun 1733 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. MARIE GENEVIÈVE RICHARD was born 23 Feb 1715 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 29 Nov 1774 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and PHILIPPE FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE were married 21 Feb 1746 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. MARIE LUCE RICHARD was born before 1717 in Québec, New France. She and PIERRE MIVILLE-DESCHENES were married 16 Feb 1744 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vii. MARIE MARGUERITE URSULE RICHARD was born 22 Feb 1719 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 16 Jun 1767 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE FORTIN-BELLEFONTAINE were married 21 Feb 1746 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. viii. JOSEPH RICHARD was born 25 Dec 1720 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ROSE GOSSELIN were married 29 May 1747 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ix. RICHARD LAMBERT RICHARD was born 19 Sep 1722 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and FRANÇOISE HUDON-BEAULIEU were married 30 Jun 1749 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. x. MARIE MARTHE RICHARD was born 28 Oct 1724 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH SOUCY-LAVIGNE were married 14 Jun 1751 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. xi. MARIE CLAIRE RICHARD was born 07 Apr 1727 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH BLONDEAU were married 28 Jul 1750 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

12. vii. ANNE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 25 Oct 1690 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 25 Oct 1690 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 15 Oct 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JEAN BAPTISTE RICHARD, son of PIERRE RICHARD and FRANÇOISE MIVILLE, were married on 16 Jan 1713 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. Children of ANNE GAMACHE and JEAN BAPTISTE RICHARD are:

i. JEAN BAPTISTE RICHARD was born 09 Aug 1714 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 13 Jan 1734 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France ii. AUGUSTIN RICHARD was born 25 Jan 1716 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE REINE CLOUTIER were married 19 Nov 1742 in L'Islet, Québec, New France. iii. FRANÇOIS IGNACE RICHARD was born 25 Jan 1719 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 26 Jun 1776 in La Pocatière, Québec, New France. He and MARIE GENEVIÈVE SALOMEE GOSSELIN were married 24 Jan 1752 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iv. MARIE ANNE RICHARD was born 22 Mar 1721 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and FRANÇOIS THIBAULT were married 14 Feb 1748 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. ANDRE RICHARD was born 07 Sep 1722 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ELISABTH FOURNIER were married 07 Feb 1757 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. LAZARE RICHARD was born 07 Sep 1722 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MARTHE GUIGNARD were married 25 Oct 1751 in Berthier En Bas, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vii. LOUIS RAPHAEL RICHARD was born 26 Feb 1724 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE LOUISE FOURNIER were married 22 Feb 1751 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. viii. GENEVIÈVE RICHARD was born 05 Sep 1725 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 26 Dec 1725 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. ix. PIERRE RICHARD was born 22 Jan 1727 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He died 10 Nov 1730 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. x. MARIE URSULE RICHARD was born 23 Apr 1729 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JEAN FRANÇOIS MORIN-VALCOURT were married 20 Jan 1755 in St. François de la Rivière du Sud, Québec, New France.

13. GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 05 Oct 1692 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 07 Oct 1692 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She was buried 20 Mar 1736 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She and (1) JOSEPH HUDON BEAULIEU, son of PIERRE HUDON-BEAULIEU and MARIE GOBEIL were married on 28 Jul 1711 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Québec, New France. He was born 21 Apr 1685 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France and died 11 Dec 1711 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She and (2) JEAN BAPTISTE GAGNON-BELLES-ISLES were married on 05 Sep 1713 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Québec, New France. Children of GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE and JEAN BAPTISTE GAGNON-BELLES-ISLES are:

i. JEAN GAGNON-BELZILE was born 29 Jul 1714 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France and died 22 Aug 1714 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. ii. MARIE DOROTHEE GAGNON-BELZILE was born 02 Aug 1716 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She died 06 Jan 1775 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She and FRANÇOIS SIMON were married 17 Feb 1744 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, . iii. ANTOINE GAGNON-BELZILE was born 11 MAy 1718 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MADELEINE EMOND were married 01 May 1752 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, . iv. JOSEPH GAGNON-BELZILE was born 03 Nov 1720 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MADELEINE OUELLET were married 01 Feb 1751 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, . v. GENEVIÈVE GAGNON-BELZILE was born 19 Nov 1722 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She died 25 Dec 1722 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. vi. MARIE GENEVIÈVE GAGNON-BELZILE was born before 1724 in Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH GUERET-DUMONT were married 29 Apr 1748 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, . vii. MARIE JOSEPHE GAGNON-BELZILE was born 14 Jul 1726 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. She and JOSEPH AUTIN were married 14 Jan 1754 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, . viii. PIERRE GAGNON-BELZILE was born before 1728 in Québec, New France. He and MARIE ANGELIQUE MOREL-DELADURANTAYE were married 19 Oct 1751 in St. Louis de la Kamouraska, Kamouraska, Québec, New France. ix. JEAN BAPTISTE MARIE GAGNON-BELZILE was born 18 Nov 1731 in Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France. He and MARIE ANGELIQUE LEBEL were married 26 Feb 1759 in Notre Dame de Liesse de la Rivière Ouelle, Rivière Ouelle, Québec, New France.

14. MARIE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 27 Oct 1694 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France and baptized 28 Oct 1694 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She died 01 Dec 1759 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. She married LOUIS GUYON-BUISSON-DION on 03 Feb 1722 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de l'Islet, L'Islet, Québec, New France. Children of MARIE GAMACHE and LOUIS GUYON-BUISSON-DION are:

i. MARIE ANNE ANNETTE GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 08 Nov 1722 in L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. She died 19 Dec 1776 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Québec. She and LOUIS ETIENNE GAGNE-BELAVANCE were married 24 Nov 1751 in Notre Dame de Bonsecours de L'Islet, L'Islet-sur-Mer, Québec, New France. ii. LOUIS GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 24 Feb 1724 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE GENEVIÈVE RICHARD were married 20 Nov 1747 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iii. MARIE ELISABETH GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 04 Jul 1726 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and JACQUES THIBAULT were married 18 Apr 1746 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. iv. JOSEPH JOACHIM GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 05 Sep 1728 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE MARGUERITE FOURNIER were married 22 Nov 1751 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. v. ANTOINE GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 17 Sep 1731 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. He and MARIE CHARLOTTE CHARLES BERNIER were married 19 Jan 1757 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vi. SIMON GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 14 Oct 1733 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. vii. MARIE GENEVIÈVE GUYON-BUISSON-DION was born 10 May 1737 in Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France. She and PIERRE GRAVEL-BRINDELIERE were married 27 Nov 1758 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, Québec, New France.

15. PIERRE GAMACHE (NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 13 Jan 1698 and baptized 14 Jan 1698 in Cap. St. Ignace, New France. He married MARIE GENEVIÈVE BELANGER 11 Aug 1734 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Cap St. Ignace, New France. Children of PIERRE GAMACHE and MARIE GENEVIÈVE BELANGER are:

i. MARIE GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was born 07 Jun 1735 and baptized 08 Jun 1735 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. ii. MARIE ROSE GAMACHE was born 13 Mar 1737 and baptized 14 Mar 1737 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. She married Jean Baptiste Fournier, son of Ambroise Fournier and Geneviève Guillet, on 03 Nov 1763 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Province of Québec. iii. PIERRE GAMACHE was born 09 Feb 1739 and baptized 10 Feb 1739 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. He married Marie Catherine Gagné, daughter of Etienne Gagné, on 27 Jul 1774 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Province of Québec. iv. PASCHAL GAMACHE was born and baptized 13 Apr 1740 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. He died and was buried on 17 Aug 1741 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. v. LAZARE GAMACHE was born 07 Jan 1744 and baptized 08 Jan 1744 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. He married Marguerite Boulé, daughter of Paul Boulé and Claire Miville on 25 Nov 1776 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Province of Québec. vi. MARGUERITE URSULE GAMACHE was born and baptized 31 Jan 1746 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. 16. vii. AUBIN GAMACHE was born 01 Mar 1748 and baptized 02 Mar 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. He died 21 Nov 1838 and was buried 23 Nov 1838 in St. Cyprien de Lery (Napierville), Province of Lower Canada. viii. MARIE ANNE GAMACHE was born 27 Dec 1749 and baptized 28 Dec 1749 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. ix. JÉRÔME GAMACHE was born 24 Oct 1753 and baptized 30 Oct 1753 in Cap St. Ignace, Canada East, United Province of Canada. He married Veronique Simard, daughter of Etienne Simard and Barbe Dufour 04 Nov 1777 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Province of Québec. x. AUGUSTIN GEORGE GAMACHE was born 07 Jul 1757 and baptized 08 Jul 1757 in Cap St. Ignace, New France.

Generation No. 4

16. AUBIN GAMACHE (PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 01 Mar 1748 and baptized 02 Mar 1748 in Cap St. Ignace, New France. He died 21 Nov 1838 and was buried 23 Nov 1838 in St. Cyprien de Lery (Napierville), Province of Lower Canada. He married MARIE TÉRÈSE SYLVESTRE on 13 Feb 1775 in St. Ignace du Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec, daughter of Eustache Sylvestre and Marie Geneviève Roussin. Children of AUBIN GAMACHE and MARIE SYLVESTRE are:

i. MARIE GENEVIÈVE GAMACHE was baptized 04 Oct 1777 in Cap St. Ignace, Lower Canada. She married 1798 in L'Acadie, Province of Quebec. 17. ii. AUBIN GAMACHE was born 28 Jan 1779 and baptized 31 Jan 1779 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. He died 23 Dec 1856 in Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada, and was buried 26 Dec 1856 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada. He and ANGELIQUE GIRARD, daughter of JEROME GIRARD and MARIE MAGDELENE BOUCHARD, were married 28 Oct 1811 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. She died 13 May 1824 in Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Province of Lower Canada, and was buried 15 May 1824in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, Missisquoi Co., Province of Lower Canada. iii. NICOLAS GAMACHE was baptized 13 Dec 1780 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. iv. MARGUERITE SOLANGE GAMACHE was born 22 Oct 1782 and baptized 23 Oct 1782 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. v. MARIE MAGDELEINE GAMACHE was born and baptized 21 Dec 1783 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. vi. MARIE THÉRÈSE GAMACHE was born 25 Mar 1785 and baptized 26 Mar 1785 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. vii. LOUIS GAMACHE was born and baptized 01 Jan 1787 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. He died 31 Jul 1788 and was buried 01 Aug 1788 in the cemetery at Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. 18. viii. ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 31 Oct 1788 and baptized 01 Nov 1788 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. ix. MARIE PELAGIE GAMACHE was born 01 Jul 1792 and baptized 02 Jul 1792 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Lower Canada.

Generation No. 5

17. AUBIN GAMACHE (AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 28 Jan 1779 and baptized 31 Jan 1779 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. He died 23 Dec 1856 in Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada, and was buried 26 Dec 1856 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Canada East, Province of Canada. He and ANGELIQUE GIRARD, daughter of JEROME GIRARD and MARIE MAGDELENE BOUCHARD, were married 28 Oct 1811 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. She died 13 May 1824 in Napierville, Missisquoi Co., Province of Lower Canada, and was buried 15 May 1824 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, Missisquoi Co., Province of Lower Canada. Children of AUBIN GAMACHE and ANGELIQUE GIRARD are:

i. AUBIN GAMACHE was born 23 Aug 1812 in L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada, and baptized 23 Aug 1812 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Provice of Lower Canada. ii. MARIE ANGERIQUE GAMACHE was born 16 Aug 1814 in L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada, and baptized 16 Aug 1814 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Provice of Lower Canada. iii. CHRISTOPHE GAMACHE was born 07 Dec 1819 in L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada, and baptized 08 Dec 1819 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Provice of Lower Canada. iv. MARIE HENRIETTE GAMACHE was born 26 May 1822 in L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada, and baptized 27 May 1822 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie, L'Acadie, Provice of Lower Canada.

18. ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS GAMACHE (AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 31 Oct 1788 in Cap St. Ignace, Province of Quebec. He married MARGUERITE LEBLANC 15 Jun 1812 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada, daughter of PIERRE LEBLANC and MARGUERITE TRAHANT. She was born 14 Sep 1789 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Quebec. Children of ABRAHAM GAMACHE and MARGUERITE LEBLANC are:

i. MARIE MARGUERITE GAMACHE, born 16 Apr 1813, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. 19. ii. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 21 Nov 1814, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. iii. AUBIN GAMACHE, born 20 Mar 1816, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. He and FLORENCE MAILLOUX, the daughter of AMANT LANDRY MAILLOUX and CATHERINE REMIARD, were married 30 May 1837 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec. iv. PIERRE GAMACHE, born 04 Mar 1818, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. 20. v. MARIE GAMACHE, born 08 Sep 1820, Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada; died 1898. vi. DOMITILLE GAMACHE was born 23 Apr 1824 in Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec, and was baptized 24 Apr 1824 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec. vii. CATHERINE GAMACHE was born 30 Sep 1825 in Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec, and was baptized 30 Sep 1825 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec. 21. viii. LAURENT GAMACHE was born 14 Sep 1827 in Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec, and was baptized 15 Sep 1827 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec. He died1885.

Generation No. 6

19. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE (ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 21 Nov 1814 in Ste. Marguerite de Blairfindie /L'Acadie, Province of Lower Canada. He married (1) OSITHE MARTIN 26 Sep 1837 in St. Cyprien /Napierville, Province of Lower Canada, daughter of NICOLAS MARTIN and MARIE GIROUX. She was born 30 Sep 1818 in L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Province of Lower Canada, and died Bet. 1847 - 1852. He married (2) MARGUERITE DUTEAU 07 Sep 1852 in St. Cyprien /Napierville, Canada East, daughter of JEAN DUTEAU and ANASTASIA MAILLOUX. Children of FRANÇOIS GAMACHE and OSITHE MARTIN are:

22. i. OSITHE GAMACHE, born 22 May 1838, L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Province of Lower Canada; d. 19 May 1889, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. ii. MARIE GAMACHE, born 25 Dec 1839, Napierville, Napierville Co., province of Lower Canada; died 22 May 1843, Napierville, Canada East. iii. MARIE CÉLINE GAMACHE, born 15 Aug 1841, Napierville, Napierville Co., Canada East. iv. FRANÇOIS GAMACHE, born 24 May 1843, Napierville, Napierville Co., Canada East. v. DAVID GAMACHE, born 29 Mar 1845, Napierville, Napierville Co., Canada East. vi. MARIE DOMITILLE GAMACHE, born 07 Jun 1846, Napierville, Napierville Co., Canada East; died 10 Jun 1846, Napierville, Canada East. vii. ADELINE GAMACHE, born 21 May 1847, Napierville, Napierville Co., Canada East.

Children of FRANÇOIS GAMACHE and MARGUERITE DUTEAU are:

viii. FRANÇOIS CÉADE GAMACHE was born 12 May 1854 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada and was baptized 13 May 1854 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. ix. DOMITILLE GAMACHE was born 13 Nov 1858 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada, and was baptized 14 Nov 1858 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. x. MARIE JOSEPHINE GAMACHE was born 18 Aug 1860 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada, and was baptized 19 Aug 1860 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. xi. LOUIS NAPOLÉON GAMACHE was born 28 Jan 1862 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada, and was baptized 29 Jan 1862 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. xii. MARIE EMMA GAMACHE was born 28 Jan 1864 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada, and was baptized 28 Jan 1864 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. xiii. ZOTIQUE NARCISSE GAMACHE was born 23 Aug 1869 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada, and was baptized 24 Aug 1869 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada.

20. MARIE GAMACHE (ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 1829, and died 1898. She married PIERRE DANDURAND. He was born 1828, and died 1899. Children of MARIE GAMACHE and PIERRE DANDURAND are:

i. ANRELINE DANDURAND was born in 1852 and died in 1876. She married ELZEAR DAVIGNON. He was born 1859 and died 1890. ii. STEPHANIE DANDURAND was born 1863 and died 1877. iii. AUTHENIE DANDURAND was born 1864 and died 1865.

21. LAURENT GAMACHE (ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 14 Sep 1827 in Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec, and was baptized 15 Sep 1827 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Lower Canada, Province of Québec. He died1885. He and SOPHIE BISSONET, the daughter of PIERRE BISSONET and ROSE BOUDREAULT were married 16 Oct 1850 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. Children of LAURENT GAMACHE are:

i. MARIE GAMACHE was born 13 Dec 1851 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada and baptized 14 Dec 1851 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. 23. ii. JOSEPH L. GAMACHE was born 1853, and died 1927. iii. FRANÇOIS XAVIER GAMACHE was born 09 Apr 1859 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada and baptized 12 Apr 1859 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. iv. LÉON GAMACHE was born 28 Jun 1860 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada and baptized 28 Jun 1860 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada. v. MARIE JULIE GAMACHE was born 24 Sep 1862 in Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada and baptized 25 Sep 1862 in St. Cyprien, Napierville, Canada East, Province of Canada.

Generation No. 7

22. OSITHE GAMACHE (FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 22 May 1838 in L'Acadie, St. Jean Co., Province of Lower Canada, and died 19 May 1889 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE 24 Oct 1862 in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Les Jardins-de-Napierville, Canada East, United Province of Canada, son of FRANÇOIS PATENAUDE and MARGUERITE COGNAC-DIT-LEVEILLE. He was born 10 Jun 1840 in St. Valentin, Province of Lower Canada, and died 30 Mar 1940 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Children of OSITHE GAMACHE and CHARLES PATENAUDE are:

24. i. MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE, born 19 Mar 1863, St. Valentin, Canada East, United Province of Canada. ii. HORMISDAS PATENAUDE, born 14 May 1864, St. Valentin, Canada East, United Province of Canada, United Province of Canada; died 18 Dec 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. 25. iii. MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, born 31 Dec 1865, St. Valentin, Canada East, United Province of Canada, United Province of Canada; d. 11 Jul 1926, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. iv. MARIE EDWIDGE PATENAUDE, born 17 Oct 1867, Barford, Québec, Canada; m. GEORGE PHANEUF-CHABOT, 11 Dec 1887, St. Joseph Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 26. v. MARIE ZÉNAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, born 12 Jun 1870, Coaticook, Québec, Canada; d. 21 May 1959, Central Ave. Convalesent Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. 27. vi. JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE, born 02 Mar 1872, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. vii. HENRIETTE PATENAUDE, born 11 Mar 1874, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; m. HENRY ROBITAILLE. viii. PIERRE FRANÇOIS PATENAUDE, born 02 Feb 1876, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. ix. JOSEPH FRANÇOIS ADELARD PATENAUDE, born 03 Jun 1879, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; died 09 Apr 1880, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. x. ANONYME PATENAUDE, born 09 Mar 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada; died 09 Mar 1881, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada.

23. JOSEPH L. GAMACHE (LAURENT, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 1853, and died 1927. Child of JOSEPH L. GAMACE was:

28. i. FRANCIS J. GAMACHE was born 1874 and died 1956.

Generation No. 8

24. MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 19 Mar 1863 in St. Valentin, Canada East, United Province of Canada. She married JOSEPH HORMISDAS NORMANDIN 09 Oct 1882 in Saint-Valentin, Le Haut-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, son of JOSEPH NORMANDIN and URSULE BANLIER. He was born Abt. 1860 in New York. Children of MARIE FÉBRONIE PATENAUDE and JOSEPH NORMANDIN are:

i. JOSEPH HENRI NORMANDIN, born 14 Jun 1883, St. Valentin, Québec, Canada. ii. EDWIDGE NORMANDIN, b. 1884, Lower Canada. iii. LEA NORMANDIN, b. 07 Oct 1885, New York. iv. GUILLIAME NORMANDIN, b. 06 Mar 1887, New York. v. RAOUL NORMANDIN, b. 17 Jun 1890, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. vi. RUDOLPH NORMANDIN, b. Abt. 1892. vii. EARL NORMANDIN, b. 28 Mar 1894. viii. BERTHA NORMANDIN, b. 1896. ix. LEOPOLD NORMANDIN, b. 1899. x. OMER NORMANDIN, b. 13 Sep 1901. xi. CHESTER J. NORMANDIN, b. 1904; d. Aft. 1930. xii. ARMAND J. NORMANDIN, b. 26 Jul 1905, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York.

25. MARIE LEA PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 31 Dec 1865 in St. Valentin, Lower Canada, and died 11 Jul 1926 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married (1) THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT. He was born 04 Jul 1859 in Churchill, Canada, and died 25 Jun 1960. She married (2) HENRI F. ARCHAMBAULT 05 Apr 1893 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of JOSEPH ARCHAMBAULT. He was born Feb 1865 in New York. Children of MARIE LEA PATENAUDE and THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT are:

i. THOMAS ARSHAMBAULT. ii. CHRISTOPH ARSHAMBAULT. iii. LAKK ARSHAMBAULT. iv. WILLBERT ARSHAMBAULT. 29. v. ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT, b. 14 Apr 1912, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York; d. 25 Dec 1949, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York.

Children of MARIE PATENAUDE and HENRI ARCHAMBAULT are:

30. vi. LEO ARCHAMBAULT, b. Jun 1894, New York. vii. VALMORE F. ARCHAMBAULT, b. 04 Mar 1897, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. Jul 1984, Maine; m. FLORENCE UNKNOWN, Abt. 1927; b. Abt. 1898, New York. viii. LUCILLA ARCHAMBAULT, b. Abt. 1900, New York. 31. ix. JEANNETTE I. ARCHAMBAULT, b. 12 Mar 1903, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 26 Dec 1938, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York.

26. MARIE ZÉNAÏDE ZITE PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 12 Jun 1870 in Coaticook, Québec, Canada, and died 21 May 1959 in Central Ave. Convalesent Home /Albany, Albany Co., New York. She married PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, SR. 24 Oct 1900 in St. Joseph's Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of JOSEPH CHARRON and ADELINE GALIFEAU. He was born 26 Sep 1874 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 26 Jan 1943 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Children of MARIE ZÉNAÏDE PATENAUDE and PAUL CHARRON are:

32. i. ARTHUR ANTHONY CHARRON, b. 25 Sep 1901, 125 Columbia Street /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 23 Jan 1978, Hudson, Columbia Co., New York. 33. ii. CECELIA ANTONETTE CHARRON, b. 11 Nov 1902, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 07 Sep 1946, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 34. iii. ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON, b. 01 Oct 1904, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 25 Sep 1992, St. Peter's Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York. 35. iv. PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, JR., b. 04 Dec 1908, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 31 Dec 1991, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York. 36. v. GEORGE VALMORE CHARRON, b. 16 Apr 1911, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 11 Jan 1971, Burlington, Franklin Co., Vermont.

27. JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON PATENAUDE (OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 02 Mar 1872 in Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. He married DIANA MARIE PENELOPE CARPENTER, daughter of JOSEPH CARPENTER and ODILE UNKNOWN. She was born Jan 1875 in Blackstone, Massachusetts. Child of JOSEPH PATENAUDE and DIANA CARPENTER is:

37. i. FRANCIS X. PATENAUDE I, b. 15 Dec 1909; d. Aug 1985.

28. FRANCIS J. GAMACHE (JOSEPH L., LAURENT, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 1874 and died 1956. Child of FRANCIS J. GAMACHE is:

38. i. ALBERT RAYMOND GAMACHE was born 1908, and died 1972.

Generation No. 9

29. ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 14 Apr 1912 in Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York, and died 25 Dec 1949 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married TENNA DEAY 30 Dec 1935 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York. He was born 26 Dec 1911 in Paris, France, and died 25 Dec 1949 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. Child of ALLISON ARSHAMBAULT and TENNA DEAY is:

i. THOMAS DEAY, b. 31 Dec 1940, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York; d. 30 Dec 1997, Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York.

30. LEO ARCHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born Jun 1894 in New York. He married JEANETTE UNKNOWN Abt. 1913. She was born Abt. 1895 in Quebec, Canada. Children of LEO ARCHAMBAULT and JEANETTE UNKNOWN are:

i. PAUL ARCHAMBAULT, b. 23 Dec 1913, Quebec, Canada; d. Mar 1953, New York.

31. JEANNETTE I. ARCHAMBAULT (MARIE LEA PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 12 Mar 1903 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 26 Dec 1938 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. 32. ARTHUR ANTHONY CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 25 Sep 1901 in 125 Columbia Street /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 23 Jan 1978 in Hudson, Columbia Co., New York. He married GOLDIE DUNTZ 25 Sep 1940 in Churchtown, Columbia Co., New York, daughter of BERTHA DUNTZ. She was born 18 Feb 1905 in Hudson, Columbia Co., New York, and died 04 Mar 2003 in New York. Child of ARTHUR CHARRON and GOLDIE DUNTZ is:

i. ARTHUR PAUL CHARRON, b. 18 Aug 1941, Hudson, Columbia Co., New York; d. 25 Jan 2004, New York.

33. CECELIA ANTONETTE CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 11 Nov 1902 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 07 Sep 1946 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York. She married WILLIAM THOMAS NORMILE 18 May 1934 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of THOMAS WILLIAM NORMILE. He was born 1898 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 23 Jun 1955 in Waterford, Saratoga Co., New York. Child of CECELIA CHARRON and WILLIAM NORMILE is:

i. THOMAS NORMILE, b. 28 Feb 1935, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York; d. 25 Sep 1998, Watervliet, Albany Co., New York.

34. ALICE HARRIET EUGENIA CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 01 Oct 1904 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 25 Sep 1992 in St. Peter's Hospice /Albany, Albany Co., New York. She married JOHN JOSEPH DANKO 27 Jun 1935 in Ste. Marie's Church /Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, son of MICHAEL DANKO and MARIANNA DZIURZYNSKA. He was born 02 May 1905 in Nienadowa, Powiat Przemyski, Galicia, Austria-Poland, and died 30 Dec 1962 in Albany, Albany Co., New York. 35. PAUL EDWARD CHARRON, JR. (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 04 Dec 1908 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 31 Dec 1991 in Troy, Rensselaer Co., New York. He married ANNETTE GIRARD 24 Sep 1938 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, daughter of PETER GIRARD and MALVINA SHEPARD. She was born 19 Apr 1912 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 28 Apr 1984 in Cohoes Memorial Hospital /Latham, Albany Co., New York. 36. GEORGE VALMORE CHARRON (MARIE ZENAIDE ZITE PATENAUDE, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 16 Apr 1911 in Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, and died 11 Jan 1971 in Burlington, Franklin Co., Vermont. He married ALICE KAY FINNIE in Jonesville, Saratoga Co., New York. She was born 01 Feb 1909 in Rennselaer Co., New York, and died 01 Apr 1997 in Decatur, Dekalb Co., Georgia. Child of GEORGE CHARRON and ALICE FINNIE is:

ii. LINDA LEE CHARRON, b. 14 Jan 1946, Province of New Brunswick, Canada; d. 20 Aug 1954, Decatur, Dekalb Co., Georgia; Adopted child.

Child of GEORGE CHARRON and his second wife is:

iii. SUSAN MARY CHARRON, b. 23 Nov 1950; d. 07 May 2002, Reynoldsburg, Franklin Co., Ohio.

37. FRANCIS X. PATENAUDE I (JOSEPH CHARLES GÉDÉON, OSITHE GAMACHE, FRANÇOIS, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 15 Dec 1909, and died Aug 1985. He married VERONICA ANGUS 1935, daughter of JOHN ANGUS and ROZALIA UNKNOWN. She was born 1910. 38. ALBERT RAYMOND GAMACHE (FRANCIS J., JOSEPH L., LAURENT, ABRAHAM FRANÇOIS, AUBIN, PIERRE, NICOLAS, NICOLAS) was born 1908, and died 1972. Child of ALBERT RAYMOND GAMACHE is:

i. ARLINE MARGARET GAMACHE was born 1928, and died 2000.