PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Unknown place of origin

Feliciaj — Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:27 am

Author: Feliciaj

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:27 am

The Felix Podwojski who is my grandfather's brother is actually Jan Felix Podwojski, who was married to Aniela (Angeline). This Felix was born in 1888 in Pokrzydowo and died in 1949 here in Chicago. He is buried in St. Adalbert's Cemetery in Niles, Illinois. My Podwojski relatives did reside in Cleveland, Ohio before some of them came to Chicago, so there are likely family members I have not connected to yet. Jan Felix's father was Josef Podwojski and his mother is listed on the death certificate as Magdalena Klobukowska. On other documents she is listed as Francis Klobukowska. She and Josef had a daughter named Magdalena. Aside from Magdalena, there was one other sibling aside from Anton. This was Wladislaw Podwojski.

The Felix Podwojski in Calvary Cemetery looks to be from an earlier generation.

Your great grandfather may be connected to my family. Do you know where he came from or have a picture?

Podwojski Family

Podwojski — Sun Jan 01, 2012 7:00 pm

Author: Podwojski

Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 7:00 pm

Hello,

Felix Podwojski and Stephania Szalwinska are my Great Granparents

"SZALOWINSKA, STEPHANIA PODWOJSKI, FELIX"

I believe from your post Anton Podwojski would be your Granfather.
'
Anton Podwojski and Felix Podwojski were brothers (If i'm reading that correctly).

Would you happen to know what Felix and Anton's father's first name was?

I came across the below grave site listing and wondered if there was a connection to Anton and Felix

"Podwojski, Felix, b. 1858, d. 1914, [GN]," Calvary Cemetery
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio from the following website
http://www.interment.net/data/us/oh/cuyahoga/calvary/calvary_p.htm

Re: Unidentified place of origin

Felicia — Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:50 am

Author: Felicia

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:50 am

Many thanks to both of you! I've got the address and hours for Hyde Park, so now it's just a matter of getting there! This forum and the people who use it have been an absolute blessing. Who knows how long it would have taken me to get this far without you!

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

sheep17 — Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:53 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:53 pm

The only Family History Center I know of in Chicago itself is in Hyde Park at 5200 S. University Ave. The other libraries are in Chicago Heights, Orland Park, Schaumburg, Westchester, and Wilmette in Cook County. There is also
one in Naperville in Du Page county. I go to Orland Park.
If you go to Familysearch.org, and click on "Find a Family History Center", all the addreses, telephone numbers, and hours come up.
It does say that films can be ordered from the Arlington Heights Library,
and Newberry Library. Good Luck.
Leonore

Family History Center libraries

PolishLibrarian — Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:35 pm

Author: PolishLibrarian

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:35 pm

Felicia~ If you copy this link http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhc/frameset_fhc.asp into your browser address bar and go to the page, you can search by country, state and city. The result for my town in NH lists the address, phone number and the hours the library is open. Because they are run by volunteers the hours may be limited, depending on how large the church is.

Good luck. ~Polish Librarian

Unknown place of origin

Felicia — Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:00 pm

Author: Felicia

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:00 pm

Someone alerted me to the fact that there are LDS family search centers here in Chicago. I just had a difficult time trying to find out where they are. What I saw in my phone book is different from what I saw online, and online I wasn't getting any addresses or phone numbers. Will do some calling tomorrow and see where I need to go. Apparently LDS material can be ordered from the Newberry Library. I've never been there so will visit soon and see what I can find.

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

sheep17 — Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:09 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:09 pm

Hi, Felicia.
I try to get to the LDS Family History library at least once a week - depending
on weather, etc. Being retired, I have more time available. I have more than a dozen films that pertain to different people in my family held for me on extended loan there, and the Pokrzydowo film is one of them. There's always someone that I need to find or information to check.

Several months ago, the beta family search site was very helpful. I found listings that helped me to find birthplaces I hadn't known for several ancestors.
However, recently I too only find US records, and I don't need those at all.
I do find that the search may provide one or two names when I enter Germany as the country of origin rather than Poland.

Leonore

Unknown place of origin

Felicia — Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:35 pm

Author: Felicia

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:35 pm

This is so exciting! Where did you manage to get the film? Was this from LDS? All I can ever get through searches with beta.familysearch is info from here in the US, census, death, marriage, etc. I have seen nothing with Polish parish information of any kind.

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

sheep17 — Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:01 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:01 pm

Second day in a row the message disappeared when I click "send".

Lipowiec IS one of the towns in Pokrzydowo parish, also Bachotek, Gaj Granazy, Jajkowo, Schwedy, Szramowo, Zaslawie, Rownice?, Szafarnia, and probably others.
The name of the town is listed at the beginning of the line of the birth record. The record I use is Pokrzydowo #0531372. I went over the pages line by line to find all my family - and learned that grandmother was born three years earlier than any of the Chicago records say.
Reviewed my paper copies of grandmother's family - great aunt Antonina
was born October 1871. Six lines above it is an entry for --amowo, (beginning of word faded), legitimate male birth, Sep 14 (maybe, large blot) baptized Sept 24,
named Constantin, father Felix Podwojski, mother's name (don't know first name, last may be Piodrowska. godfather Constantin, Piodrowski maybe, godmother
Angela something. Needs a better copy for the upper part of the page. So Podwojski's are in Pokrzydowo parish.

I have called many banks - if I am a custormer, they tell me I need to go to their main branch for foreign currency. One bank's main branch is in Oak Brook, others
are in the Loop. Either - an hour or more away.

OHare and Midway airports both have currency exchange offices, Midway's has shorter hours. I haven't tried that yet, but it's on my list, because I too thought about just mailing Zloty - if I can find some.
Leonore

Unknown place of origin

Felicia — Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:59 pm

Author: Felicia

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:59 pm

Leonore, thanks again for the information!

I'm wondering if I could go to a bank here in Chicago that handles foreign currency and get Zlotys to send with the request. Sending money in the mail is risky, I know.

What microfilm did you order that would tell you what towns belong to a particular parish?
I still need to find out about Lipowiec, Dziengielewo and whatever other towns turn up in the old records.

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

sheep17 — Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:55 pm

Author: sheep17

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:55 pm

First reply disappeared from the screen = so don't know if it was sent or not!

In the US we often have two or three (or more) parishes for each town. In
Poland there are several towns belonging to one parish. For Pokrzydowo,
the LDS microsfilm shows Szafarnia (where my great grandparents lived), Jajkowo,
Bachotek, Kuligi, and others - all belonging to the parish of Pokrzydowo, and
the records are in Pokrzydowo.

If I were to go to my parish for help here, I would expect to give a donation
of $20. In Pokrzydowo, I left 50 Zloty. Close, depending on the exchange rate.
I have been told that it is quite expensive for those in Poland to exchange American money. I usually send Zloty by wire transfer from my bank, and
the bank charge might be $35 to $45, per transaction. Other posts here have mentioned having money sent without charge. Not in my town.
I have also been told that if the
bank is European owned, they may have Zloty, and send them without charge.
I can't verify this. Next time, I will try visit other banks, or perhaps try to
make the exchange at the airport.

Leonore

Re: Unidentified place of origin

Felicia — Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:33 pm

Author: Felicia

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:33 pm

Thank you, Leonore, this is of immense help! I read that a donation should be included with a request, but I'm not sure how much would be good to send, or what form it should be in. I've never sent money overseas.

What makes things interesting is that the families of my paternal grandparents seem to have known each other before the grandparents came here. My grandfather, Anton Podwojski's passenger record said he was going to stay with his sister Magda and gave the address. When I found the census record, there was Magdalen, a "servant" with the family of Ignac Klafczynski. On the other floor of the building was the family of Felix Majewski, and who was their "servant," but my grandmother, Rosalia Figurska! Ancestry.com managed to find her passenger record, and she had come to the US with that family! I later found out that Felix was the brother of Ignac's wife, Anna. Anna's mother's last name was Podwojski! My grandmother Rosalia's place of last residence was Pokrzydowo, which was also the last place of residence of Anton's brother, Felix Podwojski. The Podwojski's and Figurski's may be all over that area. I've found three siblings each born in a different nearby village.

Uh-oh! Is each village a different parish?

Re: Unidentified place of origin

sheep17 — Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:51 am

Author: sheep17

Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:51 am

Hi, Felicia
My Krakowski family came from the parish of Pokrzydowo. When I was there with
Zenon in Sept. 2009, Father Zmijewski kindly allowed us to look through the
parish records (although I didn't find what I was looking for).
He was also helpful 10 years earlier when I wrote asking for information.
The parish is Immaculate Conception.

Not all records are available - some were lost during WWII.

The return address on his letter says:
Parafia Rzym-Kat
p.w. Niep. Pocz. N.M.P
87-312 Pokrzydowo
Polska

Good Luck,

Leonore

Unknown place of origin

Felicia — Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:25 am

Author: Felicia

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:25 am

Wow! I can't believe it has taken this long to get the needed information!

Here's what I have so far:

My grandfather, Anton Podwojski, listed his birthplace as Dziegetewo. I think this is Dziengielewo (Mazowieckie). His passenger listing shows place of last residence as Stropko, likely Stropkowo in the same area.

My grandmother, Rosalia Figurska lists her birthplace as Lipowiec with last place of residence in Pokrzydowo (Kujawsko-Pomorskie).

If anyone can help out with parish information, I would be forever grateful!

Re: Unidentified place of origin

Zenon — Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:07 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:07 am

When you get the records tell us names of the places of origin, then we will try to establish parishes seats .

Re: Unidentified place of origin

1/2pint — Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:40 pm

Author: 1/2pint

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:40 pm

Glad I could help. If the civil record doesn't provide town information, go after a church record..... Always ask for a copy of the complete original for both civil & church.

Good luck.

Joyce

Unidentified place of origin

Feliciaj — Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:31 pm

Author: Feliciaj

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:31 pm

Joyce, you are amazing! I was never able to pull up any information for my grandfather's marriage. I thought maybe he and my grandmother got married in a church and that would be the only record source. I am very grateful for your efforts!!!

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

1/2pint — Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:48 pm

Author: 1/2pint

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:48 pm

Source:Probate Court of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Historical Marriage License Index, 1810-April 1998

Bride Groom
Prefix Prefix
First Name ROSALIA First Name ANTHONY
Middle Name Middle Name
Last Name FIGORSKA Last Name PODWOJSKI
Suffix Suffix
Gender F Gender M
Record Key 0306851458 Record Key 0306851457
Volume:0067 Page:0091 Page Match: 24

SZALOWINSKA, STEPHANIA PODWOJSKI, FELIX
Volume:0057 Page:0205 Page Match:40

Address:
Cuyahoga County Probate Court
Marriage License Department
1 Lakeside Avenue
Room 146 (1st Floor)
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
http://probate.cuyahogacounty.us/contact.htm

Request copy of complete marriage record including the marriage application.If they have them, it will have the most genealogical information.

Joyce

Unidentified place of origin

Feliciaj — Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:50 pm

Author: Feliciaj

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:50 pm

Joyce and Zenon,

Thank you both so much for helping!

On Anton Podwojski's death record it says only Poland, and on his registration for social security it says only Russia for birthplace. Death notices for other relatives I have obtained from Dziennik Chicagoski have not listed place of birth but I will order my grandfather's anyway. He was not born in the U.S. so I need to know the birthplace in Poland to send a request for for more family information.

When I entered Potska in Google Earth, it did ask if I meant Polska. I did also find Stropkov in Slovakia, and the town that could have been Potska nearby but wasn't sure if that was correct. Knowing pitifully little Polish, I never thought of putting a y at the end of Sap.

Now there is the daunting (for me) task of finding out what parishes to write to for a further search. Hopefully there is one parish for the two areas called Sapy. My father told me that my grandfather was Russian Orthodox before he changed to Roman Catholic when he came to the United States. Since my grandmother, Rozalia Figurska, was born in Prussia/Poland (Lipowiec) and was German Lutheran, they may have needed to change to Roman Catholic in order to marry. I don't have a marriage date and think they would have been married in Cleveland Ohio in 1905 so need to find the marriage record as well, since that may have information on my grandfather's birthplace.

Again, many thanks for helping!

Felicia

Re: Unidentified place of origin

Zenon — Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:02 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:02 am

Felicia,

Potska is "Polska", in Polish "Poland". When your grandfather's brother was asked about state he came from he most probably replied in Polish: Polska. And the clerk recording probably heard "t" in the middle, that's why we have "Potska."

I found only two 4-letter places starting with Sap.. in present-day Poland which used to belonged to Russia: Sapy near Zyrardow and near Lowicz. Click here for map of both: http://tinyurl.com/cvomut .
In this case it could be again misunderstanding of pronunciation by foreign (not Polish) clerk, he could heard "e" instead of "y" at the end of this word. Joyce's valuable suggestions about obtaining the other documents might provide further clarification about the place name.