PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

Trish — Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:19 am

Author: Trish

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:19 am

Hi Marsha and Barb,
I am so happy to hear the wonderful news! What a great picture!

Have a Happy Easter!
Regards,
Trish

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

travelwithme — Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:42 pm

Author: travelwithme

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:42 pm

Have a wonderful vacation! Happy Easter. ----Marsha

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

BarbOslo — Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:54 pm

Author: BarbOslo

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 4:54 pm

Happy Easter, Marsha! I arrived at our cabin tonight. Still a lot of snow. I'm looking forward to a few days of vacation.
-Barb

Thank you.

travelwithme — Thu Mar 21, 2024 2:55 pm

Author: travelwithme

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 2:55 pm

Dear Trish and Barb,
This message is rather late because of my repair of my computer, but I wanted to thank you once again for all of your help finding the "adopted" daughter of Bart and Kate Szczepanski. Martha Kaluzna, according to the census records, was never officially adopted, but returned to her father and his second wife when Simon remarried. With all of the information you sent to me, I was able to find so much more information, including Simon's second wife, Stella, and their children. Also their death/grave information at St. Adalberts Cemetery in Milwaukee, WI. It also resulted in numerous photos, including one photo of the entire family, which I have attached to this message. I was so thrilled even though they are not truly my own family. It solves the mystery of the "adopted" daughter but I can only guess that the two families knew of each other through church at St Cyril in Milwaukee. However, the connection, it was so heart warming to see the help from Bart and Kate Szczepanski to the Kaluznys. Thank you once again. Your help so was great appreciated. Happy Easter.
Marsha Grocholski

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

travelwithme — Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:14 pm

Author: travelwithme

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:14 pm

Dear Trish and Barb,
Thank you so very much. There is some very helpful information here and when I look at it all together, it appears that the Szczepanski's may have helped out after the death of Julianna and cared for Martha until her dad remarried to Stella. The "adoption" may not have been legal at all, but perhaps through the church, St. Cyril? If Martha appeared on the 1910 census for both families and later with her new step mom and father, Simon, I believe it was a temporary placement in the Szczepanski's home. Is there any where else that might have documented this? Perhaps the families lived in the same neighborhood in Milwaukee and helped out in time of need? Or attended St Cyril church? Or some other contact? I am curious as to how they have come to this arrangement, but it goes to show people's big hearts back then.

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

Trish — Fri Feb 23, 2024 2:59 pm

Author: Trish

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 2:59 pm

Hi Again,

I don't think Martha was ever adopted by the Szczepanski family. I have the census records if you need to see them.

In the 1910 census, Martha is living with the Szczepanski family. (Note: Martha's mother Julia died in 1910.)
Name Martha Kalzna
Age in 1910
Birth Date 1909
Birthplace Wisconsin
Home in 1910 Milwaukee Ward 14, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Sheet Number 6a
Street Seventh Ave
Race White
Gender Female
Relation to Head of House Adopted
Marital Status Single
Father's Birthplace Germany
Mother's Birthplace Germany
Enumeration District Number 0149
Enumerated Year 1910
Household members
Name Age
Bartholomus Szczepanski 36
Katie Szczepanski 36
Stanley Szczepanski 9
Wladyslaw Szczepanski 7
Kazmierz Szczepanski 6
Michael Szczepanski 4
Martha Kalzna 1

Martha is also living with her father and siblings in the 1910 census. (Note: the two 1910 census records were written only a few days apart.)
Name Martha Kalusznz
Age in 1910 1
Birth Date 1909
Birthplace Wisconsin
Home in 1910 Milwaukee Ward 14, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Sheet Number 11b
Street 11th Ave
Race White
Gender Female
Relation to Head of House Daughter
Marital Status Single
Father's Name Simon Kalusznz
Father's Birthplace Germany
Mother's Birthplace Germany
Enumeration District Number 0140
Enumerated Year 1910
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Simon Kalusznz 35 Head
Amanda Kalusznz 10 Daughter
Gertrude Kalusznz 8 Daughter
Vincent Kalusznz 6 Son
Genevieve Kalusznz 3 Daughter
Martha Kalusznz 1 Daughter
John Gelzinski 24 Boarder

In the 1920 census, Martha is living with her father, Szymon, her step-mother Stanislawa, and her siblings.
Name Martha Kaluzny
Age 10
Birth Year abt 1910
Birthplace Wisconsin
Home in 1920 Milwaukee Ward 8, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Street Sixth Avenue
Residence Date 1920
Race White
Gender Female
Relation to Head of House Daughter
Marital Status Single
Father's Name Sam Kaluzny
Father's Birthplace Posen Germany
Mother's Name Stella Kaluzny
Mother's Birthplace Posen, Poland
Able to Speak English Yes
Attended School yes
Able to read Yes
Able to Write Yes
Household members
Name Age
Sam Kaluzny 45
Stella Kaluzny 42
Manda Kaluzny 19
Gertrude Kaluzny 17
Vincent Kaluzny 15
Genevieve Kaluzny 13
Martha Kaluzny 10
Henry Kaluzny 8
Alois Kaluzny 6
Rose Kaluzny 4

I am attaching her obituary which shows Martha is still using Kaluzny as her maiden name.

Regards,
Trish

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

Trish — Fri Feb 23, 2024 2:17 pm

Author: Trish

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 2:17 pm

Hi Barb and Travelwithme,

I found the death record for Julia who died in 1910. This could be the reason why Martha was living with the Szczepanski family. Maybe it was too much for Szymon to raise Martha since Szymon had several other children with Julia.

Szymon marries Stanislawa Urban (suname was provided on ancestry.com). Szymon died in 1949.

Going back to the Szczepanski family. I am attaching the naturalization record for Bartolmiej. Note that there is no mention of Martha being a child on the naturalization record.

Let me know if you need any other record.

Regards,
Trish

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

BarbOslo — Fri Feb 23, 2024 1:24 pm

Author: BarbOslo

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 1:24 pm

Trish wrote:

travelwithme wrote:

Can anyone direct me to where I can find the adoption records of a child who was adopted by my grandmother's sister, Catherine (Lewandowski) Szczepanski and her husband, Bartolmiej Szczepanski. They emigrated to the US in 1903, but I am uncertain when they initiated the adoption of their daughter, Martha Kalzna. She appears on a 1930 census for the family, but it seems that she does not appear on anything before that time, but it is not determined. Does anyone have any idea of where I could start to look? Thank you so much.

Hi!
There are a few trees online for Bartolmiej Szczepanski and Katarzyna Lewandowska. On one of the trees it shows Martha Kalzna as an adopted child. There was a birth record for Martha listing her parents as Szymon Kalzna and Julia Hutch (Hutck). I am attaching the record.

Some States have their adoption records unsealed that only an adoptee or biological family member can get access to the record. Many States still have their adoption records sealed and no one has access to these records.

Just because the census records state Martha is adopted does not necessarily mean she was legally adopted by the Szczepanski family. A lot of children were listed back then as "adopted" and they were never legally adopted by thefamily that was raising them. (Note: I have an great-uncle that was never legally adopted by my family, however, he always listed himself as their adopted son. His parents died in a fire and my great-grandparents took him in and raised him.)

Regards,
Trish

Hi,
From what I found, Simon Kaluzny and Julianna Hutek were the same age as Bartlomiej and Katarzyna. Both married in Poland in the same year (1899). But I don't think they got to know each other before coming to the US.
The places they come from are approx. 300km apart. Trish, are you able to find the death certificates for Szymon and Julianna? Was death the reason why Marta was adopted? Did the families live near one another?
It will be difficult to find the documents that confirm possible adoption. Interesting case.

-Barb

Re: Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

Trish — Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:59 am

Author: Trish

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:59 am

travelwithme wrote:

Finding an adoption of a child of my relative

travelwithme — Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:25 am

Author: travelwithme

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:25 am

Can anyone direct me to where I can find the adoption records of a child who was adopted by my grandmother's sister, Catherine (Lewandowski) Szczepanski and her husband, Bartolmiej Szczepanski. They emigrated to the US in 1903, but I am uncertain when they initiated the adoption of their daughter, Martha Kalzna. She appears on a 1930 census for the family, but it seems that she does not appear on anything before that time, but it is not determined. Does anyone have any idea of where I could start to look? Thank you so much.