PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

mturnage11 — Sat Apr 11, 2026 8:21 am

Author: mturnage11

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2026 8:21 am

Thank you for this information!! Jacenty came to US in 1902, 2nd wife came next. Mary spoke of a brother that died. Jan? Andrzej? Only Mary and Catherine came to US in 1905. Mystery what the lives of others were. She did not mention a sister Antonina?
I will have tohave another look on the site

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Cheri Vanden Berg — Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:50 pm

Author: Cheri Vanden Berg

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:50 pm

In case you don't already have these siblings of Mary and Catherine, I found these at Skanoteka:
Pieniążkowice births/baptisms 1890-1824
Marianna 14 May 1891 (page 5)
Andrzej 1 Dec 1893 (page 9)
Katarzyna 18 Feb 1895 (page 11)
Antonina 13 Dec 1896 (page 15)
Jan 28 Aug 1898 (page eighteen) Also, notation that he died I think on 7 Mar 1899

All born in house #129 to parents Jacenty Zajac and Magdalena Fiedor. There could be older children born before 1890, the year the online records start. Jacenty Zajac's parents are Matthew (Mateusz?) Zajac and Marianna Fiedor. Magdalena Fiedor's parent's are Józef Fiedor and Katarzyna Krzystyniak.
On 12 Feb 1901, Jacenty Zajac, widower of Magdalena Fiedor, married Agnes (Agnieszka?) Filas, widow of Marcum (Marcus?) Filas. Agnes' maiden name was Stoch.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shims

mturnage11 — Wed Apr 08, 2026 4:14 pm

Author: mturnage11

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2026 4:14 pm

mturnage11 wrote:

My GGrandmother's family is from Pieniazkowice in Nowy Targ. Anyone have connections to or info about Zajacs in this area?
Oldest child is a brother, name unknown, Marja (Mary) b May 1891, and younger sister, Katarzyna b 1893.
Sometime after the birth of Katarzyna, their mother passed and Mary took over as woman of the house at a young age.
Their father remarried a few years later and a few years after that Father and stepfather immigrated to the US.

A few years later money was sent to Poland for the brother to immigrate to the US, but sadly he had passed from an illness.
Mary and Catherine used the money for their passage to the US as she says it was 1/2 price for girls to travel. Zajac is a fairly
common name so I have had difficulty finding their passage or their father's to the US on the Ellis Island database.
When they arrived in the US instead of finally being reunited with their family, the girls were sent to cook and keep house for an
American family. I estimate their ages to be 13 and 11 at this time.
Mary married Wojciech (Albert) Giewont and Catherine married Steven Shimshock. Mary and Albert with 9 children went to Albert's
home town of Dzianisz for an extended visit in Oct of 1924. Albert wanted to remain in Poland, but Mary wanted to return so they came back to Republic, PA to Catherine's house in Feb of 1925. This passage was located on ancestry.com and gives Mary's hometown as Pieniazkowice.
Any suggestions on obtaining additional information on this family?

I would love to find out the names of her parents. They lived in a small house and raised sheep. The house was partitioned to allow shelter for the sheep or connected to the barn area.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

mturnage11 — Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:29 pm

Author: mturnage11

Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:29 pm

On Catherine's sister Mary's marriage license, the mother's name is listed as Malgorzata, so I believe this one should have been written Magy. I am glad you noted the church; great idea to contact them to see if the last name is listed on the church marriage record.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

mturnage11 — Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:26 pm

Author: mturnage11

Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:26 pm

Cheri Vanden Berg wrote:

Here is the marriage record of Catharina Zajac/Zyjac and Steve Simsak/Shimshock/Szymusiak: http://tinyurl.com/kog7gh8 It looks like her father's name is Jacenty. Family search has her mother's name indexed as Mazy. Maybe it's Mary, maybe it was abbreviated, I'm not sure. If you were able to see the original church record, maybe it would have Marja and Katarzyna's mother's maiden name. The marriage license, or record, says they were married at a Catholic Church in Footdale, the priest's name is on the record as well. I'm attaching part of the record, the rest can be seen at the link to Family Search.

Quote:

Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family

Ute — Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:35 am

Author: Ute

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:35 am

mturnage11 wrote:

My GGrandmother's family is from Pieniazkowice in Nowy Targ. Anyone have connections to or info about Zajacs in this area?.

Franciszek Zajac from Pieniążkowice (son of Andrzej Zajac and Katarzyna Katarzyna Szymczaga), baptized in Odrowaz 12 IX 1887, married Katarzyna Zajac from Morawczyna (daughter of Jan Zajac and Regina Majeszczyk), baptized in Klikuszowa IX 1889, on 23 Nov 1910 in Chicago, St. John Cantius Church. Witnesses were Jozef Kwak and Jan Zareba. Church marriage record attached.
Source: Illinois, Chicago, Catholic Church Records, 1833-1925, St John Cantius Parish (Chicago: Carpenter St), Marriages 1909-1915.

Found five children so far, b btw 1911 and 1923: Angeline (marr. Moravec), John, Bernice (marr. Sporna), Helen (marr. Scherer), and Lillian (marr. Mignione).

Babicz and Zajac Married.

ohsix — Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:38 pm

Author: ohsix

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:38 pm

My Great Great Grandfather Maciej Babicz married Regina nee Zajac on 8 July 1869? village Zaluczne House number 22/51
My Great Grand Father Jan Babicz son of Regina and Maciej married Magdalena Czop Daughter of Jakub and Katarzyna nee Brjczak

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Cheri Vanden Berg — Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:58 pm

Author: Cheri Vanden Berg

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:58 pm

Here is the marriage record of Catharina Zajac/Zyjac and Steve Simsak/Shimshock/Szymusiak: http://tinyurl.com/kog7gh8 It looks like her father's name is Jacenty. Family search has her mother's name indexed as Mazy. Maybe it's Mary, maybe it was abbreviated, I'm not sure. If you were able to see the original church record, maybe it would have Marja and Katarzyna's mother's maiden name. The marriage license, or record, says they were married at a Catholic Church in Footdale, the priest's name is on the record as well. I'm attaching part of the record, the rest can be seen at the link to Family Search.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Cheri Vanden Berg — Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:09 pm

Author: Cheri Vanden Berg

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:09 pm

mturnage11,
On Nov. 1, 1902 Jacenty Zajac age 35,and Woznenty (indexed with that spelling) Csop age 36, both from Pieniazkowice, arrived in NY were going to Josef Gal in Kolport [Coalport?], Pennsylvania. They both identified Josef Gal as a brother-in-law.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family

GenGirl — Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:06 pm

Author: GenGirl

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:06 pm

mturnage11 wrote:

On ellisisland.org, there is a Wicenti Zajoc, age 33, from Pieniazkowice, arriving on Jun 16, 1899 in NY, en route to a friend in Chicago.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

GenGirl — Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:52 pm

Author: GenGirl

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:52 pm

I found a ship manifest for Andrzej Zajac, 19, son of Michal Zajac of Czarny, Austria, who was traveling with Josef Krzysiak, 20, son of Wojciech Krzysiak, of Czarny, Austria. They arrivied on the ship Samland on 2-11-1909. They were en route to their cousin, Joseph Szymusiak in Mammoth, PA. Joseph was my grandfather's brother. On ellisisland.org, Andrew is listed under Zagonc and Joseph is listed under Krzysiek.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Shellie — Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:53 pm

Author: Shellie

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:53 pm

Cheri,
You are amazing! It is so great that this family can now move on past this mystery Shimshock name. I look forward to seeing this story unfold.

Steve Shimshock

Cheri Vanden Berg — Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:24 pm

Author: Cheri Vanden Berg

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:24 pm

mturnage11 wrote:

I was looking for more information about Steve Shimshock online, and I came across this. I want anyone that may be searching for his ancestry to know that his surname was originally Szymusiak. His marriage record said Simsak, and Catherine's surname was spelled Zyjac. He was born 15 Oct. 1888. The 1940 census says in Czechoslavakia, but his sister Bronislawa was born in Zaluczne in 1875. I think that the Slovakia border was about 2 miles from Zaluczne when he was born, so maybe the family hadn't moved that far. Bronislawa's marriage record names her father Wojciech (Adalbertus) and her mother Anna Kalec. His Social Security card did have his surname spelled Shimshock, so that is the spelling that he stuck with.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Shellie — Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:48 am

Author: Shellie

Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:48 am

I once saw an article (I must look for it again) written in Polish that mentioned there was a kind of "turf war" between the village of Odrowaz and Pieniazkowice in building a parish church. Both villages wanted the church and Odrowaz was chosen. I believe that Pieniazkowice then went ahead anyway and built their church without permission.

There is also a great book about the Podhale area (but also in Polish) that includes info about Pieniazkowice. The title of the book, translated, is: Forgotten Podhale: four hundred years of Dział, Odrowąż, Pieniążkowice, Załuczne villages" by Krzysztof Szymusiak-Nowakowski. You can read more about it here: http://forum.polishorigins.com/viewtopic.php?t=241&highlight=Pieniążkowice

Ute did a wonderful job of collecting names of Pieniazkowice emigrants to America:
http://forum.polishorigins.com/viewtopic.php?t=2118

If you have ancestors from this village, please leave a message here.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

babblingbrook — Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:55 am

Author: babblingbrook

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:55 am

i guess i did miss the little church. it would not surprise me at all if most of Pieniazkowice's records that are older are in Odrowaz. When I was in Krakow they had towns rather far off included in their copies, they would be within the years but have their own pages. am not at all sure how this was recorded in Odrowaz as I did not see separate books for other towns, but did not get a clear look at all the books. Did try to look for specific Zaluczne books but did not see them, though they could have been in another cupboard. Seems though that Zaluczne still being now within Odrowaz's district still goes under odrowaz records as the same priest handles both. Per what I saw in Krakow of their copies it looked like there were separate sections in the same book, but I do not know for sure. It could be that once farther towns got their own churches they gave them their sections. But for instance i specifically remember Dzial being within the Odrowaz copies when i looked in krakow. i guess if it is a nearby town it is worth checking out odrowaz records and then if you get nowhere trying the specific newer parish to ask what they might have.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Shellie — Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:56 pm

Author: Shellie

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:56 pm

babblingbrook wrote:

I drove through Pieniazkowice earlier this spring and do not recall seeing a church there, as it was pretty tiny. But when I looked under the parish site they mention having one there. You could try writing to them or calling. Here is the link http://diecezja.pl/en/parafie/600-pienikowice-dzia-parafia-mb-bolesnej address and number are on the first line. Ask if they kept records or which parish would have.

Hi Bonnie! You must have blinked when you drove by - Pieniazkowice does have a church and a small cemetery. I stopped for a few seconds and snapped some photos in the cemetery, but all of the graves appeared to be less than 40 yrs old. Most are probably buried in cemetery in Odrowaz???

The church is not new, so I thought it was odd that the cemetery appeared to be new. Zenon, do you remember that church and cemetery?

I'm attaching the photos I have, but still looking for photos of the outside of the church (We did not go inside this church during my visit to Poland).

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

babblingbrook — Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:46 pm

Author: babblingbrook

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:46 pm

mturnage11,
i tried to send you a private msg with some records, am not certain it went through, even after a number of tries. can you let me know if it did? should have two zajac records and some info.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

babblingbrook — Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:11 pm

Author: babblingbrook

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:11 pm

Hi,
This town is very close to Odrowąż and many families moved between the two towns, married between them. I am not certain which church would have served this town at that time, Odrowaz is possible, though often their records will mention people are from Pieniążkowice. It is a walkable distance. Some towns farther came under their jurisdiction. I drove through Pieniazkowice earlier this spring and do not recall seeing a church there, as it was pretty tiny. But when I looked under the parish site they mention having one there. You could try writing to them or calling. Here is the link http://diecezja.pl/en/parafie/600-pienikowice-dzia-parafia-mb-bolesnej address and number are on the first line. Ask if they kept records or which parish would have. Additionally I will send you some info from records in Odrowaz that have that name. Perhaps one might be a relative or the right person, not sure as you said the name is common. You never know.

Re: Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

Bill Rushin — Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:39 am

Author: Bill Rushin

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:39 am

Here is a map for you with the towns you mentioned in your post.

Pieniążkowice, Nowy Targ - Zajac family - Giewont, Shimshock

mturnage11 — Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:39 pm

Author: mturnage11

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:39 pm

My GGrandmother's family is from Pieniazkowice in Nowy Targ. Anyone have connections to or info about Zajacs in this area?
Oldest child is a brother, name unknown, Marja (Mary) b May 1891, and younger sister, Katarzyna b 1893.
Sometime after the birth of Katarzyna, their mother passed and Mary took over as woman of the house at a young age.
Their father remarried a few years later and a few years after that Father and stepfather immigrated to the US.

A few years later money was sent to Poland for the brother to immigrate to the US, but sadly he had passed from an illness.
Mary and Catherine used the money for their passage to the US as she says it was 1/2 price for girls to travel. Zajac is a fairly
common name so I have had difficulty finding their passage or their father's to the US on the Ellis Island database.
When they arrived in the US instead of finally being reunited with their family, the girls were sent to cook and keep house for an
American family. I estimate their ages to be 13 and 11 at this time.
Mary married Wojciech (Albert) Giewont and Catherine married Steven Shimshock. Mary and Albert with 9 children went to Albert's
home town of Dzianisz for an extended visit in Oct of 1924. Albert wanted to remain in Poland, but Mary wanted to return so they came back to Republic, PA to Catherine's house in Feb of 1925. This passage was located on ancestry.com and gives Mary's hometown as Pieniazkowice.
Any suggestions on obtaining additional information on this family?

I would love to find out the names of her parents. They lived in a small house and raised sheep. The house was partitioned to allow shelter for the sheep or connected to the barn area.