Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2024 3:59 pm
Post subject: Searching for ancestors
Hi everyone,
I have been researching my family tree for a while now. One of my most difficult lines has been my Polish line. Only 1/16 of my ancestry comes from Poland, so I'm not too familiar with Polish genealogy. My 2x great-grandfather was born in Pennsylvania, in 1893, but his parents were born in Poland. I'm almost certain they came from the Malopolskie region. Possibly Zakopane. Their names were completely different when they arrived in America, but their original names were said to be Wojciech Penksa (Peksa?) and Ludwina Gasienica. Wojciech (later Albert Kameg/Kamego... don't know how the surname changed so drastically) was born in 1852, according to US Census Records, and Ludwina was born in 1862. Census says that Wojciech/Albert immigrated in 1890, and Ludwina (later Elizabeth) in 1892. I have no information on Wojciech or Ludwina's births, aside from the birth years. I don't have any information on their parents either. I'm at a loss here and if anyone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it!!!
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 4:11 am
Post subject:
Hello!
Do you have any documents about Albert & Elisabeth that you can upload?
Is this "your" Albert? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG6W-B9X
If yes, they were already married and had children born before coming to the US. Do you know the names of their oldest children and when they were born?
Records from Zakopane before 1890 are not available online. But if Wojciech and Ludwina were born in Zakopane, there is a book that could be helpful and includes a genealogy of the Gąsienica family. I found information about the wedding of Wojciech Pęksa (born in 1848) and Ludwina Gąsienica (they got married in 1875). It may just be a coincidence of surnames, but I think it's worth checking.
The book I'm talking about is this Genealogia rodu Gąsieniców w Zakopanem - there is only a fragment available online http://krzeptowski.pl/file/gasienice2.pdf
_________________
Monika
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 8:01 am
Post subject:
Hi, yes that is the correct Albert! Thank you for telling me about the book. That might be the correct marriage too- I have seen sources that list Albert as having been born in 1848 rather than 1852.
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 9:43 am
Post subject:
Interesting. That photo doesn't look familiar. I assume the mistake would more likely be with the Facebook post rather than the information in the book?
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BarbOsloPO Top Contributor
Joined: 19 Nov 2022
Replies: 1617
Location: NorwayBack to top |
Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 10:49 am
Post subject:
Monika, it's amazing that you found such a photo and the person who shared it. Awesome job!
It seemed almost impossible to find anything, as records from Zakopane before 1890 are not available online.
-Barb
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 10:57 am
Post subject:
| BarbOslo wrote: |
Monika, it's amazing that you found such a photo and the person who shared it. Awesome job!
It seemed almost impossible to find anything, as records from Zakopane before 1890 are not available online.
-Barb |
That explains a lot on why I have had such a hard time with this line lol. Always been such a mystery to me, so to see all this is kind of surreal!!!
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 12:31 pm
Post subject:
| BarbOslo wrote: |
Monika, it's amazing that you found such a photo and the person who shared it. Awesome job!
It seemed almost impossible to find anything, as records from Zakopane before 1890 are not available online.
-Barb |
Thanks Barb! But it still can be just a coincidence of names and as you said without records nothing can be confirmed. The book I mentioned would be helpful but it's not available.
_________________
Monika
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 12:36 pm
Post subject:
| rck123 wrote: | | Interesting. That photo doesn't look familiar. I assume the mistake would more likely be with the Facebook post rather than the information in the book? |
Yes, I think that the book should contain correct information. I think you need to contact the person who posted this photo or ask a question on the group I mentioned and maybe someone will tell you where to look next or has heard about Wojciech and Ludowina's family.
I wonder what was the reason that they changed their surname. Do you have any document where they appear as Pęksa/Gąsienica?
Edit: I just found this http://www.sejm-wielki.pl/s/surowe.php?o=ga.2365 Ludowina was born in 1843 so it seems it's not the one you're looking for...
_________________
Monika
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Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2024 6:33 pm
Post subject:
| mm_88 wrote: | | rck123 wrote: | | Interesting. That photo doesn't look familiar. I assume the mistake would more likely be with the Facebook post rather than the information in the book? |
Yes, I think that the book should contain correct information. I think you need to contact the person who posted this photo or ask a question on the group I mentioned and maybe someone will tell you where to look next or has heard about Wojciech and Ludowina's family.
I wonder what was the reason that they changed their surname. Do you have any document where they appear as Pęksa/Gąsienica?
Edit: I just found this http://www.sejm-wielki.pl/s/surowe.php?o=ga.2365 Ludowina was born in 1843 so it seems it's not the one you're looking for... |
I cannot confirm Wojciech or Peksa with records. That's from word of mouth and research from a family member of mine. He's now deceased so I cannot ask him about it. However, Albert and Elizabeth's daughter's death record does have Elizabeth's surname listed as "Gusinica," which I assumed was actually "Gasienica" since the surname "Gusinica" doesn't seem to exist, and there are a lot of Gasienica's in the Zakopane area. I actually forgot that it was listed as "Gusinica" and was thinking it was listed as "Gasienica" this whole time.
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BarbOsloPO Top Contributor
Joined: 19 Nov 2022
Replies: 1617
Location: NorwayBack to top |
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:25 am
Post subject:
Hi Monika and rck123,
You are lucky, and you must be proud of your ancestors. Monika has done an amazing job with the search. As was mentioned in the Facebook post, Jan Peksa was the founder of the cemetery "Na Peksowym Brzysku".
https://visitmalopolska.pl/en_GB/obiekt/-/poi/cmentarz-na-peksowym-brzyzku-w-zakopanem
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Jan_P%C4%99ksa_gr%C3%B3b.jpg
The cemeteries in the mountain area are different from others. This is so special. Polish elite in culture, literature, art and sport were buried there. Oh so beautiful. My husband's grandmother is buried in Zakopane and I have seen that place.
I have now contacted the person who uploaded the picture that Monika found. Hope she can help. Perhaps she has or knows someone who has documents you are looking for.
Regards,
-Barb
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BarbOsloPO Top Contributor
Joined: 19 Nov 2022
Replies: 1617
Location: NorwayBack to top |
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 11:13 am
Post subject:
Hi rck123,
Thanks to Monika's search, I was able to contact 2 ladies who live in Zakopane. I have received some new photos and some information about the family. Will write more soon.
Regards,
-Barb
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Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2024 5:12 pm
Post subject:
| BarbOslo wrote: | Hi rck123,
Thanks to Monika's search, I was able to contact 2 ladies who live in Zakopane. I have received some new photos and some information about the family. Will write more soon.
Regards,
-Barb |
Hi Barb, I apologize, I didn’t see this until now. Could you please show me the new information you found?
Thank you
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BarbOsloPO Top Contributor
Joined: 19 Nov 2022
Replies: 1617
Location: NorwayBack to top |
Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2024 9:19 am
Post subject:
Hi,
It was several weeks ago. I don't know if I still have these notes.
Can you write what you managed to find?
-Barb
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TrishPO Top Contributor
Joined: 23 Sep 2020
Replies: 550
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Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2024 1:43 pm
Post subject:
Hi Everyone,
I just want to ask rck123 a question. Do you have any USA records for Wojciech (Albert)? I did see his Pennsylvania Death record. I also saw the family in the 1900 and 1910 census records. I don't want to duplicate your work by posting this information.
Thanks,
Trish
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