Estate Steward/supervisor

I am sharing the marriage event of Kacper Lusawick’s marriage to Marianna Kotkiewicz on May 31, 1840 because it illustrates a different occupation from any I have shared so far. Remember on my grandfather’s paternal side, they mostly worked as farmers in the villages. On my grandfather’s maternal side, they mainly worked in trades such as furrier, shoemaker, etc., in the city of Tomaszów Lubelski. This groom was an estate steward/supervisor, residing in Przeworsk. Kacper Lusawicki was a bachelor, 30 years old and had been born in Tomaszow Lubelski. The bride, Marianna Kotkiewicz, was from Hrubieszów. She was 20 years old and was a servant living in Przeorsk. They likely met on the estate that they were both working on. One witness Leon Piotrowski, was from the city and the other one Franciszek Rozwadowski, was a tobacco guard from another estate in Łaszczów I will just say that the groom is a “cousin” of some sort. His mother Marianna is a Wiciejewska whose father MIGHT be the Jakub Wiciejewski, a potter, who is my 5th great grandfather. A different mother for Marianna is listed so I was unable to determine if it is the same Jakub. I might get it figured out eventually. This wedding was before feudalism ended. “Each day, the estate steward issued orders for the next morning, the field boss announced assignments, saying who was to ride or walk to work where, and with what.” The workers associated the estate stewards with the owners and because working conditions were difficult, they often disliked the estate stewards who were issuing the orders. When the owner of the manor inspected his fields, the steward would be criticized if weeds were found. (Jan Slomka, “Memoirs of a Peasant”) --------- Date of record: Chodywańce, 31 May 1840, 6 p.m. Witnesses: Leon Piotrowski, age 33, residing in Tomaszów, also Franciszek Rozwadowski, tobacco guard, age 40, residing in Łaszczów Groom: Kaper Lusawicki, bachelor, estate steward/supervisor residing in Przeorsk, born in the city of Tomaszów of Paweł and Marianna Wiciejewska, the married couple Lusawicki, there residing, age 30 Bride: Miss Marianna, daughter of Andrzej and Marianna nee Kotkiewicz, the married couple Milewski residing in Hrubieszów, age 20, born in Hrubieszów, servant living in Przeorsk Banns: 17, 24 & 31 May

Names of Grandpa and all of the "Greats"

Jan NItka & Konstancja Wiciejewska (4th great aunt) Marry May 30, 1841

Most of the marriages in the records I look at are of young people around 20 or 21 years old. Here is a marriage where one of them was 22--and the other one was MUCH older. It also shows what families did related to the baptism of their children when one was Greek Catholic and the other was Roman Catholic. ***** One of the twins I have talked about -- Konstancja Wiciejewska (my 4th great aunt) was married on 30 May, 1841 -- 180 years ago.. Konstancja and her twin Wojciech were born in 1819 so she was 22 when she got married. Her father Maciej was deceased and she was living with her mother Mryanna nee Metalski in Tomaszów Lubelski. Her father was Greek Catholic and her mother was Roman Catholic and Konstancja was baptized as a Roman Catholic. Her father had worked as a potter. ***** The groom was Jan Nitka, a 46 year old widower. He likely had young children since he remarried the same year his wife died. There is a record of one daughter Helena but she was already deceased and I didn’t find any other children. They could have been born before Jan moved to Tomaszow Lubelski since he was born in Rusinow, Galicia, Austria, the son of farmers from there. He was a Greek Catholic carpenter living and working in Tomaszow Lubelski. ***** Jan and Konstancja had six children. The boys were baptized Greek Catholic and the girls were baptized Roman Catholic. ***** On April 13 I shared info about the village of Rybnica where Konstancja died.

Mary Raczkiewicz

Not many of us knew that Grandpa Anthony had a sister who ended up living in Muskegon, Michigan. When I first learned about her, I thought today, May 29, in 1892 was her birthday. There are many reasons for this: some immigrants celebrated their name day instead of their birthday or maybe didn’t really know their own birthdate and there is more than one “Mary Kufta.” I had December 16, 1902 and May 29, 1892 as possibilities until fairly recently. Her birth record is not in the database I am using but Andrzej Dubiel (newfound 2x cousin) found it through the archive. Her birthday was December 16, 1899. I want to tell you a little about her since I recently received a picture of her.) ----- Marion/Mary Raczkiewicz (my great aunt) was born in Sabaudia, Poland. It is a little village outside the city of Tomaszow.I had a lot of trouble finding out when she was born. When Mary was eleven years old, her older brother Jan left Poland for the United States. Then when she was thirteen years old, (1912) Anthony (my grandpa) and his brother Jozef left for Canada with a final destination of Michigan in the U.S.. Eleven years later (1923) Marion left Southampton England on the ship Melita to Quebec, Canada.. She was 22 years old and single. She left behind her mother Katarzyna and siblings Stanislawa (28), Piotr (26), Paulina (22), Franciszek (19) and Boleslaw (17.) ----- She worked as a farm laborer and could read and write. She had a medium complexion, fair hair and grey eyes. Her brother Piotr was her contact in Sabaudia, Poland. Hher contact in Grand Rapids, Michigan was my grandfather -- her brother Anthony Raczkiewicz. (He lived at 208 Lexington NW for about two years at that time and they would be shortly moving to Milwaukee Avenue.). She traveled third class and her passage was paid for by her brother. She had $30 with her. She likely stayed with her brother Anthony and his wife, my grandma Pauline for a while, in Grand Rapids. ----- After Mary had been in the U.S for three years (April 15,1926), she and Frank Kufta were married by Father Casmimir Skory, the pastor of St. Adalbert Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Marion was doing factory work in Grand Rapids. Frank was a factory worker in Muskegon. He was born in Poland and immigrated in 1909. He was ten years older than Marion. Witnesses were Joseph Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) of Grand Rapids (Anthony’s brother), and Helen Kufta, (Frank’s sister) of Muskegon. ----- This wonderful picture was just sent to me by Mary’s daughter Theresa (Kufta) Parkanzky. She didn’t know who any of the other people are in the picture. (My grandfather and grandmother and great uncle Joe are in it and Frank’’s sister Helen Kufta was a witness so she must be in it. I think the oldest brother Jan and his wife are back in Poland by this time.) ----- By 1930, Mary and Frank lived on 6th St. in Muskegon, MI, and their house was worth $4,000. Frank was 37 years old, worked in an iron foundry and could speak English. Mary was 28 and could not speak English. Their children were Wanda, age 3 and Irene, age 2. By 1940, they were in the same house and it was worth only $3,000. Frank had a 6th grade education and was in the process of becoming a citizen. Mary had a 3rd grade education and was still an alien. Wanda was 13, Irene was 12 and Teresa was 4 years old. My mother (Shirley Longwell) has a memory of visiting them one time because Teresa was about her age. They may have visited more but she isn’t sure. She recently remembered that Frank and Mary attended her wedding. ------------------- Mary/Marion (Raczkiewicz) Kufta died May 30, 1984 at the age of 82 in Muskegon Heights, Michigan-- I thought! Her family has April 15, 1989 and they should know! It is another case of there being confusion on dates. Current day connections: When I started out, I did not know any of Mary’s relatives. My mother had a slight memory of Mary’s youngest daughter Theresa. Tomasz Raczkiewicz (my 2nd cousin who lives in Poznan, Poland) remembered his grandfather mentioned Marion and that she went to the US and married Frank. Tomasz never heard about Anthony (my Grandfather) or Joe and Jan who also went to the U.S, from his grandfather but Marion was closer to his grandfather Boleslaw’s age. One of Marion’s great grandchildren is a DNA match with me but I had not heard back from her. There is a gentleman that has Mary on his tree and I reached out but he either hasn’t done DNA or we aren’t a match. Then in February of 2021, Mary’s great grand daughter Dina Mastee and I connected. I made a connection with Michael Kozicki who is a grand son. After that, the connection was made to Mary’s youngest daughter Theresa Parkanzky (my great aunt) and her daughter Marie Halloran.

The market square in Tomaszów in 1914.

"Please note how much the built-up area of the present market was, but most of these buildings burned down in the great fire that took place on May 28, 1918. The fire broke out in the building next to the synagogue, and was the result of carelessly driving the homemade pork. About 200 houses burned down as a result of the fire, and over 2,000 people lost their homes. A few years later, famous halls with arcades were built in this area ..." ***** Text of June 16, 1918, published in the journal "Praca" Fire of Tomaszów Lubelski. ***** https://www.historiaregionu.org/historie-z-regionu?lang=pl

Memorial Day

Technically, Memorial Day (May 31, 2021)is for those who never made it out of their uniform. Veterans’s Day (November 11, 2021)is for those who hung up their uniform. Armed Forces Day (May 15, 2021) is for those still in their uniform. Memorial Day is a bank holiday and many people do not need to work. We use Memorial Day though to thank ALL those who served in the military! In our family that includes Joseph Raczkiewicz (my great uncle), John Dykstra (my uncle) and Roy Longwell (my father.)

Gravestones at Holy Cross Cemetery

All the relatives of Anthony Raczkiewicz’ family that are deceased are buried at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MIchigan or Rosedale Memorial Park Cemetery in Tallmadge Township, Michigan. The day the pictures were taken the grass looked bad but the rain and cooler temperatures the next day will help. Most of the graves are in the section that prohibits monuments--the gravestones must be flat in the ground. The one of Anthony Raczkiewicz’ first wife Klementyna is missing the cross that was on top and the child Bronislaw’s stone is not seen. Other graves pictured: Tom Peterson, (my brother-in-law) Anthony and Apolonia Raczkiewicz (my grandparents), Joseph Raczkiewicz (my great uncle), Lorraine and John Dykstra (my aunt and uncle), Tony and Ceil Raczkiewicz (my aunt and uncle) and Walter Skrobot (Apolonia’s father--my great grandfather.)

Memorial Day preparation

In preparation for Memorial Day, my Mom (Shirley (Raczkiewicz) Longwell went to Holy Cross Cemetery several times. She edged the grass around the graves and did other clean up. The last visit was to take care of any final touches and pull up the hidden vases and fill them with flowers. She also checked that all the veterans had American flags (previously placed by volunteers.) She went to the office to get extras for the ones that were missed. Because I was alone this time, we took pictures of all the graves plus some areas of the cemetery that were meaningful. Most of the family graves are in the section of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is on a hill and is a memorial for Polish war veterans and normally (when it is not a pandemic) a Mass would take place there. Another section has the large cross. There are several mausoleums. The one pictured is where Anthony and Ceil Raczkiewicz (Jr.) are located.

Antonina (Wiciejewska) Bulewicz Born May 30 1816

The interesting part about today’s story is that the woman’s occupation was shoemaker/cobbler. Most woman in the records I have read were mothers, farm workers and maids. Antonina Wiciejewska (my 3rd great aunt) was born May 30, 1816 at home In Tomaszow Lubelski in house #206. Her parents were Maciej, age 42, and Marianna, age 32. Maciej worked as a potter. After Antonina married Mataeusz Bulewicz, who was an apprentice shoemaker when they got married, Antonina also worked as a shoemaker/cobbler. When she died at age 41, it listed her occupation as a shoemaker/cobbler. ----------------------- Date of record: 30 May 1816, 7 p.m.; Father: Maciej Wiciejewski (written Wicijoski), shingler?, age 42, residing in Tomaszów; Child: female named Antonina who was born at his house at #206 on 28 May this year; Mother: Marianna Mietelska, age 32; Witnesses: Józef Kudlik, shoemaker, age 50, also Jędrzej Wojnowski, having completed his 34th year of age -------------------------- In Tomaszów on 7th November 1853, 11 o'clock in the morning, presented themselves Mateusz Bulewicz ,42, husband of the deceased and Wojciech Nadwodnik ,28, both shoemakers/cobblers from Tomaszów confirmed that on 5th November at 11 o'clock in the morning died Antonina Bulewicz , shoemaker/cobbler , aged 41 . Daughter of Maciej and Maryanna née Metelski Wiciejewski, potters , married couple from Tomaszów , born in Tomaszów . Leaving behind a widowed husband Mateusz Bulewicz. ----------------------------- Tomaszów 10th February 1833 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Let it be known that in the presence of witnesses Antoni Radawski ,53 and Szymon Hładysza ,52 , both shoemakers in Tomaszów, today a religious marital union took place between Mateusz Bulewicz, young man , apprentice shoemaker , residing in Tomaszów and born here of legally married couple Józef Bulewicz ,once shoemaker of Tomaszów already deceased and the living Maryanna née Jaworowski , residing here in Tomaszów, age 19 and Miss Antonina Wiciejowska , daughter of Maciej and Maryanna née Metelski , married couple Wiciejowski, potters , residing here in Tomaszów, age 17 , born and living with parents here . The marriage was preceded by the announcement of three banns 27th January, 3rd and 10th February this current year .Verbal permission given by the mother of the groom and the parents of the bride. No objections to the marriage and the newlyweds confirmed that they had arranged a prenuptial agreement on 10th February in front of Michał Celejowski, notary in the County of Tomaszów . This record was presented and read out to the witnesses , signed by us , the groom and the witness Radawski, as the bride and other witnesses are unable to write. -----https://blog.myheritage.com/2015/09/extinct-crafts-shoemaking/

Shoemakers #1

“Shoemakers are generally hardworking, thrifty, they like order and cleanliness” ***** There are many shoemakers and cobblers in the family tree on the Kaszucki side. In fact, Jan Raczkiewicz tried shoemaking in Grand Rapids in 1915 The picture is of an unknown shoemaker in 1914 at Adolph Montrim Shoe Repairer at 316 Bridge St. NW. Jan worked there for a short time. ***** Villages had many shoemakers and they owned homes and farms. Many had a maid. The shoemaker used the flesh of the pig for meat and the husband used the bristles on the pig for sewing boots and shoes and the skin for the leather. Another way they got leather was to buy cow leather from a tanner or from a merchant who purchased the leather for resale. ***** Shoemakers made strong and expensive boots made to order. They also brought ready-made ones to weekly markets to sell. Families made minor repairs themselves and had a shoemaker’s awl and homemade awl in order to do this. Cobblers would go to the neighborhoods of the peasants to perform shoe repair. ***** The skills of the trade were learned in shoemaking school under the guidance of a master. It included an apprenticeship where skills were learned such as taking measurements, sewing leather on a machine. The town of Tomaszow likely had an association with which the shoemakers needed to register. ***** Sources: P. 84 -85 Memoirs of a Peasant” Jan Slomka and https://www.historiaregionu.org/uhnow and https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159147737384730&set=gm.1763933803786817

Tomaszow Lubelski becomes a city 400 years ago

Tomaszów Lubelski became a city 400 years ago in 1621. It was a town founded at the end of the 16th century by Jan Zamoyski, For comparison, Grand Rapids, Michigan became a village in 1838 and a city in 1850. It has been a city for 171 years. Photo credit: By Photo: Marcin Konsek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44068044

Anna Dubiel was Born May 25, 1877

Anna Dubiel was born May 25, 1877 in Rogozno. Her parents were Pawel Dubiel and Lucy nee Zachara. Her Godparents were Bartłomiej Mazur and Katarzyna ?. I haven’t had this Russian record translated. Here is a link to see it: https://szukajwarchiwach.pl/88/639/0/-/2/skan/full/U5zQC9EVvVmfkuK8ueJdng After I connected with Andrzej Dubiel (my newfound 2nd cousin) and we were working on Raczkiewicz relatives together, he mentioned that on his father’s side (Dubiel) that one of the siblings -- Anna-- had also gone to the U.S. but he didn’t know much about her. He told me, “Anna Dubiel was a sister of my great grandpa Wojciech Dubiel. She was born in 1877 and married Walenty Roczniak in 1906. I don't know what happened to them next.” I decided to look and see “what happened next.” I was able to use Ancestry and FamilySearch to piece together her story -- with a couple of extra bonuses. The two bonuses both came from a picture I found on Ancestry. It said that it was of Anna and her husband and children but I wanted to verify it before I shared it with Andrzej. I contacted a person connected with a family tree of Anna that had the picture and amazingly, in a short amount of time, I got a response. Besides verifying and identifying the people in the picture I was able to share Susan VandenBerg and Joan Kessler’s names with Andrzej. They wanted to make a connection to their family in Poland. The first part of Anna’s life was spent in Poland. Anna and Walenty Roczniak (my grandpa’s first wife’s mother was also named Roczniak) were married and three daughters were born -- Marion (1904), Josephine (1907) and Stella (1910), all in Tomaszów Lubelski. Her husband Walenty came to the U.S. first. Anna traveled from Trieste, France to Quebec, Canada, arriving May 6, 1913. Five days later she traveled from Canada to Detroit, Michigan. Her children Anastasia, 6 and Jozefa, 4, traveled with her. The manifest said she last lived in Woloszka Ruda, Tomaszów and that her sister in Tomaszów Lubelski was Marianna Szczepaniak. It also said she was going to her husband Walenty Roczniak in Grand Haven. Their 3rd child Felicia had been born 6 years earlier May 27, 1914 in Grand Haven. There are several children I do not know where they were born. The family shows up (1920 census) in Emmett, Michigan (in the farthest northern portion of Michigan’s lower peninsula.) I am unsure if they lived there or were on an extended visit since they are listed in a section of the census that is marked with an X rather than an address. They were likely visiting Stanley Dubiel, Anna’s brother, who lived in Emmett. By 1921, another child was born in Grand Haven. It is likely that there are connections between some of the newfound “cousins.” In 1930 , Anna and her family lived in Grand Haven in the 5th ward and Walenty worked in a tannery. Two gentlemen roomers (Adam Wdowiak and George Dominik) of the Raszkiewicz family (related to Richard Streng, a new-found 4th cousin 1x removed) also worked at the tannery. Wojciech died in 1938 Ann Arbor a short time after surgery. He was buried back in Grand Haven. In 1940, widowed Anna lived in Grand Haven with 22 year old son Stanley. Anna died in 1954 in Grand Haven. Anna Dubiel was born May 25, 1877 in Rogozno. Her parents were Pawel Dubiel and Lucy nee Zachara. Her Godparents were Bartłomiej Mazur & Katarzyna ?. I haven’t had this Russian record translated. Here is a link to see it: https://szukajwarchiwach.pl/88/639/0/-/2/skan/full/U5zQC9EVvVmfkuK8ueJdng

Nolan Spencer is 16 Years old

Happy birthday Nolan! (My 1rst cousin 2x removed)

Maja Raczkiewicz is Baptized May 22, 2021

It is special to see celebrations of our family! Bartosz Raczkiewicz' (newfound 2nd cousin) and his wife's youngest daughter was baptized today. The celebration in Poland was attended by their relatives. Congratulations!

More Charts & History of Poland

Charts of Health & History in Poland

Obviously, the world has faced health emergencies like Covid-19 before. One example is the 1918 global flu pandemic. To help me understand the events that have happened in Poland and nearby areas, I found these charts. The time frames are given for outbreaks of cholera, smallbox, influenza, typhus, dysentery, and plague. These diseases no longer have the impacts like Covid 19 is currently having. Also the charts list wars, political changes and other noteworthy events that occurred.

Graduations

While Anthony and his siblings have all passed away, their descendants continue in Poland, the U.S. and other places. These two gradautes are grandchildren of the oldest second cousin of the group: Sandra (Dykstra) Spruit. I bet she is proud! Jordyn Spruit--Hope College Neala Wilson--Grand Haven High School

Antoni Krawczyk Married Barbara Probola

In my culture, a year of mourning is typical before a husband remarries after his wife dies. It may have been different in Poland in the past, especially if there were young children involved. ***** Anthony Krawczyk (my 4x great grandfather) wed Barbara Probola on May 22, 1824. Barbara was 32 years old and the daughter of Sebastyan Probola and Anna nee Bartnim. They were once peasant farmers but were deceased. Barbara was living with her brother-in-law in Łaszczówka. ***** Antoni was a 42 year old peasant farmer residing in Łaszczówka. His parents were once peasant farmers in the same village but were deceased. This was Antoni’s second marriage. His wife Dorota (Kozrya) Krawczyk (my 4x great grandmother) died 22 March 1824. She was 45 years old. The death was reported by Antoni, Krawczyk, 42, her husband and Jozef Litwin, 60, a neighbor in Laszczowka where they lived. Her death information was in the record for her husband's remarriage two months later to Barbara Probola. It is possible that there were young children in his home even though his oldest daughter Katarzyna (my 3x great grandmother) was married November 1823, four months before her mother died. That might explain why he remarried so quickly. Image: By Rronaldo79 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47595282

Faience Factory Ownership

The local ceramics factory figured prominently in the lives of the husband and brother of Agnieszka (Szczesnicka) Wisniewski (my 4x great grandmother.) Her husband Blazej was a foreman there and her brother Bartlomiej was a worker there. They are ancestors on Katarzyna Kaszucka’s (my great grandmother) maternal side. Also Maciej and Jakub Wiciejewski worked as potters (my 3x and 4x great grandfathers on Katarzyna Kaszucka’s paternal side Within the Lublin region in the 18th century until the mid-19th century, there were factories in four areas that were established by Polish magnates, including in Tomaszów Lubelski. They were built to compete with imported products. The factories started out making imitations but then they hired artists that created original designs. A popular color was blue. Different factories produced different products such as pottery, porcelain dishes and stoneware. In Tomaszów Lubelski,, in the Zamość Estate, a faience and porcelain factory was begun in 1794 by Alexander August Zamoyski, age 24 and a ceramist, Franciszek Mezer. They established a contract where a square and buildings were signed over to the business. “The manufactory buildings were located on Lwowska Street -- it was the only paved road in the city -- on both sides. In the period of its greatest prosperity, 50 employees were employed here. For the first 12 years, until 1806, only earthenware was produced”. http://wystawy.biblioteka.pollub.pl/exhibits/show/ceramika/historia-tomaszow Local forests were available for the fuel and the clay was brought in from Wolowska, near Lviv, approximately 150 miles away. The local clay was useful only to produce faience, not porcelain. Faience is “fine tin-glazed pottery.” A glaze was developed that allowed for decorative painting to be added which was a major innovation in the history of pottery. It required a kiln producing temperatures above 1,830 degrees F (1,000 C.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faience

Agnieszka (née Szcześnicka) Wiśniowska died

Agnieszka (née Szcześnicka) Wiśniowska died on 20 May 1823, 198 years ago. She was 49 years old. In some of the records her first name was Jagniewska. She died in Tomaszów Lubelski in house # 347 at 6:00 in the evening. It would require a detailed map from that time period to determine where that was--the one posted is from 1907 --quite a bit later and not detailed enough to include house numbers. Her husband Blazej, 55 was a grave digger and farmer. He had previously been a foreman at a faience (ceramic) factory. The other witness reporting her death was her older brother Bartlomiej who was 53 years old and was a manufacturer of faience. Blazer and Agnieszka had five children, three boys and two girls. The three oldest children were between ages 9 and 13 when she died. The two youngest had died as infants. Blazej later would become engaged to a woman and then later marry another one within the year of his wife’s death, likely wanting a mother for his children. The oldest Ewa would later become my 3x great grandmother after marrying Josef Kurkiewicz. We know from her brother Bartlomiej’ wedding record (1820) that their father was a judge ("jurydyczanie" [singular: "jurydyczanin" legal authority) A map of the area from 1907 http://maps.mapywig.org/m/Polish_maps/various/Bazewicz_Atlas_geogr_ilustr_Kr%C3%B3l_Pol_1907/zbc16646_AGIKP_0087_mapa038_powiat_tomaszowski_gub._lubelskiej.jpg

Occupation: Judge

"jurydyczanie" [singular: "jurydyczanin" legal authority ***** I like to highlight the different occupations of our relatives. On the Raczkiewicz, pretty much all of them were farmers. On the Kaszucki side, there were a few farmers but more townspeople with occupations like furrier, shoemaker, etc. Tomorrow (May 20) I will tell you about the death of imy 4x great grandmother Agnieszka Szczesnicka. Her father Michal was a judge. We know this from her brother Bartlomiej’ wedding record. Based on the records, I am estimating Michal was a judge around 1780--I have no idea for how long. The role of judge changed over time because of the transition from serfdom to ownership of farms by the farme. Also, he would have been a judge after the first of the three partitions(1772) so Austria would have been the occupying country. In the book I read about this job, the author who died in 1932, describes the situation in an area about 85 miles from Tomaszow Lubelski so it should be fairly similar. ***** The manors had authority over the villages. The owner of the manor was the administrator and judge unless he delegated those duties to someone else. The judge would deal with the legal matters and were officials sworn in by the appellate court. Ordinary civil cases such as those dealing with land were handled by the judge. Because the pastures and other land the peasants used belonged to the manor, they had easements which allowed them to use it in return for what they provided to the manor. Therefore, the peasants/farmers would not have ownership disputes, which would come later. ***** “Most of the criminal cases back then involved thieves, and there was no shortage of them in the villages. . . Thieves would steal horses and cattle from the stable and the pasture, or would dig under the granaries and take grain, or even steal bacon, clothing, or coral beads. Whole bands of thieves and robbers frequented the roads and forests, and the thefts were rarely solved.” “ If an accusation was made, he sent a policeman to bring the accused to his office. . . “ “ . . . he ordered the matter settled immediately and restitution made; and that was the end of the matter. . . “ “. . . if the offence in question was minor, the accused would receive several blows with a stick on a bench, without any protocol, and that was that.” In another case, “He received three days in prison, and the judge gave him a harsh scolding, telling him, he had committed a crime, and if it happened again, things would go worse with him.” ***** From: Memoirs of a Peasant: from Serfdom to the Present Day: by Jan Slomka. 1912. Revised 1929. Translation. 2019. Jan Slomka lived 1842 to 1932. Lived in and near Tarnobrzeg (139 km west of Tomaszow Lubelski) It was in the Austrian partition but just a few miles from the border of the Russian partition. Tomaszow was in the Russian partition. Image: Chris Potter, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Joseph Raczkiewicz died May 17, 1971

Joseph Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) died May 17, 1971. He lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan for 57 years after immigrating from “Zibaldy” (Sabaudia) Poland with his younger brother Anthony (my grandfather.) Their older brother Jan and many other immigrants from their area of Poland were already in Grand Rapids. When Joseph died, he was living with Anthony and his wife Pauline. From his obituary: “Joseph passed away at age 77 on an early Monday morning. Surviving was Anthony Sr. (brother), Mrs. Frank (Mary) Kufta of Muskegon (sister), two brothers in Poland and several nieces and nephews. Requiem high mass was sung at St. Adalbert’s Church, reposed at Arsulowicz Brothers Mortuary, West Stocking Ave. at Third St. NW, and interment at Holy Cross Cemetery.” Picture: Joe is on the far left. Next to him is his friend Jenny Katula, unknown, Lorraine (Raczkiewicz) Dykstra, then Emily Palczeksi (who immigrated at the same time as Joe and his brother Anthony. In fron row is Ronald Raczkiewicz and Sandra Spruit.

Letters

It was pretty common for relatives in Poland and the United States to write letters to each other. That connection ended though, almost 40 years ago. When my Mom and I spoke to Theresa (Kuftka) Parkansky (my newfound 1x cousin 1x removed) she remembered her mother Mary (Raczkiewicz) Kufta (my great aunt who lived in Muskegon, Michigan) writing to Poland frequently. When her mother was older, Theresea helped with this duty by going to the post office often and even helped address the envelopes for her mother.w Bartosz Raczkiewicz (my new found 2x cousin) remembered hearing from his father Eugeniusz Raczkiewicz that someone used to write to his grandfather Boleslaw (my great uncle.) Bartosz asked his father who used to write and was told that it was Mary Kufta. The last letter was written to Boleslaw by Mary’s daughter Teresa. She wrote to tell Boleslaw that her mother Mary had died. Mary died in 1984 so that is likely the date of the last letter between the U.S. and Poland within our family Image: By uploaded by Nickpo - Private collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7562509

Boleslaw Raczkiewicz Married May 1944

A lot happened the year Boleslaw Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) married. He and Jozefa Janina Bender married May 1944 (exact date unknown--if anyone in Poland knows it, I would love to hear!) His mother Katarzyna (nee Kaszucka) died two months earlier, at age 72, on March 11, 1944. Boleslaw was living with her. He married at age 37 in May of the same year. Then two months later in July, the house was set on fire by the Russian army. This means that any photos we are getting were with someone else at the time since any in the house burned up. (On May 11 you saw a painting done by Joanne Raczkiewicz of the house that was rebuilt.) Of his eight siblings, the ones that likely attended the wedding were Stanislawa, Paulina and Piotr. His oldest brother Jan would have returned to Poland but was likely deceased by this time (his wife was remarried and deceased by April 1945.) Anthony (my grandfather, Joseph and Mary were still in the United States. Franciszek was killed the year before in the rotunda in Zamosc for attempting to “steal” his own corn. A year after their marriage, Boleslaw and Jozefa’s son Eugenuisz was born (1945) and after that their son Miecyslaw was born (1947.) Eugeniusa and Miecyslaw are first cousins living in Poland of my mother (Shirley born 1936) and of Theresa (Kufta) Parkanzky (born 1935.) Other first cousins are two surviving children of my grandfather’s sister Stanislawa: Wanda (Bielak) Soldaj (born 1927) and Maria (Bielak) Dubowki (born ?) I am getting acquainted with Eugeniusz’ son Bartosz and Miecyslaw’s sons Tomasz and Jacek. (the photo is from Bartosz Raczkiewicz)

Piotr Raczkiewicz' birth was reported May 15 1897

Piotr Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) was born May 13, 1897 and the birth was reported today, May 15 124 years ago. You can see in the record below who he was named after. Also, his Godmother would be Mike Liszewski and his sisters’ (my new found 3x cousins 1x removed) great grandmother. His sister Mary listed him as her contact when she traveled to the United States in 1923. I still don’t have information if he married or when he died. The picture is from Andrzej Dubiel. It is of him with his sister Paulina and brother Boleslaw and Boleslaw’s wife Jozefa. They liked to go out after church for a small beer together. ------------------------ Took place in the town Tomaszów on May 15th/27th,1897 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Appeared in person Jan Raczkiewicz, age 32, peasant, living in the village Sabaudia, and in the presence of witnesses Michal Kielar, age 50, and Josef Kondra, age 30,both peasants living in the village Sabaudia ,he presented to Us a child of male sex, stated that this child was born in the village Sabaudia on May 1st/13th,1897 at 5 o'clock in the morning to his lawful wife Katarzyna nee Kaszócka, 25 years old. At the Holy baptism performed on this day, this child was given the name Piotr in honor of Saint Apostle Piotr and his godparents were first witness and Antonina Kurkiewicz.This act was read aloud to the illiterate present and signed only by Us.

Families Financially Support St. Adalbert Church & It is the Center of Social Activities

“By 1928, the amount families were expected to contribute was $15.00, with a ten cent pew rent taken in a separate collection . Now, to help offset the large debt, Father John asked for $3.00 per family per week for a total of $156 per year -- a sum that necessitated a severe sacrifice for most of those who were able to pay it” “Typical of this enthusiasm was an article that appeared on the first page of The Echo, the Polish language newspaper, on November 5, 1937: “Hey! Parish of St. Adalbert's! Did you hear of the big prizes to be given away at the party on November 7? Grand Rapids has never heard of what will take place at the party. So come anyway and win yourself a prize! See you there!” “During the 1940's, in particular, social activities were plentiful and thriving. It was as if the easing of the parish debt was accompanied by a lifting of the people's spirits. In the school recreational events were abundant, with a billiard room (located where the kitchen now is) and a bowling alley consisting of four lanes (located in what is now the cafeteria.) There were two leagues participating in the bowling at that time , one a men's league consisting of eight teams and the other a women's league comprised of four teams. Scores were kept, tournaments were conducted, and prizes were awarded to individuals as well as to teams; but most of all, the participants shared fun and laughter while mingling socially and enjoying the competition. In addition, plays were occasionally performed and movies shown to good sized crowds in the spacious auditorium.”

Raczkiewicz Home in Sabaudia

Look what was sent by Bartosz Raczkiewicz (my newfound 2x cousin) today! He explained that this is a picture painted by his sister Joanna. The house was their grandfather Boleslaw's house. Boleslaw was my great uncle since he was the brother of my grandfather Anthony. This house was in the same place where my great grandparents Jan and Katarzyna’s children were born. Jan and Katarzyna’s house was burned during the war and later a new house was built in the same place. They used building materials from the original house which were not destroyed. This house was destroyed in 2020 and in its place is his sister’s house which is currently being built.

Location: Zamosc

Two events in family history have been in the city of Zamosc--one was the death in 1884 of Marianna Wiciejewska (my 1rst cousin 4x removed) and the other is the 1943 shooting of Frank Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) in the Rotunda. This video is from a warm, rainy night in the Old Town of Zamość marking the end of 2020, different because of the pandemic. ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ood6zJZ9eMw&fbclid=IwAR0ai5EJx__EQU-NZs9Z9t5cC2iZM5PElIf0bbFOT_b9c6d8lVJHXCtEWLI

A Challenging Life: Marianna Wiciejewska is born May 13, 1851

Salomea (Wiciejewska) Kaszucki (my 3x great grandmother) was Godmother to her niece Marianna Wiciejewska and she likely worried about her alot. The importance of Godparents can’t be under-estimated. Godparents promise to help raise a baby in the faith. Marianna’s live had some challenges. ***** Salomea was the oldest of nine children of Maciej Wiciejewski (my 4th great grandparents) and Marianna nee Metalska. Their youngest Valentine (Walenty), age 28, had a daughter, Marianna (my 1rs cousin, 4x removed on May 13, 1851, 170 years ago. Besides Salomea, the other godparent was Tomasz Cielniak,/Kielniak 39. The witness wasAndrzej Heyzner, 44. Tomasz and Andrzej were peasants from the village Para. The father Walenty also lived there with his wife Helena nee Jozefko, 30 and worked as an innkeeper. ***** When Marianna was 21 years old, she was unmarried and working as a servant when she had her son Wladyslaw in 1874. The declarant was Agnieszka Uminska, 52 rather than a husband.. The witnesses were Maciej Janusz and Jan Gucz, (both 50 and church sextons.) The Godparents were Franciszek Kielarski and Maryanna Kulczyn. She was still unmarried nine years later in 1883 when she had Piotr. The witnesses were Jan Kudlicka, 24 and Bronislaw Berezecki, 30. The Godfather was Jan Kudlicka and the record is illegible so the Godmother's name r is unknown. In 1884, Marianna was temporarily living 22 miles north in Zamosc. The reason that she was living there is not given--was she there to work? Was she in a hospital? She died there at age 32. A cause of death is not given--according to the history list I have, at this time there was a struggle for democracy and the effects of overpopulation as well as the breaking up of the estates. The witnesses were both workers from the local church. It is unknown where Marianna’s children were. If alive, Wladyslaw would have been 10 years old and Piotr would have been one year old. ***** Image credit: Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Lori Longwell’s birthday is May 11

Happy birthday to my sister Lori (Longwell) Peterson. She is the youngest of three daughters in our family. Her and her husband Tom have a daughter Marissa. Her husband Tom died in 2019. Lori hopes to travel to Poland some time soon.

Stanislawa Raczkiewicz was born May 10, 1895.

Stanislawa Raczkiewicz (my great aunt) was born May 10, 1895 in the village of Sabaudia. Her parents were Jan and Katarzyna nee Kaszucka, age 25. Her godparents were Franciszek Czarnopyś and Marianna Lisikiewicz. One witness was Marian Skurcz, 25, a peasant from Sabaudia. The other witness was Franciszek Czarnopyś , a 30 year old townsperson from Tomaszow Lubelski. Franciszek was a grandson of Szczepan Czarnopyś and Pelagia nee Romanowicz. They were 2x great grandparents of my newfound 3rd cousin 1x removed Mike Liszewski and his sisters Joan (Liszewski) Kirkwood and Betty Liszewski. ---------------------------------- b. 1895/106 It happened in Tomaszów, on April 28 (May 10), 1895, at 10 a.m., Jan Raczkiewicz, a Christian (I cannot read) from the village of Sabaudia, appeared in the presence of Franciszek Czarnopys (?) 30-year-old townsperson (?) From Tomaszów and Marian Skurcz 25 years old, a Christian from the village of Sabaudia, and told us that yesterday in the village of Sabaudia a daughter was born from his lawful wife Katarzyna, née Kaszucka, 25 years old. This child was baptized with the name of Stanisława. The witnesses were Franciszek Czarnopyś and Marianna Liskiewiczowa. ***** Image: Ceyla de Wilka, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Happy Mother's Day

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PolishCultureFoodandTraditions/permalink/4601417689871619

Bolesław Raczkiewicz Died

Bolesław Raczkiewicz (my great uncle) died in a hospital on May 9, 2001 He was 94 years old. He is buried in a cemetery in Tomaszow Lubelski. Bolesław parents were Jan Raczkiewicz and Katarzyna nee Kaszucki (my great grandparents.) He was named in honor of King Boleslaw when he was born in 1906. Boleslaw and his wife Jozefa Janina (Bender) had two children: Mieczyslaw and Eugeniusz. They lived in Sabaudia. He was a locksmith by profession but worked most of his life as a farmer. Back in October 2020, his grandson Tomasz Raczkiewicz told me about him.

Blazej Wisniowski Married Anna Adamczyk Mary 9 1824

Blazej Wisniowski (my 4x great grandfather) was in a bit of a hurry after his wife Jagnieszka Szcześnicka died. He ended up engaged--that fell through--and then he ended up marrying about a year after Jagniewska’s death. Jagniewska died May 20, 1823 at age 53. Blazej and her had at least five children together. By September 7, the Parish priest of Tomaszów, clerk of the civil records in the Administrative district of Tomaszów, Tomaszów County , Province Lubelskie put on the main door of the community house at 12 o'clock midday and announced for the first time banns for marriage to Marianna Cyronik, age 25. Blazej was 50 or 55 at the time. Obviously something happened and things fell through. Instead, Blazej and Anna Adamczyk married May 9 1824 at 6:00 p.m. She was a 41 year old maiden, daughter of deceased parents Błażej Adamczyk and Katarzyna nee Fuss, who had been peasants in Wólka Łosiniecka. Anna was living and working in Tomaszow as a servant. Blazej had been a foreman of a faience (potter) factory but was working as a gravedigger. His deceased parents Mateusz Wisniowski and Katarzyna nee Fuss, were from Pacanów, Galicia, The witnesses were Grzegorz Nazarewicz, smith, 36, Jan Kalarzyński, manufacturer, 45, Maciej Wiciiowski, "garncarz" potter, 55, Michał Kudlicki, shoemaker, 45, all residing in Tomaszów Image: Jonata, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

St. Adalbert Church History

The neighborhoods surrounding the Basilica of St. Adalbert’s (Wojciechowo) and other Roman Catholic churches were obvious because of the Polish being spoken as well as the differences from the Protestant churches. (Information from “The Poles, the Dutch and the Furniture Strike of 1911”, Mary Patrice Erdmans, Polish American Studies, Vol. 62, No. 2 (Autumn, 2005), pp. 5-22) *“St. Adalbert's, founded for Polanders from German Poland in September of 1881, is the cradle of the Grand Rapids Polonia. 13 (Incidentally, in 1980, it was designated a "basilica" by Rome, LIe., a special church because of its historicity, its architectural splendor, and its ethnic ministry.14 It was located near the Stocking-Fourth sector. To the south of that point, Germans, Poles, and Irish mixed along Bridge Street. Polanders themselves concentrated homogeneously around the church on Fourth and Davis and in a northerly thrust along Muskegon, Davis, and McReynolds almost to West Leonard. Dutch families lived along Alpine Avenue where earlier in 1881, in May, Alpine Avenue Christian Reformed Church was formed. 1s Alpine Avenue was the accepted line of demarcation between Hollanders and Polanders. Her it was that their first confrontations took place.” *“St. Adalbert's first frame church was dedicated in May of 1882. 17 In the early 1900s a cathedral-type, twin-spired French-Gothic church was planned. 18 In 1907-1913, however, the present stone Michaelangelesquedomed, twin-towered church (a very visible landmark on the West Side so clearly viewed from the freeways) was not only blessed but consecrated since it was completed for $150,000 without incurring any indebtedness. It was patterned after the church in Tremessen, 35 miles ENE of Posen in German Poland, from whence came so many pioneer Grand Rapids Polanders.” At their Golden Jublilee in 1931, St. Adalbert’s boasted 24 organizations, including eight that were nationally affiliated. Women’s National Organization: Polish Nationals under the Guidance of Our Lady of Czestochowa, foundedApril 12, 1931 Apollonia Raczkiewicz (president) 47 members, all had a different mission in strengthening and spreading their faith. “By 1928, the amount families were expected to contribute was $15.00, with a ten cent pew rent taken in a separate collection . Now, to help offset the large debt, Father John asked for $3.00 per family per week for a total of $156 per year-a sum that necessitated a severe sacrifice for most of those who were able to pay it” Typical of this enthusiasm was an article that appeared on the first page of The Echo, the Polish language newspaper, on November 5, 1937: Hey! Parish of St. Adalbert's! Did you hear of the big prizes to be given away at the party on November 7? Grand Rapids has never heard of what will take place at the party. So come anyway and win yourself a prize! See you there! During the 1940's, in particular, social activities were plentiful and thriving. It was as if the easing of the parish debt was accompanied by a lifting of the people's spirits. In the school recreational events were abundant, with a billiard room (located where the kitchen now is) and a bowling alley consisting of four lanes (located in what is now the cafeteria.) There were two leagues participating in the bowling at that time , one a men's league consisting of eight teams and the other a women's league comprised offour teams. Scores were kept, tournaments were conducted, and prizes were awarded to individuals as well as to teams; but most of all, the participants shared fun and laughter while mingling socially and enjoying the competition. In addition, plays were occasionally performed and movies shown to good sized crowds in the spacious auditorium.” St. Adalbert's Parish held its first bingo game at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, July 22, 1973. Organized and managed by the energetic, devoted, and capable Mr. Jerome Bajdek along with many assistants, it began modestly as an effort to raise additional moneys for the parish general fund. According to Parish Council minutes from September 26th of that year, "net proceeds, less prize money, was $3,300, and out of this was purchased 152 chairs, 8 tables, all equipment initial supplies, equipment, and enough supplies for the next twelve months." From that point on, it was reported, all proceeds would be clear profit. Praise was also given at that meeting on the "excellent job, good service, (and) comfortable arrangements" provided by the workers. The only change since 1973 is that these conditions have gotten even better, making St. Adalbert's weekly bingo games among the most successful on the West Side, usually netting over $1,000 per week.” http://www.mipolonia.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/St.-Adalbert_1881-1981_Grand-Rapids_MI.pdf Image credit: https://www.facebook.com/basilicagr/posts/5440553962681241 from April 10, 2021 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-adalbert-of-prague?fbclid=IwAR3vrIuA0fUQH89cxMksPZrgtbm9x3yfnyN3iLUJrXGQlbdsvBkLWXVTncg

Original St. Adalbert Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan is Moved to Belmont, Michigan

*“St. Adalbert's first frame church was dedicated in May of 1882. 17 In the early 1900s a cathedral-type, twin-spired French-Gothic church was planned. 18 In 1907-1913, however, the present stone Michaelangelesquedomed, twin-towered church (a very visible landmark on the West Side so clearly viewed from the freeways) was not only blessed but consecrated since it was completed for $150,000 without incurring any indebtedness. It was patterned after the church in Tremessen, 35 miles ENE of Posen in German Poland, from whence came so many pioneer Grand Rapids Polanders.” The original St. Adalbert church was dismantled and moved from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Belmont, Michigan. ***** http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photo/1392/st-adalbert-church http://www.mipolonia.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/St.-Adalbert_1881-1981_Grand-Rapids_MI.pdf

Antoni Raczkiewicz (my 2x great grandfather) was born May 4 1842

Antoni Raczkiewicz (my 2x great grandfather) was born May 5 1842 Spelled with an “s” instead of a “c” This record was translated for me almost a year ago (5/23/2020 )when I was first learning how to do this. I thanked the translator for helping me to just find the parents’ name because when I was using the entire translation aide, it was overwhelming since I don’t read Polish. I told her I was making progress by inches and it was true. Thanks to the help of lots of people I am slowly learning the family story. Antoni's parents Michal and Anna (mee Dominik) were married in 1824. They had 11 children--Antoni was the 8th one. They were all born in Sabaudia. ***** Act 117/1842. It happened in Tomaszów on May 5, 1842 at 4 PM. Appeared Michał Raszkiewicz, peasant from Majdan Górny, 39 years old in the presence of Marcin Raszkiewicz (21) and Michał Sidora (25), both peasants from Majdan Górny. He declared the birth of a male child born in Majdan Górny on May 4 1842 at 10PM of his wife Anna born Dominik (38). The child was baptised the same day and given the name Antoni. His godparents were: Marcin Raszkiewicz and Katarzyna Prodrowa. Signed by the priest only since the others were illiterate. Signature of rector Plato Radkiewicz. https://szukajwarchiwach.pl/35/1937/0/2.1/3/skan/full/yc6JVckuAgDQWDPi1BanvA

Tomasz Kedra married Anna Raczkiewicz today, May 8, in 1881, 140 years ago

Tomasz Kedra married Anna Raczkiewicz today, May 8, in 1881, 140 years ago. Tomasz was a widower after Marianna Grabek (my great grandmother) died. Her marriage to Tomasz was her second marriage. Tomasz’ marriage to Anna today was his second marriage. Antoni Raszkiewicz and Marianna Grabek (my 2x great grandparents) married in 1862 and had two children. One was Jan (my great grandfather.) The other one was Marianna. Antoni died at age 26 July 3, 1868 and their one year old daughter Marianna died about a month later on August 7 of the same year. Marianna remarried in 1870 to Tomasz Kedra Her husband Antoni Raczkiewicz died 1 July 1868. Antoni and Marianna’s son Jan was six years old when Marianna remarried. Tomasz and Marianna had two children: Katarzyna and Jozef. Marianna died 11 years after marrying Tomasz in 1881. Her son from her first marriage, Jan, was 17 and still living at home. Her younger children were 8 and 10 years old. On May 8, 1881, Tomasz re-married. Tomasz was 34 years old. He was born in the village Jeziernia and was living in Sabaudia. The bride was Anna Raczkiewicz, a 19 year old who was born and living with her parents in the village. Górno. This couple would therefore be my step grandmother and step grandfather. What happened to the children of the original couple, my 2x great grandparents Antoni and Marianna? Marianna died as a one year old and Jan (my great grandfather) was 18 and four years away from being married himself. The children of Marianna and Tomasz were eight and ten years old. ******* Image: Jonata, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons