Bronislawa Dubiel was born September 3, 1923

Bronisława Dubiel Pankiewicz (1rst cousin 1x removed) was born September 3, 1923. Her parents were Paulina (Raczkiewicz) and Jan Dubiel. Bronislawa was their first born child of six children. She was born about a month before Mary Raczkiewicz went to the US to meet her brothers Jan, Anthony and Joseph. She lived in Rogozno near her brother Jan. She married a brother of Jan’s wife --Stanislaw Pankiewicz. Bronislawa and Stanislaw had six children -- Zbigniew, Elżbieta, Grzegorz, Boleslaw, Krystyna and Henryka. Their children would be my second cousins. I have not had the opportunity to find out about them. Bronislaw died in 2011 (I am not sure of the month and day.) She was 88 years old. Her husband had died 30 years before she did.

Catholic Church In Tomaszow Lubelski: Past & Present

The website also includes information about the history of the church: Historical view The parish was established in 1621. The present wooden parish church was built in 1727. The original one was founded in 1627 by the ordinate Tomasz Zamoyski. Rebuilt in 1727 and renovated after the destruction of World War I and II. In 1832, it was consecrated by Bishop Józef Marceli Dzięćlski. Church of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tomaszów, is one of the most valuable monuments of sacred wooden architecture in Poland. There is a miraculous painting of Our Lady of the Scapular in the temple. The church has a log structure on a brick foundation. It was built on a rectangular plan with a straight-ended presbytery and a wooden choir. The façade is crowned with two square towers topped with cupolas. The interior of the church is decorated with elements of the 18th-century polychrome on the nave walls, the rood beam and the choir sill. There are marbling on the pillars and cornices. Extremely valuable elements of the equipment are: a baroque rood beam with a crucifixion group from the first half of the 17th century and a pulpit, a stone baptismal font, rococo stalls and confessionals. The mannerist main altar dates back to the 17th century. In its lower part there are relics of St. Felix and the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Scapular. The cult of Our Lady in Tomaszów, venerated in the image of Our Lady of the Scapular, dates back to the 17th century. According to sources, an unknown person placed the painting in 1652 in the chapel of St. Wojciech, located in Przedmieście Lwowskie. From the sandy hill on which the chapel stood, the place was called "na Piaski". The chapel was in the place where the townspeople of Tomaszów, in 1636, erected a statue as an expression of the extraordinary presence of God, where "pious persons ... saw unusual light, processye by Angels, burning candles and torches in the air, as signs that she chose this place for herself. for the apartment of the Blessed Virgin Mary ". The image of the Mother of God quickly found publicity as famous for its graces. The Swedes retreating from Zamość in 1656 destroyed the chapel and took the image of the Mother of God to a military camp. A Swedish soldier was carrying the painting under the saddle, but when his horse fell, he tore it in anger and abandoned it. The desecrated painting was found and taken home by two noblewomen from Tomaszów. With time, they moved to Lviv, and placed the image of the Tomaszów Lady in the furrier chapel of the Latin cathedral in Lviv. Soon, votive offerings followed him. After a few years, when the chapel destroyed by the Swedes was rebuilt in Tomaszów (1662), the townspeople asked for the miraculous painting to be returned. Ultimately it happened thanks to the support of Archbishop Wojciech Koryciński. The image of the Mother of God returned to its former place, and in the furrier's chapel, silver votive offerings remained as evidence of his presence there. The image of Our Lady of Tomaszów left the chapel again in 1672. In the face of the threat from the Turkish army, the townspeople took the painting to the Zamość fortress, from where it returned after the war to the parish church, and then to the chapel in Piaski. In view of the growing cult of the image, a brick church was built in the years 1721-25 in Tomaszów's Piaski in order to provide better service to pilgrims. Its founder was the castellan of Kiev, Józef Potocki, who was asked to save his life during the war riots in front of the Tomaszów painting of the Mother of God. In 1727, Trinitarians were brought to Tomaszów and they settled at the church in Piaski. The monks looked after the place of worship of Our Lady of Tomaszów and St. Adalbert until the dissolution of the redemption in 1783. After the dissolution of the order, the church furnishings together with the miraculous image of Our Lady of Tomaszów were transferred to the parish church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where it remains to this day. The year 1994 was extremely important in the history of the Tomaszów Sanctuary, which was proclaimed the Year of Our Lady of Tomaszów in the Zamość-Lubaczów diocese. At the request of Jan Śrutwa, Bishop of Zamość-Lubaczów, who came from the parish of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the centuries-old cult of Our Lady of the Scapular in Tomaszów Lubelski was confirmed by the "papal brief" of John Paul II on February 2, 1994, allowing the solemn coronation of the image. The miraculous image of Our Lady of Tomaszowska was crowned on July 17, 1994. The act of coronation was made by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk. The ceremony took place with the participation of 23 bishops and over 60,000 believers (also from Ukraine).

Thomas Komor Born August 29, 1994

Memes

https://www.facebook.com/TwistedTwigsGenealogy/posts/4053053821426569 ***** https://www.facebook.com/TwistedTwigsGenealogy/posts/4065086206889997 ***** https://www.facebook.com/TwistedTwigsGenealogy/posts/4070304859701465

Darius Bielak --from the family of Stanislawa Raczkiewicz

Meeting relatives from different branches of the family helps develop our family tree. I had the opportunity to connect with another relative -- Darius Bielak (my 2nd cousin 1 time removed.) He is a grandson of Wladyslaw Bielak (my 2nd cousin), who was born in 1922. Mary Raczkiewicz (later Kufta) was Wladyslaw’s godmother. (The next year Mary went to the U.S.) Wladyslaw is a son of Stanislawa (Raczkiewicz) Bielak (my great aunt.) The other children that Stanislawa had were Stanislaw, Wanda and Maria. When Stanislawa died in 1957 at the age of 62, she was sick and had a stroke. About our family history, Darius said, “So we have checked the details, you have caused a bit of excitement in my household. Dad runs to his mum to pick her brains like every 20 minutes.” and “I think you may have inspired a few of us to dig into the research of our extended tree.” I am excited that from them that we will learn more about Stanislawa (and the past) as well as her descendents.

Janina (Bender) Raczkiewicz' Testimony on August 25, 2010 on the Death of Franciszek Raczkiewicz

On August 25, 2010 -- eleven years ago -- the wife of the youngest of the Raczkiewicz siblings dictated a story. I found that story on the family tree of Tomasz Raczkiewicz in the past year and was able to verify a family tragedy that happened in Poland which my mother had heard about as a young girl. My Mom told me, “There were letters that came back and forth from Poland. What I remember is my mom said that Dad’s brother got shot or killed stealing his own corn for food.” Franciszek was killed by the Germans in the Zamosc Rotunda. The Germans had taken his farm away from him. The story about this was told by the widow of Franciszek’s brother Boleslaw. Franciszek was the 8th of nine children and Boleslaw was the youngest. Janina (Bender) Raczkiewicz was 95 years old when she told the story and it was written down. She died later that year. She was likely the last person remaining of the nine siblings and their spouses. Janina was relaying events that happened in 1943 to her soon-to-be husband’s brother. She would have been 28 years old at the time. The siblings that were in the area at the time were Boleslaw, who would have been around 36 years old, Paulina and Piotr, who would have been in their 40s and Stanislawa who would have been almost 50. Their oldest brother Jan was back in Poland, near Poznan, and was possibly also deceased by the time Franciszek died. In the United States, Antoni and Joe would have been in their early 50s. Their sister Mary was in her late 40s. We know the siblings in the U.S. heard about the death from the letters that were sent back and forth. It is really valuable that on August 25, 2010, the effort was made to ask Janina about this story, write it down and make it available for others searching our family history. ***** Relacja Janiny Bender - mojej babci zlożona 25.08.2010. Nasiedleńcom do Sabaudii zwanymi Czarniuchy lub Rumuńcy oddano pola i nie pozwlano Polakom zebrać z nich plonów. Za zbieranie swoich plonów groziła smierć. Franek wraz z żoną wyjechał do Łaszczowa. Po pewnyym czasie wrócił żeby zabrać po cichu coś z pola. wg cioci Wany (relacja z dn. 25.08.2010) pojechał po jabłka, kartofle, może zboże i załadował to na furmankę. Został złapany pod figurą. I dalej relacja babci: Franek załadował wóz wieczorem i wyjechal nad ranem, ale MINKA (NIE WIEM CZY CHODZI O JAKĄŚ OSOBĘ, O ILE PAMIĘTAM TAK) go złapał na zakręcie, koło Bogdana, tak jak idzie szosa i został aresztowany. Było śledztwo i pytano go, kto był razem z nim, alne Franek nikogo nie wydał, za co trafił na Rotundę. Dalej relacja Wandy: Moja mama (siostra Franka) chodziła do niego do Zamościa. Jemu wyczytali wyrok śmierci. On ze strachu poobgryzał palce. Został rozstrzelany ***** Janina Bender's testimony - my grandmother's on August 25, 2010. The people settled in Savoie called Czarniuchy or Romanians were given their fields and Poles were not allowed to harvest them. She was in danger of dying for harvesting her crops. Franek and his wife left for Łaszczów. After some time he returned to silently take something from the field. according to aunt Wana (report of August 25, 2010) he went for apples, potatoes, maybe grain and loaded them onto a wagon. He was caught under the statue. And then the grandmother's story: Franek loaded the car in the evening and left in the morning, but MINKA (I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A PERSON, AS MUCH AS I REMEMBER THIS) caught him at the bend near Bogdan, just like the road, and was arrested. There was an investigation and he was asked who was with him, but Franek did not give up anyone, for which he ended up at the Rotunda. Further Wanda's account: My mother (Frank's sister) used to visit him in Zamość. They read him the death sentence. He bit his fingers out of fear. He was shot.

Richard Streng Does Readings at St. Adalbert Church

He is my 4th cousin 1x removed. ***** Youtube channel: ***** https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCraHc4x4fPq9-SvWuPfhNnw

Magdalena Stonik Died 24 August 1855

Magdalena (Woycik) Stonik (my 3x great aunt) died 24 August 1855 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon in Majdan Górny. She was a 45 year old widow and day labourer. Her parents Tomasz Dominik and Regina nee Wojcik, peasant farmers from Majdan Górny, were deceased. The witnesses were Pawel Jakubs, 46 and Łukasz Grabek, 60, both peasant farmers residing in Majdan Górny. Lukasz was my 3x great grandfather. Magdalena was married to Bartlomiej Szczepaniuk from age 18 to 35, She was married to Jan Stonik from age 38 to his death when she was 44 years old. She died the following year. There had been a famine from 1853 to 1855.

Marianna Plebanski Wiciejewska Died 23 August 1812

Marianna Plebanski Wiciejewska (my 5th great grandmother) died 23 August 1812 when she was 70 years old. She died in house #201 in Tomaszów Lubelski. One witness was Rafal Lusawicki, a 38 years old who was her son-in-law. Jan Jablonski, 43, a neighbor, was the other witness. I don’t know what was the cause of death. Happening at the time was the Asiatic Cholera Epidemic, the Galician peasant uprising and typhus from Napolean’s army. I am not sure when her husband Jakub Wiciejewska died but it was before 1815. The family was potters and farmers in Tomaszow Lubelski. Marianna and her husband had six children -- only one boy. She was born in approximately the year 1742.

Bingo

Was Bingo ever popular in Poland? Currently in the United States, it is a game played by children or found in casinos where people gamble. It sure was popular here in the past. St. Adalbert Church held their first bingo game July 22, 1973. When I was in high school, I remember my Grandma going to play bingo a lot. Sometimes I went with her. ***** “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: By Michael Cote' - originally posted to Flickr as Bingo, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3948060 ***** -------------- Numbers Here is a video of numbers in Polish in case you want to play Bingo! ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_4coXlxSvw ***** Polish numbers from 0 to 10: ***** 0 – zero 1 – jeden 2 – dwa 3 – trzy 4 – cztery 5 – pięć 6 – sześć 7 – siedem 8 – osiem 9 – dziewięć 10 – dziesięć

Meme

https://www.facebook.com/TwistedTwigsGenealogy/posts/4004832726248679

Reunion of Shirley & Theresa

It was really fun to get the two remaining US cousins together -- Shirley (Raczkiewicz) Longwell (my mother) and Theresa (Kufta) Parkanzky (my 1rst cousin 1x removed.)

Theresa and Her Sisters

Theresa (Kufta) Parkanzky (my 1rst cousin 1x removed) had two older siblings, who are both now deceased. Wanda was born in 1927 and married Joseph Kozicki in 1950. They had three children. Wanda died in 2020. Irene was born in 1928 and married Albert Mastee in 1948. They had two children. Irene died in 2019. Theresa was born in 1935 and married Ernest Parkanzky in 1958. They had six children. The picture is labeled that Irene was a Campbell Wyant Cannon Plant One employee. This was an iron foundry, started in 1908, that employed 7,000 people at its peak. Muskegon is a port city on Lake Michigan. It had an industrial surge in the early 1900’s which attracted many immigrants from Poland and other countries. Muskegon Causeway Park is now called Memorial Park. https://www.muskegon-mi.gov/departments/parks/veterans-memorial/

Theresa Kufta Married

Theresa Kufta married Ernest Parkanzky on April 19, 1958 at St. Michael’s Church In Muskegon, Michigan. Ernest was 26 years old and listed as a draftsman and Theresa was 22 years old and listed as a registered nurse.

Pictures of Theresa Parkanzky in Poland

Two families in Poland sent me two pictures of Theresa that they had in their homes. One is a picture of Theresa in her nurse’s cap from Eugeniusz Raczkiewicz. The other is a baptism picture from Joanna Len. They were sent many years ago from Muskegon, Michigan by Theresa’s mother Mary (Raczkiewicz) Kufta. From pictures and stories, some of the current generation knew a little about her. When I visited Mary, she showed me the same picture of herself in a nurse’s cap. It was fun to make the connections across the years. The additional picture is Theresa at graduation with her parents, Frank and Mary Kufta. I found out that Theresa went back to school later to become a teacher of students with severe disabilities.

Shirley Longwell & Sunflowers

Remember the picture of the grandchild in Eugeniusz Raczkiewicz's garden by the sunflowers? Here is my Mom Shirley Longwell posing in front of sunflowers in a friend's garden. My Mom has a few tomato plants in their garden.

Eugeniusz & Sunflowers

What fun! We now have another sunflower picture. This one was taken by young lady named Aleksandra Raczkiewicz (my 2nd cousin 1x removed) of her grandfather Eugeniusz (my mother’s cousin.) Besides taking awesome pictures, the talented Aleksandra is learning English very well. In comparison, here is my progress. This is the message from Eugeniusz and underlined are the only works I know so far! “Twoja mama wysłała zdjęcie ze słonecznikami, więc odwdzięczam się. Zdjęcie wykonała mi córka Bartka-Aleksandra. Pozdrawiam Eugeniusz” He thanks me for the picture of my mother in the sunflowers. The photo was taken by the daughter of his son Bartek -- Aleksandera. Sincerely, Eugeniusz Thank you for sending the picture!

Meeting Theresa Parkanzky

Guess who we were able to meet? Theresa Parkanzky! Theresa lives a few hours away from us. She and my mother Shirley Longwell are the only two living cousins in the United States. Eight of the 23 cousins were born in the U.S. Theresa's mother was Mary (Raczkiewicz) Kufta. Shirley's father was Antoni Raczkiewicz. We are grateful that we got to meet her along with one of her children and two of her grandchildren: Marie, Declan and Phalon.

Vacation in Zakopane

https://www.facebook.com/groups/959629200718699/permalink/4679897368691845

Vacation in Poznan

https://www.facebook.com/IlovePoland966/posts/380059523489841 ***** https://www.facebook.com/groups/226317417426356/permalink/4474053832652672 ***** https://www.facebook.com/polandin/posts/3015800705367291

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Orthodoc Church

This is the church that Jozef Kaszucki (my 3x great grandfather) was baptized and confirmed in. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Orthodox Church in Tomaszów Lubelski was consecrated in 1890. It was one of the last churches built in the neoRussian style. It is cross-domed and where the arms cross there is an onion shaped dome. On the exterior there are four semi-circular shapes. After 1946, none of the original equipment survived other than the large iconostasis. http://www.dziedzictwo.cerkiew.pl/panoramy/tomaszow/?fbclid=IwAR2yaR6vrkN_JdVZSHfzwVMqlGZcPuTGvhXW_ogEwSxxF7JjDTfYq9A9Bic

Feliks Rachanski died 11 August 1831

When Feliks Rachanski died at 9 months old -- his father predeceased him by one month. His father was a likely casualty of the November Uprising. Ewa nee Wiśniewska (my 3rd great grandmother) and her husband Wincenty Rachinski only had one child together. When he died at nine months old, his father was already deceased. Wincenty’s death is referred to in Felik’s death record but I was unable to find a death record for Wincenty. Feliks Rachanski (my second great grand uncle) died on 11 August 1831 at 3 o’clock in the morning. His parents Wincenty Rachinski and Ewa nee Wiśniewska (my 3x great grandmother) were only married about a year and a half. While his mother Ewa was from Tomaszow Lubelski and that is where they were married, Feliks was born in Krynice and the birth was registered in the parish of Łabunie, Krynice is 16 kilometers ( a little under 10 miles) north of Tomaszów Lubelski. His father was a 23 year old shoemaker, living in Krynice and his mother was 22 years old. One witness that reported the death was Błażej Wiśniowski, his grandfather. Błażej was 68 years old and was working as a tanner. He had previously worked as a potter and sometimes worked as a gravedigger. The other witness was Maciej Swiderek , church Sexton, 46. Later on, Ewa was back in Tomaszow after the death of her husband, living with her father since her mother was deceased. Six years later, Ewa married Jozef Kurkiewicz (my 3x great grandfather.) While there was an Asiatic cholera epidemic along with influenza, it is possible that Wincenty died during the November Uprising battle that occurred near where they lived. “In July 1831, during the November Uprising, a siege and a blockade of Zamość began by 12,000 people. tsarist soldiers led by General Kajsarow. Polish troops commanded by Major Dominik Bulewski and Major Wincenty Szymański, defending the Zamość fortress, fought a victorious skirmish with the Russian army near Krynice.”https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://roztoczewita.pl/krynice/&prev=search&pto=aue ***** Timeline: ***** Jan 17 1930 Wincenty and Ewa marry in Tomaszów Lubelski ***** Oct 24, 1930 Feliks is born in Krynice ***** July 1831 November Uprising ***** August 11 1831 Feliks dies in Tomaszów Lubelski and his father has already died --------------------------------------- It happened in the village Łabunie, at 24th October 1830, at 7 in the evening. Appeared Wincenty Rachański, 23 years old, shoemaker, living in Krynice, in the presence of Michał Podszadowski, 48 years old, blacksmith and Ignacy Zieliński, 47 years old, painter, both living in Krynicei showed us a male child, born in Krynice at October 24th in this current year, at 4 in the afternoon, of his wife Ewa Wiśniewska, 22 years old. At this day in the Holy Baptism the child received the name of Felix and their godparents were the above mentioned Michał Podszadowski and Konstancja Kiżgowa? This act was read to all present and because they cannot read and write was signed by me the priest. ------------------------------ In Tomaszów on 11th August 1831 , at 9 o'clock in the morning, Błażej Wiśniowski , a tanner ,68 and Maciej Swiderek , church Sexton, 46 declared that today at 3 o'clock in the morning died Filip Rachanski , 9 months old , born in Krynice , son of the deceased Wincenty and the living Ewa , spouses Rachański from Tomaszów.

Ewa (Wisniewska) Kurkiewicz Died 10 August 1889

Living 91 years is quite an accomplishment. Ewa (Wiśniewska) Kurkiewicz (my 3rd great grandmother) died 10 August 1889 at the age of 91. Her parents were Błażej Wiśniewska and Agnieszka Szczesniaka. Her siblings were One witness was her 38 year old son Ignacy Kurkiewicz. Ignacy was the grandfather of Mike Liszewski and his sisters (my newfound 3d cousins 1x removed.) The other witness was Walenty Lisikiewicz, age 40. Ewa’s husband Jozef Kurkiewicz (my 3rd great grandfather) died 15 years earlier and her first husband Wincenty Rachanski died 68 years early. She had five children with Jozef (Paulina--my 2x great grandmother, Andrzej, Jakub, Franciszka, Ignatius) and one child (Feliks) with Wincenty.

Stefan Józef Kaszucki was born 10 August 1832

Stefan Józef Kaszucki was born in Tomaszów on 10th August 1832 at 11 o'clock at night. His father was Andrzej Kaszucki, a 36 year old furrier. His father was Greek Catholic and his brothers were all baptized in that faith. His mother was Salomea née Wiciewski, age 24. His mother and sisters were baptized in the Roman Catholic faith. He was baptized and confirmed on 12 August in the Greek Catholic church. The witnesses were Onufry Stopczynski 36, a watchmaker, and Szymon Hladeszywicz, 50, a shoemaker. The Godparents were Onufry Stopczanski and Małgorzata Kukiełkowicz (my 3rd great aunt.)

Justryna Kiszczynska Died 9 August 1814

It is kind of amazing to know about relatives that are so many generations back. Justyna Kiszczyńska (my 5x great grandmother) was born approximately in 1758. She died 9 August 1814 at 10 o’clock at night, at age 56. She died in house number 89 in Tomaszow Lubelski. I do not know who her parents are because I can’t find birth or marriage records related to her and the informants did not know that information in order to relay it to the priest. The informants were Jakub Kiszczyński, son of the deceased, age 25 and Ambroży Kudlicki, age 56, a neighbour. Her husband Lukasz may or may not have been still alive. Her daughter Marianna (my 4x great grandmother) was 27 at the time and married to Antoni Jozef Kurkiewicz. At the time of her mother’s death, Marianna and her husband already had two of the 12 children they would have together. Her brother Jakub, one of the informants, and his wife Marianna nee Kurkiewicz had not yet married.

Garden

I think sharing pictures of our food and our gardens is a great way to connect with each other. These pictures were given to me by Bartosz Raczkiewicz (my newfound 2nd cousin.) The garden in the pictures is lovingly tended by his parents, Eugeniusz and Wiktoria. Do you have a garden? Please share pictures! Looking at the pictures reminded me of a song. Garden Song by (John Denver) came out in 1979 when I was in college. I like this version since John Denver is introduced by Kermit the Frog. ***** Lyrics Inch by inch, row by row Gonna make this garden grow All it takes is a rake and a hoe And a piece of fertile ground Inch by inch, row by row Someone bless these seeds I sow Someone warm them from below Till the rain comes tumbling down Pulling weeds and picking stones Man is made of dreams and bones Feel the need to grow my own Cause the time is close at hand Painful rain, sun and rain Find my way in nature's chain Tune my body and my brain To the music from the land Plant your rows straight and long Temper them with prayer and song Mother Earth will make you strong If you give her love and care Old crow watching hungrily From his perch in yonder tree In my garden I'm as free As that feathered thief up there ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3FkaN0HQgs

15 phrases you will find useful in Poland

https://www.poland.travel/en/plan-your-trip/about-poland/dzien-dobry-15-phrases-you-will-find-useful-in-poland

Women's Occupations

This was going to be a post about women who worked as maids and day laborers. I thought six of the women that I have learned about worked as maids. Four of the six had lost both parents and one had lost her mother so it seemed plausible that they needed to work. I suddenly remembered though that marriage records also indicate if a person is single. The translator will use miss or maiden to designate that. I had the thought that maybe the translator wrote maid meaning “maiden” and not as an occupation. I asked Andrzej Dubeil (newfound 2x cousin) to check one for me and that was true--the women was single, not working as a maid. Two of the women are listed as day laborers: Malgorzata (nee Wiciejewska) Kulkielka (my 3x great aunt) was a day laborer when she died in 1857 at age 50. She had been a widow for two years. Konstancja Kurkiewicz (my 1rst cousin 5x removed) was an unmarried day laborer when she had five children during the period of 1856 to 1866. She eventually marries Aleksander Uminski and the record is amended for him to be legally recognized as their father. One woman was a shoemaker/cobbler. When Antonina Wiciejewska (my 3x great aunt) married Magaeusz Bulewicz, he was an apprentice shoemaker. When she died at age 41, her occupation was listed as shoemaker/cobbler.

Passport & Learning Polish

Some Polish and English words are very similar: passport and paszport is one example. A trip to Poland from the United States requires a valid passport. Renewal times for people who have a current passport is four months at this time so it is important to plan ahead. Besides filling out the application form and collecting the other necessary documents, the application also requires a picture taken within the last six months. Luckily, this can be done at my city’s clerk’s office. Connie Liszewski and I are taking classes through the Brooklyn, NY library. There is a current opportunity through the Polish American Foundation of Conneticut.

Kórkiewicz vs. Kurkiewicz

Kurkiewicz is a common surname on my grandfather’s mother’s side (Katarzyna Kaszucka.) The spelling that I have commonly seen is: Kurkiewicz. Antonina Kurkiewicz died today, 5 August, in 1903 and the translator spelled her name a different way. First of all , it wasn’t the Antonina that Connie Liszewski (wife of newfound my 3x cousin 1x removed Mike Liszewski) was looking for because this 18 year old young lady was from a different branch of the family. The translator spelled it “Kórkiewic.” She then explained that the “Polish "ó" is pronounced like "u"(>"oo" cool, for ex.) The names in these records are usually – not always! – transcribed and not transliterated, therefore in Russian you find an "u"(Kurkevič) and in Polish an "ó". Best would be to always check both versions.” Previously, the only time Connie has seen this spelling is on the U.S. headstone of Marianna Kórkiewicz. She died at 26 years of age. Her parents were Ignacy Kurkiewicz (my 2x great uncle) and Antonina Czarnopys. ***** #186 Tomaszów Death registered in Tomaszów on 23 July/5 August 1903 at 10 am. Declarants: Paweł Kizowski, age 50, and Jan Wysocki, age 40, petty-bourgeois from Tomaszów They stated "that on 21 July/5 August [sic! – had to be: 3 August] at eleven o'clock in the night died in the town of Tomaszów Antonina Kórkiewicz[*], a maiden eighteenth years old, daughter of Antoni and Franciszka née Wysocka, the spouses Kórkiewicz" [*] Polish "ó" is pronounced like "u"(>"oo" cool, for ex.) ***** https://www.nameslook.com/kurkiewicz/

Kiszone ogórki

I recently shared pictures of jam made by Connie Liszewski and Joanna Raczkiewicz. I ask what other fruits and vegetables people preserved. Andrzej Dubiel shared a picture of what I thought was a jar of pickles --cucumbers, dill weed and garlic. I didn't know if was kiszone ogórki and the secret ingredient is horseradish. Article: https://www.facebook.com/EatPolska/posts/1784123771795657

Names of Femal Direct Ancestors

The most common female name of my direct ancestors was Marianna with five women with this name. There were three women with the name Katarzyna. There were two women with the name Franciszka.. There was one Apolonia and one Paulina--these are two different names even though I thought they were the same because my grandmother Apolonia went by the name Pauline. There was one Jagnieszka and one Agnieszka--I am not sure if these are different names. The other names occurred once: Salomea, Ewa, Rozalia, Justyna, Regina, Teresa, Dorota, Agata and Anna.

Names of Male Direct Ancestors

The most common male name of my direct ancestors was Antoni with four men with this name. There were three men with the name Lukasz. There were two men with the names Jan, Michal and Jozef. The other names occurred once: Tomasz, Walenty, Franciszek, Kazimierz, Andrzej, Maciej, Jakub, Marcin, Mateusz, Pawel and Blazej.

Wiktoria Raczkiewicz' Birthday Party