AMANUENSIS MONDAY

I found this lovely tidbit in the Van Nuys News archives.  It was printed in the September 5, 1949 edition of the newspaper.  Clara Stachowiak Christy was one of my maternal great aunts.  Clara married Ivan Wohlk Christy (Christiansen) in 1934.  Ivan was born in Frederikshavn, Nordjylland, Denmark.  Ivan died in May of 1949 in Burbank.

A month after his death, Clara went to visit her husband's relative.  It doesn't say in this story whether or not she stayed the entire time in Denmark.  It does say that she did stay with her brother-in-law in Denmark.  The part of this story that I love (besides having a 3 month trip to Europe) is that her brother-in-law owns an oleomargarine factory.  Do they even make oleomargarine anymore?  I am thinking this must have been some sort of status symbol.  I am guessing with all those Danish pastries, one should also have some "margarine".

It was very nice of her brother-in-law to host Clara during her grief after her husband's death.  I wonder if this was Clara's first trip to her husband's homeland.  The more information I find, the more questions I have ...

THOSE PLACES THURSDAY

Continuing on with my "Genealogical Bucket List", my #2 place is Srebrna Gora in Dolnoslaskie, Poland. My third great grandfather Joannes Gruszka married his wife (my 3rd great grandmother) Marianna Pubylowska in this town in 1824.  Joannes was 40 years old when he got married while Marianna was 28.  I don't know whose hometown this was -- whether it was Marianna's, or Joannes' or possibly they both lived here.

My knowledge of Poland is very limited but I do know that Srebrna Gora is located in the south west corner of Poland.  It is just north of the Czech Republic border.  It is just east of a town named Nowa Ruda.

When my Grandmother Lillian's parents and older brothers immigrated to the US from Poland before Lillian's birth, they listed Ruda as their last residence.  I wonder if this is the same Ruda.  I better get back to my research ....

THOSE PLACES THURSDAY

For the past two weeks, I have been writing about my Genealogical Bucket List -- places that I would like to travel to experience my ancestors' history -- on my other blog HomeofSherlocks.blogspot.com.  Since today I will be writing about Poland (and sorry for the delay in my regular posting) it had to be posted on this blog.  So, to start off my Polish Genealogical Bucket List is Wielkopolskie, Poland.

My 2nd great grandfather Valentin Stachowiak (on my maternal grandfather side) was married to my 2nd great grandmother Josephine Kowalczyk in Grodziszczko, Wielkopolskie, Poland in 1853.  Grodziszczko is located in Western Germany and is known for its beer and mineral water.  This town is located west of Poznan on A2 (I'm assuming this is some sort of freeway).  The above photo shows a downtown street in Grodziszczko.

My 2nd great grandfather Jacob Gruszka (on my maternal grandmother side) was married to my 2nd great grandmother Antonina Zuchowska in Lechlin, Wielkopolskie, Poland in 1847.  Antonina's parents Thomas Zuchowska and Marianna Koslakowiczowna were married in the same town in 1820.

I would love to visit this area of Poland.  I know very little about it and since the only information that I have about my 2nd great grandparents is either from my Family Bible or the Poznan Project, I probably would do some research in this area. I would love to find information on their births and deaths, siblings, occupations, etc.  I guess I need to do a lot more research on my Polish ancestry!

TOO CONFUSING FOR ME!

Sometimes when I am researching in genealogy, my head just wants to spin!  For example, I am working on my family tree and I come across "Leonard S. Stachowiak".  Now my grandfather was named Leonard Stachowiak and was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Well, this other Leonard Stachowiak was born in Poland and was married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Personally, I don't think "Stachowiak" is a common name, but then again I didn't grow up in Milwaukee.

So, according to Ancestry.com, this other Leonard Stachowiak is the brother in law of  the brother in law of a 1st cousin 2 times removed.  What does that even mean?  When the phrase starts repeating the same words, I get a bit lost.

Of course, my hope is that if I research enough I will find that the two Stachowiak trees joined together and I can get rid of the "in law x 2" portion.   Well, time and a lot of research will tell.  Time to get back to the research ...

AMANUENSIS MONDAY

KONSTANCJA SZUKALSKI

FORMER WELL KNOWN RESIDENT DIES; MILWAUKEE
Mrs. Constancia Szukalski, for many years a resident of the town of Newton died at the home of a son in Milwaukee Sunday. Mrs. Szukalski was born in West Prussia 89 years ago and came with her husband to America and to Newton 45 years ago. For the past few years she has been with her son at Milwaukee. She is survived by two sons, Thomas and Marion, both prominent business men in the Mitchell street district and two daughters, Mrs. Stackowiak and Mrs. Kaminske, all of Milwaukee. Mrs. Szukalski was a woman of Christian graces and in her generation had a wide circle of (words missing) to Nordheim and the funeral will be held Thursday morning.

Manitowoc Herald News, Tuesday, January 21, 1919 Page 1

In a previous post, I wrote about Constance's husband Paul (my 2nd great grandfather) who was killed when his horses fell into a ravine on the way home from church in 1900.  My 2nd great grandmother Constance Budzbanowski Szukalski lived for 19 more years. 

Constance was the daughter of John and Catherine Budzbanowski.  She married Paul Szukalski on 16 Mar 1862 in Swiekatowo, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland.  She immigrated to the US in 1869.  Her obituary mentions that she has 2 surviving sons and 2 surviving daughters.  Constance had 3 additional sons and one daughter that preceded her in death.  One of her surviving daughters, Anna Szukalski Stachowiak, was my great grandmother. 

AMANUENSIS MONDAY

How often these days do we read in the newspaper about someone hosting a bridge party at their house?  Now, maybe they still do in some small town newspapers.  It got me thinking about how times have changed and not just about playing bridge.  Today, Rose would have posted her status on Facebook -- "bridge party at my house", probably included a photo or two and then "tagged" her guests.  Rose probably would also be on Twitter and would send out a tweet with #Stachowiak Sisters.

Will our descendants be researching the archives of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google +) to see what we were doing, to collect photos and dates of our activities and to find the relationships between relatives?  What will they find and how accurate of a portrayal will it be?

I probably met Great Aunt Rose one time during my childhood (most likely at a family funeral) but from her newspaper articles, it seems like she was very talented, knew how to grow a great party and how to enjoy life.

STACHOWIAK SISTERS GIVE PYJAMA BREAKFAST

My great aunts (Rose, Teresa, Clementine, Helen and Clara) moved to Van Nuys in the late 1920's and immediately made a name for themselves.  In this article found in the Van Nuys News June 6, 1931 edition, they were busy hosting a pyjama breakfast.  Ordinarily, I don't think pjyama parties are big news but this obviously was no typical pyjama breakfast.  The garden pajama breakfast was hosted by these ladies and their mother at the family house on Van Nuys Boulevard.

Besides eating a "delightful" breakfast at tables on their spacious lawns, they played croquet and other outdoor games and also got to tour the immense bird aviary. Of course, since it was hosted by the Stachowiak Sisters, musical entertainment was also provided.  Helen's son Harry Schultz, who according to this article was a child prodigy of the Hollywood Conservatory, recited readings.

I am thinking that my great aunts sure knew how to throw a party and were very creative and entertaining when they did!