June 19, 2007
Afternoon from Krakow. So much to tell, so little time. Many stories and of course the one you will probably be hearing about for years to come will be Susan's "popo" and ongoing toilet paper issue. Frank will be able to explain it upon our return.
Alas, I have hundreds of pictures, but at this particular shop, they don't have the apparatus to pop in my card from the camera. And that's another story.
Let's start with Prague. A gorgeous city to say the least. Very old and historic. Our crew made it out to Klenci (the ancestral village of the Robels) on Saturday. What a great place. We have a few pictures, but the memories of the scenery will probably stick in our minds.
We've been winding up most nights with pinochle. I think Sue finally one a mercy game on Sunday evening before we left. Thank God or we would still be in the room playing cards.
Our visit to Prague was really wonderful since Nancy Hugg is there for a couple more weeks and she brought us to everything. Just can't thank her enough. again, many pictures to share.
We took the train on Monday morning and arrived here in Krakow just before 6pm. We were pretty bushed and went across the street for dinner an a drink. Bedtime was soon thereafter.
Today we just walked around the city center and clicked off more pictures. We did make it to Pope John Paul's apartment here along with where he always waved to the crowds at the seminary where he got his education.
The beer is great, as if you had to guess.
The birding has been a little bit of a bust, but then again we have been in the city primarily. Although we did tour the largest cemetary in Prague on Sunday also. There I was able to pick up a couple of life listers. One we ID'd for sure was a Jay. And that is what they call it, but it sure doesn't look like any we have across the pond.
We all seem to be in good shape, except for the patriarch. He keeps having to have his little naps. Maybe this is close to the end of his travelling days. Who knows. Susan is enjoying the trip as here eyes are always looking up and around. In fact, she must be amazed since this is the quietest I have ever seen her.
Joan is her usual cordial self....nothing more to that story.
Jim and Sheila are a treat. Jim has actually done a lot of research on both locales and we have another resident guide as we tour all the places. Guess all that money we paid him paid off.
Personally I have gain approximately 10 pounds with another few days to go. I will have to dig out those fat clothes I have packed away somewhere. We are not starving by the way in case I did not mention it.
We plan to take a side trip out to the country where Frank's Mother's family is from. Then in another 3 days we are heading to Poznan. There we will meet up with a Wilebski relative. At that point our trip is somewhat free form, since we need to be back in Prague on Tuesday to catch the plane out on Wednesday morning.
I will try and pass along more info. as English internet terminals are available. Thanks for Joey and Peggy and Lon for passing along the blog link.
Fred
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The journey begins
Well, the day has arrived. Susan, Frank, Joan and I are meeting at the Chili's on the main concourse at MSP around noon. We depart a little after 3pm today and should arrive about 11am on Wednesday morning in Prague. We also have a couple travelling with us that go by the name of Jim and Sheila. FYI, Jim was formerly a Minnesota tenured teacher.
In talking to Sue, I don't think she slept at all last night. She even arrived early at the Partriach's residence. Early enough to catch Frank almost in his birthday suit. So, I'm sure it will take years of therapy to get over that shock. Then again, there's always alcohol.
Talk to you again from Prague, or the next available computer.
In talking to Sue, I don't think she slept at all last night. She even arrived early at the Partriach's residence. Early enough to catch Frank almost in his birthday suit. So, I'm sure it will take years of therapy to get over that shock. Then again, there's always alcohol.
Talk to you again from Prague, or the next available computer.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Antonia's Headstone
Here is Grandma's headstone for you all to proof. I made an executive decision and deleted her maiden name of Januzik at the top since it is identified below under the picture.
Questions, comments, suggestions or noticeable errors, please let me know
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Franceszek Wilebski's Headstone
Mega thanks to all of you that caught the error on Frank's birthdate being off by a century. First to catch the error was Jomey Sjostrand, who has donated his prize to the Headstone drive currently underway. The error was also noticed by Loretta Stone, Mary Joy Monturry, Kathy Schafer, Gail Bement, and Walter & Lavonne Stumpf. I guess our family's critical and questioning nature has paid off again.
Here is the "Final" version of what the headstone for Frank will look like. Again, many thanks for all the input and catching those errors. I will let you know about the progress and of course actual installation of the memorials.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Frank & Antonia (Januzik) Wilebski Family Picture
+Wilebski+family.jpg)
Picture taken around 1899 given the last child Stella (1903-1941) was missing.
Back Row - Thomas 1884-1964 (Anna Kuznia), Mary Ann 1883-1903 (Anton Kuznia), Joseph John 1882-1958 (Marianna Robel & Antonia Wilebski), Frances 1886-1918 (Steve Olsonawski).
Middle Row - Simon "Sam" 1888-1945 (Mary Masloski), Frank Wilebski 1854-1928, John Anton 1892-1973 (Lucille Price), Peter 1890-1961 (Mabel Amacher), Anna Florence 1893-1964 (Edward Peterman), Antonia 1860-1914, Victoria 1898-1965 (Joseph Toby).
Front Row - Stanley 1897-1958 (Frances Masloski), Antoinette 1894-1960 (John Price).
Antonia Januzik's place of birth in Poland
May 12, 2007
I am not sure it was divine intervention or what, but our cousin Kathy was successful in tracking down the birth record of our great grandmother (Antonia) her parents and siblings and of course place of birth recently. She was asked to put together an article for the Polish Genealogical Society which we both belong to for their quarterly publication. It is attached below for your reading pleasure. Kathy and her family have also contributed to the headstone fund. Many thanks to Kathy and her diligent efforts. I'm hopeful she can find great grampa "Frank's" family and birth record in the Poznan area soon also.
###############################################
Poznan Project: Search the Marriages Database
A Success Story for the Wilebski/Januzik Family
“I had success today finding the birth records of Antonia and Gertrude Januzik (Januzyk)…” was the opening line of an e-mail I sent out to family members the evening of Tuesday, April 24, 2007. Finally, after 15 years of serious searching by myself and two second cousins, Fred and Frank Wilebski, the pieces fell into place and the mystery of where our family came from in Poland was solved. Though I was the cousin that found the record on the LDS film that Tuesday morning each of the three of us contributed a necessary piece toward the success story. And Lukasz Bielecki’s Poznan Project website http://discovering-roots.pl/poznan_project/project.htm finally brought it about.
Our family ancestors who left Poland to come to America the spring of 1880 were Franceszek Wilebski and Antonia Januzik Wilebski. They were newly married, ages 26 and 21; Port of Embarkation: Bremen, Germany; Name of Vessel: S.S. Herman; Date of Arrival: May 7, 1880 arriving at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland (from information given
to me by Frank Wilebski). From Baltimore they went to LaSalle, Illinois (St. Hyacinth Catholic Church records), then to Wilno, Minnesota (St. John Cantius Catholic Church records), and finally to Kittson County in Northwest Minnesota homesteading near Orleans/Lancaster where Franceszek is buried in Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetary. This is where each of our Wilebski fathers was born and raised in Orleans, rural Lancaster.
But none of this migration was known to us through our family nor was the home village from whence Franceszek and Antonia came passed down through the generations. It has been a gradual process of discovery by the cousins over the past 15 years or more of searching.
In September of 1994, Cousin Fred Wilebski discovered the names of Antonia Januzik Wilebski’s parents on her death record in Marshall County Courthouse, Warren, MN. Her gravesite is located in the Assumption Catholic Church Cemetary/Florian of rural Stephen, Minnesota. Thomas and Mary Januzik are the father and mother listed--Clue #1.
On Oct. 19, 2004, with the first help of computer technology through http://ancestry.com
I came upon Clue #2. Putting in the surname Januzik, two different ship records with dates 1886 and 1891 came up for Gertrude Januzik, a single sister of Antonia’s who came to America (Wilno, MN) in 1891 (information from 1900 Census Record), and married Peter Spinner after her arrival. Listed as the place of haling on the 1891 record was Wirsitz/Wyrzysk, Poland. The second record for 1886 listed the place of haling as Jeziorki. At this time I contacted Paul Kulas from PGS-MN asking advice, however, he told me there were two Jeziorki’s near Wyrzysk and a third some distance farther so he felt ordering LDS films was premature at the time. We needed to narrow down to a closer proximity. At this point I would have had to check all Catholic parishes within a 30 mile radius or so, and they would be many.
Then Clue #3—the all important clue—came in March, 2007. Cousin Frank Wilebski sent an e-mail to me concerning a planned trip to Poland this summer. He also sent information on the Poznan Project website. After accessing the site, I put in the surname Januzik. Three exact matches came up—one being the marriage of a Catharina Januzik to Joannes Grabowski in 1872 in Glesno parish. Parents for Catharina listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik. So I went on http://mapquest.com -- Glesno was only 3 miles from Wyrzysk!!
On the Poznan Project site I clicked on Glesno and the LDS Film numbers for the Glesno Parish came up. So I ordered one LDS film from this parish and two from Wyrzysk http://www.polishroots.org/genpoland/records/wyr_r.htm then a fourth from Kosztowo, (a village about halfway in between Jeziorki Kosztowskie and Wyrzysk) since Jeziorki was listed as one of the villages covered on this film (I didn’t rule out that the 1886 ship record was for the same Gertrude or at least possibly a cousin).
At this time in Northwest Minnesota, Leroy and Karen Mattson from Warroad are setting up an LDS Center through their Latter-day Saints Chapel near Swift, MN. The Roseau County Museum curator gave me their telephone number. I was able to order and view the LDS films in my own county through them.
The first three films mentioned above only revealed the initial marriage record of Catharina and John Grabowski and Budnik family members in Glesno parish but no Thomas Januzik family. When the fourth film arrived I thought it would be just as futile, but when I looked for the birth date of Antonia Januzik there was her baptismal record on January 17, 1860, in Kosztowo parish (not Jeziorki parish) and parents listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik! I found other siblings of Antonia’s as well, baptized in Kosztowo including her sister, Gertrude Januzik Spinner. Again, parents listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik. The other siblings found were Joannes, (who we knew about from earlier research), Michael, Catharina, Anna, Elizabetha, Josepha, Victor, and Josephus (these siblings are not listed in order of birth).
So finally, we now have a village to return to in Poland—Kosztowo in the Wyrzysk district--and just in time for Cousins Frank and Fred’s June trip to Poland. The next challenge will be to locate Franceszek Wilebski’s home village as well.
By Kathryn Wilebski Schafer
I am not sure it was divine intervention or what, but our cousin Kathy was successful in tracking down the birth record of our great grandmother (Antonia) her parents and siblings and of course place of birth recently. She was asked to put together an article for the Polish Genealogical Society which we both belong to for their quarterly publication. It is attached below for your reading pleasure. Kathy and her family have also contributed to the headstone fund. Many thanks to Kathy and her diligent efforts. I'm hopeful she can find great grampa "Frank's" family and birth record in the Poznan area soon also.
###############################################
Poznan Project: Search the Marriages Database
A Success Story for the Wilebski/Januzik Family
“I had success today finding the birth records of Antonia and Gertrude Januzik (Januzyk)…” was the opening line of an e-mail I sent out to family members the evening of Tuesday, April 24, 2007. Finally, after 15 years of serious searching by myself and two second cousins, Fred and Frank Wilebski, the pieces fell into place and the mystery of where our family came from in Poland was solved. Though I was the cousin that found the record on the LDS film that Tuesday morning each of the three of us contributed a necessary piece toward the success story. And Lukasz Bielecki’s Poznan Project website http://discovering-roots.pl/poznan_project/project.htm finally brought it about.
Our family ancestors who left Poland to come to America the spring of 1880 were Franceszek Wilebski and Antonia Januzik Wilebski. They were newly married, ages 26 and 21; Port of Embarkation: Bremen, Germany; Name of Vessel: S.S. Herman; Date of Arrival: May 7, 1880 arriving at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland (from information given
to me by Frank Wilebski). From Baltimore they went to LaSalle, Illinois (St. Hyacinth Catholic Church records), then to Wilno, Minnesota (St. John Cantius Catholic Church records), and finally to Kittson County in Northwest Minnesota homesteading near Orleans/Lancaster where Franceszek is buried in Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetary. This is where each of our Wilebski fathers was born and raised in Orleans, rural Lancaster.
But none of this migration was known to us through our family nor was the home village from whence Franceszek and Antonia came passed down through the generations. It has been a gradual process of discovery by the cousins over the past 15 years or more of searching.
In September of 1994, Cousin Fred Wilebski discovered the names of Antonia Januzik Wilebski’s parents on her death record in Marshall County Courthouse, Warren, MN. Her gravesite is located in the Assumption Catholic Church Cemetary/Florian of rural Stephen, Minnesota. Thomas and Mary Januzik are the father and mother listed--Clue #1.
On Oct. 19, 2004, with the first help of computer technology through http://ancestry.com
I came upon Clue #2. Putting in the surname Januzik, two different ship records with dates 1886 and 1891 came up for Gertrude Januzik, a single sister of Antonia’s who came to America (Wilno, MN) in 1891 (information from 1900 Census Record), and married Peter Spinner after her arrival. Listed as the place of haling on the 1891 record was Wirsitz/Wyrzysk, Poland. The second record for 1886 listed the place of haling as Jeziorki. At this time I contacted Paul Kulas from PGS-MN asking advice, however, he told me there were two Jeziorki’s near Wyrzysk and a third some distance farther so he felt ordering LDS films was premature at the time. We needed to narrow down to a closer proximity. At this point I would have had to check all Catholic parishes within a 30 mile radius or so, and they would be many.
Then Clue #3—the all important clue—came in March, 2007. Cousin Frank Wilebski sent an e-mail to me concerning a planned trip to Poland this summer. He also sent information on the Poznan Project website. After accessing the site, I put in the surname Januzik. Three exact matches came up—one being the marriage of a Catharina Januzik to Joannes Grabowski in 1872 in Glesno parish. Parents for Catharina listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik. So I went on http://mapquest.com -- Glesno was only 3 miles from Wyrzysk!!
On the Poznan Project site I clicked on Glesno and the LDS Film numbers for the Glesno Parish came up. So I ordered one LDS film from this parish and two from Wyrzysk http://www.polishroots.org/genpoland/records/wyr_r.htm then a fourth from Kosztowo, (a village about halfway in between Jeziorki Kosztowskie and Wyrzysk) since Jeziorki was listed as one of the villages covered on this film (I didn’t rule out that the 1886 ship record was for the same Gertrude or at least possibly a cousin).
At this time in Northwest Minnesota, Leroy and Karen Mattson from Warroad are setting up an LDS Center through their Latter-day Saints Chapel near Swift, MN. The Roseau County Museum curator gave me their telephone number. I was able to order and view the LDS films in my own county through them.
The first three films mentioned above only revealed the initial marriage record of Catharina and John Grabowski and Budnik family members in Glesno parish but no Thomas Januzik family. When the fourth film arrived I thought it would be just as futile, but when I looked for the birth date of Antonia Januzik there was her baptismal record on January 17, 1860, in Kosztowo parish (not Jeziorki parish) and parents listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik! I found other siblings of Antonia’s as well, baptized in Kosztowo including her sister, Gertrude Januzik Spinner. Again, parents listed were Thomas Januzik and Marianna Budnik. The other siblings found were Joannes, (who we knew about from earlier research), Michael, Catharina, Anna, Elizabetha, Josepha, Victor, and Josephus (these siblings are not listed in order of birth).
So finally, we now have a village to return to in Poland—Kosztowo in the Wyrzysk district--and just in time for Cousins Frank and Fred’s June trip to Poland. The next challenge will be to locate Franceszek Wilebski’s home village as well.
By Kathryn Wilebski Schafer
Friday, April 27, 2007
April 27, 2007
Well, the deed is done, so to speak. On Tuesday morning cousin Phyllis and I sat down with the memorial people from Stennes Granite. The picture is of the type of stone we ordered. Except there is an additional strip between the 2 pieces, much like the stone at the far rear right.
As we started firming up the prices for the 2 stones, the add ons continued. So, with sales tax the total now is just over $6,000. And there you go.
In any event, both headstones are on order with the layout to be provided by them for our review in the not too distant future. I'll share that when I receive it also so we can ensure the wording is correct etc. We are led to believe the stones will be in place some time in June.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)