The Original Lithuanian Spelling - Murauskas

"Maroski, Meroski, Meuroski, Moraski, Moroski, and Muroski are all recorded variations of the name we now know as Murosky. At the turn of the century each time the name is located in historical records, the spelling has slightly different variations. As late as 1950, the name was spelled as Muroski. Family tradition states that the Murosky name started as Muroskus and the name was later changed to the current spelling of Murosky. Currently the spelling Muroskus has not appeared in any historical records."

-Our Ancestors The Book: Volume I: The Murosky and Bukowski Family History Page 23, December 2011

Over the years I had sat with my grandfather Arthur Murosky to record stories and other family details. One memory that always stays with me is my grandfather discussing the original spelling of his surname - Murosky. He would discuss how the family was from Lithuania, that they originally settled in Forest City, Pennsylvania where his father was born. He also knew his grandfather, Anthony, was a coal miner. Grandpa recalled meeting them as a small child - how they were very quiet people. Grandpa Art told me that the original spelling was something closer to Muroskus. Then he said it - likely recalling how many years ago his own grandfather would have said it to him. We did our best to spell it as it sounded when he pronounced - the name sounding quite foreign when compared to Murosky.

In December of 2011 after several months of research, layout work and editing the first family history book featuring the Murosky and Bukowski ancestors was published. At this time the oldest known Murosky ancestors were Grandpa Art's grandparents - Anthony Murosky, Sr. and Eva Zielinski. The couple appeared in several different historical records. The  earliest record located was the 1910 United States Federal Census. The couple was also located in the 1920 United States Federal Census and the 1930 United States Federal Census. Their names were also recorded in obituaries. There were many variations of Murosky located for the family but no Muroskus or a variation of Muroskus.

Recently a new record was located that offered a different spelling - Murauckas.  The record is for the birth of Frank Murauckas, son of Anthony Murauckas and Eva Zilinskinite. The birth was recorded May 18, 1907 in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The family was recorded living on Delaware Street. Frank was the ninth child born and the fifth child living to the same mother.

The information in the birth record aligned with information known about the oldest ancestors - Anthony Murosky, Sr. and Eva Zielinski. When the couple was located in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 United States Federal census - they were enumerated in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. In the 1910 census - recorded April 28, 1910 the couple was living at 128 Delaware Street.

Birth Record for Frank Murauskas 

Last year a death record for a Frank Moroski born to Anthony Moroski was located. This discovery was included in the blog post Murosky Family - New Relatives Discovered. The death occurred in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The references to Delaware Street were present - in addition to a mother named Eva. The death certificate used Moroski. This variation of Murosky - Moroski was very similar to the other variations previously located.

Death Record for Frank Moroski

After reviewing the evidence it is an acceptable conclusion that Frank Murauckas, son of Anthony Murauckas and Eva Zilinskinite is the same Frank referenced in the death certificate. Anthony Murauckas known as Anthony Murosky, Sr. in my records and Eva Zilinskinite known as Eva Zielinski in my records.

The birth certificate for Frank Murauckas is the oldest record located to date for this family. The birth certificate also offers some new clues and previously unknown details about this family.

Name Variation:

The birth certificate represents the first time the name variation Murauckas has been recorded in a historical document. The names were recorded as Anthony Murauckas and Eva Zilinskinite on the birth certificate.

This was my first experience with the older version of these surnames. I reached out to the folks at the website PolishOrigins.com. This website has a very helpful forum section with folks that can assist with Polish, Russian and Lithuanian translations.

Elzbieta Porteneuve at the forum graciously assisted me. She translated the names and provided the following helpful information:

The original name [on the birth certificate is shown as] Murauckas.  I think that "c" should be "s" - Google shows no single Murauckas, but a number of Murauskas.

The mother name in your record is Zilinskinte. But the Lithuanian ending for a young woman is -kaite, so I would correct it to Zilinskaite.

Child: Frank Murauskas, born 18 May 1907, 4 pm 
Father: Antoni Murauskas, 42 years -- BIRTH-ESTIMATE:1865 
Mother: Ewa Zilinskaite, 33 years -- BIRTH-ESTIMATE:1874"

When translated to the original Lithuanian their names would be Antoni Murauskas, Ewa Zilinskaite and Frank Murauskas.

Birth Location 

The birth certificate also offers the first clue to a birth location for Antoni and Ewa. Previous references to a location of birth have always been general - Lithuania or Russia. The birth certificate indicates Antoni and Ewa were born in Suwałki Governorate. Suwałki Governorate would be considered their country of birth.

"The Suwałki Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress of Poland with a seat in Suwałki. It covered 12,300 square km." -  Wikipedia, Suwałki Governorate

The Suwałki Governorate is shown independently in the image below. The capital Suwałki is shown in red.

Location of Suwałki by Poznania 

The Suwałki Governorate was a Governorate of the Russian Empire from 1867 - 1914. To provide context as to where the Suwałki Governorate sat in the context of Eastern Europe and Russia, the map below is helpful. The Suwałki Governorate is shown in coral on the far western edge of the Russian Empire. The map shows the governorates of the Russian Empire prior to 1918.

Map of governorates of the Russian Empire (Western part)

After WWI the land included in the Suwałki Governorate was eventually split between Poland and Lithuania. Russian empire statistics from 1889 indicate that 57.8% of the population in the Suwałki Governorate was Lithuanian. The Governorate also included Poles, Jews, Germans, Belarusians, Russians and some others.

Number of Children: 

Frank was the 9th child born to Eva and the 5th child living when the birth certificate was recorded. At the time of Frank's birth the couple had four children that were previously identified. The birth certificate indicates the couple would have lost four children before Frank was born on 18 May 1907. This might help to explain some of the gaps between the birth years of the known children.

Currently known children born to Anthony Murosky, Sr. and Eva Zielinski:

1. Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr. born 11 October 1895
2. Margaret Murosky born 15 June 1897 
3. Joseph Murosky, Sr. born 4 July 1900
4. William Murosky born 11 July 1902
5. Possible Unknown child born and died before 18 May 1907
6. Possible Unknown child born and died before 18 May 1907
7. Possible Unknown child born and died before 18 May 1907
8. Possible Unknown child born and died before 18 May 1907 ??
9. Frank Murosky born 18 May 1907
10. Esther Murosky born May 1809
11. Charles Murosky born August 1913

There is a slight dependency as the 1910 United States Federal Census recorded April 24, 1910 indicated that nine children had been born to Eva and only five children were living. The five living children recorded in the 1910 census were Anthony Harry, Margaret, Joseph, William and Esther.

If the 1910 United States Federal Census is correct - the couple had three additional children that were born and and died before 18 May 1907. Frank would have been been one of the four children recorded as deceased in 1910. In this scenario - the couple would have had a total of ten children.

If the Frank's birth certificate is correct - the couple had four additional children that were born and died before 18 May 1907. The couple would have had a total of eleven children. We may never know of certain if the final number of children the couple has is ten or eleven. The Pennsylvania births were first recorded in 1906. The births of the other children couple possibly be located in church records.

Sadly, young Frank only lived for five months. His birth and death occurred before the 1910 United States Federal Census so there was no record of him, he was previously unknown. The recent release of these additional records has introduced us to Frank for the first time. He can now be remembered. The records have also allowed Frank to introduce previously unknown details about his family.

Frank Murauskas is my 2nd great uncle. Antoni Murauskas and Ewa Zilinskaite are my 2nd great-grandparents. Their son Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr. is my great grandfather. Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr's s son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

References:

1. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Birth Records, 1906-1908 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Record for Frank Murauckas.
2. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1924 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Record for Frank Moroski.
3. 1910 U. S. census, 1910 United States Federal Census schedule, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; Online Images, Record for Anthony Meroski
4. 1920 U. S. census, 1920 United States Federal Census schedule, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Online Images, Record for Anthony Maroski
5. 1930 U. S. census, 1930 United States Federal Census schedule, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Online Images, Record for Anthony Moraski
6. PolishOrigins Forum 
7. Wikipedia: Suwałki Governorate
8. Wikipedia: List of governorates of the Russian Empire