Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski Marriage Record

This is the fifth post in the Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update Series. This series will be focused on two Polish immigrants, my 2nd great-grandparents, who settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania and their family members.  Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski arrived at Ellis Island 1 May 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland. The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they lived in Poland and why they left. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city of origin for the family was previously unknown. Over the last year collaboration with other researchers, DNA results and newly discovered records have provided additional context to where in Poland the families were living prior to their journey to Ellis Island.

Other Posts in the Series:
9 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Location Identified
22 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski
01 March 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Baptismal Record
04 April 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Elisabeth Bukowski

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski Marriage Record

The Ryńsk Catholic Parish registers did not include a marriage record Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. The next step in the research journey was to locate Catholic Parish registers for the other Polish locations associated with the the family - Pluskowęsy, Wąbrzeźno and Orzechowo, Wąbrzeźno.

The positive news is that Catholic Parish registers for Orzechowo, Poland are housed in the collections at The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. These records can be accessed by visiting the The Family History Library or one of the affiliate libraries.

The church records available for Poland, Bydgoszcz, Orzechowo (Wąbrzeźno) include:

• Film 1569299, DGS 8021410: Baptisms from 1876-1890, Marriages from 1877-1890, Deaths from 1876-1890

It should be noted that this area was associated with Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Groß Orsichau prior to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Marriage Record

The marriage record for Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski was located in the Orzechowo, Poland Catholic Parish Registers.

The translation provided by German Script Experts:

Year 1885
Record 8
Married on 18 October: Vincent Bukowski, unmarried young man from Orzechowo, Catholic faith, and Franciska Kwiatkowska, unmarried young woman from Orzechowo, Catholic faith. Proclamations were posted on the 19th, 20th, and 21st Sunday after Pentecost.

The marriage of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski most likely occurred at the Kościół Rzymskokatolicki Pw. św. Marii Magdaleny or Roman Catholic church St. Mary Magdalene in Orzechowo, Poland.

"The Gothic, stone church (with brick gables), one-nave, dates from the fourteenth century."
As shared by Maciej Ch on Google Maps.

Kościół Rzymskokatolicki Pw. św. Marii Magdaleny
Roman Catholic church St. Mary Magdalene
Orzechowo, Poland
Photo By 1bumer - Praca własna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Timeline

The death record for Männlichen Bukowski and the birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski both record Vincent working as a farmhand. The families movements in Poland are noted below.

• 18 October 1885 Orzechowo, Poland as recorded in the marriage record for Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. 
• 14 September 1886 through 27 October 1886 Vincent and Franciska are living in Orzechowo, Poland as recorded in the birth and death records for Elisabeth Bukowski. 
• 19 January 1888 through 2 April 1889 the family is living in Ryńsk, Poland as recorded in death record for Männlichen Bukowski and birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski. 
• 23 November 1891 the family was living in Poland - birth of Catherine M. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 14 September 1894 the family was living in Poland - birth of William F. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 1895 Antwerp, Belgium - Port of Departure 
• 1 May 1895 New York, New York - Port of Arrival - Ellis Island 

Vincent  Bukowski and  Franciska Kwiatkowski  are my 2nd great grandparents. They are the parents of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. 

References:

1. Ancestry.com. Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. 
2. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port.
3. Poland, Bydgoszcz, Orzechowo (Wąbrzeźno) - Church records: Taufen 1876-1890 -- Heiraten 1877-1890 -- Tote 1876-1890, Katholische Kirche Groß Orischau (Kr Briesen) , Salt Lake City, Utah : Gefilmt durch The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988. Film No. 1569299 Items 4-6, Marriage Record 23.

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Elisabeth Bukowski

This is the fourth post in the Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update Series. This series will be focused on two Polish immigrants, my 2nd great-grandparents, who settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania and their family members.  Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski arrived at Ellis Island 1 May 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland. The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they lived in Poland and why they left. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city of origin for the family was previously unknown. Over the last year collaboration with other researchers, DNA results and newly discovered records have provided additional context to where in Poland the families were living prior to their journey to Ellis Island.

Other Posts in the Series:
9 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Location Identified
22 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski
01 March 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Baptismal Record

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Elisabeth Bukowski

The Ryńsk Catholic Parish registers did not include a marriage record Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. The next step in the research journey was to locate Catholic Parish registers for the other Polish locations associated with the the family - Pluskowęsy, Wąbrzeźno and Orzechowo, Wąbrzeźno.

The positive news is that Catholic Parish registers for Orzechowo, Poland are housed in the collections at The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. These records can be accessed by visiting the The Family History Library or one of the affiliate libraries.

The church records available for Poland, Bydgoszcz, Orzechowo (Wąbrzeźno) include:

• Film 1569299, DGS 8021410: Baptisms from 1876-1890, Marriages from 1877-1890, Deaths from 1876-1890

It should be noted that this area was associated with Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Groß Orsichau prior to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Ute Brandenburg with German Scripts Exports reviewed the Orzechowo Catholic Parish Registers.  The Catholic Parish registers revealed a previously unknown family member, Elisabeth Bukowski, the first born daughter of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski.

Elisabeth Bukowski - 1886 Baptism

The baptism for Elisabeth Bukowski was recorded in the Katholische Kirche Groß Orischau (Kr Briesen) records. The German translation to English provided by German Script Experts:

Record 30
Born in Orzechowo on 14 September 1886, and baptized on 16 September: Elisabeth, daughter
of Vincent Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatko [sic]. Sponsors: Andreas Ziołkowski and Catharzyna
Rogocka. 
The officiant was Pastor Kiedrowski.

Elisabeth Bukowski - 1886 Burial

The death for Elisabeth Bukowski was recorded in the  Katholische Kirche Groß Orischau (Kr Briesen) records.

Elisabeth Bukowski Burial Record 
27 October 1886
Orzechowo, Poland

The German translation to English provided by German Script Experts:

Record 23
Elizabeth Bukowski, age one month and 14 days, died on 24 October 1886 and was buried on 27
October in Orzechowo. The parents are Vincent Bukowski and his wife Franciska née
Kwiatkowska. 
Officiant: Kiedrowski.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Group

With the addition of Elisabeth Bukowski there are twelve recorded children born to Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski:

1. Elisabeth Bukowski b. 14 September 1886 in Orzechowo, Poland
2. Männlichen Bukowski b. 19 January 1888 in Ryńsk, Poland
3. Teo Fila Bukowski b. 26 March 1889 in Ryńsk, Poland 
4. Catherine M. Bukowski b. 23 November 1891 in Poland
5. William F. Bukowski b. 14 September 1894 in Poland
6. John Frank Bukowski b. 7 December 1897 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
7. Gustave Joseph Bukowski b. 11 February 1899 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
8. Helen Tillie Bukowski b. 13 June 1901 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
9. Clara Tillie Bukowski b. 31 August 1903 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
10. Joseph R. Bukowski b. 4 July 1906 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
11. Josefa Bukowski b. 29 July 1908 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
12. Edward Bukowski b. 3 February 1911 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania

With the addition of these records for Elisabeth Bukowski - the two additional children that Franciska noted in the 1900 and 1910 United States Federal Census are now known.

In the 1900 United States Federal Census Franciska indicated she was the mother of seven children and five children were living. Five children were recorded in the household - Teo Fila, Catherine, William, John and Gustave.

In the 1910 United States Federal Census Franciska indicated she was the mother of eleven children and eight children were living. The eight living children in 1910 include:  Teo Fila, Catherine, William, John, Gustave, Helen, Clara and Joseph.

Of the twelve children born to Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski eight lived to adulthood.

Orzechowo, Poland

Orzechowo, Poland is approximately 3.4 km or about 2.2 miles south of Ryńsk. The family most likely moved between villages for work. The death record for Männlichen Bukowski indicated that Vincent was a farmhand. It is plausible that Vincent was working as a farmhand on an estate farm and moved between villages to work on different farms.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Timeline

The death record for Männlichen Bukowski and the birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski both record Vincent working as a farmhand. The families movements in Poland are noted below.

• About 1886 Poland - Marriage of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 14 September 1886 through 27 October 1886 Vincent and Franciska are living in Orzechowo, Poland as recorded in the birth and death records for Elisabeth Bukowski. 
• 19 January 1888 through 2 April 1889 the family is living in Ryńsk, Poland as recorded in death record for Männlichen Bukowski and birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski. 
• 23 November 1891 the family was living in Poland - birth of Catherine M. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 14 September 1894 the family was living in Poland - birth of William F. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 1895 Antwerp, Belgium - Port of Departure 
• 1 May 1895 New York, New York - Port of Arrival - Ellis Island 

Elisabeth Bukowski would have been my 2nd great aunt. She was the sister of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port 
2. 1900 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, Ward 2, 1900 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent 1.
3. 1910 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 2nd Ward, 1910 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent. 
4. Poland, Bydgoszcz, Orzechowo (Wąbrzeźno) - Church records: Taufen 1876-1890 -- Heiraten 1877-1890 -- Tote 1876-1890, Katholische Kirche Groß Orischau (Kr Briesen) , Salt Lake City, Utah : Gefilmt durch The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988. Film No. 1569299 Items 4-6, Baptismal Record 30.
5. Poland, Bydgoszcz, Orzechowo (Wąbrzeźno) - Church records: Taufen 1876-1890 -- Heiraten 1877-1890 -- Tote 1876-1890, Katholische Kirche Groß Orischau (Kr Briesen) , Salt Lake City, Utah : Gefilmt durch The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988. Film No. 1569299 Items 4-6, Burial Record 23.

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Baptismal Record

This is the third post in the Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update Series. This series will be focused on two Polish immigrants, my 2nd great-grandparents, who settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania and their family members.  Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski arrived at Ellis Island 1 May 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland. The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they lived in Poland and why they left. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city of origin for the family was previously unknown. Over the last year collaboration with other researchers, DNA results and newly discovered records have provided additional context to where in Poland the families were living prior to their journey to Ellis Island.

Other Posts in the Series:
9 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Location Identified
22 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Baptismal Record

The first Polish records located for the Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski family were included in a vital records data base - Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 housed at Ancestry.

The vital records database indicated the family was living in Ryńsk, Poland. The next step in the research process was to determine if Catholic Parish registers were available for Ryńsk, Poland. The Catholic Parish registers would record family milestones including baptisms, marriages and deaths.

There are Catholic Parish registers from Ryńsk, Poland housed in the collections at The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. These records can be accessed by visiting the The Family History Library or one of the affiliate libraries.

The church records available for Poland, Bydgoszcz, Ryńsk (Wąbrzez'no) include:

• Film 72645, DGS 7949212: Baptisms from 1677-1828, Marriages from 1773-1874, Deaths from 1774-1849
• Film 531411, DGS 4004202: Baptisms from 1829-1867, Deaths from 1850-1875
• Film 1569299 Items 7-10, DGS 8021410: Baptisms from 1875-1890 (duplicates), Baptisms from 1875-1890, Marriages from 1876-1890 and Deaths from 1876-1883
• Film 1569300 Item 1, DGS 8119410: Deaths 1883-1890
• Film 161913, DGS 7946041: Baptisms from 1677-1789, 1792-1828, Marriages from 1773-1788, 1794-1875, Deaths from 1773-1775, 1779-1849

It should be noted that this area was associated with Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Rheinsberg (Kr. Briesen) prior to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

The films that align with the dates that Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski were living in Ryńsk are shown in bold above. To assist with this phase of the searching - I engaged Ute Brandenburg with German Script Experts. She reviewed the Ryńsk films and located the baptismal record for Teo Fila Bukowski.

Teo Fila Bukowski Baptismal Record

The original record as recorded in Latin:

Jahr: 1889
No. 17
Locus Nativitatis: Ryńsk
Noman: Teofila
Nomen et cognomen, patris (infantis legimimi): Vincent Bukowski, legitimate birth
Nomen et cognomen, matris: Franciska Kwiatkowski
Dies, nativitatis: 31 Martii
Dies, baptismimart: 7 Aprilis
patrinorum, Nomen et cognomen: Josef Strzelecki and Rozalia Bornicha

The Latin translation provided by German Script Experts:

Year: 1889
No. 19
Place of Birth: Ryńsk
Name: Teofila
Name and Surname, Father (legitimate birth): Vincent Bukowski
Name and Surname, Mother: Franciska Kwiatkowski
Birth: 31 March
Baptism: 7 April
Sponsor Name and Surname: Josef Strzelecki and Rozalia Bornicha. 

The baptism of Teo Fila Bukowski most likely occurred at the Kościół p w. św. Wawrzyńca or Church of St. Lawrence in Ryńsk, Poland.  The text below is from monuments section the website Ryńsk Commune website:

4. The parish church in Rynsk 

The Gothic-Renaissance parish church in Rynsk dedicated to Saint Lawrence, built of field stone, was built in the first half of the 14th century. The church body founded on a square plan was rebuilt in 1608 from the funds of the Fabian Plemięcki foundation. The decorative tower added at that time gave the temple a Gothic-Renaissance character. In 1648 at the expense of Jan Działyński, the then Chełmno voivode, the church was renovated again. The eighteenth-century interior decor prevails in the temple. These are: the Renaissance pulpit, benches with early Renaissance woodcarving decorations, the baroque right side altar made of black marble in 1645, the early Baroque main altar from the mid-seventeenth century with the later eighteenth-century sculptures of St. Stanislaus and St. Wojciech and the painting - "Martyrdom of St. Wawrzyniec ”from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Noteworthy is also a stone baroque baptismal font from the mid-seventeenth century, a baroque sculpture of the Risen Christ, a granite medieval stoup and nineteenth-century organs. Of the goldsmith's art, the most valuable are: a Renaissance tower monstrance and a chalice from the 17th century, a reliquary from 1749 and a 15th-century Gothic bell. The building was entered in the register of monuments on July 13, 1936.

Kościół p w. św. Wawrzyńca, Church of St. Lawrence
Rynsk, Poland

It should be noted that Ryńsk has a second church that was constructed in 1889. The church was originally constructed as an Evangelical Church for German settlers to the area. Today this church is a Catholic Church, Kościół Rzymskokatolicki pw. Najświętszego Pana Jezusa, Mikołaja Ryńskiego, 87-213 Ryńsk, Poland, Roman Catholic Church Of the Holy Lord Jesus. The text below is from monuments section the website Ryńsk Commune website:

5. Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

 The Evangelical (currently Catholic) church in Rynsk dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was erected at the beginning of the 20th century for German settlers who settled in these areas in large numbers. It has neo-Gothic forms, from the facade there is a tower topped with a steep roof and a high turret. The spans of the aisles are covered with transverse roofs, while the neo-Gothic body was built of brick on a stone pedestal. The gable roof over the body with the presbytery is covered with tiles. The church has nineteenth-century interior furnishings and nineteenth-century organs in a neo-Gothic external setting. The church was entered into the register of monuments on May 24, 2013.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Timeline

The death record for Männlichen Bukowski and the birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski both record Vincent working as a farmhand. The families movements in Poland are noted below.

• About 1886 Poland - Marriage of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 19 January 1888 through 2 April 1889 the family is living in Ryńsk, Poland as recorded in death record for Männlichen Bukowski and birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski. 
• 23 November 1891 the family was living in Poland - birth of Catherine M. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 14 September 1894 the family was living in Poland - birth of William F. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 1895 Antwerp, Belgium - Port of Departure 
• 1 May 1895 New York, New York - Port of Arrival - Ellis Island 

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Group

There are eleven recorded children born to Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski:

1. Männlichen Bukowski b. 19 January 1888 in Ryńsk, Poland
2. Teo Fila Bukowski b. 26 March 1889 in Ryńsk, Poland 
3. Catherine M. Bukowski b. 23 November 1891 in Poland
4. William F. Bukowski b. 14 September 1894 in Poland
5. John Frank Bukowski b. 7 December 1897 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
6. Gustave Joseph Bukowski b. 11 February 1899 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
7. Helen Tillie Bukowski b. 13 June 1901 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
8. Clara Tillie Bukowski b. 31 August 1903 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
9. Joseph R. Bukowski b. 4 July 1906 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
10. Josefa Bukowski b. 29 July 1908 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
11. Edward Bukowski b. 3 February 1911 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania

Continuing the Search - Next Steps

The Ryńsk Catholic Parish registers only include baptisms through 1890 - as a result the baptismal records for Catherine M. Bukowski and William F. Bukowski were not located - as these children were born after 1890.

The Ryńsk Catholic Parish Registers also did not include a marriage record Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski.

The next step will be to determine if there are Catholic Parish registers available for the other Polish locations previously associated with the the family - Pluskowęsy, Wąbrzeźno and Orzechowo, Wąbrzeźno. The intent would to locate the marriage record for Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski.

Teo Fila Bukowski is my 2nd great aunt. She is the sister of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. 

References:

1. Ancestry.com. Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. 
2. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port.
3. Poland, Bydgoszcz, Ryńsk (Wąbrzez'no) - Church records: Taufen 1875-1890 (Duplikate) Taufen 1875-1890 Heiraten 1876-1890 Tote 1876-1883, Katholische Kirche Rheinsberg (Kr. Briesen), Salt Lake City, Utah : Gefilmt durch The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950, 1954, 1968, 1988. Film No. 1569299 Items 7-10, Record 19.

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski

This is the second post in the Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update Series. This series will be focused on two Polish immigrants, my 2nd great-grandparents, who settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania and their family members.  Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski arrived at Ellis Island 1 May 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland. The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they lived in Poland and why they left. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city of origin for the family was previously unknown. Over the last year collaboration with other researchers, DNA results and newly discovered records have provided additional context to where in Poland the families were living prior to their journey to Ellis Island.

Other Posts in the Series:
9 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Location Identified
22 February 2020: Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Männlichen Bukowski

The first Polish record located for the family of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski was the birth registration record of their daughter Teo Fila Bukowski. The record was located in the Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 database housed at Ancestry.

The database also included the death record of a son born to Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. The name on the record is Männlichen Bukowski which translates to a male child.

Infant Boy Bukowski Death Record 
20 Jan 1888
Ryńsk, Poland

The original record as recorded in German:

Nr. 4
Ryńsk am 20ten Januar 1888
Vor dem unterzeichneten Standesbeamten erschien heute, der Persönlichkeit nach bekannt, der Knecht Vincent Bukowski wohnhaft zu Ryńsk, und zeigte an, daß seine Ehefrau Franziska Bukowski geborne Kwiatkowska, katholischer Religion, wohnhaft zu Ryńsk bei dem Anzeigenden, am neunzehnten Januar des Jahres Tausend achthundert und acht und achtzig Vormittags zwoelf Uhr von einem Kinde, welches todt war, männlichen Geschlechts, entbunden worden ist. 17 Druckworte gestrichen.

Vorgelesen, genehmigt und wegen Schreibensunkunde von dem Anzeigenden unterkreuzt. 
+++ Handzeichen des Vincent Bukowski

Der Standesbeamte [signature] 

Zu No. 4 
Nebenstehende Anzeige wird dahin ergänzt, daß die Eltern des todtgeborenen Kindes beide katholischer Religion sind. 

Der Standesbeamte 
In Vertretung 
Kubitza

The German translation provided by German Script Experts:

No. 4
Ryńsk, January 20th 1888

Before the undersigned civil registrar appeared today, personally known, Vincent Bukowksi, a farmhand residing in Ryńsk, and reported that Franziska Bukowska née Kwiatkowska, his wife, of Catholic faith, residing with him in Ryńsk, had given birth to a male child on 19 January 1888 at 12 o’clock at noon, and that the child was stillborn. 17 preprinted words crossed out.

Read, approved, and signed with his mark because the informant is unable to write.
+++ Vincent Bukowski’s mark

The civil registrar
[signature]

Addendum to no. 4
This record is amended to include the information that both parents of the stillborn child are of Catholic faith.

The civil registrar
Deputy Kubitza

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Group

With the addition of Männlichen or infant boy Bukowski there are eleven recorded children born to Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski:

1. Männlichen Bukowski b. 19 January 1888 in Ryńsk, Poland
2. Teo Fila Bukowski b. 26 March 1889 in Ryńsk, Poland 
3. Catherine M. Bukowski b. 23 November 1891 in Poland
4. William F. Bukowski b. 14 September 1894 in Poland
5. John Frank Bukowski b. 7 December 1897 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
6. Gustave Joseph Bukowski b. 11 February 1899 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
7. Helen Tillie Bukowski b. 13 June 1901 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
8. Clara Tillie Bukowski b. 31 August 1903 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
9. Joseph R. Bukowski b. 4 July 1906 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
10. Josefa Bukowski b. 29 July 1908 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
11. Edward Bukowski b. 3 February 1911 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania

Franciska did leave clues that she was the mother of two additional children.

In the 1900 United States Federal Census Franciska indicated she was the mother of seven children and five children were living. Five children were recorded in the household - Teo Fila, Catherine, William, John and Gustave.

In the 1910 United States Federal Census Franciska indicated she was the mother of eleven children and eight children were living. The eight living children in 1910 include:  Teo Fila, Catherine, William, John, Gustave, Helen, Clara and Joseph.

Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski Family Timeline

The death record for Männlichen Bukowski and the birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski both record Vincent working as a farmhand. The families movements in Poland are noted below.

• About 1886 Poland - Marriage of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 19 January 1888 through 2 April 1889 the family is living in Ryńsk, Poland as recorded in death record for Männlichen Bukowski and birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski. 
• 23 November 1891 the family was living in Poland - birth of Catherine M. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 14 September 1894 the family was living in Poland - birth of William F. Bukowski - exact location is currently not known.
• 1895 Antwerp, Belgium - Port of Departure 
• 1 May 1895 New York, New York - Port of Arrival - Ellis Island 

The unknown child would have been my 2nd great uncle. He was the brother of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

References:

1. Ancestry.com. Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. 
2. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port 
3. 1900 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, Ward 2, 1900 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent 1.
4. 1910 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 2nd Ward, 1910 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent. 

Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update: Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Location Identified

This is the first post in the Bukowski & Kwiatkowski Research Update Series. This series will be focused on two Polish immigrants, my 2nd great-grandparents, who settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania and their family members.  Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski arrived at Ellis Island 1 May 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland. The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they lived in Poland and why they left. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. The city of origin for the family was previously unknown. Over the last year collaboration with other researchers, DNA results and newly discovered records have provided additional context to where in Poland the families were living prior to their journey to Ellis Island.

Teo Fila Bukowski was the oldest of the three children recorded with Vincenty Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski when when the family was processed at Ellis Island on 1 May 1895. Teo Fila was 6 years old when she made the voyage with her parents and two younger siblings. The Ellis Island records indicate the family was in route to Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania where they lived the rest of their lives.

Various historical records indicate that Teo Fila Bukowski was born March 1889 in Poland. She married Frank J. Gaczkowski on 6 September 1909 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.

Frank J. Gaczkowski and Teo Fila Bukowski
Photograph from the Edward W. Zelazny Collection. Photographer Unknown. 
Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

For many years very few details were known about where in Poland the family was from. The departing ships records for Antwerp were unfortunately lost in World War I. In the 1900 United States Federal Census Vincenty Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski both indicated their birthplace was "Poland, Germany".  In the 1910 United States Federal Census Vincenty Frank and Franciska Kwiatkowski both indicated their birthplace was "Germany Polish".  Both of these census records were strong indicators the family was living on the Prussian or the German side of the Polish Partition.

To date no records have been located that indicate Vincenty Frank Bukowski submitted an application for United States citizenship. Additionally, in the 1930 United States Federal Census Vincenty Frank Bukowski was enumerated with the status of "alien" in the naturalization section.  This was the final census were Vincenty was recorded. He died 27 April 1937 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania.   The death certificates for Vincenty Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski listed a country of origin only.  As a result, the city of origin for the family remained unknown.

Additional Research Opportunities 

The three known children born in Poland provided another research opportunity. If Polish birth or baptismal records could be located for the children - those records would identify a potential starting point for research in Poland. Several years ago I was able to obtain a list of Polish cities that were associated with the Vincenty Frank Bukowski family in wedding and baptismal records recorded at St. Stanislaus Church in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. The city and regional names included Pluskowęsy, Ryńsk, Wąbrzeźno and Orzechowo, Wąbrzeźno.

There were several challenges to continuing the search for a city of origin:

• The first challenge was having multiple cities and regions. Some of the locations included multiple Catholic Parishes. 
• The second challenge was access to the records. Some of the Polish records are only accessible via microfilms housed in the collections at Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah or one of the Family History Library affiliate libraries. It is also possible that additional records exist in Polish or European Archives - but those archives add a another layer complexity to the research.
• The third challenge was the potential language barrier. Depending on the location and the record type there were also was also a possibility the original records would be in German, Polish or Latin. 

Without having an exact location to start - the research would involve casting a wide net which would require attempting to search the available films for Pluskowęsy, Ryńsk, Wąbrzeźno and Orzechowo, Wąbrzeźno. Due to time and the above factors no further research was conducted on this family.

First Polish Record Located

Last year another researcher I had been previously connected with sent me a note. The researcher indicated that Ancestry had a potential birth registration record for Teo Fila Bukowski in the Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 database. The original records were located in the Berlin State Archives.

After accessing a copy of the original German record - I reached out to Ute Brandenburg the owner of German Script Experts for translation assistance.

Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Record 
31 March 1889
Ryńsk, Poland

The original record as recorded in German:

Nr. 17
Rynsk am 2ten April 1889

Vor dem unterzeichneten Standesbeamten erschien heute, der Persönlichkeit nach bekannt, der
Pferdeknecht Vincent Bukowski wohnhaft zu Rynsk, katholischer Religion, und zeigte an, daß von
der Franziska Bukowska, geborenen Kwiatkowska, seiner Ehefrau, katholischer Religion,
wohnhaft bei ihm zu Rynsk, in seiner Wohnung am ein und dreißigsten März des Jahres tausend
acht hundert achtzig und neun, Nachmittags um zehn Uhr ein Kind weiblichen Geschlechts
geboren worden sei, welches den Vornamen Theofila erhalten habe.

Vorgelesen, genehmigt und wegen Schreibensunkunde des Anzeigenden mit dessen Handzeichen
versehen. +++

Der Standesbeamte.

The German translation provided by German Script Experts:

No. 17
Rynsk, April 2nd 1889

Before the undersigned civil registrar appeared today, personally known, Vincent Bukowski, a
farmhand residing in Ryńsk  of Catholic faith, and reported that Franziska Bukowska née
Kwiatkowska, his wife, of Catholic faith, residing with him in Ryńsk, had given birth to a female
child at his residence on 31 March 1889 at 10 o’clock in the evening. The child was named
Theofila.

Read, approved, and signed with his mark because the informant is unable to write. +++

The Civil Registrar

Teo Fila Bukowski Birth Record Verified

After reviewing the record in detail - the evidence in the birth record aligned with other known details about Teo Fila Bukowski:

• The father's name, Vincent Bukowski, matched. 
• The mother's first name, Franciska, matched.
• The mother's maiden name, Kwiatwkows, matched.
• The birth month and year, March 1889, matched.
• The location, Ryńsk, Poland, matched with the locations associated with the family in the St. Stanlislaus Catholic Church Records.  

The birth record for Teo Fila Bukowski is first historical recorded located for the family in Poland. we now had a starting point to continue to research the family.

A Starting Point - Ryńsk, Poland

Ryńsk is a small rural village located in north-central Poland. Vincenty Frank Bukowski, Franciska Kwiatkowski and Teo Fila Bukowski were living in Ryńsk, Poland March and April 1889.

Teo Fila Bukowski is my 2nd great aunt. She is the sister of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. 

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port 
2. 1900 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, Ward 2, 1900 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent 1.
3. 1910 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 2nd Ward, 1910 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent. 
4. 1930 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 1930 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent. 
5. "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFQG-RXM : accessed 19 October 2015), Frank J. Gaczkowski and Teophila Bukowska, 06 Sep 1909; citing Marriage, Pennsylvania, county courthouses, Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm 2,209,545.
6. Ancestry.com. Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. 

Five Generation Chart: Arthur Murosky

The five generation pedigree chart below showcases Arthur Murosky with four generations of his direct ancestors. The color coding is used to group the birthplaces of the featured individuals. If the individual is unknown black has been used. This format has been adapted from the original version shared by genealogist J. Paul Hawthorne.

The oldest ancestors featured in the chart are Ignacy Kwiatkowski and Julianna Kłos born in Poland. The chart represents at span of at least 58 years between the birth of the grandparents generation and their grandson Arthur Murosky born April 13, 1919.

Arthur Murosky

Five Generation Pedigree Chart

As shown from the chart Arthur was the grandson of immigrants:

• Antoni Murauskas whose name would be adapted to Anthony Murosky Sr. was born in the Suwałki Governorate. Following WWI the land of the Suwałki Governorate was split between Poland and Lithuania. Antoni would identify with Lithuania following WWI. Anoni arrived about 1892 and settled in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. 
• Ewa Zilinskaite whose name would be adapted to Eva Zielinski was also born in the Suwałki Governorate. Eva arrived about 1894 and settled in Forest City, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. She married Antoni Murauskas within a year of her arrival.
• Vincinety Frank Bukowski arrived May 1, 1895 with his wife and three oldest children. The family has identified that they were from the Poland living in the German Partition. The family settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. 

The chart also indicates that for the Murauskas,  Zilinskaite and Bukowski lines there are currently no details known about the families in Europe. The Kwiatkowski line offers clues as the names of European family members are known. Time may reveal additional clues to the heritage of these families.

An additional chart is also shown that includes the birth and death dates for the featured individuals if known.

Arthur Murosky

Five Generation Pedigree Chart

Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. The individuals featured in the chart are my direct ancestors. 

Our Ancestors The Book: Volume 2: The Bukowski Family History

The second book in the Our Ancestors series is currently in development and will be focused solely on three generations of the Bukowski family:

Generation 1 - The European Ancestors - Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos
Generation 2 - The immigrants - Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski
Generation 3 - Children of Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski

Our Ancestors The Book: Volume 2: The Bukowski Family History will feature a written history that incorporates family photographs and historical documents into a 12x12 hardcover book with dust jacket printed on high quality paper. The first volume in the series- Our Ancestors The Book: Volume 1: The Murosky and Bukowski Family History was completed in December of 2011.

The foundation of Volume 2 uses the original content content featured in Volume 1. This book will incorporate research updates including the addition of new previously unknown family members, marriage records, the 1940 census, other historical documents and additional research notes. Many new databases are now available which have added additional content and filled in gaps in the Bukowski family history.

Volume 2 will also feature many photographs not included in the original. New photographs of the Bukowski family were obtained spring of 2014. Some of these photographs have already been shared in conjunction with the Portraits of a Life project.

The book will be organized into the following format:

Chapter 1, is a brief introduction into the family research and the organization of the book.

Chapter 2,  currently at 36 pages, tells the story of the Bukowski family history, starting with my great-great grandparents Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. This section also includes photographs and historical documents.

Chapter 3, currently at 108 pages, provides detailed accounts accounts for each of  the children of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. This section also includes photographs and historical documents.

Chapter 4, features some of the well known family recipes.

A few previews of the work in progress:

Volume 2: Table of Contents

Volume 2: Sample Layout featuring a historical document and photograph. 

The book will also include a reference list and an index.

The current work in progress is close to 200 pages. Upon completion Blurb will be used tor provide high quality printing. The book will remain available online with Blurb to purchase copies at any time.

The current projection is that the book will be completed for the 2015 holiday season.

Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos are my 3rd great-grandparents. Their daughter Franciska Kwiatkowski is my 2nd great grandmother. Franciska is the mother of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

Family Photo: Clara Tillie Bukowski

Clara Tillie Bukowski was born 3 August 31, 1903 . She was the daughter of Polish immigrants Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski.

The date on the photograph is unknown. However the sailor outfit Clara is wearing allows the date of the photograph to be approximated.

The sailor outfit for children shows up in historical photos dating from 1910. The outfits were common for school students. In photos of children and young girls sailor outfits with the V stripes were common. Clara appears to be wearing a middy blouse with a skirt. By 1919 the sailor style was considered good taste for girls age 14-18.

The sailor outfit of the type Clara was wearing was associated with children and students - making it likely the photograph of Clara was taken before she was married in 1922. Given Clara looks so young she may have been photographed as a young teenager. The photograph was most likely taken between 1917 and 1921.  If the photograph was taken in 1917 Clara would have been 14 years old. If the photograph was taken in 1921 Clara would have been 18 years old.

Clara married Stanley Pietrzak in 1922.  Helen's sister Helen recorded Clara's name on the photograph. 

   

From the Helen Tillie Bukowski Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Clara Tillie Bukowski is my 2nd great aunt. She was the sister of my great grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen is the mother of my paternal grandfather Arthur Murosky. 

References:

1. References to children's sailor dress. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_dress

New Grandparents Discovered: Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos

The oldest ancestors previously known on the Bukowski side of the family were Vincinety Frank Bukowski and his wife Franciska Kwiatkowski. The couple arrived at Ellis Island May 1, 1895 with three small children - Teo Fila, Catherine and William. The family had sailed from Antwerp, Belgium on the Noorland.

The family was very quiet about their past - leaving few clues to where they came from or who their ancestors were. All that was known is that the family resided on the Prussian or German side of the Polish partition. A definitive city of where the family was living is currently not known.

Franciska Kwiatkowski & Vincinety Frank Bukowski 

Over the last year Ancestry.com has been working to index and scan copies of the Pennsylvania Death Certificates. Included in the release of information were the death certificates for Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. Vincinety's recorded "unknown" for the name of his father and "unknown" for the name of his mother.

The death certificate of Franciska Kwiatkowski did reveal clues to the next generation. The names of Franciska's parents are recorded. It is plausible that her husband, Vincinety Bukowski, completed the main sections of the death certificate - recording his wife's parents names in Polish. Note the use of the ł with a stroke. These sections are printed in capital letters with black ink.

The couple's daughter Helen Tillie Bukowski, married to Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr. was the informant who signed the death certificate. Helen recorded section 14 and likely 16 as her writing is cursive with blue ink. Helen's handwriting does not match the block script which recorded the names of her grandparents.

Finding the names of Franciska's parents is a major discovery. This is the first definitive link to the next generation of grandparents previously unknown in Europe. The names and locations, if provided by Vincinety Bukowski, would have been likely to have been first hand knowledge. He very likely would have known the names of Franciska's parents - by knowing them personally or from Franciska herself.

Death Certificate for Franciska Kwiatkowski

To learn how to translate the Polish names I did some searching and located the website PolishOrigins.com. This website has a very helpful forum section with folks that can assist with Polish translations.

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

2. FULL NAME: Frances Bukowski

// Her Polish given name was Franciszka. Franciszka Bukowska//
5a. If married, widowed, or divorced HUSBAND or WIFE of: Vincent Bukowski
// Her husband's Polish given name was Wincenty. Wincenty Bukowski// 
9. BIRTHPLACE: POLAND
10. NAME-of-FATHER: Ignatz Kwiatkowski
// Her father's Polish given name was Ignacy. Ignacy Kwiatkowski 
// Her name at birth was Franciszka Kwiatkowska//
11. BIRTHPLACE-of-FATHER: POLAND
12. MAIDEN NAME-of-MOTHER: Juliana Kłosuwna
// Her mother’s maiden name was: Julianna Kłos // 
//The Polish suffix -ówna (same spelling as -uwna) is used to indicate “daughter of”, daughter of Kłos//
13. BIRTHPLACE-of-MOTHER: POLAND

To understand the family connections the descendant chart below shows the relationship between myself, my paternal grandfather Arthur Murosky to our grandparents Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos. Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos would be my 3rd great grandparents and great-grandparents of my grandfather.

Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos

Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos have over 230 known descendants. These are all the descendants of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. Ignacy is the second Kwiatkowski  ancestor to be discovered. Julianna is the first Kłos ancestor to be discovered. Hopefully in time more can be learned about these previously unknown grandparents.

The death certificate provided some other details including the Polish translation for both Vincent as Wincenty. This aligns with the Polish spelling "Wincenty" that can be found on Vincent's tombstone.

The Polish translation of Franciska Kwiatkowski is Franciszka Kwiatkowska.

The death certificate also indicates that Franciska was ill from April 10, 1936 until her death July 30, 1936 with chronic nephritis with edema. This likely indicates Franciska was suffering from a type of kidney disease.

The photo of Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski is from the Helen Tillie Bukowski Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Ignacy Kwiatkowski & Julianna Kłos are my 3rd great-grandparents. Their daughter Franciska Kwiatkowski is my 2nd great grandmother. Franciska is the mother of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port
2. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Record for Frances Bukowski. 
3. PolishOrigins Forum 
4. Find A Grave. Memorial Number: 99322509 Record for Wincenty (Vincent) Bukowski 

Family Photo: Edward W. Zelazny, Catherine M Bukowski, & Irene B. Zelazny

This formal portrait of the Catherine M. Bukowski with her children Edward W. Zelazny and Irene B. Zelazny was taken fall of 1915.

Edward W. Zelazny, Catherine M Bukowski, & Irene B. Zelazny

Catherine Bukowski was the daughter of Polish immigrants Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. She was born November 23, 1891 in Poland. On September 26, 1910 she married Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny was born May 21, 1888 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

If the portrait was taken before Catherine's birthday in November she would have been 12 in the portrait. If the portrait was taken after her birthday she would have been would have been age 24. Irene B. born October 16, 1912. Depending on when the photo was take she would have been two or three years old. Edward was born September 11, 1915 was an infant.

Catherine's son Edward had the original photograph in his collection. He graciously allowed me to copy his photographs. Photograph from the Edward W. Zelazny Collection. Photographer Kmiec Brothers 705 W. 12th St Erie PA..  Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Catherine Bukowski is my 2nd great aunt. She is the sister of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. 

References:

1. Edward W. Zelazny

Wedding Portrait: Catherine M. Bukowski & Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny

A formal wedding portrait from the wedding of Catherine M. Bukowski & Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny.

Formal Wedding Portrait of Cahterine Bukowski and Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny

Catherine M. Bukowski was the daughter of Polish immigrants Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. She was born November 23, 1891 in Poland.

Catherine and Joseph were married September 26, 1910 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny was born May 21, 1888 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

Catherine's son Edward had the original photograph in his collection. He graciously allowed me to copy his photographs. Photograph from the Edward W. Zelazny Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Catherine M. Bukowski is my 2nd great aunt. She is the sister of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. 

References:

1. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Erie; Roll: 2022694; Draft Board: 1 Record for Stenley Zelazny.
2. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II draft cards (Fourth Registration) for the State of Pennsylvania; State Headquarters: Pennsylvania; Microfilm Series: M1951; Microfilm Roll: 353 Record for Joseph Stanislaus Zelazny.

Bukowski Family Photo - 1959

This Bukowski family snapshot was taken August 1959. Siblings William F. Bukowski and Helen Tillie Bukowski pose for a photograph with William's grandson Norbert Bukowski. Helen recorded the names and the date on the back of the photograph that was included in one of her old albums.

William F. Bukowski and Helen Tillie Bukowski are the children of Polish immigrants Vincinety Frank Bukowski and Franciska Kwiatkowski. William was born September 14, 1894 in Poland and processed as an infant at Ellis Island with his parents on May 1, 1895. In early records William is recorded with the name Boleslaus.

William F. married his wife Celia about 1919 per the date recorded in the 1930 United States Federal Census. The couple had one son Norbert Bukowski born July 13, 1920. Norbert married Dorothy Swienski and the couple had several children including their son Norbert, photographed below. To learn more about Norbert and Dorothy visit the blog post The Norbert Bukowski Family which features several old photographs.

The Bukowski family had settled in Erie, Pennsylvania after being processed at Ellis Island. William F. eventually relocated to Buffalo, New York for work. His son Norbert also lived in Buffalo. William likely traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania to visit the Bukowski family. He may have traveled with his son or only his grandson. Helen often documented her photographs listing the location of the photograph in her notes if she had traveled out of town. 

William F. Bukowski, Nortbert Bukowski and Helen Tillie Bukowski

Helen's handwritten note on the back of the photograph. 

Photographs from the Helen Tillie Bukowski Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

William F. Bukowski is my 2nd great uncle. He is the brother of my great-grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski. Helen's son Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather.

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Bukowski, Vincent Manifest: First Name: Vincenty Last Name: Bukowski Ethnicity: Germany Last Place of Residence: Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895 Age at Arrival: 33y Gender: M Marital Status: Ship of Travel: Noordland Port\
2. 1910 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, 2nd Ward, 1910 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Vincent
3. 1930 U.S. Census, New York, Erie, Buffalo,  1930 United States Federal Census Schedule; Online Images, Record for Bukowski, Boleslaus. Lines 67-78.

The Norbert Bukowski Family

Update December 30, 2014 - Norbet's cousin Leona Pietrzak indicated Dorthy's surname was Swienski. Her surname has been added to the blog post. 

Norbert Bukowski was born 13 July 1920. His birth location is likely Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. He was the only son of William F. Bukowski and Celia. Celia's surname is current unknown. William, the son of Polish immigrants Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski, was processed as an infant at Ellis Island with his family on 1 May 1895. The family settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania.

William Bukowski relocated from Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, Erie County, New York. It is currently estimated that William married Celia about 1919 based on dates recorded in the 1930 United States Federal Census. The location of their marriage is currently unknown. The family is recorded residing in Buffalo, New York in the 1930 United States Federal Census and 1940 United States Federal Census.

On 17 June 1942 Norbert enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. Norbert married his wife Dorothy Swienski in Buffalo, Erie County, New York.  He is shown wearing his Coast Guard Uniform in the wedding photo. His first cousin Robert Pietrzak attended his wedding. Norbert was discharged from service on 7 November 1945.

Wedding of Norbert & Dorothy
(L-R) Robert V. Pietrzak, Bride's Sister, Bride Dorothy Swienski, Groom Norbert Bukowski 

Norbert and Dorothy were both photographed with their oldest daughter Judy. The photographs were likely taken in Buffalo, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Eventually these photographs ended up in the hands of family living in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is possible the couple mailed photographs to their family living in Erie. Norbert's Aunt, my great grandmother Helen Tillie Bukowski, had these photographs included in her collection. 

Norbert & Judy

Judy Bukowski

Dorothy Swienski & Judy Bukowski

From the Helen Tillie Bukowski Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Norbert Bukowski is a 1st cousin to my grandfather Arthur Murosky. The two share common ancestors in their grandparents, Vincinety Frank Bukowski & Franciska Kwiatkowski. Norbert's father William is my great grandmother Helen's brother. 

References:

1. Ellis Island Records, Ship of Travel: Noordland, Port of Departure: Antwerp, Date of Arrival: May 01, 1895   
2. 1900 U. S. census, 1900 United States Federal Census schedule, Erie, Pennsylvania,  Supervisor's District 15, Enumeration District 80, Enumeration Date June, 1900, Lines 11-17. Family of Vincent Bukowski
3. 1910 U. S. census, 1910 United States Federal Census schedule, Erie, Pennsylvania, Supervisor's District 19, Enumeration District 79, Enumeration Date May 2,1910, Lines 44-52. Family of Vincent Bukowski
4. 1930 U. S. census, United States Federal Census schedule, Erie, New York, Supervisor's District 7NY Enumeration District 15-65, Enumeration Date April 2, 1930, Lines 67-78 Record for Bukowski, Boleslaus 
5. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data: Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Record for Norbert Bukowski.