Hi Just recently subscribed to this list. I've gleaned quite a bit of Information from the list archives, but still have a few questions and am hoping someone can provide answers and/or direction for me. Questions: 1. The village of Rukavac, Kvarner, located 3.7 km N. of Opatija, is a chapelry of the Roman Catholic Church, Does this mean there is no church in Rukavac and the residents would "belong" to a parish elsewhere, (in Opatija) ? 2. Is it possible to get birth records from the opc'ine in Opatija for my grandfather, his brother and two sisters born 1891 - 1897? And, possibly a record of his parents' marriage? 3. Would their parish church still have their baptismal records and the Stanju Dusa/Knjiga Dusa (A Book of Souls)? I checked the LDS Family History Catalog but all they have is one microfilm, Maticna knjiga, 1863-1883: RC parish register of deaths for Sarsoni, Kustenland, Austria, now Viskovo, Croatia. Also Includes registers of deaths for the chapelries of Rukavac and Zvonece. Text in Latin. (Seems I saw somewhere Viskovo is now part of Opatija, so am wondering if this is the parish that covers Rukavac?) 4. On the ship's manifest, my grandfather's brother lists, as his nearest relative, his wife, Giuvanna (Ivanka) Puzz, Rucavac 75 Italy Istria. Is Rucavac 75 an address? If so, is it possible to trace ownership through property deeds? Again, at the opc'ine in Opatija? 5. Prior to WWI, at what age did the men begin their mandatory military service? Background: My grandfather, Mate PUZ (^), born Rukavac, Austria, arrived in NY from Southampton, England, at age 18, in May 1910, along with 7 other fellows from his area: PUZ, Anton, age 33, born Puci (Puzi). US contact: brother, Josep PUZ KINKELA, Anton, age 22, born Zvoneca. US contact: friend, Anton GHAZEL (sp?) MATETIC, Gadislaw, age 17, born Puci (Puzi). US contact: friend, Andre PUZ PUZ, Mate, age 18, born Zvoneca. U.S. contact: friend, Josep PUZ RUZIC, Frank, age 19, born Puzi. U.S. contact: friend, Frank GHIREKELIC RUZIC, Frank, age 24, born Puzi. U.S. contact: friend, Anton VARLJEN JARDAS, Andre, age 25, born Puzi. U.S. contact: brother, Josep JARDAS VARLJEN, Anton, age 34, born Puzi. U.S. contact: cousin, Anton VARLJEN Final destination for all of them was Pittsburgh, PA. According to Ellis Island records, 171 PUZ came to America between 1893-1923. In America, Mate PUZ became Mike PUZZ (rhymes with buzz) and settled in Northern California. Ellis Island has one record for PUZZ: A Giovanni PUZZ, age 25, born Rucavac, Italy, arrived in NY from Trieste in July, 1923 along with MANDIC, Guiseppe, age 36, >From Kuceli, Malluglic (sp?), Istria. Giovanni PUZZ' U.S. contact was his brother, Mike PUZZ in CA. Guiseppi MANDIC's U.S. contact was his cousin, Mike PUZZ in CA. In America, Giovanni (Ivan) PUZZ became John HILL. He and his family lived in New York City. U.S. phone directories have listings for 88 PUZ and 23 PUZZ. The phone directory for Croatia has a listing for 1 PUZ (in Rijeka). Social Security Death Index lists 65 PUZ and 15 PUZZ. California Death Records, 1940-1997, lists 8 PUZ and 8 PUZZ. California Birth Records, 1905-1995, lists 15 PUZ and 11 PUZZ. Other PUZ arrivals to northern California in the early 1900s (in the Eureka/Arcata area) also changed from PUZ to PUZZ: Andre PUZZ, b 1882 Antone PUZZ, b 1877 Frank PUZZ, b 1896 Joe PUZZ, b 1897 For Mate PUZ/Mike PUZZ, I have: 1910 Ellis Island arrival record 1917-18 WWI Civilian Draft Registration card 1920 Federal Census record 1937 Application for Social Security Number 1940 Petition for Naturalization and Certificate of Naturalization 1941-47 CA driver's license 1961- Death record For his brother, Giovanni/Ivan PUZ/PUZZ/John HILL, I have: 1923 Ellis Island arrival record 1937 Application for Social Security Card I have just sent a request to New York for his 1976 death record. I think I'm ready for research in Croatia, but where to start? Help! Hope you stayed with me through all of this. Roanne Ashland, Oregon relyall@home.com