Hello everyone. I am looking for help regarding my family in current SE Poland, former Galicia, Austria. I live in the USA. My father Michal Holowenczak was born in Dobra, near SIeniawa in Poland in 1935. He had several brothers and sisters, most of them deceased and accounted for. His father (My grandfather) was Andrzej Holowenczak -was born in village Dobra in 1899 and died in Bisztynek, Poland in 1965. He was married to Anna Dejnak from the same region. His death certificate say that his father's name was Jan Holowenczak. That's all I have. No more information about Jan, pictures or any info if he had siblings or when and where he was born or died. I discovered some of Holowenczak's living in France, tracing back to Stefan Holowenczak born in Sieniawa, Poland who could be brother or cousin of Jan and who arrived to France between first and second world war. Another branch of family lives in Canada and after contacting them I found out that another Michal Holowenczak (not my father) was born in Dobra in 1902 or 1903 and he had brother Andrzej (but not my grandfather) and few siblings. One of the siblings was Anna Holowenczak who married Vasyl Stanko and Katryna Holowenczak who married Stefan Fedak. That was all happening in Poland, either between two great wars or just after the second one. Another lead I have are Ellis Island Passenger Manifests where one can find Stasia Holowenczak from Dobra, Austria arriving in 1913 at age of 18 to NYC, the address is 96 Greenwich Street, that's the dead end.She was picked up by sister Kiejda (?) Holowenczak. Does anybody knows how to follow up from here? No census records, no naturalization papers, what happened to her? or to her sister. Ewa Holowenczak from Gross Wuneshin, Austria (could not find such place - did it change its name?) arrived on the same ship ( age 17) - sisters, cousins? - and was detained, later was picked up by cousin Paraska. Does anybody knows why one would be detained for 2-3 days in Ellis Island? there are few other people arriving through Ellis Island with the name Holowenczak or some variations, like Holowenczuk, Hodowenczak etc. There is SS Death index for Stephen Holowenzak and Helen Holowenzak from NJ. (Another way of spelling the name). Also, Ann C. Holowenzak Postawa b. 1914 in NJ and died in NJ in Camden County in 1988, and her parents were Helen Jawors and Michael Holowenzak. No info whatsoever about Michael Holowenzak. Was he a brother of mentioned Stephen Holowenzak? How do I find records about him? It is my first time I am writing for help and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated since I am knew to genealogical research and don't have too much experience with it. Thank you all Andrew Holowenczak, Massachusetts, USA

Hi Andrew You appear to be taking quite a circuitous route in your search for your ancestors. Learning about all the other Holowenczaks in the world doesn't really get you any closer to the answers that you seek. It is merely my humble opinion that you need to focus your family research on your family, not others. In the 19th Century, the village of Dobra (with 253 homes and 1526 residents) north of Jaroslaw was served by the Roman Catholic parish in Sieniawa and the Greek Catholic parish right in Dobra. That's where the records were kept. That's where you should focus your research. The Roman Catholic Parish: Wniebowziecia NMP ("Assumption of the BVM") ul. Kosciuszki 6 37-530 Sieniawa Tel: 016-622-70-22 The Greek Catholic Parish: Chrystusa Zmartwychstalego ("Resurrection of Christ" - It apparently has become a filial or auxiliary church to the Roman Catholic parish in Dobra.) Najswietszego Serca PJ ("Sacred Heart of Jesus") Dobra 85 37-530 Sieniawa Tel: 016 622 73 83 And, of course, there's always the Polish State Archives at Przemysl which might also hold pertinent records. If you write directly to the parishes, be sure that your letter is written in Polish, requests specific information, and contains a small contribution. You can refer to the online Polish letter writing guide at PolishRoots if your Polish language skills are as shoddy as mine. Cheers and good luck! Dennis Benarz http://spuscizna.org/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Holowenczak" <aholowenczak@bearhillrehab.com> To: <GALICIA@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 8:58 AM Subject: [GALICIA] Holowenczak, Dejnak, Fedak, Stanko - families from Galicia,Austria > Hello everyone. I am looking for help regarding my family in current SE > Poland, former Galicia, Austria. I live in the USA. My father Michal > Holowenczak was born in Dobra, near SIeniawa in Poland in 1935. He had > several brothers and sisters, most of them deceased and accounted for. His > father (My grandfather) was Andrzej Holowenczak -was born in village Dobra > in 1899 and died in Bisztynek, Poland in 1965. He was married to Anna > Dejnak from the same region. His death certificate say that his father's > name was Jan Holowenczak. That's all I have. No more information about > Jan, pictures or any info if he had siblings or when and where he was born > or died. I discovered some of Holowenczak's living in France, tracing back > to Stefan Holowenczak born in Sieniawa, Poland who could be brother or > cousin of Jan and who arrived to France between first and second world > war. Another branch of family lives in Canada and after contacting them I > found out that another Michal Holowenczak (not! > my father) was born in Dobra in 1902 or 1903 and he had brother Andrzej > (but not my grandfather) and few siblings. One of the siblings was Anna > Holowenczak who married Vasyl Stanko and Katryna Holowenczak who married > Stefan Fedak. That was all happening in Poland, either between two great > wars or just after the second one. > Another lead I have are Ellis Island Passenger Manifests where one can > find Stasia Holowenczak from Dobra, Austria arriving in 1913 at age of 18 > to NYC, the address is 96 Greenwich Street, that's the dead end.She was > picked up by sister Kiejda (?) Holowenczak. Does anybody knows how to > follow up from here? No census records, no naturalization papers, what > happened to her? or to her sister. > Ewa Holowenczak from Gross Wuneshin, Austria (could not find such place - > did it change its name?) arrived on the same ship ( age 17) - sisters, > cousins? - and was detained, later was picked up by cousin Paraska. Does > anybody knows why one would be detained for 2-3 days in Ellis Island? > there are few other people arriving through Ellis Island with the name > Holowenczak or some variations, like Holowenczuk, Hodowenczak etc. > There is SS Death index for Stephen Holowenzak and Helen Holowenzak from > NJ. (Another way of spelling the name). Also, Ann C. Holowenzak Postawa b. > 1914 in NJ and died in NJ in Camden County in 1988, and her parents were > Helen Jawors and Michael Holowenzak. No info whatsoever about Michael > Holowenzak. Was he a brother of mentioned Stephen Holowenzak? How do I > find records about him? > It is my first time I am writing for help and any suggestions would be > greatly appreciated since I am knew to genealogical research and don't > have too much experience with it. > Thank you all > Andrew Holowenczak, Massachusetts, USA > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? > GALICIA-admin@rootsweb.com > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GALICIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >