Hi! If all the US members of "our" list called their "TOLL FREE" line & complained, do you think they'd learn not to do this anymore? It's bad enough getting this at my own address but their doing this through the list IS a bit much. Who's with me? Ed. "CALL NOW -- TOLL FREE 1-888-374-8799 -- to RESERVE YOUR VACATION! ***This is a Free Call.....Serious Inquiries Only Please***" I have to agree, if I wanted to book a vacation I'd check with my Travel Agent, not Gen-Pol. Besides, I already live in Florida!!! Dan (Palaima)

I am researching the family name Wierzbowicz, Polish family members who lived in northern Poland/Southern Lithuania during the mid 1800's and later. Thanks for any help if someone should recognize the name.

Several people have told me I should repost this letter every so often and I was really flattered with the suggestion. Again I seem to be seeing quite a few letters that simply say "send information" on a certain surname, or people who have very little information to search further with out some legwork on their part. The "fun" of genealogy is the "hunt" so don't miss out on that. I have learned so much from this listserv, and find everyone a really helpful group of researchers that have so many great suggestions and this is such a great forum to exchange ideas--as you can see I am new to computers and love the almost instant answers to questions. >>Saw your post and I'd like to welcome you to the wonderful addiction of genealogy! Since you sounded so new I thought I would send you a few things to read that may help you get started. Please get Family Group Sheets to record your information otherwise you don't know what you have or don't have. When my husband was a teenager he collected stories and relationships from his family and when we started dating he had notebooks full of information but it was so unorganized we had to spend days just sorting it out. It was a great thing to do as a teen because we have information we would not have had otherwise, but it needed organized. >> >>Good luck, >>Joanne (Balon) Kennedy >>Central PA >>>>>>>Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 23:45:04 -050> >>>>>>>I just finished reading a few letters and felt I had to write and I probably will get a lot of feedback about this but I think it needs said to all those who are relatively new to doing genealogy. I have been addicted to genealogy for over 20 years and have done many lines of both my own and my husband's--some go back to the 1600 and some only go back to the late 1800's; we've covered England, Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia. And I realize it is every genealogist's dream to get information from somewhere other than the USA BUT you can't until you have exhaused EVERY source here in the USA. And there are many. I realize it is not as exciting but it is necessary! There are archives in countries but they need information to pinpoint a document. You can't write to an archive in Poland with only a name and a date and expect a positive reply. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.. They don't have every document ever issued in their country alphabetized and waiting at their fingertips just to send you. And then sometimes we wonder why they get so negative when they receive a request from those "Americans" who are so impatient for a baptism record of a great grandfather who was born about 1880 somewhere in their country. (!!???) >>>>>>> >>>>>>>There are many sources here in the US that are obvious--death certificates (but always remember these are "second hand" information), naturalization, census, etc. But also remember to get the declaration of intention. Other things to try: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>1. Check baptisms of their children here in the US. Many ethnic churches would also record the parents place of baptism on their children's baptism to "prove" their (i.e. parents) baptism. And look at ALL the children--my great grandparents had 10 children and only ONE had their church in Poland listed. And I might add this was the only document I found with their village listed and it wasn't on my grandmother's baptism! >>>>>>> >>>>>>>2. Check who were godparents for their children, who they were friends with, talk to everyone who may have known them. Many times a census here in the US almost reads like the church records in the ancesteral village--in other words many times more than one family came and settled in the same area here too. So if there is no information on your direct relatives try their friends records. This may at least narrow the area of you search down. My great uncle was a "runner" to Slovakia for the area coal mines--his son told me how his father had made at least 4 trip "back home" with the sole purpose of getting more men to come here to work the mines. And one row of company houses here reads just like the village in Slovakia. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>3. Funeral homes are usually very good and helpful sources of a great deal of information. Plus most have exactly the same information that was supplied for the death certificate so you can save yourself a few bucks. We found one of my husband's "lost" greatx2 aunt's descendants because the funeral director gave me the name of the person who paid to have the grass on the grave mowed every year--a call to this person turned up her granddaughter. Plus I have found funeral directors to go out of their way with information. When I asked for some information on a relative, he also sent me all the funerals they had handled with the same surname. What a gift! >>>>>>> >>>>>>>4. Also check the court house for unusual document--land transfers, wills, even disputes among neighbors, orphans, etc. My grandfather and his half brother filed a document in our local court giving up any rights they had to family land in Slovakia to their sister --there was her name and the address where the copy was sent in Slovakia. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>5. And I can't say enough about the LDS. If you look at the baptisms, marriages , and deaths yourself you will find so much more than what is just recorded on one document from an archive. Plus some records also list house # and this can lead to relatives as you go back thru records. And the cost is minimal when you see what you can gain. Also they usually did not travel great distances to marry so after I had looked at all the baptisms, marriages, deaths of my great grandparents and their ancestors in "their" village, I then ordered the records for the village churches within about a 10 mile radius. This led to the marriage record of my great X5 grandparents in 1812 in a village about 6 miles away from where they lived. Digging deeper in these records then gave me the family of my great X5 grandmother as this was "her" village--something I would not have know from the village records I initally looked at. So don't believe that all your records will be in just one location. Also remember "George" and "whatever you find " in the US records are probably Americanized names. For example in Poland, the Latin church baptism will have "Adalbertus" , his family called him "Wojtek", his marriage had "Wojciech", the German ship's captain listed him as "Albert" and the records her in the US call him "George" and this is all the same man and please don't say "they changed his name". >>>>>>> >>>>>>>6. Also talk with all the "Senior Citizens" in the US neighborhood. And please don't just ask specific names and dates. Let them talk about their lives and the lives of your relatives--record it if possible. Sometimes I have found that if you ask the elderly a specific date they will say they " don't know." Two very dear ladies in their late 80's helped me more than I can say by just telling stories... before I knew better I had previously asked if they knew if my great grandmother had any siblings here in the US they said they didn't know. But when they started remembering a funeral they attended as young girls the one thing that really seemed to impress them was a man who came in a "fancy buggy with a pretty horse". When I asked who this was they said "your grandmother's uncle". (in other words my great grandmother's brother). I got more names and relationships from the discussion of this one funeral then I would have every had from just asking specific dates and names. PLUS I learned so much of what life was like for my relatives which I believe is just as important to genealogy as a collection of names and dates. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>7. I think I may have sent this before but when you finally find a village and it is a "large, famous" city don't just look at records there. Yes I know people were born in these cities and they immigrated too, but many immigrants came here to work coal mines and steel mills and weren't the "shop owners" of the cities. But when asked where they came from would give a town that would be recognized by the ship's captain, Ellis Island clerk (who didn't speak their language no less could they write it right) so it was easier to just say Warsaw. And don't shake your head--we travel alot thru the US ( our girls have been in all but 3 states) and when we are asked where we are from rather than say the small town we live near (about 100 people) we just say we live "an hour south of Penn State." We don't even use a town!! Everyone will just shake their head in understanding--but genealogist in a 100 years will have fun trying to locate this on any map! So if you don't find your relative in the records of the city you think you should branch out to neighboring vilages too. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>I am sorry I have gone on so long but I hope this will make everyone see that there are lots of places to check before you can "get to (you fill in the country of choice!)". >>>>>>> >>>>>>>And one last thing genealogy is so much fun and we can all share our ideas, research methods and it benefits us all----this is not a solitary hobby--I have made so many friends thru this pasttime and they have helped me so much I hope I have at least helped someone else too. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>Joanne >>>>>>>tjk@csrlink.net >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> >

In the Nase rodina, the newsletter of the Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International, there is a photocopy of a poster advertising passage on the "Hamburska Linie" with no date as to when it was printed. Costs were listed as: Hamburg to New York Steerage.....$28 2nd berth....$72 1st berth......$120 New York to Hamburg Steerage.....$30 2nd berth.....$60 1st berth.......$100 I guess it was longer from New York to Hamburg in steerage than it was from Hamburg to New York.......but it was longer in 2nd berth and 1st berth from Hamburg to New York and shorter from New York to Hamburg. ????!!!!???? Another article in this newslatter has: "....they could only afford passage in the "steerage" section. This area was not even good enough for cargo, let alone passengers. The lack of food, water, privacy,a nd santation led to illness, as did the voyage itself. Travel time on these steamships varied from 15 to 60 days depending on whether it was a direct or indirect route, and the weather conditions....." Also in this same issue as the poster is a translation of an article (5 pages) originally printed in 1883 in Czech advising anyone who was considering immigrating to America as to what to do and expect. Some parts: "...Before you decide to emigrate to America.....consider well everything involved in this action. A person can easily leave, but it is not so easy to return....." ".....complaints....about the port of Baltimore (and with good reason)....accosted by various swindlers....so erratic...many...end up in the wrong place...." "...main thing to keep in mind is to take a ship to New York....."Castle Garden" where the immmigrant is protected from swindlers, hunger, rain, and cold, and where he can confidently exchange money and buy railroad tickets and get free escort to the railway station......" "....necessary to make reservations 2, 3, or even 4 weeks ahead...." "...officials do not allow passage to emigrants who cannot pay full fare in advance..." "....do not allow yourself to be transported......on English ships......it isn't possible to talk to anyone......changing ships is difficult...food isn't fit for animals...ships are overloaded...." If you would like a copy of this article you can request a copy of the Nase Rodina newsletter of September 1995, Vo. 7, No. 3, which is available for $3.00 plus $1.50 for postage......order from the CGSI, P.O. Box 16225, St. Paul, MN 55116-0225. This organization has a very well written newsletter and annual dues are only $15. Also along the same lines you may want to read "For Bread with Butter" by Ewa Morawska. This book concerns the East Central Europeans who immigrated to Johnstown, PA, but the statistics could be applied to any town with a large immigrant population. There is a long discussion on why our ancestors immigrated which may surprise many genealogists and also an account of the staggering amount of money "sent home" will leave most genealogists amazed. You should be able to get this thru interlibrary loan. Also "Out of This Furnace" by Thomas Bell is a novel based on his own Slovak family's immigration to Pittsburgh, PA. Interesting reading which is not the "textbook" picture you get in school. This book is used by University of Pittsburgh in some of its sociology classes. It should also be available thru interlibrary loan. Hopes this helps answer the question a little, Joanne

Please reply by private email to <jsinnhub@mbay.net> if anyone knows where the village listed on a ship's passenger list in 1913 as "Schilelin, province of Kovno, Russia" is located. Thanks in advance.

Please send me info on the name Prestanski and/or Butryn Thank you.

If someone has access to the book "The Order of the Virtuti and It's Cavaliers," please e-mail me privately. My grandfathers name may appear in this book and I'd like to know more of what this is without spending $100.00 for the book. Thanks, Dennise Larson researching: JAMROZIK from Jawornik and ZAK from Rusocice.

Looking for info on any of the following persons. If you can help, please let us know. Thanks, Angel Biros ------------------------------------------------------------------------ James & Mary or Agatha & Simon Krasczewski [late 1800's in Poland], Natalie Krajnik [born 1930's in Poland], Magda Rozycka [born late 1800's in Poland], Mary Linkiewicz or Lenkiewicz [born mid 1800's in Poland] ------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a graduate student in history who is creating a web page to market and advertise Self Published Family or Local Histories. If you are interested in this medium of distributing your work, please contact me directly: mcmaster@ilinks.net CD ROM's, local records, and other geneological material which you need distributed are also welcome. Thank You, Roy McMaster

DAKEXP wrote: > > Norb and Jean, your e-mail came through. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. jean - RESEARCHING: LENDAK - PELEBJE KOPAR - GUJAS (GULYAS, GULOSH) - UNGVAR HALASZ - MELLETE, NOW MELIATA KENDERES (KENDRISH) - HOMLOCH, NOW CHOLMOK, OLD UNG COUNTY KONTRA - NAGYDOBOS, OLD SZATMAR COUNTY SOVARI - BUDAPEST LENGYEL (LANGGLE) - KLUCARKY, OLD BEREG COUNTY DUBAJ (DUBOY) - SEREDNE, UNG COUNTY PASCHO -

JenniferJjcrichton wrote: > > For a book I am writing about family reunions, to be published by Workman > Publishing in March, 1998, I am interested in hearing from those who have > recently attended or are planning to attend a family reunion. I'd like to > learn more about the activities engaged in, the food indulged in, the > feelings created by being around family. If you have any questions about > my project before proceeding, I'd be happy to answer them. > > Thanks for your help. > > Jennifer Crichton > jjcrichton@aol.com Jennifer - My cousins and I got together in 1990 to plan our first family reunion in 1991. We had a special Mass said for the family at Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown and I had pursuaded the choir I belonged to at the time to sing at the Mass. It wasn't hard to pursuade them, as the choir was pleased to have the chance to sing at the Shrine -- the acoustics and the organ there are tremendous! We had the idea to hire the Polish-American String Band to play at our reunion, but found we couldn't afford them. We used a local sports/social club for the reunion site and they supplied food and drink for us: kielbasa, hamburgers, hot dogs, sauerkraut, potato chips, soda, etc. We had a great time; we planned games for the kids and there were swings and ball fields to play on. We awarded prizes to the oldest, the youngest, the people who came the furthest; we had tons of pictures to look at; and we had the whole thing videotaped. We had opened an account to hold the contributions we had asked from everyone in order to plan the event. Everyone is so busy and tied up with their own lives. We keep talking about doing it again and I'm sure we will, but the hard part is just getting over that inertia to get things rolling again! Best of luck with your book. -- Dan & Elaine from Warminster, PA, USA Elaine's researching CZYZ/STOCZKO/SZYMANIK and more Dan's researching GARGEL/NICHOLSON/COHEN/FINACEY Web Page: http://www.netreach.net/~degargel

Now!, why would you post a message obviously addressed to Norb and Jean to the entire GEN SLAVIC board ?????????????????????????/ > Norb and Jean, your e-mail came through.why

Hallo all, I am new to your list. I thought that some of you may know a little about my names from Poland. They are: Laska, = Patock (Padockk ) and Kletke ( Kletka ). Laska I think was from the Warsaw area, the others I just don't know. any help would realy be great. George Maser volhynia@juno.com

> In article <3364CA55.73D4@unlinfo2.unl.edu>, la@unlinfo2.unl.edu writes... > > > >I've been reading this newsgroup and other genealogyical web pages in > >search of the VONDRA and REJDA surnames and have noticed these names > >never seem to show up. Are these unusual last names or could they have > >been altered during immigration? In searching my own records I do not > >show any altering of spellings but my records do not go beyond the time > >my grandparents immigrated from Moravia in the late 1800's to Nebraska. > >Can anyone be of assistance? > > > >thanks > >LuAnne > > > LuAnne, > > There are at least 200 Vondras listed in US phone books but only about > 50 Rejdas -- many of the latter live in Nebraska. This would indicate > that Rejda is quite uncommon. This is probably true in the Czech Republic as > well. > Neither name appears to have been altered. > > Hope this helps, > Joe > We have a Vondra Road here in Northern Michigan near Crystal Mountain

The postal code for Dubec is 107 00. It is in Praha 112. My information is about two years old. Signed: Larry Kostal, lkostal @aol.com

Most Polish people of eastern Poland were deported to areas now in Western Poland. Whole villages tended to be re-located to new villages . I search information about booklets printed in Krakow "kresy Wschodnie II Rzeczpospolitej" (Eastern territories of the Second Republic ".) Do somebody know these booklets published in polish ? I search the booklet in which the villages of Ivane Puste and krzywcze are wrote. I would know where the people of these villages have been re-located. Any information would be greatly appreciated for my researches. Joseph SENKOW (FRANCE)

I4m looking for any information on any of the people with surname SEMEVSKY or anyone even remotely related to them. I would appreciate anyone`s help. Regards Viljar Semevsky.

Norb and Jean, your e-mail came through.

Since we are all interested in our Slovak heritage, I thought some of you may be interested in this. A National Character Defined "Promise me, Command me, Threaten me, But I will not be a traitor! My colors are Red and White, My heritage Honesy and Strenght!" This famous verse was written by Karel Havlicek (1821-1856), Czecholslovakian statesmand and patrliot.

Has anyone heard of this name? I could only find 11 listed in the SSDI CD. I have a Amalia Priff, who was a niece to my grandfather. She was b. abt 1900 in Russia to ? Priff & ? Scheideman. Came for a visit to the states in 1910, from a KS census, I found. Went back to Russia , and now we can't find her. Any ideas? The name Priff at one time was spelled Prift, and the name is from Greece. There is only 6 listings of the name in the US, I have talked with one of them, & recieved this little bit of information. Does anyone of any ideas where to look now ? Would really like to find out what happened to her. Marilyn