This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/5g.2ADI/86.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Their is a great deal of confusion over Poland since it was not a country during the most of the 1800s. I became a country again for a short time after WWI. Posen is a German name for the province. Posnania is the Polish name for their country. Our ancesters immigrated between 1865 and 1890 when their birthplace was under the rule of Prussia, whose capitol was in Berlin which further confuses people. So when you see Posen, Poland, Posnan, Germany and Prussia or even Berlin as a place of origin for Polish ancestors, all are the same area. Many of our ancestors spoke German as well as Polish and had German first names. My great grandfather Czerwinski was Ludwig and his brother was Johan. Reading about the history of Poland helps a little. The political borders changed frequently and continues to do so to this day. Glesno was listed as Glesno, Kr. Wirsitz, Westpruessen and Glesno, Bydgoszcz, Posnan on the microfilm I viewed. I believe PGSA still has a history link. Also might try the Polish Roots page at www. polishroots.org. Both of the surnames Krawieki and Michalek were in the Glesno, Krostkowo, Kosztowo and surrounding parishes and chances are yours came from this area, too. I can't gaurentee it. Both surnames are very common since one is derived from the word for tailor and the other from the name Michael. But since several other immigrants came to Washington County from this area there is a good chance. I have Mary Michalek, who was married to Thomas Rybacki in the Glesno Parish where I found the births of their children. Mary also married both Jacob Rozga and my great grandfather, Frank Dalman in Washington County, IL. Mary had brothers named Ignatz and Frank. I do not know if she was related to the Michaleks in your tree. There was a Frank Michalek in Washington County but his wife's name was different than the name I found in the Polish records. Haven't been able to prove he is her brother.