This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: aulicny462 Surnames: Litwak, Chudincza Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.schuylkill/11328.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Your Litwak name caught my eye, and I traced some of it down for you using Ancestry.com census records. Hope it helps you. I am a friend of one of Shenandoah's finest elderly genltemen, Mr. Metro Litwak, a former County Commissioner and all round great guy. He was born in PA, probably in Shenandoah in 1916 acc to the census of 1920. He most likely connects to your clan. I'd assume his father, Paul/Demetry and your Jacob are brother.. both immigrating to the US, and most likely to Schuylkill county and Shenandoah right about 1900. Metro is often accompanied by his son Ronnie and I see him with some regularity up the Supermarket. He was recently honored by the town in our Heritage days festivities as grand martial. I highly recommend you give him a call immediately, talk to Ronnie, and talk to Metro. He's still pretty sharp when I talk to him. I'm pretty sure he'd know of your Jacob. As for Jacob coming from Austria.. question that assumption. Census takers say "Austria" when anyone came from what was the Austro Hungarian Empire. And in 1900 when he immigrates to America, that's what the land was. Annie is listed in 1930 as from Czeckoslovakia. and your Jacob is listed as from Galacia. Realize there was no Czeckoslovakia prior to WWI, so she couldn't have been born there either.as it did not exist. The boundaries of Galacia also move about every decade or so as well. My feeling is your family came from Eastern Slovakia. A great note on the 1930 census states that their language is "Ruthian" which is a real hit. This pinpoints them as coming from a confusing cultural group, to the uninitiated, called the Carpatho-Russians. This group also has some other synonymous names including Rusyns not to be confused with Russians of Russia. The group is from an area that never was a country... an area mostly in eastern Slovakia, but stretching up into southern Poland and the nearby Ukraine. They did have their own language similar to Slovak.. but not Slovak. and they tended to practice the Orthodox Catholic Faith. I'd expect you'd find some records of early birth of their children in St. Michael's church records of Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, PA. John, born 1902 really needs a look, in that they marry 3 years later according to the census. Andrew is 1906, Phillip/Felix is 1908, Mary is born Januarry 1910.. and all most likely baptized in St. Michael's, America's oldest Greek Catholic Church. I'd say they were married there.. but I cannot locate their marriage license in Schuylkill County which is a bit perplexing. I may be having some problems with the online index.. but I tried a variety of ways to access the database for their 1905 marriage but could not make the hit. Maybe the Clerk really screwed up the Litwak spelling.or they change it to Litwak by 1910. I do find Metro's parents marrying in 1904-1905 as the census indicates listing their names as Demetry Litwak and Anastasia Chudincza. Apparently Demetry went by Paul in the census. Both Demetry and Metro seem to honor the "Metropolitan"..the chief prelate of the Orthodox faith with their names. As for Jacob and your Annie, they are in Shenandoah in April 1910 for the census. They are each listed as married just once and that for 5 years. Kids include John 8, Andrew 4, Phillip 2, and Mary is four/twelfths so born January of 1910. All kids are born PA, Annie is listed as bearing 4 children and all 4 are still alive. They are then found in Kingston in 1920 (Pulaski Street) and 1930 (Slocum Avenue) Ages vary just a bit in census records 1920 puts Jacob born about 1881 and Annie a year older in 1880. Jake immigrates 1900, Annie 1899 so the 1900 census which could really help isn't available for them since they were not in the country. Kids now also show Julia born 1912, Mathew/Michael born February 1915, and John born July 1918. John is not with the family, he'd be 18 and out on his own.. also son Phillip listed by the name Felix here. 1930 nothing really new. all a decade older except for Julia who is not mentioned. She'd be 18, so if she has survived she may be married or out of the home working as a domestic.. although marriage is more likely since her name does not come up elsewhere in a data search. Phillip and Andrew are working in a Bakery, Father Jacob still mining coal. Why the move from Shenandoah to Kingston? Possibly for work. Coal miners would migrate for better opportunity as mines often shut down, went on strike, or new fields in a different local showed promise. Marriage licenses of Jacob's and Annie's children should show Annie's maiden name and with that you may find her in the 1900 census of Shenandoah with her family if they came along. Well enough.. hope this adds to your knowledge, and check out the phone book listing for Metro Litwak in Shenandoah and give him a call. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.