This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/RdC.2ACI/486.1.1 Message Board Post: Hi Debbie, You will have to find out "for sure" where your Bronakowski family was from before you can go any further in your research. Start with the US and then try to work your way back. Did Stanislaus marry in the US after he arrived? He would have had to provide proof of baptism to the church in the US that he married in, if he was Catholic. I don't know what other religions require. Check the US Censuses. Was he naturalized, did he become a citizen? If you don't have access to the US Census, if you will email information on Stanislaus to me privately I will see what I can find. Where did he live in the US? If he was already married when he arrived in the US, and there were children born here, I'm sure the couple would have had to provide proof of baptism and marriage to their new church if they were Catholic. There is no "V" in the Polish alphabet. Vila Nova would not be a correct village name if he was from Poland. Possibly Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, etc, but not Poland. If you are sure the family was from Podlaskie province, there is a Wilanowo that is in Podlaskie province that is near the Belarus border. Wilanowo (pronounced Vilanovo). If you run a search on the Shtetlseeker at Jewish Gen for Vila Nova, you will get several possibilities in several countries. The URL for the Shtetlseeker is http://www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/loctown.htm You can also run a search on www.pilot.pl Both have maps available. Possible records in the US that might have information are church records, Alien Registration records, naturalization records, Social Security records, retirement records, marriage records, birth certificates on children born in the US, death certificate, ship manifest, and obituaries. If you can find out "for sure" where Stanislaus was born, you can check the LDS website to see if microfilmed records are available. I'm at indymomma@aol.com if you need to contact me.