Sandy, I took the survey, but did not save it. It asked many questions about how we celebrate Christmas--foods, customs, etc. As a matter of fact, I need to purchase today my Oplatki (as it is printed on the package I buy, but not how it is pronounced), usually from the local Christian religious store. Many churches will make it available, too. In the package are usually three white wafers and one pink wafer. These are roughly 3x5 inches or 4x6 inches, I forget. The pink one is usually used to share with animals, but I've shared it with family for years before I knew that. :-) Sometimes I get two packages depending upon how many are attending. I try to break each wafer into 4-5 smaller pieces. How I use this is follows. My daughter usually determines how many attend our Christmas Eve dinner and then she breaks the wafers into that many pieces onto a decorative serving tray. When all the guests have arrived, we go thru our customary cocktail hour and when dinner is finally ready, we gather everyone and distribute the wafers. Then I or my 84 year old mother will lead the group in a prayer of thanksgiving or grace. Then the fun begins. Each person finds another person, breaks off a small piece of wafer from the other's, eats the small piece, then wishes the other a Merry Christmas--usually with a kiss or handshake. From there, you continue doing this until each person has been greeted by each other person. This is a moment when no previous ill feelings should be allowed. It only takes about 10 minutes at our house with 22-32 guests. Then dinner is served. I remember this custom being done only by my mother and I continue it. I believe my children will continue it, too. Merry Christmas! Luke S. McGarry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sandy Meeks Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 4:50 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [POLAND] Poland Cemetery Transcriptions Debbie: what is Oplatek? and did you or any other lists save a copy of the survey that we just did? I'd like a copy sent to me so I can learn a bit more about Polish Christmas customs and share them w/ my grandchildren. Thank you. Sandy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debbie Greenlee" <[email protected]> To: "Poland Roots" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 3:13 PM Subject: [POLAND] Poland Cemetery Transcriptions > Bukowsko > Pielnia > Rzepedz > Wolica > > Cemetery transcriptions for the above cemeteries have been uploaded to > Poland Gen Web: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html#tomb > Scroll down to Poland. > > Please note that all but Pielnia are finished. That means I will not > be adding anymore to those lists. Anyone who dies after the date I > photographed the cemeteries will not be added. I have to stop > somewhere. <grin> > > You might also be interested in other transcriptions on Poland GenWeb: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html > > Debbie > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > [email protected] > ---------------------------------- > Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as > long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: > researching our Polish roots. > ---------------------------------- > Browse the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message ********************************* Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at [email protected] ---------------------------------- Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: researching our Polish roots. ---------------------------------- Browse the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots Search the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

A helpful hint that was passed on to me a few years ago is that digital cameras can make excellent copies of microfilm, microfiche, and other images. Use the Macro setting on the camera to focus in on the screen details and turn off the flash. In many cases, the record custodian would rather you use a camera to record images than a photocopy machine or scanner. The photocopy machine and scanner need to pass a powerful light over the image which can damage the original. In addition, especially for bound documents, clumsy attempts to "flatten" the image to improve reproduction quality can damage the binding. Also, once you have the image saved digitally, you can adjust the image's contrast, brightness, coloring, size, and other factors that can make the image easier to read. This process can sometimes also bring out details that you didn't originally see in the image. Bill Sheleski >From POLAND-ROOTS Digest, Vol 5, Issue 309 Message: 1 Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:07:40 -0500 From: Joan <[email protected]> Subject: [POLAND] Mieszkowo To: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I do not have a copy of the marriage record as yet, as the machine that makes copies at my FHC is under repair till the new year, and so I transcribed it as best as I could for now. I believe it may in fact be Mieszkowo, and will follow up with this subject in the new year. Thank you for everyone's help. Joan

Sandy, Opl~atek (opl~atki) is a rectangular shaped wafer very similar to Holy Communion except it has a scene embossed on it. Opl~atki should be part of every Poles' Christmas eve celebration. Read about it here: http://www.polamjournal.com/Library/Holidays/xmasindex/xmas-oplat/xmas-oplat.html Some Polish Catholic churches in the U.S. and Canada sell them at Christmas time but you can also buy them from the Polish American Journal (PAJ): http://www.polamjournal.com/ It's an easy custom to start if you didn't experience this as a child. You can also send them in Christmas cards to friends and family. If you send them to Poles who don't know about them, include a little explanation. Debbie Sandy Meeks wrote: > Debbie: what is Oplatek? and did you or any other lists save a copy of the > survey that we just did? I'd like a copy sent to me so I can learn a bit > more about Polish Christmas customs and share them w/ my grandchildren. > Thank you. Sandy > >>

Debbie: what is Oplatek? and did you or any other lists save a copy of the survey that we just did? I'd like a copy sent to me so I can learn a bit more about Polish Christmas customs and share them w/ my grandchildren. Thank you. Sandy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debbie Greenlee" <[email protected]> To: "Poland Roots" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 3:13 PM Subject: [POLAND] Poland Cemetery Transcriptions > Bukowsko > Pielnia > Rzepedz > Wolica > > Cemetery transcriptions for the above cemeteries have been uploaded to > Poland Gen Web: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html#tomb > Scroll down to Poland. > > Please note that all but Pielnia are finished. That means I will not > be adding anymore to those lists. Anyone who dies after the date I > photographed the cemeteries will not be added. I have to stop > somewhere. <grin> > > You might also be interested in other transcriptions on Poland GenWeb: > http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html > > Debbie > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > [email protected] > ---------------------------------- > Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as > long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: > researching our Polish roots. > ---------------------------------- > Browse the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I do not have a copy of the marriage record as yet, as the machine that makes copies at my FHC is under repair till the new year, and so I transcribed it as best as I could for now. I believe it may in fact be Mieszkowo, and will follow up with this subject in the new year. Thank you for everyone's help. Joan

Joan, It would be better if you could tell us which Czarnko~w you mean; in which old wojewo~dztwo and/or post a copy of the record somewhere so we can take a look at the handwriting ourselves. Debbie Joan wrote: > Just finished reading a marriage entry at my local FHL from Czarnkow RC Parish and the bride states she is from Gmierkowo? I know I am not quite reading the handwriting correctly - can someone give it a guess as to what it is? Thankyou. > Joan >

Joan wrote: > the bride states she is from Gmierkowo? Joan, Any chance what you're seeing could be Śmieszkowo? If the Czarnków you're researching is the one in woj. wielkopolskie, pow. czarnkowsko-trzcianecki, there's a Śmieszkowo to the southeast. -Marie

Just finished reading a marriage entry at my local FHL from Czarnkow RC Parish and the bride states she is from Gmierkowo? I know I am not quite reading the handwriting correctly - can someone give it a guess as to what it is? Thankyou. Joan

Pat, I would guess the survey is part of her thesis which would be published eventually by the school. Debbie Pat Stano-Carpenter wrote: > I would be interested in reading the results of her survey. > Merry Christmas to everyone. > Pat > > On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 2:58 PM, Debbie Greenlee <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Do you practice _any_ Polish Christmas traditions? If so, Claire M. >> Anderson, a graduate student at the Catholic Theological Union in >> Chicago, is researching the custom of sharing opl~atek (Christmas >> wafer) on Christmas eve. There are other questions about how you >> celebrate Christmas too. >> >> Claire needs as many responses as possible so please go to this web >> site (it's OK, I just took the survey myself) and help her out. You >> don't have to answer every question. >> >> http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/oplatek >> >> >> Debbie

I would be interested in reading the results of her survey. Merry Christmas to everyone. Pat On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 2:58 PM, Debbie Greenlee <[email protected]> wrote: > Do you practice _any_ Polish Christmas traditions? If so, Claire M. > Anderson, a graduate student at the Catholic Theological Union in > Chicago, is researching the custom of sharing opl~atek (Christmas > wafer) on Christmas eve. There are other questions about how you > celebrate Christmas too. > > Claire needs as many responses as possible so please go to this web > site (it's OK, I just took the survey myself) and help her out. You > don't have to answer every question. > > http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/oplatek > > > Debbie > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > [email protected] > ---------------------------------- > Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as > long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: > researching our Polish roots. > ---------------------------------- > Browse the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Do you practice _any_ Polish Christmas traditions? If so, Claire M. Anderson, a graduate student at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, is researching the custom of sharing opl~atek (Christmas wafer) on Christmas eve. There are other questions about how you celebrate Christmas too. Claire needs as many responses as possible so please go to this web site (it's OK, I just took the survey myself) and help her out. You don't have to answer every question. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/oplatek Debbie

JD, This is a Bulletin Board. You will need to register as a member and then respond to that post. I see it was posted in Nov. 2010 so at least you were timely in your search. Hanka is looking for Jan Domin'ski born approx.1851 and he immigrated in 1876 to America. Jan had two brothers, Franciszek and Jakub who were born in Go?an'cz. Katarzyna Recek born around 1872 in Grylewo. Are you willing to register to this site? Debbie JD wrote: > I came across what seems to be a Polish genealogical forum. > Wielkopolskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne GNIAZDO > > When searching on the name Recek I came up with the following site > location. > http://www.wtg-gniazdo.org/forum/search.php?keywords=Recek&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Szukaj > > My Polish reading abilities are very limited. > Would someone be able to instruct me on how to contact the author, > hanka, of this posting . > > Thanks, JD >

Ruth, From what you've written I'd say the city is Ostrol~e~ka with diacriticals through the "L" and under the "E". Debbie Ruth wrote: > I don't want to get too lenghty in this e-mail, so I will make it simple. > > I believe Flurry Ridal was Stanislaw/Stanley's brother Florian Rydel, and > that this Steve Ridal was aka Stanley Rydel. Steve lists a place of birth on > his Draft card. Anybody care to try to decipher it as something different > than I have here? Ostrolewka? Lomza, Poland. > > Ruth > ------------- > World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 > > Name: Flurry Ridal > City: Amherst (where he signed up) > County: Hampshire (where he signed up) > State: Massachusetts (where he signed up) > Residence: Prospect, Millers Falls, Franklin, Mass > Birth Date: 4 May 1886 > Race: White > FHL Roll Number: 1684522 > DraftBoard: 8 > Age: 32 > Place of Birth??: Russia (Poland) > Occupation: Laborer > Employers Name: Millers Falls P?????Company, Millers Falls, Franklin, Mass. > Nearest Relative: Mrs. Katherine Ridal, Prospect Millers Falls, Franklin, > Mass. > Height/Build:Med/Med > Color of Eyes/Hair: L. Blue/Light brown > Date: Sept 12, 1918 > Montague, Mass. > --------- > World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 > > Name: Steve Ridal > City: Amherst (where he signed up) > County: Hampshire (where he signed up) > State: Massachusetts (where he signed up) > Residence: Prospect?, Millers Falls?, ????????, Mass. > Alien > Birthplace: Poland > Ostrolewka? Lomza, Poland > Birth Date: 6 Jul 1888 > Race: White > FHL Roll Number: 1684522 > DraftBoard: 8 > Age: 28 > Occupation: Mechanic > Employer: Millers? ????? Co, ????? Mass. > Dependant: Wife & 2 children > Height/Build: Med/Med > Color of Eyes/Hair: Blue/Brown > Date: June 5, 1917 > Precinct: 2 > City or County: Montague > State: Mass. >

I don't want to get too lenghty in this e-mail, so I will make it simple. I believe Flurry Ridal was Stanislaw/Stanley's brother Florian Rydel, and that this Steve Ridal was aka Stanley Rydel. Steve lists a place of birth on his Draft card. Anybody care to try to decipher it as something different than I have here? Ostrolewka? Lomza, Poland. Ruth ------------- World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Name: Flurry Ridal City: Amherst (where he signed up) County: Hampshire (where he signed up) State: Massachusetts (where he signed up) Residence: Prospect, Millers Falls, Franklin, Mass Birth Date: 4 May 1886 Race: White FHL Roll Number: 1684522 DraftBoard: 8 Age: 32 Place of Birth??: Russia (Poland) Occupation: Laborer Employers Name: Millers Falls P?????Company, Millers Falls, Franklin, Mass. Nearest Relative: Mrs. Katherine Ridal, Prospect Millers Falls, Franklin, Mass. Height/Build:Med/Med Color of Eyes/Hair: L. Blue/Light brown Date: Sept 12, 1918 Montague, Mass. --------- World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Name: Steve Ridal City: Amherst (where he signed up) County: Hampshire (where he signed up) State: Massachusetts (where he signed up) Residence: Prospect?, Millers Falls?, ????????, Mass. Alien Birthplace: Poland Ostrolewka? Lomza, Poland Birth Date: 6 Jul 1888 Race: White FHL Roll Number: 1684522 DraftBoard: 8 Age: 28 Occupation: Mechanic Employer: Millers? ????? Co, ????? Mass. Dependant: Wife & 2 children Height/Build: Med/Med Color of Eyes/Hair: Blue/Brown Date: June 5, 1917 Precinct: 2 City or County: Montague State: Mass.

If you have a web site with a link to the "Rafal Prinke Surname List" please make sure it is the current and correct link. Rafal's list is not on his original server. Here is the correct link: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/rafal/surname.html It is important to keep this link current as Guido Baldrini updates this list everyday. Thanks Debbie

Bukowsko Pielnia Rzepedz Wolica Cemetery transcriptions for the above cemeteries have been uploaded to Poland Gen Web: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html#tomb Scroll down to Poland. Please note that all but Pielnia are finished. That means I will not be adding anymore to those lists. Anyone who dies after the date I photographed the cemeteries will not be added. I have to stop somewhere. <grin> You might also be interested in other transcriptions on Poland GenWeb: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html Debbie

I came across what seems to be a Polish genealogical forum. Wielkopolskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne GNIAZDO When searching on the name Recek I came up with the following site location. http://www.wtg-gniazdo.org/forum/search.php?keywords=Recek&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Szukaj My Polish reading abilities are very limited. Would someone be able to instruct me on how to contact the author, hanka, of this posting . Thanks, JD

Okay, I believe I found Stanislaw & his wife & children. Below is how it was indexed at ancestry.com. The actual record is Montague Precinct # 2, Village of Millers Falls. Stanley is listed as Slephen, age 32, married, immigrated 1906, alien, born Poland. His wife Mary is listed as age 31, married, immigrated 1910, alien, born Poland. Parents born Poland for both. All 3 daughters born Massachusetts. 1920 United States Federal Census Name: Stephen Rydal[Staphen Rydal] Home in 1920: Millers Falls, Franklin, Massachusetts Age: 39 [32] Estimated birth year: abt 1881 [abt 1888] Birthplace: Poland Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) [Head] Spouse's name: Mary Rydal Father's Birth Place: Poland Mother's Birth Place: Poland Marital Status: Married Race: White Sex: Male Home owned: Own Year of immigration: 1906 Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Stephen Rydal 39 [32] Mary Rydal 31 Mary Rydal 6 Victoria Rydal 4 Boleslava Rydal 1 [1 0/12] ---------- Below is how it was indexed at ancestry.com. The actual record is Montague Town, Unincorporated Millers Falls. Mary is the head of the family, age 39, MARRIED. Married age 22, born Poland, parents born Poland, immigrated 1911, alien, waitress, restaurant. The first 5 children born Massachusetts, and the last daughter, Stephie, born Connecticut. Stanley is not with them, but Mary is not listed as a widow. 1930 United States Federal Census Name: Mary Rydell Home in 1930: Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts Age: 39 Estimated birth year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Poland Relation to Head of House: Head Race: White Occupation: Education: Military Service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents' birthplace: View image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Mary Rydell 39 Mary Rydell 16 Victoria Rydell 14 Bertha Rydell 12 Stanley Rydell 9 Frank Rydell 7 Stephie Rydell 5 --------- Ancestry.com U.S. City Directories Location : Greenfield; Turners Falls; Millers Falls; Northfield, Massachusetts Directory Group : 1943 Directory title : Manning's Greenfield Turners Falls Millers Falls Northfield (massachusetts) Directory Page 470...1943...Millers Falls Directory Rydel Anthony P (Vaga) clk MFCo-op Store h51 S Prospect " Florian paper mkr h32 River rd ES " Frank USN r23 S Prospect " Joseph lab r32 River rd ES " Steve (Mary) emp MFCo h23 S Prospect " Steve A USA r23 S Prospect " William F r34 River rd ES Rydell Frank USN r23 S Prospect --------- In 1950, Manning's Greenfield Turners Falls Deerfield (Massachusetts) Directory...Manning's Greenfield Directory...Page 144... Rydell Frank J emp F Tree Expert Co r71 Pierce " Stephen A Jr (Florence E) asst chef The Waffle Shop h30 Prospect Also in 1951, 1952 --------- In 1958 Athol Massachusetts Rydell Francis J (Lillian J) woodwkr NDCCo h 1000 Main Also in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962 --------- In 1962, Florian is still in the Greenfield Area N.T.L. directory --------- In 1963, Turner Falls, Millers Falls, Montague Directory...Page 487 Rydell Jos J (Julia) h42 River rd M F E Rydell Stanley J r 23 S Prospect M F M -------- U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 Name: Florian Rydel Birth Date: 4 May 1888 Birth Place: Poland Residence: Franklin, Massachusetts 32 River St., Millers Falls Race: White Age: 53 Person whoknows where this person will always be.... Cecelia Rydel...same address More...Employment --------- U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Name: Stanislaus Rydel Birth Year: 1920 Race: White, Citizen (White) Nativity State or Country: Massachusetts State of Residence: Massachusetts County or City: Franklin Enlistment Date: 16 Jan 1941 Enlistment State: Massachusetts Enlistment City: Greenfield Branch: Infantry Branch Code: Infantry Grade: Private Grade Code: Private Component: National Guard (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men) Source: National Guard Education: Grammar school Civil Occupation: Semiskilled painters, construction and maintenance Marital Status: Single, without dependents Height: 70 Weight: 163 ---------- Could this be Stanley ? Social Security Death Index Name: Stanley Rydell SSN: 016-07-1909 Last Residence: 01331 Athol, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America Born: 1 Oct 1889 Died: Dec 1968 State (Year) SSN issued: Massachusetts (Before 1951)

I have a gut feeling that this may be the death of Adam Rydel/Riedel. Ruth ---------------- Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915 Name: Adam Ridet Death Date: 01 Mar 1909 Death Place: Montague,,Massachusetts Gender: Male Race: White Death Age: Estimated Birth Year: Birth Date: Birthplace: Europe Marital Status: Married Spouse: Father: Karimerar Ridet Mother: Katherine Watos Film Number: 2313395 Digital Folder Number: 4283147 Image Number: 01506 Reference Number: 498

Sean, I forgot to mention that there are 2 pages to the ship lists for both Stanislaw Rydel & Florian Riedel. On the second page of both ship lists, they were going to a relative...their father Adam Rydel / Adam Riedel, Turner Falls, Mass. So Adam must have been in Mass. in 1906 & 1907. What happened to him by 1910 census is unknown. Did he die?, go back to Poland? Ruth