Penny, Some places you can try if you have not already tried... 1) the index to the Russian Consular Records (located at NARA in Philadelphia) 2) I missed if you said when Franz died, but if it was after 1936 search for his SS-5 application for social security. If someone isn't in the SSDI they will probably still have a number if they died between 1936 and 1965. 3) Try an index search at USCIS for his naturalization. 4) Get all of the church records for the baptism of the children if they're Catholic. It may be a Polish parish, and they may have recorded the parents' birthplaces. 5) try looking for something like a PRCUA record that just might list a birthplace. They are on the PGSA website at PGSA.org. Don't give up...I'm sure there is a clue somewhere leading back to his place of origin. Donna On May 27, 2012, at 3:00 AM, poland-roots-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > > > Message: 3 > Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 11:00:47 -0700 (PDT) > From: Penny Ruckle <penny.ruckle@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [POLAND] Franz Gajtkowski Can the Group Help? > To: "poland-roots@rootsweb.com" <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: > <1337968847.76339.YahooMailNeo@web113714.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > In response to Debbie's suggestion, I offer the following: > ? > Franz came to the US in 1885.? The ship's manifest states that he is from Prussia and going to Philadelphia.?He disembarked from the Port of Baltimore and came via land to Philadelphia.? > ? > There was a Sylvester Gajtkowski listed as living in Philadelphia and I find murky information that suggests they were related.? Murky because they lived near each other and Franz named one of his son's Sylvester.? The older Sylvester was a tanner and I find my grandfather listed as a tanner (only once) in a City Directory.? My grandfather was a blacksmith and farmer.? > ? > The older?Sylvester died at 34.? He is buried with children with Polish names, but none that I can identify.? This Sylvester had two daughters and one of them married a Charles Solocki.? When I obtained their marriage application, it lists that the bride's parents are both deceased.? However, when my Aunt Rose died in 1976,?I found a Mrs. Charles Solocki listed in her address book.? I also found a wedding invitation indicating that Mr. & Mrs. Solocki issued the wedding invitation for the younger sister's wedding.? I have had no luck locating any other Solocki people.? > ?Franz was married prior to being married to my grandmother.??I don't know where he met Juliana -- on the ship -- in Baltimore -- on the road coming to Philadelphia -- in Philadelphia.? I have looked for every record I can find,?baptismal certificates, death certificates (mother and child were dead within six months of each other). Again, all the records show Prussia/Poland. > ? > My grandfather is listed as single on the ship's manifest, so he must have met her in the US.?? Julianna's name lists her maiden name, but it is obliterated and although I have had numerous people look at it (Polish reading people), they cannot identify the spelling.? Anything they have or I have come up with I have run with it right into a brick wall. > ? > ?I have no documentation on Franz from Poland.? My mother, born 1911, was the last of Franz' children and she is the one I obtained my information from.? I asked her all kinds of questions when I was a child because I had no living grandparents.? I never asked anyone of Franz children (my aunts and uncles) about him, because what my mother told me satisfied my ten year old brain.? As I got older I stopped asking my mother questions, again because I was satisfied.? I never thought that I would start doing family roots.?? > ? > My mother told me that she went to Franz' mother's funeral (approximately 1916).? She was five and had vague?memories.? It seems that Franz' mother (Victoria) remarried and her name was Juttawski (sounds like).? Have never been able to find such a person.?? > Franz had three sons that died in infancy, they were all named Victor.? My grandfather seemed to name people after other people.? I never heard any of my aunts, uncles, or my mother for that matter talk about Victoria, nor does my sister who is 8 years older than me.? > ? > ?The US censuses are no help.? They tell the information I already know.? My grandparents did not know each other in Poland.? > ? > I believe my Uncle Sylvester was the keeper of family documentation and when he passed away, I am sure his sister Rose threw away all that material.? I can hear her saying, "we don't need this old stuff." > ? > Therefore, I ask for any information that will answer the questions I originally posted.? Thank you for your help. > > > ________________________________ >