According to http://mapa.szukacz.pl/, there is only one place in Poland named Ostrawa. It is most likely in the parish of Wasosz. It would have been in the Russian Partition. According to the Slownik, this page: http://dir.icm.edu.pl/pl/Slownik_geograficzny/Tom_VII/677 gives two places. The on on this page covers severals pages of data, but does say it was in Germany. There is another one listed after this one a few pages further in the book. On Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 7:58 PM, Richard Jeltsch <[email protected]>wrote: > Dear Rootsweb-Poland > > I am looking for information on the background and parentage of my GG > grandfather Charles L. A. Biernatzki who emigrated from Poland to the US in > 1847. Here is what I know about him: > > a.. Born 29 Mar 1819 in Ostrawa, Poland. Unfortunately I don't know which > of the several Ostrawas this was. > b.. Secured his education at the military academy in St. Petersburg and > was commissioned in the Russian army (source: Robinson, "History of South > Dakota" (1904)). Later left the army and joined the government engineering > corps. > c.. Became "involved" in the revolution of 1847 (against Prussia according > to family legend, but could have been Russia), and was captured and > sentenced to death. He escaped and someone provided him a German passport > in someone else's name under which he traveled to the United States. I have > this passport in my possession. > d.. He married an Irish girl, Margaret Annie Nolan, in 1850 and they had 5 > children. > e.. He ended up owning a successful farm and livestock operation in > Webster City, Iowa, USA and died there in 1896. > > Does anybody have ideas on how to identify his parents? > > Thank you > > Richard C. Jeltsch > Spokane, WA USA > ********************************* > 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 >

Dear List readers, On Tue, Nov 16, 2010 Richard Jeltsch [email protected] wrote about his ancestor Charles Biernatzki. The life story and dates very closely resembled my relative Antoni B. Zaremba. The 2 men are not related, but it caused me to post my own story here, as I wanted Richard to see the similarities. Antoni Boleslaw Zaremba was born in Poland, but at the time it was Prussia. I have been told by another kind researcher that his possible birthplace, or hometown was Zareby Koscielne. This is not proven. He was born about 1816. He joined the Prussian Army at a young age, rose to the rank of Capitan. Then joined the French Army and was sent to Algeria. He rose to the rank of Major. He had some political differences with France and was exiled. He arrived in USA in 1852 and settled permanently in Chicago where he worked at the railroad yard as a machinist. When the US Civil War broke out in 1861 he was commissioned as Captain of the Polish American Guards, a unit from Chicago. However, he continued lifelong to be called Major, as that was his previous highest rank. He married Magdalena Laferski in USA (presumably). She was Polish, but I have never found their marriage record. His USA arrival record has him listed alone, no wife, so I presume he married in Chicago, though no record has been found. I know all about his life, death, children, and grandchildren in USA, but his life in Europe is still a mystery to me. Best regards, Lilly Martin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tina Ellis" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 9:21 AM Subject: Re: [POLAND] Charles Biernatzki > According to http://mapa.szukacz.pl/, there is only one place in Poland > named Ostrawa. It is most likely in the parish of Wasosz. It would have > been in the Russian Partition. > > According to the Slownik, this page: > http://dir.icm.edu.pl/pl/Slownik_geograficzny/Tom_VII/677 gives two > places. > The on on this page covers severals pages of data, but does say it was in > Germany. There is another one listed after this one a few pages further > in > the book. > > > > > On Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 7:58 PM, Richard Jeltsch > <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Dear Rootsweb-Poland >> >> I am looking for information on the background and parentage of my GG >> grandfather Charles L. A. Biernatzki who emigrated from Poland to the US >> in >> 1847. Here is what I know about him: >> >> a.. Born 29 Mar 1819 in Ostrawa, Poland. Unfortunately I don't know >> which >> of the several Ostrawas this was. >> b.. Secured his education at the military academy in St. Petersburg and >> was commissioned in the Russian army (source: Robinson, "History of South >> Dakota" (1904)). Later left the army and joined the government >> engineering >> corps. >> c.. Became "involved" in the revolution of 1847 (against Prussia >> according >> to family legend, but could have been Russia), and was captured and >> sentenced to death. He escaped and someone provided him a German >> passport >> in someone else's name under which he traveled to the United States. I >> have >> this passport in my possession. >> d.. He married an Irish girl, Margaret Annie Nolan, in 1850 and they had >> 5 >> children. >> e.. He ended up owning a successful farm and livestock operation in >> Webster City, Iowa, USA and died there in 1896. >> >> Does anybody have ideas on how to identify his parents? >> >> Thank you >> >> Richard C. Jeltsch >> Spokane, WA USA >> ********************************* >> 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 >