Hi; I stumbled across this Polish web site and was fascinated with the sometimes humorous, but mostly serious research that is taking place. I also got the impression that there is a lot of respect by the individuals involved with the site. I'm new to genealogy research so I need help – and some direction. I'm researching my father and his roots. When I was 13, I asked my dad (age 66) to tell me about Germany. He showed irritation and told me that the subject was a closed book and to leave it that way. He died the next year. Needless to say, I haven't left the closed book closed! *What I know:* Dad (Edward Krause) was born in Boberfeld, Russia (misspelled as Boverfeld according to his ship manifest record) which is now Bobrowo, Poland on March 9, 1888 (or 1889) to a Wilhelm Krause – a German farmer. He immigrated to the U.S. on September 24, 1909 aboard the Lusitania. He had an older brother, Ernest Krause who sponsored him by purchasing ship and rail passage to Montana. Dad's last listed address in Europe was Hanover, Germany. Dad's WWI draft registration indicated he was born in Cunian (Curyn?), Poland, Russia. I think dad didn't let the truth get in the way of a good story – since his first wife helped him fill out the WWI draft registration. He and his first wife became naturalized citizens in 1915 in Vaughn, Cascade County, Montana. *What I've been told:* Dad's mother died in child birth – possibly his or a next birth event. He had his left foot (arch) crushed in a farming accident when he was about 6 yrs. old. His step mother told him if he couldn't work he couldn't stay on the farm. He told my mother (his second wife) that he was taken in by a brew master. His job was to sweep up and replace the sawdust on the floor of the beer hall associated with the brewery. I think the reference to Cunian (WWI draft registration) may be where the brewery was. Curyn is about 225 miles from Bobrowo. He seemed to have been raised in the Lutheran faith. *Research I've done:* Ellis Island – ship manifest. His first name was misspelled as Edwardt and the last name was misspelled as Kraose; WWI draft registration (June 5, 1917); Social Security Account Number Application (1939) – listed his mothers first name as Pauline and her last name as Unknown; LDS library searches for information on Polish churches; Jewish Genweb searches. I was given a marriage application and license to his first wife in Montana by a researcher in Montana and the divorce decree for his first marriage. Census records indicate that the parents of my dad were Russian citizens of German decent also. *Where I'm stuck: * *1. *The LDS library has only a microfilm from a Catholic church in the Konin area so I can't determine a Lutheran church for the area. 2. A death record for my grandmother. 3. My grandmother's name. On his first marriage license, dad stated his mother's name was Pauline Silverman. A handwritten document found in a cousin's personal effects stated the mother's maiden name was Ponta Silberman. Silverman is the Anglicized version of Silberman but what of the Ponta VS Pauline? Could Ponta be a "pet" name or an affectionate one (like "sweetie")? 4. The Jewish web site acknowledged the town of Bobrowo was formerly Boberfeld but it doesn't appear that any one else is researching in this area. 5. Dad was possibly apprenticed to the brewery – any apprenticeship records available? *How should I proceed?*

Dave, I'm not sure what answers you may already have. A couple of quick questions: Looking here http://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/LocTown.asp I find several Polish places named Bobrowo but nothing for Boberfeld so I am not sure of your location. Is Ponta written in some kind of old German script perhaps? If you are able to send it I would like to take a look at this name. Certainly Silverman = Silbermann. Kind regards, Bronwyn On 4/5/08, Dave Krause <davidekrause@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi; > > I stumbled across this Polish web site and was fascinated with the > sometimes > humorous, but mostly serious research that is taking place. I also got the > impression that there is a lot of respect by the individuals involved with > the site. > > I'm new to genealogy research so I need help – and some direction. I'm > researching my father and his roots. When I was 13, I asked my dad (age > 66) > to tell me about Germany. He showed irritation and told me that the > subject > was a closed book and to leave it that way. He died the next > year. Needless > to say, I haven't left the closed book closed! > > > > *What I know:* Dad (Edward Krause) was born in Boberfeld, Russia > (misspelled as Boverfeld according to his ship manifest record) which is > now > Bobrowo, Poland on March 9, 1888 (or 1889) to a Wilhelm Krause – a German > farmer. He immigrated to the U.S. on September 24, 1909 aboard the > Lusitania. He had an older brother, Ernest Krause who sponsored him by > purchasing ship and rail passage to Montana. Dad's last listed address in > Europe was Hanover, Germany. Dad's WWI draft registration indicated he was > born in Cunian (Curyn?), Poland, Russia. I think dad didn't let the truth > get in the way of a good story – since his first wife helped him fill out > the WWI draft registration. He and his first wife became naturalized > citizens in 1915 in Vaughn, Cascade County, Montana. > > > > *What I've been told:* Dad's mother died in child birth – possibly his or > a > next birth event. He had his left foot (arch) crushed in a farming > accident > when he was about 6 yrs. old. His step mother told him if he couldn't work > he couldn't stay on the farm. He told my mother (his second wife) that he > was taken in by a brew master. His job was to sweep up and replace the > sawdust on the floor of the beer hall associated with the brewery. I think > the reference to Cunian (WWI draft registration) may be where the brewery > was. Curyn is about 225 miles from Bobrowo. He seemed to have been raised > in the Lutheran faith. > > > > *Research I've done:* Ellis Island – ship manifest. His first name was > misspelled as Edwardt and the last name was misspelled as Kraose; WWI draft > registration (June 5, 1917); Social Security Account Number Application > (1939) – listed his mothers first name as Pauline and her last name as > Unknown; LDS library searches for information on Polish churches; Jewish > Genweb searches. I was given a marriage application and license to his > first wife in Montana by a researcher in Montana and the divorce decree for > his first marriage. Census records indicate that the parents of my dad > were > Russian citizens of German decent also. > > > > *Where I'm stuck: * > > *1. *The LDS library has only a microfilm from a Catholic church in the > Konin area so I can't determine a Lutheran church for the area. > > 2. A death record for my grandmother. > > 3. My grandmother's name. On his first marriage license, dad stated his > mother's name was Pauline Silverman. A handwritten document found in a > cousin's personal effects stated the mother's maiden name was Ponta > Silberman. Silverman is the Anglicized version of Silberman but what of > the > Ponta VS Pauline? Could Ponta be a "pet" name or an affectionate one (like > "sweetie")? > > 4. The Jewish web site acknowledged the town of Bobrowo was formerly > Boberfeld but it doesn't appear that any one else is researching in this > area. > > 5. Dad was possibly apprenticed to the brewery – any apprenticeship > records > available? > >