Roberta, It seems you have much information that could lead to further discoveries. Have you tried Familysearch.org? That is the site of the Latter Day Saints. Try their International Geanealogical Index. Since you have the month, year and port of immigration, google Ellis Island and try a stearch. Search PGSA.org. Lots of information there. Join Polish Genealogical Society of America, attend conferences. They have lots of worhtwhile books listed at their site. Your library may have a subscription to Ancestry.com (limited edition) which you can search from your home computer if you have a library card. Join a couple of genealogy lists (can be found on rootsweb.com, search Polish, Poland, Surnames). Ancestry is a good place to search for census records. You have a wonderful start with your current information. What is the source of your current information? It sounds like starting at Ellis Island would give you lots more information if you can find Arrival and Departure Documents. Google your closest Mormon Family History Library (LDS). There are several in the Metro Chicago area. Happpy Hunting, Dorothy On Mar 15, 2010, at 11:17 AM, roberta hall wrote: Hi my name is Roberta Hall. I am a 5th generation Polish American. I have no Polish heritage left as my family has fully integrated the American way of life. Only Polish I have left is in my blood, only wish I knew how to speak the language. My ancestor's arrived in the States via the Port of New York in December of 1882. Their names have been Americanized and based on documents I have found not one person spelled it the same way. This is want I have: 1) My great great grandparents: Joseph Schemenkowski and Mary Wisnovsky/Wisnewski. 1900 W. Kewaunee, Kewaunee Co., Wis. USA Household # 252 Scimenkufsky, Joseph b. Dec. 1838 in Polish, Rus. (possibly Brevier?) Mary (wife) b. Jan. 1847 in Polish, Ger. Anna (dau.) b. Jun. 1878 in Polish, Ger. Frank (son) b. Oct. 1879 in Polish, Ger. Daniel (son) b. Dec. 1883 in Wis., USA 2) Frank my great grandfather's marriage license is spelled Franz, Sieniskowski. He married in Wisconsin in 1901. 3) Frank believed he was a citizen of the U.S. based on the papers his father showed him. I don't have a copy of those papers but Frank was 3 at the time the family emigrated to the States. As it turned out Frank was not naturalized at the time of emigration so in 1913 he filed papers to naturalize. On those papers Frank spells his name Shenenkowfski. He states he was born in West Prussia, Germany and that he emigrated thru Bremen in November of 1882 arriving in New York in December of that same year. He doesn't know the name of the ship. 4) Generations of the family follow the Catholic religion. buried at St. Hedwig Catholic Cemetery Schemenkowski, Joseph, wife Mary, son Frank his wife Eva, grand son Louis his wife Sophie, and great grand children Louis and Regina. Along with son John Wisnicky. buried in another Catholic cemetery is another of Joseph and Mary's son's Daniel Sheninkosky. The correct spelling of the name is an obvious issue and has made my search difficult. I have no experience researching in Polish archives and language would be a problem and I can't read or speak it. Can anyone help me, I would really appreciate it. My grandmother has since passed but she had 8 children resulting in 27 grand children. I am the only one in the family who is attempting to find our roots. I have many cousins waiting to see what I can learn. Thank you to anyone who can help, Roberta Hall Chicago, Ill. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to POLANDBORDERSURNAMES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message