I am trying to determine my grandfather's birthplace from a collection of papers and photos saved by my mother. The info I have so far has been gleaned largely from a set of 1925 photos sent to grandfather SAFRONI SZANDRUK (SOFRONI SHANDRUK). The first spelling was written by his brother on the envelope in which the photos were mailed and the second on Dziadziu's Naturalization and Social Security papers. I assume the first spelling is the correct Polish form, although his birth may have been recoded as the second, because that part of Poland was under Russian rule the year of his birth, 1882. His siblings (Samuel, Pavel, Ivan, Philomon, Ksenie, Maria, Fatinia, and Kapatalina) were variously living in 1925 in the villages of Borsuki, Lanowce, or Vishnavuya in then Wolynia Province, Poland (now Borsuky, Lanivtsi and Vishnevets, Ternepil Province, Ukraine). Although Wolynia was part of Poland in 1925, the names of the subjects and the towns on the backs of the photos are old-Russian script and all spelling is the Russian form. A photo of another brother, Eleazor, is on a picture postcard enscribed with the name of an Ottawa, Canada photogapher - I am not sure that it was originally part of the same set, but saved by my mother in the same envelope with the others. A Russian friend tried his best at deciphering the old script, but there are som inconsistencies. I would appreciate having someone familiar with old-Russian writing review the backs of the photos. Also, if anyone can provide ties to any Szandruk or Shandruk in Canada, I would appreciate their note. Also among the collection of Dziadziu's papers is a portion of his passport; approximately the upper left corner. Although I can very crudely decipher a little of the printed material, the handwritten material in old-Russian script is beyond my capability. Would someone please help with translation of the segment I have? Other scraps in my mother's handwriting indicate that Dziadziu's parents were Yeleazer and Maria Shandruk and that Dziadziu came to the U.S. on the Patricia, March 20, 1907. The Cimorelli Directory indicates that the Patricia did arrive March 17, 1907 in New York from Hamburg. Since these handwritten notes must have come from Mom's conversation with either Dziadziu or Babcia, I am searching for a way to confirm them. Babcia and Dziadziu were married in Waterbury, Connecticut, parish unknown. Where should I turn to confirm Mom's notes? I note from www.moikrewn.pl that there is a concentration of SZANDRUK in Gryfino Powiat(?), Poland, with a few others in Warsaw, Lublin and Wroclaw. However, it is not clear to me what the numerical values reflect. For example what is the difference between the "Relative Distribution" and the "Complete Distribution"? Are there only 22 people with the surname SZANDRUK in all of Poland? Might any of these be Dziadziu's grandnieces or grandnephews; i.e. my cousins a few times removed? Since the SZANDRUK population in Poland seems very small (there are none with Shandruk surname), how would I try to follow this line into the Ukraine? Note Dziadziu was strongly Polish and Roman Catholic. I have corresponded with a Shandruk in the U.S., but his father was a Ukrainian national and of the Russian Orthodox faith. Although from a nearby village, the father stated that the Polish and Ukrainian SZANDRUK/SHANDRUK families in that region at that time, "Did not speak to each other." Thanks for bearing with a legnthy note. John Matuszek

John, It's looks like to me, you need to see if the LDS have any microfilmed records for these places. I would start with LDS microfilmed records. This is the website for their catalog: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp. This is the site to use to find an LDS Family History Center near you: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp, so you can order the microfilm. It sounds like you're ready to begin your research. Tina On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 11:37 AM, John Matuszek <jmatuszek@verizon.net>wrote: > I am trying to determine my grandfather's birthplace from a collection of > papers and photos saved by my mother. The info I have so far has been > gleaned largely from a set of 1925 photos sent to grandfather SAFRONI > SZANDRUK (SOFRONI SHANDRUK). The first spelling was written by his brother > on the envelope in which the photos were mailed and the second on Dziadziu's > Naturalization and Social Security papers. I assume the first spelling is > the correct Polish form, although his birth may have been recoded as the > second, because that part of Poland was under Russian rule the year of his > birth, 1882. His siblings (Samuel, Pavel, Ivan, Philomon, Ksenie, Maria, > Fatinia, and Kapatalina) were variously living in 1925 in the villages of > Borsuki, Lanowce, or Vishnavuya in then Wolynia Province, Poland (now > Borsuky, Lanivtsi and Vishnevets, Ternepil Province, Ukraine). Although > Wolynia was part of Poland in 1925, the names of the subjects and the towns > on the backs of the photos are ! > old-Russian script and all spelling is the Russian form. A photo of > another brother, Eleazor, is on a picture postcard enscribed with the name > of an Ottawa, Canada photogapher - I am not sure that it was originally part > of the same set, but saved by my mother in the same envelope with the > others. A Russian friend tried his best at deciphering the old script, but > there are som inconsistencies. I would appreciate having someone familiar > with old-Russian writing review the backs of the photos. Also, if anyone > can provide ties to any Szandruk or Shandruk in Canada, I would appreciate > their note. > > Also among the collection of Dziadziu's papers is a portion of his > passport; approximately the upper left corner. Although I can very crudely > decipher a little of the printed material, the handwritten material in > old-Russian script is beyond my capability. Would someone please help with > translation of the segment I have? > > Other scraps in my mother's handwriting indicate that Dziadziu's parents > were Yeleazer and Maria Shandruk and that Dziadziu came to the U.S. on the > Patricia, March 20, 1907. The Cimorelli Directory indicates that the > Patricia did arrive March 17, 1907 in New York from Hamburg. Since these > handwritten notes must have come from Mom's conversation with either > Dziadziu or Babcia, I am searching for a way to confirm them. Babcia and > Dziadziu were married in Waterbury, Connecticut, parish unknown. Where > should I turn to confirm Mom's notes? > > I note from www.moikrewn.pl that there is a concentration of SZANDRUK in > Gryfino Powiat(?), Poland, with a few others in Warsaw, Lublin and Wroclaw. > However, it is not clear to me what the numerical values reflect. For > example what is the difference between the "Relative Distribution" and the > "Complete Distribution"? Are there only 22 people with the surname SZANDRUK > in all of Poland? Might any of these be Dziadziu's grandnieces or > grandnephews; i.e. my cousins a few times removed? Since the SZANDRUK > population in Poland seems very small (there are none with Shandruk > surname), how would I try to follow this line into the Ukraine? Note > Dziadziu was strongly Polish and Roman Catholic. I have corresponded with a > Shandruk in the U.S., but his father was a Ukrainian national and of the > Russian Orthodox faith. Although from a nearby village, the father stated > that the Polish and Ukrainian SZANDRUK/SHANDRUK families in that region at > that time, "Did not speak to each other." > > Thanks for bearing with a legnthy note. > > John Matuszek > > ------------------------------- > 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 >