My gr-gr-grandfather, Francis (Franz) Polk, was one of the founders of Parisville in the "Thumb" of Michigan. Parisville is, arguably, the first Polish community founded in the US. Francis Polk was born in Boronow, Lubliniec, Poland, April 27, 1812. He married Josepha Slawik, September 14, 1835, in Dembowa Gora, Lubliniec, Poland. In the early 1850s, Francis and his family left for North America, arriving in Quebec---I'm not sure how they got there. Shortly afterword, they settled in Ontario (Canada West), in/near a town named Paris (hence the eventual name Parisville in Michigan). While in Ontario, Francis and other Poles helped the Canadians build several of their railroad systems. In what was probably late 1854 or early 1855, Francis and a couple of others emigrated to Michigan, founding the town of Parisville. I have not been successful in finding out how they got to Quebec, any information concerning the lifes and times of the Poles in Paris, Ontario, or how they got to Michigan. If you could help me gain insight about these travels and times, it would be very much appreciated Franz's parents were Andreas Polk [b. Abt1766--probably Boronow, Lubliniec, Poland] and Marianna (Geüssler) Geisler [b. Abt 1774--probably Boronow, Lubliniec, Poland]. I would like to learn more about these parents and hopefully their ancestors. Thank you. Charles Chase
The LDS have microfilmed birth, marriage and death Roman Catholic records back to 1719. http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C180%2C0&titleno=976793&disp=Kirchenbuch++ The church in Barono~w also has records back to 1719. http://www.genealodzy.pl/modules.php?op=modload&name=Katalog&file=index&req=details&pid=530&search=Boronow Tina Ellis At 06:19 PM 6/27/2007 -0700, you wrote: >My gr-gr-grandfather, Francis (Franz) Polk, was one of the founders of >Parisville in the "Thumb" of Michigan. Parisville is, arguably, the first >Polish community founded in the US. Francis Polk was born in Boronow, >Lubliniec, Poland, April 27, 1812. He married Josepha Slawik, September >14, 1835, in Dembowa Gora, Lubliniec, Poland. > > In the early 1850s, Francis and his family left for North America, > arriving in Quebec---I'm not sure how they got there. Shortly afterword, > they settled in Ontario (Canada West), in/near a town named Paris (hence > the eventual name Parisville in Michigan). While in Ontario, Francis and > other Poles helped the Canadians build several of their railroad > systems. In what was probably late 1854 or early 1855, Francis and a > couple of others emigrated to Michigan, founding the town of Parisville. > > I have not been successful in finding out how they got to Quebec, any > information concerning the lifes and times of the Poles in Paris, > Ontario, or how they got to Michigan. If you could help me gain insight > about these travels and times, it would be very much appreciated > > Franz's parents were Andreas Polk [b. Abt1766--probably Boronow, > Lubliniec, Poland] and Marianna (Geüssler) Geisler [b. Abt > 1774--probably Boronow, Lubliniec, Poland]. I would like to learn more > about these parents and hopefully their ancestors. Thank you. > > Charles Chase > >------------------------------- >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