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Posen Research List Archive
- POSRL-012 -


Latest Update: 26 February 2001 ................................ Web Site Version

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See also POSRL Index For a list of the Posen Research List Archives posted on this website.

POSRL-012 Archive Entry Status on this page:
- entry for CORBIN, Vicky, 11 February 2001
- revised entry for LEAHY, M. Joseph, 11 February 2001
- entry for LENZ, Lewis C., 11 February 2001
- entry for McNEAL, Kate, 11 February 2001
- entry for MEYER, Lawrence, 11 February 2001
- entry for WOODS, Mike, 11 February 2001
- entry for GRAIEWSKI, Stan, 18 February 2001
- entry for SCOTT, Cheryl, 18 February 2001
- entry for THOMASON, Brenda, 18 February 2001
- entry for BARNES, Pattie, 26 February 2001
- entry for KOSAK, Henry, 26 February 2001
- entry for ROSENBERG, John, 26 February 2001
- entry for SCHULZE, Sandra, 26 February 2001
- entry for THAYER, Margaret KARAU, 26 February 2001
- entry for WERNER, Mike, 26 February 2001
- this page archived 15 March 2001


BARNES, Pattie
402 East White Street, Bay City, Michigan 48706- USA
eMail address: sport86_24@yahoo.com

I am looking for information on my great-greatgrandfather, Ignatius KALAMAJA, and his family. I spoke with my father; this is what he told me: Ignatius KALAMAJA was born, married and died in Poland. He never came to the United States. His wife, Katarzyna, was born in Poland in 1817, and died at South Bend, Indiana in 1901. Her second marriage was to Walenty (Valentine) TOMAJCZYK, born 14 February 1822 at Lubostrum, Poznan, Poland. They married in Poland (date unknown), they came to the US in 1891, they settled at South Bend, and they had no children. The children of Ignatius and Katarzyna were: Franciszek, 1840-1921. Born in Warsaw, Poland, possibly settled in New York before coming to South Bend. Joseph, 1844-1913. Born in Lapiszyn, Prussia, Poland. He came to the US with his wife Frances KACHELSKA in 1881. They settled in Philadelphia for about 1 year, lived in Petoskey, Michigan, approximately 2-3 years, and then moved to South Bend. Their children are: Theobald (born in Poland), Sophie (born In Poland), Michael (born in Poland), Theodora (born in Poland), and Stanislaus (unsure if he was born in South Bend). I am mainly interested in finding out information on Ignatius and Joseph Kalamaja. I would appreciate any information or directions you would offer on locating any information.


CORBIN, Vicky
624 Valley Road, Darlington, Pennsylvania 16115- USA
eMail address: vcorbin11@hotmail.com
(Lutheran)

I am trying to find information on my grandfather, Ludwig RENN (or WRENN). My mother's family tells me he was from Posen. He was born 13 September 1882 at Kamionka, Poland, and his wife was Julianna Carolina FREDERICK, born 10? January 1888, possibly also from Posen. (Her maiden name may have been YOUNGER. That is what is on my mother's birth certificate, but some have said her maiden name was FREDERICK. We aren't sure as she spoke broken English when living. YOUNG or YOUNGER may have been her first husband's last name.) They were Lutheran by faith, and married 26 February 1909 at Konin, Poland. Ludwig immigrated to the US, entering the US on 14 July 1910 and Julianna joined him in 1912. Can you advise how I can find any possible birth records? These are the children of Ludwig and Julianna Renn: Freda (birthdate unknown, born to Julianna and her first husband at Konin, Poland. She was a few years older than Helen); Helen, born 28 October 1909, Konin, Poland; Ewalt, born 8 September 1913 at Darlington, Pennsylvania; Edward, born 1918 in South Beaver towwnship, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; Dorothy, born 13 Aug 1920 in South Beaver Towwnship, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; Bertha, born 29 December 1924 at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; Ruth, born 26 March 1927; Alice, born 28 March 1929; Donald, born 20 May 1931; Hattie (Hedwig), born 18 October 1933; Juliana, born 9 May 1935; and Martha (she was left off the form for some reason, but would have been born at Beaver Falls or South Beaver township). I am trying to find his and her birthplaces and if any relatives are still living in Poland. I know there are a few relatives in Germany, I think a few hours from Frankfurt.


GRAIEWSKI, Stan
1520 Wheeler Road # C, Madison, Wisconsin 53704-7046 USA
eMail address: welrrd@itis.com

I am looking for additionaL information concerning ancestors from Posen and would appreciate help. Here's a quick history: Ralphael Von GRAIEWSKI, Governor of Posen, Poland, was a representative of an ancient Polish family. He was a Knight of the Royal Polish Order of White Eagles and St. Stanislaus and Chamberlain to August III, King of Poland. He was a one-time deputy for Kalisen in the Polish Diet. William II, King of Prussia, awarded him the title of Count. He was born 5 November 1787 in Posen and died 10 November 1878 at the age of 91 at Grudno, Poland. By his first wife, the daughter of Von BISHOFSONENDER, Ralphael had a daughter, Cecilia, who married Baron Von FREIDRICKS in 1814. He was a colonel in the First Russian Guard Regiment and Adjutant General and Master of the Horse to the Emperor of Russia.

The Count married his second wife, Genoveva (Geneva) Von CELEEKA, in 1804. Genoveva was born on 4 January 1788 at Vienna, Austria, and died on 2 May 1870, also at Grudno. They had a son, Adam, who became the fourth count. Another son was Nicholas Wladislorvororwiz. A third son, Ignace, was born in 1812. He married Isabella of Bourbon, Infanta of Spain, in 1841; he died in 1887. Ignace and Isabella had two sons: Jean Nepomuk, the second count and Wladislaus GRAJEWSKI, the third count. Wladislaus was a general and aide de camp to Empress Catherine shortly after his father. He was succeeded by his brother, Wladislaus Von Grajewski. Wladislaus was chamberlain to the King of Prussia. Isabella died in 1897. The Count died in 1878 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Adam Von Grajewski, born 10 September 1805. He married Theresa ZBYOWSKI in 1828. She died in 1832. Adam died on 4 May 1866. His eldest son, Melchoir VON GRAJEWSKI, the fifth Count, was born on 8 November 1830. He was naturalized on 30 October 1870. He was also a captain with the Norfolk militia and Consul General in Austria Hungary at Nice. Twin daughters, Wanda Lillian and Diana, were born on 12 October 1871. They died on 24 January 1872.

John Peter Grajewski, Ralphael's son, was born on 15 November 1840 at Grudno. He married Martha Maria KOLENDA in 1860. He died on 3 December 1930 at Grudno. Martha Maria was born on 3 July 1843 and died on 12 September 1899. Their son, Stanley John Grajewski, was born on 8 May 1867 at St. Michael Suvalki in Russian Poland. He married Theresa Maria SLOMA on 22 January 1900. He died on 21 July 1919 at Hurley, Wisconsin. Theresa Maria died on 13 September 1965 at Ventura, California. Her second marriage was to Louis GORRILL. The genealogical records also indicate Stanley John Graiewski (1867-1939) was sired by Nicholas Grajewski, count and vast land owner in the Suvalki Grudno St. Michael's area in Russian Poland.

Stanley and Theresa's children were Edmund Bernard (born 30 October 1900), Helen Marie (5 August 1902), Angeline (4 June 1904), Rudolph Malcom (27 October 1908), Ramona Matilda (26 January 1914), and Stanley John (26 September 1921). Uncle Edmund had twin girls (Mary and Day), the first caucasian twins born on the Hawaiian Islands, in 1942. Theresa Marie SLOMA was born on 15 October 1882 at Valete Columbia, New York. She died on 13 September 1965 at Ventura, California. Her father, Vincent Joseph Sloma was born on August 9, 1843 in Kinderhook, New York. He died on 9 December 1921 at Bessemer, Michigan. Vincent's father, Albert Vojeck Sloma, was born on 3 March 1787 at Valete, New York. He died on 10 October 1857 at Little Falls, New York. Vincent's mother, Josephine Maja KLEIWETZ, was born on 17 April 1787 at Goshen, Poland.


KOSAK, Henry
Finsterwalder Strasse 4, 03048 Cottbus, Germany
eMail address: hkosak-ixi@t-online.de
(Lutheran)

I am researching my great-grandparents. My great-grandfather, Juliusz KOSAK, was born in 1853 at Mechnice, Mikorzyn - Kempen area. His parents were Daniel Kosak and Johanne SCHOENFELDER. At Mechnice there is no church, except at Mikorzyn, but it is a Roman Catholic church. Does anyone know anything about the responsible Lutheran church for Mechnice, Mikorzyn? Juliusz went out to Lodz and married there Marianne Marya LEFLER. Juliusz and Marianne may have had more than one child, but we know only of my grandfather, Daniel Kosak, who was born at Lodz in 1877 and was married at Werdau, Saxony, where I was born and where all the Kosak family lives. Because of the age of my grandfather, he was born in 1877 and died 1945, I never saw him. I visited Mechnice - it is in the Kempen area. One evidence we have of Provinz Posen origin is the birth certificate of Daniel from Lodz; in that certificate Juliusz was listed as being born at Mechnice, principality Posen. Thank you for any help.


LEAHY, M. Joseph
P. O. Box 211016, Auke Bay, Alaska 99821-1016 USA
eMail address: mjleahy@gci.net

(Note: This update replaces and older entry in POSRL 00-2 (note new address). I am seeking information about John WALIGORSKI and Mary WALNEK who were born about 1835-1840 at Posen, Germany, and married around 1858 in that region. Most of their children -- Stella, Nicholas, John, Joseph (born 1859), Ignatius, Lawrence and Antonia -- emigrated from Posen to the US in the mid to late 1880s. Some settled at Cincinnati, Ohio; others went to Detroit, Michigan. It is believed that a son of John and Mary Waligorski remained in Posen with them when the others emigrated. In 1885 before leaving Posen, Joseph Waligorski married Antonia CIELSKI. She was the daughter of Valentine and Josephine Cielski. Joseph and Antonia Waligorksi's daughter Julia Evangeline Waligoski was my grandmother; she died at Royalton, Minnesota in 1989. Can you help me with information about the families and birthdates / places, emigration information, etc.?


LENZ, Lewis C.
3717 East Pomegranate Street, Mesa, Arizona 85215- USA
eMail address: Lclenz@aol.com

I am looking for birth or marriage records for: Carl Albert Edward LENZ, born 14 March 1844 at Schoenlanke (now Trzcianka, Poland), Prov. Posen. He married Auguste KROLL, born 30 November 1851, at Neudorf on 1 June 1871. I do not have any records for Carl LENZ's parents, except that his mother was married twice. I believe the first marriage to was to Carl Albert Edward LENZ but he died in 1846. She was remarried to a Robert GLOCKZIEN and they had a son named Robert, born in 1850 at Schoenlanke. Robert married Ernestine KROLL probably in the 1870's. The important link I am missing is information on the parents of LENZ, Carl Albert Edward, born 1844. I am the grandson of Carl Albert Edward LENZ. I understand that records from Schoenlanke may be in archives in Posen. I would really appreciate any help you can lend. Thanks.

Webmaster's Note: Individual collections of census records, Jewish records, taxation records, Roman Catholic public school records plus more recent LDS church records exist on FHL microfilm for Schoenlanke, Posen, now called Trzcianka, Poland. See FHL Microfilm for more details on viewing them.

McNEAL, Kate
1526 Houston Street, Manhattan, Kansas 66502- USA
eMail address: kate@networksplus.net

August Fredrich SCHWARK, my great-grandfather, was born 17 March 1855 at Gross Kotten, Posen, and died 14 June 1940 at Chicago, Illinois. He married Bertha LECHNER, born 24 December 1859 (place unknown), died 21 January 1935 at Chicago. They emigrated to Illinois in the 1880's ? and settled in the Chicago area. I am also seeking possible family links to SCHWARKs in Wisconsin. The children of August Fredrich and Bertha Schwark were: Fredrick (born 23 December 1882, died June 1963); Louise RAUSCHENBERG (born 15 August 1886, died July 1975); Clara GOETSCH (born 3 March 1888, died April 1969); August (born 8 June 1888, died February 1967); William Arthur (my grandfather, born 29 August 1905, died March 1987); Emona ? (Emma) ORLICH (born 9 January 1891, died April 1975); and Leona (born 17 October 1902, died October 1978). Thank you for any information you can add to the above.


MEYER, Lawrence
3997 St. Edmund Ave. NorthWest, Canton, Ohio 44718- USA
eMail address: Lmeyer1960@aol.com
(Lutheran)

I am looking for the place of birth and the parents of my grandmother. From family records which I have been able to locate, Auguste THIEDE (also spelled TIEDE) was born at Joseph Hauland, Posen, Germany on 8 August 1848. I have not been able to locate Joseph Hauland on any map including one published in 1882. If anyone has any knowledge of this village or city, I would appreciate an eMail. I believe that the family immigrated to the USA in 1855 or 1856. My grandmother's father's name may have been Gottfried. Auguste married Christian MEYER in Potsdam, Minnesota. The children of Auguste and Christian were: Christian, Edward, Martin, Emma, Lenna, Fredrich, Bertha, Alfred, Charles, Minnie, Arthur, and Mary.


ROSENBERG, John
366 Forbes Avenue, San Rafael, California 94901-1762 USA
eMail address: irisblue1@earthlink.net

I am seeking information regarding my great-grandparents, Morris ROSENBERG, born 1 May 1817, somewhere in the Province of Posen, and his wife, Lena COPENHAGEN, born 25 October 1822 at Rogasen (now Rogozno), Province of Posen, Prussia. They married in 1841 and immigrated to America in 1848 with their two infant children (Jacob and Lasery). They first stayed in New York where Morris worked as a tailor. In 1852 they came to California, via the Isthmus of Panama. After 2 years in San Francisco, they went to the gold-rush area and settled at Iowa Hill, Placer County, California, where they ran a general mercantile store until the store was destroyed by a fire on 31 August 1870. Morris and Lena then moved to Oakland where they remained until their deaths in 1901 and 1893, respectively. They had three more children in California: Charles (my grandfather), Theresa, and Tilla. I have recently learned that Morris' maternal grandfather lived until the age of 114. This could have been a world's record in the 17th / 18th centuries, and may have prompted some local interest in Posen. Any information about their origins in Prussia is sought, plus any relatives which may have been left behind. Thank you for any information.


SCHULZE, Sandra
Eiswaldtstrasse 1 B, 12249 Berlin, Germany
eMail address: Yvonne-Hans@t-online.de
(Lutheran)

I am looking for the brothers, sisters and their children and grandchildren of my great-grandfather, Ferdinand Michael LANGE, born 9 February 1872, in the Mochel area of Bromberg, Posen. So far I know of 3 brothers, whom I have found listed in the parish-register in the Evangelical research center in Berlin: 1) Bernhard August LANGE, born 20 August 1860 in Mochel area of Bromberg, Posen; 2) Wilhelm Ludwig LANGE, born 17 August 1862 in Mochel; 3) Carl Ehrenfried LANGE, born 5 October 1865 in Mochel My great-grandfather and his brothers were baptized in the Evangelical Protestant Church in the Wilhelmsort area of Bromberg Posen. Their parents were a) Wilhelm LANGE, a shepherd - he died before 1897 and his last known residence was at M&uhlthalt (Muehlthalt / Muhlthalt), in the area of Bromberg, Posen; b) Wilhelmine LANGE (nee KARAU or CARAU). By 1897 she was married again (2nd marriage) to a merchant / trader / storekeeper named DIEKERS and lived at Jaegerhof in the area of Bromberg, Posen. All of them were Evangelical Protestant. If the family story is to be believed, my great-grandfather had 8 to 10 siblings. I believe that there also were siblings of my great-grandfather born out of the 2nd marriage of my great-great-grandmother, Wilhelmine LANGE, to DIEKERS. To believe the family-story, all of my great-grandfather's siblings (LANGE and/or DIEKERS) went to America and/or Canada. As far as I know, only one person out of this family, the sister of my grandfather, Elsbeth ZETTL (nee LANGE), born 18 May 1902, had addresses and contact with the siblings of my great-grandfather in America and Canada. Her son can't remember if there had been contact with the siblings after Germany has been separated into East and West. Since she stayed in former East Germany, in a city called L&ubben (Luebben / Lubben) in the Spreewald area it is mostly unlikely that there was contact. My mother told me that there was once a picture in a newspaper of one of my great-grandfather's brothers with a bear he had shot. I have been looking through the church records in the Evangelical research center in Berlin. They have only a few saved records on microfilm from the Posen area. I have looked at all of them. I am thankful for help and information. Maybe one of the great-great-grandchildren is also looking for family members of their ancestors.


SCOTT, Cheryl
P.O. Box 1973, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549- USA
eMail address: Cheryl4495@aol.com
(Lutheran)

I am researching my great-great-great grandfather, Andrew ERDMANN, who was born 12 May 1837, at Strocewo (Strozewo ?), Posen, Prussia. I know nothing about his parents. He emigrated to America by the time he was approximately 6 years old. The family moved to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1855. He joined the army in the Civil War and was shortly after discharged for medical reasons. He then settled, married (1862), and died (1885) in Havanna township, Steele county, Minnesota. His wife is Anna (?) from Germany and they had 8 children: William, Charles, Mathelina, Edward, Andrew, Caroline, Mary, and John. I have been searching for old maps of Prussia to try and locate Strocewo, if that is actually how it was spelled. My next option is to contact the Department of Naturalization or the Immigration Department to see if they have any record of him or his family. I even searched a list of Civil War soldiers using my Generations Family Tree program but I could not come up with an Andrew. Perhaps he went under another name. I still have lots of places to look. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.


THAYER, Margaret KARAU
216 Comstock Road, Woodside, California 94062- USA
eMail address: methayer@ix.netcom.com">
(Lutheran?)

The family information that I have is: John KARAU, my great-grandfather, was born at Rosmien, Province of Posen, Germany about 1818 and died about 1888. He married Eva Josie Rozina MOEDELMOG, born about 1820. I believe they were married at Rosmien. (I have located the town of "Rosmin" near Bromberg, and I assume it is the same town as Rosmien.) John and Eva KARAU had 9 children. All were born at Rosmien, Province Posen, Germany, and may have been Lutheran: 1) Wilhelmina, born 1840, married Herman OTTO; 2) John, born 1842, stayed in Germany (I don't have any data on him); 3) Gottlieb, born 1843, married Hannah HOFFELMACHER; 4) Louisa, born 1845, married William ZIERATH; 5) August, born 1849, never married; 6) Wilhelm, born 1855, married a woman named HOFFMAN (first marriage) and then to Sarah SCHMIEL; 7) Augusta, born 1857, married Gustave NEUMEYER; 8) Herman, born 1859, married Christina WICK; 9) Julius (my grandfather), born 1862, married Mathilda SCHULZ. All the KARAU children came to America with the exception of John. They all settled in Rochester, Minnesota. I would like to find our more about John and Eva and their life in Rosmien. I was informed that they may have had a tavern there, but I cannot verify this. I would like information about obtaining their vital records. I have access to a Family History Center. (I noticed that Kathy HERTZOG is also researching the KARAU family. I don't know if these two families are related.)


THOMASON, Brenda
875 Grapevine Way, Templeton, California 93465- USA
eMail address: bthom875@thegrid.net
(Lutheran)

I am trying to find birth, baptism, marriage, etc. records for my ancestors from in and around Posen. Edward Julius YUNGFERT, my great-grandfather, was born 2 January (or February) 1847 at Zerkow, and his wife, Karoliene DRABER, was born 15 August 1841, daughter of Harry Draber, at Zerkow or possibly at Xions. They were married 29 June 1870 at Zerkow. Karoliene Draber was a single mother working as a housemaid in 1861 when her daughter, Amelia (Emilie), was christened in the Lutheran Church at Xions. I would like to find out which household employed Caroline (Karoliene), and where she lived for the 9 years between the birth of Amelia and her marriage to Eduard. They left Prussia in 1882.

Edward left with Johann JAESCHKE from the same village and immigrated to the US on the ship "Australia", which sailed from Hamburg 6 April 1882. The name on the manifest is spelled JUNGFERT. The wife, Karoliene, travelled with Johann's wife, Caroline Jaeschke, on 24 September 1882 on the ship "Silesia". The Jungferts and Jaeschkes went directly to Tomkins Cove, Rockland County, New York. My great grandfather, Edward Julius Jungfert, worked as a stone mason at Tomkins Cove Stone Company. In later years, he was still working (in his 70s), this time as a handyman at Tomkins Cove school. I have found his pay check entries in their ledgers. My great-grandmother, Karoliene, was a bright and lovely little woman, barely five feet tall, who had a daughter, Emilie Luise, when she married Eduard. Some people think Emilie's father was a Jaeschke. We know the Jungfert's emigrated to the United States and lived their lives next door to a Jaeschke family, but have been unable to find any civil record to confirm the connection.

My second cousin, Susan SANDERS, and I have located almost all the offspring. We have their addresses and telephone numbers, as well as personal photographs and photographs of tombstones of all who have passed on. We are working on trying to go back at least one generation and find the proper names of the parents of Carolina and Eduard Jungfert (or Yungfert). Both versions of the family name appear in documents. The form is JUNGFERT on their headstone and in their family Bible, while YUNGFERT is found in military papers and YOUNGFER on naturalization papers. Thank you for any possible information you can add to the above.


WERNER, Mike
625 Knollwood Drive, Cary, Illinois 60013- USA
eMail address: MWerner@mountprospect.org">

I am looking for any information on my grandfather and his ancestors. He was William WERNER, born 29 September 1889 in or around Posen, Germany. His parents were William and Pauline. He had two brothers, Adolf and Alex, and four sisters, Matilda, Wanda, Augusta, and Pauline. He immigrated to the United States at age twenty-one, alone. Once in the United States he married Adeline (Adele) FRITZ. They settled and spent the rest of their lives at Chicago, Illinois. Any information you can add to the above would be helpful. Thank you for your assistance.


WOODS, Mike
9025 West Mill Road #4, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53225- USA
eMail address: miwoods@execpc.com

I'm researching my family history. My great-grandmother was Emma Bertah FENSKE and my grandfather was Walter W. FENSKE. My father was Walter William Fenske. My grandfather died about 1930 and my father was adopted by Dr. Harold WOODS. My grandmother and grandfather were divorced at the time of my grandfather's death. The information I have about Emma from family members is that she immigrated to the U.S. alone with five sons and she left some daughters in Germany with her husband. She settled at Lena, Wisconsin. My grandfather had an identical twin brother named Oswald. I searched the court records in Oconto County, Wisconsin, which includes Lena Township and I found the 1908 marriage license of William WISE and Emma Fenske. Emma's parents names' listed on the license were Adolf Fenske and "Henrsta JASKE" of Germany; she stated that she was a widow. The wedding took place in Antigo, Wisconsin, and witnesses were named. I also checked the 1910 and 1920 census records at the Milwaukee Public Library and found the family listed in both censuses. The family included: William Wise, Emma Wise, Walter W. Fenske, Oswald F. Fenske and Bruno Fenske. The ages in the 1910 census were Walter 12, Oswald 12, and Bruno 10. Emma was 45 and William 35. (A largely illegible part of the record appeared to include something about naturalization in 1902). Wise was from Canada, the others from Germany. I searched several web sites for more information and I found a listing of a christening of Emma Bertha Fenske in Bromberg Stadt, Posen, Preussen, on 20 November 1864. The parents' names were Adolf Fenske and Henriette GESCHKE. I think this is a match but this scenario raises more questions than it answers. I've been unable to find death records, Social Security records or other records of the original family members in Oconto County or elsewhere. I've also posted some inquiries elsewhere on the internet. I am especially interested in information about Emma's first marriage.


See also POSRL Index For a list of the Posen Research List Archives posted on this website.

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