Polish Genealogy?? Antoni Wroblewski and his wife Theophilia Okotch

[sandyleanza]

Antoni Wroblewski and his wife Theophilia Okotch. My husband's 2nd great grandfather and grandmother who came from Polish Russia. They are in the 1920 census under Wroblowsky in Maynard Massachusetts. Claimed arrival in 1911/1912, but cannot find ship manifest. The 1930 census listed them with a James Veronitz as a grandfather, but cannot locate him anywhere else. After the 1930 census, these three go missing. No 1940 census records, no death records, nothing. I would like to find any data on them before 1920 (Birth, Marriage, Arrival, etc.) and after 1930 (Death Records, Burials, etc.).

The story I have from the grandson is that Antoni went to University and was a doctor in Poland and lived in the household of the Okotch family (where he met his future wife). He was not able to continue to practice medicine in the USA. He allegedly helped treat some people in the Maynard area, and they tried to prosecute him, but the people signed a petition to say he did no harm. He passed away in a logging accident in the 1920's (but hes in the 1930 census). and that the wife re-married Alex Kowalski (not confirmed).

Name variations below:
Antoni, Anthony, Antonio, Antony. Wroblewski, Wroblowsky, Wrublesky, Wrublewski, Wrublasky
Theophilia, Tillie, Teofila, Mary, Terphilla, Tofella, Tofelia, Tafila. Akok, Okoc, Akre, Akoc, Okotch

[Biff83]

Based on Antoni's age in 1920 census, this is a possible two pages. Line 8. Not travelling with Theophilia.

Having trouble linking first page. The following will take you to the record on Ancestry.

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/74 ... PUBJs=true

[sandyleanza]

Thanks! I have an Ancestry membership, so it's not an issue. It's a good lead. Let me know if anything else is found. I will see if this results in a confirmed positive.

[Biff83]

Hamburg 1912 outbound passenger list, right hand column #448, Teofila Wroblwesky, age 20, yob 1892. However, marital status is single.

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/10 ... PUBJs=true

[sandyleanza]

HMM... Very Interesting.

[ffusiak]

I noticed on your ancestry trip in the pallbearer article that he was a member of the "Polish National Alliance"- I noticed a local chapter in Adams, MA. You may want to inquire if they have any historical membership information that can give you some leads.

In addition, I noticed that there are a few members in the Polish Genealogical Society of CT and Northeast researching the surname. http://www.pgsctne.org/ResearchingSurna ... mes_W.aspx.

There is a also a cemetery plot listed in cemetery directory in Adams, MA. - http://www.pgsctne.org/Databases/Cemete ... heast.aspx

Interestingly, I could not find the Theophelia surname in any of surname directory (http://www.ipgs.us/iwonad/surnames/namesO/namesOk.html)

[ffusiak]

There is another possibility - Here is a manifest for Antoni Worblewski going to Worester,MA to a brother -Ignacy.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... 9TS-99WL-N

[sandyleanza]

Thanks I will look into this. I did send a couple emails based on your last post. Thanks again

[sandyleanza]

Okay, I reached out to the Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan, and they were able to find the correct Ship Manifest for Antoni.

NY Passenger List: ANCESTRY:https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/74 ... dit/record
FAMILY SEARCH:https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJ5L-KW1

Hamburg Germany Passenger List: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/10 ... dit/record

So we have a place of birth now. Anyone know any polish/german want to see what you can find for me?

[ffusiak]

I looked through my normal sources but it will be difficult. I did not locate anything definitively.

Katowice is just west of Krakow and has it own archives (http://archiwum.archidiecezja.katowice.pl/en/index). FamilySearch also have Katowice region available on-line but you need the parish (https://www.familysearch.org/search/ima ... %3D2114433).

What I find strange is that I looked at a surname map for Wroblewski (a) and the name is rare in Poland today (http://www.moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/wroblewski.html).

My recommendation would be the join two Facebook Groups and post your inquiry.

Central European Genealogy Research Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Central ... Community/)

Genealogy in Poland Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Genealogy.in.Poland/)

[sandyleanza]

So I joined the Facebook groups, but didnt find any help there

However, today I just located Teofila's Shipping Manifest:
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/87 ... dit/record
(Does Boston have a free site to access these lists?) If not, I will attach a photo.

She arrived in Boston in 1913 with her Father in Law Ignacy Waronis aka James Veronitz. They are both going to see his Son Antoni Wroblewski in Maynard Mass. He listed that his nearest relative in origin country was his mother Maria Waronis in Chodiliona (Chodoliona), Russia. I Googled this location but nothing comes up. If anyone can provide the correct spelling it would be appreciated.

I also found the Hamburg Shipping Manifest:
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/10 ... dit/record

Based on this new information I was also able to locate Ignacy Waronis in the 1920 US Census:
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/60 ... dit/record

He was living with Andrew Grigan and Family. I think this may be the same person that Antoni was going to visit in his shipping manifest (which was previously posted), written as Andras Gevig. It lists him as married, but I have not found any evidence of his wife's name. Teofila was incorrectly shown as his wife on both manifests above (she is actually Antoni's wife).

So this helps, but opens up so many new questions, as usual:
1) What is the correct spelling of Chodiliona (Chodoliona), Russia?
2) Why would Ignacy (Waronis) have a different surname than his son Antoni (Wroblewski)?
3) Did Ignacy's wife (Unknown) ever emigrate to join her husband and son?
4) Is Andrew Grigan (Andras Gevig) the bother of Teofila?

If anyone wants to help me further, I would greatly appreciate it!

Sandy

[ffusiak]

I did a wildcard search on Jewishgen.org town finder using starts with "Chod", but did not find anything definitive.

https://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/jgcd.php

I also searched the city in Ancestry and only found your two records with this city/village name.

I recommend you post on the Reddit Genealogy board as I am stumped.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/

[sandyleanza]

Today I came across the obituary for Teofila! She re-married Alexander "Alex" Karwowski (Karwowska), and it lists that her sister is a Leona Cardiwala of Watertown MA. This sisters last name is butchered, but it gives me more questions than answers. I cannot locate Alex or Leona. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

https://www.newspapers.com/image/433880 ... 1581300221

[sandyleanza]

Also interestingly, there is a town in Slovakia with the name Okoc… would that have been considered Russia in the early 1900s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okoč