What's in a name? (Part 2)

It occurs to me that I should have split the last post into two sections and just stick the Bieda family by itself. And I have to say this again. They are driving me crazy.

Today I started looking in directories again thinking the name changes I found yesterday will make a difference. I even looked in one with Lewis Bieda that I already saved. And then I saw it. Bigenski. Oh but isn't that the same one I found yesterday? Nope. The ole switcheroo with an i and an e. Well that's ok I thought. Not too bad I can deal with one more. So I go to another one. And again. Biegnski. Ok just put the i and e together now and slide the gn together. Sure.

Before today I had no record of my peeps in the 1930 census. After looking in all these directories I think to myself "Self!"... Sorry I had an Emril moment.. if you don't get that don't worry. Anyway I did a search in the 1930 census and found Joseph and his wife, Jakob and Anna, and Alex and his wife. With yet another spelling. So at this point I'm getting kind of ticked off. Not to mention that Alex, who already has several variations to his first name, is spelled Elex in this census. AH! I believe it was at this point where I wanted to crack open a bottle of vodka at 10:30am. But I digress. The last name this time was Bignskie. See it's not major differences but if you try to search for them, even using the soundex or whatever it's called on ancestry.com.... it's just annoying. I also want to add that Alex or whatever the hell his name is eventually moved to Philly with his family. Philly is a whole hell of a lot bigger than Shamokin and with this many name variations, and possibly more... how will I ever find him?

A brief note on the 1930 census, I actually did find some helpful info. For example Joseph's wife Mary (not to be confused with Alex's wife Mary) and her parents were born in Germany. Yet the language in the home was Polish. But go back to thinking about the crazy borders back then. It also said they arrived in 1908. That could be helpful, but then again for the Biedas they said it was 1912 and not 1913. I also saw Alex's children in the 1930 census: Joseph, Eleanor and Angela. Now I called my busia to confirm about Angela and she wasn't sure. She gave me the name Marie before, so I don't know. The last thing I found was that Joseph, Jakob, and Anna couldn't speak English. I can kind of see Jakob and Anna but Joseph? He was only 11 when he came over, and this was 17yrs later so he should have picked up something. Anyway.

Lewis was living in a different ED. So again I had to fiddle around to find it but it wasn't that bad. I had the address which helped me before. And when I got to 1212 Hemlock... dear lord I almost had a fit. Borzinskie.  Its not even a mistake in the indexing. Its clearly a cursive 'or' on the sheet.

So here they are:
Bieda
Biedzinski
Budzinskie
Beginskie
Bigenski
Biegnski
Bignskie
Borzinskie

And I thought the Lapinsky's were bad! I still haven't found Jakob. I know in 1936-37 he was living at 440 s. Pearl and in 1948 he was at 34 s. Franklin. I checked both on the 1940 census. So I don't know where the guy is. Or was I should say. Hopefully I won't have to do a part 3 for this name thing.

That's all for now!

What's in a name?

I hope everyone had a good Easter Sunday and a successful first week of census searching.

After the initial frustration on release day I've been pretty successful so far. Only a handful of relatives missing.

The first batch I was able to view was on my dad's side, the Turner and Melick families in Mount Pleasant Twp, Pa. I found his mother, my grandmother and her six siblings. Yes, six. Holy cow. Elaine Turner is a twin, I don't know if I mentioned that in one of my other posts. Her sister was Eilean Turner and she passed away a few years ago. One of the other Turner sisters is named Della Jane. I kind of like that name and I don't know why. Anyway the parents (Ellis Turner and Minnie Melick) were listed there too and her father's occupation was a farmer. Shocker in Pa woo! Lol. I also found Ellis Turner's parents Harry and Lovina. A few other Melick's as well but I'm not 100% sure on a connection, if any.

I figure that was a good start considering I didn't know anything about those guys and never talked to any of that side of the family. Onto the next one!

I was finally able to get into Ralpho Twp that night YAY! I found Clinton, Ida, and Dora Pitner in one place. Then I found my great great grandfather Marion Hauck with Ruth Pitner and my great grandmother Eleanor and her brother Wilferd. In Shamokin I found Morris Yeager with Florence Persing and their brood including Elizabeth/Betty Yeager who I met last December. I also foun Russel/Rudy Persing with Jessie and someone named Doris. Walter Persing (my great grandfather who married Eleanor) was living with his mother Cora in Shamokin. It said he worked in a dye and paint mill. Next I found E. W Persing who is Earl, confirmed by the fact his occupation is listed as Potato Chip factory.

Those were all pretty easy. The Polish on the other hand. Sheesh. I tweeted that they were harder to find than  Waldo, Carmen Sandiego, and Voldemort's nose.

Well apparently they weren't hiding in Shamokin Borough like I thought (or not all of them anyway)

The borough is apparently inside of Coal Twp. and has completely different ED numbers. Today I finally realized this and looked in 49-11 and 49-12.

I found some type of cousins. Or aunts and uncles. I don't know anymore. Stanley Kozloski married Frances Lapinsky so I found those two and their children WITH Anthony Lapinsky. Oh wait sorry. The census says Lipinski have to be correct here. He would be my great great grandfather (Mildred's father). He was 79, not working (duh) and had 0 education. Cioci Francy (aunt there it is I remembered) had a 3rd grade education.
Next up is Frank Yucha and his wife Charlotte (Frances' daughter I think) with 2 of their children. Charlotte just passed away in March.
Then I found Lawrence Matlock (?) with Louise Lapinsky (also goes by Julie. see these people can't make up their minds!) Their kids are shown along with two daughters (+ on of their husbands) from Louise/ Julie's first marriage (surname Glock/Gloc).  One of the Gloc's was lucky enough to be in the extra questions but only thing I learned was Polish was spoken in the home.
Then we have Stanley Lapinsky (actually spelled Lapinsky) with his wife and 2 children.

Ok so the Lapinsky/Lipinski thing I've seen before. No surprise.

But these damn Bieda's are going to kill me.

I mentioned before there was a name change to Biedzinski but my great grandfather Ludwik/Lewis/Louis changed back to Bieda. Well apparently not until after 1940.

The census lists Budzinskie. Louis, Mildred, and my uncle Emil (my Busia's brother). I found them after remembering I had a directory saved to Ancestry.com from 1930 and 1941. 1212 Hemlock St. Shamokin Pa. I actually passed them by the first time I looked through the 49-12 section.

So then I went back to the Shamokin Borough and the million of pages that section. I had Joseph and Mary in a directory for 1928 saying they were at 442 Pearl St. and Jakob and Anna were at 440 Pearl St. Well I only found Joseph and Mary. I think Anna had passed away by then but I still didn't find Jakob. In 1950 he's listed as living with Jozef in the directory. Anyway, you would think Jozef would be listed under Biedzinski or Budzinskie. Nope. Beginskie. I'm tellin ya they want to drive me mad!

But if you think of it, in Polish the dz combo sounds like a dg sound. I think.

So I still need to find Jakob Bieda... or whatever.... and then Aleksander/ Alex/ Alexandor is somewhere in Philly at this time. But I have no address or anything so I might have to wait until the indexed version is out. And then of course deal with the possible name combinations. But I won't think about that now.

Sorry this was so long! Gotta go, I'm going out tonight. Titanic 3D Yes!!!

Pictures in Boxes- Part 5

When I was looking through pictures I was happy and excited but I only did the genealogy happy dance when I found some of the following photos. If you've been following my blog you know that my Polish side is the hardest to find anything on.

Louis/ Ludwik Bieda... and his parents Jakob and Anna!

After some computer touch ups.

His face is dark compared to his hands. No idea why but I think he looks pretty classy.

Probably Jozef

Louis

Jozef on the left. Most likely Alex on the right. 

Anna Bieda

Love this picture.  Louis and Mildred.

Mildred and her friend.

ok once again I hate that these pictures turn around. especially these ones because I like them.

Ok turn your head and your attention to the woman in the middle. 

Notice any similarity between the woman above and the woman here?

If you answered yes... then good job on agreeing with me. I probably should have pulled out the picture from the photo album and looked on the back. Next time. Any way.

*Edit 10/9*

Ok I just got back from my aunt's and I showed her some pictures. She told me that It's Anna and her hubby Walter Bieda and their grandson Jerry.

Louis and Jozef

If you have any information on my Polish peeps please comment below :)

Pictures in Boxes- Part 4

It seems like these will never end... then again... what will I write about when I'm done?

Where did I leave off... oh yes... cool FDR photo. Moving on.

Eleanor

Jessie Persing and my uncle. (grandpa's brother)

Eleanor/ Nana. on a horse.

Back says "Ruth Hauck?"

my nana again

Emma McCormick 

Nana

Nana and her friend "Boots"

Nana & her brother

"Hauck reunion 1961"

Marion Hauck, Front row on the left. Those are his parents in between.

Marion on the left.

Guessing its an anniversary party.

Marion Hauck & Carrie

No idea. But I love the lady on the left.

I think Nana is the girl in the middle

On the back it says Persing 1949 49 yrs old. My guess is it *might* be Earl Persing because he was born in 1899

Marion and Carrie

My mom! haha!!

Louis Bieda

Shamokin High School 1925. Walter Persing is the one on the right not in uniform.

I'll either have two more of these or one large picture post. My Polish peeps are coming up (or a more concentrated section of them in the next set of photos)

Ta ta for now!

Odd Fellows Cemetery & Hooded Grave Cemetery

Ok this next cemetery I didn't even plan to go to until a few days before we left for Pennsylvania. This is where my grandpa's aunts uncles and grandparents are buried.

I didn't see a sign for the cemetery. I improvised though...

This helped me remember what cemetery I was looking at. 

Oh wait I lied.... there was a sign... 

Very tiny. hah.

Charles, Cora, Russel (Rudy), and Jessie Persing (Maiden name escapes me right now). On the back is Morris and Florence Yeager (Persing).

Ok so thats it for Odd Fellows. Exciting I know. So I figure why not include the Hooded Grave one too?

Now I don't have any peeps in the Hooded Grave cemetery. But it's cool. It's located in Catawissa near one of the farmers market things (I can't spell it to save my soul. Cute giftshop inside though). Also near the red deer farm.

Everyone ready for story time again? Ok good.

So once upon a time people we buried in shallow graves and had either no coffin or a wooden coffin. From what my grandpa told me, there were things put over the graves to stop wolves from getting to the corpses. I just did some googling and found some more info on this cemetery. That will be posted lower down. Also found a video on youtube. I only took pictures from the car so I'll include the youtube video as well.

The one article says these are "Mortsafes". According to wikipedia they are designed to protect the bodies of the dead.

Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortsafe

Article from a newsletter: http://www.colcohist-gensoc.org/Essays/Cages%20on%20Graves%20Explained.pdf

Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JUzWiU6xvY (including creepy carnival music?)

Saint Stanislaus Cemetery

This was a pretty interesting cemetery to visit. There's not only one cemetery here but many. Saint Stans is the Polish cemetery. Across the street is the Jewish cemetery. Towards the back is the Russian Cemetery and the Ukranian Cemetery (I think). If I'm not mistaken there's a separate Catholic cemetery too. I didn't see any sign for Saint Stans. 

This next one would be Jakob and Anna Bieda. Apparently "Bieda" didn't sound Polish enough for them.

Matka= Mother Ojciec= Father

Saint Edward's Cemetery- Catholic?

Jewish Cemetery

Russian Cemetery

This, like the Shamokin Cemetery visit, was a whole family deal. But this time we actually knew where people were buried. And lucky ole me got to hear a story. Apparently my grandma had another sister. I think the baby was stillborn. Since the baby wasn't baptized the church/ cemetery wouldn't let her be buried in the cemetery. She was buried just outside of it. My grandma remembered going there with her brother, sister, and father. When she was older she remembered someone saying that the trucks go through that area. Now the area us basically a gravel road. There is no marker.