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Descendants of Michal Maciejewski (Maciones) ~

Generation No. 2


2. ADELA2 MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES) ~ (MICHAL1 MACIEJEWSKI (MACIONES) ~) was born Abt. Dec 1862 in Pilwiszki, Suwalki Province, Poland-Russia, and died 04 Oct 1903 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. She married BRANISLAW FRANCISZEK STRZYZOWSKI ~ 08 Jul 1882 in Warszawa, Warszawskie Province (?), Poland-Russia, son of JULIAN STRZYZOWSKI and PELAGIA BABIANSKA. He was born Abt. 03 Mar 1858 in Wladyslawow, Suwalki Province, Poland-Russia, and died 18 Feb 1907 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Notes for ADELA MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES) ~:
Pilwiszki, Adela's place of birth, is located on a small river -- the Szeszupa -- about 30-40 km north of the modern Polish border in contemporary Lithuania. It is now called "Pilviskiai" (see also http://www.lietuva-jums.lt/IMI/i_en.jsp?nr=pilviskiai_sen_istorijos_apzvalga). She was still using the surname Macjonas at the time of her marriage in July 1882. At the time of her marriage she had been living in the Parish of St. Alexander in Warsaw "under number 1712A". This latter number is the "mortgage number", and appears to correspond to what is now 2 Krucza Street [correspondence with Jadwiga Weralska (igswer@friko6.onet.pl), 9 March and 15 April 2000 - JTS].

The following entry from the 15-volume Polish gazetteer Slownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów slowianskich, published 1880-1902, was translated at my request [JTS] by William F. Hoffman and published in Rodziny, the newsletter of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, in its Winter 2004 issue:

"Pilwiszki [now Pilviskiai, Lithuania], a municipal settlement, before 1867 a small town, on the river Szeszupa [Šešupe] by the mouths of the rivers Pilwa [Pilve] and Wysoka [Višakis], in Maryampol [Marijampole] county, Pilwiszki gmina and parish. This settlement has a scenic location on an elevated bank of the river. It is 27 km. from Maryampol, 15 km. from Wylkowyszki [Vilkaviškis]. It has a wooden parish church, the gmina office, an elementary school, a pharmacy, and a railroad station of the Warsaw-St. Petersburg line on the branch running from Kowno [Kaunas] to Ejtkuny [now Chernyshevskoye, Kaliningrad oblast, Russia], 31 km. from Wierzbolowo [Virbalis], and 93 km. from Koszedary [Kaišiadorys]. The settlement has 157 houses and 2,291 inhabitants. In 1827 there were 81 houses there, with 888 inhabitants; in 1862 there were 226 houses with 1,889 inhabitants.

"Pilwiszki arose on the grounds of extensive forests that comprised royal estates. Originally a village, in 1536 it received a town charter. The absence of favorable conditions limited the town's development, and it took on the character of a village; it was not until 1792 that a new charter issued by Stanislaw August restored its status as a town and returned privileges to its populace that the abuses of starostas [starosta - a kind of district foreman, a royal official in Poland in the 14th-18th centuries, in charge of treasury and police activities, and the judiciary. His office, property, or jurisdiction was called a starostwo, which could be grodowe, affiliated with a gród (q. v.), or niegrodowe [gród - a settlement enclosed by walls or ramparts, some dating back to the Neolithic period. In the Middle Ages it served as a fortification and a center of political or administrative authority; some later developed into towns-cmp. Russian 'gorod', the modern word for "town, city."]] had usurped. In 1709 the starosta of Pilwiszki, Szczepan Chrapowicki, founded a church and parish here. Pilwiszki is known for its cattle and horse fairs. Currently 6 fairs are held there each year. The parish of Pilwiszki, in the deanery of Maryampol (formerly Sapiezyszki [Zapyškis]) has 7,003 souls.

"The gmina of Pilwiszki belongs to the gmina court district No. 2 in Debowa Buda [Ažuolu Buda], and is served by the post office in Maryampol. The gmina includes these localities: Antonowo [Antanavas], Arzolupie [Aržuolupiai], Audeiszki [Audiejiške], Auksztyszki [? Aukštiške], Bartniki [Bartninkai], Biersztupie [Berštupis], Bierznowienie-Czepajcia [? Beržnaviene-Cepaiciai], Bierznowienie-Dabrowskich, Bogata [Bagatoji], Budwiecie Budvietis], Garbiszki [? Gabriške], Gieruliszki [Geruliške], Izdogi [? Išdagai] Male, Izdogi Nadwysokie, Jozuniszki [Juozuniške] Poparafialne, Jozuniszki Rzadowe, Jurksze [Jurkšai], Kalwa [Kalva], Karkliniszki [? Karkliniškes], Kiermusze [? Kermuše], Kirsnokiszki [Kirsnokiške], Krawniszki [? Kriauniške], Kuczyszki [Kuciške], Linksmokalnie [Linksmakalnis], Mejsztyszki [Meistiške], Pilwiszki, Pinczyszki [? Pinciškiai], Poprudzie [Paprudžiai], Potaszniki, Skindeliszki [Skindeliške], Stejniszki [Stainiške], Stepkiszki [Stepkiške], Szatmusie [? Šakmušis], Szaudynie [? Šiaudyniai], Szaudadusze [Šiadaduše], Szlurpkiszki [Šliurpkiške], Tymienszczyki [Timinciške], Ubognowina, Uszpilnie [? Užpilviai], Uszprudzie [? Užprudziai], Warakiszki [Varakiške], Wójty [Vaitai], and Wysokiszki [? Visakiškiai].

"Pilwiszki forest district has 47,601 mórgs [mórg - a unit of land measurement, also called jutrzyna; according to Gerald Ortell's book on Polish parish records, in the Russian partition 1 mórg = 1.388 acres, in the Prussian 1 mórg = 0.631 acres, in Galicia 1 mórg = 1.422 acres] of land and is divided into sections called Wilemska, Sparwinie, Girniki [? Girnikai], and Klampupie [? Klampupiai]. In 1861 a marksman's school for the gubernia [gubernia - from Russian 'guberniya', a province in the Russian Empire] of Augustów was held in this forest district. In 1828 amber was discovered here; the treasury received a total of 1,093 silver rubles for the right to mine it.

"Pilwiszki starostwo, not affiliated with a gród, was in Troki [Trakai] province, Kowno county. According to 1866 treasurers' lists it consisted of the town of Pilwiszki and the Giwaltowo [? Gavaltuva] estate with appurtenances, owned by Chrapowicki, Orsza marshal, who paid a kwarta [kwarta - literally "a fourth," an ancient tax paid toward the upkeep of the army] of 3,084 zlp. and 4 gr., and a hyberna [hyberna - from Latin hibernus, "winter," a tax paid toward the maintenance of the army during winter] of 1,246 zlp. The Sejm of 1773-1775 bestowed emphyteutic [emphyteutic (in Polish empfiteutyczny) - referring to a long-term lease or deed of unused property requiring the owner to improve it; the Latin term emphyteusis refers specifically to lease of church property] ownership of this starostwo on Jacek Paszkowki, master of the equerry for the province of Brzesc Litewski, and he paid a kwarta of 3,533 zlp. [Br[onislaw] Ch]-Vol. 8, p. 147].

"[For more information on Pilwiszki, and especially its Jewish community, see http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Pilviskiai/pilvisk.html]. The address of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Pilviškiai is: Švc. Trejybes, Vasario 16-osios g. 26, Pilviškiai, LT-4273 Vilkaviškio r., LITHUANIA.]"

The following is taken from http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Pilviskiai/pilviskiai1.html:

"Pilviskiai(Pilvishok)
"Written by Yosef Rosin.

"English Edited by Sarah and Mordechai Kopfstein.

"Pilvishok - as it was called by the Jews - is situated in the south-western part of Lithuania, where the stream Pilve flows into the river Sesupe, and is near the St.Petersburg-Berlin railway line. In the 16th century a village with that name had already existed there. In 1792 the town was granted the Magdeburg rights.

"Until 1795 Pilvishok was part of the Polish Lithuanian Kingdom, but after the third division of Poland by the three superpowers of those times - Russia, Prussia and Austria - Lithuania became partly Russian and partly Prussian. The part of the state on the left side of the Neman river (Nemunas), including Pilvishok, was handed over to Prussia, and this town, then called Pilwischken, was under Prussian rule from 1795 until 1807, during which it served as a county center. In 1797, its 67 houses were inhabited by 338 people.

"After Napoleon defeated Prussia, and in accordance with the Tilzit agreement of July 1807, Polish territories occupied by Prussia were transferred to what became known as the "The Great Dukedom of Warsaw", established at that time. The King of Sachsonia, Friedrich August, was appointed Duke, and the Napoleonic code became the basis of the constitution of the Dukedom, according to which everybody was equal before the law, except for the Jews who were not granted any civil rights.

"During the years 1807-1813, Pilvishok belonged to the "Great Dukedom of Warsaw", being part of the Bialystok district. During these years it was a poor town with 350 inhabitants. The Napoleonic code was then introduced in this region, remaining in effect even during the Lithuanian period.

"In 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon, all of Lithuania was annexed to Russia. As a result, Pilvishok was included in the Augustowa Region (Gubernia), being part of the Suwalk Gubernia and a county center in 1866.

"In 1827 the population of Pilvishok counted 888 persons. In 1862 the railway line from St.Petersburg to Berlin was constructed, as a result of which Pilvishok started to develop. A railway station was built near the town and this enabled the export of agricultural goods, horses and poultry, to Prussia.

"Pilvishok suffered from big fires in 1887 and 1906. In February 1915, during WW1, the German army occupied the town. In May of the same year the Russian army bombed the town, causing big fires. German rule continued till 1918, after which the independent Lithuanian state was established.

"During the period of independent Lithuania (1918-1940) Pilvishok was included in the Vilkovishk (Vilkaviskis) district as a county center, continuing to serve as such also during Soviet rule (1940-1941).

"On the 23rd of June 1941 the German army entered Pilvishok and ruled there, with all its murders and atrocities, till July 1944, when the Red Army recaptured the town. As a result of the heavy fighting the center of the town was totally ruined.

"Jewish Settlement till After World War I

"Jews settled in Pilvishok during the second half of the 18th century. They peddled goods in neighboring villages and would return home only for Shabbath and holidays. Jewish artisans, such as tailors, a baker, candle makers etc. made a living there, and there were Jews owning shops and taverns, a brick factory, a wool combing workshop and a dyeing plant.

"The railway station on the line of St.Petersburg-Berlin and the proximity to the Prussian border (about 30 km) enabled fair conditions for trade with Germany. The Jews dealt in exporting grain, flax, horses and poultry, mainly geese which were bought all over Russia and then loaded on to the train in Pilvishok and sent to Germany.

"In 1865, 1,568 people lived in Pilvishok, of whom 976 were Jews (62%). Several Pilvishok Jews appear in a list of emigrants from 1869/70: Sarah Gotshtein, M.Skeshevsky, Bialoblotsky.

"A few years before the war Jewish merchants began to import chemical fertilizer and agricultural machines for the nearby farmers, and several Jewish families were farmers themselves.

"The great fire of 1887 caused about 300 Jewish families to become impoverished and miserable. The issue of "HaMeilitz" (The Hebrew newspaper published in St.Petersburg) dated 15th of August 1887 and signed by the local Rabbi Ya'akov-Meir Levin, published a moving call asking for help for victims of the fire."

The Lithuanian State Historical Archives, in correspondence dated 26 September 2001, wrote "According to our data vital records of Pilviskes Roman Catholic Church had not been received for keeping. We have doubts if they exist any more. They may have been destroyed during the wars or in fires."

Adela left for the United States on 12 August 1892, sailing from Hamburg on the Fuerst Bismarck of the Hamburg-America line, whose master was Capt. Albert. She arrived in New York on 20 August 1892. She was accompanied by her father, Michal (from the Hamburg Passenger Lists, index to direct lists, Jan-Aug 1892, LDS microfilm 0473096, Band 44). It's possible that this wasn't her first trip to the U.S., since the 1900 census indicated that she had immigrated to the U.S. in 1889.

From http://www.fortunecity.com/littleitaly/amalfi/13/shipdf.htm:

"The 'Furst Bismarck' was built by A.G.Vulcan, Stettin for the Hamburg America Line and was laid down as the 'Venetia' but launched as the 'Furst Bismarck'. She was a 8,430 gross ton ship, length 502.6ft x beam 57.6ft, three funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 19 knots. There was accommodation for 420-1st, 172-2nd and 700-3rd class passengers. Launched on 29/11/1890, she left Hamburg on her maiden voyage to Southampton and New York on 8/5/1891. On 27/3/1894 she commenced her first voyage from Genoa to Naples and New York and continued this service during the winter months until commencing her last Naples - New York voyage on 26/1/1902. She started her last Hamburg - Southampton - New York voyage on 5/11/1903. She was sold to Russia in 1904, converted to an auxiliary cruiser and renamed 'Don'. In 1906 she went to the Russian Volunteer Fleet, was renamed 'Moskva' and from 13/5/1907 she ran between Libau, Rotterdam and New York. She made 4 round voyages, and in 1913 was sold to the Austrian Navy who renamed her 'Gaea' and used her as a depot ship. Seized by Italy at the end of the Great War, she was rebuilt and renamed 'San Giusto' for the Cosulich Line. In 1921 she made one round voyage from Trieste to Naples and New York and was scrapped in Italy in 1924. If you should order photos of this vessel, be sure to specify the date as there was a later 'Furst Bismarck' belonging to Hamburg America Line, built in 1905" [Posted to The ShipsList by Ted Finch - 29 October 1997].

Lulu Kwasniewski, who after 1915 or so was married to Edward Kwasniewski, the man who took responsibility for raising Adela's son Edward after both she and Edward's father had died, always suggested that Adela was at some time or another a pianist for Madame Modjeska, the immensely famous Polish vocalist of the late 19th century.

The 1900 census, volume 38, enumeration district 460, sheet 14, line 81 (compiled door-to-door on 9 June 1900) lists Adela as "living alone" at that time (at 215 W. North Avenue, a place listed under Branislaw's name at least since 1897 in the Chicago Directory). She listed her occupation as "drug business" (when Branislaw finally listed himself in the Chicago Directory as both a druggist and physician, in 1899, the North Avenue address seemed to be associated with the former business). She indicated that she could read and write, and that she could speak English. Her home was rented, and she did not indicate that she had been naturalized at that time.

In enumeration district 485, sheet 16, line 81 (also compiled on 9 June 1900), Branislaw and Adela are both listed as living at 1025 N. Hoyne Avenue. This page is difficult to discern, but it seems to say that Branislaw was born in January 1858 and that Adela was born in August 1862. They asserted that they had been married for 18 years and that Adela had had three children, none of whom was living.

A certificate of death from Saint Hyacinth Church (formally St. Jacek), 3636 Wolfram Street, Chicago, Illinois 60618, indicates the date of death as 5 October 1903, but both the Chicago Bureau of Vital Statistics report of death and an obituary in Dziennik Chicagoski indicate that death occurred at about 8:00 a.m. on 4 October. The latter two records suggest that she was 35 when she died, and the Saint Hyacinth Church record indicates that she was 36. One of the two 1900 census records (North Ave.) indicates that Adela was born in December of 1866, making her 36 when she died, thus confirming the Saint Hyacinth record. The other census Her marriage record, though, indicates that she was 19 in July 1882. If this is correct, and if her birthday was in December, then she would have been born in 1862. That date has been tentatively accepted here [correspondence with Jadwiga Weralska (igswer@friko6.onet.pl), 9 March 2000 - JTS].

The most important piece of data from the Saint Hyacinth record, however, is the first indication of Adela's mother's first name, given as Marta (Maciejewska). Later information indicates that her full given name was Marianna.

More About ADELA MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES) ~:
Address: 09 Jun 1900, 215 W. North Avenue in Chicago (15th ward).
Burial: 07 Oct 1903, Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; block 10, plot 437. There is no headstone [visited the cemetery and found the plot 4 September 1999 -- JTS].
Emigration: 1892, Poland-Russia

Notes for BRANISLAW FRANCISZEK STRZYZOWSKI ~:
There are four conflicting reports of Branislaw's date of birth: 1) the Undertaker's Report of Death, filed with the Chicago Department of Health, indicates that Branislaw was born about 3 March 1859. 2) The records at Graceland Cemetery suggest that he was born around 3 October 1859. In each of these two cases, this birth date has to be calculated by using the number of years, months, and days mentioned in the record as his age. In the Undertaker's Report, it is listed as 47 years, 11 months, 15 days. In the Graceland record, it appears as 47 years, 4 months, 15 days. One suspects a confusion in interpreting a hand-written number as between '4' and '11'. Since the Graceland record I have is typed, it may well be a copy of an earlier, hand-written record. For now, I suspect the March birth date is more likely to be accurate from among these two conflicting possibilities. But there is also 3) his marriage record, which indicates that he was 24 on 8 July 1882, and 4) the 1900 census which seems to suggest that he was born in January of 1858. I've accepted 1858, in part because of the marriage record and in part because 1) the Lithuanian State Archives searched the church records for 1856-57 and 1859-62 without finding a birth record, and 2) the State Archives is missing the records for 1858.

Branislaw's place of birth is listed on his 1882 wedding record as "a district capital of Wladyslawow-Suwalki Province (Guberniya)". The town of Wladyslawow (or Wladislavovo) that belonged to Suwalki province in the mid-nineteenth century is now the small town of Kudirkos Naumiestis, in the Sakiai district of modern Lithuania [from Stanislovas Svedarauskas (gtc@post.omnitel.net), Center of Genealogical Research, Vilnius, 12 June 2000]. Branislaw's death record indicated that he was born in Mariampol, also in Suwalki province, but this seems unlikely since there are records indicating that Branislaw's parents were married in Wladyslawow in 1855 and that a sister was born there in 1856. The county of Wladyslawów, however, was created in 1867 from the western half of the former Maryampol county (see below), and perhaps this accounts for the entry on the death record.

Wladyslawów was also known as Naishtot and Novomiasto from time to time since the sixteenth century. Its modern Lithuanian name, Kudirkos Naumiestis, memorializes the doctor and poet Vincas Kudirka, who wrote the Lithuanian national anthem and was born and buried there.

The following entry from the 15-volume Polish gazetteer Slownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów slowianskich, published 1880-1902, was translated at my request [JTS] by William F. Hoffman and published in Rodziny, the newsletter of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, in its Winter 2004 issue:

"Wladyslawów [now Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lithuania], 1) under Prussian rule called Neustadt, a county seat in Suwalki [Suvalkai] gubernia, [gubernia - from Russian 'guberniya', a province in the Russian Empire] in the area between the junction of the river Szeszupa [Šešupe] and its tributary on the left bank, Szyrwinta [Širvinta]. Wladyslawów lies on the border with Prussia, opposite the town of Szyrwinty [Širvintos, German name Schirwindt, now Kutuzovo, Russia] (in Pilkaly county) [German name Pikallen, East Prussia, now Dobrovol'sk, Russia], at 54ş 45'7" north latitude, 22ş53' east longitude, 388 km. from Warsaw, 102 from Suwalki, 18 from Wylkowyszki [Vilkaviškis]. It has a stone Catholic church, a branch of the Protestant church in Wierzbolowo [Virbalis], a synagogue, an elementary school, a justice of the peace court, the county administrative office, a town hall, a customs office, postal and telegraph stations, 332 houses, and 4,500 inhabitants (79% Jewish, 6.6% Protestant, 0.9% Orthodox). There are 6,189 persons registered as permanent residents, but 1,962 of them live in other parts of the country or abroad. In 1827 there were 229 houses and 3,213 inhabitants; in 1857 there were 366 houses (86 of stone) and 5,516 inhabitants (4,434 Jews, 450 Germans). That last figure undoubtedly includes the entire population entered in the register, as well as those who were staying elsewhere. The following factory works exist there: a cotton mill and a cotton cloth-printer.

"The land on which Wladyslawów stands belonged at one time to the jurisdiction of the starosta [starosta - a kind of district foreman, a royal official in Poland in the 14th-18th centuries, in charge of treasury and police activities, and the judiciary. His office, property, or jurisdiction was called a starostwo, which could be grodowe, affiliated with a gród (q. v.), or niegrodowe [gród - a settlement enclosed by walls or ramparts, some dating back to the Neolithic period. In the Middle Ages it served as a fortification and a center of political or administrative authority; some later developed into towns-cmp. Russian 'gorod', the modern word for "town, city"]] of Jurborg [Jurbarkas]. Queen Cecylia Renata owned this land as part of her dowry and founded the town there, naming it after her husband, Wladyslaw IV. On 26 March 1643 she issued a charter in Warsaw that made it a town under terms of Magdeburg law [Magdeburg law - a charter granted by a king or lord defining terms under which towns were incorporated, modeled on the charter of the east-central German city of Magdeburg (now in the Land of Saxony-Anhalt) formulated in the 13th century. The terms miasteczko, "small town," miasto, "town," and wies, "village," are legal definitions, used more precisely in Polish than in English, in which "town" may be used loosely for a community of almost any size]. A wójt [wójt - the administrative head of a gmina [gmina - administrative subdivision of a powiat, ruled by a council and a wójt. A gmina may encompass several villages, a combination of villages and smaller settlements, or a single large estate or town. In most cases the best way to translate it is "district," but you may also see it translated sometimes as "borough," "commune," or "township"]; in rural areas, chief officer of a group of villages, but in a town the wójt's duties were much like those of a mayor] had jurisdiction over the townsmen; the queen was supposed to appoint him from among the ranks of the nobility. The mayor, however, was supposed to be a townsman residing on this site, and the starosta was supposed to name him from candidates submitted by the townsmen. Appeals were to go first from the town council to the starosta, then to the queen. As a coat of arms the town received a stag's head with three stars between its antlers (see above). The town's endowment consisted of 32 wlókas [wlóka - a unit of land measurement used in Poland, more or less synonymous with lan [lan - a unit of land measurement used in Poland since the 13th century. It means "field," and originally was a term for a full-sized farm a peasant received from his lord, in return for work on the lord's land. In Malopolska the Franconian lan was used, 23-28 hectares; in Mazovia and Podlasie the Chelmno lan was 16.8-17.0 hectares; and in the Kingdom of Poland the New Polish wlóka was about 16.8 hectares]; it comes from the root in the verb wlóczyc, "to drag, harrow," thus referring to a field with soil plowed and harrowed and ready for planting. The wlóka was generally about 30 mórgs, but this can vary depending on what part of Poland and what time-frame one is concerned with. Generally 30 mórgs [mórg - a unit of land measurement, also called jutrzyna; according to Gerald Ortell's book on Polish parish records, in the Russian partition 1 mórg = 1.388 acres, in the Prussian 1 mórg = 0.631 acres, in Galicia 1 mórg = 1.422 acres] was considered a full-sized farm, big enough to support a family] of land. Permission was given to build a town hall with a clock, and a mill on one of the two rivers, as well as to organize guilds. In addition to weekly markets, three annual fairs were established. Jews were not allowed to settle there.

"A parish church made of wood was built there by the queen in 1647. A monastery of Carmelites was subsequently established next to the church, and it existed until 1805. In 1788 the Carmelites built a church of stone on the site of the previous wooden church. It's a sizable building and rather imposing, with three naves supported by six pillars and with two towers at the front. The bells were cast in Torun.

"Despite the ban on their settling in Wladyslawów, Jews were attracted by the town's advantageous location for trade on the border of Prussia. They began to settle there in large numbers, developing a trade in linseed and the products of Zmudz [Lithuanian name Žemaiciai, Latin name Samogitia-the lowlands of Lithuania]: corn, wool, honey, lumber, and skins. In 1800, of 2,320 inhabitants, two thirds were Jewish, and of the 230 houses, they owned more than half. Holsche says that they had attained such wealth that for some it was reckoned in the range of 10 to 50 thousand talars. Production of beer and vodka also developed there. The Jews collected revenue of 1,200 ducats from the town in leases; the excise tax came to 3,000 talars, and the town's yearly income came to 7,000 talars.

"The settlement, formerly impoverished, began to be built up quite nicely, and the streets were paved. A squadron of Hussars was stationed there. The inhabitants of Szyrwinty, on the other side [of the Szyrwinta river], wanted to share in its success, and around 1800 made efforts to combine both towns into a single one; but this was never accomplished.

"In 1842 the resettlement here of a larger and larger number of German Protestants led to the founding of a branch church of the Protestant congregation in Wierzbolowo [Virbalis]. The number of fairs, which had increased from the original 3 to 12, has recently been reduced to 6. In 1881 a large fire destroyed a significant part of the town.

"The county of Wladyslawów [powiat wladyslawowski] in Suwalki gubernia was created in 1867 from the western half of former Maryampol county, and covers 32.22 square milas [1 mila is about 7 kilometers]. It occupies the northwestern part of the gubernia. It is bordered on the south by Wylkowyszki county, and on the east by Maryampol county; the Niemen river [Nemunas] comprises part of the the eastern and northern border, dividing it from Kowno gubernia; and on the west the Szeszupa river separates the county from that of Pilkaly in East Prussia.

"The county occupies part of a lowland extending north of an elevated lake district to the Baltic. The average elevation is 180 to 200 feet. We find that the land here slopes downward from south to north and from southeast to northwest. The highest point is near Sudargi [Sudargas], not far from the Szeszupa, at an elevation of 277 feet. A slightly elevated wooded area stretches over the northern half, and its waters drain to the Szeszupa via two almost parallel rivers, the Jotyja [Jotija] and the Sesarka [? Siesartis]. They flow from the highest-elevated area, near Szaki [Šakai], which is where the Aukspirta begins, as well as the Penta, which flows into the Szeszupa near the village of Ponowie [Panoviai]. From the northeastern part of the county, which is elevated and wooded, three small rivers flow to the Szeszupa: the Wysoka [Višakis], the Milippa [Milupe] (at Tumpeje [Tumpai]) and the Nienuppa [Nenupe] (at Narwojcie [Norvaišai]). The right tributaries of the Szeszupa as a whole form the shape of a fan. Only small, short streams flow to the Niemen.

"The county's soil is quite fertile, partially composed of charnozem [a kind of dark soil], and is favorable for growing grains, flax, and potatoes. In 1887 the following amounts were sown in this county: 23,419 chetverts [chetvert - a unit of liquid measure from Russian 'chetvert', "quarter"] of winter corn, 39,657 of vegetables, and 24,431 of potatoes. The amounts harvested were 154,110 of winter corn, 176,209 of vegetables, and 211,936 of potatoes.The government-owned forests cover 40,225 mórgs of land and are divided into two forest districts, Gryszkabuda [Griškabudis] and Sudargi.

"The county's population grew from 64,396 in 1867 to 77,745 in 1890. There are 84,907 people registered as permanent residents, but 8,064 actually stay elsewhere. Among those registered as permanent residents, there are 139 followers of the Orthodox Church; 8,701 Protestants; and 10,704 Jews. Catholics comprise 77%, Jews 12%. Of the urban population, Jews comprise 92.4%, Protestants 6.6%. The Catholic population is Lithuanian, with a small admixture of the original Polish and Belarusian element in the noble and official classes; the rest are Jews and Germans.

"In terms of factory industry, the county is rather poor. In 1878 there were 11 small plants (38 workers), producing 89,515 silver rubles' worth of goods; 5 distilleries (20 workers), with products worth 85,828 silver rubles; and 4 small breweries, with products worth 2,400 silver rubles.

"Wladyslawów deanery, of Sejny diocese, consists of 12 parishes; Blogoslawienstwo [Plokšciai], Gielgudyszki [Gelgaudiškis], Gryszkabuda, Ilgowo [Ilguva], Kajmele [Kaimelis], Luksze [Lukšiai], Poniemon-Fergissa [Žemoji Panemune], Slowiki [Slavikai], Sudargi (also called Jansborg), Syntowty [Sintautai], Szaki, and Wladyslawów. As for educational facilities, in addition to 2-class public schools in Wladyslawów and Szaki, there are elementary schools in the following villages: Sudargi (two), Gryszkabuda, Barzdy [Barzdai], Slowiki, Luksze, Syntowty, Gielgudyszki, Pamiatka, Lokajcie [Lekeciai], and Blogoslawienstwo. In terms of the judiciary system, this county has a justice of the peace court of District II for the towns of Wladyslawów and Szaki, as well as four gmina courts in Slowiki, Syntowty, Blogoslawienstwo, and Lokajcie. These courts belong to district II of the conference of justices of the peace in Maryampol. In terms of administrative divisions, the county consists of two towns, Wladyslawów and Szaki, as well as 11 gminas: Blogoslawienstwo, Dobrowola [? Dabravole], Gielgudyszki, Gryszkabuda, Kidule [Kiduliai], Lesnictwo, Swiatoszyn, Syntowty, Szylgale [Šilgaliai], Tomaszbuda [Tamošbudis], and Zyple [Zipliai]. [Br Ch-Volume XIV, pp. 692-693].\\

"[Note: for those with Jewish ancestors from Wladyslawów, the July and December 2003 issues of Landsmen had special sections on its Jewish community; see page 27. Websites include www.jewishgen.org/Litvak/shtetls/skudirkosnaumiestisks.htm and www. shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Naishtot/naishtot1.html. The address of the Catholic church in Kudirkos Naumiestis, Discovery of the Holy Cross, is: Šv. Kryžiaus Atradimo, Bažnycios g. 28, Kudirkos Naumiestis, LT-4482 Šakiu r., LITHUANIA.]"

Branislaw appears to have been trained as a physician and surgeon before moving to the U.S. (judging from the fact that his school is not named in his 1891 license to practice medicine in Illinois; U.S. schools were routinely mentioned). His church marriage record indicates that he was a pharmacologist in 1882. The "List of Students of the Emperor's Warsaw University for the Academic Year 1880 /81" indicates that Branislaw was a second year pharmacy student in that year (his name also appears in the list of first year students in the previous year, 1879/80, under number 86 (there were 106 students at that year), but the document indicating this is at the Warsaw City Archives, and access is not simple. I have a photocopy of the 1880/81 student list -- JTS ). Since this program appears to have been a two-year program, this would indicate that he studied in Warsaw from 1879-1881. The information about Branislaw is included at the end of the document, under the annexed heading "The list of Pharmacists admitted to the Lectures at the Emperor's Warsaw University at 1880/ 81 Academic Year to Qualify for the Post of Druggist". Branislaw Franciszek Strzyzowski is the second year student listed at entry number 72. The document is in Russian, and Branislaw's name appears as "Strizowski Branislaw-Franz" [personal correspondence from Jadwiga Weralska (igswer@poczta.onet.pl), 8 January 2002 -- JTS].

Perhaps Branislaw and Adela met during the time Branislaw was studying at Warsaw.

It is possible that this was his only medical training, given the relatively liberal standards of the day in the United States, where he took up practice as both druggist and physician/surgeon during the 1890s.

Branislaw is described in his church marriage record as "previously living in Brzesc Litewski Parish and now belonging to the Warsaw Parish of St. John and living at number 497 A". This latter number is the "mortgage number" and appears to have been at what is now 3 Podwale Street in the Old Town of Warsaw (I have a photo, courtesy of Jadwiga Weralska -- JTS). Since that address had been occupied in 1854 by one Agnieszka Szczepanska, a cook, and since this surname is the surname of Adela's mother's family, it is possible that Branislaw did not actually live permanently at this address, but was staying there with relatives of his wife at the time of the wedding [correspondence with Jadwiga Weralska (igswer@friko6.onet.pl), 9 March 2000 and 12 April 2000 - JTS].

One possible scenario, therefore, is that Branislaw and Adela met in Warsaw during the academic years 1879-1881, Branislaw got a job as a pharmacist in Brest upon finishing his studies, banns were then published both in Brest and in Warsaw in 1882, and the wedding was held in Warsaw. It seems reasonable to suppose that the couple then returned to Brest, if Branislaw was indeed employed there.

His death report indicates that he had lived in Chicago for 18 years, indicating that he arrived there around 1889.

He received his license to practice medicine in Illinois in 1891 (from the AMA Directory for 1909: A Register of Legally Qualified Physicians in the U.S. and Canada, as reported to me by a librarian at the History of Medicine desk at the National Library of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University -- phone 301-402-8878). In this 1909 AMA Directory he was listed as having practiced at 2111 North Robey St. in Chicago (since Branislaw had died in February of 1907, it's not clear when this information might have been accurate; see below for other candidate addresses).

He may have been affiliated with St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Chicago, which had opened its doors on 12 October 1887. Ted Kwasniewski has the recollection that his own father (Edward Kwasniewski) and Branislaw may have invested substantial amounts in the St. Anthony's Hospital project of the All Saints Cathedral Parish. All Saints had broken away from Rome in 1895 after a conflict about clerical leadership within St. Hedwig's parish, and continues to flourish as a parish in the Polish National Catholic Church to this day. Here's what's said about the hospital project in "The History of All Saints Cathedral of the Polish National Catholic Church" (Chicago: All Saints Cathedral, 1996):

"Bishop Anthony Kozlowski [the focal point of the conflict in St. Hedwig's Parish and the first pastor of All Saints]...In 1898...joined with a group to build a hospital which turned into an unsuccessful venture. His counselors, having personal motives and gain in mind, persuaded Bishop Kozlowski to build a large four-story hospital, 168-foot facade (five hundred beds), which would also provide space for the elderly and for orphans. The cost for this facility was one hundred thousand dollars. He did not realize, however, that to undertake a project such as this, a large sum of money would be needed as well as knowledgeable personnel. Having been influenced to undertake this extraordinary project, he proceeded to borrow large sums of money from his friends and parishioners toward this magnificent hospital.

"As the building of the hospital progressed, because of indiscretion on the part of Bishop Kozlowski's counselors, the contributions of the parishioners' funds were depleted. As a result, the parishioners could not meet the payment due the contractors. Money which had been promised did not come in, and the venture ended in bankruptcy. Parishioners who lent Bishop Kozlowski large sums of money lost everything...(The structure still stands, and we know it as the Manchester Building)."

There is a Wadeslaw Strzyzowski listed in the 1888 Lakeside Annual Directory as living at 683 W. 18th; the name Wladyslaw Strzyzowski is listed separately as living at 690 Vanhorn (both listings on page 1633 of the general directory). In the business section of the directory, under "physicians and surgeons", only the name Wladyslaw is listed, but both addresses are given with this listing (p. 2143). There is no listing under "druggists" [from LDS microfilm #1376680].

There is a Wladislaw Strzyzowski listed as a physician and surgeon, but not as a druggist, in the 1889 Lakeside Annual Directory of Chicago, p. 2275. The copy is very hard to read, but it appears that his address is on Ashland, perhaps plus one or two other addresses (one of which looks vaguely like 723 W. something -- perhaps it's the 724 W. 18th address that appears later; see below) [from LDS microfilm #1376681].

Wladislaw is listed again in the 1890 Lakeside Directory, again under physicians and surgeons, and the address is listed as 826 S. Ashland Ave. Branislaw Strzyzowski is not listed [from LDS microfilm #1376683]. This is confusing, because only one physician with this surname was apparently licensed to practice medicine in Illinois during the 1890s, and it was Branislaw (and only after 1891 -- see below).

The 1891 Lakeside Directory lists three Strzyzowskis in Chicago: B.F. Strzyzowski is listed as a physician, address 1025 N. Hoyne Ave.; William Strzyzowski is listed as residing at 826 S. Ashland Ave.; Wladislaw Strzyzowski is listed as residing at 826 Ashland Ave., and as having another address at 179 W. 12th, where he is listed as a physician. None of the three are listed among druggists, while both B.F. and Wladislaw are listed among physicians and surgeons [from LDS microfilm #1376685].

Branislaw listed himself as a physician, working at the Hoyne Avenue address, in 1894 (see below for discussion of Wladislaw and William). In 1895, the general directory lists him as a physician, while the classifieds list him as a druggist, both at the Hoyne address. In the 1896 Directory, he listed himself as a druggist only, working from the Hoyne address.

In the 1897 Directory, he listed two addresses: Hoyne Avenue and 215 W. North Ave. He is still a druggist, and both addresses are listed in the business part of the Directory under "Druggists".

Branislaw is still listed as a druggist in the 1898 Chicago Directory, working from both addresses.

He lists himself as both druggist and physician in the 1899-1900 Chicago Directories; in 1899 the drug business is associated with the North Ave. address, while his physician's practice is associated with the Hoyne Ave. address. In 1901 he lists himself as a physician only, at the Hoyne address. The North avenue address is not mentioned.

The Chicago Directories raise an interesting puzzle. Before 1891, there is only one Strzyzowski listed: Wladislaw. In 1891, all three (Wladislaw, William, and Branislaw) are listed. From 1894 through 1898, there are two Strzyzowskis listed: Branislaw and Wladislaw in the first two years, the latter of which is replaced by William in 1896 and 1897; William is then replaced by Wladislaw in the 1898 Directory. Wladislaw is listed in 1894 and 1895 as practicing at 724 W. 18th and at (or, in one listing, "b." -- for "behind"?) 826 S. Ashland, the address listed for Wladislaw at least as early as 1889. The mention of 18th street then gets dropped after 1895, and William is listed as practicing at 826 S. Ashland Ave during 1896-97, while Wladislaw is listed as practicing there in 1898. During those years Branislaw is listed as practicing medicine in 1894-95, but only as a druggist in 1896-98. In 1899, there is only one Strzyzowski, and it's Branislaw. William and Wladislaw have disappeared [I have the Chicago Department of Health death report for Dr. Wladyslaw Strzyzowski, who died on 17 December 1898. His address was 826 S. Ashland, and he was buried in Graceland in December. The report says he was 36 years 10 months old when he died, suggesting that his birth in "Lroodn" or "Sroodn" or "Srooda" Poland (perhaps the modern Sroda, just to the southeast of Poznan?) had been in February 1862. The report also mentions that his occupation was "Physician" and that he had lived in Illinois for 14 years when he died -- JTS, 14 May 2000].

Now in 1899, for the first time, Branislaw lists himself both as a physician and as a druggist. The Ashland address is no longer associated with the name Strzyzowski as of that year, and Branislaw's work as a druggist and as a physician appears to be segregated between the North Ave. and the Hoyne Ave. addresses, respectively.

The puzzle? According to the librarian at the National Library of Medicine in Maryland, there was only one Strzyzowski licensed to practice medicine in Illinois during these years: Branislaw. The librarian speculates that Branislaw had three or four places of business, one of which (Ashland) was oriented to non-Poles, at least while the physician practicing there called himself William. This theory was dashed when Wladyslaw's death report was found (see above). Wladyslaw may quite possibly have used the name William, but it now is plain that he and Branislaw were different people. It had always seemed in to me in any case that at least part of the point of segregating the two businesses associated with Branislaw's name may have had to do with the different sorts of staffs that may have been hired to handle the two businesses. Adela appears to have been involved in the drug business, for example, and lists her address in the June 1900 census as the North Avenue address (although she also appears in that census at the Hoyne address, with Branislaw).

License or no license, there were two different Strzyzowskis practicing medicine in Chicago in the 1890s. For what it's worth: Ted Kwasniewski thinks that he had heard that Branislaw had come to the U.S. together with his own father (Edward Kwasniewski) and Branislaw's father, although this is hard to reconcile with Edward Kwasniewski's death certificate, which indicates that he was born in New York. We now know also that Branislaw's father had died before 1882, so this story is incorrect in all of its particulars. But perhaps Branislaw came to the U.S. with a brother or a cousin. Or perhaps the relative (Wladyslaw) came first, since the only vague information about Branislaw's arrival in Illinois suggests that it was in about 1889.

In enumeration district 485 of the 1900 federal census, sheet 16, line 81 (compiled on 9 June 1900), Branislaw and Adela are both listed as living at 1025 N. Hoyne Avenue. This page is difficult to discern, but it seems to say that Branislaw was born in January 1858 and that Adela was born in August 1862. They asserted that they had been married for 18 years and that Adela had had three children, none of whom was living.

Branislaw made his final oath, for the purpose of becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States, on 27 March 1901, renouncing any allegiance to the Emperor of Russia. One suspects he may not have had much allegiance in that direction in the first place. I have a copy of the relevant document, with his signature [jts].

Branislaw's death certificate indicates that he died of pulmonary tuberculosis (the "immediate and determining" cause) and heart failure (a "contributing cause or complication"). He is said to have died at 1066 N. Robey, in Chicago, which address is listed as his residence on his business card. A notice of his death in Dziennik Chicagoski says that this was also the address of the funeral home, but this may be a mistake (either in the original notice or in the translation).

A notice published by Edward Kwasniewski on 22 February 1907 reads as follows:

"We feel an obligation to give our heartfelt thanks to His Worship Father J. Piechowski, priest of St. Jadwiga's Parish, who, during the final moments (in memoriam) of Dr. B.F. Strzyzowski's life proved himself to be a good priest and a real patriot in the true meaning of the word.

"When called to the sick bedside, he forgot everything that had happened, hurried to his fellow Pole and lifted his spirits, gave hope to the oppressed soul of his unfortunate fellow countryman, helped to reconcile him with God, and so during the last moments of his life was truly an angel of comfort to the dying man.

"May then the Lord repay you, dear Father, because the family of the deceased cannot do so.

"We also thank His Worship Father Teofil Szypkowski, the organist, Mr. E. Wiedeman, as well as all those who contributed to this, that the funeral of (in memoriam) Dr. B.F. Strzyzowski was so stately.

"Once again, May God repay you!

"With deep regards.

"Edward Kwasniewski, friend, and Eddie Strzyzowski, his 6 year old son.

"Chicago, February 22nd, 1907"

More About BRANISLAW FRANCISZEK STRZYZOWSKI ~:
Burial: 21 Feb 1907, Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; block 24, plot 88. There is no headstone [visited the cemetery and found the plot 4 September 1999 -- JTS].
Emigration: Abt. 1889, Poland
Occupation: Physician and surgeon. His business card indicates that he had an office at Roth's Drug Store, in Chicago.

Marriage Notes for ADELA MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES) and BRANISLAW STRZYZOWSKI:
Adela and Branislaw were married in St. Alexander's Church, at Plac Trzech Krzyzy (Three Crosses Square). Their marriage record is listed in parish records for that year under entry number 150/1882 [correspondence with Jadwiga Weralska (igswer@friko6.onet.pl), 3 March 2000]. Here is a translation of the text:

"The ceremony took place in Warsaw, at the Parish of St. Alexander on the day of 26th of June / 8th of July, 1882, at 12:30 p.m.

"This is to state that in the presence of Michal Macjones, an officer aged 47 and Stanislaw Kondzerel (Kendzerel?), a (...), aged 35, both living in Warsaw, a marriage was contracted between Branislaw Franciszek Strzyzowski, a pharmocologist, 24 years old bachelor, born in a district capital of Wladyslawow-Suwalki Province (Guberniya), the son of the deceased Julian Strzyzowski, an officer and his wife Kazimiera nee Babianska, previously living in Brzesc Litewski Parish and now belonging to the Warsaw Parish of St. John and living at number 497 A and between Adela Macjunas, 19 years old lass staying by her parents, born in the town of Pilwiszki in the Suwalki Province, daughter of Michal Macjunas, a railway officer and his wife Marianna nee Szczepanska, living in this Parish under number 1712 A. The banns, as confirmed by the Dean of Brzesc on June 26, 1882 according to the old order, were announced under number 367 in the Brzesc Parish on June 13 and 20, 1882 per old order and were announced in St. John's Parish in Warsaw on June 11, 18 and 25, 1882. The newly married declared that they are not united by ties of consanguinity. (It took place before a big assembly of witnesses). The religious ceremony of matrimony has been confirmed by the local curate, Rev. Leopold Lytkowski.

"Signed by Branislaw Strzyzowski, Adela Macjonez the witnesses the priest(?)"

More About BRANISLAW STRZYZOWSKI and ADELA MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES):
Address (Marriage Pg): 1066 N. Robey St. in Chicago, Illinois
Marriage: 08 Jul 1882, Warszawa, Warszawskie Province (?), Poland-Russia
     
Children of ADELA MACIEJEWSKA (MACIONES) and BRANISLAW STRZYZOWSKI are:
  i.   KAZIMIERZ3 STRZYZOWSKI.
  ii.   ZOFIA STRZYZOWSKA.
  Notes for ZOFIA STRZYZOWSKA:
Zofia was known as "Zasha".

3. iii.   EDWARD JULIAN SANDERS (STRZYZOWSKI) ~, b. 28 Dec 1900, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; d. 18 Mar 1969, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.

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