My Family History Research

I first submitted my DNA for testing in 2015, and only had a few matches. But more people tested and by late 2018, I was able to identify more than two dozen of my known relatives who had tested with Ancestry DNA. That is, I knew who they were, and how we were related. All were descendants of known immigrant ancestors to Buffalo and western New York.

I had explored our lineage with several other DNA cousins. In some cases we successfully identified their ancestors’ places of origin near Sandomierz in Russian Poland or Szembruk, West Prussia, even if we could not identify our most recent common ancestor(s).

So it was exciting when a fourth cousin and I were able to confirm our common ancestors across the pond! AncestryDNA reported that we shared 38 centiMorgans across 3 segments of DNA, and predicted our relationship would be fourth cousins. However, her ancestors had immigrated to Chicago, Illinois, and mine to Buffalo, New York. Our shared matches indicated we were related through my paternal grandmother’s Szczepanski and/or Kalinowski ancestors.

Although my DNA match’s Ancestry family tree was sparse with only four people, I recognized the Klugiewicz surname. In Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, author William “Fred” Hoffman explains that the Polish name Klugiewicz is derived from the German word klug meaning clever. The suffix -iewicz is a Polish patronymic/metronymic, indicating the offspring of, so according to their name, these are the descendants of a clever person.

My great-great-grandfather’s sister Katarzyna Kalinowska, born 20 Dec 1823 in Schönbrück, had married Józef Klugiewicz on 26 Oct 1846 in Groß Schönbrück, Graudenz, Marienwerder, Westpreußen, Preußen. Today it is Szembruk, Rogóźno, Grudziądz, in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland.

Was my DNA match a descendant?

Her father’s Social Security application record offered the first clue, identifying his father as John Klusiewicz, probably a transcription error for John Klugiewicz.

Name: Paul John Klugiewicz
[Paul Klugiewicz]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 19 Dec 1926
Birth Place: Chicago Cook, Illinois
Death Date: May 1981
Father: John Klusiewicz
Mother: Marie Sikorski
SSN: 353129254
Notes: 08 Dec 1983: Name listed as PAUL JOHN KLUGIEWICZ; 30 Dec 1987: Name listed as PAUL KLUGIEWICZ

Born in 1926, Paul lived at 2929 Springfield Avenue, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, with his parents John and Marie Klugiewicz in 1930, and with his parents and siblings at 185 South Whipple Street, Chicago, in the 1940 census.

John Klugewicz married Marianna Sikorska 18 Nov 1925. According to her 13 Feb 1929 naturalization petition as Marie Evelyn Klugiewicz, she was born 22 Jul 1905 in Gobin, Poland, and arrived in the United States 18 Nov 1908.

John Klugiewicz‘s entry in the Social Security Death Index identified his date of birth as 24 Jun 1902, which matched the census records. He died in May 1980.

Name: John Klugiewicz
SSN: 323-10-2615
Last Residence:
60030 Grayslake, Lake, Illinois, USA
BORN: 24 Jun 1902
Last Benefit: 60030, Grayslake, Lake, Illinois, United States of America
Died: May 1980
State (Year) SSN issued: Illinois (Before 1951)

John was in the 1910 census at 2229 Ridgeway Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, with his parents Frank and Jennie Klugiewicz. Frank is an Americanized version of the Polish name Franciszek. Jennie is an American name for the Polish name Joanna.

Franciszek Klugiewicz married Johanna Sztral on 17 Sep 1889 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, Illinois. The church record said that Franciszek was 24 years old, a resident for 2 years, living at 665 Noble, the son (syn) of Józef and Katarzyna K[a]linowska, born (urodzony) in Szembruk. [1]

Johanna Sztral was 19 years old, a resident for 8 years, living at 261 Walenic (sp?), the daughter (córka) of Jędrzej Sztral and Marjanna Zaremba. Joanna‘s place of birth was Rogóźno, near Szembruk in West Prussia. In the Roggenhausen/Rogóźno records, her father’s name was Johann Strahl, and he and Marianna Zaremba were married in Rogóźno on 10 Feb 1861.

Frank Klugiewicz died 16 Oct 1943 in Chicago. Illinois death records also show Frank‘s parents were Joseph Klugiewicz and Catherine Kalinowski.

Name: Frank Klugiewicz
Birth Date: abt 1872
Death Date: 16 Oct 1943
Death Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Death Age: 71
Gender: Male
Father Name: Joseph Klugiewiez
Mother Name: Catherine Kalinowski
Spouse Name: Johanna
FHL Film Number: 1953889

The Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) filmed the early Parish registers of births, marriages, and deaths of the Catholic church, Sw. Bartłomieja (St. Bartholomew) in “Groß Schönbruck (Kr. Graudenz), Westpreußen, Germany; now Szembruk (Grudziądz), Bydgoszcz, Poland. Text in Latin, Polish and German.”

Franz Klugiewicz was born 6 Oct 1864 to Joseph Klugiewicz and Catharina Kalinowska. He was baptized 16 Oct 1864 at Kościół św. Bartłomieja in Szembruk/Groß Schönbruck. Franz is the German form for the Polish name Franciszek. Catholic churches in Prussia listed Latin, German, and Polish names in their records.

In some of the earliest entries of the parish, three of the children of Adalbert Kalinowski and Anna Szynkowska were listed sequentially. Marianna was born in 1819, Catharina in 1823, and Joannes in 1824.

Adalbert is the Latin form for the Polish name Wojciech. Catharina is the Latin form for the Polish name Katarzyna. Joannes is Latin for the German name Johann and the Polish name Jan, or John in English. Since our ancestors were Polish and spoke the Polish language, I use their Polish names as primary, and list other names they used in my records.

Here is a graphical representation of our relationship, going back to our great-great-great-grandparents Wojciech Kalinowski and Anna Szynkowska, through the siblings Katarzyna and Jan Kalinowski, whose children Franciszek Klugiewicz and Anna Kalinowska Szczepańska immigrated to America in the 1880s.

As predicted by the Ancestry DNA estimate, we really are fourth cousins!

[1] Other DNA matches’ great-grandparents, Katarzyna Kiersznowska and Franciszek Niewirowski, married at St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois, on 27 November 1885. Although Katarzyna‘s mother had been born Ludwika Kalinowska about 1844, we could not find her birth record or a common ancestor, although we did find other family records in Szembruk and nearby Szynwałd. See Kalinowska from Szembruk, West Prussia: Looking for Common Ancestors and Szennato, Szynnato? Szynwałd, Groß Schönwalde! Deciphering Polish/Prussian Place Names.

Sources

“LDS Family History Library, “Szembruk (Grudziądz),” database, Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 2018), Joseph Klugiewicz and Catharina Kalinowska; citing Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Groß Schönbrück – Church records.

Social Security Administration, “U.S. Social Security Death Index,” database, Social Security Applications and Claims (: accessed 25 December 2018), Paul John Klugiewicz, Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

1930 Federal Census, Illinois, population schedule, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA, Paul J Klugewicz; digital images, HeritageQuest (heritagequestonline.com : accessed 25 December 2018). Year: 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 1345; FHL microfilm: 2340208.

1940 Federal Census, Illinois, population schedule, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, Paul Klugiewicz; digital images, HeritageQuest (heritagequestonline.com : accessed 25 December 2018). Year: 1940; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00966; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 103-1450

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 July 2018), memorial page for Paul J. Klugiewicz (1926–1981), Find A Grave Memorial no. 130212066, citing Highland Memorial Park, Libertyville, Lake County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Joseph Slak (contributor 47751241) .

Social Security Administration, “U.S. Social Security Death Index,” database, Death Master File (: accessed 25 December 2018), John Klugiewicz, 323-10-2615, before 1951. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2014.

“Ancestry,” database, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed 26 December 2018), Marianna Sikorski; citing Passenger Lists. Year: 1908; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 1169; Line: 23; Page Number: 78

“Bremen Passenger Lists,” database, Bremen Chamber of Commerce and the Bremen Staatsarchiv, Gesellschaft für Familienforschung e.V. Bremen (http://www.public-juling.de: accessed 26 December 2018), Marianna Sikorski; citing Passenger Lists. Staats Archiv Bremen; Bremen, Germany; Bremen Passenger Lists; Archive Number: STAB_4,57/5-65_M

Bremen Passenger Lists (the Original). Staats Archiv Bremen. http://www.passengerlists.de/: accessed 3 March 2014.

Mrs Marie Evelyn Klugiewicz, Petition Number: 71208, , Illinois; 1907-1966; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D. C. National Archives at Chicago; Chicago, Illinois; ARC Title: Illinois, Petitions for Naturalization, 1906-1991; NAI Number: 593882; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: RG 21 Naturalization Records. National Archives at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

Illinois, State Deaths and Stillbirths, Deaths, File Number: 45421, Marie Evelyn Klugiewicz, 15 August 1979; Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois. Cook County Clerk. Cook County Clerk Genealogy Records. Cook County Clerk’s Office, Chicago, IL: Cook County Clerk, 2008.

“PGSA Database,” database, Polish Genealogical Society of America, (pgsa.org: accessed 26 December 2018), Frank Klugiewicz, Joanna Sztral; citing Polish church records.

Illinois State Deaths and Stillbirths, Death, Frank Klugiewicz. “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

LDS Family History Library, “Szembruk (Grudziądz),” database, Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 28 December 2018), Franz Klugiewicz; citing Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Groß Schönbrück – Church records.

“PGSA Database,” database, Polish Genealogical Society of America,  (pgsa.org: accessed 26 December 2018), Dziennik Chicagoski  Franciszek Klugiewicz; citing Polish church records. Death Records – Dziennik Chicagoski Death Notices 1930-1971

“PGSA Database,” database, Polish Genealogical Society of America,  (pgsa.org: accessed 26 December 2018), PRCUA Insurance Franciszek Klugiewicz. Claim Date 16 Oct 1943, Claim Number 41849, Data Records – Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Insurance Claim Records (PRCUAInsurance)

Illinois Cook County Marriages 1871-1920, Marriage, Frank Klugewicz, Johanna Stia. Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Illinois Department of Public Health records. “Marriage Records, 1871–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

“PGSA Database,” database, Polish Genealogical Society of America,  (pgsa.org: accessed 26 December 2018), Frank Klugiewicz, Joanna Sztral. St. Stanislaus Kostka

1910 Federal Census, Illinois, population schedule, Chicago Ward 27, Cook, Illinois, Johny Klugiawicz; digital images, HeritageQuest (heritagequestonline.com : accessed 25 December 2018). Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 27, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_270; Page: 40A; Enumeration District: 1190; FHL microfilm: 1374283

1930 Federal Census, Illinois, population schedule, Frank Klugiewicz Year: 1930; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Page: 26A; Enumeration District: 1344; FHL microfilm: 2340208

1940 Federal Census, Illinois, population schedule, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, , Frank Klugiewicz. Year: 1940; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00991; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 103-2175

LDS Family History Library, “Roggenhausen (Graudenz),” database, Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 30 December 2018), Joanna Strahl; citing Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Roggenhausen – Church records.

“PGSA Database,” database, Polish Genealogical Society of America,  (pgsa.org: accessed 26 December 2018), Dziennik Chicagoski  Joanna Klugiewicz  (Strahl). Death Records – Dziennik Chicagoski Death Notices 1930-1971

LDS Family History Library, “Roggenhausen (Graudenz),” database, Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 30 December 2018), https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZL-891G-N?i=294&cat=307697, Johann Strahl and Marianna Zarembka.

Illinois State Deaths and Stillbirths, Death, John Strahl. Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Illinois, Cook County Deaths 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health. “Birth and Death Records, 1916–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

“LDS Family History Library, “Szembruk (Grudziądz),” database, Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 2018), Marianna, Catharina, and Joannes, children of  Adalbert Kalinowski and Anna Szynkowska; citing Germany, Preußen, Westpreußen, Groß Schönbrück – Church records.