My Family History Research

As I wrote in “Letters were Clues to Solowski Family Origins in Poland,” Genowefa Solowska Dojutrek‘s letters to Maryanna Witoń Solowska in the 1960s and 1970s provided the clues to Maryanna‘s husband Józef Solowski‘s origins in the old country.

Genowefa Dojutrek wrote to Maryanna Solowska from the village (wies) Piotrków in the powiat Bychawa in the voivodeship (województwo) Lublin of Poland. Genowefa was the daughter of Józef‘s brother Andrzej Solowski.

The gazetteer Skorowidz Królestwa Polskiego shows the Roman Catholic parish for Piotrków was Krzczonów. The Krzczonów church is Kościół Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the 1800s, this area was occupied by Russia, and after 1868, official records were required to be written in Russian. The name Solowski was most often seen as Соловский. In cursive Cyrillic script, Solowski looks something like this.

Piotrków, Krzczonów, Lublin, Congress Poland, Russia

Józef Solowski was born in Piotrków in 1885 and baptized in Krzczonów. His parents were Wojciech Solowski and Agnieszka Ziętek.

71 Piotrków

Took place in the village of Krzczonów on 4/16 March 1885 at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Appeared in person Wojciech Solewski aka Rucki, peasant, 30 years old, residing in the village of Piotrków, and in the presence of the witnesses Antoni Ziętek, peasant, age 27, residing in Piotrków and Wojciech Adamski, peasant, age 64, residing in Krzczonów, he presented to Us a male child stating that this child was born in the village of Piotrków today at 3 o’clock in the morning to his lawful wife Agnieszka née Ziętek, 27 years old. At the Holy baptism performed on this day this child was given the name Józef, and his godparents were Antoni Ziętek and Jadwiga Klimek. This document was read aloud to the illiterate present and signed only by Us.

1885 birth, Józef Solowski, son of Wojciech Solowski/Rudzki and Agnieszka Ziętek, Piotrków, Krzczonów, Lublin, Congress Poland, Russia

In Polish, Wojciech Solowski was also known as Wojciech Rudzki. Both names were also listed in his marriage record.

Stanisław Solowski was born in Piotrków in 1887 and baptized in Krzczonów. His parents were Wojciech Solowski and Agnieszka Ziętek.

120 Piotrków

Took place in the village of Krzczonów on 14/26 April 1887 at 6 o’clock in the afternoon. Appeared in person Wojciech Solowski, peasant, 32 years old, residing in the village of Piotrków, and in the presence of the witnesses Wawrzyniec Rozwalka, peasant, age 40, residing in Piotrków, and Wojciech Adamski, age 65, residing in Krzczonów, he presented to Us a child of male sex stating that this child was born in the village of Piotrków today at 4 o’clock in the morning to his lawful wife Agnieszka, née Ziętek, 29 years old. At the Holy baptism performed on this day by priest Bronisław Malinowski this child was given the name Stanislaw and his godparents were Wawrzyniec Rozwałka and Agata Solowska. This act was read aloud to the illiterate people present and signed only by Us.

1887 birth, Stanisław Solowski, son of Wojciech Solowski and Agnieszka Ziętek, Piotrków, Krzczonów, Lublin, Congress Poland, Russia

Wojciech Rudzki/Solowski and Agnieszka Ziętek were married in Krzczonów in 1878. Wojciech was the son of Wincenty Rudzki/Solowski and Katarzyna Gutek. Agnieszka was the daughter of Jan Ziętek and Marianna Mysłowska.

30 Piotrkówek

Took place in the village of Krzczonów on 19 September/1 October 1878 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We announce that in the presence of the witnesses Hieronim Klimek, age 28, and Jacób Samborski, age 23, both peasants, residing in the village of Piotrkówek, today a religious marital union was concluded between Wojciech Rudzki aka Solowski, bachelor, peasant, 23 years old, son of Wincenty, already deceased, and still living Katarzyna, née Gutek, the spouses Rudzki, peasants, born and residing in the village of Piotrkówek, and Agnieszka Ziętek aka Spolonka, a maiden, 20 years old, born and residing with parents in the village of Piotrkówek, daughter of Jan and Marianna, née Mysłowska, the spouses Ziętek. This wedding was preceded by three announcements of the banns in the local parish church of the village Krzczonów on 15,22,29 September of the current year. The newlyweds stated they did not conclude a prenuptial agreement. Permission for the wedding was given to the bride by her parents, who were present at the wedding ceremony, verbally. The religious wedding ceremony was performed by priest, vicar of this parish, Władysław Fralkowski. This act was read aloud to the illiterate people present and signed by Us only, administrar, abbot of this parish , keeper of civil registry.

1878 marriage, Wojciech Solowski/Rudzki and Agnieszka Ziętek/Spolonka, Piotrkówek, Krzczonów, Lublin, Congress Poland, Russia

Wojciech Solowski and Agnieszka Ziętek had the following children, baptized in Krzczonów, Lublin, Congress Poland, Russia:

• Marianna, born 1880; married Wojciech Ziętek, 1902.
• Franciszka, born 1882; married Jan Koziel, 1907.
• Józef, born 19 Mar 1884; married Maryanna Witoń, 26 Jan 1915, Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States; he died 17 Jul 1942, Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States.
• Stanisław, born in 1888; died 1 Jan 1946, Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States.
• Grzegorz (1889-1897)
• Jadwiga, born 1891; married Wojciech Skrzypek, 1912.
• Wawrzyniec (1894-1895)
• Karolina (1897-1897)
• Andrzej, born 1898; married Katarzyna Podsiadła, 1924.
• Anna (1901-1903)

Immigration to United States

Józef and Stanisław Solowski both immigrated to America.

Twenty-seven year old Józef Solowski arrived in New York 6 March 1912 on the ship Finland with two others from the village of Piotrków: Andrzej Poleszak and Paweł Rozwala.

Their stated destination was Little Falls, and they were going to join Łukasz Szacoń, son of Jan Szacoń and Marianna Szyszka, who was born in Krzczonów in 1875. Łukasz married Franciszka Skwarzyńska in Krzczonów in 1908.

Andrzej Poleszak, son of Józef Poleszak and Katarzyna Grzegorczyk, was born in 1880. He married Julianna Rozwałka in Krzczonów in 1907. Paweł Rozwałka, son of Wawrzyniec Rozwałka and Ewa Poleszak, was born in 1883. He married Marianna Mysłowska in Krzczonów in 1908. I do not know what happened to these men after they arrived in America.

Łukasz Szacoń and Józef Solowski made their way to Buffalo, New York.

Łukasz Szacoń‘s wife Franciszka arrived in Boston on the ship Blücher on 19 June 1913 with their children Józef and Katarzyna.

They were going to join Łukasz Szacoń at 152 Peter Street in Buffalo, Erie, New York.

Stanisław Solowski traveled to Canada on the ship Frankfort, arriving in Quebec on 10 May 2014 en route to Fort William in Ontario.

Stanisław joined his brother Józef Solowski at 563 Howard Street in Buffalo in August 1914.

Stanisław Solowski traveled by rail from Niagara Falls, Ontario, along with a brother-in-law Marcin Niedźwiedź, son of Jan Niedźwiedź and Marianna Podsiadła, who had married Franciszka Mysłowska in Krzczonów in 1911.

Marcin moved to Pennsylvania, where he married a woman named Józefa in 1916. Marcin Niedźwiedź was naturalized in Pittsburgh in 1935.

Buffalo, New York

When Józef Solowski and Maryanna Witoń married on 26 Jan 1915 at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo, Erie, New York, both resided at 217 Metcalfe Street. His name was spelled phonetically as Szolowski on the marriage certificate. He was 29 years old, a laborer, and his father was listed as Geo.. She was 19, her father was listed as Michal Witon, with no mother listed. The “Family of Maryanna Witoń Solowski” includes more information about this family.

George was sometimes used as an Americanized name for Wojciech. Since there is no English equivalent, men named Wojciech who wanted to assimilate in America would call themselves Adalbert, Albert, George, or whatever seemed appropriate. I wrote about another DNA relative whose ancestor did this in “From George Dobro to Wojciech Dobroch: Discovering an Original Polish Name.”

In 1920 and 1940, Stanley Solowski was a boarder with Luke Szacon and his family at 161 Metcalfe Street in Buffalo, Erie, New York.

In 1931, Jos (Mary) and Stanley Solowski were in the 1931 Buffalo city directory. Joseph and Mary Solowski lived at 25 Jones Street and Stanley Solowski at 161 Metcalfe Street.

In 1936, Stanley Solowski applied for Social Security and identified his parents as Wojciech Solowski and Agnieszka Zientek. The Polish letter ę sounds like “en” so Zientek is the phonetic equivalent of the Polish name Ziętek.

Stanley Solowski became a United States citizen 7 Jun 1938. That year, Jos (Mary) and Stanley were joined in the city directory by Joseph and Mary‘s children John J, Josephine M, and Stella C Solowski.

A granddaughter of Józef Solowski remembered her Aunt Josie telling stories about her grandfather’s brother Stanley. She said her aunt said he was “a drunk and was living with a married woman so he threw him out.”

When Stanley Solowski registered for the WWII draft, he identified Luke Szacor at 161 Metcalfe Street in Buffalo as the person who would always know his address.

Stanisław Solowski died 1 January 1946. He was buried at Saint Stanislaus Cemetery in Cheektowaga, Section FF. His nephew Jan Solowski died in 1939, and was also buried in Section FF.

Jozef and Mary Solowski are buried in Section LL, graves 1 & 2.

These are the four people named Solowski who are buried at Saint Stanislaus Cemetery in Cheektowaga, Erie, New York.

Sources

• File:Krzczonów-Wójtostwo, kościół par. p.w. Wniebowzięcia NMP, XVII, XIX, XXw.JPG commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35685845 By Ania Poleszak – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35685845.
• Barbara Ruppert, Gravefinder at St. Stans, (www.gravefinderatststans.com : accessed 21 May 2022).
• Lublin Roots, “Lubgens,” database, Lubelskie Korzenie (regestry.lubgens.eu: accessed 24 March 2022), Solowski Wojciech Krzczonów 56 1855 O:Wincenty, M:Katarzyna Gutek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Rudzki Wojciech Ziętek  Agnieszka Krzczonów  30  1878 On:O.Wincenty, M.Katarzyna Gutek. Ona:O.Jan, M.Marianna Mysłowska.
• Genealogical Translations, “Genealogical Translations,” database, private Facebook group, Facebook (facebook.com: accessed 26 March 2022), Solowski Rudzki Wojciech Ziętek  Agnieszka Krzczonów  30  1878.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Ziętek Agnieszka Krzczonów 6 1858 O:Jan, M:Marianna Mysłowska.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Rudzka, [zd.]Ziętek Agnieszka Krzczonów 152 1924 O.Jan, M.Marianna Mysłowska.
• Krzczonów, “Poland, Lublin, Krzczonów (Bychawa), Zivilstandsregister, 1908-1950,” database, LDS Family History Library, Family Search (familysearch.com: accessed 18 April 2022), Agnieszka Rudzka, [zd.] Ziętek; citing Poland, Lublin, Bychawa, Krzczonów – Civil registration.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowski Stanisław Krzczonów 120 1887 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• 1920 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 9, Erie, New York, enumeration district (ED) 72, Page: 5A, Stanley Saloski; digital images, National Archives (online : accessed 25 April 2022); Fourteenth Census of the United States.
• Social Security Administration, “U.S. Social Security Death Index,” database, Social Security Applications and Claims (online : accessed 24 March 2022), Stanley Solowski, 133100075, December 1936.
• Stanley Solowski, 7 Jun 1938, , U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York; 1907-1966; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D. C.
• 1940 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo, Erie, New York, enumeration district (ED) 64-125, Page: 5B, Stanley Solowski; digital images,  (online : accessed 25 April 2022); Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940.
• New York State, Department of Health, Vital Records Index, Death, Certificate Number: 1507, Stanley Solowski, 1 January 1946Albany, New York.
• Stanley Solowski, Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, New York, 4 July 1946, Vital Statistics page 29.
• St. Stanislaus RC Cemetery (Cheektowaga, New York), https://gravefinderatststans.com, Stanislaw Solowski.
• “Ancestry Passenger Lists,” database, Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed 25 March 2022), Stanislaw Solowski; citing Passenger Lists.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Grzegorz Solowski.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowski Grzegorz Krzczonów 202 1897 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowski Wawrzyniec Krzczonów 215 1894 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowska Karolina Krzczonów 242 1897 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowska Anna Krzczonów 226 1901 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Ziętek Wojciech Solowska  Marianna Krzczonów  52  1902.
• Szukaj w Archiwach, “Szukajwarchiwach,” database, Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, Szukajwarchiwach (https://szukajwarchiwach.pl: accessed 7 May 2022), https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/skan/-/skan/68c5ed1ee865f7fdb33d9ac45c112a96dfa2101373cab15ec4eb73796f6b9e79; citing State and other Archives in Poland.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowska Franciszka Krzczonów 219 1882 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Social Security Administration, “U.S. Social Security Death Index,” database, Social Security Applications and Claims (online : accessed 7 August 2015), Joseph Solowski, 134010718, January 1937.
• United States, Selective Service System, “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, National Archives and Records Administration (online : accessed December 2018), Joseph Solowski.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowski Józef Krzczonów 71 1885 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• “Passenger Lists,” database, The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, Ellis Island (www.libertyellisfoundation.org: accessed 20 March 2022), Jozef Solowski; citing ship manifests.
• Social Security Administration, “U.S. Social Security Death Index,” database, Social Security Applications and Claims (online : accessed July 2016), Joseph Solowski, 134010718, January 1937.
• New York State Vital Records Index, Cert. No. 38196? Buffalo, Jozef Solowski.
• St. Stanislaus RC Cemetery (Cheektowaga, New York), https://gravefinderatststans.com.
• Szolowski-Witon, (26 January 1915), Marriage Record: ; Erie County Courthouse, Buffalo, New York.
• New York State Vital Records Index, Marriage, Cert No. 1312, Mary Witon.
• 1920 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 8, Erie, New York, enumeration district (ED) 68, sheet 10-B, 138, Joseph & Mary Solewski; digital images, National Archives (online : accessed 2 April 2015); Fourteenth Census of the United States.
• 1925 New York State Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 09, Erie, Page Number: 54, Solowski; FHL microfilm .
• 1930 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo, Erie, New York, enumeration district (ED) 71, 12B, Joseph & Mary Solavoski; digital images,  (online : accessed 3 April 2015); Fifteenth Census of the United States.
• 1940 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, , enumeration district (ED) 64-127, Joseph & Mary Solowski; digital images,  (online : accessed 2 April 2015); Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940.
• National Archives, “World War II Draft Registration Cards,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed December 2018), Josef Solowski.
• “Polskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne,” database, Polish Genealogical Society, Geneteka (geneteka.genealodzy.pl: accessed 29 May 2019), 1893 194 Marianna Witoń Koprzywnica; citing church records or Urząd Stanu Cywilnego (Civil Registry Office).
• New York State Vital Records Index, Cert No. 82599, Jan Solowski.
• “Traffic Toll Rises,” Buffalo Courier Express, Buffalo, New York, 12 February 1939, page 1.
• “Involved in Fatal Crash, Driver Is Fined $10,” Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, New York, 17 March 1939, page 25, column 7.
• “Solowski Zmarł w Emergency Szpitalu,” Dziennik dla Wszystkich [Everybody’s Daily], Buffalo, New York, 13 February 1939. “Solowski Died in Emergency Hospital”.
• Jan Solowski, Dziennik dla Wszystkich [Everybody’s Daily], Buffalo, New York, 11 February 1939.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Solowska Jadwiga Krzczonów 290 1891 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.
• Roots, Lubelskie Korzenie, Skrzypek, [zd.] Solowska Jadwiga Krzczonów 57 1920 O.Wojciech, M.Agnieszka Ziętek.