Klein Family in Western New York
On 27 Oct 1913, Marta Szczepańska, the daughter of Martin Szczepański and Anna Kalinowska, married Feliks Klein, son of Joseph Klein and Marianna Chrzanowska, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Bennington, Wyoming, New York.
Both sets of parents had immigrated to the United States from West Prussia. The bride and groom were each born in Buffalo and baptized at Saint Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo, Erie, New York.
Martin and Anna Szczepański had come from Szembruczek, Grudziądz, in 1881. In German, it was Klein Schönbruck (Kr. Graudenz), Westpreußen. Now, Szembruczek is in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, or in Polish, województwo kujawsko-pomorskie. Marta was born in Buffalo and baptized on 15 April 1895.
Josef and Marianne Klein and three children Brunisław, Bronisława, and Martha arrived in New York, New York on the ship Eider from Bremen and Southampton on 18 Apr 1888.
1888 Klein Family, Castle Garden Search Result
1888 ship manifest, ship Eider from Bremen and Southampton to New York
Feliks Maryan Klein was born in Buffalo 21 Nov 1890 and baptized at St. Stanislaus Church in Buffalo, New York. Józef Klein‘s place of birth was identified as Kościelna Jania and Marya Chrzanowska‘s was listed as Leśna Jania. They were mistakenly identified as places in the Prussian province of Posen.
1890 Feliks Maryan Klein Baptism, St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York
Feliks‘ godparents were Benedykt Klein and Konstancya Klein. Benedykt was a tailor who had immigrated to the United States in 1880. Konstancya was the wife of Roman Klein, a shoemaker who had arrived in 1880.
Joseph and Maria Klein appeared in Buffalo, New York, in the 1892 New York State census with their children. Bronisławka, Anna, and Felix. Their daughter Martha was not listed with them.
1892 New York state census, Felix and Martha Klein, Buffalo, Erie, New York
On 23 Apr 1893, Helena Marta Klein was baptized at St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York.
1893 Helena Marta Klein Baptism, St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York
Helena Marta‘s godfather was listed as Michał Klein. In the first page of the marriage register of the newly founded St. Stanislaus Church in Buffalo, Michael Klein, son of Joannes Klein and Barbara Kotowska, married Marcjanna Ciężska, daughter of Adalbert and Agnes. Joannes is the Latin form for the Polish name Jan. Adalbert is the Latin form for the Polish name Wojciech.
1874 marriage register, St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York
In 1884, Jan Klein, son of Jan Klein and Barbara Kotowska, married Katarzyna Ƶyngier, daughter of Józef Ƶyngier and Katarzyna Mazurowska at St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York. Katarzyna was the godmother of Helena Klein in 1893.
1884 marriage register, St. Stanislaus RC Church, Buffalo, New York
I found a page in the St. Stanislaus baptism registers with twins Marta Aniela and Roman Benedykt born Sept. 16, 1887, to Michał Klein of Kościelna Jania and Martyna Cięzka. Martyna is Latin for the Polish name Marcianna/Marcjanna.
Michał, Jan, Roman, and Benedykt were Józef Klein‘s brothers.
Although the Szczepański family had already moved to Bennington, Wyoming, New York, for the 1900 census, the Joseph and Mary Klein family was at 74 Reed Street in Buffalo. The correction in the record suggests that Mary was Joseph‘s second wife, married in 1885. Felix’s half-sister Bronisława/Anna was listed as Agnes in the 1900 census, and she may have been Anna Klein who married Bolesław Kapanek about 1904. John Klein, age 48, was listed as a boarder with Joseph and Mary in 1900.
1900 census, Joseph and Mary Klein, Buffalo, Erie, New York
By 1910, the Joseph Klein family had moved to Bennington, New York. In the census, Felix Klein was listed as a farm hand with his sister Helen and her husband Arthur Fox on Harlow Road in Darien, New York.
1910 census, Joseph and Mary Klein, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
Joseph Klein died 26 Nov 1912. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Bennington, Wyoming, New York. With her younger sons, Mary Chrzanowska Klein moved to 47 Rich Street in Buffalo, New York, before her death in the 1930s.
After their 1913 marriage, Felix and Martha Klein lived on Town Line Road in Bennington, Wyoming, New York for the 1915 census.
1915 New York state census, Felix and Martha Klein, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
But when Felix registered for the World War I draft in 1917, the couple lived at 219 Loepere Street in Buffalo, New York, with their two children. The family was at the same address for the census in 1920.
World War I draft registration, Felix Klein, Buffalo, New York
By the 1925 New York census, Felix F. and Martha Klein had moved to Allegany Road in Bennington Center, New York. Felix also used the middle name Florian, because it was the name listed in 1942 when he signed up for the World War II draft.
WWII Draft Registration, Felix Florian Klein, Bennington, NY
Felix and Martha farmed for many years in Bennington before they retired to 1910 Sharrick Road, in Darien, Genesee, New York. They both died in 1964, and were laid to rest in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Bennington, Wyoming, New York.
The children of Feliks Klein and Marta Szczepańska were:
- Franciszka KLEIN (1914-1993)
- Teresa KLEIN (1916-2005)
- Leo Albert KLEIN (1920-1977)
- Clara KLEIN (1923-2011)
- Richard Joseph KLEIN (1925-1985)
- Norman J. KLEIN (1930-1985)
- Barbara Ann KLEIN (1936-2016)
Felix and Martha Klein and Family (1963)
Sources
“Passenger Lists,” database, The Battery Conservancy, Castle Garden (castlegarden.org: accessed 27 October 2018), Klein; citing ship manifests
Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Year: 1888; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 517; Line: 37; List Number: 472
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr RC Church (Buffalo, New York), Baptism 1890, page 26, Feliks Maryan Klein; FHL microfilm, entry 932
1892 New York State Census, New York State; Buffalo, Erie, population schedule, Ward 14, Joseph Klein, Family Search, FHL Microfilm.
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr RC Church (Buffalo, New York), Baptism 1893, page 344, Helena Marta Klein; FHL microfilm, entry 387
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr RC Church (Buffalo, New York), Marriage 1874, page 2, Michael Klein, Marcjanna Ciężska; FHL microfilm, entry 6
St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr RC Church (Buffalo, New York), Marriage 1884, Jan Klein, Katarzyna Ƶyngier; FHL microfilm, entry 53
1900 U. S. Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 14, Erie, New York, Felix Klein; digital images, HeritageQuest Online (heritagequestonline.com : accessed 5 October 2018).
1910 Federal Census, New York State, population schedule, Darien, Genesee, New York, Joseph Klein; digital images, Heritage Quest Online (www.heritagequestonline.com : accessed 10 October 2018).
1910 Federal Census, New York State, population schedule, Bennington, Wyoming, New York, Joseph Klein; digital images, Heritage Quest Online (www.heritagequestonline.com : accessed 6 October 2018).
Sacred Heart of Jesus RC Cemetery (Bennington, New York), gravestones and record cards.
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 October 2018), memorial page for Joseph Klein (5 Dec 1848–26 Nov 1912), Find A Grave Memorial no. 60436404, citing Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bennington, Wyoming County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Jim and Elizabeth (contributor 47230507) .
1920 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 15, Erie, New York, , Mary Klein.
1915 New York State Census, New York State, population schedule, Bennington, Wyoming, , Felix Kline.
“World War I Draft Registration Cards,” database, Ancestry.com (: accessed 5 October 2018), Felix Klein; citing World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
1920 Federal Census, New York, population schedule, Buffalo Ward 15, Erie, New York, Feliks Klein; digital images, HeritageQuest (heritagequestonline.com : accessed 11 October 2018).
National Archives, “World War II Draft Registration Cards,” database, Ancestry.com (: accessed 5 October 2018), Felix Florian Klein; citing World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration).
New York State, Death Index Beginning 1957, Martha Klein, 5 June 1964; digital images, (https://health.data.ny.gov/Health/Genealogical-Research-Death-Index-Beginning-1957 : accessed November 2017).
KLEIN-Martha, Buffalo Courier Express, Buffalo, New York, 10 June 1964, page 10.
KLEIN-Felix, Buffalo Courier Express, Buffalo, New York, 26 July 1964, page 8B.
Personal letters to author from Clara Klein Rembas, 1990s.
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