Trying to retrace my family (Misiak)

mike421 1 | 8

29 Dec 2007 / #1

hi all im a newbie here and im trying to learn as much about my past as possible. i have hit a few snags. my great grandfather and g grandmother came over to the

US through Boston. they married in Boston and settled in Pennsylvania. i tried to find the ship used, their birth places etc. here is what i know.......

my great grandfathers name was John Misiak. he lived either 3 miles north of Krakow (sorry for spelling) or 30 minutes north of Krakow. he worked in a Salt Mine i was told. while in Boston, his family worked on or owned tobacco farms. since he was a miner in Poland he moved to Pennsylvania to become a coal miner.

im not sure of my great grandmothers maiden name and i don't know much about her yet.

i tried Ellis Island and all the others that i know and all searches come up empty.

any tips i would appreciate. maybe there are some other Misiak's on this forum that may help.

RJ_cdn - | 267

29 Dec 2007 / #2

i tried Ellis Island and all the others that i know and all searches come up empty.

Did you search John or Jan (14 on Ellis Island) Misiak?

OP mike421 1 | 8

29 Dec 2007 / #3

yes i even tried Mishock, the new US spelling....

RJ_cdn - | 267

29 Dec 2007 / #4

Well, I searched for Jan Misiak and got 14 hits. Two Jan Misiak's came in 1908 from Galicia (or Galicja in Polish) and one in 1913.

ellisislandrecords.org

OP mike421 1 | 8

29 Dec 2007 / #5

i see those as well. but it says Austrian and he arrived before 1900 i believe. my grandmother was US born in 1901 and she was the youngest of 7 sisters.

thanks for trying!!!! i guess I'll keep plugging away.

there may be a distant cousin who possesses my G Grandmothers birth cert. i am in the process of tracking that as well.

RJ_cdn - | 267

29 Dec 2007 / #6

but it says Austrian

That is correct, because at that time south of Poland (Galicja/Galicia, including Krakow) was under Austrian jurisdiction.

OP mike421 1 | 8

29 Dec 2007 / #7

ohhh man!!!! im glad you're smart!!! ok so maybe my dates are off....... but wouldnt point of entry still be through Boston? of does ellis island maintain immigrants from all ports?

RJ_cdn - | 267

29 Dec 2007 / #8

maybe my dates are off.......

not necessarily, even if he came before 1900 records would show that he came from Austria

but wouldn't point of entry still be through Boston? of does Ellis Island maintain immigrants from all ports?

Sorry, I don't know

And for your info, there are ~275 Misiak's in Krakow region

OP mike421 1 | 8

29 Dec 2007 / #9

i need my grandmothers maiden name.......thanks RJ