Genealogy / Where is Brazazowa or Brazazowka? [24]

Yes, that helps a lot, Caprice49. Thanks!

Genealogy / Where is Brazazowa or Brazazowka? [24]

Thanks, Scorpio. My great-grandfather came through Ellis Island in 1905. His name was Jozef Kupiec and the manifests list his previous residence as Brazazowa in one place on the form and Brazazowka in another place. He was born in 1881 to Sophia Pater and Thomas Kupiec. I believe they had another child, Frank, who was born in 1894 in Dobrowoi, Poland. I'm not sure what you can do with that information, but any information you have would be helpful.

Genealogy / The Name "Szumilas" [5]

Thanks, Sildar. What a wonderful name. :-)
I wish it were mine.

Genealogy / Where is Brazazowa or Brazazowka? [24]

Unfortunately, I don't have any correspondence from them. I have only the Ellis Island manifests. I might just have to investigate any village that sounds close.

So, Piorun, there is a village called "Brzezówka"? Is it in Galicia?

I will look into Brazowa and Brozowa as well. Thanks, TheOther.

Genealogy / Where is Brazazowa or Brazazowka? [24]

Thank you! I will do that.

Genealogy / Where is Brazazowa or Brazazowka? [24]

I am slowly starting to learn about the general history, and I do realize that there was no Polish state at the time. However, he did list his ethnicity as Polish and he mentioned "Galicy" after the name of the town, so I was assuming that the town must be somewhere in what is now Southeast Poland.

I do realize, too, that the Ellis Island officials did often transcribe names incorrectly. (If nothing else, that is evidenced by the fact that it's not spelled consistently in the documents.) I thought, though, that it might be "close enough" for someone to figure out what town it was meant to refer to.

Anyway, thanks for responding.

Genealogy / Info on Surname "Kupiec"? [3]

Thanks. :-) My grandfather's family was from Poland, and sadly he passed away before I ever thought to ask him about our roots. I thought I'd investigate a little and maybe plan a trip to Poland for my father and myself... It would be nice to connection to our past in some way.

Genealogy / Do I Look Polish? (my grandfather was Polish) [60]

You wouldn't think so if you saw me in person. I'm only five feet tall and I don't have unusually large breasts. (I remember reading somewhere that if Barbie's measurements were extrapolated to the point where she were human sized, she'd be very tall and have a chest so large she'd have trouble not toppling over.) Besides, I have a hunchback and an extra finger (like Anne Boelyn). Just kidding.

As for the rest of my ancestry, I'm 1/4 Dutch, 1/4 French, and 1/4 who knows what (one of my grandparents was adopted, though we suspect he was English).

Thanks for the compliment, craic_monster.

Genealogy / Do I Look Polish? (my grandfather was Polish) [60]

Thanks for the compliment (and the response).

Yes, he is my husband, not my brother. (It's funny you should say he looks Polish. To our knowledge, he has no Polish ancestry. He's German and French.)