Posts by LostChild

LostChild

13 Feb 2011

Language / How hard is it to learn Polish? [178]

I regret having never been exposed to my Polish family so that I could learn the customs and the language. I always thought it would be so good to be bi-lingual - but I guess at age 67 it's a bit much to take on - especially if I will never have the opportunity to use the language! My Polish family spoke Polish in the home, but English with an accent in public.

LostChild

8 Feb 2011

Love / Nature of Poles - the relationship of Polish families [7]

Lodz - very informative post! It could be that my Olkowski grandfather was abusive and the rest of the family ok. And they were not a close family either.

I know they sure moved around a lot! In some research I've done since first posting this, they were all over the place in Buffalo's Polonia neighborhood. I got curious and went on Google maps and looked up addresses - printed the maps and also some of the houses - some now vacant lots.

I have found that at one point, the Olkowski family and Rombkowski family lived right down the street from each other and there seems to be a lot of intertwining and/or living at the same addresses between the two families, but have not yet gotten into the "detailed" research of all that. It may make a difference in learning info about who married whom by how closely they lived together from one time to another.

LostChild

2 Feb 2011

Love / Nature of Poles - the relationship of Polish families [7]

What is the relationship of Polish families? I've heard my grandfather was not so nice to my grandmother - probably an abuser. I also know that my family members were not particularly fond of or close to each other and it seems they were very secretive and clannish. Is being secretive or clannish just a trait of Polish people in general? I know from US census records my great grandparents and grandparents moved a lot ... I have been known to move around a lot, too!

LostChild

6 Jan 2011

Genealogy / Olkowski, Rombkowski - Finding my Polish Roots [10]

Thank you, Wroclaw! That was a pretty amazing map! I have put a couple books about Poland on my "wish list" for books. I don't speak any Polish, but maybe that should be something I look into as well. That's one thing that irritates me about never being allowed around my Polish family - if I had that experience I would be bi-lingual in English/Polish. Just this week I ate my first kielbasa in about 40 years - I'm not too sure about Polish cooking - I just can't imagine "duck blood soup" although I've read that it's a special occasion meal in Poland.

It has been very interesting trying to trace my family - I use the Ancestry program and also try to find info from various other websites - it's how I came across this forum. The 1940 US Census will be released in 2012, so am looking forward to that. Buffalo, NY sites have some interesting info and pictures.

LostChild

5 Jan 2011

Genealogy / Olkowski, Rombkowski - Finding my Polish Roots [10]

I have found one immigration record on Olkowski that says she and her children were from Russia. I'm completely confused! Where is Turon (Thorn) in relationship to Russian territory and to Posen. I'm definitely going to have to buy some older maps of Poland.

Polonius3 - you have been very informative in your posts. Many thanks. I have written down your email address for future use if I need it.

LostChild

20 Nov 2010

Genealogy / Olkowski, Rombkowski - Finding my Polish Roots [10]

Thank you all for information you posted. With regard to Rombkowski, I took another look at info I have from Ancestry. There is one passenger list showing residence as Suwalki in Russia. I don't know if this is a Polish area under the control of Russia. The territorial boundaries seem to have shifted so much with various conflicts or conquests.

I have much to learn.

LostChild

19 Nov 2010

Genealogy / Olkowski, Rombkowski - Finding my Polish Roots [10]

One set of paternal great-grandparents has the name Olkowski. Information is very limited. The NY/Hamburg Passenger Lists indicate Thorn WestPrussen as the home residence, but US census records indicate Posen is the home residence. My mother never allowed me to have any contact with my Polish relatives but as an adult I contacted and met some of them.

The other set of paternal great-grandparents is a bit more complicated. I remember my grandmother telling me about a name change and something about the Czar's army. Both families settled in Buffalo, NY in mid-late 1800s. It's been a real project tracking down this side of my Dad's family. His mother's maiden name was Rombkowski according to her Social Security application form. Just out of sheer luck and first name only searching I found one US census showing "Rorstrowski" and another US census showing "Rumbkouski." Castle Garden website shows immigration info as "Rembetzk;" Hamburg Lists show "Rembetzky" and US List shows "Rombetzky." One passenger list gave home residence as "Polish/Russian." From pieces of info I've gained over many years, I have been able to connect all these spellings with first names and birthdates. I don't know if this great-grandfather had reason to "hide" himself in his new country or what. In the 1930 US census he and my great-grandmother totally disappear, but the two youngest boys are shown living with a married older sister - again using first name searches.

My Polish family seemed to always be so secretive about everything and I don't know if it is just a Polish trait to be secretive or whether they were well acquainted with my mother and didn't trust my suddenly showing up in their lives. To make things even harder there is apparently nobody else on the planet doing any research on "Olkowski" or "Rombkowski" (in any of its forms) so I have no way to make contacts with others regarding my family.

Is there anyone who might know anything about any of these names who might be able to give me any kind of information on these names or history? I have always had such a strong sense of my Polish roots and very frankly don't put much consideration to my mother's family history.