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Lost Great Grandmother (Mary Rucinski/Szymanski)


Spalko 8 | 33  
6 Jul 2008 /  #1
My mom and I just recently started researching her father's family history and have hit a wall. We were able to find records through Ellis Island on my great grandfather, Jan (John) Rucinski, who came to America between 1910-1921 then returned to Poland where we know he married Marjanna (Mary) Szymanski. He returned to America in 1923 without Mary, after this we can no longer find any information. Our family story is that Mary fled Poland (year unknown) and actually took her girlfriends passport so I fear that we may never know why or her family history :(

Another problem we've faced is with my great grandfather's brother, Piotr (Peter) Rucinski, whom my mom always believed to be older than Jan, we just discovered that he is actually younger which brings us to the problem. On the Ellis Island manifest for Jan, it states that Jan's brother paid for the ticket in 1923 but that in 1910, when Jan was first in America, he lived with his brother Piotr, who at the time would have only been 14!!!!

No other records have been found on either Piotr Rucinski or Marjanna Szymanski, if anyone knows anything about either the Rucinski or Szymanski family line that resided near Detriot Michigan please let me know. Thank you!!
ill capone - | 1  
7 Jul 2008 /  #2
i to am looking 4 someone, my grandfather alhough no lnger alive he served during the war and did some very heroic acts and i can not seem to find anything about him could you recommend any web sites or offer advice, maybe we can help each other, although iam in scotland you can never know. thank you
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
7 Jul 2008 /  #3
No other records have been found on either Piotr Rucinski or Marjanna Szymanski, if anyone knows anything about either the Rucinski or Szymanski family line that resided near Detriot Michigan please let me know. Thank you!!

Check: the LDS website. All your names show up, but it all depends on dates of course.

click on: All Resources... but only enter the last name... then press search... this way all results will come up, not half of them.

Don't forget to look at the list for Germany. Poland can also be listed under Germany, Russia, Austria.

You will find a Szymanski family and a Rucinski family originating in the same place. They could be yours, but keep in mind that they might not be.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
7 Jul 2008 /  #4
Thank you for the advice but what is the LDS website? I'm new to all of this researching stuff :)
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
7 Jul 2008 /  #5
LDS......... church of latter day saints

Look for: familysearch.org

Click search on the home page and then take it from there

any problems. let me know.
Peter 3 | 248  
7 Jul 2008 /  #6
What town / village were they from?
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
7 Jul 2008 /  #7
I'd have to search again, but it was a long name beginning with B. If it's them.

There are actually a few close results.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
7 Jul 2008 /  #8
The last known residence of my great grandfather was Iwaniska, Poland and that was also where my great grandparents were married.
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
7 Jul 2008 /  #9
The last known residence of my great grandfather was Iwaniska, Poland

JewishGen shows this as 28 miles east-south-east of Kielce. 1900.. Russian empire.

Do you have Naturalization Records for these people ? That's your next step.

I need dates of birth to pinpoint these people.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
7 Jul 2008 /  #10
Jan Rucinski was born December 28, 1891 and died in September of 1974
Mary Rucinski (Szymanski) was born July 14, 1901 and died in April of 1985
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
7 Jul 2008 /  #11
John Rucinski 29 (not 28) December 1891 .... Sept 1974

Piotr Rucinski 31 May 1896 .... Feb 1966 ........ Is this your Piotr ?

Both died: Wayne, Michigan.

Can't find Mary yet. But check Szymanski / Szymanska
........................................ Maryanna / Marianna / Mary

I guess this is nothing new, but I'll have another look within the week and let you know my results.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
27 Oct 2008 /  #12
Thread attached on merging:
Rucinski Family History...

Hello, I currently started researching my mother's side of the family and have become very interested in finding out more. Her maiden name is Rucinski and I know that her grandparents came over from Poland in 1909 and 1925. I have a couple of questions that I am hoping someone can answer for me.

1. I recently found a ship manifest from ancestory.com that list who I believe to be my great-grandfather coming from Poland to America. However, in his line it says that he was deported :( I am wondering if anyone can tell me some possible reasons for why he was deported.

2. I am looking for any other Rucinski connections either in America or in Poland.

3. I am also looking for my great-grandmother's step-sister's children who currently live in Poland. My great-grandmothers name was Maria Rucinski (maiden name Szymanski) she was born in Iwaniska, Poland in 1901 and came to America in 1925. Her step-sister was Helena Lygas or Lygos, there is no record of her coming to America.

If anyone can help me out, I would be ever so thankful!!

Thanks a bunch,
Sarah :)
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
27 Oct 2008 /  #13
:( I am wondering if anyone can tell me some possible reasons for why he was deported.

One possible reason.

1835 -1917 there was something called 'The Pale'. This included the east of Poland.

Many of the Jewish people in this area were deported.

Did any of my other posts help ?
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
27 Oct 2008 /  #14
What was "The Pale?" As far as I know my family isn't Jewish...
I actually found my great-grandfather (Jan Rucinski), my great uncle (Piotr Rucinski), and my great-grandmother (Mary Rucinski) all on ancestory.com. I found all of their ship manifests and a couple of U.S. Census. Now I want to attempt to find information about their birth certificate, marriage certificate (they were married in Iwaniska, Poland in 1921), and informaiton about their parents, who never came to America.

Thanks for the help.
Sarah :)
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
27 Oct 2008 /  #15
As far as I know my family isn't Jewish...

It's just a possible reason, nothing more.

The reason I asked if my posts helped is because I would like to know if other people would benefit from the same type of feedback.

Most people are not like yourself, they don't enter into conversation.
Eva_K 5 | 34  
27 Oct 2008 /  #16
"The Pale" refers to the "Pale of Settlement". It was a large area of European territory controlled by Imperial Russia where Jews were allowed to live. (Special permission was required for Jewish people traveling or residing in areas normally off limits to them outside the Pale). It stretched from the Baltic Sea in the North to the Black Sea in the South.

For more about the Pale see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_of_Settlement

Map of the Pale:
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
27 Oct 2008 /  #17
thanx Eva_K

I'm useless at providing proper links.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
27 Oct 2008 /  #18
Hmmm... that is really interesting but I don't think that that would be the case because on the ship manifest I found it says he had been in America before and it says "1910/1921" and my mom and I disagree on how that is read. Is it read that he was in America in 1910 and 1921 or was he in America from 1910 - 1921?! The manifest we found is from 1923 but we know he was in America during the 1920's because of the census. He did go back to Poland in 1921 to marry my great-grandmother, he then came back in 1923 but my great-grandmother didn't come over until 1925 and we have no idea why?? Also, the story of my family is that my great-grandmother used another person's passport (with the same name) to come to America. So I am wondering how strict the passport regulations were back then because what are the odds of there being two Mary Rucinski's who are friends, unless it was a relative... I don't know, this is where the history gets confusing!!
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
27 Oct 2008 /  #19
what are the odds of there being two Mary Rucinski's who are friends, unless it was a relative

Sometimes it is possible to work out relationships because of 'naming patterns'

The first son is named after the father or father's father. First daughter is named after the mother or mother's mother etc.

Anyone with the same name and age would be a cousin. Maybe!!

Someone related to Jan/John, If Mary was married at this point.

This system of naming works in the uk. I'm not sure about Poland.
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
27 Oct 2008 /  #20
I just realized that my great-grandfather (Jan Rucinski) his mother's name was Marjanna (Maria, Mary) Rucinski after she married my great-grandfather's father. So, that could mean that my great-grandmother used her mother-in-laws passport but would it have her date of birth on there which wouldn't work since my great-grandmother was only 24 when she came over and her mother-in-law would be a lot older than that. My grandmother had to leave Poland in a hurry and that is why she had to use someone else's passport because she didn't have time to wait for one which my family has no clue why she would have to leave in such a rush....
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
27 Oct 2008 /  #21
Check the Wikipedia history of passports. It will give some clues.
ryanr  
11 Mar 2009 /  #22
My last name is Rucinski. MY great grandfather was john Rucinski. he was married to Constance Marcinkowski. he had 4 siblings: Helen; Pearl; Edward and Stanley. Their parents never came to america. so i am stuck!!!
Peter 3 | 248  
13 Mar 2009 /  #23
Did Mary have a brother? Wladyslaw / Walter Szymanski?
OP Spalko 8 | 33  
14 Mar 2009 /  #24
All I know about her is that she had a stepsister named Helen and married Jan Rucinski. She came to America in 1924.

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