Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Challenge

This year's challenge is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and is run by Amy Johnson Crow. This week's topic is challenge. Amy gives us general and broad topics so we can run with it how we like.

I've thought long and hard about this one and can't really make up my mind, so I'll encompass both or try to.

I'm going to start off with the word challenge. We all have stated in some form that life is a challenge. However, what is the exact meaning of the term? Dictionary.com give ten (yes ten!) different noun meanings to the word.

The first five definitions are probably the most used. These are:

1. a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.
2. something that by its nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc.: Space exploration offers a challenge to humankind.
3. a call to fight, as a battle, a duel, etc.
4. a demand to explain, justify, etc.: a challenge to the treasurer to itemize expenditures.
5. difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.

Now depending on which definition you use, is how you can write this week's post. Mine, as you will see, is a combination of a few of these. I've had these challenges since before I started researching, but its only made me more determined. 

The two biggest challenges are listed below: My Mother and Apolonius Jagodzinski.

Challenge 1: My Mother

My family was different than others when I was growing up. It was challenging. My parents had

My mother in 1999. Photo credit Jo Ann J. Fitzgerald

divorced when I was very young. I knew of my paternal grandmother, who I spent some time with, an uncle who would appear like magic, with my nephews, every now and then. That's all the extended family I had unlike many of the others I went to school, girl scouts, and a few other things with had. 

So I asked my mother, who had primary care of me. The first few times she didn't answer. I waited a few years and asked again. "They are all dead." and she let it go until I saw my maternal grandmother and asked again. "She's the only one left and I'm not sure on how long we'll have her. They'll [the state of NY] will move her again once they know I've found her." and that was it. I had only seen my maternal grandmother a total of 3 times my entire life that I can remember. 

In my teens, I asked her a few more times and got the "They are all dead. My mother too by this point." and I left it as my mother this time got really sad and depressed. I didn't know where to even start my look because no one was talking about relatives. 

Talk about challenges just to get her to say anything. 

Then my paternal grandmother died as well. I knew she was in the hospital and wasn't doing well, and I asked to go see her. My mother told me no because she would be dead soon too. I persisted and told her if she didn't, I'd walk there myself. I didn't know where she was but I was resourceful enough to find out and my mother knew this and took me. 

It was eye opening because when I walked into the hospital room, this little old woman was on the bed. Her eyes opened and I looked closer and could see her as my grandmother. She knew who I was because she called my name and then mixed in a few languages including English. The English was your father this and your uncle that. I could tell her mind was going, but her sense of humor was still intact which made me smile.  Within a few days of that, she was gone. Again, I asked to go to the funeral and my mother told me no. I gave her my stubborn look and stood tall and told her I WAS going whether she liked it or not. Once again, I got my way but I wasn't allowed to go to the church, but I was taken to the burial. I arrived and the ceremony started. I stood to the side and no one paid any attention to me as per normal. When it was done, I shook my head and turned to leave. My stepmother, stopped me, telling me my grandmother would want me to have this and shoved an umbrella at me. I took it and got back into the car and we left. 

My paternal grandmother's obituary from the Newspaper I clipped out

I didn't ask after the extended family after that. Not until a few days before I left to move to Australia and get married. Then my mother told me about her cousin Jimmy and gave me his wings. 

James 'Jimmy' Sherman's wings from WW2

Since then, I asked her about her family. She told me her grandfather's [my great grandfather's] name: Apolonius Jagodzinski. She told me the spelling was probably wrong, but he was a bastard and treated everyone like hell. She told me about my grandfathers about how they liked the women, gambling and booze. How her mother left Poland with Quakers leaving behind a dead husband and child. 

I started to do some research. It was slow, but I was finding out my mother kept lying to me. I did find Apolonius Jagodzinski and it took me year to finally link to him, but it was true. Not much else, as far as I could and can see is/was true. 

What's sad was about 3 years ago, I told her I found my cousins and my uncle - her brother - who wasn't dead. I called her out on her lies. She didn't deny it, but I could see her eyes sparkle because she knew I was finding it all out and would continue to do so. However, she kept them from me for the start of my life. 

The sad part is now she has dementia and after about 5 minutes doesn't know who I am any longer. 

Challenge 2:  Apolonius Jagodzinski

I've mentioned this name above in regards to my mother's family. He was my great grandfather. He has been one of the biggest brick walls I've had in my research. Boy, what a challenge! 

I first picked him up on a Naturalization Record Index in 2013. I didn't know what to do with it but kept looking for anything on him as I had over the years. I asked a few people if they heard of it and no one had. 

Naturalization Record Index for him. 

Apolonius' wife's obituary

Then I started to find other things like my great grandmother, his wife Bernice Ostrzycki, obituary.  This was huge because it listed my great aunts and uncles, locations, her parents, her location, and where she is now. However, no mention of Apolonius the husband but only of a son with the same name. 

I started to see how much information I could get on my grandmother, Janet Jagodzinski Gauquie, and see if I could find out anything this way. Once again I was stalled with my brick wall challenge. 

I was getting tired of this brick wall. I found his shipping manifest, but it didn't get me far. I did a search and ordered in Apolonius' naturalization file using the information I located in 2013. Result? We have no number with this name attached. This stunned me as I was looking at the damned thing. Oh well, I do a index search and work my way up. Finally, I hit pay dirt. They found the file on him. I had to wait, but I've already waited awhile anyway so what's a few more months? Finally I got his Alien Registration Form dated 1940 and this number wasn't the same as the other number. It also included more than a few Address Record Cards - Alien Registration for him all over NYC. My mouth dropped open because I never would have placed in in NYC. However, it lists him as married but doesn't give any other names for wife nor number or children names. It also said he had been questioned about a robbery but it was a mistake. I looked all around for anything regarding this and came away with nothing. More dead ends. 

Apolonius' page 1 of his Alien Record from NIS

Apolonius' Alien Registration card after WW2. Record from NIS.

This didn't mean I stopped looking. I found his World War 2 registration, listing my great aunt Pauline's name, My grandmother, Janet, social security number, I could order a copy of her social security form. 

Apolonius' WW2 registration. Located on FamilySearch image 3687.

My grandmother Janet's social security form was a bit of an eye opener. It asks her name which listed her name as Janet Barry. Yep, that confused me as far as I knew she was a Jagodzinski by birth. Then when I got to her father's name listed - Leo Barry. What the...? Everything else was correct, but confusing. 

Janet Barry/Jagodzinski Gauquie's Social Security Application. From Social Security Administration.

Janet's son, Louis J., lists his mother's maiden name as Barry.

The hunt was on for Leo Barry. I found directories in Leo Barry, Apolonius Jagodzinski, and a combination of names. Apparently Apolonius was Americanized to Leo. Jagodzinski was Americanized to Barry or Berry because in Poland they must have once been berry farmers. This makes sense but not his reasoning why he changed names sometimes and sometimes not. However, now it seems the family was also using the Barry name too. 

1930 Census listing a Leo as a boarder but has same last name. Some of the other names have changed but match other information I have on them. 

Business directory with Janet D, Pauline M listed under the name of Barry in 1935.

Business directory with Bernice listed under the name of Barry in 1936. Notice she's been in PA. 

I even checked out Hart Island because I was thinking he might have been buried there because of the comment my mother made "all his kids hated him. He moved in with the oldest but she had him give any money he made to pay for his expenses because he was that bad." I figured if even part of that was true, then she'd probably either not claim his body after he passed or paid for him to be buried cheaply which meant Hart Island for NYC. 

Once again the trail went cold, but the challenge was still on. I found a death certificate for their son Stefan in 1916. I thought I had their wedding certificate, but too much wasn't right about it. Then in 2018, I found a Declaration of Intention for him in 1930! It listed the kids which almost all added up but instead of Janet he put Jennie, but the date of births just about matched up too. Bingo! 

Stefan's death certifiacate in 1916 in Ohio from FamilySearch 

1930s Declaration of Intention (page 1) for Apolonius from Ancestry

In January 2019, I found his death information finally. He's actually buried in the same cemetery as his wife even though he died in NYC. All the formal ceremony things were done same as his wife's. I was and still am shocked. 

Apolonius' obituary and funeral information. For Credit see image.

Brick wall challenge completed? 

Yes and no. The name change really intrigues me and I have large gaps which I want to fill in more, but at least I know where is is laid to rest. It will be interesting to see what else I can turn up. 

Happy but still questions. Credit for image J. Fitzgerald

And many more challenges ahead...