Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 12 - The 12 Births and Deaths of December

This year's challenge is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and is run by Amy Johnson Crow.

The brief for this topic:
No, it isn't a typo. The theme for Week 12 really is "12." If you look at a numbered ancestor chart and you're at the beginning of it, #12 is your mother's father's father. You could also write about someone with a birthday or anniversary in December or on the 12th of any month. Be creative!

When I read the topic for this week, I didn't know what 12 is or stands for. I waited to get the hint that we get to see if this put some light on the subject. This is what the brief for this topic is. 

Now if we go through the brief, with the mother's father's father as an explanation. This is Joannes Julius VanRompaye Gauquie. I've discussed him at length in several posts and he usually went by the name of Jules Gauquie. As I've discussed him at length, I needed to read further into the topic. 

The next area that's suggested are birthdays or anniversaries in December. I do have more than a few people who were born in December in the family. But who to choose? 

Note: The ones with no last name and only a letter are still alive. To protect their identity, they will be noted here but not talked about in any great length. 

The 12 Births and Deaths of December

Here's a small bit on each one of the people who have dates in December. The December date is highlighted.

1. Adam Wojtkowski

Adam in front of his store in Linden, NJ in 1930s. Credit J. Fitzgerald

Paternal Great Grandfather

Born 21 Dec 1886 Ciechanowiec, Poland Russia

Died 26 Jun 1954 Linden, New Jersey, USA

I hadn't met Adam, but have heard about him from my father. Now, after researching him, I have a new respect for him. He comes from an rural area with a very small population. One of the nearest towns was 110 houses. Anyhow, in Feb 1913, less than a year after the Titanic sunk, a small group of men decided to go to the USA and leave his wife and child behind until he could send for them. They left from their homes to the Port of Hamburg (920km/520 miles) and arrived into Ellis Island, or Port of New York. It wasn't until Aug 1920, he could send for his wife and child in among the fighting due to it being right around the time that Warsaw fell called the Battle of Warsaw. Anyhow, they arrived in NY and settled into American life fairly well in New Jersey. He had set up his own business with making homemade kielbasa and pickles. Unfortunately, he put much of his money in the stock market and suffered greatly when the Great Depression happened. It took him awhile, and the loss of his business, to get back on his feet which he did and he opened another store once again selling his main products. However, in 1939, his wife died which just about destroyed him he loved her so much. He used to visit her grave on a weekly basis I'm told. Then in 1954, he was told he had stomach cancer and only had weeks to live. However, he proved them wrong and lived months longer than their prediction. He passed away June 1954. 

2. Johann (John) Schmitz

1943 Germany death note from his wedding entry Credit: J. Fitzgerald on behalf of researchers

Paternal Great-Grandfather

Born 27 Dec 1877 Mosbruch, Vulkaneifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Died 9 May 1943 Neidermendig, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

This one I can only give you the basics due to having very little information on him, and needing to do more. According to his son's (my grandfather's) birth record and his wedding certificate this how we came to get this birth information. His death information was included on the side of the marriage entry. Upon doing this, the researchers found a huge family tree for his/my family, but I still have to prove it. These areas are rural and small, so are not scanned in or held any place other than within the small towns. I thank the researchers who were able to help me with getting this information. Some of it has been proven by DNA due to one of my cousins (Waving Hi to Cornelia Mueller!) coming up on the results of testing and her family is listed within the family chart. 

3. Taylor G.

Taylor Credit. R. Greenhaw

My Grand-Niece
Born in December
Lives in Upstate New York

She loves her baking, sports and dancing. She lives with her parents, sister, and grandfather. 

4. Eric P.

Eric Credit J. Fitzgerald

My Nephew
Born in December
Lives in Pennsylvannia

He loves his game shows and TV shows he grew up with. He has taken to do some video reviews of the things he likes. He currently lives with his father and works. 

5. Jack T.

Jack Credit: A. Clark

My Ex-Brother in law
Born in December
Lives in Update New York

He was born around Newburgh, New York. He met my sister, Theresa, and married. He's a Vietnam Vet. He had worked at Lloyds in Newburgh. They have 3 daughters. They divorced in the 1980s. He lived in Montgomery, New York for awhile. Then moved in with one of his daughters, frequently goes around visiting other family now that he's retired. 

6. Kathy S.

Kathy Credit: J. Fitzgerald

My Sister in law
Born in December
Lives in New York

She was born around Cornwall, New York. She went to Valley Central High School. After school, she met up with my brother, Charlie and married. They have 1 son. They were happily married until my brother's death earlier in 2019. She currently lives in their home with their son in New York. 

7. Noel F.

Noel Credit: J. Bishop

My Father in law
Born in December
Lives in New South Wales, Australia

He was born in Victoria and lived most of his live there. He met and married, his now ex-wife Sue, and had 2 sons. He raised his two sons practically alone around Melbourne, Australia. He retired around 2008 and is now retired. He keeps himself busy with helping friends, visiting his family and taking his carvan on drives when its not broken. He likes his music - country and blues mainly - and his movies which have Audrey, John Wayne, and their crowd and documentaries on history. 

8. Robert F.

Robert Credit:P. Adnam

Born in December

Lives in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

He was born in Victoria and lived his life there. He is Noel's brother. He met and married his wife Jackie and raised 3 daughters. He was a great provider. He retired before 2010. He keeps himself busy with visiting grandchildren, family and watching TV. His movie and music tastes mirrors his brothers. 

9. Laura Ostrzycki Kurpieski

Laura in the 1960s. Credit S. Woncheck

Maternal 2nd Great-Aunt

Born 29 Dec 1901 Lipno, Poland Russia

Died  10 May 1972 Charleroi, Washington, Pennsylvania

I've found out a bit about Laura from talking to one of my cousins in Pennsylvania and due to the many (and I do mean MANY) newspaper articles about her. She was born in Poland and arrived in the US in 1912 when she was little. The family made their way to Pennsylvania and settled into life. They married in about 1916 in Pennsylvania. In 1917 they had their first child, Stanley. I take it they named him after her father, Stanley, which was common. They lived with her mother and father in 1920. In 1922, they had their second son, Edward. By 1930, they had their own place. However, the death of her mother, Valerie, in 22 August 1931, must have really shocked them. In 1940, their son Stanley marries. Laura starts to get active in groups such as the Needlettes, Polish Ladies Auxiliary, Goodwill Club, and Council of Democrat Women.   Her father, Stanley, passes in 1953. Then her husband, Walter dies in 1957. In 1964, her niece, Victoria, passes away in England and her sister Bernice passes away in Newburgh, New York. In 1967, her sister, Stella passes away in Pennsylvania. In 1971, her son, Edward passes away.Then she passes away herself in 1972. 

Deaths

10. Louis J. Gauquie

Louis J. from the 1950s. Credit. J. Gauquie

Maternal Uncle

Born 5 March 1936 Cornwall, Orange County,New York

Died 7 Dec 1995 Victorville, San Bernardino, California

This is another ancestor which I know little about but recently have learned more. This is my mother's brother and was born and lived parts of his life around Newburgh, New York. I do know from talking to my father, both him and his father liked their alcohol. Once Louis came home and hit his father's car. He tried to get away with it, but he left his car door open overnight which his father seen when he woke up. Further, I was told there was a family fight when he was about 17 and he left and joined the Navy August 1953. In 1954 he was on a radar picket destroyer USS Duncan. In March 1955, he married Edith in Middletown, NY. In 1957, he was a machinist mate third class aboard the destroyer USS Rowan. He got out of the Navy in 1957. However, by 1959 he was in Nebraska and listed in the US Air Force where they stayed until late 1969 or 1970 when they moved to Fairfield, Solano, California according to another US City Directory. Within this time they had at least two children, Debra and Louis M. On 31 August 1974, he once again left the military. In 1977, he became a grandfather to Vincent Gauquie. Unfortunately, Vincent was taken too early and died November 1983 in Garden Grove, California. I'm not sure what he was doing from the time he left the military, but he died in Victorville, California in 1995 leaving his wife a widow. 

11. Anna Klepperich Schmitz

No picture available.

Paternal Great-Grandmother

Born 26 Jul 1889 Arft, Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Died 08 Dec 1944 Germany

As I've discussed above with her husband, Johann (John) Schmitz, this information was obtained from researchers due to them being from very small towns in Germany. I do not know much more than the dates and I haven't had time to sit down and do research on the area in newspapers. I think in order to get more information, I'll have to pay for researchers to do more searching in this area and that's not feasible at the moment unfortunately. 

12. Josephine Ostrzycki Greco

Josephine at a family BBQ in PA in 1960s. Credit: S. Woncheck

Maternal 2nd Great-Aunt

Born 18 Feb 1895 Poland Russia

Died 21 Dec 1976 Charleroi, Pennsylvania

From what I've been told, she loved her family and was closed to them. She had married to Francesco Greco and they had one son. Unfortunately, their son died when he was a young man due to a car accident in 1935. Her husband then died in 1959. 


We also have many January birthdays as well.

Credit

On a side note, I was going to try and stick the above names in a rhyme for the 12 Days of Christmas but unfortunately, I'm not that talented. *laugh*