Close to Home - 52 Ancestors challenge

This is a prompt from 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and is run by Amy Johnson Crow.

Information on the Topic
 Is there an ancestor who didn't move far from where he or she was born? Perhaps an unmarried aunt or uncle who always lived with their parents? Maybe you have an ancestor who lived not far from where you live now or you've made a discovery close to home.

This is a very interesting topic for me as before and after migrating to the US, overall my ancestors didn't move far from their roots. There are some who did, but the main bulk of people stayed around the areas. This being said, my mother and her family is a particularly interesting in this area. 

When I was growing up, my father was in the US Navy. Anyone who knows the military knows they can get sent any place in the world upon finishing boot camp. As I didn't really have any aunts or uncles who were really around, and my parents divorced when I was young, I just figured we stayed in an area where my mother liked and Dad was around the area so we stayed or had to for custody reasons. 

However, in my teens I started to realize this wasn't the case. 

My maternal side

I hurt my knee in 7th grade. When the doctor wanted to send me to Cornwall Hospital, which was nearby, my mother told him absolutely not. She was not going in that hospital. I do know she always turned away from certain areas of the surroundings and refused to go visit or shopping in areas. There was always no reasoning as to why she wouldn't, but she wouldn't and that was the end of it. When my knee was injured, she even told the doctor she'd go down to NYC before she'd go to THAT hospital. My mother was never one for driving in any bigger towns let alone NYC. We did have to go down to NYC a few times, but she always had friends drive us, so to actually say she'd go down there before she'd go to THAT hospital, something was up. I thought it was strange but let it go. By the way, I did go to the hospital but we always had to make it first thing in the morning or not at all. 

When my sister moved to Salisbury Mills and wanted us to come visit, my mother wanted to know where exactly it was and who was going to be there. Again strange but that's my mother. Other things cropped up but Mom always worked around them. 

Then when I graduated from Vocational School and we had to go to Middletown, she hated to go there but she was with it. On the day Mom was reserved with things but she was always like that. Then when we went in and I went to line up with my class and she had to find a seat in the bleachers, I left her and everything seemed fine. Then ceremony went well and then I went to find her after. She turned when I called out to her and her eyes had the look of ice in them. What on earth made her so mad? The only words she would say to me was "We're leaving. NOW!" and turned and walked out the door. No congratulations to graduating or on making honor society, no well done for winning outstanding student, and no well done. Nothing other than a wall of ice. By this point in my life I was used to it and I turned and followed her out carrying my certificate and plaque in my hands. Would you believe she sat in the passenger seat all the way home and not a word said. When I parked the car, she turned to me and asked me "How DARE you!" and got out. I couldn't figure it out and it stumped me. 

It wasn't until years later when I was doing research, I found out the probable reason why - The area her family lived in was there as the school had students from the entire county which encompassed the areas she would never travel. I found my Great Great Grandfather, Aloyse (also known as Charles), lived in the area around where we would go in and do stuff be leave just as fast. Aloyse came to Orange County NY around 1884 from Belgium. Here it was 107 years later and the family lived around the area still. It was amazing I hadn't run into any cousins I didn't know about because everyone lived within a 30 mile radius of where my Great Great Grandfather and Great Grandfather lived. In fact, my Great Uncle lived only about 40 miles from where my family was! 

Credit: Google Earth on August 19 2020

As you can see by the map above marked is one of my cousin's, who still lives in the area. This means my family has lived in this area as of this year 136 years! Wow. 

True my ancestors had moved around a bit - living in PA and NJ for a few years - but everyone always seemed to float back to the area. Even my parents, who moved around because of the US Navy, moved back to the area just before Dad got out of the service. 

My paternal side

My father was born in NYC as that's where both of his parents lived at that point in time. However, within a few years, they moved back to where my grandmother settled upon migrating from Poland in 1920 (her father came over first in 1913), which was Linden, NJ. This is where my great grandparents and great uncles all lived at one point. They stayed there until my father was about 10 or so. Then they moved to Newburgh, NY. 

They moved around the town but never left after settling in. Even after separating, my grandmother still lived in the same town and my grandfather lived farther out, but would always visited or worked in the town. 

My uncle moved away to attend college, but once he finished and married, he came back and settled a bit farther out but within a 10 or so minute drive from my grandmother. In fact, this part of the family lived in this part of NY until my uncle's death in 2002, and then my aunt moved to Florida where my cousin John's family had settled. Since then, my aunt's other son has joined them in Florida. 

On my father's side, most of us live around the area (except me who moved countries). I lived in the area until I moved to Australia in 1997. My oldest sister is in Kansas, the next sister lives in the Carolinas some place, and the next oldest sister lives near the PA and NY border. My brother lived down the street from my father's house until his death in 2019. I think once my father goes, our main link with the area will go too. I do have friends around the area, but the main reasons why we go there will really be gone. 

My great uncle's all had kids and they have families. From what I've researched, some of one great uncle's family stayed in NJ, and the other great uncle had moved to the Carolina's as well. I believe this family still lives somewhat in the area or at least that's what I found in 2019. 

Before the move to the USA

Both sides of my family lived around the same areas for generations I've found in my research. 

Maternal side

As I mentioned above, we had been in the same area of NY for over 130 years. Prior to this, they had lived in Belgium. The family had moved around a bit, but always stayed around 20 miles around Boezinge, Belgium. 

Credit from Google Earth on August 19, 2020

As you can see, we had stayed around this part of Belgium since the early 1700 which makes it over 150 years in this area. Some of the ancestors are marked as to their relationship to me. In fact, I found I still have cousins in this area today. One of the problems is they speak very little English, so I'm in the process of taking a 3 week online class to learn Dutch. I'm not sure if it's going to work though! 

As for my mother's mother's side, they arrived in 1905 from Poland and settled in PA. They lived there until about 1930 when they headed for New York in which some of my cousins still live today (see map at the top of this post). Some cousins, I found, still live in PA too. Some have moved to Kentucky, Alabama and Florida. 

Credit: Google Earth on August 19 2020.

Prior to this, from the birth and marriage entries, it seems like they were around the same area in Poland which is about 115 miles south from Gdansk/Danzig port. I believe they lived around there for generations from speaking to my cousins which knew the ancestors verbal history better. 

Paternal side

As I mentioned above, my father's side generally stayed around the same areas. 

When my grandfather, Mathias, came over in the 1920s from Germany, his aunt and uncle lived in Brooklyn. There was a huge amount of German settlers in the area which is why I believe they settled in there. 

My grandfather branched out and lived in NYC and that's where he met my grandmother. They married in NYC, and then he moved to Linden, NJ. He was in WW2, but then he came back. Shortly after, he took a trip to Newburgh, NY. After that, he and along with his sons, all stayed in this area. I do know he died not far from Newburgh, NY, but haven't a clue where he is buried. I'm still looking for the information but I believe it could be around Beacon, NY somewhere. 

Prior to him coming to the US, I found his family lived in the Rhineland in Germany for generations. If the researchers notes are correct, then we lived all over this area (see map below) since the 1700s which would make it 320 years or 226 years before my grandfather left Germany for the US. 

Credit: Google Earth on August 19 2020.

As for my father's mother, same thing goes with her side of the family. Grandma Jean I've written about many times. She was born and stayed there until she was 10 with her mother, cousins and family in 1920. I know for a fact, this side of the family still lives near there - they live in Warsaw but have a country house around here according to my father's cousin. 

I know where my great grandparents were married, Nur, and where they were born - Murawskie Nadbużne and Ciechanów. I do know from doing my DNA there are some matches either there once or still there because one DNA cousin came from Zuzela. My father's DNA came back as being able to be traced back to the 8th century "when The first waves of the incoming Slavs settled the vicinity of the upper Vistula River and elsewhere in the lands of present southeastern Poland and southern Masovia." (Credit). 

According to things said by my father and grandmother, my great grandmother was once part of the upper class of Poland society called Sejm. In fact my great grandmother's maiden name was Murawski after the town and they owned a farm. I think my great grandfather's history is pretty important too as according to the marriage document he was the owner of his father's farm due to his father's death. His mother owned a flour mill in town. This is back in 1905, so you can see just how "rich" they were compared to some others. 

When I started to go back on my grandmother's mother's side, I started to find out a bit about the family but due to language barriers and the complex software and file formats it's difficult and I'll have to look into it in the future. It seems by the tiny bit of digging, each generation moved south along the Bug river waterway. 

Credit: Google Earth on August 19 2020

If the information I was finding and the DNA  is correct we've been in this area of Poland centuries. 

Conclusion

My husband regularly looks over to me and tells me my entire clan of ancestors are "Stubborn and don't move easily". I look at him and laugh and agree. It doesn't matter which area you reference, my maternal and paternal are both stubborn and don't move with ease at all and that's just fine. 

The Challenging Jagodzinski / Barry Family - Ancestors in 52 Weeks

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

Topic Info:
What would genealogy be without a few challenges. (And yes, this is similar to a theme we had at the beginning of the year. I'm willing to bet you have more than one challenging ancestor -- I know I do!) Who has been a challenge to find? What location is challenging to research?

Honestly, I could have sat here and done a few different areas of the family as I still have brick walls around, but nothing frustrates me more than the Jagodzinski or Barry area of my family. This is my grandmother and her father's side of the family.

Janet Dorothy Jagodzinski Gauquie. Credit J. Gauquie

Using the Jagodzinski (also used Jagodrinski) and Barry as last names
As far as I've been told, my maternal grandmother was born Janet Jagodzinski in May 1911 in Pennsylvania. I have not been able to find her birth entry, certificate or church entry as yet. Her life from 1911 until 1930 is basically a mystery.

I found her father's Declaration of Intention in 1930 and what I think is their entry in the 1930 US census which matches basic information in 1930, but this is it until....

In 1934 and 1935 I found she was living in Newburgh, NY and going by the name of Janet Barry according to some US City Directories. I believe this is her as I've found other information as Janet Barry which I'll get to later.

The highlights above show my grandmother and her sister Pauline living and working at the same place. Credit

I have not found her entry in the NY state marriage index either, but where they married in NY or in Pennsylvania? This is the question...

In the 1940 census, Grandma Janet is married and located with my grandfather, Louis, my uncle and mother and in Newburgh, NY. It backs up she was born in Pennsylvania and she was living in Salisbury Mills, NY in 1935 and on a farm. This farm would have been my great grandfather, Jules Gauquie's, farm I believe (below).

This is the family farm which Janet probably mentioned on the 1940 census about where they were living in 1935. Credit. J. Fitzgerald taken Jan 2019

It wasn't until I ordered in 2 more pieces of information which started to unlock the name confusion information and mystery - but not completely.

I ordered in my grandmother Janet's Social Security Application she filled out (below). There it listed her mother and father reminding you she filled out the form, so she should know who her parents are right? On the form, her father, my great grandfather, was listed as Leo Barry and her mother's name Bernice Ostrzycki. My mother told me her grandfather's name was Appolanus Jagodzinski and her grandmother's name was Bernice but didn't know what her maiden name is/was. Yep I'm confused...who was the correct father? Where they the same?

Janet's Social Security Application. Credit: Social Security Administration

The other form I ordered in was my grandfather Louis' Railroad Board record. On this, he put my grandmother's name down as Janet Barry Gauquie. Interesting as she was actually born as Janet Jagodzinski I was told. I cannot find her birth certificate to find out and I've looked several times, so what's going on?

My grandmother's name on my grandfather's RailRoad Retirement Board application. Credit: RailRoad Retirement Board 

This locked in my grandmother's maiden name as Janet Barry, which then I found the city directories I mentioned above, but as far as I knew my mother told me her birth name was Janet Jagodzinski.

Anyhow, I asked my cousin Jason if our grandmother's name was Barry or Jagodzinski. He didn't know anything about this side of the family and said he'd try to ask his father. My mother had 2 brothers - one had died in California and Uncle Jimmy was still living in New York. Uncle Jimmy is Jason's father. However, no one, not even other cousin's who knew of our grandmother, knew about the last name, so it was an unanswered question.

Earlier this year (2019), we had to go back to New York, and I met up with my uncle and cousin's. As we were talking, he came out with "You know they used the Barry name right?" meaning his mother's family.

My mouth dropped open and I nodded slowly saying I had some idea they did but nothing of proof. Then I asked the one question I wanted to know - why? The answer was as easy as "They were having problems getting employed because of the name so they changed it to get jobs and to sound more American." Standard answer but it was the answer I had come down too, but didn't have any confirmation until then.

The feeling I felt after my uncle told me the information on the Barry/Jagodzinski last name connection. Credit

One question answered, but many more to go about this family.

Janet Jagodzinski / Barry's father
I had found out about Grandma Janet's mother, Bernice, and had found her HUGE family. I do mean huge and some are still in Pennsylvania and others have moved south for different reasons.

On the other hand Grandma Janet's father, Appolanus Jagodzinski / Barry, is more of a question mark. On Grandma Janet's Social Security Application she put down Leo Barry, which the last name matches if you believe the Barry story above.

Where did the Leo come from? Talking to some other Polish researchers and I found many people with the name Appolanus had Americanized it to Leo. This makes my great grandfather's whole name Americanized now and very common unfortunately.

However, where did he come from? Where is he?

I have very little information on Appolanus I have to admit. I've had the US Immigration Service do searches on him and found a Intention for Naturalization which wasn't completed and in Pennsylvania. Of course the arrested for Robbery which was a mistake and he can't remember anything probably wasn't a good thing. However, it did contain something interesting. It confirmed he was in Pennsylvania and in New York - both places I know my ancestors were.

Appolanus' Declaration of Intention Paperwork from US Naturalisation Service

Appolanus' 2nd page - love the Robbery line above.

Further it contained Alien Cards from the 1940s and early 1950s so I could track where he had lived.

One of the many Address cards Alien's had to fill out until the 1950s. Credit: US Naturalisation Service

I was able to locate another Declaration of Intention in September 1930 where my great grandmother, all great aunts, uncles and grandmother are listed on this paper.

Appolanus' Declaration of Intention paperwork in the 1930s with wife and children listed. Credit

The problem is the information just - stops - until his obituary shows up in 1967 which I had just located in January 2019. He wasn't even listed on his wife's obituary which was interesting but not fully unexpected. My mother told me everytime someone referred to him as a pain and no one wanted him or anything to do with him because he was mean.

As for where he's buried, I found in January 2019, he's buried next to his wife, Bernice in New Windsor, New York.

Where they are buried with my grandmother behind the cross. Credit: J. Fitzgerald Taken 2019

The information he gives out is very little and I can't trace it back at all. I would love to know where in Poland he comes from, but even with using the ship manifest and Declaration of Intentions, it doesn't narrow it down at all to me because there could be many places called the same thing in Poland.

This is what I feel like doing everytime I try to unravel this side of the family. Credit

Janet Jagodzinski's siblings?
This is another huge problem I have. It seems like the surviving sons, stayed in Pennsylvania for some reason. I have no idea why other than they must have wanted to stay close to their mother's side of the family, but have no idea if they had done this. However, talking to the Ostrzycki's, and their ancestors, and they always said that Bernice and her family just disappeared. They used to hear some news when Bernice called, but lost contact once she passed away.

My grandmother's sisters? I found them around the Newburgh area too.
Aunt Honey, or Genevieve who was the youngest sister, was married and had children. My mother and her were very close until my mother left my father.

Aunt Honey, Genevieve Jagodzinski, in her later years. Credit 

Pauline, or Apolonia I think was her formal name listed on the Alien Cards, was the oldest. I know she had married and had children. At least one of these, Alberta, went to school with my father. He says she lives in Florida now, but hasn't told me where or how to contact her. There is very little information on Pauline other than the census information I've been able to find and according to my father.

Wilma, who was the second youngest sister, I found lived with Pauline at one point but went under the name of Vilma which was Americanized name, and she lived in Newburgh, NY as well.

I obtained this information from the 1930 census, which had Bernice as Virginia, Leo Jagodzinski, and the kids which all match the obituaries I had found. And I found Pauline and Vilma on the 1940 census, by then all the kids had up and married and/or moved out like Vilma.

The 1930 Census listing the Jagodzinski's including Leo and ages. Credit: US Government

However, once again, they all disappeared. I know very little information on most. The one I have the most information, but even this is spotty, is Genevieve. I think this is because my grandmother and mother were close, so they stayed in touch until the early 1970s. However, this is only a guess as my father said my mother and Genevieve were always talking on the phone and I can't remember them speaking after my parents divorced in the 1970s.

Who were and are these Jagodzinski's? Do they still go by the name Barry or have the reverted back to the name Jagodzinki's?

Last week, I was in a meeting and one person brought up a statement which was "Most of the time people just have to ask and others have a hard time saying no."

I'm now taking the time to ask - Where ARE you??? Please come and talk to me....

Credit

A-Z Blogging Challenge - The letter O is for Ostrzycki!

In 2017, there was a challenge. I heard about it from jillballau blog and more information can be found out about it on the A-Z Blogging Challenge (which was at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/) page itself. However, as I was testing links I found the A-Z Blogging Challenge link is no longer working *frown*

Many people had done this challenge in April 2017, but I’m a rebel and do things when I have time, so I’ll do mine now. I’ve been working on it over many days, and was hoping to get it all done before posting BUT it’s taking me a lot longer than I expected. I’ll do a few posts now and work on the rest. 

I know I have about ½ of this challenge done in draft format, so not too bad.  

What can I say – I’m an original. So, here I go…

The letter O is for Ostrzycki!

My maternal great grandmother's married name is Valerie Ostrzycki. This is her Americanized name. Walter Ostrzycki was my maternal great grandfather. These are my immigrants from Poland on my grandmother's side. 

My 2x great grandparents with my great grandmother listed. Credit

My mother never knew this side of her family. The closest she heard was "We have some family in Pennsylvania." and that was it. She didn't know names or anything. 

Then I started my research. I searched for my grandmother's name which was Janet Gauquie. This led me to some information on my grandfather's side which you run with because you never know when you'll get that information again as we  know in genealogy. 

Anyhow, long after I started to search on her name again. I came across an obituary which listed Janet Gauquie as the daughter of Bernice Jagodzinski. It also listed a Genevieve which, in my gut, told me was the person I knew as "Aunt Honey". 

My great grandmother's obituary listing my grandmother (in yellow). Credit on image.

From there I had a name and a place which I started to research. Before long, I started to find cousins and cousins and great aunts and uncles. Wow! It was really amazing just how many people who were family we didn't know about. 

One of these searches also produced a picture of Valerie Ostrzycki. On her headstone. This made me suck in my breath when I saw it. Not only because it was a picture of my 2x great grandmother and her headstone, but because it was like looking at MY mother. 

My 2x great grandparent's headstones in PA. Credit

You be the judge - do they look alike? 

My 2x great grandmother Credit

My mother, Jo Ann Credit: Jo Ann J. Fitzgerald

Anyhow, then I contacted one of the cousins and gave them some background. He was, and still is, leery about me and our side. Even after I shared a picture of my mother. However, we did talk a few times and exchange pictures which he gave me another of my 2x great grandmother which shows a great likeness to my mother but the slight and thin of her body hasn't been passed along or at least not to any of us. 

This being said they did know someone was in New York but didn't know where to look. 

My Great Aunt Genevieve "Aunt Honey" Credit

I did contact someone who had Aunt Honey on their family tree as well. She was the aunt I thought she was because I saw some pictures of her and the person I remember were one in the same. Once again I filled her in on who I was and why I was contacting her. She replied back asking why I was contacting her. I asked her if she knew why my grandmother was in the hospitals and if there were any family members who wanted to get to know us. 

Well, wrong thing to say because I was told she had a mental problem, which they were told never to talk about, and no. No one wanted to know us and she never replied back. 

Some times you hit gold and other times black coal. The black coal was this second person. 

Anyhow, this lead me to start a Facebook group for this side of the family. Since then, it has been growing by leaps and bounds and now we've even joined up Walter's brother's family to ours and have a relative from even farther up the chain who still lives in Poland. 

We're learning from each other and we must get together next time we hit the states.  This is the gold and not the coal.

The gold among the coal. Credit

In Deep with the Book of Me - Dream Trip

This seems like an interesting topic for those those of us who do Genealogy -

Background: This prompt was inspired by a blog post written in September 2014 by Jennifer Shoer who blogs at The Scrappy Genealogist. I wasn't the only one inspired because +Tessa Keough & the team at the Legacy Virtual Users Group Community at Google + hosted a hangout in October 2014 and you can see that recording here.

Topic: You are going to plan your dream trip. Where do you want to go and why?
Genealogical connections, revisit because of happy memories, or perhaps you just feel a connection to somewhere else? What do you want to do when you get there?

The trip can be as long or as short as you would like it to be. Forget about the constraints that you might feel and be aware of. This is an opportunity to dream and perhaps sow the seed for a future adventure.

My Genealogy Dream Trip

What's funny is my husband and I have been talking about going back to the land of our ancestors. We've been talking about it for probably a good 3 or 4 years now, because we're starting to find information on exactly where our ancestors were.

My starting point would be to go back to the United States. However, it would be to parts I've never really spent time in.

New Jersey
This would be my starting point. If my father wanted to come along, I would be more than willing for him to accompany me. We would start at the old addresses I had of my paternal side:

• 1920 address: 49 7th Avenue, Hudson, New Jersey(great grandfather)
• Sept 1920 address: 25 Silver Street, Bayonne (great grandparents and grandmother)
• 1930 address: 103 11th Street, West Linden (great grandfather)
• 1937-1942  address: 108 W 15th Street, West Linden  (great grandfather & business)
• 1943 address: 200 Jefferson Ave, Linden, (grandparents)
• 1943 address: 1814 Clinton Street, Linden (great grandfather)
• March 1943 address:  1907 S Wood Ave, Linden (Distant cousin of grandmother)
• March 1943 address: 1907 S Wood Ave, Linden (Cousin Czeslaw of Great grandfather)
• March 1943 address: 666 Broadway Bayonne (Cousin Vincent of Great grandfather)
• October 1920 address: MJ Donohoe School (known now as #4 school), Linden, NJ
• November 1922 address: #2 school, Linden, NJ (grandmother)
• 1939 address: 816 Henry Street, East Linden  (grandmother)
• Bayway Cemetary, North Linden, NJ (Great grandparents)

New York

• 1934 address: 433 East 72 St, NYC (grandfather)
• 1934 address: 399 East 78th St, NYC (grandmother)
• 1934 address: St Monica's Church, 405 East, 79th St, Manhattan (grandparents married)
• I would also have my father take me to the places he remembers. He has mentioned in the past the old store my great grandfather had and its still a store today in New Jersey. 
• He mentioned a German bar my grandfather often visited as well in Linden.
• I would also visit the New Jersey Archives to see if they had any local information on my great grandparent's business as it was very well thought of. I would look up my great grandfather's obituary as well. Lastly, in the late 1930's my grandmother was involved in a very bad car and train accident and my grandmother almost died. 
• Lastly, I would have my nieces, with their children, meet me in New York City to go to the Statue of Liberty. I would then tell them all the story of my grandmother and getting to New York.  I would follow this by them meeting my father as they didn't know him growing up. 

The next stop on my dream trip would be to Pennsylvania. My oldest sister, Theresa, has already said she wants to come along with us on this one. This visit would be for my maternal grandmother's side - the Ostrzyci and Jagodzinski side.

Pennsylvania (Ostrzyci's)

• 1910 address: 7 Stewards Row West Carson Street, Allegheny, PA - (Felix Brother of Bernice)
• St Adelberts Cemetery, Allegheny, PA (Felix buried)
• 1915-1976 address: 1202 (Lower) Crest Avenue, Charleroi (2x great grandparents lived most of their lives and died, Kurpieski's lived (Laura sister of Bernice, Josephine sister of Bernice)
• Calvary Cemetery, Charleroi  (where my 2x grandparents and other cousins/aunts/uncles are buried, Kurpieski's)
• Charleroi Cemetery - Vicki/Valeria Woncheck (Grand Niece of Bernice, Frank, Stanley Jr Brothers of Bernice)
• Christ Lutheran Church of Charleroi (Dorthoy Ostrzycki Johnson - Bernice's niece)
• St Mary's Anglican Church, Charleroi (Vicki/Valeria attended)
• 819 Gallowfield Ave, Charleroi (Vicki Carl J Spallino Funeral Home)
• Charleroi-Moessen Hospital (Where Bernice's brother in law died)
• Polish Ladies Auxiliary of Chareroi - Laura Kurpieski a member
• 1918 address: 205 Fever East Pittsburgh (Adam Ostrzycki)
• 1933 address: 369 Hayes Ave, Washington, PA (Adam)
• 1930 address: 939 McKean Ave, Washington, PA (Steve)
• 1940 address: 1223 Crest Ave, Charleroi (Steve)
• 1970 address:  Calvary Bible Church of North Charleroi & choir (Steve - left for Tennessee-ministry-then Alabama)
• 1976: St. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, Charleroi (Josephine)
• Prior to 1962 Address: 16 Perry Lane, Pittsburgh, PA (Josephine Bernice's sister)
• Need to look up Corning Glass Works in Charleroi (2x great grandfather)

(Jagodzinski's)

• Saint Catherine's Cemetery, Leechburgh, PA (Alfred - great uncle)
• St. Martha's Roman Catholic Church, Leechburgh (Alfred's daughter married)
• 1962 Address: Rd 1, Vandergrift (Alfred's address)
• Leechburgh High School (Alfred's children attended)
• 1917 address: Cemetary ?, Leechburgh (great grandfather)
• West Leechburgh Steel Co, West Leechburgh, PA (great grandfather)
• Visit to Leechburgh (Bridget/Bernice lived)
• Visit to Pittsburgh - Stella (sisters to Bernice)
• St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Oakmont, PA (Valma  Dunn - Bernice's sister)
• Vandergrift, PA - (Apolonius aka Juggs - Mom's cousin lived/died here)
• Thomas M. Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, 930 Center Ave, Pittsburgh (Mom's great aunt had Valma Dunn had her arrangements done)
• 1948-1983 Wean United (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius worked)
• 1943 Leechburgh High school (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius graduated)
• St Gertrude Roman Catholic Church in Vandergrift (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius chruch)
• Vandergrift VFW (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius member)
• Armstrong Conty Sports Hall of Fame (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius plaque)
• St. Gertrude Cemetery Vandergrift (Janet's brother Jug or Appolonius buried)
• Need to visit the Charleroi, Vandergrift, Leechburgh, Pittsburgh genealogy/history area for references Charleroi needs to be searched for Laura in Charleroi Mail newspaper for local politics.

I will also want to check cemeteries near Newburgh, NY for my great grandmother Bernice, great Aunt Geneieve, maternal grandfather and great aunt Florance, and St Mary Church and Cemetery in Salisbury Mills, NY.

I would also meet up or  have a huge picnic to meet any of my cousins in one of the nearby parks in Orange County, NY. as I haven't met many.

St. Paul Minnesota

Europe

I would then take my time and go through the places listed in my great grandparents and grandparent's documents I found. These are below.

Poland
My paternal side comes from these areas of Poland:

 

My maternal side comes from these areas of Poland:

 

Germany
 My paternal side comes from these areas of Germany:

Denmark
 My maternal side comes from these areas of Denmark:

Belgium
My maternal side comes from these areas of Belgium:

My Husband's dream trip would be to Ireland (whole thing), Germany, and places along France/Belgium border for his genealogy.

I think I need to win the lottery. *grin*

Take a journey with your ancestors...

I have to say, in the years that I have been doing my family's genealogy, I never know where I am going to go on a given day if something arises when I am doing research. In fact, I've told both people I have spoken one on one with and groups, that when you do genealogy you just hang on for the ride. The research will take you were you are meant to go.

The FindMyPast Free Weekend

For instance, this past weekend FindMyPast had a free weekend from Friday night until Monday night in Australia.

On Friday night/Saturday morning, I was in the US finding out about Gauquie's there. I went to states like New York and California.

On Saturday I went in search of people/places in Newburgh, New York and Germany. Sunday was a big day - I went in search of the Ostrzycki's. This was in New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Washington DC and some other places. It seems once the original ancestors that came over from Poland, once they were gone people started to move out into the rest of the US. I learned about some who were hurt by accidents, illnesses and some who had died. Some that looked up to others and some who moved to help family out. In fact this was so big it took over most of my Sunday as well.

Lon Ostrzycki (@PastorLonO) on Twitter

"...He was my hero and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. ...He was not going to be counted out in the game of life and has exhibited the same persistent qualities I watched him display on the football field in his fight to walk again" - Lon Ostrzycki about his brother Wayne in September 21 1985 Monessen Valley Independent story, page 5.

Monday came and I started to do country searches to see what was happening in some of the countries. I went to Koblenz/Cobelenz Germany, Belgium, French Flanders, and France. I was looking for information on what was happening within the countries at the time to see what influences happened to my ancestors. However, most of the newspapers were either very blurred or very tiny and after a few hours I had a headache and couldn't do it any longer. If I found something I could easily read, I did, but most of it was in tiny typing which was crazy. Even my husband who said he wasn't having a hard time tried to see what he could do and ran into the same thing as myself.

What can you find out from old newspapers?

However, I did get to know my family a bit more. I know what church had the service for my great great grandmother and have tracked down where she is buried. It sounds like it was the family place

1931 Aug 24 Charleroi Mail Valerie's obit

to be buried because of some of the death certificates I have. Like I said above, I know about illnesses, accidents and birthday parties. Associations family members were in and how involved in the community they were.

I found with one of my grandparent's businesses, someone was robbed and assaulted just after they bought the business and it was right next door! From the way it was written, I think my grandmother already had an impact because instead of starting anything in the business, they went outside. I smiled at that one!

1946 Jan 17 Middletown Times Herald

Then I learned that another family member sold up his livestock because of an illness. I know he must have won that time against the illness because he lives near the Great Lakes and is a farmer. He has a daughter that is going to be or is a vet as she was on the Dean's List a few years ago. I know another Grand Uncle lost his barn in a fire and said he would have to either sell his livestock or rebuild the barn but he couldn't do both. Tough times all around, but there were good times too. We had a Valedictorian and Student Presidents in the family too.

That's why when you do family history, think of yourself in a canoe going down a river - sometimes its a wild ride like with rapids and other times it flat and you are just floating along. Either way, you can learn alot about your ancestors - you just have to keep your eyes open.

Picture taken from https://knoji.com/images/user/spring(1).jpg

I'm floating - how & where can I keep my eyes open? 

We all hit brick walls. What you need to do is look at different ways of obtaining the information. Some ways are:

• Look up the surnames. 
• Look up towns and places your ancestors lived. 
• Look up clubs, associations, and churches they were involved with. 
• Look up places and the above mentioned things on Facebook and join the pages.
• If you live close enough, visit them in person. 
• Visit historical societies and attend genealogical talks. 
• Have you done a timeline for each your ancestors? 
• Have you put history or events in them? 

These may all give you what your ancestor was going through. This is what we call putting flesh on the ancestor. Its almost like you are stepping back into time and looking at what they were experiencing.

Remember, not everything is online - I would say there's at least 60-50% of information that is still not online, so you have to go places or ask others to go there for you.