2014 Road Trip to Poland

As mentioned in a previous post, I have been looking for my great-grandfather Paul Primas for a long time.  When I started my family history research for a school project in 6^th grade, he had already been gone for over 50 years.   As a teenager I wrote to the German Consulate to ask how to find records I was looking for and was told all the records were lost in the war (World War II) and any that did survive were now behind the Iron Curtain and unavailable.  I kept looking and asking.

Paul Primas Death Certificate

In 2012 I decided I needed to go to Poland and try to find out more information about my elusive great-grandfather Paul.  I still had many questions.   Having previously used his services for obtaining documents, I contacted Dr. Lukasz Bielecki of Discovering Roots in the fall of 2013.  I engaged his services to help me plan the trip as well as conduct some research prior to our arrival.   My sister Donna and I bought our tickets in January 2014, but probably would have had a better selection of seats if we had bought them sooner.  Because of some other touring we wanted to do, we chose to fly in and out of Berlin, Germany.  From Berlin, our destination, Poznan, is a 3 hour train ride through beautiful country.

Caron at the Poznan train station

In April 2014, we traveled to Poznan, Poland to see sights related to our family history and to conduct additional research at the local archives.  We stayed at Hotel Włoski Poznań as Lukasz recommended and found it to be well-located, clean, reliable and reasonably priced.  While Donna is fluent in German (which was the language of our ancestors who lived in the Posen area during the Prussian Empire) and I can read “genealogy German” neither of us speak nor understand Polish.  Having Lukasz to interpret during our visit was very helpful!

Planning the day with Lukasz in the hotel lobby

During our three day visit Lukasz guided and chauffeured us as we made daily trips to the ArchiwumPaństwowe w Poznaniu (State Archive in Poznań) in the city and the surrounding areas specific to our ancestors. 

State Archive building in Poznań

At the Archive, he assisted us to complete the necessary paperwork to access the Archive’s materials and used his knowledge of the local geography to determine which records to access.   It was obvious that Lukasz is well known at the Archives as well as knowing his way around the resources!  The Archive’s rules are that only a limited amount of items can be accessed and at restricted times.  We were able to triple the numbers with three of us there.  Donna and I took many pictures of pages of old church records of our known ancestors and “suspect” ancestors. 

Lukasz and the records at the Archive  

     

Caron looking at a church record book 

  

Church record book with Paul Primas baptismal record

Page with Paul Primas baptismal record

Paul Primas baptismal record

During the afternoons, Lukasz used his excellent knowledge of the area and its history to take us down mostly unmarked roads to access the rural areas where our ancestors had lived.  He also used some maps from the 1980s Communist military.  He told us they were very detailed and accurate. Had we been on our own, we never would have been able to navigate the area.

Map used by Lukasz

We visited the churches where our family baptisms and weddings were performed, family cemeteries and the areas where our ancestors worked or owned mills and had their homes.   The Lutheran churches no longer exist; they have been converted to Catholic churches, community or art centers or torn down, usually with a park in its place.

Circles indicate all the places we visited

Church in Rejowiec, formerly Revier, where Friedrich Primas and Amalie Petrich
 (my 2^nd great-grandparents) were married in 1857, still in use as Catholic Church

Picture of inside of the Rejowiec church

Church at Murowana Goslina, currently abandoned

  

Church at Nekielka, formerly Nekla Hauland, being remodeled as a music arts center

Inside view church at Nekielka (Nekla Hauland)

 

Church at Pobiedziska, formerly Pudewitz

Inside of the church in Pobiedziska

Church in Skoki, formerly Schokken.  It is now a community center.
It looks like they play basketball inside.

While we drove through the beautiful countryside, Lukasz related information about the general history of the villages and area. He also took us to charming local restaurants each day where we were able to taste the local cuisine.

Lunch stop in Skoki – wonderful pirogi!

Typical view from the car when there were no farms, this near Nekielka

Farm land near Glinka Panska

One road we went down did not look like a real road.  It looked like a track through a farm field.  Lukasz assured us it was a real road, it was on the map!

This is a real road!  On our way to Czerniejewo, formerly Schwarzenau

Site of Gottfried Primas’ (my 3^rd great-grandfather’s) water mill at Borowo Mɫyn

There was something spiritually moving and a bit mysterious about walking on the same land that my ancestors walked on.  There was a feeling of comfort and familiarity. 

We knew many of our great-grandparents had been millers – we have “wind millers” and “water millers” in the family.  We did not see any water mills, but we did see a “wind mill” that looked like one our family might have worked.

Old windmill building in Czerniejewo on the road to Nekla

This is what it might look like new or in use

We were very pleased with our visit and would highly recommend Lukasz and DiscoveringRoots in Poland for local or long distance research and on-site guided tours in Poland.   We thought his fees were very reasonable for the flexible and personal services he offers. 

Here are my tips for a successful research trip, based on this and other excursions:

• Plan well in advance.  For overseas, at least 3 months in advance.  Check if a visa or other special permission is needed.  None were needed for Poland, but when I checked for Russia, you needed to request a visa at least 3 months prior to travel.  Know Before You Go.
• Travel during off-season if you can.  Because we traveled in April, we missed the summer crowds and prices.
• Check the weather in the location you are traveling to before you pack!
• Note any holidays in the location you will visit.  The Monday after Easter is a holiday in Germany and all the stores were closed.  We had planned to shop that day!
• Check ahead on sites you want to visit for any special events or other changes in availability.  When we visited Wittenberg, the Luther related churches were shrouded and one was closed in preparation for the 500^th Anniversary in 2017.  The only picture of the churches we got were on a postcard!
• If you will be in a country where you do not know the language, seriously consider hiring a guide.  It will be worth the money!
• Do advance research for the location you are going.  Know the hours and rules of any repositories you want to visit.   Can you take pictures?  Scan?  State Archive of Poznan only pulls records three times per day and only 5 records per person per pull.  No scanning or copies, but you can take pictures.
• Have a research plan before you go.  Take any reference materials you may need.  Do NOT assume you will have an internet connection available.  I printed out family trees and family groups sheets of the families I was looking for and had them spiral bound into a book at Office Max.  I made 3 copies (me, Lukasz and Donna).  We used them!  I also had my netbook with FamilyTreeMaker loaded in case we had questions not answerable by the print outs.  We used it!!
• Have a scanner and/or camera with you.  In our case, we could not use a scanner, but I used a camera for the records.  Donna and I both had cameras and took over 3,000 pictures between us – scenery and records.
• Pack light.  Donna and I each took a 22-inch carry-on suitcase and a fully-loaded backpack.  That was all for 14 days!! 
• Lay out all the clothes that you think you will need and leave half of them home.  We had a few basics in solid colors and changed it up with shirts, scarves and such.  Hotels had laundry services or equipment.
• Dress in layers.  April in Poland/Germany was rainy and 45-55 F.  We layered turtlenecks under fleece jackets/sweaters and those under raincoats.  When we went inside or it warmed up, we could peel off a layer.  Also, remember that buildings and hotels outside of the US do not always have the same temperature control availability.  PS: I appreciated my gloves!
• Have two pair of good walking shoes.  Wear one, pack one.
• Unless you know you will be attending an official dress up affair, leave the fancy clothes and jewelry home.
• Keep a daily journal of where you went and what you did.  Write it up each night before bed.  If you wait to write it up on the plane or at home, you will forget most of it!  In my case, I also noted the weather each day, as it was pertinent to our tours.

It is hard to believe it has been over a year since our trip!  I would go back tomorrow if I had the chance.

PS:  I have been writing this post since March 2015.  I keep thinking I will add more or perfect it.  I keep thinking of more items to add.  However, I have decided to address some of the other aspects of the trip in individual posts and just get this one posted!

Amelia O. Primas 1891 - 1961

Amelia O. Primas:  My Paternal Great-Aunt “Millie”

According to the Primas family Bible, Amelia O. Primas was born 22 January 1891 in Chicago, Illinois.  She was the third child and only daughter born to Paul and Emma (Stroschein) Primas.  It is possible that she was named for Paul’s mother Amalia.  The Chicago City Directory for 1891 shows her father Paul listed as a Tailor.  I always knew her as “Millie” and have never found her middle name in any records or documents.

Millie had one older brother and three younger brothers.  Paul and Emma’s first child died before Millie and her younger siblings were born.  Between Millie’s birth and that of her younger brother the family moved to Menomonie in Dunn County, Wisconsin. 

Why did they move to Wisconsin?  It appears that Paul Primas’ uncle and godfather Benjamin Petrich was living in Menomonie at that time with his family.  Perhaps they were lonely or struggling.  Paul and Emma had no other family in the USA at that time.  When Millie’s brother Otto is born in 1893, Paul is listed as a laborer on the birth certificate.  When Millie’s youngest brother is born, Paul is listed on the birth certificate as a Lumberman.  In that area of Wisconsin there were several large lumber companies at the time.

By the time of the 1900 US Census, the family is back in Chicago.  Millie is enumerated on 12 Jun 1900 as Amelia, 9 years old with birth as Jan 1891 in Illinois.  She is in the household of her father Paul Primas (occupation = janitor) along with her mother Emma, and brothers Fred W age 11, Otto age 7, Waldemar age 5 and Oscar age 2.  They are living at 156 N Kedzie Avenue in Chicago.  The census shows that her parents have been married for 15 years, and immigrated in 1887.

1900 US Census: Paul Primas Head of Household

Two days after Christmas in 1906 Millie’s father Paul died.  The cause of death on the death certificate showed Chronic Nephritis.  He was 46 years old and listed his occupation as carpenter.  Millie was 15 years old.  Her youngest brother was 9 years old.  Paul was buried in Concordia Cemetery in River Forest, Illinois.

It took me a while to find the family in the 1910 US Census because the indexer interpreted the name as Thomas, not Primas.  I was able to find the family in the 1910 Chicago City Directory so I knew they should be in Chicago.  I used the address from the Directory to find the Enumeration District using Stephen Morse’s One Step process (http://www.stevemorse.org/census/unified.html).  Then I had to page through the Census to find the family.  When I found them, I saw the name as Primas easily, but then that is my name too!

On 15 April 1910 in the US Census for Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Millie is listed as Emilie, age 19, single, working as a clerk for a telegraph company.  The head of the household is her mother Emma, age 45, widowed along with the other children:  Friedrich, age 21, operator at a telegraph company;  Otto, age 17, a door boy at a department store; Waldemar, age 15 and Oskar, age 12.  They are living at 417 N Sawyer in Chicago.

1910 US Census: Emma Primas Head of Household

Millie is in the 1914 Chicago Directory as Amelia, a clerk, living at the same address as Emma and Fred.

1914 Chicago Directory detail

Three of Millie’s brothers were drafted and served in France in World War I from 1917 to 1919. Fortunately they all came home but I imagine Millie had to work to help the family during that time.

Postcard sent to Millie from her brother Frank in the Army

On 8 January 1920 in the US Census for Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Millie is listed as Amelia A. Primas, age 28, single, with “none” listed for occupation.  The head of the household is her mother Emma, age 54, widow, no occupation.  Others in the household include all her brothers:  Fred W., age 31, single, a department manager for a furnace company; Otto M. J., age 26, single, salesman for an ice cream company; Waldemar F., age 24, single, salesman for an ice cream company; and Oscar R., age 22, single, salesman for an ice cream company.  Also in the household are Edward Stroschein, age 65, widower, brother to Emma Primas, born in Posen, Germany, arrived in US in 1917 with occupation listed as carpenter in a department store.  Edward’s son Ernest, age 14, single, born in England, is also in the house.  They are all living at 133 N Long Street in Chicago.

1920 US Census:  Emma Primas Head of Household

I know from other research that Edward Stroschein had emigrated from Germany to Australia.  He had been living there for many years prior to his arrival in the US in November of 1917.  He had a wife who had died there in 1908 and older children still living in Australia.  One of his sons died in July 1917 during World War I in Ypres, Belgium.  His son Ernest never returned to Australia to live after arriving in the US in 1917.  He remained close with the Primas family.

On 17 August 1928 Millie’s mother Emma died at the age of 63 years at home in Maywood.  Cause of death was determined to be breast cancer.  Emma was buried in Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois.  The death certificate indicated she had the breast cancer for four years.  At that time there was not much treatment available for the disease.

Emma Primas with sons Otto, Oscar and Frank circa 1927

In the US Census dated 15 April 1930 for Proviso Township, Maywood Village in Cook County Illinois, Millie is enumerated as Millicent A. Primas, age 39, single, sister to the head of household and nothing listed for occupation.  The head of the household is her brother Otto M., age 36, single, a chauffeur (driver) for an ice cream company.  It also indicates that the house is owned with a value of $15,000.  Others in the household are:  Frank W [Waldemar], age 34, single, brother to head of household, and a clerk for an ice cream company; Louise J. Piel, roomer, age 69, widow and her daughter Marie, age 24 years, single, working as a bookkeeper for a wholesale druggist.  They live at 217 N. Second Ave in Maywood.

1930 US Census:  Otto Primas Head of Household

Two interesting items concerning this document:  Otto would marry Marie Piel in 1931 and Millie was arriving on the ship MS Milwaukee in New York on 15 April 1930, having departed from Hamburg Germany on 4 April 1930.  Family recollections indicate that she had gone to visit family in the Posen area of Germany (formerly Prussia) where her parents had been born.  Stories also suggest she had traveled there around 1919 with her mother as well, but I have no documentation for that.

Ship Listing for Mille's arrival in New York 1930

I also had trouble finding Millie in the 1940 Census.  I found all her brothers but not her.  I knew she was in Villa Park at the time, so I went to the 1940 Census for Villa Park, read the district descriptions and choose the one I thought she would be in.  I was correct, however once again the transcription of her surname was not correct!  No wonder I could not find her.

1940 US Census:  Amelia O. Primas Head of Household

On 21 April 1940, Millie is enumerated as Amelia O Primas, head of household at 47 S Villa Avenue, Villa Park in DuPage County, Illinois.  She is listed as 49 years old, single with a sixth grade education.  She is the operator of an ice cream shop.  It also indicates she was living in the same place (Villa Park) in 1935, but not same house.  At the same address and in the same household, there is Cora Sides, 69 year old widow and her daughter-in-law, Hazel Sides, age 38 years, also a widow.  Hazel is listed as a saleslady in a confectionary.  Both are recorded as living in Maywood in 1935. 

I knew that Millie and Hazel Sides were friends.  I found on the 1930 US Census, they lived around the corner from each other in Maywood.  Perhaps they also both belonged the Eastern Star together.

Hazel Sides and Millie, Eastern Star Event Mar 1949

Millie and niece Marilyn Primas,
Eastern Star Event Mar 1949

The building at 47 S Villa Avenue is a commercial building with several store fronts, a precursor to what we call today a “strip mall”.  I am told Millie lived in the back of the ice cream shop.  Later she moved to a house at 209 S Yale Avenue in Villa Park with her brother Fred.  They were the only siblings not married.  Fred died about three months before Millie.  Hazel Sides also lived at the house, perhaps to help care for Millie.

47 S. Villas Avenue, Villa Park, Illinois, circa 2010

Millie’s brothers established the Primas Brothers Ice Cream Company in 1934 at the 47 S. Villa Avenue location.  The ice cream was made in the back of the shop.  They started the business with a five-year contract with the CCC camps south and west of Chicago.  There was also a route that included deliveries to the Brookfield Zoo.  In the front of the building was a small ice cream store which their sister Millie managed.  The manufacturing of the ice cream was moved to 105 W. St Charles Road in Villa Park about 1940-1941. In 1943 the name was changed to Medorose Ice Cream Company. The business remained at the same location until 1959 when it was sold to Schoeps Ice Cream from Madison, Wisconsin.  All the Primas siblings lived in Villa Park while they ran the business and retired when they sold it.  

Medorose Ice Cream Company in Villa Park, Illinois.  The Primas family business.

Besides owning a business together, the Primas family spent a lot of time together.   I have many pictures of family events showing everyone together.

Primas Family, April 1948, probably Easter Sunday.

Millie and her niece Marilyn circa 1956.
They were the only Primas females of their generations.

Villa Park ladies:  Millie Primas, Hazel Sides,
Rose Dreckman, Hazel Primas, late 1940s.

My mother told me that Millie had a double mastectomy due to breast cancer before 1952.  At that time radical mastectomy was the recognized treatment for breast cancer. 

Millie and her great-niece Donna Primas in 1956.

Millie died at Westlake Hospital in Westlake, Illinois on 30 March 1961 at the age of 70 years.

AMELIA PRIMAS – Villa Park Argus, Press Publications, Mar 31, 1961

     Funeral services for Amelia Primas, 70, of 209 S Yale av., Villa Park, will be held Saturday, April 1 at 9:30am in the Johnson Memorial Home, 305 S. Princeton av.  

     The Rev. Harvey C. Lord, pastor of the Christian Church of Villa Park will officiate and interment will be in Mount Emblem cemetery.

     A 28 year resident of Villa Park, Miss Primas died Thursday Mar 30 at Westlake Hospital.  She was born in Chicago.

     Miss Primas was a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star.  She was a charter member of Cleveland Chapter 698 and for 20 years belonged to Villa Park Chapter 963.

1961-03-31 Chicago Tribune (IL)  

Primas

Amelia O. Primas of 209 S. Yale avenue, Villa Park, beloved sister of Otto and Frank Primas. Services Saturday, 9:30 a.m., at Johnson Memorial home, 305 S. Princeton, Villa Park. Interment Mount Emblem. Charter member of Cleveland chapter, No. 696, and Villa Park chapter, No. 953, O. E. S.; 50 year member of Eastern Star. TE 4-6656.

Being one of three sisters with no brothers, I am not sure how Millie felt about being the only girl in the family.  She probably had babysitting responsibilities as well as household chores as a young and teenage girl.  The family moved a lot, from rental to rental, especially after the death of her father.  Her brothers went to work early in life to help support the family.  I found no evidence that her mother ever worked outside the home.  Millie may have had a close relationship with her mother and was fortunate to go to visit her parents’ families in Germany, although it may have been a little bit intimidating traveling alone. I am not sure if she learned to speak German at home.  She seemed to have many friends and was active in the Order of Eastern Star.  She was close to her family and appeared to have a good relationship with her sisters-in-law, as well as her niece and nephews.  Perhaps others in the Primas family have memories of her to share.

Friedrich Wilhelm Primas 1833 - 1865

Friedrich Wilhelm Primas was born 10 May 1833 in Sanniki in the Poznan Province of Prussia to Gottfried Primas and Anna Elisabeth Heimann (also found Heymann).  He was baptized on 27 May 1833 in Pudewitz [now Pobiedziska, Poland].   Friedrich was the fifth born of 10 known children, the second son.  He had 5 brothers and 4 sisters.  One of the sisters died before he was born.

Pudewitz Church record book

Friedrich baptismal record

Friedrich married Amalie Petrich on 3 May 1857 in Revier [Rejowiec]. 

Transcription of marriage record:

Revier #6 (1857) - 3rd of May - [Pastor] Huber - Miller Friedrich Primas from Wiekowko near Witkowo, second son of the deceased miller from Nekla, Gottfried Primas, with virgin Amalie Petrich, second daughter of the deceased farmer from Pidda, Gottlieb Petrich.  Both groom and bride under tutorship.  He - 24 ys old, she 16 ys 4 mths old.  Both Lutheran. With consent from court and mother.

Church in Revier where Friedrich and Amalie were married

Friedrich had two known children with Amalie.  A son, Paul, born 24 Oct 1860 in Orchowo and a daughter Emilie Henriette, born in 1863 in Nekla. Both children survived to adulthood and married.

Residence records for Nekla indicate that Friedrich Wilhelm Primas died in Nekla in 1865.   He was 32 years old and left a 24 year old widow with two young children.  Paul was 5 years old and Emilie was 2 years old.

Friedrich was my great-great-grandfather.  He died too young.

Amalie Petrich b. 1841 Pidda Posen

This week’s suggested topic for the 53 Ancestors Challenge was “Tough Woman.”  Amalie is a tough woman to research and find information about.  I think she also must have been a tough (strong) woman.  She was my Great-Great-Grandmother.

Anna Amalie Petrich was born 08 Jan 1841 in Pidda, Posen (Posen Province of Prussia) to Gottlieb Petrich and Wilhelmine Petrich.  She was called Amalie and was the second child (and second daughter) of nine children (seven girls), all born 18 to 24 months apart.  Amalie was baptized 7 Feb 1841 in Schokken [Skoki] in Posen Province.  Amalie’s youngest sibling was born three months after her father Gottlieb died.  Amalie was twelve years old at the time.

Amalie's Baptismal Record

She was married to Friedrich Wilhelm Primas on 3 May 1857 at the age of 16 years old.  Considering the circumstances, it is not surprising to see her married so young.  Friedrich was a miller, just like many others in his family.

Translation of the church record of the marriage: 

“Revier [Rejowiec] #6 (in 1857) - 3rd of May - [Pastor] Huber - Miller Friedrich Primas from Wiekowko near Witkowo, second son of the deceased miller from Nekla, Gottfried Primas, with virgin Amalie Petrich, second daughter of the deceased farmer from Pidda, Gottlieb Petrich
Both groom and bride under tutorship
He - 24 ys old, she 16 ys 4 mths old
Both Lutheran
With consent from court and mother”

Amalie had her first child - a son, Paul Primas (my great-grandfather), on 24 Oct 1860 in Orchowo, Mogilno, Posen.  He was baptized 28 Oct 1860 in the Lutheran church in Schidlowitz [Szydlowiec] near Orchowo.

Paul Primas Baptismal Record

Amalie’s second child was a daughter, Emilie (also found as Henriette Emilie) born in 1863. 

Friedrich and Amalie in Residence Register

Based on the Residence Register of Nekla for the years 1860 to 1875, Friedrich, Amalie’s husband died in 1865, making Amalie a widow by the time she was 24 years old.

The young widow married Wilhelm Stroech/Ströch, a miller, in 1866 or 1867.  According to the Nekla Residence Register listing, they moved to Nekla Hauland in October 1867.

Amalie married to Wilhelm Stroech

Amalie and her children moved between Nekla and Nekla Hauland several times over the years. Apparently Wilhelm Stroech had died, because we find Amalie married to Gottlieb Reiter a Gasthofbesitzer (Innkeeper), married in 1870 in Wylatkowo or in Nekla Hauland.  No records have been found for the marriage.

Amalie and Gottlieb Reiter family listing

While both Amalie and Gottlieb had children from prior marriages, they had at least 5 children together in the 20 or so years they were married.   According the residence Registers, the children of Gottlieb and Amalie were apparently born in Nekla.  Documentation shows Emil was born in April 1871, Eva in October 1872, Emma in December 1873, Ewald in June 1878 and Johanna in May 1880. 

Ewald Reiter birth record

There is also evidence in the Residence Registers to suggest that Amalie was married one other time, after Gottlieb Reiter died, to Gottlieb Schmidt in 1890 or 1891.

Amalie and Gottlieb Schmidt in Residence Register

In 1885, Amalie’s oldest son Paul Primas (my great-grandfather) married.  His first child (and most likely Amalie’s first grandchild) was born in 1886.  In April of 1887 Paul, his wife and child left for the US.  Amalie would never see her son Paul and his family again. 

According to a family tree found on MyHeritage.com, there is a Reiter family that appears to match Amalie’s family.   It suggests that Amalie and Gottlieb were married in 1870, that there were possibly more children than I have noted and that Gottlieb Reiter died in March 1884.  I will be treating these as hints for research.  On a different tree on MyHeritage, it suggests that Gottlieb Reiter might also have been known by the name of Johann, and that Amalie may have died in Dec 1916.  If that is true, she lived for 75 years.

There is a family story that there was a Reiter family that was sponsored by my grandfather Oscar Primas and his brothers to come to the US after WWII, maybe in the early 1950s.  I was not born yet, but the story was that they were related to the Primas family in some way.  No one I knew could tell me how.  There was a husband and wife with at least one child.  The story goes that the wife did not like it in the US and wanted to move back to Germany, so they did.  The Primas brothers were not happy because they had put time, effort and money into getting the family here, just to have them leave.  At least this information on Amalie gives me a reason to believe this Reiter family was related – Amalie’s Reiter children would be half-siblings to my great-grandfather Paul Primas.  This gives me some clues for seeking out more of the family.