Saturday, December 29, 2007

The Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel

The history of the church of St. Michael the Archangel was transcribed from a document photographed at the church in April, 2000.

The Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel -Rogalinek,
Poznań, Poland

The first church was probably erected around the year 1200 it is thought that the parish in Rogalinek was created in the 12th century. Since 1205 there has been a permanent priest here. The present church was founded around 1700 by Bishop Hieronim Wierzbowski the suffragan of Poznań. It is built of pine wood on the foundation of cobblestone. This one aisle church is closed from three sides, covered with shingles and crowned with a baroque-shaped tower.

In 1875 the building was secured on the outside with three wooden supporting struts. Next to the church can be found a wooden bell tower from 1893. During the early development of the diocese of Poznań the church in Rogalinek as well as the parish were owned by the Cathedral Church of St.Peter the Apostle in Poznań. Thereafter the parishioners of Rogalin were commonly known as "Swiatnicy sw. Piotra Apostola" The Churchman of St.Peter. The fact is still present in the name of the village Świątniki (Churchmen).
The main altar and the two side altars were made in the baroque style. In the main altar can be seen the gothic wooden statue of Virgin Mary the Helper of the Faithful, famous for her grace and wonders, worshipped by the faithful. There are also wooden statues of St. Szczepan and St. Wawrzymiec. Folk pictures of Merciful Jesus, St. Michael the Archangel and St. Mary Magdalen adorn the side altars. It is also worth noting the wooden figures of St. Michael the Archangel (18th.c.) and of the Virgin Mary the Painful (19th c.).
In 1962 the Pope made the Virgin Mary the Helper of the Faithful, another patron of the church in Rogalinek. In 1964 the archbishop of Poznan, Antoni Baraniak, gave the church in Rogalinek the honorable title of the Sanctuary of Virgin Mary the Helper of the Faithful. In 1968 under the patronage of Rev. Jozef Jamy, the provost of the Collegiate Church of Poznan, the church in Rogalinek was preserved andrenovated inside by Jozef Berdyzak from Srem with the assistance of Stanisław Bobrowski from Rogalinek.
During the renovation the church was given a new baptismal font and pulpit as well as new Stations of the Cross sculptured in lime wood. In 1972 the presbytery was modernized and a new conciliar altar was added. In front of the church there is a boulder taken from the Warta River near Rogalin in 1916. This stone commemorates the parishioners killed in WorldWar I; World War II and those tortured to death in the concentration camps.

Rogalinek entry- Slownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego - Warsaw ,1888

Map c. 1865, obtained at the Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu, 2003 C. Jensen

(1) A church village, in the district of Szrem, deaconate of Sredko, about 13 km west of Kurnik and Bnin, on the right edge of the Warta River, across from Sowinca and Mosina, borders with Rogalin; there are 72 houses, 468 residents (423 Catholic, 45 Protestant) and 507 hares (306 fields, 60 meadows, 66 wooded areas); income from the hares is 7.20 marks, from the meadows 11.04 marks, from the woods, 2.21 marks. The parish is here, the post office in Radzew Colony (Hohensee) and the train station is in Mosiny, about 4km away. Rogalinek was the property of the Poznan jurisdiction, taken by the Prussian government. Within the territory arose the village of Saskie Pole (Sachsenfelde) and the forest district of Waldecke. In 1850 Rogalinek there were four half-farms and 2 cottages. The parish, listed incorrectly in the tax collector's registry as "Rogonieniec," was composed of Rogalinek, Rogalin and Swiatnik; later Polesie and Saskie Pole were added in. The church of St. Michael already existed before 1510; the suffragan bishop of Poznan, Hieronim Wierzbowski had a new church built in place of the old one in 1712. There are 1283 parishioners. (2) Rogalinek: Folwark for Jankowic, in the parish of Ceradz Church, on the border of the Bukowski district and Szamotulski, the property of Rosalia Chlapowska, Count Eng estromÑw (around 1793); does not exist today. (3) Rogalinek: Gniezno district, obsolete Rogalin in the Klecko neighborhood.
Source: Slownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego - Warsaw [1888, vol. 9]
Submitted by: Joseph F. Martin. Translated by Benigne Dohms. (Jan 1999)

BNIN entry: Slownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego –1881




Bnin

(1) a town, district of Srem, located between Lake Bnin and Kornik near the highway from Kostrzyn to Srem, 23 km Southeast of Poznan; 126 homes; 1303 inhabitants, 263 Evangelicals, 1040 Catholics, 283 illiterates; the only town in the principality of Poznan without a Jewish population. The inhabitants are mainly occupied with agriculture. The district court is located in Srem. The parish church belongs to the deanery of Sroda; the Protestant church belongs to the diocese of Poznan. There is an elementary school, a post office, and four market places. Bnin belongs to Count Jan Dialynski; it is the ancestral home of the ancient Greater Poland Bninski family of the crest Lodz. Prior to the Bninski family, the princes of Greater Poland owned it. The chronicler Baszko, who continued the Chronicles of Bogufal, says that in the year 1253 Boleslaw and Przemyslaw the First met at the Giecz castle and divided Greater Poland. Boleslaw received, among other towns, Bnin. It is possible that those princes had already established a church in Bnin. It is not known when the town became private property. In the 15th century Andrzej of Bnin, Bishop of Poznan, heir of the town, had already erected a stone church. In 1775 a lady named Potulicka from the Dzialynski family, the heiress at that time, rebuilt the church (which had decayed to the ground) and gave it a completely new form. From the monuments in the church, carved on a rock, there is only the founder, Andrzej of Bnin, with crosier and mitre. Long ago there were still other churches: in Blazejewo, in Mieczewo, and in Radzewo. Behind the church over the lake are excavations upon which undoubtedly stood a fortified castle. In the lake are traces of aquatic lake dwellings. Municipality Bnin-Prowent, District of Srem, has two locations: (1) manor house, (2) village of Bnin-Prowent; 14 homes, 118 inhabitants; 13 evangelicals; 105 Catholics; no illiterates.

Source: Slownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego – Warsaw (1881, Vol. 1, p. 255)
Provided by Joseph F. Martin


Articles for Incorporation for the Polish Hussars (1905)

Articles of Association
Of the Polish Benevolent Society of Hussars of John Sobieski the Third, of Calumet

We, the undersigned, being of full age, and desiring to become incorporated under the provisions of Act No. 171, of the Public Acts of Michigan for 1903, entitled “An act for the incorporation of associations not for pecuniary profit,” do hereby make, execute and adopt the following articles of association, to wit –

Article I.

The name or title by which said corporation is to be made known in law is Polish Benevolent Society of Hussars of John Sobieski the Third, of Calumet.

Article II.

The purpose or purposes for which it is formed are as follows – for the intellectual and moral improvement of its members and to afford aid and relief to its members when in need.

Article III.

The principal office or place of business shall be at Red Jacket, in the County of Houghton and State of Michigan.

Article IV.

The term of existence of this proposed corporation is fixed at 30 years, from the date of these Articles.

Article V.

The number of trustees or directors shall be five.

Article VI.

The names of the trustees or directors selected for the first year of its existence are as follows – John Labyak, Michael Siemowski, John Bolinski, Jozef Ryback and Tomasz Slominski.

Article VII.

The qualifications required of officers and members are as follows – No person can become a member of this Society who is under the age of 18 years or above the age of Forty-five years or who belongs to any society which is forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church or is not free from all bodily diseases. He must be a member of a Polish Roman Catholic Congregation and bear a good moral character and fulfill his duties generally as a Catholic Christian.

In witness thereof, we the parties hereby associating, have hereunto subscribed our names this eleventh day of September, A.D. 1905.

Names.
John Labyak, Michael Siemowski, John Bolinski, Jozef Ryback, and Tomasz Slominski.

State of Michigan
County of Houghton

On this eleventh day of September A.D. 1905, before me, a Notary Public in and for said County, personally appeared John Labyak, Michael Siemowski, John Bolinski, Jozef Ryback and Tomasz Slominski known to me to be the persons named in and who executed the foregoing instrument, and severally acknowledged that they executed the same freely and for the intents and purposes therein mentioned.

William Johnson
Notary Public in and for Houghton County, Mich.
My commission expires August 18th, 1909.

Received and recorded this 26th day of September A.D. 1905, at Four o’clock P.M.

Louis H. Richardson
County Clerk

Michigan Technological University
State Archives of Michigan Collection
Houghton County Articles of Incorporation
RG 89-464, 1905, Vol. 12, p. 415.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Polish Catholic Stanislaus Kostki Benevolent Society of Calumet




Articles of Association of the Polish Catholic Stanislaus Kostki Benevolent Society of Calumet

Document research by Ceil Wendt Jensen
Repository: MTU Mining Archives
Transcribed by Joseph Martin


The following articles of association have been agreed to and accepted at Calumet Houghton County Michigan on the tenth day of February A.D. 1875.

Article 1

The following persons residing in the Township of Calumet Houghton County Michigan to wit: John Zwierzchowski, Anton Ozinski, Martin Flens, Maci Mytkorsky, and Valentine Nawistky have with the object of forming a corporation for benevolent purposes in conformity with an Act of the Legislature of the State of Michigan entitled “An Act for the Incorporation of Charitable Societies” approved Feb. Sixth 1855 accepted the following Articles of Association.

Article 2

The corporation formed in conformity with the above mentioned act and in consequence of these articles of association shall be named the Calumet Polish Roman Catholic Stanislaus Kostki Benevolent Society and shall have its office for the transaction of its business located in the township of Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan and shall be incorporated for the period of thirty years.

Article 3

The Society is incorporated for the purpose of affording aid and relief to its members when in need.

Article 4

The business of the Corporation shall be managed by five trustees. The regular officers of the Society shall be elected by the members thereof and shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Director of the band, and a Messenger. These officers shall be elected at the annual meeting to be held on the first Sunday of January at the office of the Society in the township of Calumet and shall hold their office for one year.

Article 5

No person can become a member of the Society who is under the age of twenty-one or above the age of forty years or who belongs to any society which is forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church or is not free from all bodily diseases. He must be a member of a Calumet Roman Catholic Congregation and have a good moral character and fulfill his duties generally as a Catholic Christian.
Article 6

Candidates for admission shall be proposed by a member of the Society and shall be examined by a committee appointed by the society which committee shall make a report at the next quarterly meeting of the Society. Should this report be favorable and the questions of the President be satisfactorily answered by the candidate, the members of the society shall ballot for his admission and should he not receive more than twenty black balls he shall be legally admitted and declared a member and shall sign the Constitution of the Society.

Article 7

All changes of the Constitution, Articles of Association or By-Laws of the Society proposed by any of the officers or members of the Society shall be submitted to its members at the quarterly meeting and must be approved by the vote of two thirds of the members present to become valid. It is also required that all proposed changes of the Constitution and all extraordinary undertakings shall be made known to the Priest of the Catholic Church of Calumet and his approval shall be necessary in all Spiritual Matters.

John Zwierzchowski
Anton Osinski
Martin Flens
Maci Mytkowski
Walenty Nowicki

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the 10th day of March A.D. 1875.
D. T. Macdonald
Notary Public, Houghton County, Mich.

State of Michigan
Houghton County

On this 10th day of March A.D. One Thousand Eight hundred and Seventy-Five before me a Notary Public for said county personally came the above named John Zwierschowski, Anton Ozinski, Martin Flens, Maci Mydkowsky and Valentine Nowicki citizens of Calumet Township, County and State aforesaid known to me to be the persons who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed.

D.T. Macdonald
Notary Public,
Houghton County, Mich.

Rec’d for record the 19th day of March A.D. 1875 at 10:00 o’clock A.M.
R.H. Brelsford, Registrar

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Swedetown Log Cabins / Layout


My husband and I visited Calumet this summer.

I bought the Swedetown book from Tony's Copper World shop. I was VERY surprised to see the photo of the log cabin at 3025 Bridge St. It said the photo was from Mary Bratetich. Later in the book it mentions that the cabin was owned by the Garbareks in 1897-1899. Antoni Garbarek was my great uncle. I didn't even know he had came to the US!

I would like to find out more about the history of the cabin. My great grandfather worked at the mines- but came to Detroit after he recover from a mining accident.

I asked Kathy Atwood about the log cabins in Swedetown. I wonder if you could sketch the layout of the cabin interior floor plan? I can see the out houses standing in the yard:-) I read that sometimes two or three families would live in one!

Kathy wrote back:

My mother talked to her brother and others who live in Swedetown and she told me that from what they could figure, the Garbarek log house was located right next to the 'bridge'. If you walked out the front door and turned left you were going onto the overpass, so the back of the house would be facing Calumet. I tried the address on Mapquest but for some reason it comes up way on the opposite end of the street. The house is gone now, that's probably why. It put my mom uncle's house way up on Bridge St. out where there were never any houses, only a dirt road leading through a pasture!

Mom also described the typical log house layout, based on what she remembered from her uncle's house which she said would've been somewhere across the street from it. There were a couple different styles of log houses, but she said the one you want was a mirror image to her uncle's.

I sketched what he said (as best I could) and am attaching it to this message. (see sketch above)
Sometimes two or more families could live in these houses, but usually when that happened they were part of an extended family, such as siblings' families, in-law's families, etc. One family might life upstairs with 'kitchen' privileges (which was basically a stove) but the families might eat together. The downstairs 'front' room might served as a sleeping room. Parlor furniture was often a luxury so the homes basically had chairs tables and beds, and those beds may have had four to five children in them. It's amazing with such lack of privacy there were so many children? Well, I suppose "where there's a will, there's a way".

Some of the homes had narrow stairways that went up the center of the house, but Mom remember her uncle's as been on an outside wall.

Sometimes to have a little more room, a lean-to kitchen or a kitchen wing was added in later years. In my mother's house, a large kitchen was added to the side of the house. When my uncle wanted to replace a window, he remembers the wall was more than a foot and a half thick, due to the logs.

Kathy

Monday, December 10, 2007

Copper Country Evening News : Polish Residents Celebrated Last Saturday

Copper Country Evening News
30 November 1896

Polish Residents Celebrated Last Saturday

The Sixty-Sixth Anniversary

Yesterday was the 66th anniversary of the uprising of the Poles and although the uprising was unsuccessful the Poles look upon the day with reverence and respect. Saturday the Poles of this city, under the direction of the Polish Hussars, had intended to hold a big celebration, including a parade by the various societies, but the stormy weather interfered to some extent with the day’s doings. The Hussars and the boys’ military organization had arranged with the Red Jacket band for the parade, but it could not be held in the storm.

The entertainment at the Opera House in the evening was, however, well attended, not withstanding the storm and the various other attractions. The Red Jacket band was present and rendered several selections and also played the Polish national airs. The band’s music seemed to touch a tender spot in the heart of those present and they were heartily applauded. There was vocal music, principally by the choir of St. Ignatius’ church, and several duets on the piano and violin. The children of the Polish school sang several airs in Polish which were applauded.

Some of the older pupils of the school gave declamations in Polish and some in English, and two short dramas were produced. Both of the dramas were in Polish and highly pleased the audience. On was entitled, when translated, “When the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play.” This was produced by the junior members of the Young Men’s Polish literary and dramatic club. The other was entitled “The Persecuted Husband,” and was produced by the senior members of the club.

The address of the evening was delivered by Rev. Father Krogulski in Polish. He spoke of the reason for celebrating the day and then traced the origin of the revolution, paying every respect to the memories of the leaders of the unequal fight.

N.B. The church was probably St. Anthony, the Polish church in Calumet.

Transcribed by Joseph F. Martin of Romeoville, Illinois, on 9 December 2007.

Monday, December 3, 2007

The other Baranowski family (Atwood)




There was another Baranowski family who came to settle in the Calumet area during the late 1800s. It is not known whether or not there was a family connection, although their names often appear in each other's records. For example, Stephan and Apolonia were listed as sponsors on the christening records of two different children of this family. There also seems to be a strong physical resemblance between Stephan Baranowski (pictured left) and John Baranowski ( right).

John Baranowski
John Baranowski was born 25 March1853. He arrived in the US aboard the ALLEMANNIA on 29 April 1880, then moved first to Ohio.

While in Strongsville, he met and married Magdalena Gluba born 25 April 1865 in Poland (possibly near Gejew [Kajew?]), a daughter of Andrew Gluba and Balbina (nee' Witek). who had arrived in New York from Poland on 19 March 1880 aboard the AMERICA. They first lived in Stongsville, and then Berea, Ohio for a while. The children born there were: Amy [b: 24 March1883]; Frank Henry [b: 16 May 1884]; John Baranowski [b: November 1885].

They left for Upper Michigan sometime before 1891. The children born in Calumet were: Joseph Andrew [b: 08 March 1891]; Helen [b: 25 March 1893]; Vincent [b: 31 March 1895]; Victor [b: 04 November 1896]; Andrew Henry [b: 08 October 1898]; Theresa Ann [b: 02 October 1899]; Anton [b: 17 March 1900].

The family moved to the Chicago area in the early 1900s.

John worked for a time for the same C&H Mining Co. in Calumet as did Stephan. On his employee record, John listed his two brothers-in-law (brothers of Magdalena), and a brother, Andrew. If the information we have is for the right Andrew, he may have been born near Bydgoszcz [Ger. Bromberg] in February, 1852, according to a birth record filed by a grandson.

John died in Whiting, Indiana on 24 November 1924.

Magdalena married again six years later on 12 January 1930. His name was Constanty Jachimczyk. He died in 1939. Magdalena died on 4 November 1954 in Chicago.

Andrew Baranowski

It appears Andrew travelled back and forth to Poland several times before he brought over family. In fact, a family member stated that he may have been doing so for upwards of a dozen years before he finally remained here.

He married Josepha Draczkowski, a daughter of Thomas Draczkowski in Poland. They left from Grodek, Poldolsk, Ukraine. Their oldest son, Henryk was born in 1881 in Przemysl, Grudek, Poland. Another son, Albin, was also born in Poland.

In 1902, Andrew and his family lived in Clark Co., Wisconsin. Around 1908, they moved to Ontario, Canada. While in Canada, the family included at least two more sons, Ceasar and Stanley, and two daughters, one of whom was Marianne.

Henryk married Marie Klesinski, who may have been born in 1888 in Naklo, Galicia, Poland, which was in the same area of Poznan as Bydgoszcz. Their first son, Wladyslaw, was born in Illinois. Their younger children, Lillian, Rose, and Hadwin, were born in Ontario.

Sometime after 1913, Andrew moved with his family to northeast Wisconsin, possibly Chelsea Co. Ceasar and Stanley remained in Ontario with their wives and children. In the town to which they moved, a tornado destroyed the church. Andrew did the new brickwork. He must've been handy for in one census, he is listed as a carpenter. Around that time, Marianne married and a few years later moved to Detroit. Marianne's descendants eventually moved south to Georgia, Texas, and Kansas.

Andrew and Mary, and their son Henryk with his family returned to Ontario sometime in the early 1920s.

Andrew's son Albin was an artist. In Chicago he married a woman named July (Julie?). They had an art studio in Detroit and then in Florida. Family tradition says that he was involved in the artwork of the US quarter, first released in the 1930s. He was also involved with the restoration of the President's portrait in the rotunda of the US Capitol Building in Washington.

Henry was a property owner. He would by property, fix it up and rent it out. He also owned a dairy farm in Wisconsin, and a premium fruit farm in Michigan City, Indiana. At the time of his death, he owned property in four states, including what was left to him by Albin in Florida.
Wladyslaw flew with the Polish group of the RAF druing WWII, but he had to sign up in Canada. Upon his return from the war, he started an airport outside of Detroit, called Wings of Detroit. However, he developed a brain tumor and died shortly afterwards.

It is not known whether or not this Andrew was related to Stephan, but the family story that he went back and forth to Poland before he brought his family over, and the 'Canadian' angle seems to match up with a tradition held as true in Stephan's family of a certain member doing the same thing.

Kathy Atwood's Szatkowski Family

The Szatkowski Family

Another line of our Polish family came to America about ten years before Stephan Baranowski. Tomasz Szatkowski and his family lived in Radzewo, Poznan, Poland. It is a small village near Srem on the map. He came to the US first on 23 October 1872, sailing from Hamburg to New York aboard the ship HOLSATIA. He may have lived in Chicago for a while. Apparently he went back to Poland for a while. He returned again to the US, alone, aboard the ship LESSING and arrived in New York on 25 June 1879.

He may have left his family back in Poland because his wife, Katarzyna, was pregnant. Tomasz was present in Calumet and was counted there in the 1880 census, living in a boarding house run by the Schmidt family. Katarzyna and her six children came later aboard the LESSING nearly a year later and arrived in New York on 26 May 1880 from Hamburg.

The children accompanying her were: Thomas; Marianna [b: Abt. November 1865]; Apolonia [b: August 10, 1866]; Franz (Francis) [b: Abt. August 1870] ; John Szatkowski [b: May 1877]; Wiktorya (Victoria) [b: September 14, 1879]; and Agnes (II) [b: May 08, 1879]. They joined Tomasz in Calumet.

Sometime during the next few years, Apolonia [or 'Polina' as she was known to most] met Stephan. They were married 29 September 1883 in Calumet. Over the next 23 years, they had the following children: John [b: October 1883], Ignatz [aka Nicholas] [b: January 1885], Lillian [b: November 1888], Francis Thomas [b: August 31, 1890], Stephen [b: December
1891], Stanislaus [b: October 01, 1892, who died young; Mariana [b: 1893], Theresa [b: May 1895], Hattie [b: September 1897], Leo John [b: January 22, 1899], Frances [b: 1901], (baby) Baranowski [b: July 19, 1904, who died at birth or shortly thereafter], Thomas [b: August 06, 1905, who also died shortly after birth], and Clara Baranowski [b: 1906].

For a a time, the family had a 'fifteenth' child. The story is that some of the boys, when walking home from school along the railroad tracks, found a newborn baby girl who had been abandoned. They took her home where the family took care of her for a couple of weeks until the county came and took her away to the orphanage.

Someone who knew the family from the 'old neighborhood' said that they were very musical. The boys hired out to work as caddies at the nearby golfcourse. Polina had a beautiful garden and orchard, and was fond of raising geese. She also had deep auburn hair.

Thomas and Catherine Szatkowski probably lived at 3029 Ridge St. from the time they arrived in Swedetown. In 1885, Thomas was badly hurt in a fall from a mine skip. It became debilitated and it was a contributing factor to his death of consumption three years later on 12 April 1888 according to C&H records. He is buried in the Hecla Cemetery in Laurium, Michigan. Catherine died of "hydropsis" [dropsy] in Calumet on 12 December 1908, and she is buried in Lakeview Cemetery outside of Calumet.

On 13 September 1887, Stephan's mother Mariana and his younger brother Wojceich arrived in New York from Bremen, Germany aboard the EIDER. It is here on her passenger list entry that the village of "Kotlin" is noted, possibly their last place of residence. Kotlin [pron. "koht-LEEN"] is located between the towns of Jarocin and Pleszewo, about 60 miles SE of the city of Poznan on the map. Kotlin is located on the Warta River, that same river which runs through Poznan.

On the passenger list entry, Mariana listed her age as 49 although she was really closer to 60. Wojciech lists his actual age of 17. 'George', as Wojciech became known in the US, met and married Apolonia's younger sister, Agnes. Their children were all born in Calumet and came to consist of: Mary; Theresa [b: 1897] ; Frances [bc:. 1902]; Joseph [bc: 1903]; Florence Ann [b: November 1929]; John A. [b: 1906]; Alexander [b: c. 1909]; Eleanor [b: August 15, 1911]; and Agnes [b: December 03, 1914].

Many of the Baranowskis and Szatkowskis settled in an area Calumet called 'Swedetown'. At one time it consisted of over 100 homes, mostly log built. Stephan and Polina lived at 3016 Osceola.

In the local Polk Directory for Calumet, year 1895-96, Mariana is listed as "Barnosky, Mary [wid Laurence] . . ." She lived with Stephan and Polina from the time of her arrival until her death by liver cancer at age 96 on 16 February 1921. George and Agnes lived at 3027 Bridge St. Polina's sister Victoria and her husband Frank Zawada lived at 3030 Bridge St. Other related Polish families of those who lived in Swedetown included the Bomblinskis, the Ruzmiareks, the Koviaks, the Kruszkas, the Zawadas, the Maciejewskis, and its a good chance that the Dlubalas were related to the Szatkowskis.

Polish names are often difficult for English speakers. Many official recorders often guessed at their spellings. Only in recent years has there been an attempt to be standardized. Baranowski has been written as Barnosky, Barinowski, Baranski, Borowski, Boronowski, and similar variations. The Szatkowski name has been spelled many different ways on records. Among them, Szadkowski, Shotkosky, Shokosky, Chicoski, Shoskish, and even McCasky.

Stephan and Polina's eldest son, John, changed his name after he moved 'out West' to 'Bliner". The family story is that he was in a bar fight in Chicago and he thought he killed his opponent. He left for Canada where he married. Eventually he came back to the US and settled in Washington. Only later did he find out that the man did not die of his injuries.

During the 1920s, Stephan, Polina, and several of their children moved to the Chicago area. Stephan lived at 3657 N. Ridgeway Ave. at the time of his death of bacterial myocarditis, asthma, and exhaustion on 28 May 1928. Afterwards, Polina lived with her daughters. When she died on 16 December 1938, she lived at 4190 Elston Ave. Her death was a result of myocarditis, artheriosclerosis, and anemia. They are buried in the Lakeview Cemetery near Calumet, Michigan.

Kathy Atwood's Baranowski Families

The Baranowski Families
Kathy is looking for the Baranowski ancestral village

Stephan Baranowski was born in Poznan, Poland on 2 September 1855. His father's name may have been 'Andrzy' or 'Andrej', or in German as 'Andreas' Baranowski. Among the marriage records of St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Calumet, Michigan is one for Stephan and on it, his father's name was noted as 'Andraeas', the Latin version of the name "Andrew". His mother's name was Mariana (possibly Mariana-Rozethe) Michalska, who was born on 9 December 1827. She had at least one sister, Agnieszka.

Stephan had a younger brother named Wojceich, aka Adalbert [as the name was known in German]. He was a son of Mariana, but he may have been only a half-brother or possibly step-brother to Stephan. In America, Wojceich was known as "George". On his marriage record, also located among St. Anthony's records, he gave the name of his father as "Laurentii" (Latin for "Laurence") Baranowski.

Stephan apparently worked as a farmer or gardener in Poland. At some point he left his home village to make his way to America. He may have accepted work as an migrant agricultural laborer to pay his way. His last residence in Poland was listed as Beestland, Pomerania according to his entry on the passenger list of the ship on which he booked passage. Located in the Beestland area are several 'schnitterkaserne', or communal residences for workers in various industries, including farming.

These 'schnitterkaserne' were usually two-story houses, in which the seasonal work forces were accommodated. Very simple conditions existed there: beds and lockers for the workers, external toilets, and a common kitchen.

After residing in Beestland for a while, he continued on to Hamburg, Germany, which is located on the Baltic Sea. There he booked passage aboard the steamship WESTPHALIA and set sail aboard her to New York, arriving at Castle Garden in Hoboken, New Jersey, which was the processing center for immigrants who arrived in New York harbor from 1855 until they began to be processed at Ellis Island.

It seems likely that he traveled by railroad to Chicago, which was a very common way for immigrants to get to the American interior. From Chicago, he probably headed north either by train, or ship, or both, and finally settled in Calumet, Houghton Co., Michigan where he took on work as as a miner and a timberman in the mine.

There is a family story that for a time he was known as "Steven Gardiner", because whoever filled out his papers used his former occupation instead of his surname. Confirmation of that story was found on one of his Calumet & Hecla Mining Company employment records where the name "Steven Gardiner" is entered. A different 'hand' crossed it out some time later, and wrote the name "Stephen Baranowski" above it. Also noted on the form was that someone else filled it out for him. He spoke English, but could not write it.

The "Other" Baranowskis

There was another Baranowski family who came to settle in the Calumet area during the late 1800s. It is not known whether or not there was a family connection, although their names often appear in each other's records. For example, Stephan and Apolonia were listed as sponsors on the christening records of two different children of this family. There also seems to be a strong physical resemblance between Stephan Baranowski and John Baranowski.

Born in Mieczewo, Srem, Posen




Joseph Martin first posted this message online Aug, 2004.

In my family research I have traced 30 people who were born in Mieczewo, Srem, Posen, and who immigrated and lived in Michigan.

[Date of birth in brackets]
(1) Nicholas KAPTUR [1 Sep 1861] married (2) Marcyanna SKIBINSKA [22 Jan 1862] on 20 Feb 1887 in Bnin, Srem, Posen. Daughter (3) Constance immigrated with her mother. They moved to Calumet, Houghton, Michigan and then to Detroit where both Nicholas and Marcyanna died.

(4) Frances KAPTUR [3 Feb 1867] married Michael SIEMOWSKI [15 Sep 1867 in Broniszewice, Posen] on 21 Jun 1892 in Red Jacket, Houghton, Michigan. They moved to Detroit and both died in Detroit.

(5) Agnes LISIECKI [19 Jan 1868] married Ignace SIMOWSKI [18 Feb 1854 in Poland] on 25 Sep 1886 in Red Jacket, Houghton, Michigan. They moved to Detroit and both died in Detroit.

(6) John TOBOLA [25 Jan 1847] married (7) Josephine SMIGAJ [13 Mar 1849] on 22 Sep 1872 in Bnin, Srem, Posen. Daughters (8) Elizabeth, (9) Mary and (10) Josephine immigrated with their mother. They changed their surname to TOBOL.

(11) Peter TOBOLA [15 Jun 1851] married (12) Petronella WOJKIEWICZ [19 Jun 1863] on 11 Nov 1882 in Red Jacket, Houghton, Michigan. He died in Calumet, and she died in Detroit.

(13) Marianna TOBOLA [21 Mar 1856] married Franz SMENTCZAK [11 Jan 1846 in Brzyostownia, Posen] on 5 Nov 1877 in Bnin, Srem, Posen. Children (14) Frances, (15) Martin, and (16) Marcyanna immigrated with their mother to Bay City, Bay, Michigan. They died in Bay City.

(17) Apolonia SKIBINSKA [10 Apr 1859] married Joseph KOWALSKI [11 Dec 1864 in Poland] on 14 Jun 1886 in Detroit. Both died in Detroit, Michigan.

(18) Lucy SKIBINSKA [28 Nov 1866] married Martin MAJEWSKI [29 Oct 1867 in Poland] on 11 Nov 1890 in Detroit, Michigan. Both died in Detroit.

(19) Valentine "William" SMIGAJ [14 Feb 1852] married Katherine MUSZYNAKA [1861 in Poland] on 22 Jul 1877 in Alpena, Alpena, Michigan. They lived in Calumet, Michigan, and then moved to Marysville, Lewis & Clark, Montana. Both died there.

(20) Peter WOJKIEWICZ [19 Jun 1824] married (21) Victoria BEKAS [14 Apr 1824] on 23 Jan 1854 in Bnin, Srem, Posen. They moved to Calumet, Houghton, Michigan. Children (22) Josephine, (23) Lucy, (24) Marianna, (25) John and (26) Valentine immigrated at various times to Calumet.

(27) John KOWALAK [Jan 1859] married (28) Lucy KNIAT [7 Dec 1861] on 4 Sep 1884 in Bnin, Srem, Posen. They moved to Bay City, Bay, Michigan. Daughters (29) Katherine and (30) Hedwig immigrated with their mother. They died in Bay City.

Would be pleased to share family information with others related to these families.

Parafia św. Wojciecha, Bnin, Schrimm, Posen


Photo from the collection of Ania Błaszkowiak in Kórnik, Poland.

Ancestral parish for many miners

Many of the early Polish miners in Calumet were baptised and wed at the Roman Catholic parish of Parafia św. Wojciecha in Bnin, Schrimm, Posen. The following villages were part of the parish: Dolskiem, Czmon, Konarskie, Mieczewo, Prusinowo, Radzewo.

German Name: Bnin
Today's Name: Bnin
Kreis/County: Schrimm German
Province: Posen

Today's Province: Poznanskie Location: East 17°05' North 52°13'
Location Description: This village/town is located 12.0 km and 269 degrees from Schroda, which is known today as Sroda Wielkopolska
Do you think your ancestors came from Bnin? You can order the microfilms for the parish from your local Family History Center. There are also civil records listed in the online catalog:
Księgi metrykalne, 1636-1920 Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Bnin

Zivilstandsregister, 1874-1884 Bnin (Kr. Schrimm, Posen). Standesamt


Saint John Polish Miners’ Society


Articles of Association
of the
Saint John Polish Miners’ Society
Document research by Ceil Wendt Jensen at
Michigan Technological University
Transcribed by Joseph Martin

We, the undersigned residents of the Township of Adams in the County of Houghton and State of Michigan, desiring to become incorporated under Act number 104 of the Session Laws of the State of Michigan for the year 1869, and acts amendatory thereof, being sections 7475 to 7481 inclusive, of the Public Acts of Michigan for the year 1897, entitled and act to provide for the incorporation of co-operative and mutual Benefit Associations hereby adopt the following Articles of Association.


Article One – The names and places of residence of the persons incorporating in the first instance are as follows:
Michael Borkowski, residing at Painesdale, Michigan
Michael Jaskobiak
Joseph Janoski
Joseph Glowzinski
Walter Kowalski

Article Two – The name of this association shall be The Saint John Polish Miners’ Society. The office for the transaction of the business of said association shall be at Painesdale, in said Township of Adams, in Houghton County, Michigan and the period for which this association shall be incorporated shall be thirty years from the date of execution of these articles of association.

Article Three – The object of the incorporation of this association are to care for and furnish financial aid to sick and disabled members, and to provide for the families of deceased members in such manner and upon such terms as shall be provided by the by-laws of the association.

Article Four – The number of Trustees shall be three. The regular officers shall be as follows: one President, one Vice President, one Treasurer, and one Secretary, whose powers and duties shall be prescribed by the by-laws of the Association. The place of holding the annual meetings of said Association shall be Painesdale in said Township of Adams, and in said County of Houghton, and State of Michigan.

Article Five – Any person of Polish descent, receiving a majority vote at any regular meeting of the association, may become a member upon payment to said association of such membership fee and such dues as shall be provided for by the by-laws of the association.

Michael Borkowski
Michael Jozkoviak
Joseph Janosky
Jozef Glowzinski
Walter Kowalski

State of Michigan
County of Houghton

On this 22nd day of August in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Four, before me, a notary Public in and for said County, personally came Michael Borkowski, Michael Joskobiak, Joseph Janoski, Joseph Glowzinski and Walter Kowalski, to me known to be the persons who signed the foregoing articles of association and severally acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed, and that they executed the same for the interest and purpose therein mentioned. My commission expires March 16th, A.D.1906.

J. F. Hambitzer
Notary Public

Received for record August 27th, A.D. 1904.
Jimmie B. Taylor
Deputy County Clerk
Michigan Technological University
State Archives of Michigan Collection
Houghton CountyArticles of Incorporation, 1887
RG 89-464, Vol. 10, pp. 129-131

St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church,1882

Photo by Ceil Wendt Jensen
Transcribed by Joseph Martin


In 1872 there were only four Polish families and a few single men in Calumet. Total strangers among the other nationalities they naturally sought their own company. Father Jacker was then pastor at the Sacred Heart and in him they found a great friend and protector. He not only had the Jesuit Father Szulak visit them but he himself made an attempt to learn Polish in which he progressed enough to be able to read the gospel to them and in case of necessity make himself understood.

Several changes came, the Poles keenly felt the loss of their friend, so they decided to call upon Bishop Mrak the first time he stepped into town. And when they did, he said: "I have written for a Polish priest and he will shortly arrive here. I intend to leave him here for the Polish and German Catholics."

On the 12th of January, 1875, Rev. Fabian Pawlar arrived and he and Father Brown divided the honors of the pastorate. In October Father Brown was removed and Father Pawlar remained alone in charge of the parish until August 11, 1878. When removed to Houghton he still remained in touch with his countrymen and kept the awakened desire of having a church of their own alive.

A committee was benignantly received by Mr. Alexander Agassiz, president of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company and he gave them two lots on Seventh street and six hundred dollars in cash. With this aid their spirits rose and the church became an accomplished fact. At the end of October Father Pawlar removed again to the Sacred Heart and from there superintended his new church.

It was a frame structure 75x41, with the sacristy and the "traditional few rooms for the priest." The church was dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua on the 5th of November, 1882, by Bishop Vertin. On June 24, 1883, Father Pawlar severed his connection with the parish. After a vacancy of three months, Rev. Aemilius Goch became pastor but remained only one month.

Rancorous disorders convulsed the whole parish and the Bishop placed it under an administrator of non-Polish nationality. Rev. Father Vermare took hold of it on December 30, 1883, and ruled until the following July 30th, when pre-occupied with his own, the French, congregation he withdrew. Then Rev. W. Wingerter attended to it for a month. Finally, September 20, 1884, a Polish priest, Rev. J. Horbaczewski, was again appointed. He stayed until September 18, 1887. To forestall threatening dissension Bishop Vertin sent a German administrator in the person of Rev. Fidelis Sutter, from November 13, 1887, to April 8, 1888.

Although not adverse to non-Polish priests the rejoicing was general when in the beginning of May Rev. August Krogulski became pastor. After his departure to Europe, July 6, 1892, these pastors followed: Rev. Julius Papon, from August 14, 1892, to July 24, 1894. Rev. W. A. Mlynarczyk, from July 29, 1894, to May 12, 1895. Rev. A. Krogulski, second term, from June 2, 1895, to August 22, 1897. Rev. Francis Maciarcz, the present pastor, from August 29, 1897.


The rooms in the sacristy were not long considered suitable accommodation for the pastor. In 1889 they built him a neat residence at a cost of one thousand four hundred dollars. And as the congregation was rapidly gaining in membership the enlarging of the church became a necessity. In 1892, Father Papon lengthened it out twenty-five feet to the rear and at the same time built an addition 42X22 for the purposes of a Polish school, which has an attendance of eighty pupils and is conducted by two lay teachers. The cost of these additions and repairs was in excess of twelve thousand five hundred dollars.

The rebuilt church was blessed by Bishop Vertin, November 27, 1892. The number of Polish families in Red Jacket and neighborhood has grown from four to two hundred of today. Notwithstanding the unfortunate dissensions caused by unscrupulous souls the parish has prospered. With faith deeply rooted in their hearts these sturdy sons of old Poland have more than liberally contributed towards the upbuilding of their church, which today stands without an indebtedness.

"History of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette" (Containing a full and accurate account of the development of the Catholic Church in Upper Michigan) by Rev. Antoine Ivan Rezek. (Chicago: M. A. Donohue & Co., 1907), Vol. 2, pp. 282-283.