Family History–Some Pieces Fall Into Place

I got sidetracked on the Internet tonight (surfing the web, it’s hard not to get sidetracked), and learned somethign about my family history. My great-grandmother Katarzyna (Kathryn) Kucharska came to this country somewhere around 1907. She was from the same town as her future husband, Alex Cymbal (or Cymbala, but Symbal in this country). I knew them but they did not speak English. However, I remember very clearly how at one time my Grandmother, their oldest daughter, was telling me that the place where her mother (Katarzyna) was from was right across the river from the “darned Russians.” And they did not like the Russians one bit.

Some years ago, I got a copy of my great-grandmother’s baptisman certificate from a relative and learned of the town she was from Faschiva or Faszkowa. And on the immigration record of my great grandfather’s brother (Michael), it says he was from Faszkowa or some similar spelling, it’s hard to make it out. But I pretty much had somewhat of a town name–though those things can change, too.

Well, back to Polish history. From 1772 to 1795, Poland was divided up, partitioned by Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. So from 1792 until 1918, there was no Poland. The easter part of Poland which was taken by Austria-Hungary and was called Galicia. In the time my great-grandmother lived in Poland, the eastern border of Galacia was the Zbruch river. The river where the Russians lived across from them. And guess what town is on the Zbruch river? Faschiva!

Add to that what I’ve later learned from my cousin Alicja, that some of the family back there moved to the nearby city of Tamoruda which is also nearby. So I guess this just confirms what I’d known and suspected about one set of my great-grandparents.

Now, my cousin Alicja knows the relation back in that area, we have an aunt or maybe great aunt at least living the. And when I go to visit Alicja and her family this summer, they want to take me there. How great an experience that would be, for sure. I am really looking foward to it.