Wordless Wednesday, Luc and Aurelie Boudreau

Luc and Aurelie Boudreau (my 3rd Great grandparents)
with 10 of their children.
Belle Boudreau Deno Senesac is my 2nd Great grandmother
(looking at the picture, on the right, sitting on the chair
she is wearing glasses)
ca. 1891-1895

Wozniak naturalization record

For the last six months or so I have been using most of my free time to work on my Polish ancestors, specifically the Wozniak side of the family. I was going to attend a family reunion in LaCrosse, Wisconsin the beginning of May and wanted to share (and of course try to add to ) the information I had gathered over the years. I admit I really didn't have too much research done on this side of the family. So, for several months I devoted quite a number of hours at my favorite FHC in Chicago Heights reviewing reels and reels of microfilm. I found a few more facts that I immediately added (and CITED!) to my family tree. Two facts in particular indicated that two of my grandfathers older brothers, John and Frank were indeed here in the Chicago area at the beginning of the 20th century. Finding out that was a big milestone in the family genealogy, for these two gentlemen were mere whispers--I can't seem to find out any real concrete evidence of their lives here in the Midwest.
Of course, reviewing reels and reels of microfilm was not the only resource I investigated. I acquired the naturalization record of my grandfather's sister Agnes Modrzejewski from the City of Chicago Archives at the Circuit Court records downtown. It was easy to use Ancestry.com and get the Naturalization card but I wanted to see the actual record which is stored in the archives. The record indicated specifically that Agnes Modrzejewski, nee Wozniak was born in Warszawske, Gubernia, Poland. Best of all was a physical description of Agnes. She indicated she was 5'3" tall (taller than myself), weighed 115 pounds, (okay, I weigh more than that), she had fair complexion (me too), brown eyes (oops, mine are hazel), and brown hair (well, my natural color I suppose is a version of brown). The naturalization record also mentioned her date of arrival to the United States as being in 1904, although I clearly found a record of Agnes and her mother Mary arriving to the US in 1894. I think perhaps the family went back to Poland for a visit. Four more children were born to Mary and her husband Joseph here in Chicago between 1901 and 1906 so it is hard to imagine that Agnes actually immigrated in 1904, more likely it was 1894. Hmmmm.
One of the biggest genealogical discoveries I found was while searching the naturalization records on Ancestry.com for the last name of Wozniak. I came across a naturalization record for a Casey Wozniak. Casey was my grandfather's youngest brother born in 1910 in Wisconsin. He would have been a US citizen by birth so what was the naturalization record? Upon further research I discovered that Casey and his wife Eleanor adopted a little girl and it was her naturalization record that I was actually looking at. Who knew? What a find. Not only did that information add more names to the family tree, but I was able to find some more information about the family through Google and other internet resources.
My Wozniak family tree is certainly growing. Anyone out there know anything about a Frank or John Wozniak, born to Joseph and Mary Wozniak? If so, please contact me! Thanks.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Randy Seaver has come up with another interesting Saturday night genealogy quest. This one is on birth order and I thought I would give it a try.

Pam Wozniak Taylor, (1955-), first child, first daughter of Norbert and Arlene (Guinee)Wozniak (they had three daughters)

Arlene Marie Guinee, (1931-1998), first child, first daughter of Bert and Lucille (Hanaway) Guinee (they had 2 daughters and 2 sons)

Lucille May Hanaway, (1912-1998), sixth child, third daughter of Marion Albert and Eva (Deno) Hanaway (they had 4 daughters and 4 sons)

Eva Belle Deno, (1881-1956), only child of Theophile and Belle (Boudreau) Deno

Belle Boudreau, (1860-1946), fourth child, third daughter of Luc and Aurelie (Landry) Boudreau (they had 3 sons and 8 daughters)

Aurelie Landry, (1830-1917), third child, first daughter of Jean Baptiste and Elisabeth (Letourneau) Landry (they had six sons and four daughters)

Elisabeth Letourneau (1809-?), third child, second daughter of Amable and Elizabeth Isabelle (Bissonnet) Letourneau (they had one son and two daughters)

Thank you Randy, this was great!

A different type of headstone, tombstone Tuesday

These two different headstones are located in the Old Monticello Cemetery in Monticello, Indiana. I have never seen any other tombstones or grave markers like these two. It appears that a fallen tree was covered in cement. Notice the ornate vines, fruits and leaves which surround the trunk of the trees, all in cement! Click on the pictures to enlarge them and see the great details!

My great great grandparents, Jacob and Eliza Hanaway and several of their children are also buried in this cemetery. Unfortunately, my relatives tombstones are in very poor condition.

Wordless Wednesday, Everlasting Love

Bert & Eva Hanaway

My great grandparents,

Married 1-15-1901

circa 1954