PGSMN Newsletter Winter 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
POLISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA Newsletter Volume 25 #4 Winter 2017 In This Issue • President’s Letter • Missing Branches The Polish Genealogy Society • Upcoming Events • Membership insert of Minnesota • Book Review Annual Meeting • Legacy Family Tree Webinars • Membership News Update Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit Restaurant • Using Mortality Schedules 2300 University Avenue NE • Royal Roots Run Deep Minneapolis, MN • Publications of Interest • Annual Meeting Announcement January 13, 2018 11:00 am—2:00 pm Luncheon Contact Us Give us a call for more infor- Business meeting, elections mation about our services and meet- ings. and bylaws voting Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota $25 1385 Mendota Heights Road Suite 100 Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367 RSVP at [email protected] 651-330-9312 Visit us on the web at www.pgsmn.org 1 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear PGS-MN Members, In her final 2017 newsletter, MGS president Linda Westrom said we need to think ahead, dream ahead and develop a vision of what we want our genealogical societies to become. My vision is for PGS-MN to be- come an active, educational, and welcoming society for all people interested in Polish genealogy, history, and culture. In order to make this vision a reality it will take people and action. People + Action = Participa- tion. So I think the PGS-MN word for 2018 is PARTICIPATION! My aim this year for PGS-MN is to create opportunities for more members to PARTICIPATE and become active along the society’s purposes of education and idea exchange. With our new location in Mendota Heights we have a bright, clean, no-elevators-required space in which to learn, research and grow our family trees. We’ll start engaging in newsletter, library, membership recruitment, and website tasks via committee so there are more opportunities for people to PARTICIPATE, utilize, and contribute their skills, interests, knowledge, and ideas to grow PGS-MN into a vibrant, energetic society. We’ll all get to meet more people and make more friends. We’ll get more “techie” this year and start using webinars for meetings to make it easier for people outside the Twin Cities metro area and others who cannot travel to participate in program meetings. Yes, my list goes on and on….. So, mark your calendar and let’s get started PARTICIPATING by making reservations to attend the 2018 Annual Membership Meeting! The meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Gasthof Zur Gemutlickeit restaurant located at 2300 University Avenue NE in Minneapolis. Cost is $25 per person. To make your reservation, please contact Rick Theissen via e-mail at rftheis- [email protected] or phone (651)739-1490. This year’s Annual Meeting will consist of lunch and a short business meeting as usual with the awards presentation, financial reports, and board of director nominations and elections, but the Bylaws Committee is also submitting a revised bylaws document to the membership for a vote. It’s been 12 years since the PGS-MN bylaws were reviewed and updated. The Bylaws Committee has been hard at work revising the bylaws to reflect the operational changes that have occurred within PGS-MN since 2006. The Committee has included some changes for its future operation also. As a member of PGS-MN your vote on the operational documents of the society is important. Your PARTICIPATION is needed! Another very important, and possibly more important than it has been in ten years previous, is the next order of business - the nominations and elections of the open positions on the PGS-MN board of directors. This is an even-numbered year, so the positions up for election are secretary, treasurer, and directors II and IV. Currently serving in these positions are secretary Vicki Myslajek, treasurer Michael Eckman, and directors II and IV, Dori Marszalek and Marie Przynski, respectively. Vicki, Dori, and Marie have all voiced interest 2 in running for re-election. President’s Letter continued from page 3 Mike, however, is completing his tenth year of service in the treasurer position and he has announced he would like to retire. So we’re seeking someone to join in on the fun of being a PGS-MN board member and as treasurer. The treasurer duties include handling PGS-MN money transactions, depositing donations and membership dues into the bank account, and preparing financial reports. Please contact me at [email protected] or Jay Biedny at [email protected] if you are interested in having your name on the ballot (aka PARTICIPATING!). All board member positions are for a two-year term. To Michael Eckman, a big thank you for your dedicated, decade-long, treasurer service to PGS-MN and to the board of directors. I am especially thankful to you for helping me transition into this president position. I will be ever grateful for your patience and understanding. Although I do hope you’ll be around to help the new treasurer too! Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you at Gasthof Zur Gemutlickeit on Saturday, January 13 with your PARTICIPATION shoes on! Peggy Larson PGS-MN president [email protected] PGSMN Member and speaker Nancy Gagner at her granddaughter’s preschool, celebrating their Polish heritage at the “Around The World” celebration. — “The Thing that interests me most about family history is the gap between the things we think we know about our families and the realities” - Jeremy Hardy 3 Address/email changes or membership questions? Contact Dori Marszalek, Membership Chair, 3901-61st AV N, Brooklyn Center, MN 55419-2403 or email [email protected] PGSMN Officers/Board of Directors Polish Genealogical Society of Minnesota President — Peggy Larson (763-445-0090) A branch of the Minnesota Genealogical Society [email protected] 1385 Mendota Heights Road Vice President— Paula Colwell (612-220-4852) Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1367 [email protected] www.pgsmn.org Treasurer - Mike Eckman (952-944-4008) Committees [email protected] Library—Bob Kraska Secretary - Vicki Myslajek (763-533-5658) [email protected] Membership—Dori Marszalek & Mary Johnson Newsletter/Website —Marie Przynski Director - Mary Johnson (763-323-4655) [email protected] Programs/Publicity— Director - Dori Marszalek (763-535-2296) Research—John Rys, Greg Kishel [email protected] Director - Richard Theissen (651-739-1490) National Genealogical Society 2018 Family History Confernce, May 2-5, 2018 in Grand Rapids, MI. Learn new strategies, resources, and techniques to sharpen your family history skills at the NGS 2018 Family History Conference. The upcoming NGS 2018 Family History Conference will be the first national genealogical conference held in Michigan. As the second largest city in the state, Grand Rapids is a one day drive or less from most Midwest- ern cities, has a thriving economy with a small-town feel, friendly people, and safe walkable streets. The NGS Family History Conference, 2–5 May 2018 is your opportunity to choose from more than 175 lectures presented by many nationally recognized speakers, explore an exhibit hall filled with more than 80 exhibitors, and network with over 2,000 genealogists. Every NGS conference has a different theme with a new program top to bottom—so there is always much new to learn and discover. Additional information and registration at conference.ngsgenealogy.org. Early bird registration is now open. 4 Book Review: Korzenie Polskie, Polish Roots The following book review was written by Bobbi King for Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, 07/06/15 Korzenie Polskie, Polish Roots by Rosemary A. Chorzempa. Genealogical Publishing Co., 2014. 270 pages. This second edition of Rosemary Chorzempa’s book is a welcome update of what is simply the best Polish genealogy book out there. With several sections of new material particularly focused on online research, Polish Roots re-asserts its place as a singular and essential Polish research guide. Part One: Research in America covers the American documents we can pursue: the trunk in the attic, ciocia kasia (talking to your family), church records such as parish anniversary books, cemetery, gravestone, and funeral records, obituaries, fraternal societies, alien and draft registration records, the U.S. Passport Office, and other resources. She writes excellent instructions for using the records of the Family History Library and Centers, she describes the Polish Museum of America Archives and Library in Chicago as well as several (American) Polish genealogical societies, and offers a list of local and regional repositories with Polish collec- tions. Part Two: Research in Poland offers information for the researcher going to Poland. First chapters give a history of Poland, with particular attention to the vovoids (provinces) utilizing maps, timelines, and explanation. Chapter six describes each vovoid in detail, followed by chapters for locating your ancestor using maps and gazetteers, and using the records of Poland. There is even a chapter detailing how to write a letter to a Polish repository with exact and correct Polish language wording. Interest in genealogy inside Poland has increased. With the emergence of Polish genealogical societies, volunteers have indexed and published records online. One example: BASIA (Database of Archival Indexing System), http://www.basia.famula.pl/en; The Wielkopolska Genealogi- cal Society (WTG “Gniazdo”) has begun a project to transcribe and index vital records that have been released online by the Polish National Archives. The area covered is the Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) area, near Poznań. Numerous online collections are described and cited. Ms. Chorzempa gives historical nod to the diverse populations who occupied Polish lands: the Slavic, Prussian, German, Jewish, Caraïtes, Scots, Dutch, Irish, Armenian, Russian, Bohemian, Tatar, Tzigane, English, and Italian peoples. She describes the Polish-related histories and records of the numerous sects of religions: Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Evangelical (Lutheran), Mennonite, Reformed (Protestant), and Hebrew.