Research Highlights
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[CLIENT] Koler1802 IM1802153 8 May 2018 Research Highlights GOALS Research and work towards extending the ancestry of John (Janos) Koler (Kollar) who was born 12 October 1871 possibly in Somogy or Baranya, Hungary, and immigrated to the United States in 1903, dying in 1951 in Oak Creek, Colorado. Identify the ancestral home town in Hungary. Gather biographical information and historical context regarding the Koler family in Hungary and possible reasons for their immigration to America. PROGRESS Reviewed the information from the Kollar family’s 1904 passenger list. It indicated that their last residence was Somogy, Hungary. Determined that Somogy was the name of a town, as well as a nearby county, in Hungary. The residents of Somogy (town) attended Roman Catholic services in Szabolcs, Baranya, Hungary. Located the 1898 birth registration from Somogy for Janos Kollar, son of Janos Kollar and Maria Hencz. Obtained the 1895 Roman Catholic baptism from Szabolcs for Gyorgy Kollar. His father was incorrectly reported as Gyorgy Kollar and his mother was Maria Hencz. Discovered the marriage of Janos Kollar and Maria Hencz in 1894 in Szabolcs. The marriage record indicated that the bride and groom were both Roman Catholic and identified their parents. Janos was born in Somogy and Maria was born in the nearby city of Pécs. Found the 1871 baptism of the immigrant ancestor, Janos Kollar, along with the baptisms of his two sisters, Rosa and Elisabetha. Located the 1867 marriage record for their parents, Ferencz Kollar and Katalin Borsei. Both were 35 years old and widowed. This record included the names of their parents along with the names of their former spouses. It indicated that the bride, the groom, and both sets of parents were Roman Catholic. Discovered the 1866 death record for Catharina Borsei’s first husband, Janos Voros. Searched for the death of Ferencz Kollar’s first wife, Juliana Czervenaska[?] between 1860 and 1867 in Szabolcs. No record was found. Attempted to locate Ferencz Kollar’s birth/baptism (circa 1832) in a town called Kiralyfalu. This search was not successful. He was probably born closer to the Somogy area. Identified the first marriage of Katalin Borzsei [sic] to Janos Voros in Szabolcs in 1849. Their children’s baptisms can be identified in the next research session. Searched for the first marriage of Ferencz Kollar to Juliana Czervenaska[?] between 1846 and 1867. No record was found. Located the 1874 baptism of the immigrant ancestor, Maria Hencz, in Szt. Külvárosi Roman Catholic Church in Pécs, Baranya, Hungary. Her father was Mihaly Hencz, but in this record, her mother was called Catharina Kovacs instead of Anna Kovacs (the name reported on Maria’s marriage record). Searched this parish in Pécs for any siblings of Maria Hencz. Some possible siblings were identified, but their mother was Maria Kovacs. This connection was later disproven. Identified one younger brother, Janos Hencz, who was baptized in Szabolcs in 1876. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Locate the death record for Ferencz Kollar (born circa 1832) in the Szabolcs Roman Catholic records. It may provide additional information about his birthplace. 2. Search a Hungarian gazetteer for towns near Pécs called Kiralyfalu (or similar). Identify the Roman Catholic parishes of interest and search them for the baptism of Ferencz Kollar, circa 1832. 3. When his baptism is located, also obtain the baptism records for his siblings and the marriage of his parents, Ferencz Kollar and Eva Binser. 4. Identify the Szabolcs Roman Catholic baptism record for Katalin Borzsei, circa 1832. 5. Obtain records of her siblings’ baptisms, along with the marriage of their parents, Jozsef Borzsei and Eva Lantos. 6. Locate the death records for Mihaly Hencz and his wife, Anna Katalin Kovacs. Both are expected to be found in the Szabolcs Roman Catholic records. These death records should include information about their origins, which will aid in locating their marriage record. 7. As necessary, search the six Roman Catholic parishes in Pécs for the marriage of Mihaly Hencz and Anna Katalin Kovacs. 8. After the marriage is found, search the baptisms in that parish to find any additional children born to this couple. 9. Organizing complete family groups, continue to extend each of these family lines to the earliest available records. 2 Research Report The purpose of this research session was to identify the Hungarian hometown and to extend the ancestry of Janos Koler/Kollar, who was reportedly born on 12 October 1871 in Somogy or Baranya, Hungary. He immigrated to the United States in 1903 and died in Oak Creek, Colorado in 1951. The client specifically requested that biographical information and historical context regarding the Koler family in Hungary be obtained, as well as discussing the possible reasons for their immigration to America. Hungarian Gazetteer This research session began with a review of the 1904 passenger list for the wife and children of Janos Kollar.1 Maria Hencz Kollar, age 30, arrived at the port of New York City aboard the S.S. Bremen on 4 October 1904. Her two sons, György (age 9) and Janos (age 6), accompanied her. Traveling with them was a male relative, Frank Szömös, age 47. He had previously been to the United States, residing in Lehigh, Iowa between 1890 and 1892. His stated destination was Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he would be joining his brother in law, John Koller. Likewise, Maria and the two boys were also joining John Koller, their husband and father. Each of the entries for these traveling companions indicated that their last residence was “Somogy, Hungary.” 1 New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 (image), Maria Hencz Koller, S.S. Bremen, 4 October 1904, lines 12-15, http:ancestry.com, subscription database, accessed April 2018. DOCUMENT 1. 3 There were two places in Hungary by the name of Somogy, a county and a village.2 This gazetteer, originally compiled in 1877, indicated there were 855 residents, specifically Germans and Hungarians, living in the village called Somogy, Baranya County, Hungary. In German, this village was called Schomod, which was a phonetic match for the Hungarian version of the name. The residents of this village were, at that time Jewish or Roman Catholic, attending religious services in Pécs or Szabolcs, respectively. Today, along with the nearby villages of Hird, Malom, Patacs, Szabolcs, Szent-Kut, Urog, and Vasas, the village of Somogy is a suburb of the neighboring city of Pécs, the fifth largest city in Hungary. Historical map of Somogy, Baranya, Hungary. Courtesy of http://lazarus.elte.hu. By the 1800s, this area included opportunities for factory work in iron, paper, sugar, and beer manufacturing. It was also heavily involved in coal mining, along with being home to many farmers and day laborers.3 2 Suzanne Somodi Jimenez, Hungarian Village Finder, Atlas, and Gazetteer for the Kingdom of Hungary, “Somogy, Baranya, Hungary,” Family History Library CD-Rom no. 7720. 3 "Pécs," Wikipedia, http://wikipedia.org, accessed April 2018. 4 Historical Map of Hungary (from gazetteer). Immigrant Generation Civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths began in Hungary in the fall of 1895. As such, any of these events that took place after 1895 would be most easily obtained from the civil records, while earlier events would only have been recorded in the church registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Between the client’s information and the family’s last residence in Hungary, it appeared likely that the Kollar family was probably living in Somogy, Baranya, Hungary when the boys, Janos and Gyorgy, were born. The Somogy civil 5 records were searched in 1898 and the birth of Janos Kollar was found and translated from Hungarian to English.4 Somogy, Civil Registration, Births, 1898, Entry no. 11 Born: 6 February 1898 in Somogy Registered: 8 February 1898 in Somogy Child: Janos, male, Roman Catholic Father: Janos Kollar, Roman Catholic, coal miner, born in Somogy, resident of Somogy, 26 years old Mother: Maria Hencz, Roman Catholic, works in household, born in Somogy, resident of Somogy, 24 years old This birth registration clearly indicated that the family was indeed Roman Catholic. The father worked as a coal miner. Both parents, Janos Kollar and Maria Hencz, were also born in Somogy. The 1895 baptism of their older son, Gyorgy, was identified in the Roman Catholic parish registers from the neighboring town of Szabolcs.5 Szabolcs, Roman Catholic Church, Baptism Register, 1895, Entry no. 37 Born: 30 March 1895 Baptized: 31 March 1895 Child: Gyorgy, male, legitimate Parents: Gyorgy Kollar, miner, and Maria Hencz, Roman Catholic couple, residents of Somogy It was strange to find that the father’s name was incorrectly reported as Gyorgy in this record. However, this was clearly the correct child based on all of the other family details 4 Hungary, Baranya, Állami anyakönyvek, 1895-1921, Somogy, "Születtek 1895-1903," birth of Janos Kollar, 6 February 1898, entry no. 11, Family History Library microfilm 2067563 items 2-3, viewed digitally, http://familysearch.org, accessed April 2018. DOCUMENT 2. 5 Hungary, Baranya, Római Katólikus Egyház, Parish Church of Szabolcs, "Kereszteltek 1833-1895," baptism of Gyorgy Kollar, 31 March 1895, entry no. 37, Family History Library microfilm 601952, viewed digitally, http://familysearch.org, accessed April 2018. DOCUMENT 3. 6 provided. Since it appeared that Gyorgy was the oldest child in this family, the parish registers were also searched for the parents’ marriage. It was successfully identified as having taken place on 15 May 1894.6 Szabolcs, Roman Catholic Church, Marriage Register, Entry no. 17 Married: 15 May 1894 in Szabolcs Groom: Janos Kollar, miner, born in Somogy, resident of Somogy, unmarried young man, Roman Catholic, 22 years old Groom’s parents: Ferencz Kollar and Katalin Borzsei Bride: Maria Hencz, born in Pécs, resident of Somogy, unmarried maiden, Roman Catholic, 20 years old Bride’s parents: Mihaly Hencz and Anna Kovacs This record confirmed the client’s belief that Maria Hencz was born in Pécs.