13th July 2014
I came from family of emigrants so my ancestors had lived in different countries and continents.
Their life wasn't easy but very hard. They had to emigrate to different places of the world to survive.
As I know my surname it is not Polish for sure my ancestor was Hungarian it is possible because Subcarpathian Voivodeship, is, in extreme-southeastern Poland - it is located 190 km from Hungary. I have known my family history since 17th century.
My ancestors in the 17th century were very rich and they had a very large farm in the little village Ustrobna which is located nearby Jedlicze. What happened later ? I don't know......
Why they had to emigrate? To survive .......... And the endless journey had began......
It was April about 15th or 18 th in 1900 - railway station in Jedlicze and at the train station my great-grandparents ( of paternal side) with two or three bags ready to leave their homeland.
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| The railway station was built in 1884 - so it is the same building when my ancestors were travelling. |
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| Jan Kondej and Katarzyna Kondej my great - grandparents started their journey to Phoenixville - Pennsylvania, United States, |
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| They travelled to Jan's mother - who had lived there. When my great - great grandmother emigrated I don't know. Who invited her - it's a secret... |
Records from Eliis Island - my great-grandparents
At their times Poland didn't exist - this region belonged to Austria so they were Austrian citizens.
First Name: | Kata. |
Last Name: | Kondej |
Ethnicity: | Austria, Galician |
Last Place of Residence: | Ustrobna |
Date of Arrival: | May 01, 1900 |
Age at Arrival: 28y Gender: F Marital Status: M | |
Ship of Travel: | Friedrich der Grosse |
Port of Departure: | Bremen |
Manifest Line Number: | 0024 |
First Name: | Jan |
Last Name: | Kondej |
Ethnicity: | Austria, Galician |
Last Place of Residence: | Ustrobna |
Date of Arrival: | May 01, 1900 |
Age at Arrival: 30y Gender: M Marital Status: M | |
Ship of Travel: | Friedrich der Grosse |
Port of Departure: | Bremen |
Manifest Line Number: | 0023 |
They set off from Bremen ( Germany) on 21st April 1900 came to New York on 1st May 1900.
 | Built by A/G Vulcan Shipyard, Stettin, Germany, 1896. 10,531 gross tons; 546 (bp) feet long; 60 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 14 ? knots. 2,423 passengers (216 first class, 243 second class, 1,964 third class).Two masts and two funnels; sister ship KONIGIN LUISE. Built for North German Lloyd, German flag, in 1896 and named Friedrich der Grosse. Built for Bremerhaven-Suez-Australia service. Also Bremerhaven-New York and Mediterranean-New York service. Seized by US Government, in 1917 and renamed USS Huron. Transport service. US Navy 1917-1919 and US Shipping Board West Indies service. Sold to Los Angeles Steamship Company, in 1922 and renamed City of Honolulu. Los Angeles-Honolulu service. Caught fire and abandoned; sunk by a US Navy warship in 1922. | ||
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The history will be very long and so complicated.
My family history will be publish every Sunday.
Now you know why the title of my blog is LOOKING FOR IDENTITY
It seems strange for great great grandmother to be in the US, but her children were not. Sundays will be interesting as the story unfolds.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I would like to know it. According to pasenger's record they travelled to Jan's mother. It'sposisble because my relatives travelled to US many times and came back when they earned some money.
ReplyDeleteah. thanks for explaining that.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteI will be interested to read the rest of your story. I enjoy researching and finding stories about my ancestors and visiting the places where they lived and traveled, too.
ReplyDeleteFamily history is very interesting for everybody. I think everybody shuold know who are their ancestors?
DeleteHow hard that must have been to leave their homeland.
ReplyDeleteEllis Island...there is a song sung by Tommy Fleming which he sings so well..to my taste anyway.
What a long journey in the train...
Most people of this region left their homes for ever.
DeleteThis is fascinating. So wonderful that you have such detailed information. It's amazing to consider what many of our ancestors lived through. I will look forward to Sundays with your ancestors!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. See you on Sunday
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