The naming patterns and customs found in eastern European countries are quite different from the naming traditions of western Europe and the British isles. The role of religion and the church often played a central role in naming a Polish newborn.
Rather than being named after someone in the family, a newly born child in Poland would often be named after the saint whose feast day was on or close to his/her date of birth. Parents would sometimes consult their priest during the naming process, looking for the right saint’s name and feast day. The saint whom the child was named after usually had a feast day within three weeks of the date of the child’s birth.
Another Polish naming custom would be to name the child after his/her godparent. This tradition was less common than naming the child after a saint, but could be found in some Polish localities. In Poland, the godfather is called a kumoter and the godmother is called a kumoszka.
Something for the family researcher to remember is that Poles did not acknowledge and celebrate their birthdays as we do, but instead they celebrated the feast day of their namesake or the anniversary of their baptism. So the date of birth that immigrant Poles gave to census takers and other officials may not have been their actual birthday, but the date of their saint’s feast day or their baptism.
For a list of saints’ names in Polish and the dates of their feast days, go to www.rootsweb.com/~polwgw/namelist.
Queries
n I am looking for the parents/siblings of Mary Ann Bishop who married Jonathan Clark on Feb. 26, 1860, in Vermillion County, Ind. They are on the 1860 Clinton, Vermillion County census. Jonathan was age 32 and Mary, 19. Jonathan enrolled on Dec. 11, 1863, at Clinton for three years as a private of Company A, 6th regiment, Indiana Cavalry. Prisoner of war records show him captured at Atlanta, Aug. 3, 1864, after his horse fell on him, injuring his right side. He received no medical treatment and was sent to Andersonville Prison. In 1870, Jonathan and Mary Ann Clark were still living in Clinton, Vermillion County, with their two children Louisa and Grant. The family then moved to Dallas County, Iowa, and appear on the 1880 census there. I have information that Mary Ann Bishop’s father might have been known as Jasper Bishop. I believe Jonathan’s father may have been Artemus Clark, who appears on the 1840 census in Clinton, Vermillion County. I located Jonathan Clark on the 1850 Clinton, Vermillion County census, where he was reported as a farmer and living with his mother, June or Jane, 44, born in Pennsylvania. His siblings were: Louisa, Jane, Israel, and Caroline Clark. Thank you for any information you may have on these families. Contact Kara Lee Stubbert, 1001 S. Chestnut St., No. 1121, Ellensburg, WA 98926, phone (425) 503-1959, e-mail kstubb2@charter.net.
n I am searching for the Daniel Bain family. They were living in Vigo County in the 1829-1839 time period. Some of their children were born in Vigo County. Daniel owned land that he registered in Vincennes, Knox County, Ind. I found them on the 1830 census with several children. The wife’s name was Nancy and one of the children born in 1829 was James Bain. Would love to know more about this family. Thank you for your help. Peggy Jentgens, 12484 Melrose Circle, Fishers, IN 46038, e-mail PPJent@aol.com.
History
Genealogy: Religion, church often played central role in naming newborns
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
Perhaps someone out there can help me with something I’ve been working on for quite a few years
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Early Terre Haute theater includes Billy Emerson
Traveling theater troupes performed in Terre Haute before the village was incorporated on Jan. 26, 1832.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Radiant heating — a hot idea
This week’s Historical Treasure is a bit out of season, but a wood stove will help drive away the morning chill and you can make breakfast on it.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: Record-breaking temps hit Vigo
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSON: Emperor Constantine changes the world
The Emperor Constantine, the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire and the man who ended that empire’s persecution of Christianity, died this week (May 22) in 337 AD, having lived a life that would change the world.
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GENEALOGY: Library archives contain tons of information
Inside the archives room of the Vigo County Public Library, row after row of fragile documents, rare out-of-print books, and historic photographs are kept on shelves in a humidity and temperature-controlled room.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Historic efforts to open Center Street from Cherry to Swan
Efforts to open Center Street, from Cherry to Swan, spanned a half century or more.
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LOOKING BACK: 2002 — Valley drenched in wettest spring in 107 years
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star. -
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Some history wreathed in hair
From the unfortunate occurrence of Prince Albert’s death in 1861 came the social mores of proper mourning practices and accoutrements witnessed and endorsed by the admirers of Queen Victoria in her reign-long state of grieving.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: League of Women Voters reorganizes
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Here comes the bride
The newest major exhibit at the Historical Museum, which opens Tuesday, showcases wedding gowns worn by Vigo County residents.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Downtown changes featured in early 1927
During March and April of 1927 – about 85 years ago – the owners of interests in four major downtown Terre Haute theaters were negotiating to transfer their interests to representatives of Paramount Studios.
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GENEALOGY: Genealogy isn’t for the easily embarrassed
The saying goes, if you’re easily embarrassed or afraid of what you’ll find, don’t start doing genealogy.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The long, lost, last — the 27th —Amendment
Our very last constitutional amendment — the 27th Amendment — was ratified this week (May 7) in 1992 when Michigan became the 38th state to approve it.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The Haymarket Square Massacre
One unhappy byproduct of the Industrial Age was the growing discontent of its industrial workers, who constantly agitated for better pay and more humane working conditions.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Stands packed as Wiley takes county track title
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and the Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Death of Terre Haute jeweler gains national headlines
Terre Haute sought national publicity in 1910 through “Boosterism,” lauding the city’s significant advancements during the decade ending Dec. 31, 1909.
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GENEALOGY: Cemetery Committee to conduct restoration workshop
The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society’s Cemetery Committee will conduct an all-day cemetery restoration workshop on Saturday at the Smith Cemetery near Youngstown, Honey Creek Township, Vigo County, Ind.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Harmonious history
In 1923, a group of singers calling themselves the Harmony Four entertained regularly over the radio and at civic and various club events.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Cleveland observes Lincoln’s funeral
The death of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, resulted in an outpouring of national mourning, the apex of which came in late April of 1865 when a specially outfitted train carried his body on a thirteen-day, 1,700-mile, eleven-city funeral procession from Washington, D.C., to his home and final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
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GENEALOGY: Many people can trace ancestry to Titanic
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred on April 14-15, 1912.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: ISU bowling team at nationals again
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Sullivan County mine explosion kills 8 in 1878
Shortly after 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, 1878, an enormous explosion rocked the Handford Brothers mine about one-half mile north of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad depot in Sullivan County.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A common feature, but memorable
As an absolute architecture nerd, I tend to look at buildings noticing the odd ball things such as door hinges and door locks in addition to admiring the overall building.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSONS: MLK’s letter written from a jail cell in Birmingham
This week (April 16) in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a jail cell in Birmingham, Ala., having been arrested for violating a trumped-up court order that prohibited him and his followers from conducting various protest activities, most of which you can read about in the First Amendment.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Swope celebrates 20th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: 1955 Babe Ruth League championship team to be feted
Currently in his 25th year as a college baseball coach, Rick Heller is in the midst of his third winning season at Indiana State and has embraced the university and the community.
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GENEALOGY: Long-awaited 1940 census is now available for the public
The long-awaited release of the 1940 census took place on April 2.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Memories baked from scratch
On my Historical Treasure hunt, I was drawn to a pasteboard barrel 28 inches high and 18.5 inches across with the words “Calumet Baking Powder Bakes Best, Received Highest Award” on one side and “Calumet Baking Powder Always Pleases, Try It” on the other.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Thomas Jefferson's flights of fancy
Thomas Jefferson, born this week (April 13) in 1743, is — deservedly so — in the pantheon of American heroes.
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
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