[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Seeking information on likely Volhynian emigrants Matthias Stankevitz and Wilhelmina Nienicz or Nicniewicz

[Robin Deems]

Hi Stephen,

I have had some success looking in "Germans to America," a multi-volume set
of passenger lists.  These are at the Family History Center, and are
arranged by years, with an index in the back of each volume.  Be sure to
check for unusual spellings!!

Also, at the FHC, I found some of my ancestors in the "Hamburg Passenger
Lists."  Hamburg seems to have been a pretty popular port for those folks in
Prussia and Germany.  They list both "direct" voyages as well as "indirect."

Finally, don't discount Canadian arrivals.  I found some ancestors that
landed in Canada, then came across to the U.S.  You might try the "pixel"
http://pixel.cs.vt.edu , go to Library, then Ship & Immigration Records.  I
don't know how far some of these go back.

Did you check the St. Peterburg Reports for Volhynia?  You might find some
ancestors there, also. (These are also on the pixel).

Have you checked the Family History Library catalog on-line for any records
of Wittenberg??  www.familysearch.org   I am sure you'll find many films of
old church records there.

Well, I hope you find some of this helpful.  Good luck in your search.

Robin Deems
rdeems at san.rr.com

Researching: Drews, Wallner, Stephan, Fischer, Fikowski, Subkowiak in
Prussia (Wirsitz district) and West Prussia.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen H Karlson" <ta0shk1 at corn.cso.niu.edu>
To: "Volhynia Germans List" <Ger-Poland-Volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 8:57 PM
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Seeking information on likely Volhynian
emigrants Matthias Stankevitz and Wilhelmina Nienicz or Nicniewicz


> The individuals named in the subject line are two of my great-grandparents
>
> The petition for naturalization of Matt Stankevitz gives his country of
origin as Prussia.  His death certificate states he was born in Wittemberg,
Germany (as in Martin Luther's theses).  He arrived New York in August 1888.
Wilhelmina's death certificate gives her place of birth as "Germania."
>
> Both Matt and Wilhelmina were Baptists, they spoke Polish, and they were
listed in Anuta's _East Prussians from Russia_ although the records and oral
tradition we have in hand gives nothing about where in the German
settlements they lived.
>
> My questions:
>
> 1.  Because Matthias and Wilhelmina and some of their older children
arrived prior to the opening of Ellis Island, any record of their arrival
would be in an archive other than Ellis Island.  Which archives would be
most likely to be useful in documenting their arrival in the States?
>
> 2.  I know the Germans kept reasonably good records (not as good as the
Puritans, but pretty good by the standards of the day.)  What archives for
Wittemberg would be most helpful?  Are there indices to German records
available in US libraries or online?
>
> Thanks for your advice
>
> Stephen Hopkins Karlson
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