[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] SCHEMIONE(C)K Family

[Jerry Frank]

Yours wouldn't be the first case where I have seen East and West Prussia 
get mixed up either in records or in family lore.

It would seem that the pronunciation similarities between Smowen and 
Summowen and between Plifken and Pleffken are so close that you should not 
pass up the opportunity of doing research in those locations (especially 
since there are no similar alternatives in West Prussia).  If you haven't 
already done so, you could double check by using 
http://www.kartenmeister.com .  It doesn't have the convenient sounds-like 
feature of ShtetlSeeker.  You can however search for certain letter 
combinations that might work (eg all places ending in   ...owen, etc.

Another alternative spelling for your surname might be Shimonek.  I know of 
one such family that lived near Rosenfed in southern Manitoba, Canada.



At 08:24 PM 20/03/2005, Schemioneck, Nell wrote:
>I am currently researching my husband's family who arrived in Brisbane,
>Australia in 1876 on the ship "Reichstag".  The shipping manifest says
>that Carl Schemioneck, his wife Elisabeth Louisa (nee NICKLASS) and two
>younger children came from a place called Smowen, West Prussia.  I
>cannot find this on a map and do not think that the information is
>correct.  It seems more likely that the family originated in East
>Prussia, now Russia or Poland.  My husband's great-grandfather's death
>certificate says that he was born in Plifken, Germany but I can't find
>this either.  Has anyone heard of either of these towns?  It is possible
>that Smowen may be Summowen (now Sumowo),near Goldap and Plifken may be
>Pleffken (Plowken).  Other Schemioneck, Schemionek, Szemionek or
>Siemionek families have originated in Gumbinnen, Tilsit, Koenigsberg or
>Goldap areas, all in East Prussia.  I believe that Carl and Elisabeth's
>marriage was registered in Gumbinnen but I am waiting to access the LDS
>microfilm to verify this.
>
>I have posted to the Prussia Roots message board but with no results.
>If anyone has any information I would appreciate it.
>
>Nell Schemioneck
>Brisbane, Australia

Jerry Frank - Calgary, Alberta
FranklySpeaking at shaw.ca