[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Location of Morkowie / Merkowie

[Richard Stein]

I sought help before on this one without a much success, but perhaps it may be worthwhile to try again.

My ancestors Jakob Rachui / Anna Rosine Fritz settled in the village Przewoz Maly sometime between 1785 and 1789 (Przewoz Maly is about 15 km NW of Sompolno on the west border of the later Congress Poland).  The only clue I have as to their origin is from Jakob's death record.  Jakob died in Przewoz Maly in 1831 at the age of 84.  His death records states in part "... Syn Woyciecha i Anny Elzbiety Malzonkow Rachuiow z Morkowie Ewangielick, ..."  A second copy of the register book spells the village name Merkowie instead of Morkowie.  

I interpret this to mean that Jakob Rachui was born in Morkowie/Merkowie, although it doesn't specifically state that.  Possibly it may mean that his parents lived in Morkowie at some time, perhaps at the end of their lives.

I have focussed my search for Morkowie in Posen province to the west and north of Sompolno for two reasons:  1. the information I have is that many of the German settlers in the Kujawien Lakes area which includes Sompolno came from that area of Posen province, and
2. the name Rachui occurs in the early to mid 1800's in this area, for example around Strzelno, Mogilno and Witkowo.

One candidate for my Morkowie is Markowice located about midway between Strzelno and Inowroclaw.  A limited search of late 1700's records in the area has failed to turn up any Rachuis.

In a recent post, Jerry Frank stated "Usually when no district information is added to a village name of 
birth, the implication is that it is in the same district as the marriage or death."   This led me to look for Morkowie in the general area of Sompolno.  The closest candidate is Markowo, located about 12 km SW of Wloclawek, or about 40 km ENE of Przewoz Maly.  This may not qualify as being in the same district as Przewoz Maly.  I haven't yet searched records for this village - there is a Catholic parish in nearby Kruszyn with records from the 1700's.

Does anyone have information about the German settlement in the village of Morkowo?  The Pedigree Database has 52 people born in Markowo under the following names:
    Markowo, Lipno, Bydgoszcz
    Markowo (Wladyslawow Parish)
    Markowo, Wloclawek, Bydgoszcz
    Of Markowo, Of Lubraniec, Of Starczyce (Wladyslawow Parish)
    Markowo, Kreis Hohensalza      (Hohensalza is the German name of Inowroclaw)
Are these all the same place?

I will be grateful for any comments and suggestions regarding my search for Morkowie.

Dick Stein