[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Krause/Silberman of Bobrowo (Konin)

[Dave Krause]

Hi;

I was directed to this web site from the Polish web site.

I'm new to genealogy research so I need help – and some direction.  I'm
researching my father and his roots.  When I was 13, I asked my dad (age 66)
to tell me about Germany.  He showed irritation and told me that the subject
was a closed book and to leave it that way.  He died the next year.  Needless
to say, I haven't left the closed book closed!



*What I know:*  Dad (Edward Krause) was born in Boberfeld, Russia
(misspelled as Boverfeld according to his ship manifest record) which is now
Bobrowo, Poland on March 9, 1888 (or 1889) to a Wilhelm Krause – a German
farmer.  He immigrated to the U.S. on September 24, 1909 aboard the
Lusitania.  He had an older brother, Ernest Krause.  This brother sponsored
him by purchasing ship and rail passage to Montana.  Dad's WWI draft
registration indicated he was born in Cunian (Curyn?), Poland, Russia.  I
think dad didn't let the truth get in the way of a good story – since his
first wife helped him fill out the WWI draft registration.  He and his first
wife became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1915 in Vaughn, Cascade County,
Montana.



*What I've been told:*  Dad's mother died in child birth – possibly his or a
next birth event.  He had his left foot (arch) crushed in a farming accident
when he was about 6 yrs. old.  His step mother told him if he couldn't work
he couldn't stay on the farm.  He told my mother (dad's second wife) that he
was taken in by a brew master.  His job was to sweep up and replace the
sawdust on the floor of the beer hall associated with the brewery.  I think
the reference to Cunian (WWI draft registration) may be where the brewery
was.  Curyn is about 225 miles from Bobrowo.  He seemed to have been raised
in the Lutheran faith.



*Research I've done:*  Ellis Island – ship manifest.  His first name was
misspelled as Edwardt and the last name was misspelled as Kraose; WWI draft
registration (June 5, 1917); Social Security Account Number Application
(1939) – listed his mothers first name as Pauline and her last name as
Unknown; LDS library searches for information on Polish churches; Jewish
Genweb searches.  I was given a marriage application and license to his
first wife in Montana by a researcher in Montana and the divorce decree for
his first marriage.  The marriage application listed his parents as Wilhelm
Krause and Pauline Silverman.  Census records indicate that the parents of
my dad were Russian citizens of German decent also.



*Where I'm stuck: *

*1.  *The LDS library has only a microfilm from a Catholic church in the
Konin area so I can't determine a Lutheran church for the area.

2.  A death record for my grandmother.

3.  My grandmother's name.  On his first marriage license, dad stated his
mother's name was Pauline Silverman.  A handwritten document found in a
cousin's personal effects stated the mother's maiden name was Ponta
Silberman.  Silverman is the Anglicized version of Silberman but what of the
Ponta VS Pauline?  Could Ponta be a "pet" name or an affectionate one (like
"sweetie")?

4.  The Jewish web site acknowledged the town of Bobrowo was formerly
Boberfeld but it doesn't appear that any one else is researching in this
area.

5.  Dad was possibly apprenticed to the brewery – any apprenticeship records
available?



*How can I proceed?*

Dave Krause
**