Genealogy Research is NOT a Straight and Narrow Road

These past several months, I have worked rather diligently on the genealogy research of my ancestors. I have contacted two historical societies in Wisconsin in regards to the relatives of my maternal grandfather's paternal side of the family. I was also contacted by a cousin in regards to my mother's maternal side of the family. Last, but certainly not least, I contacted another cousin with regards to my maternal grandmother's maternal side of the family as well.

However, several years ago, during the week of the passing of my father, I logged on to GenForum to find out the names of the Catholic Churches of the village that my maternal grandfather was born in, and people were kind enough to provide me that information. It was nice to know that not only did they survive the bombings of World War 2, but that they also existed for several centuries! It took me another year to find out if the churches had web sites and contact information, which thankfully, they did.

One of the churches was named "St. Margaret and Scapular", and it is located in Smilowo, Poznan, Poland, next to the village of Zelgniewo, Poznan, Poland. The village of Zelgniewo was formally known as Selgenau, Germany, Prussia, which was where my maternal grandfather, Clement Erdman Sr., was born in. Clement was the youngest of six children, and his parents were Albert and Rosalia Rzybazejek Erdmann, and was born on October 5, 1899.   His father was a tailor.

As luck would have it, this family emigrated to the USA from a ship that  sailed from Bremen, Germany to Ellis Island . They saved one  record of their journey in 1901, but it would be years before I would have a chance  to get it translated. It turned out to be a German Relocation document, which I have mentioned in a previous post.

In any case, this past week, I did finally contact  the priest of St. Margaret and Scapular, and I received a very quick and positive response from Father Gerorge Ptach.  Here was his response

- Klemens Albert Erdmann - mój dziadek po kądzieli, ur. 5.10.1899 w Selgenau, ob. zw. Zelgniewo. – znalazłem pod nr 31/1899: „Albert Klemens, rodzice: Albert Erdmann i Rozalia Rzybazejek /nie wiem, czy dobrze odczytałem imię i nazwisko matki/, ojciec – katolik, matka – ewangeliczka, chrzestni: Józef Wirobek i Elżbieta Hammling”.

Odnośnie pozostałych osób nie znalazłem w księgach żadnego śladu. Prawdopodobnie byli wyznania ewangelicko augsburskiego i byli ochrzczeni w Brodnej, gdzie w 1895 r. został poświęcony kościół. Jeżeli są jakieś akta, to w Poznaniu tegoż wyznania.

Pozdrawiam i życzę dalszych owocnych poszukiwań. Ks. Jerzy Ptach

http://malgorzata.smilowo.parafia.info/historia.htm

This was translated by my younger brother, Matthew:
> 
> Here's a quick and dirt translation from Google Translate.
> Clement Albert Erdmann - my maternal grandfather, was born. 05/10/1899
> in Selgenau, ob. zw. Zelgniewo. - Found under No. 31/1899: "Albert
> Clement, parents: Albert and Rosalie Erdmann Rzybazejek / do not know
> how well I read the name of the mother / father - a Catholic, his mother
> - ewangeliczka, godparents: Joseph and Elizabeth Hammling Wirobek."
> Concerning other people have not found any trace in the books. Probably
> they were Evangelical Lutheran, and were baptized in Bródno, where in
> 1895 the church was dedicated. If there are any records, in Poznan, the
> same religion. I greet and wish further fruitful research. 
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> - Klemens Albert Erdmann - mój dziadek po kądzieli, ur. 5.10.1899 w
> Selgenau, ob. zw. Zelgniewo. - znalazłem pod nr 31/1899: "Albert
> Klemens, rodzice: Albert Erdmann i Rozalia Rzybazejek /nie wiem, czy
> dobrze odczytałem imię i nazwisko matki/, ojciec - katolik, matka - 
> ewangeliczka, chrzestni: Józef Wirobek i Elżbieta Hammling".Odnoœnie
> pozostałych osób nie znalazłem w księgach żadnego œladu. Prawdopodobnie
> byli wyznania ewangelicko augsburskiego i byli ochrzczeni w Brodnej,
> gdzie w 1895 r. został poœwięcony koœciół. Jeżeli są jakieœ akta, to w
> Poznaniu tegoż wyznania. Pozdrawiam i życzę dalszych owocnych
> poszukiwań. Ks. Jerzy Ptach
> http://malgorzata.smilowo.parafia.info/historia.htm

> 
> One must ponder what one should do next. I have some clues as to where I can find the rest of the information that I need. I will log on to GenForum for sure! Happy Trails everyone !:)