Genealogical Gems

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! My dad is Joseph P. Ruczhak Jr. He was born and raised in Coatesville, worked in the Mill (Lukens Steel mill that is) like every male graduating then. He put in 40+ years at the mill. The only time away from the mill was when he served our country in Vietnam. He was drafted and served his time, eluding Death on more than one occassion. His dad - my Gigi - was Joseph Ruczhak. Born in 1918, my Gigi worked various jobs, even ran his own steak shop a while, before he too worked at the mill. He loved to play golf and in fact was on Luken's golf team (see photo on the right). He was very active in the parish - Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church and today is buried in our cemetery alongside my Baba - Anna Kurenda Ruczhak. Gigi's father was Panko Hruszczak (1893-1968). He came over from "the Old Country" to find work assumably. He was born in Prusy, Sambor, Galicia. He met my great grandmother - Bessie Matyz - here and they were married...

I am one of those people who actually enjoy visiting cemeteries. I like doing tombstone rubbings and hunting down that elusive ancestor. With the virtual advancements of recent years, research has become easier but not always as exciting. Today I had an exciting moment! I found my husband's great great grandfather's first marriage information. Leopold Cousault married Mary Canon on 3 July 1832 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Southwark, Philadelphia(1). The church was located below 3rd Street at Catherine Street. The church no longer exists sadly, according to Edwin Rivera's article on the church. The  Episcopal Diocese closed because of declining membership in 1908, according to Rivera. Eventually the building deteriorated and the City of Philadelphia finally condemened the property in 1914. The property is now known as the Friends of Mario Lanza Park. The graves were removed to the Mount Moriah Cemetery , which also has closed. The cemetery was incorporated in 18...

The Chester County Historial Society (CCHS) will be presenting " The Struggle For Freedom, Documented" on Tuesday, 19 June at Barnaby's in West Chester. According to CCHS:  Laurie Rofini, Director of Chester County Archives and Records Services and CCHS staff member, and Rob Lukens, Ph.D., CCHS President, will offer an exploration of two Chester County stories - the 1852 Pennsylvania Woman's Rights Convention and the 1821 murder trials of John Reed, a former slave. Using rare archival documents as a guide, Rofini and Lukens uncover stories that center on the core principle of freedom in American history. This brief 25-30 minute presentation will be followed by discussion, Q & A, and good conversation. And of course, there will be lots of great beer and good food. History on Tap brings history to you in the casual atmosphere of your favorite local bar or restaurant. The program is free for the community to enjoy!

Over 4,000 Allied soldiers laid down their lives on the beaches of Normandy 68 years ago today. May their Memory Be Eternal.

According to their tombstone, he was born 24 June 1873 and passed 2 June 1939. She was born 22 August 1866 and passed 3 January 1937. According to the Chester County Archives, they were married 4 June 1917 in Coatesville. Little is know of Onifer and even less of Rosalia, his bride. I first learned of Onifer while researching my great grandfather, Panko Hruszczak. Panko immigrated to the US on 20 April 1911 aboard the Volturno from Rotterdam, Holland. His last known address was Prusy, Austria. He listed his ethnicity as Austria, Ruthenian. He was an 18 year old single white male. He lists that he was coming to see his uncle Onifer Romanko in Coatesville, PA, that his destination is Coatesville, PA and that a living relative back home was his father Ted Hruszczak in Austria. (According to the Ellis Island Passenger Record). Hence, Onifer would be Panko's mother's - Catherine Romanko - brother.

Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery Valley Township, Chester County, PA

I’m not sure where – or even if – Alonzo fits in the family yet but I stumbled across him the other day on Ancestry.com. The site has the US Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1798-1958 available online. His muster date was June 1898 after having enlisted on 26 May 1898. He was a Private stationed at League Island , PA. [1] A month prior to Alonzo enlisting, the US had declared war on Spain (on 25 April 1898 to be specific). The Battleship Maine had exploded while in the Havana harbor in February. The Spanish-American War ended on 10 December 1898 with the Treaty of Paris. According to his Spanish War Compensation File, Alonzo S. Eckman was born 7 February 1877 to Alonzo and Anna Peters Eckman in Desota , Kansas . Kansas ! The File shows he served from 25 May 1898 to 25 January 1902. He served overseas from November 1898 to 2 January 1902 in Puerto Rico . His discharge date was 27 May 1903 in Brooklyn , NY . His wife is Agnes Florence Evans Eckman. Their minor children we...