POSEN-L Archives

From: "Joseph Martin" <>
Subject: [POSEN] Where in Posen!
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 19:42:07 -0600

Clint,

Couldn't help but sympathize with your Posen plight. I faced the same
situation, and I went 28 years before I overcame that "brick wall."

Here was my mistake. I failed to get ALL copies of ALL records for ALL
persons who came to the US. I plead ignorance since I started 30 years ago
even before "Roots" was on television. I did not know better.

If you get a birth record from the state or county, also get a PHOTOCOPY of
the exact page in the church baptism registry. You need to see exactly what
the minister wrote.

If you get a marriage record from the state or county, again get an exact
PHOTOCOPY of the church marriage registry book so you can see what the
minister wrote. Check the newpaper(s) for marriage announcements.

If you get a death record from the state or county, also get the obit from
the newspaper(s). And get a PHOTOCOPY of the registry book from the cemetery
AND the registry book from the church. You need to see what is written in
both places.

If a married couple lived to their 25th or 50th wedding anniversary, check
local papers for an article. (Might be tough in Chicago!!)

And you need to obtain all these documents for ALL those folks who
immigrated to the US: aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, children. You never
know when just ONE record is going to have the exact information you are
seeking.

That is what happened to me. And I am happy I learned that lesson since I
have now progressed back three generations in Posen in the correct towns.

I wrote an article on my search. It will be published in Everton's
Genealogical Helper in the Jan/Feb 2000 issue. Watch for it; meanwhile I
suggest you continue to seek all these records before hiring a professional.

Best of Success!!

Joseph Martin







-----Original Message-----
From: Clinton Beake <>
To: <>
Date: Friday, November 19, 1999 7:21 PM
Subject: [POSEN] Posen, Prussia - but where in Posen!


>Thanks in advance to everyone who uses this list as a tool to research
>genealogy. I do not pretend to be the most experienced
>researchers but I would like to ask an important question.
>
>If all I know is that my "DOST" family came from Posen to Chicago, IL in
>1872; where do I go from here. I have tried
>death, orbit, marriage and confirmation records with no luck.
>Census records have only indicated Prussia, Germany, or a combination
>with Posen listed. I am almost ready to hire a pro but I would enjoy the
>"find" so much better, besides it costs too much.
>Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks, Clint.
>
>
>
>
>
>==== POSEN Mailing List ====
>==== Make connections: visit the POSEN-L web site and submit your info.
>http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/1311/PosenLEntryPg.html
> (Don't forget to support Rootsweb!)
>
>

This thread:

• [POSEN] Where in Posen! by "Joseph Martin" <>