Translated by Julia Sienkiewicz
We are still looking for closer and further descendants of Teodor Piotr Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda. Some time ago I was writing about the family of Michał Józefat Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda. Michał is Bonifacy’s brother. Bonifacy was my great-great-grandfather, so it’s close family. Kind of.
Michał Józefat and his wife Karolina Małgorzata had a few children, including Kazimierz Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda, born in 1852. Kazimierz and his wife, Zuzanna, had 10 children. Franciszek Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda, born on 10th October 1889 is who concerns us today. He was born in the Pocze grange. That’s Lithuania novadays. Pocze are near the Powiewiórka village, where his relatives have lived. Anyway, the important thing is, that it was Franciszek who has emigrated to the USA. There are many of his descendants who live there now. Let’s start from the beginning.
In 1912, 23-year old Franciszek leaves his homeland and sets off west for work. In 1918 he marries Dorothy Wierzbicki. Two years later Dorothy gives birth first of their children – Henry Sienkiewicz (1920-1986). In the next years, the rest of their children were born – Clemence Sienkiewicz (born around 1921), Charles Sienkiewicz (born in 1924), William Sienkiewicz (1925-1991), Edward Sienkiewicz (1926-2012), Irene Sienkiewicz (1929 – 2014), Stanley Sienkiewicz (born in 1930), Theodore Sienkiewicz and Walter Sienkiewicz (both born in 1933).
All of the children were probably born in New York, that’s why they have English names.
We managed to affix, that their children still live in the USA: Jane Williams, Daniel Gassert, Dorothy Gassert, Michael Gassert, Craig Sienkiewicz, Lawrence Edward Sienkiewicz and Lori Ann Holland.
Franciszek Sienkiewicz died in Queens, NY, USA on 27th October 1957, and his wife Dorothy died in Copiague, NY, USA on 31st January 1984.
How do I know all of this? From MyHeritage, where I get information about similarities with other family trees all the time. I can’t guarantee, that all the data are 100% correct, but searches like this are a constant verification of information.
So now we can’t exclude meeting a relative during our journey to USA!
I am compiling a Sienkiewicz(h) family history. Franciszek Sienkiewicz is my grandfather. My father’s name was misspelled with an „h”.
„Franciszek Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda, born on 10th October 1889” is different than our records, but could be correct.
„Michał Józefat and his wife Karolina Małgorzata had a few children, including Kazimierz Sienkiewicz of the arm Wenda, born in 1852” Why different last names: Jozefat versus Sienkiewicz?
Do you have additional information about Franciszek Sienkiewicz’s sister Bruna Sienkiewicz who also emigrated to New York. Information his parents, and their parents?
Is there a family connection to Henrjk Sienkiewicz? He visited Helena Modjeska ( a famous actress) at her Santiago Canyon mountain home here in Southern California in 1876.
Do you know about Piazza Sienkiewicz in Rome, Italy?
I was in Krakow in 2019 – a beautiful city. Street named Sienkiewicza.
Andrew, I will try to answer these questions.
1. Henryk Sienkiewicz, a writer, is well known in Poland and in the world, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. There are streets, squares and schools in every Polish city. He also has a monument in Rome. He traveled the world, he was in the USA. But this is definitely not my family, I wrote an article about it: https://sienkiewiczowie.pl/czy-noblista-henryk-sienkiewicz-to-nasza-rodzina/
2. My data is 100% correct, I have all the metrics.
3. Józefat is the middle name, popular in the 19th century
4. I don’t know anything about sister called Bruna. This is a strange name, there is no such in Poland. Maybe it used to sound different?
5. Franciszek, who emigrated to the USA (from article), had sisters: Barbara, Antonina, Anna and Irena.
6. Who was the father of your Francis? When and where Franciszek was born?
If you have any questions, write to me directly: karol.sienkiewicz@gmail.com