Hello, new to the list, surnames I am researching: Drewnoski (variant spellings I have seen Drenoske, Drowonsky Dranowske sometimes ski and sky)and Hohenstein, Holstein

ow-preussen-l
1

My great grandfather; William Frederick Drewnoski b. 7 May 1865 place:
Prussia (maybe East or West Prussia) left Bremen arrived in Baltimore, MD 2
Nov 1880 age 15 on the ship Hermann. On the same ship were August and
Auguste Frost, either friends or Auguste was William's sister (I'm thinking
she was his sister but no proof.) They settled in Cumberland, Allegany,
Maryland and were Naturalized 11 Sept 1888.

My questions are:

1. How do I find William's homeland? Family says he lived 45 miles from the
Baltic Sea in Trumnile. I can find no Trumnile. Another brother said he
(brother) was born in the Village of Niedeck, can't find Niedeck on any map.

2. Where would the records for 1830-1900, East and West Prussia be held
today?

3. I have his death cert. it says Father: Michael Drewnoski Mother: Louisa
Hohenstein (I have also heard that her first name was Elizabeth)

I do not speak German nor do I read German, so I am at a loss on how to
research in Prussia.

I have a list of 10 possible children for my great, great grandparents, have
only been able to find information in the US for William, Karl, August,
Gottlebe, Mary/Marie, Michael (son of MIchael and Louisa/Elizabeth) and
possibly Auguste.
Rumor has it that Michael (father) and 3 children Christian, Louise and
Laura remained in Prussia, mother Elizabeth came to America (can not find
her anywhere).

I would like to find the homeland of my ancestors, but don't know how to
search in Germany or Prussia, I am trying to learn the history of Prussia
during this time period. I read that Prussia was part of the German Empire
at this time. So much is in German and I can't read it.

I would appreciate any help that you might give me in researching Prussia
during the time period 1830 (parents approx birth) to 1900.

I know I am missing something important in my research but am at a loss as
to what to do.

I thank you in advance.

BJ

2

Barb,

   Most people on this list do write in German but many, many know
   English. First read up on the history - Prussia's borders and
   territory changed many times. Prussia's history goes from the 1200's
   to 1945, and thousands, if not millions, of us have ancestors from
   there. Try these links for the history. All modern maps will have
   Polish names, I have a document that has all the old German names if
   you are interested. Good luck!

   [1]Prussia - Wikipedia

   [2]http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Haven/1538/prussia.html

   [3]http://www.polishroots.com/genpoland/westpr.htm

   [4]A Brief History of Prussia

   [5]AOL.de | Kostenlose Email, Nachrichten & Wetter, Finanzen , Sport und Star-News auf AOL.de - AOL.com

   [6]Account Suspended

   Chris Menke - researching: Menke, Manke, Brandt, Knorr; in Pommern,
   Posen, West Prussia, Russian-Poland, and Volhynia.

3

Hello Chris,

Thanks for the links and suggestions, yes I would like the document for old
German names

4

Hi Barb,
> 1. How do I find William's homeland? Family says he lived 45 miles from the

Baltic Sea in Trumnile. I can find no Trumnile. Another brother said he
(brother) was born in the Village of Niedeck, can't find Niedeck on any map.

Well the Village of Niedeck is in the area of Göttingen, Postal-Code is 37130 Niedeck (Gleichen) Krs. Göttingen.
> 3. I have his death cert. it says Father: Michael Drewnoski Mother: Louisa

Hohenstein (I have also heard that her first name was Elizabeth)

The Name of DREWNOSKI you will find in the german Telefon-Book only 5 times !
regards Peter

5

Thank Peter

Much appreciate the information about the location of Niedeck, I am thinking
that is where they were prior to coming to America in 1880.

I found this info about Niedeck, does this mean that the civil records are
in Niedeck now?

Cities, villages, farms, etc. Pr Kreis (district) Protestant
Parish Catholic Parish Civil Records Office

Niedeck WP Karthaus Stendsitz Wigodda Niedeck
Niedeck WP Strasburg Forsthausen Pokrzydowo Pokrzydowo

How do I find the German Telefon book? I would like to see the 5 entries.

Are the 5 entries near the Village of Niedeck?

I am so pleased to learn that the surname Drewnoski still exists. It was
changed in 1939 to Drew and Draves here in the US.

I am so sorry that I am so ignorant of Germany/Prussia and the German
language. If I am asking not so intelligent/dumb questions I also apologize.

I appreciate everyone's help.

6

Moin Barb,

zur Mail vom Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:35:58 -0400:

Much appreciate the information about the location of Niedeck,

...but very probably the wrong one. Niedeck in the area of G�ttingen is
neither Prussia nor close to the Baltic Sea - in 1865, when your William
was born, this was Kingdom Hanover. But there is a Niedeck in Westprussia,
in County Karthaus, which is rather close to the Baltic Sea.

Regards
Gerd (Schmerse)

7

Hello BJ,

1) Polish name of Niedeck is 'Kamienica Szlachecka' (polish name) -
google link:
"Google Maps;

Old names:
in 1414 - "Mala Kamienica" (in source: Cleyne Camencz)
in XIX century - "Kamienica Szlachecka"
in German language: Kaminit­za , Kamstein, and from 1876 Niedeck
(ger. 'nie' & Deck)
in Kashubians: "Kaminca" (Kamińca)

2)
Partially on the polish site: "www.ptg.gda.pl"
Indexes of mariage:
"PTG Pomorskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne :: Szukaj Śluby; (about 40700
records)
Indexes of baptism "PTG Pomorskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne :: Szukaj Chrzty;
(about 42000 records)
Indexes of death
"http://www.ptg.gda.pl/index.php/certificate/action/searchD/" (about
18500 records)

Drewnoski /Drewnowski is a polish surname,
In Poland (1989):
Drewnoski - 0 records,
Drewnowski - 1289 records (persons) :

Lp. Województwo(province) Liczba osób (persons)
1 warszawskie 257
2 łomżyńskie 187
3 białostockie 169
4 koszalińskie 69
5 łódzkie 48
6 leszczyńskie 34
7 gdańskie 32
8 szczecińskie 32
9 zielonogórskie 30
10 ciechanowskie 28
11 radomskie 28
12 jeleniogórskie 27
13 siedleckie 27
14 sieradzkie 27
15 toruńskie 27
16 suwalskie 26
17 katowickie 25
18 elbląskie 24
19 pilskie 24
20 krakowskie 20
21 wrocławskie 19
22 lubelskie 16
23 płockie 14
24 olsztyńskie 11
25 gorzowskie 9
26 ostrołęckie 9
27 słupskie 9
28 wałbrzyskie 9
29 bydgoskie 8
30 bielskie 6
31 kaliskie 6
32 legnickie 6
33 tarnobrzeskie 6
34 poznańskie 5
35 nowosądeckie 4
36 opolskie 3
37 kieleckie 2
38 konińskie 2
39 piotrkowskie 2
40 częstochowskie 1
41 tarnowskie 1
    RAZEM (ALL) 1289

Others links:
"Przodek - genealogia, drzewa genealogiczne, znaczenie nazwiska;
"http://www.odessa3.org/collections/land/wprussia/"
"http://www.kalter.org/search.php"

regards
PBA

8

Barb,

The village of Niedeck you are looking for is obviously Niedeck, County of
Konitz in the former Prussian Province of West Prussia. Niedeck had a
registry office (Standesamt) of its own. However, information of
genealogical interest can be found most likely in Stezyca (German name:
Stendsitz) today. The address of the Polish registry office there is: Urzad
Stanu Cywilnego Steyca, PL-83-322 Stezyca. Pertinent information can also be
found in the LDS archives in Salt Lake City, Utah (try their homepage
first). - You should also give it a try and look at the homepage of
ProGenealogists, Family Research Group, Records Retrieval and Ancestry
Research, since they list Niedeck.

Sorry, but there is no "Trumnile" 45 miles off the Baltic Sea. The name must
have been distorted when it was handed down orally from generation to
generation. It is possible, however, that TREBLIN, County of Rummelsburg in
the former Prussian Province of Pommerania is meant. The place is about 45
kilometers from the Baltic Sea and not all that far from Niedeck. Today's
Polish name of the place is Miastko. The address of the registry office is:
Urzad Stanu Cywilgego, ul. Grunwaldzka 1a, PL-77-200 Miastko.

Regards,
Rolf-Peter

9

Hello Gerd,

Thank you,

How to you generally find birth, death, marriage records for areas like
Niedeck? Also, cemetery records? Bro Michael says he was Lutheran.

Is it possible to acquire these records of your ancestors without hiring
someone to go directly to the place?

Do you know how to find the Niedeck in County Karthaus on a map from 1871? I
have seen a map for that time period and could not locate Niedeck, do you
know what it
might be close to?

Many thanks,

Barb Rice/Reiss Hott

[mailto:ow-preussen-l-bounces+reiss46=verizon.net@genealogy.net] On Behalf
Of Gerd Schmerse

10

Thank you,

I will see about the LDS archives.

Please know that the information that you have provided is much appreciated.

Barb (Rice/Reiss) Hott

11

Piotr,

I guess this message of yours appeared here before. There were several
Niedecks, and I think the problem as to which of them is meant has already
been solved. The particle "Nie" in the place name does not have to do with
the High German "nie" (= never) as you seem to suggest, but here it is the
Low German form of "neu" (= new).

Regards,
Rolf-Peter

12

Hello,

Thanks again for responding,

I go to the sites you mentioned but I don't know what to do, I can't read
the language. I don't know how to search the birth, marriage, and records.

I need to find out how to find the current names for the following areas on
the map you sent

Neudeck

Ludwigsdorf

Freystadt

Tromnau

These places are very close to each other on the map.

I am confident that my ancestors were from these areas.

I would like to find out how to search those areas now for the birth, death,
marriage records for 1800-1900.

The Drewnowski family was of Lutheran faith.

The map was very helpful and I really appreciate your email.

If you can guide me I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks,

Barb Rice Hott

[mailto:ow-preussen-l-bounces@genealogy.net] On Behalf Of Piotr Banasiak