The Week 1 topic for 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks for 2026 is “an ancestor I admire” and after looking at my family tree, I’ve decided that falls on my great grandmother Carolina Straub Posluszny Bonk. Although, technically, she is not my biological great grandmother, her son, Konrad and my grandmother Julianna Ingram were 2nd or 3rd cousins, so there is Carolina DNA in my body.
Carolina was born on April 12, 1855 in Wildenthal (what is now Dzikowiec) in the Galicia region of Poland. She was part of “an ethnic German population living in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria in the Austrian Empire established in 1772 as a result of the First Partition of Poland” (Wikipedia). This area was also known as Austrian Galicia or Austrian Poland for my family members asking are we Polish or Austrian or German? The answer would be “all of them”!
If her siblings list is accurate, Carolina was the 11th child born of 15 to her parents. Four of them born prior to her, died at birth or in their infancy. Carolina herself would give birth to 14 children with eight living past five years old.
She married Joseph Posluszny on May 31, 1876 in Wildenthal and she gave birth to her first child in March of 1879 when she was 24 years old.
Seven months following the birth of her daughter Elizabeth Eva in September of 1896, her husband and my great grandfather, Joseph Posluszny passed away. Carolina became a widow at the age of 41 with seven children ranging in age from 16 to 7 months old.
Last September, another of Carolina’s great-granddaughters through her son Joseph contacted me after finding this blog in google. She told me the following: “Pa’s father had been the village blacksmith. Pa’s father had an apprentice. His name was John Bonk. WhenPa’s father died, John Bonk took over the blacksmith shop and apparently the family. Pa was not happy with this and it was about that time that he left Austria.”
Carolina and John Bonk were married on May 12, 1898. Carolina gave birth to a daughter who died at birth and in 1903 at the age of 48, gave birth to a son Walter John Bonk.
Her older sons did head to the United States shortly after her marriage to John. Her son John left in 1899, Konrad in 1900, and Joseph in 1901.
Carolina, John, daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and their son Walter immigrated in July of 1907 and resided in Perth Amboy New Jersey until their final destination of Wallingford Connecticut.
The Posluszny/Bonk Family about mid/late 1907
This photo ends up in nearly every Posluszny post. Carolina is seated on the right, with her son Walter in front of her. She is 52 years old at the time of this photo in 1907.
Frank and Josephine Posluszny wedding 8/1909 – Carolina front left, husband John Bonk behind her
She, along with her daughter Mary, was an active member in the local Polish National Catholic Church in Wallingford, St. Casimir’s Church.
Carolina died at the age of 70 (not 64 as the newspaper article said) after suffering from stomach cancer. My Aunt Judy told me in a conversation years ago, that she and her mother, my grandmother Julianna, would go to Carolina’s house a few blocks away to take care of her when she was ill. Also, that my grandfather Konrad and Julianna were kind to her second husband. Carolina and John gave my grandparents the downpayment for their home in Wallingford on Clifton Street. I found it touching that my grandmother did the same for my parents when they purchased our home here on Atkinson Lane.
Carolina’s obituary 3/14/1925
She is buried in the Polish National cemetery in Wallingford.
Carolina Bonk – St. Casimir’s cemetery
I can’t imagine a life with 14 siblings, or to give birth to 14 children only to have 3 die in the same year from smallpox. I don’t know the cause of her husband’s death at the age of 43, but with young children still at home and a business to run, the best option was to married the hired help. She did what she had to, to survive. She was well-respected in her church and community at their death and that makes me proud of her.
Yesterday, I took a trip down memory lane of the people I researched and wrote about this past year. I’m proud of the information I found, stories I wrote, and living relatives I uncovered during my search. Here’s a review month by month….
January
I started the year with a couple of posts from the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge by Amy Johnson Crow. The first topic was “In the Beginning,” and I chose to write about my parents’ courtship and wedding. I had fun going through old photos of them from their wedding and trips with my aunt and uncle. Ancestry provided the high school yearbook pages and my mom’s collection of postcards showed us the sweetness in their relationship.
The second post was “Favorite Photo.” My favorite photo will always be the Posluszny Family photo that started this crazy research journey! I think it is in every post I wrote about the family this year. It’s probably time to frame it and put it on a wall.
The third post in January told the story of my great-uncle John Posluszny. At the end of December 2024, I wrote about solving the “mystery” of his death in 1942, so I really wanted to start my Posluszny series with his story. I connected with his granddaughter, Janine, in 2012, and she shared the photos of her father, Stanley with me. I enjoyed finding and sharing the newspaper articles with her. I currently have a message out to a great-granddaughter of John and hope I hear from her to make another family connection.
Next up was a little break from family with a post about a sampler completed in 1817 and found by my father in the attic of his paint store in the early 1980s. He held on to it always curious about where it came from. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about researching it until after he passed away in 2010. I still haven’t delivered it to the Portland Historical Society!
Another great uncle, Joseph Posluszny, was my next subject. I can hear to this day my Aunt Judy saying, “Uncle Joe Post”. I’ve worked with his great granddaughter on Ancestry for many years and the majority of pictures I have came from her. In September, I was contacted by one of Joseph’s granddaughters who lives in Connecticut about 45 minutes away. I look forward to getting to know her better and hearing her stories!
This post was born during my Posluszny research when I noticed, after 15 years of research, that my great grandmother, Caroline Straub is listed on the 1910 census as having given birth to 14 children with 8 of them at the time still living! I headed over to the amazing Geneteka website, started searching, and managed to find the records for five children who died either at birth or a very young age.
March
Early in March we said goodbye to our sweet chihuahua, Wally and late in March was the anniversary of my dad’s passing.
Wally with his portrait
April
The 98th anniversary of my grandmother’s passing was in early April and if you don’t know her story, you can read it here.
I wrote about my great uncle Frank Posluszny. He was a tough one over the years to find anything about because he was in a mental institution from the 1930 federal census to the 1940 census. I had very little information on the family and wasn’t sure where to look. But as the years go by, more information becomes available and I was able to find his great-granddaughter! We emailed back and forth and she actually knew him! She sent pictures which I included in his story.
Josephine, Frank, and Mildred Poslushny
May
I spent May working on my great uncle Charles Posluszny’s story. I posted once to check in to say I was working on him and at the end of the month, completed it. Once again, there are grandchildren and great grandchildren alive, but in this case, I don’t have a way to contact them.
June
June was busy with visiting relatives and a trip to Chicago so there were no posts in June.
July
In July I wrote about the sisters in the Posluszny family, Mary Posluszny Biega, and Elizabeth Posluszny Laçź. One who was well known and the other who disappeared without a trace.
August
I finally made it to the last of the Posluszny children, Walter Bonk, son of Caroline Straub and her second husband John Bonk. I knew all of his children and his grandchildren.
My second post was the result of a stranger’s request on Ancestry looking for “living relatives of Alfred Donroe”. He was my cousin in law’s father and he died in World War II. This person in France is working with citizens of Gouesnou France to create a permanent memorial to the soldiers and civilians who died there. I received a comment on there from my younger cousin, and we had a nice email conversation. He and his wife plan to go to France to see the monument.
September
The last quarter of the year I focused on my maternal grandfather and his family. Their lives were so entwined for many so years, that the first story takes you from Jacob and Katherine’s arrival in the United States through 1916. This was Part 1.
October
Engram Family Part 2 took place from 1916 through the 1930s. I became acquainted with a second cousin a few years ago and he sent a slew of family pictures. I also began searching on Newspapers(dot)com using family member’s names where I found Kitty and Louise playing basketball!
Later in the month, I wrote about Theresa, Katherine, and Louise from the 1930s through their lives. My half aunt Joanne shared photos with me as well as few letters Katherine wrote to Theresa’s daughter Irene. I’m grateful to Joanne for the information and the years of emails back and forth. I saved them all and finally printed them out and put them in order. I was overwhelmed by the amount of information that suddenly made sense!
November
Five posts in November! First up was the lives of Elizabeth and Hannah. Elizabeth had an interesting situation which deserved a post to explain it. It’s amazing what a person can find when they look hard enough, and have help from strangers on Ancestry! Thanks to Newspaper(dot)com again, I discovered a third cousin living about 20 minutes away!
Elizabeth, Hannah, and Louise 1940s
In time for Veterans Day, I shared a post from June 2024 called The Effects of War about my grandfathers in World War I, and uncles in World War II.
Then it was back to the Engram Family with Jacob Sr.’s story. I wish I knew more about him!
My cousin, Brian, messaged me pictures of a letter Jacob Jr. wrote to his sister Theresa. The war was over and he was waiting to go home. When Brian and I got together during Thanksgiving week, we sifted through all the Engram pictures and letters and there were more letters from Jacob to his sisters. They were very interesting to read.
December
I wrapped the year up with a re-post of December 7, 1941, the story of my Uncle Walt during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
I rounded out the Engram family with the final story of my grandfather Jacob Jr. I learned so much about him from my Aunt Joanne’s emails that again, didn’t make sense until it was time to write his story.
Jacob Jr. early 1940s
And here we are – the end of the year! I’ve signed up again for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge and I will be looking through my family tree for new ancestors to tell you about!
We are now at the end of the Engram Family stories, and I’ve saved my grandfather for last. His relationship with my grandmother is included here.
As I mentioned in my post about his father, Jacob Sr., Jacob Jr. made sure his father was cared for throughout his life. I think the same applies to his relationship with his sisters.
On December 16, 1934, Jacob, at the age of 39, married Anna Marie Winner of Vleigh Road, Queens, NY. She was the 24-year-old daughter of Henry and Joanna Winner. She had a brother who was six years older. They lived on a farm, which was close to Jacob’s farm in Queens in the 1930 census. Her father and brother were farmers, and in their household were three male boarders who worked on the farm, and a 44-year-old woman who was listed as a servant.
Jacob, Anna, Henry, and Joanna December 16, 1934
In the 1940 census, Jacob and Anna were renting at 136 Catskill Avenue in Yonkers, and Jacob was a partner with his childhood friend, Morris (Mo) Sherman, at Sherman Chevrolet, at 561 Central Park, Yonkers, NY.. In addition to the dealership, they owned a parking lot directly across from the main entrance to Yonkers Raceway, which now includes Empire City Casino. During racing season, they took turns working the lot with the help of a crew of his sister Elizabeth’s relatives.
Jacob Jr. early 1940s
Jacob and Anna’s daughter Joanne was born on March 11, 1945. She has the same birthday as my husband. This was 10 years into their marriage, and Jacob was approaching 50 years old.
When Joanne was 7, Jacob and Mo sold the dealership, but became partners in the business of second mortgages and, of course, the parking lot. Joanne says, “he was an ‘at-home’ Dad for most of my life…”
Jacob and JoanneElizabeth, my momHalf sisters Joanne (1945) and Elizabeth (1922)
Jacob’s education ended at 7th grade, but he was born with a love for reading, history, and travel. Every day, he went out for the Daily News and the Daily Mirror, and the local Yonkers paper was delivered to the house. On weekends, he picked up the New York Times. Multiple magazines were delivered to the house each month. He loved reading biographies of famous men, plus subjects related to history.
The love of reading, the books, magazines, and newspapers are identical to my mother and to our house growing up!
He loved to travel. I found a ship manifest from his return passage to the United States from Havana, Cuba, in April of 1928. One of his favorite locations was Florida. Joanne says that when she was very young, they spent parts of winter in Miami, visiting Aunt Joan (formerly Hannah). When Joanne was nine, the family traveled on the Queen Mary out of New York and spent seven weeks traveling through France and into Germany to visit her mother’s relative in northern Germany. After she graduated from high school, they traveled back to Europe, visiting England and the northern countries.
Jacob early 1950sJacob in Florida
Travel didn’t have to be something grand, though. Jacob found enjoyment in “going for a ride”. It could be an evening ride through the back roads of Westchester, or weekend trips “out on the island” (Long Island), sometimes to New Jersey or up the coast to Connecticut and beyond.
Unfortunately, drinking was a problem in their home, on a “cyclical basis”. He drank, and her mother would join him. He would go from very quiet to loud and angry. This was something Joanne talked about in our correspondence: of her being the sober one in the house and seeing and hearing a lot of “not for children” content growing up. Perhaps his drinking led to his estrangement from his sister Kitty in the early 1950s.
But because it was cyclical, for most of the year she was able to see another side of Jacob. She saw what a generous, quiet man he was, who loved to read the papers, tend to his flowers, and visit historical sites. A man who was as comfortable with bums in the Bowery as he was in First Class on the Queen Mary.
Jacob suffered a heart attack in 1966 when he was 71 years old and became ill in late 1973. Joanne was living in Pennsylvania, and by the time she came home, he was in the hospital, where he died on January 24, 1974.
Twenty-seven years later, my cousin Judy received an email from Joanne in response to a card Judy sent to Joanne’s (now deceased) mother informing her that our Aunt Tootsie was in a nursing home. Ann Engram must have been on Aunt Tootsie’s Christmas Card list. As they say, “the rest is history!”
While I work on the final post for the Engram Family which will be my grandfather, Jacob Jr., I wanted to share something I received from my new second cousin, Brian.
This is a letter from my grandfather Jacob, Jr to his sister, Brian’s grandmother, Tess. He is in France at the end of World War I. The war ended on November 11, 1918 and now he is writing on November 18, 1918. He talks of writing letters every week, sometimes two and three, but not receiving any letters. He thought he’d receive more. He says they’re told they’ll be home soon, but things keep changing, and he hopes it will be soon. I’ve roughly transcribed the letter but it’s fun reading the original.
Letter from Jacob Jr, to sister Tess November 28, 1918
Brian is the grandson of Barbara Theresa Engram Murphy, oldest child of Jacob Sr, and Katherine (Duy) Engram. Since his mother, Irene, was also the oldest of her family and cousins and lived in the same home for many years, she was the keeper of the family memories.
A few years ago, Brian shared many photos with my Aunt Joanne and me. A lot of them are from the Murphy side, but there were also many Engram family photos and newspaper clippings.
Brian is visiting Connecticut from his home in Florida is going through the family photo bin and I am planning on meeting with him to sort through it and help put names to faces if I can!
In honor of Veterans Day, I’m sharing the story I wrote in June of 2024 for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. It’s called, The Effects of War. There are links within that story that share the details of their time served.
Beginning with World War I, there was my biological maternal grandfather, Jacob Engram and my paternal grandfather, Charles Jakiela.
My Great Uncle Bronislaw Liro went back to Poland before World War I broke out, fought for the Austrian Army, was captured, and escaped from Siberia.
World War II saw my Uncle Connie and my dad enlist in the Army Air Force and my Uncle Walt and Uncle Mal in the Navy. My Uncle Walt lived through the horror of Pearl Harbor 3 weeks fresh out of Navy radio school.
While cleaning out my aunt’s home, I found a letter from my Great Uncle Antoni written in 1947 describing the aftermath of World War II.
My father in law Harold served in the Korean War as a cook, his brother Ronald as an infantry tank driver, and my step father in law Paul was in the motor pool.
It’s an honor to have these brave men in my family.
I told you the story of the Ingram/Engram family beginning with Jacob Sr and his wife Katherine Duy until her death in 1916. She left behind her husband and five children ages 22 through 10. Part 2 covers the family through the 1930s.
Jacob Jr. and World War I
In between 1916 and 1920, Jacob Jr., 22 years old, registered for the armed services in June of 1917. He began his military service on April 1, 1918 with Company C of the 312th Infantry, part of the 78th Division. This was a unit known as the “Black Cat Division” which participated in combat during the final weeks of the war in November 1918 engaging in the offensive known as the Pursuit Toward Sedan (Google AI). They shipped out of Brooklyn New York on May 20, 1918 on the Port Melbourne. However, Jacob was NOT on that ship. The passenger list indicates that he and 4 other soldiers were AWOL and 4 others were in the base hospital.
Jacob prior to shipping out to France 1918
He was then attached to the 153rd Infantry Regiment which was activated for the war as part of the 39th Division. The soldiers in this regiment were used as replacements for soldiers in other units. These units were known as “Depot Brigades” and were established to receive, equip, and train new recruits for service before they were sent to the front lines. This lasted from May 19th through July 13th when he was transferred to Company I of the 49th Infantry and he shipped out of Brooklyn NY on the Regina D’Italia on July 18, 1918.
The primary purpose of 49th Infantry Regiment was to provide replacement troops for front-line combat units.
Jacob Military Service WWI
I don’t know whether Jacob endured any front line action while in France but it’s interesting to me that both he and my paternal grandfather, Charles Jakiela, both served in France in waning months of World War I.
Jacob Engram, France 1918-1919
He sailed home on the Imperator, a German ocean liner that had been seized after Germany’s surrender and used as a troop transport ship over three voyages returning over 25,000 troops, nurses and civilians to the United States. They landed in Hoboken New Jersey on July 13, 1919 and from there he traveled to Camp Merritt in New Jersey for his Honorable Discharge on July 23, 1919.
I’ve shared the family story, confirmed by my Aunt Judy, of my grandmother keeping the family Christmas tree up from December 1918 until his return. Was their affair going on during this time period? I don’t know and the discovery of Jacob as my biological grandfather wasn’t made until after she passed away. But I think if she or my Aunt Tootsie had an inkling of it, they would have spilled the beans!
Jacob went back home to the farm on the Pelham Parkway/Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx where we find them in the 1920 census. Jacob Sr is 57 and Jacob Jr is 24 and single. They are farming on leased land.
This is the point of his life, my grandmother’s life, really coincide because Jacob Jr. is my mother’s biological father. My grandparents and their 4 children were living in Yonkers NY according to the 1921 directory. At some point in 1921, they moved briefly to East Hampden Massachusetts, and then to New Britain Connecticut, where my mother was born on April 5, 1922. I will never know the circumstances surrounding this, but perhaps she found she was pregnant and decided it was time to get out of New York. The home where the family lived in New Britain was owned by one of her Ingram uncles and I’m still working on the concrete connection of Jacob Sr to this family.
By 1930, Jacob Jr is living in Flushing in Queens County New York. He is 34 years old, single and renting the home. Also living there is his sister, Elizabeth, her husband Albert Klein and their two children, Adeline, 8, and Robert, 3. His occupation is as a farmer of a “truck farm” and Albert is his assistant.
Location of 6919 Kisseana Blvd Flushing NY
It is possible that Jacob Sr was involved in this farm as Aunt Joanne, my mother’s half sister, told me the following – “My father made sure his father was cared for throughout his life. When my dad had his own farm in the late 20s…early 30s, his dad was involved. For a time my Grandpa was employed as a groundskeeper at Woodlawn Cemetery on the border of Bronx and Westchester. I’d say through the influence of my Dad.
It is also through this farm that Jacob Jr. met his wife, Anna Maria Augusta Winner. The Winner farm was adjacent to Jacob’s farm. Jacob and Anna were married on December 16, 1934 when Jacob was 39 and Anna was 24.
Something interesting – I have a postcard from, what looks like a postmark of 1934 sent from my mother when she would be 12 years old, to her “father” Konrad Posluszny, with a picture of the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. She is with her mother. As hard as I try I can’t see the full date but I wonder if they were visiting Jacob and the family or would they have gone to Jacob and Anna’s wedding? Another thing we’ll never know.
The Sisters
Shortly after Katherine passed away, Theresa, Katherine, Elizabeth, Louise, and Hannah left their father, and brother Jacob, and moved to New York City. They show up in the 1920 Federal census living at 123 West 128th Street. Theresa is 26, a registered nurse, Katherine, 21, a sales lady, Elizabeth, 20, a telephone operator, Louise 12, a stenographer, and Hannah, 13 in school. I wonder what contact the daughters had with their father in the time after they left and during the time their brother was gone. According to Google AI, the approximate distance between the two locations is 9-10 miles. Factors affecting distance and travel would be the limited road network, paved versus unpaved roads, and mode of transportation.
Barbara Theresa / Tessa
On December 18, 1923, in Bronx NY, Theresa, 29, known as Tessa, marries George Francis Murphy, 34 born in New York City NY. He is one of five sons of John Murphy and Susan McAliney of New York City and is a longshoreman.
Barbara/Teresa and George Murphy marriage license 1923
Louise is a witness to their marriage along with George’s brother John Jr. It’s fairly impossible to decipher the residence address but they did get married in the Bronx.
Theresa gives birth to a daughter Irene Theresa in May of 1927 and a daughter Rita Louise in April of 1931.
Jacob Sr with Theresaand Irene (abt 1929)
In the 1930 federal census, George, Theresa, and Irene, 3 years old are living at 59 Early Street in the Bronx and George is now a Draftsman for an electric company. Theresa is now “at home” and is no longer nursing. Although it’s listed “the Bronx”, they actually live on City Island. Mark and I were there for a wedding years ago!
City Island and The Bronx
Katherine and Louise
While Theresa was dating George Murphy and planning her wedding, Katherine and Louise were playing basketball! According to the Evening World on January 29, 1921, it was “a newly organized quintet composed of former high school girls” and was “desirous of booking games with any female team.”
February 23, 1922 Trenton Times
The team was the Manhattan A.C. Lassies and they played their games at the Manhattan Casino at 155th Street and 8th Avenue. I cannot find any information by Googling the name of this team, the information is from Newspapers(dot)com. They also played at the Central Casino at 154th and Macombe place. They were so popular they played a championship game at Madison Square Garden!
Unfortunately, the roster was never listed and the articles faded out by November of 1923.
Katherine/Kathryn/Kitty and Louise continued to live together and in the 1930 federal census they are on Walton Avenue in the Bronx. They are 32 and 28 and both stenographers. Katherine for the Aviation industry, and Louise in insurance. The family story is Katherine worked as a secretary for Charles Lindbergh. Google says he didn’t have a business or an office so perhaps it was through the aviation company she worked for that she met him.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth has an interesting story….She got married on June 6, 1917 at the age of 19 to Barney Michkind, 24 years old. But, she’s in the 1920 federal census with the rest of her sisters and listed as single.
Elizabeth and Barney’s marriage license 1917
In 1922, she has a daughter Adeline with husband Albert Klein and a son Robert, in 1927.
The 1930 federal census, they are living on Kisseana Boulevard in Flushing New York and they are living with Jacob Jr. He is 34 and single, and Albert works with him as an assistant. It says Jacob has a “truck farm” in which he produced a variety of perishable fruits and vegetables and transported them to urban centers. The census says both Elizabeth and Albert were 21 when they got married. More on that story in the next post.
Hannah/Johanna/Joan
I’m going to assume that Katherine, Louise, and Hannah were all living together in the 1920s.
On June 1, 1927, Hannah, one month away from her 21st birthday, and listed as Johanna on the marriage license index, married Anton Zeiss Jr. who is 24 years old.
Hannah/Johanna and Anton Zeiss marriage license1927
In the 1930 federal census, she and Anton are living in Pennsauken Township New Jersey which is outside of Philadelphia and by today’s traffic, 2 hours on the interstate. He is a draftsman for a radio company.
Recap –
In the 20 years after Katherine died, Jacob Jr was overseas in World War 1 and had a child (my mother). Barbara/Tessa got married and had 2 children. Katherine and Louise lived together, worked as stenographers and played basketball for a few years. Elizabeth got married, divorced and married(?) again and had 2 children. Hannah got married and moved to New Jersey.
It was a little startling back in January of 2020 to realize the man and family I thought of as my mother’s father and his paternal line, was not correct.
I’ve written about my grandfather, Jacob Engram, Jr., but I thought I’d do some more research and put together a timeline of the whole family. It is going to be long!
Jacob Ingram/Engram
My great grandfather was Jacob Sebastian Ingram. He was born, according to his death certificate on July 7, 1859 in Padew Naraodowa which is a village in Mielec County in south-eastern Poland. At the time of his birth it was in Galicia which was part of Austria due to all the dividing up of Poland.
His birth year ranges from 1859 to 1862. The 1862 dates are reflected on the Ellis Island manifest and census records, so I continue to search a variety of dates for a definitive birth year. Unfortunately the years prior to 1863 are not part of the Geneteka collection. <sigh>.
Even his parents are a mystery. His father’s name is consistently “Sebastian”, however his marriage license lists his mother as Louise (maiden name) Burghardt and his death certificate as Katherine Burghardt. Geneteka records list only Sebastian Ingram and Elzbieta Burghardt in a search. I “know” them because they are the parents of my great-grandfather Ludwig Ingram. Recent information I found said he had a brother John, a brother Frantz (sp), and a sister Juliana.
Jacob left Europe at 24 years old on May 30, 1886 via Hamburg Germany and arrived in New York on June 14th. He traveled in Steerage (“zwischendeck”) aboard the Rhaetia. Records don’t indicate where he was going but wherever he went, he’d be looking for a job as a “schmied” or blacksmith.
The SS Rhaetia
At the time of his arrival, Castle Garden, or what we know as Castle Clinton National Monument was the main immigration station for the Port of New York. I was there in June of 2025, and wandered through wondering if any of my ancestors experienced walking through these doors.
Interior of Castle GardenHead to your new home through these doors!Castle Garden (now Castle Clinton) in Lower Manhattan
Seven years later, on July 23, 1893, Jacob married Katherine Duy. He was 31 years old and she was 28.
marriage license Jacob and Katherine 1893
Katherine Duy Ingram/Engram
Katherine was born on August 9, 1965 in Padew as well. Katherine was the 6th born to Johann Jacob Duy and Maria Teresa (maiden name) Duy. According to the 1910 Federal census, she arrived in the United States in 1893 when she was 28 years old. A quick look at a census record for her sister, Barbara, born in 1869, shows she immigrated in 1893, so it could be possible they came together. But that would mean she arrived in the US and almost immediately married Jacob. The 1915 New York State census lists her arrival year as 1887, when she was 22. Another question mark!
Katherine Duy Engram date unknown
Family stories say she had a “withered” arm. The few photos of her don’t show both arms so it’s not known which one or how damaged it was.
Other family members who immigrated included her parents Johann and Theresa and Philip born in 1875 who immigrated with them in 1904. On arrival, they moved to West Springfield Massachusetts. Wilhelm (b. 1867) immigrated and lived in Greenwich Connecticut. Barbara, mentioned above, immigrated in 1893 and lived in Astoria New York. Margaretha (b. 1872) immigrated and lived in South Hadley Massachusetts. One son, Jacob (b. 1858) remained in Austria.
Engram Children Births
More than nine months, but less than a year later, Jacob and Katherine’s first child, a daughter, Barbara, was born on April 27, 1894. Barbara was known as Theresa or Tess and the only indication her name was Barbara is this birth record. Her death certificate says Theresa B.
Birth record for Barbara (Theresa) Ingram
14 months later, on July 11, 1895, Katherine gave birth to Jacob Jr. This is the first time I see the spelling of their last name to be ENGRAM and that’s what it remained moving forward.
Birth record for Jacob Jr.
13 months later on August 19, 1896, Katherine gives birth to her second son, Louis.
Birth record for Louis
Another year, another baby! Second daughter Katherine is born on March 2, 1898. Jacob and Katherine have four children under the age of 4. Whew! Notice these last 2 birth records do not have a first name – maybe they were still deciding.
Birth Record for Katherine
Dare I say it? Another daughter, Elizabeth was born on November 1, 1899. I don’t have a copy of her birth record, but I trust the family member who has the information in her family tree. This is Jacob and Katherine’s fifth child and 3rd daughter.
On April 19, 1900, Louis died from Acute Meningitis at 3 years and 9 months old. This left Jacob Jr and three sisters.
In 1901, daughter Louise is born. Her name is either a tribute to Louis or to Jacob’s mother Louise (if that was her name!).
Memories written by Jacob and Katherine’s daughter Katherine in 1980, mention a brother who died in infancy. The gap between Louise and Hannah would likely be when it happened but there is not record found to confirm the birth or death.
After a space of five years, the last daughter Hannah is born on July 9, 1906.
Birth record for Hannah
Where They Lived 1893-1916
When Jacob and Katherine got married, Jacob was living at 306 W. 69th Street in New York and Katherine was living at 233 W. 80th Street.
1893-1894: After they were married, they continued to live at 306 W. 69th Street and Jacob was still working as a blacksmith. They were living here when Barbara was born.
Per google, the Upper West Side of New York City was a growing, but not yet completely developed, residential neighborhood. 306 West 69th Street and 233 West 80th Street would have been a walk-up tenement or a brownstone rowhouse, likely housing recent immigrants and working-class families who were moving to the area from more crowded parts of the city.
1895: They are now living in Westchester and he is a farmer. You’ll see Westchester was a town in Westchester County New York. In 1895 it was transferred to the City and County of New York, in 1898, it and other areas formed the Borough of the Bronx, and finally in January 1914, the Bronx was split off from New York County and it became Bronx County. This will the area where Jacob continues to farm.
Westchester NYSame area – New York City and later Bronx Borough
1896-1900: They are living at Ferris Lane but it alternatives between simply Westchester and Union Port, New York City. Union Port appears to have been a village or neighborhood of Westchester. I found a video that talks about the lost villages of the Bronx and took a screen shot when I saw Ferris. Since he is a gardener, perhaps Ferris is the area where he worked and lived.
1906: They are now living on Williamsbridge Road in Westchester, New York City.
My initial thoughts of this area were they must be very rural but research shows me that all of the small towns in the Bronx were rapidly filling up with New Yorkers moving out of the city looking for a plot of their own.
1910: The federal census shows they are living in the Bronx Borough, part of New York City. Wickham Avenue to Astor Estate is the street listing. AI says, “In 1910, the area of the Bronx between Wickham Avenue and the former Astor Estate was rapidly developing from a semi-rural landscape into a residential neighborhood. Jacob, 48, is listed as a Gardener in the farm industry and “working on own account”. Katherine, 44, and the children “Tessie 16, Jacob 14, Kate 12, Elizabeth 10, Louise 8, and Hanna 3” are all at home and I assume attending school.
1915: The state census lists the family at Pelham Parkway in the Bronx County. Jacob the father (54), and Jacob the son (19) were farming. Katherine the mother (49), “Thresia” (21), and Katherine 17I did house work, and Elizabeth (15), Louise (13), and Hannah (9) were in school.
You can see Pelham Parkway as they would have known it on the right, and the present day Pelham Parkway.
Site of Williamsbridge RoadPelham Parkway in the early 1900s
During this time period, Katherine’s parents, Johann and Theresa Duy would come and visit. They lived in Longmeadow Massachusetts, but they had Katherine, Barbara, and William in the Connecticut/New York area. The following story comes from their daughter Katherine’s 1980 written memories to her sister Theresa’s (born Barbara) daughter Irene: My mother’s mother and father (my grandparents) and Uncle Philip were the last members to come to America. I remember my mother telling us how terrible the ocean voyage was and they almost died. And I also remember how my mother longed to see her parents and grieved she would never see them again. They used to come and stay with us for periods at a time and when they left to go back to their eldest daughter’s in Longmeadow Massachusetts…they would cling to each other and it was almost impossible to tear them apart. And they always grieved for the brother and sister who remained in Austria. The family bond was very strong.
Unfortunately, life with Jacob was not always pleasant as he was an alcoholic. Stories passed down mention Katherine leaving Jacob a few times. She would travel to her brother William’s home in Greenwich Connecticut. While away, she would take in laundry. She returned each time because she was pregnant.
Katherine Duy Engram date unknown
October 27, 1916, Katherine Duy Engram passed away after a two year battle with breast cancer. She left behind Jacob and seven children ranging from 22 to 10.
Katherine Duy Engram 1916
In daughter Katherine’s 1980 memories, she shared this with her niece Irene. Katherine was 18 when her mother died: ”It will be 64 years on the 27th of October 1980 since my mother passed away. She was very, very sick with cancer for 2 years before she died. I stayed on the farm and kept house for the family for 2 years and because of unbearable, alcoholic conditions, we left our father. Your mother (Theresa) was either in nursing training or already doing nursing duty during that time. She always wanted to be a nurse. I know my mother would be very proud if she came back today and saw the family she created, but I am sure she watched over us and prayed for us and still does. From time to time I wake up thinking of her and recall the bitter, hard struggle she had and can’t go back to sleep for wishing I could take her in my arms and hold her close. Children never know the sacrifices their mother’s make for them. Your heritage is a beautiful one Irene.”
After Katherine died, Jacob Jr. enlisted for World War I and the girls all moved to New York in the care of Theresa. In my next post, I’ll pick up from here.
Marge Donroe Bellafronto’s father, Alfred (Fred) Arthur Donroe, was born in New Haven Connecticut, November 9, 1916. He met and married Dora Barbaresi on September 16, 1940.
Dora and Alfred Donroe 1940Eddie Apuzzo, George Barbaresi, Dava Barbaresi, Dora, Fred, Albert and Lou Donroe. Dava and Eddie married not long after.
Marge was born two years later on September 25, 1942.
Alfred enlisted in the Army in July 1943 in New Haven and he headed overseas in October of that year.
Alfred Arthur Donroe 1943
The following is a narrative called “Alfred’s War” from one of his family members attached to another family tree:
“After training in Northern Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2nd Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, 7 June 1944, near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River, the Division liberated Trévières, 10 June, and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192 which was repelled the key enemy strongpoint on the road to Saint-Lô. After three weeks of fortifying the position and by order of Commanding General Walter M. Robertson the order was given to take HILL 192. On 11 July under Command of Col. Ralph W.Zwicker 38th INF with the 9th and the 23rd by his side the battle started at 5:45 am. Using an artillery concept used in World War I (Rolling Thunder) which was the only time during World War II it was used and after 25,000 rounds of HE/WP the hill was taken. The Division went on the defensive until the 26th. July. After exploiting the Saint-Lo breakout, the 2nd Division then advanced across the (Vire) to take (Tinhebray) on 15 August 1944. The Division then raced toward (Brest/France), the heavily defended port fortress which happened to be a major port for German U-Boats. After 39 days of fighting the Battle was won, and was the first place the Army Air Corps used Bunker busting bombs. On August 25th 1944 Private Alfred A Donroe was killed in action.”
You can read more about the Assault on Brest here.
Marge was one month shy of her second birthday when her father died.
Dora married Fred’s brother Albert in 1947 and they had two sons. Marge married my first cousin Mal Bellafronto in 1964.
Marge Donroe Bellafronto with husband Mal, in-laws Judy and Mal, and my sister Gail (1987)
Fast forward to July 31st, I received a message through Ancestry from a French genealogist who was looking for the family of soldiers who died in combat during WW2 in Gouesnou France in the summer of 1944. He contacted me because Albert Donroe is listed in my family tree.
“Every year the City of Gouesnou honors the hero soldiers and civilian victims, because here in Gouesnou, we consider that it is our duty to remember the past for the sake of history and transmission, particularly to the youngest generation.”
The city has decided to create a permanent monument to the soldiers and victims with the inauguration of the US Memorial planned for November 2026.
I sent a message to another ancestry member who has a Donroe Family Tree (not sure of the relationship), and he had also been contacted and was able to provide the genealogist with an even closer family member.
It’s good to know that these soldiers continue to be remembered for their heroism during World War II and that this city is preserving the information for future generations.
Walter Bonk (aka Bak or Bunk) was the 13th born and 8th living child of Carolina Straub. His father was John Bonk (Bak), whom she married in 1888 after the death of her first husband Joseph Posluszny in 1887. Carolina gave birth to a baby girl in 1899 who died at birth. Walter was born in Dzikowiec in the Galicia region of Poland on August 29, 1903 when Carolina was 48 years old.
Born 8/29/1903, baptized 9/6/1903
Walter was a month shy of four years old when he made the trip to the United States with his mother, father, and half sister Elizabeth. The Passenger List indicates that his father had traveled to the United States in the past in 1901 and 1906 to Perth Amboy possibly to work and get things settled for them all to come over.
Walter standing on right in front of mother Carolina late 1907 his father is standing 4th from left
In 1910, John, Carolina, and Walter are living at 23a Parker Street in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Although Elizabeth would have been only 14, she is not listed as living with them. Perhaps she was working as a live in maid somewhere. During this time period, Walter was attending school and could speak English.
The next time I find Walter, he is 17 years old in the 1920 United States Federal Census. The family has moved to Wallingford Connecticut and his parents owned 30 Geneva Avenue. They are joined by his half-sister Elizabeth, her husband Joseph Łaçź, their two young sons, his half-cousin John Posluchny (spelled phonetically in the census!), and a border, John Ivaninski. It was a full house! The two boarders work at the hardware factory, his father works as a press dropper at the silverware factory, Joseph a packer there, and Walter at age 17, is no longer attending school and is an electrician at the factory.
Only two years later, Walter, Caroline, and John Bonk were now living at 24 East Street in Wallingford. This was one minute walk from the location of the market owned by Elizabeth and her husband Joseph Łaçź and it is a short walk from Clifton Street where his half brother Konrad (my grandfather) and his family will move to in 1925. He is 19 years old.
Walter Bonk year unknown
In March of 1925, his mother Caroline passes away of stomach cancer.
On June 23, 1925, Walter married Beatrice Kasprzycki of New Haven. She was born on September 13, 1905, the fourth of nine children of John Kasprzycki and Anna Tarnowski of Meriden. The family moved to New Haven in 1917 when her father left International Silver for a job at the American Windshield Corporation.
Walter Bonk and Beatrice Kasprzycki 23 June 1925
Just over a year later, Walt and Bea’s first daughter Ann Carolyn Bonk was born on July 25, 1926.
Ann Carolyn Bonk age unknown
Walter, Bea, and Ann lived at 24 East Street in Wallingford with his father, John. This was a 2 family house and I think they must have lived with him based on the listings in the Streets section of the annual directory.
This following information came from a phone conversation I had with their daughter Ann in the early 2000s:
John, Walter’s father, 55 years old at the time, met Viola Weston, a 50 year old widow and they got married. Viola had 23 and 21 year old sons, and an 18 year old daughter who came along with her to live at 24 East Street. So Walter and his family moved to New Haven, close to Bea’s family.
Walter and Bea had another daughter, Dolores LaVerne born in 1931, and another, Joan Beverly in 1933, and their son Henry in 1937.
Walter and his family remained in New Haven until John died in 1933. Ann said they moved back to Wallingford and lived in one of the apartments and Viola, based on a provision in John’s will, continued to live in the other apartment until her death in 1937.
Walter went to work as an electrician for the Wallingford Steel Mill which then became Allegheny-Ludlum Steel and worked there for his entire career.
Walter also became involved in Wallingford politics in 1944 when he was named as an alternate delegate to the state Republican Party convention as well as part of the republican town committee. He continued on for many years and he also served as the Wallingford Assessor and a second selectman.
We would see Uncle Walt and Aunt Bea once a year at the annual Fourth of July family picnic hosted by Aunt Judy and Uncle Mal and Auntie Irene and Uncle Lou. Judy and Lou were my mother’s older siblings.
Uncle Walt and Aunt Bea continued to live in their home at 24 East Street until age caught up to them. They both resided at the Skyview Nursing Home where he passed away in August 1998 at the age of 94 and she in February of 2003 at the age of 97. They had been married for 73 years.
My mother and Ann were 4 years apart but the Poslusznys, Bonks, and Biegas, all lived within a block or two of each other. My mom was friends with all the girls throughout her life. We may not have seen them frequently, but we knew of them all because of my mother.
Ann’s postcard sent from Middletown when she was 10 and my mother 14 says: Dear Betty, I am having a swell time. I miss you a lot, I miss going walking on Sunday with you. Please tell the rest of the family I was asking for them. Your pest, Ann C. Bonk
Ann married Floyd Monroe of East Haven and they had three daughters and 4 sons. They lived for many years in Vermont and we would see them once a year at the annual Fourth of July picnic! After Floyd passed away in 1985, Ann moved back to Connecticut and became a teacher at the Wallingford Community Day Care where she was known as Miss Ann. Something I didn’t know about her until my research was she was a graduate of Yale University School of Music. Prior to that she studied piano and organ with various teachers including a professor at Yale. For two years prior to college she was the organist at St. Peter and Paul Church in Wallingford. Ann passed away in 2011.
Ann abt 2011
Laverne married Ed Dziubinski and lived in Branford. They had 2 children and Ed passed away some years ago and she has since remarried.
Laverne with Auntie Ann, Aunt Bea, and Joan (back right)
Joan married Carl Focareto of Berlin Connecticut. He was a loud, gregarious individual and I don’t mean loud in a bad way! “Knock-out” was his nickname. I don’t know why, and it just came to me! They were married in 1954 and they had 2 children who we knew fairly well because they went to the “other” high school in Wallingford. Their daughter, Beverly, married someone from “our” high school who was good friends with one of my brothers in law, so we would see them at parties and softball games. Their son, Peter, lives a few blocks away from us.
Joan Engagement photo 1953
Carl and my dad were golfing buddies. When Carl died in 1998, it hit my dad pretty hard. As a tribute to him, dad had the florist make up an arrangement that was a putting green. I wish I still had the picture of it. It was probably something they had never done before! Joan still lives in Wallingford.
My sisters and I didn’t know Henry and his family. I don’t know why. Maybe because he was born in 1937 when my mother was 15, and he was a boy?
Hank as he was known was involved in baseball and lacrosse growing up. He graduated from Tufts University and was a chemist and inventor with 34 scientific patents. He also served in the Army in South Korea. He had his wife had 2 daughters. Sadly, Hank passed away after a long battle from MS in 2021 at the age of 83.
Henry W. “Hank” Bonk
My Behme cousins are far more familiar with Hank and his family most likely because their mother, Judy Posluszny Behme, was 2 years younger than Hank and they might have gone to Holy Trinity together. Being that close in age, they likely had their children in the same range and they too, would have been in school together. I just remember the Behme family heading off to the Bonks house during the holidays and I didn’t quite understand why we didn’t!
When I put these stories together I see so many characteristics within my family today. The scientists and musicians, the cooks and bakers, and overall smarty-pantses in the family! There’s also the “get involved in your town” and take care of people whether their friends or strangers. This is the DNA we carry within us.
As cousin Ann Bonk’s obituary said: In memory of Ann and how she lived her life, we ask that you honor her by a simple act of kindness.
Elizabeth Eva Posluszny was the 11th born and 7th living adult child of Carolina Straub and Joseph Posluszny. She was born in Dzikowiec in the Galicia region of Poland on September 24, 1896, three years after her sister Mary.
Elizabeth’s birth record 1896
The following year in April of 1897, Joseph Posluszny died at the age of 44. There is currently no record of the cause of death. The following May, her mother Carolina married a/the farmhand John Bonk (aka Bak). He was 26, she was 43.
The following year began the immigration of first John in 1899, followed by Joseph (1901), Konrad (1902), Charles (1905), Mary (1906), and Frank (1907).
Elizabeth was 10 years old when she arrived in the United States with her mother, stepfather, and half brother Walter. The Passenger List on their arrival indicates that John had been in the United States in Perth Amboy from 1901 to 1906. I haven’t found any actual passenger or census record to confirm that but the 1920 census say he immigrated in 1900. More research awaits!
Elizabeth – far right seated
The next record I have for Elizabeth is the 1920 Census and she is married to Joseph Łaçź (One-ch) and living on Geneva Avenue in Wallingford with Carolina and John Bonk and Walter who is now 17. Elizabeth and Joseph have two children, Joseph V born in 1916, and Charles F born in 1920. Also living with them is John Posluszny, the oldest brother John’s son. John Bonk, Walter, and Joseph are working at the Silverware Factory and John Posluszny is working at the hardware factory, both in Wallingford. At 17, Walter was an electrician which is the profession he continued with through his life.
The 1920 Wallingford directory also says Joseph and Elizabeth Łaçź lived on Geneva Street and he worked at the Silverware Factory.
There is no 1921 directory online but the 1922 directory says he is a grocer at – 105 Ward Street. The same grocer that her sister Mary and husband Victor will come to own in 1924, and later their daughter Mary and her husband Otto.
In 1924, Elizabeth disappeared. She left her husband, two children, and family. I told the story about the mental illness that runs through the Posluszny family, and the stories of my grandfather Konrad, and his brother Frank. I was told she had a complete mental breakdown. The 1924 directory says “Joseph Łaçź removed to New Britain” taking his two sons with him.
My Aunt Judy told me the family did not like Joseph. He was 12 years older than her and was 31 years old to her 19 years old at their marriage. Aunt Mary hired private detectives to try and find her but never succeeded.
I have scoured online records for any sign of Joseph or Charles but have come up empty handed. I had possible information on their father, but the information conflicts with another family tree.
It's All About Family 