I've found lots of probable and for-sure relatives in the Ellis Island Database. I put the information in a table because I wanted to organize them for myself and I put the table on the Web because I thought they might help others too, although I'm not sure how. When searching I paid special attention to clues that might help me to establish relationships between people. My focus was on my hard-to-track Rusyn relatives and to a lesser degree on my Galizien Deutsche kin.
Many of the immigrants coming through Ellis Island were marked as illiterate. You might want to read Steven Jay Gould's interesting book Mismeasure of Man to provide some context for this designation. In short, illiterate should have been followed by in English.
There is other critical information on the Ellis Island manifests. For instance, I can proudly that say that all of my relatives checked "no" for these questions. Really now, were any immigrants foolish enough to state that they were anarchists?
Dr. Steven Morse and JewishGen have combined to provide an excellent interface to the Ellis Island Database; it is much better than the standard one offered by the American Family Immigration History Center.
The M? column in the table contains an X if the subject was listed as married. I recorded names as they appear in the database even if I think they're misspellings.
| Date | Name | Age | M? | Nationality | From | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 14, 1896 | Ivan Semancik | 47 | Austria | Pottsville, PA | Going to Pottsville, PA for "protracted sojourn". =) Travelling with Mikalay Trukan and (same first name) Tederinec also going to Pottsville. | ||
| July 1897 | Julia Bonczak | 18 | Wolica | Chicago, IL | Going to meet uncle Jan Bonczak 75 W. Division St. | ||
| March 1898 | Stefan Bonczak | 16 | Galacian | Zboiska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet unnamed brother. Travelling with Michal ?eczysky, Stefan Makara who had scabies and was held, Andrzej Bilas, and W??, all from Belchowka | |
| Oct 8, 1898 | Stefan Semancik | 25 | Galacian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Going to meet brother Ivan Semancik. Religion is Greek Catholic, native tongue is Polish. | |
| March 189? | Marya Boncsak | 20 | Galacian | Zboiska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet cousin Stefan Semanczik. | |
| June 1899 | Antoni Bonczak | 38 | X | Austro - Hungarian | Zboiska | Buffalo, NY | Going to cousin Mike Dyminski, Rector of St. ??? church on Cable St. There is a Mike Dyminski (clergyman) twice in the EIDB. The 1900 Census for NY state (look under name WAWRZYNSKI) contains a reference to an Anthony Bonczak, age 40 who immigrated 1899, born 5/1860. He is listed as UNCLE, I presume it is his daughter Catherine (imm. 1890) that is married to J. WAWRZYNSKI. See also this page about Dyminski. |
| July 1899 | Feczko Bonczak | 33 | X | Galacian | Wolica | Hoboken, NJ | Going to meet wife at 66 Washington St. Travelling with Franciszka Zydka from Bukowsko to Jersey City, NJ. |
| December 1899 | Stefan Bonczak | 35 | X | Galacian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Going to meet "acquaintance". Blind in right eye. |
| December 1900? | Prekop Bonczak | 43 | X | Galacian | Zboiska | Bellefonte, PA | Going to meet unnamed cousin. Travelling with Michael Be???za from Mokre also going to Bellefonte to meet brother. |
| January? 1901 | Thomas Semanczyk | 30 | X | Galacian | Wolica | Perth Amboy, NJ | Going to meet an unnamed brother-in-law. |
| April 5 1901 | Petro Boncsak | 27 | Galicy | Boisk? | Minersville, PA | Going to meet meet brother Stefan. "Boisk" is hard to read in the middle, but the leading B is very clear. Travelling with Josefa Tarchola (Radlow/New Britain, CN) | |
| April 1902 | Peter Bryta | 25 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Egypt, PA | Going to meet brother Andr. Bryta. | |
| May 22, 1902 | Stefan Bronczak | 28 | X | Polish | Zboiska | Perth Amboy, NJ | Going to meet brother in law ?? Tanyo?. Travelling with Anna Nowak (Prusiek/New Britain, CN) |
| February 24, 1903 | Tekla Boncsak | 21 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet father Piotr Boncsak. Travelling with Maryanna Fernawczyk (9, Zboiska/Minersville to meet father Michael.) | |
| June 1903 | Jakob and Marie Petry | 52 / 51 | X | German | Dolina | Philadelphia, PA | Going to meet cousin Josef Schmidt 325 Houston St. Note in parens says "Two sons in Grand Haven, Mich"?. Travelling with a number of other people from Dolina. |
| June 30, 1903 | Julia Bomczak | 20 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Fors. City | Going to meet cousin Anna Bonczak. There is an X next to her name, not sure what that implies. | |
| March 1904 | Teodor Bonczak | 36 | X | Ruthenian | Wolica | EIDB has bolixed the record, no further info available. | |
| May 17, 1904 | Anna Bonczak | 19 | ? | Ruthenian | ? | ? | Manifest wrong. Traveling with Katarzyna Bilas. |
| August 30, 1904 | Katarzyna Szymanczak | 17 | X | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Going to meet brother Stefan. |
| Oct 9, 1904 | Valenti Jadwisinczak | 40 | X | Polish | Bukowsko | Minersville, PA | Going to meet brother Josef (?) Jadwisinczak, maybe the one listed in August 1905. |
| November 25, 1904 | Stefan Banczak | 30 | X | Ruthenian | Bojiska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet uncle Andrej Starcoky?. Been in USA before 1902-1904 in Egypt PA. Travelling with Kala Kulozyska or Kata Kulczycka (Zbojsk/Minersville to meet same uncle). |
| January 9, 1905 | Jorko Banczak | 42 | X | Russian | Wolica | Hashronek? Heights, NY | Going to meet to sister Anna Bonczak. Travelling with Maryanna Padicska? (Wolica/Maynardsville, PA). |
| March 7, 1905 | Arfry Semanczyk | 32 | X | Polish | Wolica | Pottsville, PA | Going to meet brother Stefan, but his name is crossed out and he is listed as "Not on board". Supposed to be travelling with two others from Wolica to Pottsville incl. one Hurtak and a laundry list of people from Bukowsko (Bednarz, Bochanck, Piluch, Hnat). |
| March 28, 1905 | Michal Bonczak | 41 | X | Ruthenian | Wolica | Philadelphia, PA | Going to meet brother Jan Bonczak in Philly. Address(?) is Addison Cart Bak Lombard something (ends in 6). ??? Travelling with Ilko Macek from Zboiska going to Minersville, and the following people going from Prusiek to New Britain, CN: Katarznya Kuzma, two people named Eva Marko (!) and Josef Seleman?. |
| March 21, 1905 | Josef Jadwisinczak | 24 | Polish | Bukovsky | Carnegie, PA | Travelling with Tomas Pituch (Bukowvsky to Carnegie; brother Stanislaw Pituch), Paul Sokol (Buk. to NYC), Jan Majdecki (Buk. to Carnegie; brother in law Stanislaw Pituch), Katha Majdecka, child of Jan. Is this a case of passport borrowing? (See Josef Jadwysinczak from August of 1905) | |
| May 29, 1905 | Maria Petri | 20 | Polish | Dolina | Chester, PA | Going to meet Josef Kaufold on Wilson(?) St. There is more writing -- perhaps brother-in-law? -- next to Josef's name but I can't read it. | |
| August 3, 1905 | Josef Jadwysinczak | 24 | X | Polish | Bukowska | Minersville, PA | Had been in USA from 1903-1905. Going to meet brother-in-law Stefan Semanczyk. Travelling with one friend with exact same details and an indecipherable name. |
| July 1906 | Iwan Bonczak | 18 | Russniak | Zboiska | Image missing, no further information available. | ||
| July 1906 | Ivan Bonczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Iboiske | Manifest buggered, no further information available. | ||
| December 1906 | Iwan Bonczak | 16 | Ruthenian | Ratnawice | New Britain, CN | Born in Zawadka. Meeting cousin Zofia Kara???. Travelling with Wanio? Czelak? and J??? Fawil? (Zawadka/Jersey City). | |
| Dec 16 1906 | Stefan Semanczyk | 33 | X | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Meeting brother Iwan Semanczyk. Stefan is a "non-immigrant" at this point, has been in Minersville 8 years from 1899 to 1906. Travelling with Maria Tarnawczyk? from Wolica to Minersville. |
| May 1907 | Josef and Wiktor Drozd | 17 / 25 | X | Nagorzany | Jersey City NJ | Meeting cousin Franciszek Piszczyniski? at 16 Ellery? St. Travelling with 3 from Bukowsko. | |
| June 1907 | Anderej Bonczak | 18 | Polish | Ulica? | Minersville, PA | Meeting brother Jan. Has conjunctivitus. Travelling with 4 from Bukowsko to Perth Amboy, NJ, Jersey City,NJ and somewhere in PA. | |
| July 1907 | Prohop Bryla | 42 | X | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Meeting daughter Kasha Bryla. Been in USA before in Shamokin. travelling with Stefan Kramar (Ratnawica/Minersville), Katarznya Starzecka (Zboiska/Minersville), Kristyna Petynka (Zboiska/Minersville), also a couple of Ratnawicans going to New Britain, CN. |
| November 1907 | Michal Bonczak | 14 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Minersville, PA | Meeting father Petro Bonczak. European relative is cousin(?) Katarzyna Wotowiak in Zboiska. | |
| November 24, 1907 | Sofia Bomczak | 22 | X | Polish | Zarsyzn | Egypt, PA | Meeting husband Tomasz. Closest European relative is mother Magdalena Mendofig. Travelling with a married Polish female named Kozlowska nee Godek from Friszlak? to New Britain, CN. |
| December 21, 1907 | Senko Boncsak | 17 | Ruthenian | Zawadka | Bellefonte, PA | Meeting brother Jan Bonczak. Closest European relative is father Prokop Boncsak in Zawadka (same as Prekop Bonczak in 1900?). There is a line drawn through Senko's entry so I assume he did not arrive in NYC. | |
| May 31 1908 | Michal Semanczyk | 17 | Russian | Wolica | Minersville PA | Meeting Stefan Semanczyk. This is my grandfather. It is ironic that he's the only person in this list listed as Russian because he was emphatic about the fact that he was Ukrainian, not Russian. Maybe they did it just to annoy him. | |
| July 1909 | Katarzyna Bonczak | 19 | Ruthenian | Zawadka | New Britain, CN | European relative is father Lesko Bonczak in Zawadka. Travelling with Ewa Necrysl/a and Ewa Makyrur, same start/destination. | |
| August 29, 1909 | Jan Bouczak | 48 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Egypt PA | Going to meet b.i.l. ??? Zawada. Closest European relative is cousin Iwan Bonczak in Zboiska. Jan is a widower. | |
| Dec 21, 1909 | Antoni Bonczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Minersville, PA | European relative is stepfather Michal Piechowicz, Wolica. Going to visit brother in law Piotr Szawajka? | ||
| Feb 1910 | Stefan Bonczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet uncle Michael Tarnowczyk. European relative father Nykolaj Bonczak, Zboiska. Travelling with Stefan Kolyk (Ratnawice/New Britain, CN to meet brother), Iwan Kohut (Ratnawice/Minersville to meet brother), Andrzej? Pendior (Polebovka?/Minersville to meet son (ilaw?) Andrzej Makara), Antoni Malyk (Zboiska/Minersville to meet uncle Andrej Bryla), Andrzej Tarnawczak (Zboiska/Minersville with flat feet! to meet br.inlaw Andrij Kola???) and Michal Pendior (Zboiska/Minersville to friend Michal Tarnawczyk). | |
| March 1910 | Maryanna Bonczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Egypt, PA | European relative is mother Antonina Bonczak in Zboiska. Travelling with Michal Bonczak from Prusiek to Egypt, PA. European relative is cousin Josef Ruve?, Prusiek. | |
| April 5, 1910 | Josef Bouczak | 20 | Polish | Zbojska | Minersville, PA | Going to meet brother Stefan. Closest European relative is wife Maria. Travelling with two Makaras and one Bardan (all Ratnovicz/Minersville). | |
| May 25, 1910 | Jan Bouczak | 20 | Ruthenian | Zbojko | Cementon, PA | Going to meet sister Anna Torba. Closest European relative is wife Katarzyna Bonczak Zbojska. Travelling with Lenard (Wuchilka/Cementon&Minersville, originally from Buchowka), Chrzaszcz (Zbojko&Wolica to Gilberton, PA), Jakobowski (Zbojko/Cementon) and Koscik (Zboiska/Cementon) orginally from Zboysky. | |
| June 1910 | Antonina Bonczak | 16 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Manifest missing. | ||
| October 24 1910 | Andrzej Bomczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville PA | Going to meet "brother in law Michal Karabui"? Closest European relative father Josef Bonczak. Travelling with Antonima Pielich (16, Wolica/Minersville to meet sister M. Tarnawczyk?) | |
| October 24 1910 | Antoni Bouczak | 33 | Polish | Wolica | Jersey City, NJ | Going to meet b.i.l. Jan Szklarz? Closest European relative father Jedrzej Bonczak in Wolica. Been in USA 1903-05 in Mawerville? PA. | |
| March 9 1912 | Iwan Semanczyk | 16 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville, PA | Going to meet brother Piotra Semanczyka. Closest European relative is father Amfry Semanczyk in Wolica. Travelling with Antoni Starzecki from Zboiska to Minersville? and Michael Kotow from Wolica to NJ. | |
| March 14, 1912 | Wilhelm and Margarethe Petri | 31 / 25 | X | German | Dolina | Chicago | Going to meet brother in law Johann S????. Closest European relative is mother Barbara Petri. |
| Aug 5, 1912 | Michal Plesniarski | 34 | X | Polish | Bukowsko | Jersey City, NJ | Going to visit brother in law Jan ???. Nearest European relative wife Marya Plesniarski, Bukowsko. Has been in USA 1907 - 1911, Minersville PA. There are other people on this manifest also going to Jersey City. |
| September 11, 1912 | Three(!) Katarznya Bonczaks | 17 / 18 / 18 | Ruthenian | Zboiska / Zboiska / Ratnawice | Minersville PA | Going to meet a) uncle Michal Semanczyk, b) brother in law Szaranczak?, c) stepbrother Michal Lenaw?. Relatives in Europe: a) father Wiktor Bonczak (Zboiska), b) father Iwan Bonczak (Zboiska), c) mother Anna Bonczak (Ratnawice). Travelling with Krystyna Starzecka? (Zboiska to Minersville), Jan Kuskewski (Ratnawice to Minersville) and Marya Dzintyk? (Ratnawice to New Britain, CN) | |
| September 12, 1912 | Nicholas, Esther and Nicholas Jr. Petry | 42 / 41 / 6 | U.S. | Philadelphia | Germantown PA | All born in Philly and returning to McKean Ave. in Germantown. | |
| September 30, 1912 | Antoni Jadwisinczak | 16 | Austrian | Bukowsk | Minersville PA | Going to meet brother Fra??? Jadwis????. Nearest relative in Europe is father Walenty Jadwisinczak. | |
| October 10, 1912 | Antoni Semanczyk | 17 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Minersville PA | Going to visit brother Piotr Semanczyk in Minersville. Nearest European relative mother Christina Semanczyk in Wolica. He is passenger 6 on this page of the manifest; 3 lines above is Polish woman Anna Cinpa (sp?) from Bachowka also going to Minersville. | |
| November 1912 | Tamasz Semanczyk | 41 | X | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Perth Amboy, NJ | Nearest European relative is wife Anna in Zboiska. Travelling with nephew Franciszek Cap (age 7) and niece Stanislawa Cap (age 3). All 3 have a line drawn through the entire entry with no explanation given. I assume they weren't on the boat or got sent back. |
| January 1913 | Antonina Bryla | 21 | Ruthenian | Wolica | Blackwood, PA | Going to meet br.inlaw John Min???. European relative mother Ewa. | |
| February 1913 | Stanislaw Drozd | 36 | X | Polish | Wolica | Philadelphia PA | Going to meet brother Josef Drozd at 4242 Oresson(?) St. in Philly. European relative wife Stanislawa in "Wolica Luyowa" Galacia. I can't find any references to Luyowa on Google. |
| March 4, 1913 | Julia Banczak | 17 | Wolica | Manifest missing. Travelling with Jedrzej Tornawcsyk (Tarnawczyk, I'll bet) from Minersville. | |||
| December 1913 | Teofil Bonczak | 18 | Ruthenian | Zboiska | Minersville PA | Going to meet brother Stefan. European relative father Jan Bonczak (Zboiska). Travelling with a Zawadkaian also going to PA. | |
| July 1920 | Jozef Bonczak | 29 | Polish | New Britain CN | Malusn? NB? | Been in USA 7 1/2 years already. Intends to become a citizen. Red hair?!? Born in Radolina, Poland. | |
| June 1923 | Teodor Semanczyk | 36 | X | US | Homestead PA | Naturalized June 27 1921 in Pittsburgh. Home address is Homestead, PA. Is this guy a relative? | |
| June 30, 1928 | Andrzej Bonczak | 33 | X | US | Wolica | Minersville PA | Going to brother Antoni Bonczak. Nearest European relative is wife Antonina Bonczak, Wolica. Andrzej has been in the USA from 1912-1922 in "Miersville", PA. Travelling with Michal Plesniarski, age 46, married, from Bukowska, traveling to brother Pawel Plesniarski Minersville, PA. Michal has been in the USA from 1911-1920. Nearest European relative is wife Maria Plesniarska, Bukowsko. If this is the same Michal Plesniarski who travelled in 1912, he has lost 4 years in age somewhere. |
| June 30, 1928 | Andrzej Bonczak | 33 | X | US | Wolica | Minersville PA | Going to brother Antoni Bonczak. Nearest European relative is wife Antonina Bonczak, Wolica. Andrzej has been in the USA from 1912-1922 in "Miersville", PA. |
Names I've Already Searched
Hermann and Else Symanczyk from Hamburg look like actual Germans. No image available for Maria Szemanczyk.
bonczak bouczak boncsak banczak bonczek bonszek bonshak bonchak bonschek
semanc samanc simanc somanc sumanc symanc senanc sananc sinanc sonanc sunanc synanc seinanc sainanc siinanc soinanc suinanc syinanc senianc sanianc sinianc sonianc sunianc synianc szymanc scz szemanc sziman zym
petry petri