This is a memorial post for my Great-Grandfather Feliks (Felix) Sarcopski
Birth 1891 in Grochowalsk, Poland
Departed Hamburg, Germany on August 12th, 1905
Arrived in New York, New York on August 24th, 1905
Occupation: Coal Miner
Wife: Salumeja Srodkowska – 1889 – 1936
Died on February 24th, 1949
Grave Location: https://goo.gl/maps/BkhjynMwbWR2
I wonder what it must have been like to leave a small village for an unknown land far away knowing that he most likely would never return to Grochowalsk; knowing that he would never see his relatives, friends, almost everyone he knew ever again must have been very sorrowful.
Looking at the pictures of Grochowalsk on Google Maps it is a very small village; I cannot imagine what it looked like back in 1891 or if there was anything at all?
There was a picture of a beautiful church I’d like to set foot in one day. It wouldn’t have been there either back in 1891 but it from the picture has a beautiful ancient charm.
Link: http://www.ziemiadobrzynska.pl/art/2371/5-grochowalsk.html
I had Google translate the first paragraph on this website and reading it got me very excited.
The first mention about Grochowalska from 1244. “Grochovarsko property was then divided between the three knights who distinguished themselves in battles with the pagan tribe Jacwiegow. From space they adopted the name and in the fourteenth century. There are already as owner’s Grochowalscy.” Since the nineteenth century, Grochowalska owners many times are changing. The last owner of the property was Anna Goscicka.
Knights, foreign lands, history, religion and my great-grandfathers homeland as well?? Pinch me, I must be having a wonderful dream!
Even if it is just a small, half-forgotten village I would be very excited to visit. The main reason would be to further discover the history of my Great-Grandfather Feliks and perhaps even bump into a few relatives. If I’m not mistaken the Polish know how to drink and so bonding with the relatives no matter how distant shouldn’t be too difficult.
I wonder if my Great-Grandfather really was from this town or if it is just something he listed on the passenger list. Perhaps he was born elsewhere and his last residence was this town? Or perhaps he lied on the form? I’d like to find out.
