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TATRA AREA RESEARCH GROUP
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© TARG All rights reserved.
Newsletter for November 2003
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Special Thanksgiving Day Greetings to all of our TARG members! Things are
so much improved here where we are in San Diego over last month -- there is
indeed much to be thankful for. We hope it is so with all of you -- have a
safe and enjoyable weekend with family and friends, giving thanks for the
rich blessings that are yours.

-- Paul K. Bingham
TARG Founder

WEBSITES TO VISIT_________
1. From Slovakia and Poland: lots of exiting new books, maps, calendars,
tee-shirts, etc. Perfect gifts for the TARG members on your list! See them
all at: www.mytarg.net/Resources/Books/Main%20Books%20&%20Maps.html or:
http://mytarg.net/Resources/Books/Main%20Books%20&%20Maps.html. Remember
that your purchases help fund our TARG research efforts!
2. http://www.genealogienetz.de/misc/translation.html Website for free
document translation from Polish to English.
3. Social Security Death Index Search:
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi (See SS Index article
below for more info.)
4. 2-page Zivot article (in PDF format) about TARG group at:
http://lsoltys.izoo.krakow.pl/targ/.

TARG E-NEWSLETTERS_________
If you were once getting the monthly TARG e-newsletter delivered and now
for some reason aren't, let me know by e-mailing me at:
TARG_NET@hotmail.com. It could be the old e-mail address I had for you is no
longer valid, or that an ISP has a filtering error. Please note that all
back issues (including the most recent) is always available to you on the
TARG website at: www.mytarg.net/Resources/index.html or at:
http://mytarg.net/Resources/index.html.

E-MAIL ADDRESSES & SPAM_________
I noticed many of you have posted your e-mail address on our TARG website
(in the guestbook.) Unfortunately this leaves your e-mail addresses
vulnerable to spam robots, who love to harvest addresses and then send an
aweful quality and quantity of junk e-mail to your box. (The guestbook is a
"canned" version provided by the webhost and I am unable to alter it or I
would.) I have begun editing the guestbook entries into a different format
that will be harder for spammers to find. Here's how it works: Instead of
using the "@" and "." symbols the spam robots search for, the convention is
to use "-AT-" and "-DOT-" in your address. So my personal e-mail address of
bingham@iols.net becomes bingham-AT-iols-DOT-net. (The guestbook will not
let you enter addresses this way in the form's e-mail slot because it will
thinks it's an invalid address -- you'll have to type it in the message
section. To see how they look you can go to the guestbook page at:
http://mytarg.net/Guestbooks/index.php to see those I've already edited.)

YOUR LETTERS_________
--- Hi Paul, Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving Day and hoping that you
have a wonderful day enjoying dinner with friends and family! My love to
all, Donnamarie
***Thank you Donnamarie, I will pass this along to all of our TARG members.
And our thoughts and prayers to you and your family at this time. - Paul
(Sadly, Donnamarie's 80-year-old mother just passed away November 4th.)
--- Hi Paul, If I remember right you have a long weekend this week and it's
Thanksgiving Day today -- Am I correct? I remember this from my stay in the
U.S. two years ago :) Here in Jurgow we don't have a long weekend, but we
have very nice weather...no snow yet and it is about 12 degrees C (about 54
F). It is usually about -10 degrees C (14 F) now. Happy Thanksgiving to
you! - Lucjan
***Yes, Lucjan, it is Thanksgiving Weekend! Time for giving thanks and
spending time with family and friends and eating lots of good food!
---Hi Paul: Just wanted to thank you so very much for finding that book for
me while you were on your August trip. Looking forward to receiving the next
TARG Newsletter. Thanks again, I really appreciate it. - Eleanor K.
***My pleasure, Eleanor. - Paul
---Hi Paul, Please advise your list of trips to Poland and Slovakia for the
2004 season. Thank you...and P.S. - I truly enjoy the TARG newsletter. Great
job! - Judy Miller
***Hi Judy, we were on Helene Cincebeaux's special Goral Tour this summer. I
know she does not have a 2004 Goral Tour planned, however, she does have
other tours which may lend themselves to your breaking away to visit family
or doing research for a few days. See Helene's sites at:
http://helenezx.homestead.com or www.Our-Slovakia.com for more info or
contact Helene with questions at: helenezx@ol.com. - Paul
---Hi Paul and TARG members! All the best wishes to you this Thanksgiving!
- Helene, Helen, Jozef, Stefan, Edo and Vlado
***Thank you! And the same to you...and thanks for providing us TARG members
a wonderful time in Slovakia and Poland this past summer! - Paul
---Last night I wandered into the Ellis Island records and turned up a
hometown in Austria I can't find for my STOCKI ancestor. Since he emigrated
a century ago the town may have been renamed or was misspelled in the
record. The name listed is "Podliejec, Austria". Any help would be
appreciated. All the best, Tom
***Tom, I believe I have narrowed down where your STOCKI ancestors may have
come from. While I am generally interested in trying to find people who's
ancestry came from the Tatra Mountains between Slovakia and Poland, I soon
eliminated that as a possibility. By looking through the Ellis Island
manifests where your two "Podliejec" ancestors appeared, it was interesting
to note that the only two from "Podliejec" were so very young. Kids this age
generally traveled with relatives. I looked at where the other STOCKIs came
from and a pattern emerged. Most it said were from villages in Austria,
Galicia and Russia, with a majority being from a town called "Zbaraz" with a
number from "Lozowo". The Austrian Empire was vast and included the areas of
present-day Poland and the Ukraine. The most populous Austrian Crownland was
called Galicia, and it stretched from Zywiec, Poland many hundreds of
miles east past Lvov, which was its capitol. It was mainly ruled by Polish
aristocrats. Later the area on the eastern end of Galicia became part of
Russia. Then later part of the Ukraine. Knowing that surnames are many times
very village-specific, I wondered if these villages listed as being in
Austria, Galicia and Russia could in reality actually all be rather close to
one another. I used the manifests and JewishGen's shtetlseeker site to test
my theory. Using the various town names listed for the surname STOCKI, there
is a match in the area south of Ternopil', Ukraine, just east of Poland and
Slovakia. Specifically there are two villages fairly close to one another
which were once known as "Podillja", a very close match phonetically to
"Podliejec". There is a larger town near both of these "Podillja" villages
named Zbaraz, exactly as it is spelled on the manifests. Other villages
mentioned are nearby and also nearly the same spelling: "Torski" (Torske),
"Lozowa" (Lozova), "Bylica" (Bil'ce), and "Uscieczko" (Uscieczko). Others
were a little more difficult to pick out, like "Traby" (Taurov), "Czakary"
or "Csahary" (Zagar'ye), and "Podliejec" (Podillja or Podol'ye). I believe
that you will find your ancestry came originally from one of these
"Podilljas" in the Ukraine. The coordinates for each are 4851 2538 and 4924
2556. Locate these via JewishGen's site at:
http://www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/ and their link to Eastern Europe's
MapQuest site. You may also find lots Ukrainian genealogy help on websites
like: http://www.infoukes.com/genealogy/. - Paul
---Paul, The August-September issue was the last e-newsletter I received,
yet a visit to your updated website shows a later edition was written and
presumably sent to TARG members via email. Please keep me on that email
list. The research done by your incredible group is not only very
informative, but helpful for creating family trees and planning trips. I
have often forwarded it to various Perunko (surname) relatives. Thank you. -
Ruth Bross
***Hi Ruth, Thank you. I'll make sure you're back on our list. - Paul
---Paul, I just got the video you shot for me on your trip and it's
wonderful! That video is first-rate; I'm going to have copies made as
Christmas gifts for my family members. Robert's father looks like a taller
older brother to my dad. Also, something I did not notice until seeing
little Asia on video is how much in appearance and in mannerisms she looks
like my sister's little boy. Thank you again, Paul. -Rob Otrembiak
***Glad to do it, Robert. It was fun to meet all of the kind family you have
been writing to and walk in the village where your ancestors once walked.
And your relatives really did say over and over again how much they hoped
you would come and visit. I hope you will. They treated us so well just
dropping in -- I'm sure you will get royal treatment when you go! - Paul
---Hi Paul, I've seen your newsletter and tried to get on the PARG website,
but could not. I'm working on my family tree and I've seen a lot of familiar
surnames on your listings. My last name is Sivon, and my grandparents came
from Trvdosin, Stepanov and Brezovica in Orava, SK. Relatives include
Cuchor, Baracska, Frelich, Vajdulak, Kucsik, Duitka, Korbel, Ferencsik,
Usacsik, Misutka, Javorek, Tomadlik, Habrovszky, Smudar, Leporis, Pavcso,
Adamcsek, Makan, Haluska, and Kanek. These are just some from Trvdosin! I
have a lot of family info back to about 1690 to 1850. I'm still looking for
more about Sivon. Any help would be appreciated and I have info to share as
well. Yours truly, Edward Sivon
***Thank you for writing, Edward and for your offer to share info. PARG
merged with TARG a couple of years ago and the webhost for the old PARG site
has disappeared. You can now visit our new TARG website at: www.mytarg.net
or: http://mytarg.net and read all of the old PARG newsletters as well. - Paul
---Hi Paul, I went to Poland in early September. A researcher in Krakow was
able to trace my side of the Kois family as far back in Chocholow as 1788:
Jan Kois, born 1788, married Anna Chocholowska (Rusin) in 1808. According to
the records a lot of the action took place in House #96. Amazingly it is
still in excellent condition and my cousin from Zakopane made arrangements
for us to stay overnight in the house! The family there appeared in
comfortable, but modest circumstances. They had fields, and cows, chickens
and a tractor. The fields were in the hills across the main street. They
told me that I looked like the Koises from the village. In my wanderings
around the area, I was amazed at how my grandmother had created the same
life style for herself in Rhode Island. Her house was even organized the
same as the original Chocholow houses: stove, table, and a narrow bed in the
main room. Interestingly, in the very next generation, both my mother and
aunts always had a daybed in the kitchen along with the kitchen table an
chairs. In my memories of my grandmother, Anna Sterba (Szczerba) I realized
I never saw her in a babushka. Around the house she always wore what looked
like a Dolly Madison cap, round with ruffles around the edge and a long
apron. When I mentioned that to our hosts, they thought it was a Slovakian
form of dress. So now, I have a whole new line of investigation to pursue in
tracking down my grandmother, and since my grandfather was back and forth
over the mountains and the borders changed, it is very possible. If you are
interested in the Kois records, I can photocopy them for you. Keep up the
good work!- Marylee Skwirz
***Hi Marylee and thanks for sharing your wonderful memories! I know STERBA
is the Slovak form of SZCZERBA and that my family from Dzianisz (near
Chocholow) had Slovak ties, too. It is very possible your's do, too. - Paul
---Hi Paul, Your site has really changed. Good job. My Dolinszki ancestors
(also spelled Dolinski) came from "Szepsoduneg" Hungary, or "Szepessin" and
other information states "Szepessuneg". At one point in time around 1906 I
found that they lived in "Visoke Tatry Strbske Pleso Slovakia". Can you
help? Thank you for taking the time to read my e-mail. - Nan Scheer-Hall
***Hi Nan, Thanks. Any time you see the prefix "Szepes" know that this was
Hungarian for Spis county, Slovakia. "Visoke Tatry" is Slovak for the area
known as the high Tatra mountains. "Szepsoduneg" and "Szepessuneg" are
probably variant spellings of "Szepessumeg", the name used between 1888 and
1913 for Smizany, Spis county Slovakia -- a village on the outskirts of the
city of Spisska Nova Ves in our TARG sphere. Strbske Pleso is indeed a
village in the high Tatra mountains and about 32 km to the west of Smizany. - Paul
---Hi Paul, I received the big Vlkolinec book today along with the pocket
Slovak dictionary. Thank you! The books look so nice! I have really taken
heart to this village... what a magical place. Thanks again for the books
and I wish you and your organizaiton the best of luck. - Jane Daniels
***You're very welcome, Jane, and thank you for your kind words. - Paul
---Paul - I thought you might like a couple of photos for your "under
construction" Mala Frankova, SK page. - Gloria Davis
***Hi Gloria and thank you! We have needed Mala Frankova photos and yours
are wonderful! I'm taking the week between Christmas and New Years off to
work on the TARG website. I hope to post these then. Thanks again! - Paul
---Paul, Please put me on your mailing list for the Targ e-newsletter. I
have already begun to read the back issues and with each one I read I learn
more and more. Thank you. - Kathleen S.
***Thanks Kathleen, you are now on the list. Can you share with us what
surnames you are researching and where your ancestry come from? - Paul
---Dear Paul, I recieved the video you shot for me of my ancestral village
and I was so thrilled! I thought that it was great, marvelous. The church!
Oh my God! So beautiful it makes one want to cry. You are a true hero to
me - I can't thank you enough. I'm taking it over to my father's house to
show him. - D. Boyer
***So very glad to do it. Hope your father enjoys it, too! - Paul

BIALKA TATRZANSKA PARISH RECORDS____________
While in Podhale this last August I was allowed to photograph the parish
records of Bialka Tatrzanska, Poland covering the years 1776 to 1910. This
parish once also included the villages of Brzegi, Bukowina Tatrzanska and
Gron. The pages were photographed in high-resolution digital format (jpeg
files) and are very legible. If you are interested, complete copies on a set
of three CDs are available for $30 per set. Please include $6 for postage
and shipping.

NOWY SACZ PHONEBOOK_________
The newest Nowy Sacz phonebook was photographed this last trip. It
includes most all of the Polish towns and villages within TARG's sphere and
many outside as well. This was done in the same format as the parish records
above. Copies on CD are available for $19. Please include $4 for shipping.

TARG BOOKS, MAPS, , ETC. NOW AVAILABLE__________
>>NEW BOOKS (most with lots of color photos):
Liptov Guide, Eng, 136 pages, $19.50.
Orava guide, Eng, 112 page, $19.50.
Spis Guide, Eng, 136 pages, $19.50.
Tatras Guide, Eng, 136 pages, $19.50.
Slovak-Polish Tatras Guide, Eng, must have 359 pages, $25.
Slovakia Guidebook (new for 2003), Eng, 456 pages, $45.50.
Lexicon of Slovak Culture (new for 2003), 230 pages, $22.50.
WWII: OSS in Slovakia, Enfg, 337 pages, $19.
Tatry Photos from1859-1914 (new for 2003), $13.50.
Spis Mini (new for 2003), 64 pages, $14.50.
Textiles of Slovakia, 50 pages, $4.
Slovak Musical Instruments, Eng, 30 pages, $5.
Villages of Orava Lake/Slanicky Island of Art, Eng summary, 96 pages, $12.
Zakopane in pictures, Eng, 96 pages, $13.50.
Crakow Guide, Eng, 35 pages + map, $6.
Orava Architecture, 98 pages, $21.
Illustrated Highlander Legends, 20 pages, $7.50.
Sromowce Nizne & Surroundings,104 pages, $15.50.
Spisska Kapitula & Spis Castle, Eng, 98 pages, $24.50.
Cadca, Slovakia, 88 pages, Eng, $24.50.
Cadca Tourist Folder, 58 pages, $11.50.
Slovakia's Kysuce Region Guide, 26 pages, $9.50.
Galicia's Ethnic Church Architecture, 262 pages, Eng summary, $47.50.
>>MAPS & ATLASES:
Popular Podrobny Atlas of Slovakia, 176 pages, $24.
Pocket Podrobny Atlas (new for 2003), 96 pages, $8.
Slovnaft Atlas of Slovakia, 88 pages, $15.
Atlas of both Czech & Slovak Republics, 256 pages, $18.
Detailed Atlas of Czech Republic, 198 pages, $15.
Tatra & Podhale Map, 25" x 36", $5.50.
Tatra/Podhale Map, 26" x 42", $5.
Malopolskie Province Map, 48" x 38", $6.
Falk's Krakow City map, 33" x 42", $5.
Krakow City map, 38" x 27", $4.
Czorsztyn Map, 25"x16", $4.
Folding Map of Poland, 32" x 42, $6.
Administrative Folding Map of Poland, 32"x42", $6.
>>DICTIONARIES:
Slovak-English Pocket Dictionary, 278 pages, $9.50.
Slovak-English Pocket Phrasebook, 264 pages, $9.50.
Czech-English Pocket Dictionary, 328 pages, $7.
Collin's Polish-English Dictionary, 960 pages, $18.
Delta Polish-English Dictionary, 1232 pages, $19.
>>OUT-OF-PRINT:
High Tatras Picturebook, 128 pages, $17.50.
Niedzica Castle Book, Eng descriptions, 143 pages, $22.
Polish Tatras Christmas Music, 71 pages, $7.
The Music of Podhale, 92 pages, $24.50.
Slovak Highland Culture, 232 pages, $28.50.
Dictionarly of Goral Plants & Herbs, 104 pages, $14.
Historic Levoca, Slovakia, 96 pages, $21.
Helpa, Slovaoia, 256 pages, $30.
Gemer Region of Slovakia, 248 pages, $32.
Orava Castle Poster, 13.75" wide by 20.5" tall, $12.
>>OTHER ITEMS:
2004 Polish Tatras Calendar, 8.5" x 11", $7.
2004 Poster-Sized Tatra's Wall Calendar, 19" x 13", $18.
2004 Polish Tatras Calendar, 9" x 9", $6.
2004 Zakopane & Podhale Calendar, 6.5" x 9.5", $7.
2004 Slovak Tatras Calendar, 11.5" x 5.5", $6.
Tatra Sheepdog Puppy Puzzle, 6" x 4.5", $6.
Slovak Goral Axe-Dance Cotton Tee-Shirt, men's XL, $14.
Orava Castle Cotton Tee-Shirt, men's XL, $14.
Slovak Heritage Cotton Tee-Shirt, men's Large, $14.
Slovak Heritage (smaller symbol) Cotton Tee-Shirt, men's L & XL, $14.
The Music of Spis, Slovakia CD, $21.
Oravan Music CD, $21.
Trebunia, Polish Goral Music CD, $21.
Fujara Music, various artists CD, $21.
Spoved Fujary (Fujara Music) CD, $21.
Fujara Music Cassette, $14.
NOTE: Please see TARG website for photos, product descriptions and shipping
calculation at: www.mytarg.net/Resources/Books/Main%20Books%20&%20Maps.html
or: http://mytarg.net/Resources/Books/Main%20Books%20&%20Maps.html. Remember that your purchases help fund our TARG research efforts! Better hurry --
many items in very limited supply! First come, first served!

SS INDEX INFO_______
Once only available by writing to the government office directly, the
Social Security Death Index Search is now available online at and copies of
your ancestor's documents can then be requested at:
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi. The S-5 form (the S.S.
application), if found, may list surname's, the village of origin, parent's
names, and the applicant's mother's maiden name. You start by entering the
surname, locate it, clicking on the blue SSDI Letter and printing out a
request for a copy of your ancestor's original S-5 application. The fee is
$27 if you know the Social Security number and $29 if you don't. Your
request and payment are then mailed to the address given. The process takes
three to six months.

CONTACTING TARG_____________________
The TARG e-mail address is: TARG_NET@hotmail.com. Our "snail" mailing
address is still TARG, P.O. Box 3533, Escondido, CA 92033. The official
TARG website is at: www.mytarg.net or also at: http://mytarg.net.
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