Michat Sapieha (Russia) Poland
My grandmother, Anna Sapieha, was one of about 10 children of Michat "Michael" Sapieha and Michaelina Pawlowska.Anna was born 22 May 1890 in Grodno, Wilno, Bialystok (city), Plaska (village), Studzynicne (parish), Augustow (county), Suwalki (state), (Russia) Poland.Her father Michael was a fisherman and they lived in a small village Plaska very near a river connecting lakes Serwy and Mikaszowka.I believe all the children were born in that village, but 3 died in childhood.At the time Anna emigrated to the US (1908) her and her father were living in the village of Sztabin not far from Plaska, according to the ship manifest.
The story I have heard from family members is that Anna's sister Stefka "Stephanie" and her husband were already living in Gardner, Mass, and helped Anna get to the US.Anna was 18 at in 1908 which leads me to believe that Stephanie was an older sister.I understood that Stephanie was married to John Wojzanowski, but I don't know that for fact, and I don't know anything about any children she may have had or if maybe she remarried at some point.I know little of Stephanie.I have heard that Stephanie was helpful in getting Anna a job in Gardner, where Anna met Frank Stomski, whom she married in 1909.I do know that sometime between 1912 and 1918 Anna, Frank and 3 children they had at that time moved to Peplin, Wisconsin.I understand that at some time Stephanie may have lived in Northampton, Mass, where another sister, Marianna Sapieha (born about 1868, married Vincenty Anthony Krzystofek), lived.There was also a brother Stanley Sapieha (born 1870) that emigrated to the US.It seems that sometime along the way, Stanley changed his last name to Spinsky, and for a while he lived in New York before moving to Wisconsin.I understand the other Sapieha siblings remained in Poland.They were younger than Anna and probably were prevented from coming because of WWI.
I also know of Cardinal Adam Sapieha, and have heard that we are related, but have never been able to determine the connection.Probably a cousin if we are related, he seems to have been born to late to be an uncle.
The Sapieha family is a very old and noble family in Poland and Lithuania.They have royal blood tracing back many centuries.There are many books written about the Sapieha family in the libraries, and you can find family histories all over the internet.One summary I found recaps the family as follows:
There is a very illustrious Lithuanian SAPIEGA/SAPIEHA family which played a very prominent role in history. This family, bearing the LIS arns, was known (by that name) by 1434, though there are records of earlier ancestry. They had the title of prince. The family produced 38 senators (1511-1795), 1 cardinal, 14 members of the Order of the White Eagle, 1 recipient of the Order of Virtuti Militari, 2 members of the Order of the Golden Fleece, 1 recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honor, 3 members of the Order of St. Hubert of Bavaria, 5 Knights of Malta, 1 Dame of the Order of Malta, and 14 Dames of the Order of the Starry Cross, 1 chancellor and 1 grand hetman of Lithuania, and so on.
More Replies:
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Re: Michat Sapieha (Russia) Poland
Molly McKnight 12/13/03
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Re: Michat Sapieha (Russia) Poland
James Gardner 1/18/04
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Re: Michat Sapieha (Russia) Poland
James Gardner 3/21/10
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Re: Michat Sapieha (Russia) Poland