THIS GIVES SOME HISTORY about KOSTRUBALA Paul is a genealogist. He is grandson of Jan (John) Kostrubala. I am granddaughter of Joseph Kostrubala. The following are excerpts. My comments not in the original emails I enclose in brackets [ ]. April 1, 1999 From me to Paul. When I emailed this I did not know he was a relative, but did know he was researching several names - Hello, My email magazine listed a genealogy website, so for fun I plugged in Kostrubala and saw that you had submitted the name. Of the names you submitted, I recognize Harkot, but not the others. Are you related to the Kostrubalas? I also saw that you have the name dating from 1604. Do you mean that is as far back as the name goes on record, or that in 1604 some Kostrubalas came here? [to America] All I know about it is from Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa (Joseph Gabriel Kostrubala) came over from Poland when he was 10 years old. He was born in 1903. He came with his parents, Bobsha and Ja-Ja (I'm probably not spelling that right, but that's what we called them), and his brothers, John and Marion . Bobsha's maiden surname was Harkot - at least I believe that's what Grandma said [this is correct]. Bobsha's first name was Antoinette, I think [this is wrong, her first name was Helen]. I remember her in Chicago. Ja-Ja died before I was born. His first name was Anthony. I don't recall meeting John, but I do remember Marion and his wife Mitzi. Anyway, if you are a relative, hello and good to 'meet' you. I have a photograph of Grandpa, Uncle John, Uncle Marion, Bobsha and Ja-Ja - all of them adults (I believe it's Easter Sunday). If you don't have a copy and would like one, please tell me and I'll send to you a copy. They are the only Kostrubalas that I know of who first came here, but you may well know of earlier Kostrubalas, and if you do and have time, please tell me what you know about the earliest ones that came here [to America]. If you are a genealogist, then great that you have Kostrubala in that list, and I hope this other information, little that it is, will be of use if you are trying to find out more about the immigration of any of those people's names that you listed on the website. Happy Easter, Emily Claire Kostrubala Paul's response to me - Hello 2nd cousin! Indeed, we are related. I believe you are Tad's Kostrubala's daughter, but excuse me if I get which marriage you are from. I believe his first, and you have a brother Nathaniel, correct? If not, then I know the other options. [I laughed outloud when I read that - poor Paul, don't blame him that he can't keep up with what and with whom the jackrabbit is breeding]. Your grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. Mine was Jan (John) your's was Joseph's. The Kostrubala's go back to Poland, to 1604, definitely not America. For that matter, only our grandfathers and their parents might only be the only Kostrubala's to come to America. I have a trace of another Jan Kostrubala coming to America for a visit but I'm not sure who he was, maybe a cousin to our granfather's. Please feel free to ask any and all questions. I am a dentist by trade (gee, that's original for this family:-), but a very active genealogist and am currently the President of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, here in Chicago. I'm married, 43 years old, my wife's name is Andrea and I have a stepdaughter, Lisa. Be glad to share more info with you. Paul My response to Paul - Hello Paul, How about that, we're cousins! Amazing who one comes across through the Internet. Well you are definitely the one to ask about the Kostrubalas: president of the Polish Genealogical Society of America - I'm impressed. Is your mother Pola, John's (Jan's) daughter? Mother thinks that must be so. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, who are they and do they have children? Pola's brother was Barty, is that right? How many children did Barty have? Did Jan, uncle Marion's son (correct?), have any children? And did Jan have any other siblings? Also, please, do I have that right - that Bobsha's surname was Harkot? She's our great grandmother. Do you remember her? I remember visiting her in Chicago, while she was still alive. I was a child, so considered visits to her a lot of fun because I'd play in her wheelchair while the adults visited. [And they spoke only Polish in Babcia's home, so I didn't understand a single word they said. This is a cute story - Babcia refused to speak English, insisting people speak only Polish around her. When Mother (Welsh/English/Scot descent) met Babcia for the first time, with 4 month old baby Nat in tow, Tad warned her it will be difficult because Babcia and Ja-ja insist on Polish spoken in their home, and won't speak English. Mother said that's alright, ALL women love babies so Babcia will warm to her because of the great-grandbaby. Babcia greets them at the door, entertains, speaking only Polish, which Mother can't understand one whit, and Babcia knows it. But it all seems fun to Mother anyway. After awhile Babcia motions Mother to follow her into the kitchen with the baby, away from sight and earshot of the other adults. Once alone and sure no other adult has followed them, Babcia opens her mouth and speaks perfect English as she makes over her great grandbaby, asking how much he weighed at birth, how much he weighs now, what does he like to eat, how does he sleep, how is his disposition, etc. When Mother asks Babcia how did she learn English, Babcia grins and claims she learned it by listening to the radio. Don't know how a radio can teach one a language, but that was Babcia's answer. After the great grandbaby making over is done, Babcia and Mother return to the living room, where Babcia switches to Polish and does not deviate from it, even when bidding Mother goodbye - that's in Polish too. For you have to understand, there are other people in the room during the farewell. I get tickled by this story. Babcia was a character.] So the name Kostrubala goes back to Poland to 1604. That's not all that long ago. Do you know where it originated? I ask this because when I was in Greece the immigration officers, upon seeing my passport, pronounced my name effortlessly and friendlily welcomed me 'back' to Greece, exclaiming Kostrubala is a Greek surname. I had similar reactions from other Greeks there - who also volunteered it's a Greek name. First I'd ever heard of that. What have you heard? Yes, Tad is my father from his marriage to my mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Butler, his first wife. I was close to Grandpa (your great uncle), who was a very fine man. I loved him dearly. A great grandpa. I was also close to Grandma (your great aunt by marriage) who, sadly, died 5 years ago this month. Yes I have a brother named Nat (Nathaniel), whom I've not seen in many years. He has two children from his marriage to Beverly (divorced). They are Matthew and Elizabeth, both in college now. All of us (kids and their mother) stay in contact and get together. So Matthew and Elizabeth are either your 2nd cousins, once removed (being the children of your second cousin, Nat) or they are your 3rd cousins (I'm not certain how such terms are defined.) Those children, especially Elizabeth, are smart as whips and both are very good kids. My husband is Roy. His surname is Pugh (as in son of Hugh - that's what it means. It's a Welsh surname.) I'm 39, he's 40. We have no children - our preference. We have (had) 2 cats, Critter and Vermin, 12 years old. Sadly, Critter recently passed away. These cats are our children, so you have some cat cousins (tee, hee). My very best to Andrea, Lisa and you, Paul. Happy Easter. Emily Claire Paul's response to me - Hi Emilyclaire, (Is it really one name, hyphenated, or 2 names :-) To answer some of your questions. If I miss some, fire back. Mom is indeed Pola, has a brother Bart and are the children of John, brother to Joseph and Marion, (and Peter who died in Poland before they left). They came to America through NY in 1913. Their father Antoni came ahead by one year October 1912, to Baltimore, and then on to Chicago. I have one sister Christine, born 1952 who is married to Richard Malinowski since 1972. They have twin boys, age 21, David and Robert. David is a senior at the Un. of Chicago and Robert is Jr/Sr at Depaul University. Neither are married at this time. Bart has 5 kids, Bart Jr. 1962, Sharon 1963, Gary 1964, Craig abt 1966,and Mark abt 1968. Craig and Gary are married and Craig has one son, just a few months ago, he too is a dentist, and Gary has one son, one daughter. Babcia (Helen Kostrubala) our greatgrandmother was indeed a Harkot from home. I've traced her family to the early 1700's near the city of Zamosc in Poland, when their name stops showing up in the books. This would indicate an immigration into the area but from where, I can't say, but rumor has it in Germany. Unsubstantiated at this point. ...As for it being Greek, well, maybe. Kost = bone and comes from the Greek, so if we were able to get back far enough, it just may be that way. Unfortunately, church records for the Kostrubala parish only start in 1603, and there is an Elizabeth Kostrubala serving as godmother to a child on the 2nd page. Through the internet, I been in contact with most of your brothers and sisters (1/2) as I've contacted Annika, Christine, and just recently, Alexandra, then before there was Tadz and Kazmier, with a note from Gina [Giovanna], and the last one, I can't remember at this point. [Anastasia]. Do you have any contact with any of them? Do you want any addresses? As for Uncle Marion's kids, Jan and Dana, not too much contact at all. Andrea and I visited with Aunt Mitzi in 1985 in Florida and Jan was living with his son, together with Aunt Mitzi. He was divorced already. Dana lived down there also, but didn't come to see us. I have no idea what she's up to now at all. ....Have you been to Poland? I've been fortunate to have been there in 1992, 1994, 1995, and last August 1998, but only once in the home region and towns (1995). We met a 2nd cousin to my mom and your dad who was still living on the small plot of farm owned by the Kostrubalas. He showed us the cemetery where they are buried, but unfortunately, died himself about 6 months later. He remembered when our greatgrandfather Antoni visited Poland in 1938, and he was waiting for someone to return after all of those years. I'm glad we met him, but feel bad that we only spent a day with him as we had no idea if there were any relatives left. My opinion at this time and 10 years of research, is that anyone anywhere with the name of Kostrubala is a relative. Its just not a common name and the vast majority are all in that area of Zamosc in Poland. Love to hear more about you and your family. Feel free to clue me in. Paul My response to Paul - Hello Paul, Thank you for all the answers to my questions in my last email. I think you answered them all. I think that's neat that there was an Elizabeth Kostrubala back in 1604. I'll have to tell Elizabeth about that. You ask about my name. My email account for some reason has it all one word. It isn't. It's correctly two separate words, Emily Claire, though I sometimes hyphenate it. (I was named for both my grandmothers and have always gone by Emily Claire, so as not to slight either grandma.) I was born in Chicago in 8/59. Nat was born in Charlottesville, Virginia in 8/55. So Babcia's (now I know how to spell it correctly) name was Helen. I didn't know that. Grandma said Harkot was a French name - who knows. I didn't know that Ja-Ja came over one year earlier, nor that they had a brother Peter who died in Poland. Grandpa never mentioned him. Peter must have been very young when he died, poor thing. Well since Kost is from the Greek (I didn't know that), and those Greeks, unsolicited, always exclaimed I'm 'Greek' and welcomed me 'back' to Greece whenever they learned my name, then I'll bet it is. I was never interested in the origin of the name, always assumed it was Polish. But I wondered about it after the reception I got in Greece every time somebody learned my name (including the immigration officials). Also, one of Elizabeth's teachers - I think a language teacher, but not positive - told her that her name's Greek (Kostrubala). She replied that it's Polish. The teacher corrected her that it was Greek. I do know from history books that a few Greek missionaries traveled to that area of the world around 1000 A.D. I don't know that they'd have surnames then, however. No, I haven't been to Poland even though I lived in London several years, so it was close by, but I just never went there. You certainly have seen it though. That's amazing that there was a relative in Poland and that you got to meet him. I assumed everybody got out before, or got killed during, the world wars. I'm sure it pleased the fellow to meet you all. Waiting since 1938 - that's a long time. I think seeing the cemetery where they're buried is neat. Where in Poland is Zamosc? Is it near the Russian or the German side or smack dab in the middle? [It is on south and east, and has been incorporated into Lublin province now. Another link on this website has a map. Check the history of Poland link, think that's where the map is. One of those Poland links.] I knew two Poles in London - neither of them had heard of the name Kostrubala. And neither of them spoke with Grandpa's accent. [A Russian sounding accent. Some Russian men I knew in London spoke with Grandpa's accent]. So that's why I wonder about the location. I'm sure you're right that anybody, anywhere with that name in their family is a relative. My best to you and your family, Emily Claire