|
My great grandfather Daniel Tarara was born January 3, 1852 in the area called “Slask” around the town of Oppeln, Germany (now Opole, Poland after WWII) and came to St. Paul, Minnesota via New York in April of 1883. Daniel’s wife Barbara Kaluza, born December 4, 1852, and their first child, a daughter, Hedwig (later married Walter Zawislak) came to America one year later. Barbara’s death certificate states her father’s name only as R. Kaluza with no information about her mother. I would like to find out more information about her parents and family. Her parents would have been born between 1790-1830, probably in the area of Oppeln, Germany.
Daniel’s father’s name was Jacob Tarara. A church marriage record (in Debie, Poland) was found which states that Jacob’s marriage took place on May 27, 1844 in Ligota Turawska to Maria Sikora, the oldest daughter of Johann Sikora of Sacreu. I don’t know if Sacreu is in Poland or Germany. Jacob was the youngest son of Joseph Tarara, a gardener, residing in Bierdzany, Poland. Jacob’s brothers and sisters are unknown at this time.
Daniel had a sister, Maria Tarara. She had a son, Thomas Tarara, born January 7, 1876 in Ligota Turawaska, Poland. Thomas Tarara married Maria Tator. They had six children. (Hedwig, Marie, Adalbert, Josef, Peter Paul, and Pelagia) Maria died February 13, 1935 in Szedrzik, Poland. Thomas died November 22, 1953 in Dembio, Poland. Pelagia Tarara married Ulrich Schmidt and is the last living child of Thomas Tarara. The last time I wrote to her was in 1985. She and Ulrich were living in Filderstadt, West Germany.
The Tarara name is originally from Sicily. I hope someday to find the Sicilian link. Sicilian church folklore claims a princess from Sicily married a man of royalty from Germany. He took her from Sicily to Germany with her small entourage of servants. One of the male servants had the last name, of Tarara. Supposedly, that is where the Tarara families in Germany and Poland have their origin. The year of transition is unknown at this time. There are still many Tararas in Sicily today with descendants in America, including St. Paul, Minnesota.
Other folklore claims, prior to Sicily, the Tarara family originated in Turkey, near the base of Mount Ararat the cradle of civilization and Noah’s Ark. Some languages in that part of the world are read and written the opposite of English, that is from right to left. Hence, Ararat would be read as Tarara. Many people chose a family name based on the village of their family origin. Is the Tarara story only folklore??
If your family name is Tarara and you would like to exchange/contribute family history information, please e-mail me.
|
