Catharina (Soltysiak) Nowak (abt. 1840 - 1916)

Born about May 1840 in Poland

Wife of Joseph Nowak — married 21 Feb 1857 in Konarzewo, gmina Dopiewo, powiat poznański, woj. wielkopolskie, Polska

Descendants

Died 20 Mar 1916 at about age 75 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Catherine (Soltysiak) Nowak has Polish Roots.

Biography

Catherine (Soltysiak) Nowak migrated from Poland to United States.

Catherine Soltysiak and Joseph Nowak were married in Poland. Together they had nine children:

1. Antonina (Nowak) Kroliczak
2. Catharine (Nowak) Gawronek
3. Magdalena (Nowak) Magdziak
4. Francis Nowak
5. Joseph Nowak
6. Eva (Nowak) Wysocki
7. Marianna K. (Nowak) Nelson (formerly Wardinsky)
8. Franciska (Nowak) Bartkowiak
9. Johann Nowak

Before coming to the United States, they were living in a town called Chomencice, which is near Konarzewo, Poznan, Poland. There, Joseph worked as a farmer (Landwirt) and a day laborer (Tagelöhner) while Catherine worked as a homemaker. Joseph and Catherine departed for the United States on 25 April 1898 on the S. S. Pennsylvania (Hamburg-American Lines). They arrived on 7 May 1898. They traveled with their unmarried daughter Franciska Nowak, and their daughter Marianna K. (Nowak) Nelson (formerly Wardinsky), her current husband Martin Wardinsky, and their young daughter Agnes Wardinsky. The immigration documents explain that they were going to live with their son-in-law, Piotr Kroliczak and their daughter Antonina (Nowak) Kroliczak, who had arrived in the United States seven years earlier, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1900, Joseph and Catherine were living at 4483 Livingston Street, renting a place in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia from their son-in-law Piotr Kroliczak, who lived next door at 4485 Livingston Street. At the time their daughter Francizska and son Johann were both living with them. Joseph was old in age, but working as a day laborer.

By 1910, Joseph and Catherine were renting a duplex by themselves at 4315 Almond Street in Bridesburg. His job is listed as "contractor."

Catherine (Nowak) Soltysiak passed away on 20 March 1916, four years after her husband. She is buried alongside Joseph Nowak at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Bridesburg, Philadelphia, although their is no grave marker with their names. Their grave is in a family plot owned by her son-in-law Piotr Kroliczak.

Sources

• Konarzewo Roman Catholic Parish, "The Marriage Record for Józef NOWAK and atarzyna Sołtysiak - 4/1857".

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3WH-NF3 : accessed 28 September 2017), Kate Novak, Philadelphia city Ward 25, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 582, sheet 18A, family 346, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,466.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MG7N-DH8 : accessed 28 September 2017), Catherine Nowak, Philadelphia Ward 45, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1149, sheet 20B, family 390, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1414; FHL microfilm 1,375,427.

• Death Certificate for Catherine Nowak, 20 Mar 1916; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. File No. 37480, Registered No. 7465. Digital Copy in the possession of Christina Spiker.

• Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Microfilm No.: K_1758 Staatsarchiv Hamburg. Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008. Original data: Staatsarchiv Hamburg, Bestand: 373-7 I, VIII (Auswanderungsamt I). Mikrofilmrollen K 1701 - K 2008, S 17363 - S 17383, 13116 - 13183.

• Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery Office, Bridesburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Lot owner card for Peter Kroliczak. Grave for Catherine Nowak, Section O, Lot 57, Range 2. Photocopy of original in the possession of Christina Spiker.