>
> |
%META:TOPICINFO{author="PaulKlemick" date="1061179800" format="1.0" version="1.1"}%
%META:TOPICPARENT{name="PolishGenealogy"}%
-- PaulKlemick - 18 Aug 2003
SURNAMES & THEIR ORIGINS
BARDYSZEWSKA (Pol) bardo. Meaning: weavers comb.
MICHALSKI (Pol) Michal. Meaning: who is like God.
RIEGEL (Pol) rygiel/regiel. Meaning: bolt (to lock door).
SZTARKA (Pol) star/stary. Meaning: old or Stark - father-in-law or (Ger) Stark - strong.
WYCHNOWSKI possibly Wychowski (Pol) wychowac. Meaning: to bring up, to raise, to breed.
Christian Michalski (1779-1830) married (1804 Gardschau) Catharina Wychnowska (1784). They resided in the village of Roschau (Rosciszewo) in the Parish of Gardschau (Godziszewo), West Prussia, located in the ethnic region of Kociewie, in the district of Gdansk, Poland. Here they raised their children being: Johann (1806), Martin (1808), Francisca (1810), Franz (1812) & Joseph (1819).
Johann Michalski married (1831 Gardschau) Barbara Sztarka (1808), the daughter of Christian Sztarka & Catharina Bardyszewska. They remained in the village of Roschau for a short time raising their first two children being: Franz (1832) & Barbara (1833-1833). Barbara died shortly later in the village of Wimistowo.
The family then moved a mile or so north to the village of Golmkau (Golebiewo), where the following children where born, being: Johann Christian (1836-1918), Anna Julianna (1842), & Paulina (1844). The family then moved once again northwards to the village of Kleschkau (Kleszczewo), in the Parish of Kladau (Klodawa). Here the remaining family was born, being: Julianna Barbara (1847) & Zafesla? Martin (1850).
Johann Christian Michalski married (1862 Kladau) Johanna Riegel (1840-1933). They settled in the village of Kleschkau where Johanna had previously resided with child, being; John Valentin (Riegel) (1862-1938). Here Johann & Johann had a daughter, Marianna Julianna (1864).
The family then moved east to the village of Kladau where they had the following; Rosalia (1867) & Franz (1870).
The family then left the village of Kladau for the city of Hamburg, via Gdansk. They left Hamburg on the 29th of July 1872 aboard the ship "Palmerston", the third ship with assisted and nominated Polish immigrants to New Zealand sent on behalf of the Vogel Scheme. The family aboard ship were Johan 36, Johanna 32, Johan 10, Marianna 8, Rosalia 5 & Franz 1.75. While on board ship Martha was born (1872). As there are no records of Franz in New Zealand, it is quite possible that he was the 1½ year old that died on the ship on the 13th of November 1872. They arrived at Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on the 6th of December.
Their first accommodation in New Zealand was in the emigration barracks in Princes Street, Dunedin. They were transported to East Taieri along with other Poles, where timber-framed tent accommodation was hastily erected. Here John was employed on heavy labour intensive work, clearing and preparing the area ahead for the proposed railway line through the Taieri. The family settled in the area and had the remaining family, being: Annie (1875), James (1877-1911), Johanna Agnes (1880), Albert William (1883), & Helena (Nellie) (1886).
In the "1882 Freeholders", John Michalski is listed as owning land to the value of £140 in the settlement of Mosgiel Junction.
Since the late 1870's, the children first went to the East Taieri School and then to St Mary's Catholic School, Gordon Road, Mosgiel, which was opened on the 9th of February 1892. St Mary's School (Mosgiel)
BICYCLE ACCIDENT
ON RICCARTON ROAD
A SOMEWHAT serious bicycle accident took place on Sunday on the Riccarton Road. A little girl named Nellie Mehalski was playing on the road when a bicycle rider came swiftly by and came into collision with the child, knocking her down. The rider of the bicycle did not wait to see whether he had hurt the child or not; but proceeded on his journey.
Johan Mehalski bought sections 59 & 62 in Mosgiel Junction on the 19th of October 1904. Here they built a cottage at 45 Clyde Road, their home for their remaining years.
Family characteristics that have endured through the years are, blue eyes, fair complexion and a good proportion are still of the broad shouldered & stocky peasant build. They were hard workers with a quick flare of temper, which dies just as quickly and a love of dancing. Although for the pioneers there was no time to indulge in sport, the latter generations have had the stamina to do well in athletics, swimming and tennis.
Marianna, known as Mary, gave birth to a son, William Ashcroft in 1883. For some reason, he was re-registered as William Mehalski. In 1886, she had a daughter, May, who was later called Mabel. In 1887, Mary was sent to Christchurch where she gave birth to Thomas, who died a few weeks later. 1886 brought Margaret and all these children were reared as part of the Mehalski family. For some reason, Olive who was born in Dunedin in 1889, must have been adopted, as the birth entry has been sealed. Olive's birth, was also the last record that we have available of Mary Mehalski.
In 1895, Rose Mehalski married a local man, David Dickson Stevenson, who was a mill factory operator at Mosgiel, quite probably, at the Mosgiel Woollen Mill. They had four children being Eileen Margaret born in 1897, William Alexander & Johanna Agnes both born in 1901 & David Albert in 1910.
In 1901, Annie married a racehorse trainer, Henry James Goodman, and they moved to Sydney, Australia, where they were living at 21 Nicholson Road in 1913.
Martha married a Mosgiel carrier, George William Restieaux in 1903. They had five children & lost two sons in infancy. They were John Henry born 1903 & George William born 1909 but both died in 1911, Dorothy born 1905, George William born 1907 & James Comrie born 1912.
In 1906, Johann Agnes married John Comrie Campbell McLachlan a County Inspector.
Albert William married Margaret Emma Davidson and had two sons, James Linday and Albert Ross, who wrote the golfing handbook, 'Golf at Russley'.
In 1906, Margaret married a Mosgiel labourer, John Andrew Olsen.
Nell married William Hawke, a surface man & ganger, in Mosgiel in 1908 and had five children: William in 1908, Leo James 1910, Lesley Ramond 1911, Myra Susannah 1912 & Vincent in 1915. It is thought that perhaps Leo Cydrick born in 1907 may have been adopted in 1910? It has not been verified whether Nell married a Mr. Millar, a Hotel Keeper of Riverton, after William Hawke's death.
Mabel married Frederick Schluter, a commercial traveller in 1910.
William Ashcroft Mehalski married Margaret Florence Freeman in Mosgiel in 1912 and his marriage certificate reads William John Mehalski, but for all that he was known to all and sundry as 'Plum'. There were four children of the marriage. Percival Cardell (Reggie) was born in 1907, Florence Margaret in 1912, Maud Ethel in 1913, & Dorothy May in 1919. William worked in the mine and was an acknowledged explosive expert. He had what was called a 'ticket'. He was also a dedicated fisherman and knew the Taieri River like the back of his hand. His daughter, Maud fell victim to Tuberculosis and passed away in 1949, when she was only 35, leaving a family of four young children.
At Christmas, 1911, James was the first to die in New Zealand. He was working in the Catlins, clearing bush when a summer storm blew up about 4 pm. James left his tent and took shelter with his friend, William Titer, when there was a bolt of lightning. When Titer came round, he found James pinned under a tree that had ripped through the tent. The Doctor was summoned and arrived about 1 am and found James barely conscious and paralyzed. He arranged for him to be conveyed to Dunedin Hospital, where he lingered until Christmas Day. Mabel says in a statement to the Coroner's Court that she visited him but he was quite unable to give any account of the accident. His father bought a Family plot, Block 21, Lot 52, in the new Andersons Bay Cemetery, rather than take him on the difficult trip over the hills, to the East Taieri Cemetery.
It was another freak of nature that caused the second tragic death in the Mehalski family. The 1931, the Napier Earthquake claimed the life of Rose and David Stevenson's son, William, who was a student priest at Marist Brother's Seminary at Greenmeadows, near Napier. When the earthquake occurred, William, with two Marist Fathers and six students were praying in the Chapel and were suddenly hit by falling masonry. It was a dreadful shock for the family, as they were all so proud to have a member of the family entering the Church.
ST. MARY'S SEMINARY.
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT
(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM)
John Mehalski was naturalised in 1918 working as a labourer. He died on the 1st of December 1918. Dorrie Riddle (nee Mehalski), recalls as a young girl having to sit with her Grandmother when she was dying and had not long to live. She was most indignant, and later told her mother "Grannie kept on talking to God, and never once spoke to me, all the time I was there. Didn't even say, Hello!" Johanna died on the 16th of May 1933. Both are buried at the Anderson's Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. |
Johan Mehalski bought sections 59 & 62 in Mosgiel Junction on the 19th of October 1904. Here they built a cottage at 45 Clyde Road, their home for their remaining years.
At Christmas, 1911, James was the first to die in New Zealand. He was working in the Catlins, clearing bush when a summer storm blew up about 4 pm. James left his tent and took shelter with his friend, William Titer, when there was a bolt of lightning. When Titer came round, he found James pinned under a tree that had ripped through the tent. The Doctor was summoned and arrived about 1 am and found James barely conscious and paralyzed. He arranged for him to be conveyed to Dunedin Hospital, where he lingered until Christmas Day. Mabel says in a statement to the Coroner's Court that she visited him but he was quite unable to give any account of the accident. His father bought a Family plot, Block 21, Lot 52, Grave in the new Andersons Bay Cemetery, rather than take him on the difficult trip over the hills, to the East Taieri Cemetery.