The American descendants of Ferdinand Witt and Mary Ann Ptach (pronounced "PA tock") know their ancestors came to the United States from Germany in the 1870s. Ferdinand was born April 15, 1840. It is unconfirmed but some evidence says his parents were Johan Witt (about 1805) and Henrietta Zelke (about 1810). We think he had two brothers, John and August, and a half brother Francis (Frank Jacob Witt 1828-1917). Francis came to Illinois and then Pierce City and is an ancestor of the Ceselski family. He is also buried in St Marys. Ferdinand immigrated to Illinois near Francis in 1866 from what is now Strezebielino, Poland then West Prussia. In the 1860s this area was controlled by the Germans (West Prussia). According to the 1900 census, Ferdinand was a naturalized US citizen. He could read, write and speak English. Ferdinand died May 13, 1907 at the age of 67 years in Barry County, Missouri.
Mary Ann was born March 19, 1849. She came to the U.S. from Rozlazino, Poland but we don't know if she was born there. Her parents were Francis and Barbara Ptach. They were Kashubian, a Slavic Catholic group with their own culture that lived in the northern area of Poland. They spoke what was called "low Polish". They were a minority of about 10% of the population and were often the targets of discrimination. Mary Ann immigrated in 1869 per the 1900 census. She died February 3, 1923 in Barry County, Missouri. She had four known siblings. Pauline Ptach Maike immigrated to Australia in 1873, married and had eight children (there lots of cousins in Australia). Anna Ptach married Frank Liske in Chicago in 1886 and they had three children. August Ptach married Anastasia Bobrytzke in Chicago and they had three children. They are ancestors to Madeline Keiling Ceselski (Richard's wife). Ptach is an unusual name and there are Ptachs in Illinois and Indiana who may be related to Mary.
Strezebielino and Rozlazino and the Kashubian culture can be located by searching the internet. The cities are about 16 miles apart in an area north and east of Gdansk, Poland. There is some possibility but no evidence the families may have known each other or at least known mutual friends.
Story continued on Mary Ann's site.
Mary Ann was born March 19, 1849. She came to the U.S. from Rozlazino, Poland but we don't know if she was born there. Her parents were Francis and Barbara Ptach. They were Kashubian, a Slavic Catholic group with their own culture that lived in the northern area of Poland. They spoke what was called "low Polish". They were a minority of about 10% of the population and were often the targets of discrimination. Mary Ann immigrated in 1869 per the 1900 census. She died February 3, 1923 in Barry County, Missouri. She had four known siblings. Pauline Ptach Maike immigrated to Australia in 1873, married and had eight children (there lots of cousins in Australia). Anna Ptach married Frank Liske in Chicago in 1886 and they had three children. August Ptach married Anastasia Bobrytzke in Chicago and they had three children. They are ancestors to Madeline Keiling Ceselski (Richard's wife). Ptach is an unusual name and there are Ptachs in Illinois and Indiana who may be related to Mary.
Strezebielino and Rozlazino and the Kashubian culture can be located by searching the internet. The cities are about 16 miles apart in an area north and east of Gdansk, Poland. There is some possibility but no evidence the families may have known each other or at least known mutual friends.
Story continued on Mary Ann's site.
The American descendants of Ferdinand Witt and Mary Ann Ptach (pronounced "PA tock") know their ancestors came to the United States from Germany in the 1870s. Ferdinand was born April 15, 1840. It is unconfirmed but some evidence says his parents were Johan Witt (about 1805) and Henrietta Zelke (about 1810). We think he had two brothers, John and August, and a half brother Francis (Frank Jacob Witt 1828-1917). Francis came to Illinois and then Pierce City and is an ancestor of the Ceselski family. He is also buried in St Marys. Ferdinand immigrated to Illinois near Francis in 1866 from what is now Strezebielino, Poland then West Prussia. In the 1860s this area was controlled by the Germans (West Prussia). According to the 1900 census, Ferdinand was a naturalized US citizen. He could read, write and speak English. Ferdinand died May 13, 1907 at the age of 67 years in Barry County, Missouri.
Mary Ann was born March 19, 1849. She came to the U.S. from Rozlazino, Poland but we don't know if she was born there. Her parents were Francis and Barbara Ptach. They were Kashubian, a Slavic Catholic group with their own culture that lived in the northern area of Poland. They spoke what was called "low Polish". They were a minority of about 10% of the population and were often the targets of discrimination. Mary Ann immigrated in 1869 per the 1900 census. She died February 3, 1923 in Barry County, Missouri. She had four known siblings. Pauline Ptach Maike immigrated to Australia in 1873, married and had eight children (there lots of cousins in Australia). Anna Ptach married Frank Liske in Chicago in 1886 and they had three children. August Ptach married Anastasia Bobrytzke in Chicago and they had three children. They are ancestors to Madeline Keiling Ceselski (Richard's wife). Ptach is an unusual name and there are Ptachs in Illinois and Indiana who may be related to Mary.
Strezebielino and Rozlazino and the Kashubian culture can be located by searching the internet. The cities are about 16 miles apart in an area north and east of Gdansk, Poland. There is some possibility but no evidence the families may have known each other or at least known mutual friends.
Story continued on Mary Ann's site.
Mary Ann was born March 19, 1849. She came to the U.S. from Rozlazino, Poland but we don't know if she was born there. Her parents were Francis and Barbara Ptach. They were Kashubian, a Slavic Catholic group with their own culture that lived in the northern area of Poland. They spoke what was called "low Polish". They were a minority of about 10% of the population and were often the targets of discrimination. Mary Ann immigrated in 1869 per the 1900 census. She died February 3, 1923 in Barry County, Missouri. She had four known siblings. Pauline Ptach Maike immigrated to Australia in 1873, married and had eight children (there lots of cousins in Australia). Anna Ptach married Frank Liske in Chicago in 1886 and they had three children. August Ptach married Anastasia Bobrytzke in Chicago and they had three children. They are ancestors to Madeline Keiling Ceselski (Richard's wife). Ptach is an unusual name and there are Ptachs in Illinois and Indiana who may be related to Mary.
Strezebielino and Rozlazino and the Kashubian culture can be located by searching the internet. The cities are about 16 miles apart in an area north and east of Gdansk, Poland. There is some possibility but no evidence the families may have known each other or at least known mutual friends.
Story continued on Mary Ann's site.
Inscription
Hier ruhen in Gott, Ferdinand Witt, geb 15 April 1840, gest 13 Marz 1907
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