Family of Michael Pionk and Christine Dominik

This post is the tenth in a series examining the nine early Pionke, Pionk, Pionek, and Piontke family groups in Chicago, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.


Today's post is our first look at a Pionk family whose origin lies outside the Strzepcz parish. Michael Pionk (or Piontke) was born in Połczyno (Polzin) on 1 October 1826 and baptized in the Puck (Putzig) parish. His parents were Michael Pionk and Marianna Hewelt.

Michael Piontke - 1826 baptism, Puck parish

Michael Pionk's father (Michael) was also baptized in Puck. He was born in Puck on 11 September 1792 to parents Nicholas Pionk (Piontk, Piontke) and Magdalena Schomburg. Nicholas Pionk and Magdalena were married in Puck in 1783. Thus Michael Pionk's family was in the Puck parish since at least the 1780's.

Michael Pionk and first wife Magdalena Kandau

Michael Pionk married Magdalena Kandau, daughter of Johann Kandau and Rosalia Paczocha, in Swarzewo parish in 1855. Magdalena was a resident of Władysławowo (formerly Grossendorf or Wielka Wieś), a village on the Baltic coast. Michael's elder brother Johann had resided there in 1840; perhaps Michael met his bride through his brother.

Michael and Magdalena had one daughter, Rosalia Franciska, born in 1856. Sadly, Magdalena died that year and Rosalia died a few years later, at less than three years of age.

Michael Pionk and second wife Christine Dominik

Michael Pionk married second wife Christine Dominik in Swarzewo parish in 1858. Bride and groom were both residents of Władysławowo. He was 27 and she was 23. Christine may have been the daughter of Matthaeus Dominik and Veronica Trendel, a couple from Starzyno parish. Michael and Christine had eight children in 20 years, all born in Władysławowo and baptized in Swarzewo. Michael was an Einwohner, an agricultural laborer renting from a farmer.

The map below shows villages Połczyno and Władysławowo, and parishes Puck, Swarzewo, and Starzyno.

Children of Michael Pionk (Piontke) and Christina Dominik:

• Anna Marianna Pionk was born in 1859.
• Jacob Joseph Pionk was born in 1861.
• Michael Martin Pionk was born 1863. He died on 15 August 1881 in Władysławowo.
• Christine Julianne Pionk was born in 1866.
• Marianna (Mary) Pionk was born in 1870.
• Joseph Johann Pionk (Pionek) was born in 1872.
• Johann Pionk was born on 19 February 1875. He died on 7 July 1885 in Chicago.
• Franciska Pionk was born on 23 August 1877 and died on 15 August 1881 in Władysławowo.

Michael Pionk or Piontke died on 26 June 1881 in Władysławowo. As you can see above, two of his children died only two months later. The family began to emigrate the following year.

Emigration and life in Chicago

Michael and Christine's eldest son Jacob was the first to emigrate. He sailed from Bremen, Germany in April 1882 aboard the Baltimore, and arrived in Baltimore on 8 May. According to the passenger list, his destination was Chicago. Interestingly, his surname was spelled "Pionke" in this record.

Jacob Pionk was joined by the rest of his family the following year. His mother Christine and siblings Anna, Christine, Marianna, Joseph, and Johann traveled together on the Braunschweig and arrived in Baltimore on 22 March 1883.

Jacob Pionke - 1882 Baltimore passenger list

Christine (Dominik) Pionk and her family settled in Chicago's St. Stanislaus Kostka parish, Chicago's first Polish parish. Her son Johann died at age 10, only two years after coming to the U.S. He was buried at St. Adalbert Cemetery.

Michael and Christine's three daughters were all married at St. Stanislaus Kostka. Anna married August Schultz, son of Johann Schultz and Franciska Koss, only seven months after arriving in the U.S. August may have been from Łebcz in Swarzewo parish (the handwriting in the marriage record is unclear). Christine married Joseph Elwart, son of Christine Elwart, the following year. Joseph was also from Władysławowo. Marianna married Anton Kuhr, son of Franz Kuhr and Marianna Górska of Wejherowo, in 1888.

Further migration—Wisconsin, South Dakota, and beyond

This Pionk family spread out further and faster than any of the other Pionk/Pionke families I have researched. August and Anna (Pionk) Schultz moved to northeast South Dakota soon after their marriage; their first child was born in Grenville in 1884. Jacob Pionk married Katherine Snaza in 1886 and their first child was born in Grenville in 1887.

It seems the rest of the family remained in Chicago until 1891 or 1892. Joseph and Christine (Pionk) Elwart moved to St. Josaphat parish (a Kashubian parish) shortly before leaving Chicago. By 1894 they were all in Day County, South Dakota. There was a growing community of Polish immigrants in Day County, which included some familiar Kashubian names.

The map below shows South Dakota towns Grenville and Kosciusko.

August and Anna (Pionk) Schultz lived in Grenville, South Dakota, where August was a plasterer, until about 1910. By 1910 they had moved to Portland, Oregon and in 1920 they were living in Los Angeles, California. Anna probably died there; her husband then returned to South Dakota to live with one of their daughters. August and Anna had 12 children, only seven of whom were alive in 1910. They were likely all born in South Dakota. They ended up in Washington state, California, Minnesota, and Texas.

Jacob Pionk, who owned his own farm, remained in Grenville for the rest of his life. He and Katherine had 12 children. Most of them also stayed in South Dakota, but some moved to Minnesota and Washington state. As far as I can tell, Jacob's male descendants all kept the "Pionk" spelling.

Joseph Elwart also owned a farm in Day County, in Kosciusko Township. According to census information, Joseph and Christine (Pionk) had 15 children, only six of whom were alive in 1910. Between 1910 and 1920, they moved to Friendship, Wisconsin, where Joseph continued to farm. In 1930, he was the proprietor of a restaurant. Two of Joseph and Christine's children moved back to Chicago as young adults. Their youngest daughter raised her family in the Chicago area. The rest, I believe, stayed in Wisconsin. Some of them changed their surname to Elwort or Ellsworth.

Anton and Mary (Pionk) Kuhr stayed in South Dakota only a few years. Two of their 10 children were born there, the rest in Chicago. Around 1902, the family moved from St. Stanislaus Kostka to St. Hyacinth, another Polish parish on Chicago's north side. Anton was a brick mason, carpenter, and contractor. Sometime between 1915 and 1920, Anton and Mary moved to Florida with their younger children. By 1930, Anton and Mary were back in Chicago. Some of their children stayed in Florida, others in Chicago, and others moved to California and Arizona.

Joseph Pionk married Agatha or Agnes Snaza (Katherine's sister) in 1894. Their first three children were born in Grenville, South Dakota, where Joseph worked as a farm laborer. The family moved to Wausau, Wisconsin around 1901. Eight more children were born there. Joseph was a general laborer in Wausau, working at a paper mill and other odd jobs. A couple of Joseph and Agatha's children stayed in Wisconsin, but the rest went to California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, and Minnesota. Interestingly, Joseph and his family adopted the "Pionek" spelling, just like several of the other Pionk or Pionke families who moved to Wisconsin.

The map below shows the towns Friendship (where Christine Elwart lived) and Wausau (where Joseph Pionk lived). For reference, it also shows Stevens Point (where some of the Pionke/Leik and Pionk/Mrozewska groups lived) and Angelica (where some of the Pionk/Orzeszk group lived).

Christine (Dominik) Pionk was recorded in the 1900 census living with her son Joseph and his family in Grenville. I have not found her death or burial record. However, she was not counted in the 1910 census, so presumably she died in Grenville between 1900 and 1910.

Pionke trivia: an interesting connection

August and Anna (Pionk) Schultz's eldest daughter Ottilia married Frank Burchacz (Burchatz), son of Joseph Burchacz and Martha Czerwinska. Joseph Burchacz's first wife was Anna Pionk or Pionke, daughter of Jacob Pionk and Franciska Leik. And Joseph's sister Anna married Albert Pionke (also the son of Jacob Pionk and Franciska Leik).

Thus the descendants of Frank Burchacz and Ottilie Schultz are related not only to the Puck Pionks, but also to some of the Strzepcz Pionks (those who descend from Albert Pionke and Anna Burchacz). There are many such interconnections in our small Kashubian-American world!

Pionke Friday: We will post about the Pionkes on Fridays. This is the tenth post in a series about the Pionke, Pionk, and Pionek families here in the U.S. and back in the home country. Up next: descendants of Johann Pionke and Anna Maryanna Janke of Usch.

Related posts:

• Early Pionke and Pionek Families in Chicago and Wisconsin
• Pionke — The mystery of a name

© TreeQuest: An Unexpected Journey 2017.

Thanks: Thanks to my genealogy colleague and distant cousin Michael Pionke for his translation of the term "Einwohner".

Reference:

• PTG Pomorskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne (Pomeranian Genealogical Association) - birth, marriage, death indexes.
• Genteka baza Polskiego Towarzystwa Genealogicznego - birth, marriage, death indexes.
• FamilySearch.com: Illinois, Chicago, Catholic Church Records, 1833-1925 [must login to view images]
• GenBaza [account and login required] - AP_Gdansk, Puck kat_1439, 0003_1823-1845 (Gdansk Diocese Archive, Puck Catholic parish)
• GenBaza [account and login required] - AP_Gdansk, Urzedy Stanu Ciwilnego, Swarzewo_2103 (Gdansk Diocese Archive, Swarzewo civil registry office)
• FamilySearch.org, Germany Indexed Historical Records - Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898. Searched births in Putzig (Puck.)
• FamilySearch.org, Germany Indexed Historical Records - Germany Marriages, 1558-1929. Searched marriages in Putzig (Puck.)
• FamilySearch.org, Germany Indexed Historical Records - Germany Deaths and Burials, 1582-1958. Searched deaths in Putzig (Puck.)

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