Who Were Our Immigrant Ancestors?

August Kunkel naturalization

Since we celebrate our country's birth today, I decided to look at the beginnings of our U.S. family.

There are so many questions to ask about our immigrant ancestors: When did they arrive and where did they come from? How long was the journey? Why did they leave? How did they pay for the trip? Did they miss the old country? Did they ever return to visit?

Unfortunately I don't have answers to most of those questions. What I do have, however, are some interesting facts and documents.

Eight of our direct ancestors immigrated to the U.S. Every one of them came directly to Chicago from various ports on the east coast. Six of these became naturalized citizens - four in their own right and two by virtue of their husbands' naturalizations.

Our 8 Immigrant Ancestors

1. Joseph Pionke (great-great-grandfather)
2. Marianna (Freibis) Pionke (great-great-grandmother)
3. Paulina (Abraham) Freibis (3rd-great-grandmother)
4. August Kunkel (great-great-grandfather)
5. Helene (Klawikowska) Kunkel (great-great-grandmother)
6. Valentin Pionke (3rd-great-grandfather)
7. Grzegorz Walczyk (great-grandfather)
8. Zofia (Waclawik) Walczyk (great-grandmother)