Gabalėliai Lietuvos Lietuvių rajonai ir paveldas užsienyje

Pensilvanija (JAV)

Pensilvanija yra antra JAV pagal lietuvių skaičių (82 000). Tai - ir seniausia užjūrio lietuvių bendruomenė. Mat lietuviai čia kėlėsi dar nuo XIX a. (1865 m.), kuomet Pensilvanijoje atrastas anglis, svarba prilygęs naftai šiandien.

Kanklės ties Lietuvių muzikos salės Filadelfijoje įėjimu.

Lietuviškos vietos Pensilvanijos Anglies regione

Anglies telkiniai, priešingai nei gamyklos, buvo ne didmiesčiuose, o plynuose laukuose valstijos rytinėje dalyje. Vos juos atradus aplink išdygdavo miesteliai, kuriuos bematant apgyvendindavo sunkiai dirbti pasiryžę imigrantai iš skurdžių, laisvės stokojančių Europos kraštų - jų tarpe ir tada dar carinės Rusijos okupuotos Lietuvos. Darbas 10 valandų per dieną, 6 dienas per savaitę, gaunant 25 centus už valandą, atrodė geriau, nei carinė priespauda. Anglys išseko, o buvę juodadarbiai liko, ir štai šiandien ten gyvena jau ketvirtos, penktos kartos lietuviai (taip pat airiai, italai, lenkai, olandai, slovakai).

Pensilvanijos žemėlapis. Anglies kasimo regionas išskirtas raudonai, o žaliai sužymėtos šiame tekste minimos vietos. ©Augustinas Žemaitis.

Daugybėje tokių miestų ir miestelių (virš 20) yra lietuvių kapinės ir bažnyčios. Mišios, tiesa, paprastai laikomos vien angliškai - per šitiek kartų lietuvių kalba visai ar iš dalies nunyko (priešingai nei į didmiesčius nauji lietuviai po 1907 m. čia beveik nebeimigravo). Bet bažnyčių dekoras, kur pastatai dar naudojami religijai, tebespinduliuoja lietuvybę, jame gausu lietuviškų užrašų. Lietuviški pavadinimai - šv. Kazimiero, Šv. Jurgio, Šiluvos mergelės, Vilniaus mergelės - tiesa daug kur pakeisti, arba tos bažnyčios jau nebeveikia (iš ~40 bažnyčių likę ~10-20). Itin smarkiai lietuviškos bažnyčios naikintos ~2008 m (beje bent iki 1980 m. lietuviškų bažnyčių lankomumas regione dar augo, priešingai kitų bendruomenių tendencijoms).

Atminimo lenta Mažajajai Lietuvai Pensilvanijos Anglies regione

Atminimo lenta Mažajai Lietuvai Pensilvanijos Anglies regione

Pensilvanijos Anglies "lietuviškasis" regionas susideda iš dviejų labai skirtingų dalių. Pietinis Anglies regionas yra kaimiškas, jis susideda iš mažų miestelių, pastatytų beveik vienu metu (XIX a. pabaigoje) stačiakampiais kvartalais greta atrastųjų anglies klodų. Penkiolikoje jų pastatytos lietuviškos bažnyčios, daugybėje yra ir lietuvių kapinės, milžiniškos (pagal miestelius) lietuvių mokyklos. Kai kuriuose kaimuose lietuviai net šiandien sudaro apie 30% žmonių (štai 307 gyventojus turinčiame Selceryje (Seltzer) jie sudaro 27,46% žmonių, Naujojoje Filadelfijoje (New Philadephia) - 16,97% iš 1616 gyventojų, Kumboloje (Cumbola) - 15,06% iš 382. Virš 9% lietuviai sudaro ir gretimuose miesteliuose: Mainersvilyje (Minersville, 4686 gyv.), Mahanojuje (Mahanoy City, 5725 gyv.), Barnsvilyje (Barnesville, 2076 gyv.), Ringtaune (Ringtown, 2558 gyv.), Frakvilyje (Frackville, 8631 gyv.) bei kitur). Visos šios vietovės patenka į lietuviškiausių JAV vietų dvidešimtuką, net 16 iš 20 jo gyvenviečių - Pensilvanijoje, 15 - Anglies Regione. Skuikilo apygarda, kuri dengia didžiąją pietinio Anglies regiono dalį, yra lietuviškiausia JAV (~5% žmonių - lietuviai).

Lietuvybės 'altorius' vienoje iš Amerikos lietuvių bažnyčių Pensilvanijoje. Iš kairės į dešinę: JAV, Lietuvos ir Vatikano vėliavos; sovietinio genocido paveikslas; Marijos paveikslas liaudiškuose rėmeliuose; Vilniaus TV bokštas (sausio įvykių scena); kryžius su sausio 13 d. aukomis

Pietinio Anglies regiono lietuvybės širdis - Šenandorius (Shenandoah), XIX-XX a. amžių sandūroje vadintas Amerikos Vilniumi. Būtent ten (o ne Lietuvoje) dar spaudos draudimo laikais išleistas pirmasis pasaulyje lietuviškas romanas, per 40 metų tas miestelis turėjo lietuvius merus, o lietuvių ten 15%, yra atminimo lenta, vadinanti Šenandorių "Little Lithuania", net šešios lietuvių kapinės. Tame regione taip pat įsikūrė pirmasis lietuviškas pučiamųjų orkestras ("mainerių orkestras"), veikia lietuvių muziejus. Būtent ten vyksta kasmetinės Lietuvių dienos - seniausias tautinis festivalis JAV, pradėtas vykdyti dar 1914 m. Tiesa, dalyvių, kaip ir žmonių apylinkėje, mažėjo: ~1880 m. Šenandorius buvo tankiausiai apgyvendinta žemės vieta, 1910 m. ten gyveno 25 774 žmonės, 1960 m. 11 073, o 2010 m. surašymas suskaičiavo tik 5 071. Tai dažnas vadinamojo Anglies Regiono (Coal Region) gyvenviečių likimas; bendra jų populiacija nuo 1930 m. nukrito trečdaliu. Aplink jas gausu apleistų šachtų, kuriose kadaise triūsė ir dešimtys tūkstančių lietuvių.

Lietuviška Šv. Jurgio bažnyčia (dešiniau) greta kitos bažnyčios 1950 m. atviruke.

Šiaurinis Anglies regionas visai kitoks: tenykščiai "miesteliai" (Vilks Baris, Skrantonas, Pitstonas ir kiti) suaugo į vieną didelį miestą, maždaug Vilniaus dydžio. Skirtingose jo dalyse lietuvių procentas varijuoja nuo 1% iki 4% (Pitstone). Tenai irgi yra lietuvių bažnyčios, kapinės - bet, priešingai Pietiniam anglies regionui, jos gerokai didesnės, nes juk statytos didesniems miestams ir miesteliams. Deja, kelios didžiausios lietuvių bažnyčios nugriautos. Bet pati įdomiausia išliko: Skrantono Tautinė lietuvių bažnyčia, tautiniais sumetimais atsiskyrusi nuo Vatikano (nes popiežių laikė esant palankų lenkams ir pan.). Tebeveikia keturi lietuvių klubai - jie didžiuojasi savo istorija, nors šiandien priima ne tik lietuvius. Regione yra ir Kasulaičio ežeras: labiausiai nuo Lietuvos nutolęs lietuviškai pavadintas ežeras.

Lietuviškai nuspalvintas hidrantas prie Pitstono lietuvių klubo

Lietuviškai nuspalvintas hidrantas prie Pitstono lietuvių klubo

Kasulaitis, beje, yra tarp mažumos Pensilvanijos lietuvių pavardžių, kurios rašomos taip pat, kaip dabar. Imigracija į Pensilvaniją vyko dar tada, kai nebuvo J. Jablonskio standartizuotos lietuvių rašybos, todėl pavardes, dažnai beraščių imigrantų, imigracijos pareigūnai į dokumentus įrašydavo labai įvairiai - ir pagal lenkišką, ir pagal anglišką rašybą, ir su galūnėmis, ir be: Abrachinsky, Abraczinsai, Sabaliauckene, Babeackas, Bakszis, Bakszys, Baranauckas, Bartkiawiczus, Bessaparis, Besuspraris, Bickauskas, Blewas, Kutchinskas, Kutchinsky... (Visa tai - nuo Šenandoriaus apylinkių lietuvių kapinių antkapių).

Leidėjų Bočkauskų kapas Mahanojuje

Didžiausio pasaulyje tuo metu lietuviško laikraščio Saulė leidėjų kapas Mahanojaus lietuvių kapinėse, pietiniame Anglies regione

Visame Anglies regione yra galimybių nusileisti į senas šachtas ir patirti, ką jautė sunkiai plušdami lietuviai, nueiti į kasybos muziejus, kur tarp svarbiausių regiono tautybių irgi minimi lietuviai, ir t.t.

Dar vienas anglies miestas, kur būta daug lietuvių - nuo kitų lietuvių "kolonijų" nutolęs Duboizas. Ten yra lietuvių bažnyčia, kapinės.

Duboizo lietuvių bažnyčia Pensilvanijoje.

Lietuviškos vietos Pensilvanijos didmiesčiuose

Daug lietuviško yra ir Pensilvanijos sostinėje Filadelfijoje. Ten veikia trys lietuvių bažnyčios, dvi kurių (Šv. Kazimiero ir Andriejaus) pasižymi itin tautiniais interjerais, perteikiančiais ne vien religijos, bet ir Lietuvos istoriją. Ten yra Lietuvių muzikos salė - Lietuvių klubas senesnis už pačią Lietuvos Respubliką. Priešingai Anglies regionui, Filadelfijoje dalis lietuvių yra kilę ne iš angliakasių, bet imigravę vėliau: po Antrojo pasaulinio karo ar šiais laikais. Bendruomenė ten gyvesnė ir kadangi daug kas tebeveikia, tai puiki vieta patirti tokią lietuvių bendruomenę, kokia ji buvo kažkada, su kasmetėmis lietuviškomis mugėmis, lietuviška mokykla prie bažnyčios ir t.t.

Lietuvių muzikos salė Filadelfijoje.

Lietuviško paveldo nemažai ir Pitsburge, buvusioje Amerikos plieno sostinėje, į kurio metalurgijos fabrikus prieškariu ir tarpukariu vagonais vežtas anglis iš Anglies regiono. Ten yra viena įspūdingiausių visos Amerikos lietuviškų vietų: Tarpukario Lietuvos lėšomis sukurta Lietuvių auditorija Pitsburgo universitete, kurios interjeras subtiliai perteikia lietuvybę. Kartu su kitomis tautinėmis auditorijomis, ją yra populiaru lankyti amerikiečių turistams. Tiesa, be šios auditorijos, Pitsburge mažai kas lietuviško veikia: bažnyčios uždarytos dar ~1990 m., vienuolynas neseniai nugriautas. Tačiau yra dvejos didelės lietuvių kapinės galima pasigerėti buvusių lietuviškų pastatų didybe, Vyčiais dekore ir t.t.

Lietuvių klasė Pitsburgo mokymosi katedroje

Lietuvių klasė Pitsburgo Mokymosi katedroje

Taip pat mažesnės lietuvių bendruomenės su savo bažnyčiomis buvo ir Istone [Easton] bei Redinge [Reading].

1930 m. net trys Pensilvanijos miestai pateko į daugiausiai skaičiumi (ne procentu) lietuvių turėjusių Amerikos didmiesčių sąrašą (tai vienintelė tokia valstija): Filadelfija buvo trečia (po Čikagos ir Niujorko), Pitsburgas aštuntas, o Skrantonas - dešimtas.

 


Ekspedicijų dienoraščiai

Šis enciklopedijos straipsnis parengtas ir informacija surinkta „Gabalėliai Lietuvos“ ekspedicijų metu, pilni ekspedicijų dienoraščiai – čia:

“Gabalėliai Lietuvos“ ekspedicijų po Pensilvaniją dienoraščiai

 


Lietuviškų vietų žemėlapis

Visos lietuviškos vietos, aprašytos šiame straipsnyje, yra tiksliai pažymėtos interaktyviame žemėlapyje, sudarytame "Tikslas - Amerika" ekspedicijų metu (spauskite nuorodą):

Interaktyvus lietuviškų vietų Pensilvanijos valstijoje žemėlapis

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  1. My fathers family worked in the coal mines, Joe Werbela was in the Pottsville area, and my fathers “Bieliunas” kin is a question mark. Is there any way for me to obtain information about where they lived?

    • My grandfather was Joseph Werbela. 8 children total relocated to central new your with second wife. Died late 1970s in Bradford, pa. No relationship with my grandfather due to his physical abuse towards my father, Stanley, and his siblings.

  2. My fathers family worked in the coal mines, Joe Werbela was in the Pottsville area, and my fathers “Bieliunas” kin is a question mark. Is there any way for me to obtain information about where they lived?
    I live in Welland Ontario, Canada. I have visited Pottsville and intend to visit again.

  3. My “americanized” Bieliunas became Balonis. My family were coal miners in Mahanoy City. My Urlikas family were born in Tamaqua.

  4. Great stuff. Where did you get the numbers from?
    maybe some one has Kasulaitis lake pictures.

  5. I am looking to find out how this Mary Anna Cilcus fits into my family tree. Her father would be Walter Paul Cilcus (also spelled Cilcius). Her father would have been born in Lithuania but she was born in Pennsylvania. Could someone help me with information. The information below came from a librarian in Toronto.

    Name – Mary Anna Cilcus
    Birth place – 6 Nov 1916
    Birth place – Curwensville, Pennsylvania
    Father – Walter Paul
    Mother – Elizabeth Cilcus
    Death date – 21 Jul 2002

    Notes:
    Feb 1937 — name listed as Mary Anna Cilcus
    Dec 1943 — name listed as Mary Anna Paul
    Dec 1946 — name listed as Mary A. Mulford
    31 Jul 2002 — name listed as Mary Mulford

  6. I am looking for relatives of Ludwig Bingiel and Eva Roman
    I’m not sure who was born where. One was born in Vilnius, the other in Kona.
    Grandpap’s birth day was April 12 . He and my Bubba had 7 children. Helen, Jean Louis, Alma,Gustane, Michael Or John (He was known as both) and Martha. My Grandpap worked for Carnegie Coal Co. and lived in Atlasburg,Pa.

    • Hi Terri I think you need search under Kaunas city name not Kona becouse this is not even russian or polish translated name. Russian form would be Kovno Polish Kowno Jewish Kovne and German Kauen maybe this would help to find more information

  7. My grandfather was Jonas Queen who mined coal and lived in Fredericktown, PA. I am trying to connect with family to get more information regarding family line and names prior to my grandfather coming to America.

    • If you’d learn more about possible dates and locations and would like to continue the search in the Lithuanian archives – we may provide such services.

  8. looking for anyone related to Anna Karpavich (lithuanian Ona Karpaviciute or Karpaviciene). thanks!

    • We have an Ona Kurpaviciene (and some records spell the Karpaviciene), married to Juozas Levinskas. They were the parents of my husband’s mother, Brone (Bernice) Levinskaite Tamkus. Would love to compare notes. Please email me.

  9. I ama looking for family of Olga Samulevich . She was Olga Antonites and was sent to her uncle Stanley (or it could be Stanislau) from South Africa. Her father was Aleksander Josef Antonites (or it maybe Antanaitis) and her mother was Rozalie Sluzaitze. ( I am not sure about the spelling). Her family is South Africa were (she was the eldest of the siblings) Stanlislou (Stanley); Paul; Anna; Alex (Alexander)and Antonie (Anthony Mattheus) who was my late father. We would love to know if there are any of her family members left . The family tree is a riddle because they left Lithuania during the Russian era end of the 1800 and we couldnt trace any documentation eg the town where they come from birth dates etc . I would be much appreciated if you could contact me to see if we could exchange any information about our ancestors.
    Jurie Antonites Email< antonites.jurie@gmail.com or evan.antonites@gmail.com

  10. I am looking for my great-grandmother birth place in Philadelphia. All I know she born in 1915, Her name was Stefanija Dreiniute. Her parents Juozas (Juozapas) Dreinius and Stefanija Dreiniene (Bieliauskaite). Also, I know they owned a laundry there…
    Is it possible to find out more details?

    • It may be, as the USA has a quite elaborate heritage search community so it might be possible to learn more about them from various sources, even online (ancestry.com and similar).

      In any case, her home (and the laundry) was very likely in one of just a few areas of Lithuanian concentration in Philadelphia, which were around the Lithuanian churches and clubs. These locations are marked on this map: http://map.truelithuania.com/filaladelfija-lietuvisku-vietu-planas/

    • Your great-grandmother, Stefanija Dreiniute, was born on October 31, 1915. She was baptized at St. Casimir church in Philadelphia on November 21. Where she was born in Philadelphia is not on her baptism record (my source). Civil records of births can be obtained from Philadelphia County (not the City) government. The civil record may have her parents’ address. I suspect it was a home birth. Vital records from the county are expensive relative to typical costs for these records in the United States. Her father, “Joseph,” married “Stephania Belauskaite” on June 28, 1914. This was not the first marriage of “Joseph Dreinis.” He was previously married Stephania’s sister “Anna” on November 27, 1909. There were children by both marriages. I have records and files to send you. I will need an email address to send them to. I recommend that you do not give your email address publicly in your reply. Try asking the owner of this web site (Augustinas Žemaitis) to forward your email address to me. If that doesn’t work, we’ll figure out another way. Please respond if you wish to follow up on my post. … Note: Names in quotes are shown as they appear on the records.

  11. I am looking for the family of Antanas Vinikaitis (Anthony Viniks) who worked in the mines around 1900. I have been told that families from Suvalkija, Lithuania settled in your area. He left PA to NJ around 1907, but from what my Dad told me he kept close ties to people there. Antanas died sometime in 1930s Thank you for any help.

    • Been hunting for my friend. Her Dad was adopted around 1910? They think name was Vincevich but these spellings are tough. 3 brothers apparently immigrated from Lithuania. Her a Dad ended up in boys home in Pitts.pa. One brother had 3children Anna, Anthony and the youngest,her dad. 1st wife who came from Lithuania by ship With the 3 children. That 1st wife died in second wave of Spanish flu. Her Dad’s 2nd wife was Martha Jonvsionis had children of her own and we suspect this is the reason her a Dad wound up in orphanage. They were coal mine workers living in Allegheny,pa blocks from the steel mill.
      Believe it was just 3blocks from the mill. Sister Mary later marries Stanley Lucas.

  12. Th family history of Matthew and Agatha Karalunas islets. Both were born in LT, he emigrating first and she (nee Janavicius ?Janavitz), later to be married in Luzerne County PA. This happened around 1907. He worked in the Wyoming Valley coal mines. It is rumored that they both came from a place in LT which translates to “Holy Lake”, or “Spirit Lake”, which was said have been destroyed by The Reds. I am wondering if anyone could add to this for me…thank you!

    • “Holy Lake” is likely Šventežeris, with “šventas” meaning “holy” and “ežeras” meaning “lake”. The largest Šventežeris is in Lazdijai district municipality, however, from what you say, it could have been some smaller similarly-named village that was destroyed by the Soviets (as the aforementioned Šventežeris still exists today).

  13. I am trying to find my Grandfather, Juozapas (Juozas) Petkus who came to work in the Coal Mines in PA from Lithuania. He was from MAZEIKIAI, LITHUANIA. He was married to Emilija (Emilia) in Lithuania, but never contacted his wife or children once he came to the US. He arrived in NY possibly around 1912-1923. Not certain on the dates. We are trying to find out if he Married and had another family in America? Did he work in the Coal Mines or did he die shortly after arrival? What agency keeps marriage licenses archives or death records? Does the Archdiocese keep the records? Do you have names of all the local Lithuanian Cemeteries in the area and phone numbers? I would like to try to contact them myself to see if they have a record too. Thank you so much for any help you can provide. We are planning to travel to the East Coast in a few weeks and PA is on the list of places we are visiting. We would love to see the church or cemetery and coal mine he worked at while he was alive.

    • Here is the map of the Pennsylvania Lithuanian sites, including all the churches, existing and former, as well as all the cemeteries: http://map.truelithuania.com/en/pennsylvania-map-of-lithuanian-sites/ . Please zoom on the Coal Region, which is a large cluster of sites on the northeast of the state.

      It should be noted there are/were some 50 churches and some 30 Lithuanian cemeteries in the region alone, making a search quite difficult if you don’t know anything more about where exactly he went to (although all the towns, cemeteries, churches are rather similar, so you may just go to Shenandoah area and likely feel what he felt, for instance).

      You may perhaps begin a search by searching his name and various corrupted variations at various online tools that offer such search e.g. in the US census records. Then you may at least learn the exact city/town he was in and from that it would be rather easy to know the church he went to / cemetery he was buried at (if he did not “move on” elsewhere).

    • my grandfather was from Lithuania he is buried in Hunlock creek, pa. St. Mary’s Nativity church cemetery which is on top of a coal mine. his brother is buried at St. Casimir cemetery.. different last name Stanly Zubrickus.. I’m just getting started tracing my roots back to Lithuania.

  14. My grandmother (now 83) grew up in Wikes-Barre, all of her uncles and father were coal miners. She did not speak English until she was 7 or 8 and was the second generation of Lithuanians who emigrated. The last names are Barzdaitis, Miskel, Zupka. I have a pretty good tree on ancestry if anyone is looking to collaborate! I would love to learn more about how Lithuanian immigrants lived their lives during this time in this region.

    • Hi, my grandmother was Anna Barzdaitis. She married my grandfather, Mathias Alikonis in the Wilkes Barre area in 1914. Please contact me.

    • My grandfather Zigmond Balayszis & his wife Della Balayszis were from Lee High Valley , Wilkes-Barre! Ziggy was a coal miner. Died in 1976. I remember the floods as a youngster , but most of all , I remember our heritage …. Zalinkas were relatives, only knew them as Della’s neighbors…. I grew up in the 60’s

  15. My family settled in Mahanoy City, Pa about 1900. Their names was Ramakus and Gedminis. Hoping to connect with someone that might know where these families came from in Lithuania.

  16. of course like your website however you need to test the spelling on quite a few of your posts.
    Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find
    it very troublesome to inform the truth nevertheless I will
    surely come again again.

  17. I’m looking for information on John Wariekas (born about 1880). He may have been a violinist (I have a photo of him with a violin. He married Eva Zemaitis and had daughters Agnes and Alice by 1915. He is believed to have died by 1919. Any help is appreciated.

  18. Hello,
    I am looking for extended family..
    Tomas Antanas Lakickas (Tony Lakisky)
    Joseph Lakisky
    Garth Lakisky, Joseph Lakisky

  19. I am looking for any information for my grandparents who lived in Mahanoy City, Pa and were listed in the 1910 US Census under the name Stanislaw Brazaitis who was married to Marianna Slivinski?Sliwinski? My grandfathers name could also be Brozajtys. They lived at 433 West Pine St. My grandfather was a coal miner and was born around 1870+. My Grandmother Marianna was born around 1882+. Any information would be appreciated. There must be some relatives left somewhere in that area.

  20. I live in Chicago IL and trying to find my grandfather Jonas Karsokas grave,who came in 1951 to New York,ship Gen Ral C H Muir,on passenger list adress 342 W Manahoy or Mahanoy Ave Girardville PA.We know he worked there somwhere in coal mines,we know he was injured and nothing else.

  21. Hello, I am looking for my relatives in USA. About 1895-1910 two brothers Stanislovas (Stanley) and *the name is unknown* ABROMAVIČIAI came to Pennsylvania to work in coal mines. All we know is just that our great grandfather Stanislovas came back to Lithuania and his brother stayed in America. They kept in touch but during the war the letters were lost in fire and all the information was lost. If you know anything with familiar surname, please write me! Thank you!

  22. I’m looking for information on William and Napoleon and Antonia Simpson. I believe they lived in Wilkes Barre and changed their names. They appear to have come from Lithuania in 1880s or so.
    thanks.

  23. I enjoyed reading your article. My Dad is David Giraitis, he grew up in Minersville.
    Unfortunately he was an only child and raised by his Aunt.

  24. I am looking to find out about my grandmother Domicella Bieliauchiute….my father was Lithuanian with the name Vasilauskas….but I do not know much about my grandmother who died when I was young….any help in finding out about her?

  25. I’m searching for my Lithuanian family name. My Great Great grandfather changed his name to Frank E Smith. His wife was Mary Buble (Mary Smith.) Their son was Anthony Smith. They lived in Frackville and Girardsville. We know the name was changed, but we don’t know when or why. Any idea how we could find the original name?

    • It is difficult if they did simply tell the new name everywhere in the USA and they went by the old name all the time beforehand – it would be difficult now to connect those two lives from the archive data. Often the name would be changed into a similar one, so it is possible their original name was Šmitas or something like it. Then again, with a popular name such as Smith, it may be possible they just adopted a popular English surname in place of any Lithuanian name.

      Should you know their places of origin and dates of immigration it may be possible to do more, although it will likely still remain based on a certain probability.

  26. Dear Lithuanians from Pennsylvania, I am searching for a recent contact on this site who looked for a photo of the Lyraičiai dance group who danced in the 1939 World’s Fair in NYC. Her name is Birutė Babarskaite. I found a photo of her and the dance group sent to me a few years ago.
    She is 95 and still tells stories of her experience. I think the name my recent contact (2020) was Rima and she was from Chicago…. I would like to send Rima the photo to prove at the story I told her was true to us and why this was so. My mother and Birute were cousins. My mother’s solidly Lithuanian family were from western Pennyslvania.

    Sincerely with Kind regards,
    Barbara Tedrow
    233 Ivy Glen Circle
    Avondale Estates, GA 30002
    Atlanta, GA
    bjtedrow@yaoo.com

  27. My father’s family surname was Armanavicius before it was changed to Arman. Anyone know about that? I believe he was born in Newark, NJ but mostly lived in Manhattan.

  28. A great uncle, adam ryscavage, was president of district 1 umw(scranton) at time of 1909 strike. His petition for citizenship indicates he came from the village of damyock in the province of savalka(russia/poland). Could anyone confirm the location of this village as the spelling is the best i can decipher from the original document. Thanks.

  29. William Kurgan?

  30. Good afternoon,

    I’m looking for Jakstis name in the region. Do you hear about that name. These ar my grandmother’s sisters family….

  31. I had family related to me who changed there name from Prizgint(Prizgintas in Lithuanian) to Prizmonte. They lived in Allegheny County. Still looking for my great grandfathers other two brothers. My Great Grandfather stayed in New York, his brother who changed his name to Prizmonte went to Pennsylvania.

  32. Even though I am several generations removed, I still carry the Americanized version of my family name as do my children. My family are Pennsylvania settlers. [Shenandoah then down to Philadelphia,Pa.late 1800] My family Lithuanian name{s} are Daunoras, Mikalina{Rus}, and Milasauskas. Finding any info on my family has been very tough. Documents here in the States or overseas has been non existent. Lol


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