Józefa Sikorska Michalak

Józefa Sikorska Michalak (c. 1839-?) was a servant and a mother of eight who lived in the countryside between Gniezno and Września, Poland, in the 19th Century. The principal sources we have for her biography are Catholic church records from the parishes of Marzenin, Jarząbkowo, and Grzybowo. Due to the unavailability of some records and the lack of details in others, there is a high degree of uncertainty in her life story, and the biography below discusses these uncertainties.

Biography

In the 19th Century, much of the territory between Gniezno and Września was farm land. Within this region were villages (such as Jarząbkowo and Marzenin) and estates (such as Ostrowo, Kawęczyn, Gulczewo, and Grzybowo). In 1807, Serfdom was officially abolished in the Prussian Partition of Poland, which included the entirety of Wielkopolska. However, the abolition of serfdom and subsequent reforms did little to improve the economic position of the Polish peasantry–the farm land was still owned by the nobility and farmed by the peasantry.

Józefa Sikorska (also often listed as “Sikora”) was born into the peasantry in this region around 1839.^[1]Josephus Michalak and Josepha Sikora marriage record, September 22, 1861, Marzenin, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), … Continue reading It is likely that she was the Józefa Sikorska who was born on March 7, 1838 in Jarząbkowo, powiat gnieźnieński, Wielkopolska, Poland.^[2]Józefa Sikorska birth record, March 7, 1838, Jarząbkowo, powiat gnieźnieński, woj. wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Jarząbkowo (Gniezno), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading In the birth record, Józefa’s parents were listed as Wawrzyn Sikorski and Magdalena Sikorska. It is possible that this Wawrzyn (Laurentius in Latin records) is the same as the Laurentius Sikora who was the father of Marianna Sikora, who was born in Ostrowo in 1825.^[3]Marianna Sikora birth record, October 5, 1825, Ostrowo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading Marianna went on to marry Tomasz Leśner in 1841^[4]Thomas Lesner and Marianna Sikorzanka marriage record, May 9, 1841, Ostrowo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi … Continue reading. Marianna was also the godmother of Andrzej Michalak, Józefa’s second son with Józef Michalak.^[5]Andreas Michalak birth record, July 25, 1865, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading

While Józefa and Marianna being sisters makes for a nice narrative, there is one issue with this–according to church records, they had different mothers. Marianna’s mother, Agnieszka Swiatowiak, married Wawrzyn Sikora in Grzybowo in 1816.^[6]Laurentius Sikora and Agnes Swiatowiak marriage record, November 17, 1816, Grzybowo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Grzybowo (Września), … Continue reading There is no recorded marriage between Wawrzyn and Józefa’s mother, Magdalena Sikorska. Agnieszka Sikora is likely the Agnieszka Sikora who died in Gulczewo in 1871^[7]Agnes Sikora death record, November 6, 1871, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading, so she was alive when Józefa was born. While it is possible that the Józefa’s birth record simply has the wrong name for her mother, there was another child of Wawrzyn and Magdalena, Katarzyna,^[8]Katarzyna Sikorska birth record, November 22, 1835, Jarząbkowo, powiat gnieźnieński, woj. wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Jarząbkowo (Gniezno), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading listed in the Jarząbkowo, so it is less likely to simply be a mistake. Another possibility is that Wawrzyn left Agnieszka for another woman. Divorce was not typically possible for a Catholic in 19th Century Poland, but that does not mean that marriages did not break up–it just means that it was accomplished by informal means. If this is what happened between Wawrzyn and Agnieszka, it could explain why he turned up in another town with another woman without any marriage record. All of this assumes, however, that the Józefa born in Jarząbkowo is the correct Józefa. And that the Agnieszka Sikora who died in Gulczewo in 1871 is the same Agnieszka Sikora who was married to Wawrzyn. Unfortunately, many of the records which would be helpful in answering these questions are not currently available online.

Regardless of her parentage, Józefa would have been about 10 years old in the Spring of 1848, when the Wielkopolska Uprising of 1848 erupted. Much of the action of this war was in the area around Września, and the last major battle of the war was at Sokołowo–less than 10 kilometers from both Marzenin and Jarząbkowo. Whether she had any family members involved in the fighting is unknown, but it is highly likely that Prussian troops would have been present in the area during the insurrection and after it was suppressed.

On January 25, 1861, when she was 22 years old, Józefa Sikorska gave birth to twins–Józef^[9]Josephus Sikorski birth record, January 25, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading and Marianna^[10]Marianna Sikorska birth record, January 25, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading–in Kawęczyn. The father of the children is not identified in the birth records. In these records, Józefa is identified as a “famula” (servant). While nothing can be said for certain regarding the father, it is important to note that Józefa was a servant, and an employer taking advantage of a servant is a scenario that has played out all too frequently throughout history. When they were less than two weeks old, on February 6, 1861, the twins both died. The cause of death was listed as “ignotus” (unknown).^[11]Josephus Sikorska death record, February 6, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading^[12]Marianna Sikorska death record, February 6, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading

Later that year, on September 22, 1861, Józefa Sikorska married Józef Michalak in Marzenin, powiat wrzesiński, Wielkopolska, Poland.^[13]Josephus Michalak and Josepha Sikora marriage record, September 22, 1861, Marzenin, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), … Continue reading In the marriage record, Józef, aged 30, is listed as a “famulus” (servant) and Józefa, aged 22, is listed as a “famula” (servant). Both were listed as being from Kawęczyn. After the birth of their first child, Jakub, in Kawęczyn in 1862, the Michalaks made the very short move to Gulczewo. In Gulczewo, Józefa and Józef had five more sons–the last, Jan, being born in 1878.^[14]Joannes Michalak birth record, May 19, 1878, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading In all of their children’s birth records, Józef is listed as a famulus.

Jan Michalak’s birth record is the last record I can find of Józefa or Józef. Death records for the parish of Marzenin are only available online up to 1890. It is possible that they left the area–most, if not all, of their sons left, after all. Jakub moved to Gniezno. Szczepan moved to Krotoszyn. Andzej and Jan moved to Chicago. However, I can find no record of Józefa or Józef elsewhere.

Children

Józefa Sikorska had two children (twins), whose father was not recorded:

1. Józef Sikorski (1861^[15]Josephus Sikorski birth record, January 25, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading-1861^[16]Josephus Sikorska death record, February 6, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading) died when just two weeks old.
2. Marianna Sikorski (1861^[17]Marianna Sikorska birth record, January 25, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading-1861^[18]Marianna Sikorska death record, February 6, 1861, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading) died when just two weeks old.

Józef Michalak and Józefa Sikorska had at least six children:

1. Jakub Michalak (1862^[19]Jacobus Michalak birth record, June 6, 1862, Kawęczyn, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading-?) married Marianna Kucka in Gniezno, Poland in 1885.^[20]Jacobus Michalak and Marianna Kucka marriage record, November 8, 1885, Gniezno, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland, in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Św. Wawrzyńca, Gniezno (Gniezno), Księgi … Continue reading
2. Andrzej Michalak (1865^[21]Andreas Michalak birth record, July 25, 1865, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading-1949^[22]Andrew Michalak death record, October 31, 1949, Norwood Park, Cook County, Illinois in “Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021) emigrated to the United States, settling in Chicago. He married Katarzyna Borzych in 1892.^[23]Andreas Michalak and Catharina Wiśniewska marriage record, May 24, 1892, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, in Catholic Church, St. Adalbert (Chicago, Illinois), Church records, 1874-1915, … Continue reading He worked as a pattern maker in a factory.^[24]Andrew Michalek in Berwyn, Cook County, Illinois, in “United States Census, 1920,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021
3. Wojciech Michalak (1868^[25]Adalbertus Michalak birth record, March 24, 1868, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading-?)
4. Szczepan Michalak (1871^[26]Stephanus Michalak birth record, December 22, 1871, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading-?) married Wanda Walczak in Krotoszyn, Poland in 1899.^[27]Stephan Michalak and Wanda Walczak marriage record, 1899, Krotoszyn, Poland, Poznan Project, “Poznan Region Marriage Indexing Project for 1800-1899,” accessed October 20, 2021
5. Anton Michalak (1876^[28]Antonius Michalak birth record, July 26, 1876, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading-1876^[29]Antonius Michalak death record, December 22, 1876, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading) died at the age of 5 months of “tussis.”
6. Jan Michalak (1878^[30]Joannes Michalak birth record, May 19, 1878, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading-1943^[31]John Michalak death record, April 2, 1943, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, in “Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998,” FamilySearch, accessed October 10, 2021) emigrated to the United States in 1901, settling in Chicago.^[32]Jan Michalak naturalization record, 1912, Chicago, in “Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021 He married Maria Kleczka^[33]Mary Michalak death record, May 14, 1967, Berwyn, Cook County, Illinois in “Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021 sometime around 1902.^[34]John Michalik in Ward 34 Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, in “United States Census, 1910,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021 He worked in a foundry in Chicago.^[35]John Michalak in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, in “United States Census, 1930,” FamilySearch, accessed October 20, 2021

God children

Józefa Sikorska Michalak was godmother to at least two children:

• Jakub Dolny, born July 11, 1869, son of Michał Dolny and Anna Chmieleska.^[36]Jacobus Dolny birth record, July 11, 1869, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading
• Maria Popielińska, born on August 4, 1874 in Gulczewo, daughter of Franciszek Popieliński and Katarzyna Leśner.^[37]Maria Popielińska birth record, August 4, 1874, Gulczewo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, 1739-1950, … Continue reading Katarzyna was the daughter of Tomasz Leśner and Marianna Sikora.^[38]Catharina Leśner birth record, September 17, 1850, Ostrowo, powiat wrzesiński, woj. Wielkopolskie, Poland in Kościół rzymsko-katolicki. Parafja Marzenin (Września), Księgi metrykalne, … Continue reading

Research notes

• 2021-10-24: Death records are not currently available online for Jarząbkowo. Death records for Marzenin are only available online up to 1890.