Paul CHERNICK or CHERNIAK / Natalie KASKO or KATSKO
Subject: Looking for Relatives of Pawel Cherniak
I am looking for the family of my grandfather Pawel Cherniak (Paul
Chernick). I know that he left family behind in Belarus when he left to
come to America in 1913. I am hoping that someone out there will know
something or someone that can help me locate them.
Here is a summary of the facts I know. My grandfather Pawel Cherniak
was born in the village of Glinna, near the little town of Smorgon, in
the region of Grodno (or Hrodno), Belarus. The area was at one time also known as Russ-Poland.He was born on 29 August 1897. His
parents were Sergei and Natalia Cherniak. His mother s maiden name was
either Kasko or Katsko. His father s middle name may have been Simon.
Sergei Cherniak was reportedly very sickly. Sergei was a farmer. Pawel
had at least one sister, Anna, and one older brother. Anna s married
name might have been something like "Poghaucecmpa". All or part of the
family may have moved to Minsk at one time but this is not for certain.
The older brother had at least one daughter. It is rumored that there
are nieces and nephews still living in Belarus or nearby. The older
brother died on or about 4 April 1977. As a young man, Pawel lived on
his blind grandfather s property near some sort of canal. He also lived
on an uncle s farm for a time. Pawel s father and brother went to
America on several occasions to earn extra money but eventually returned
permanently to Belarus.
Pawel Cherniak came to America on 13 June 1913 on the SS Laconia of the
Cunard Line, landing at Boston, Massachusetts. His sponsor was a
Nicholas Cherniak, relationship unknown. This may have been an uncle, a
cousin, or possibly even his older brother. This Nicholas Cherniak at
one time lived in a rooming house owned or run by a Steve Paulneznk in
Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, USA. This Nicholas had also
emmigrated to America in 1913 and was born around 1881.
Pawel Cherniak worked in Endicott, NY as a cobbler where he met and
married, in Binghamton, NY, on 13 October 1913 to Maria Gajdos, an
immigrant from Eastern Slovakia. They had nine children and eventually
settled near Butler, Pennsylvania, USA at Lyndora, Pennsylvania. He
worked first at the American Rolling Mills Plant and then for the Armco
Stell Plant. My grandfather died on 23 May 1985.
The only other clue I have is that grandfather wrote to someone (a
family member ? a friend ? we do not know for sure, the name looks
like it might have been U. M. Dory) at the following address in Moldova:
Republik of Moldova
Kishinev - 50
Proletarskaya St., 37
We would very much like to find whoever remains of my
grandfather's family in Belarus, or if anyone knows his family over
there, please, any clues to their whereabouts would be appreciated.
Grandfather rarely talked about his family over there, although I know
for sure that he did write to them at least up until his brother died in
1977. Surely they are still out there somewhere!