Biography of Franciszek "Frank" Polkowski

 

Birth: Franciszek Polkowski was born in Tajno, Poland on 6 April 1892 to Franciszek Polkowski and Marianna Kulik. He was the grandson of Maciej Polkowski (1824-1898) and Katarzyna Dziądziak (1813-1895). Maciej was bornin Polkowo, moved to Augustow and then to Tajno. Franciszek was the great grandson of Ludiwk Litwinko/Polkowski (1790-1839) and Antonina Waszkiewicz (1788-?) from Polkowo. This is where our families are connected.

Immigration: Franciszek Polkowski immigrated on June 29 1913 on the ship SS Main from the port of Bremen to Baltimore and naturalized on 10 April, 1934. On his naturalization papers he is described as being 5 feet six inches tall, 145 pounds, light brown hair and brown eyes.

Marriage: Franciszek Polkowski married Katarzyna Sawinska aka Sawa, on 17 June 1916 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. She was born 26 March, 1894 in Tarnow.

Residence: On his WWI draft registration in June 1917, he listed his address as 1107 Corbin Street in Rockford and listred his occupation as machinist with the company of Emerson Brantingham. On September 17, 1918, Frank was arrested for speeding as a "jitney driver" and living at 1502 Weldon Avenue. In 1920 Frank and Catherine were listed as living at 512 Edward Street and that Frank was a laborer at a vehicle shop. In 1930 and 1940, he was listed as a farmer. On the 1942 WWII draft registration, he listed his adress as Rural Route # 3 in Rockford. For some reason he listed Rajgrod as his birthplace.

Children:

  1. Joseph William Polkowski, born 24 April 1917 in Rockford, Illinois. He served in the East Indies with the Seabies in WWII. He married Adele ?? and moved to Bound Brook New Jersey. He died there on 8 April 1988.

  2. Mary Polkowski, born 28 November 1918 in Rockford, Illinois.She married Paul Eytalis and lived in rural Rockford..

  3. Stanilsaw Polkowski, born 13 May 1920 in Rockford, Illinois. A gunner/photogapher on a bomber in WWII, he was awarded the air medal in 1944 for completeing 33 combat missions. He married Dorothy Nowak on 27 September, 1949 in Detroit where he had moved for work.

  4. Frank Polkowski, born 30 November 1921 in Rockford, Illinois. He married Ruth ?? and moved to Shawano Wisconsin. He died 26 August 1994.

  5. John Polkowski, born 26 December 1925 in Rockford, Illinois. John died as John Joseph Polkowski on 1 Jan 1944 in a motorcycle accident in Rockford.

  6. Helen Polkowski, born 24 October 1929 in Rockford, Illinois. She married Carl Cook on 3 Feb 1951 and moved to Troy Michigan.

  7. Eugene Polkowski, born 1935 in Rockford, Illinois. He married Carol ?? and stayed in rural Rockford.

  8. Lucille Polkowski, born 1940 in Rockford, Illinois She married Gerald Peterson on 26 Jan 1957 in Rockford. She may have remarried Bill Halfacre and moved Spartanberg South Carolina.

Death: Franciszek died on 22 Feb 1958 in St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford and is buried in Calvary Cemetery on West State Street in rural Rockford.