Nurkowicz Families in Chicago

My ancestor was Honorata Nurkowicz. She was born on 5 Jan 1886 in Strazow, Rzeszow, Poland in the parish of Krasne.  

Honorata (Nora) Nurkowicz married Franciszek Rzasa from Palikowka on 13 Nov 1904 in St. Joseph's parish in the "Back of the Yards" neighborhood of Chicago. They had one child, Joseph, that was born on 4 March 1906 in Immaculate Conception parish in South Chicago.  Honorata's name was spelled Norenkiwicz on her marriage record and Norkowicz on her son's birth record. Honorata died on 30 Dec 1912 of an apparent congenital heart defect.  She was 26 years old. A story from a Rzasa relative in Palikowka in 2004 stated that their was a fire at her house and she suffered a heart attack while trying to save Joseph from the fire.

Honorata Nurkowicz's marriage record stated that her parents' names were Adalbert and Catherine. Her birth record states that she was in fact born illegitimately to Antonina Nurkowicz. Antonina's parents were Adalbert Nurkowicz, a laborisi (laborer), and Catherine Dziedzic in house number 106. 

Adalbert Nurkowicz, son of Antoni Nurkowicz and  Marianna Misiewiczy, and Catherine Dziedzic, daughter of Wojciech Dziedzic and Anna Tybura had another child Marianna born 10 Feb 1871. She was Antonina Nurkowicz's sister. 

Antonina Nurkowicz later married Michal Buk and they had several other children.:

Name Born Location Notes
Regina 13 Sep 1894 Strazow Died 27 Mar 1899
Wojciech 13 Apr 1901 Strazow  
Stanislaw 8 Dec 1905 Strazow  

Michal Buk was listed as Honorata Nurkowicz's father on her death certificate. It is not clear whether he was her actual father or not.

Other Nurkowicz Families in Chicago

The 1910 U.S. Census, shows these families living at 8361 Ontario Avenue:

  1. Frank Rzasa, his wife Nora, and his son Joseph.

  2. John Nurkowicz, his wife Catherine, and his children Nellie and Stella.

  3. Ralph Milwicz, his wife Ryna, and daughter Natalia.

  4. Martin Jablonski (future husband of Frank Rzasa's sister Helen).

  5. Martin Gunia, a boarder.

  6. Thomas Gunia, a boarder.

  7. Vincent Gawel, a boarder.

  8. Joe Mendrola, a boarder.

  9. Peter Stycz, a boarder.

  10. Michael Janicki, a boarder.

  11. Joe Mendrola, a boarder

  12. Lawrence Blaszczarek.

Jan Nurkowicz was the son of Adalbert Nurkowicz and Catherine Wysz. He married Catherine Gunia, daughter of Sebastian Gunia and Marianna Gawel, on 27 May 1907 in St. Michael's parish in South Chicago. His name was spelled Norkiewicz on the marriage record. They had several children:

Name Born Location Notes
Angeline 13 Mar 1908 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Walter 17 Jan 1911 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Stella 25 Apr 1913 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Lottie 7 Mar 1917 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Edna 16 Apr1919 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Edward 8 Nov 1921 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Eleanor 22 Feb 1926 St Michael's, South Chicago  
Alfreda 18 Dec 1929 St Michael's, South Chicago  

John (Jan) Nurkowicz immigrated to America on 23 Jan 1903 aboard the S.S. Patricia. He listed his hometown as Stazow. Catherine (Katarzyna) Gunia immigrated to America on 10 Apr 1906 aboard S.S. Noordland. She listed Palikowka as her birthplace. Both John and Catherine spelled their names Norkewicz on their immigration papers.

The first and only other Nurkowicz entry I can find in the Krasne parish is a marriage in 1792 of Joseph Nurkowicz de Straszow, 26, and Marianna Uchman. Joseph Nurkowicz was listed as a cmeto or small farmer, living in house #55. A witness to this wedding is Adalbert Nurkowicz.

It is interesting to note that on the birth record of their child Valentine in 1794 at house # 55,  Joseph's name is spelled NUREK and the mother's is still Marianna Uchman.  NUREK may have been the original name for Nurkowicz or a variation.