Piotr Kowalczyk Kowalski

Notes:

Name:
It is worthwhile to talk a little about Peter Kowalski (Catherina's second husband), since his story turned out to be very interesting. Peter was born in Lasek house 121 on 24 Jun 1874. More than likely, there was considerable pressure from his family to marry Catherina Pilat in 1899 in Klikuszowa. I believe this is true because Peter was 25 years old, but Catherina was 40. Peter's mother Anna died in 1901, and there was a settlement of the properties. It is possible that Peter received a sum of money or some property at this point. This might be how he financed his immigration to the US from Hamburg to New York (Ellis Island) from 19-31 Jan 1903. It is unclear
4
if his wife knew about his leaving (if he promised to send for her), or if he left without telling anyone. Most likely, he was running away from his life in Poland. There was no such thing as divorce then, and the only way a man could leave a marriage was to run away and hope that he didn't get caught. In Chicago, he met and married Catherina Jachymiak and had 2 sons until he was caught and the marriage annulled. The next time we see Peter in the records, he is volunteering to fight in Haller's Blue Army in World War I. Even though he is not a citizen of the US, he volunteers to fight anyway. He is too old to fight, but he lies about his age so that he is young enough to qualify. He goes to Europe in 1918 to fight and returns to the US in 1920. The next time I find him in the records he is working as a coal miner in Ohio in 1930. After that, I know nothing about what happened to him. I find it very ironic that a man who would abandon his first wife would do something as brave as volunteering to face machine guns to defend his homeland at the age of 44.

Piotr married Katarzyna Jachymiak on 4 Aug 1907 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, and was divorced in 1913 in Annulled. Katarzyna (daughter of Maciej Jachymiak and Marianna Handzel) was born in 23 Sep1876 in House Number 76, Krauszow, Poland; died on 20 Jun 1964 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States; was buried in Resurrection Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Catherina met and married a man named Peter Kowalski on 4 Aug 1907 at St Cyril and Methodius Church in Chicago. Peter was born in Lasek, only 5 km from Krauszow (but different churches), but I believe that they never met until they were in America. She was 31, and he was 33, and it was the second marriage for both of them. They lived at 1455 W. 47th St in Chicago, which was very close (only 500 meters) to Catherina's sisters who were already in America in 1910. They all
3
worked at the stock yards, so it is likely that Catherina and Peter met there, or at the local church.

Catherina and Peter had 2 sons: Joseph (1908-1977) and John (1909-1966). (NOTE: John Kowalski was my grandfather) However, sometime between 1910 and 1913, Catherina met one of Peter's friends from Lasek in Chicago. She was shocked to find out from the friend that Peter was already married to a woman in Poland. She thought the man must be mistaken, but he said he was 100% sure because he stood up to the wedding. Catherina then told her priest about the problem, and the information was confirmed with the priest in Klikuszowa. Catherina's marriage to Peter was eventually annulled, and in 1915 she married Joseph Starzyk at St Cyril and Methodius Church in Chicago. Joseph was from Lek (Tarnow, Galicia) and was 9 years younger than she was. Catherina and Joseph had one son William (1915-1996). However, Joseph died in 1931, so Catherina had lost her third husband before age 55. She never remarried.

1. John F. Kowalski was born on 6 Jun 1909 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA; died on 2 Oct 1966 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA (Manteno, Kankakee, Illinois, USA); was buried in Aroma Park, Kankakee County, Illinois, USA.
2. Joseph Kowalski was born on 12 Apr 1908 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA; died on 13 May 1977 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA.

Piotr married Catherine Pilat [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]