Leon August Wysiecki, Rev.

Father Leon Wysiecki was born June, 1866, in Luzino, close to the town of Wejherowo, presently in the province of Gdansk. After completing seven years of elementary school, he emigrated to the United States where in 1886 he entered the Polish Seminary in Detroit. He was ordained a priest in the diocese of Brooklyn on November, 1891 by the Most Reverend John Loughlin. Father Wysiecki became pastor at St. Casimir's (Brooklyn, New York) seven months later. Fr. Wysiecki was instrumental in the establishment of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish (Brooklyn, New York), as well as St.Stanislaus Kostka (Brooklyn, New York), both in 1896.

1892 census Leo Wysiecke is living at Brooklyn, Ward 20, E.D. 19, Kings County, New York.

1900 census Leo Wysiechi & Cecilia Warzenska (Cousin) are living at Borough of Brooklyn, Election District 20 New York City Ward 17, Kings County, New York, United States.

1910 census Leo Aug Wysinchi & Cecilia Vez Warziwska (Housekeeper) are living at Brooklyn Ward 17, Kings County, New York, United States.

1920 census Leo Wysiecki & Celia Warzewski are living at Brooklyn Assembly District 13, Kings County, New York, United States.

Until 1896 Greenpoint's (Brooklyn, New York) Polish residents had to commute to St. Casimir’s, in Ft. Greene for church services in their native language. Anticipating an increase in demand for services in Polish, Father Leon Wysiecki of St. Casimir’s, established a new church (St. Stanislaus Kostka) in Greenpoint. He began by purchasing 10 lots at Humboldt Street and Driggs Avenue. Then, Father Wysiecki had a wood frame church erected to serve the community until his vision of a larger church could be realized. St. Casimir’s administered the church until Father Wysiecki became its pastor 1898. Following the wood framed church was the structure we see today. The existing monumental house of worship was dedicated on November 13, 1904 during the Feast of St. Stanislaus Kostka.

Chroniclers of the history of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church are not in agreement as to the reason why Fr. Leon Wysiecki resigned as pastor and returned to Poland in 1922 which was finally free after so many years of partition. Even more curious was that Fr. Leon did not return to his own hometown, but became the pastor in Solec Zdrój in the Diocese of Kielce. Apparently, this mystery will not be solved because the secret is buried with Fr. Leon in Wejherowo. There were many unanswered questions with much speculation and conjecture about the whole situation. Additionally, his family asked for his exhumation in order to move his remains to place of forefathers. [from: http://ststanskostka.org/wordpress/?p=5029]

Perhaps the follow information from the Supreme Court of New York has something to do with Father Leo's resignation...

JOHANNA HEGSTAD, Appellant, v. LEO WYSIECKI and CECILLIA VON WARZEWSKA, Respondents. Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department. June 22, 1917. In 1910 the defendant Wysiecki, a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, purchased ten apartment or flat houses in Halsey street, Brooklyn, paid the consideration and took the title in the name of his cousin, Cecillia Von Warzewska, who was his housekeeper. At about the same time he conveyed sixteen other flat houses to her. No consideration was paid by Von Warzewska, but the understanding was that she should manage the property, pay to Wysiecki $5,000 a year and keep the remainder of the rents herself. The motive behind the conveyance, as given by the grantee, was that he as a priest was not permitted to hold real property. The only reasonable inference from this evidence is that the grantee held the title to the property for and recognized Wysiecki as the real owner.

On July 14, 1914, the plaintiff, a tenant in one of the apartments, brought an action against Von Warzewska to recover damages for injuries caused by the negligence of defendant as owner of the premises. In 1914 and 1915 the rentals of the property did not produce enough to pay the $5,000 per annum, and on April 15, 1915, at the request of Wysiecki, all the twenty-six houses were conveyed to him.

The property in 1910 was worth, over and above mortgages, about $100,000. In April, 1915, it was worth about $50,000. Wysiecki knew all about the plaintiff's action; he employed and paid a lawyer to defend it. The conveyance to him left Von Warzewska entirely insolvent, as she had on other property. Subsequently plaintiff recovered judgment, and, execution having been issued and returned unsatisfied, *735735 brought this action to set aside the conveyances as made with intent to hinder, delay and defraud her. The complaint was dismissed, with a finding of fact that the conveyances were made on a good and valid consideration and without intent to defraud plaintiff.

Checking the Luzino Parish acts, the Leon Wysiecki was born 1865 in Luziński Młyn near Luzino. The godparents were: chrzestni: August von Gradulewski, Mathilda von Wyszecki.
In April 1867 was born his sister Cecilia Marcianna.