Update: I visited several of these towns in June 2012. I'll add photographs to the project, but for the most part, I could not learn anything from the cemeteries. Either they were destroyed, or impassable, or the stones were mostly illegible.

This project will look at marriages from the late 18th century to the early 20th century between various families residing in the Suwalki District of what is now Poland, as well as with other families from nearby territories that formerly comprise a unified administrative district with Suwalki, namely Lomza and Trakai.

Marriage patterns were dependent upon several things: (1) the status and educational level of the family; (2) geography - families in the same village and nearby villages tended to intermarry since travel was difficult; (3) political boundaries and constraints - it was difficult to marry or travel outside of your administrative district, so the majority of marriages were between families living within the same district.

Interestingly, many of these families continued to intermarry once they had left Suwalki, e.g., Visanska, Winstock, Brin, and Rosenberg in South Carolina; Frankel and Margolis in Ohio; Wallk (Wolk ?) in Illinois; Brody and Margolis in Iowa; Mittenthal and Brin and others in Texas.

For several centuries the territories of Suwalki, Lomza, and Trakai were part of a unified political unit in Greater Lithuania. After that, Suwalki and Lomza were together in the Duchy of Poland while a smaller Trakai was part of Lithuania.

Background

• 1569 - 1795: The neighboring Suwalki and Lomza territories were part of the Trakai Voivodeship in The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch, the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some 400,000 square miles and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak.

After the 1795 partition, parts of the Trakai Voivodeship remained in Lithuania and other areas became administrative districts of the Duchy of Poland:

1. 1805-1816: Łomża Department
2. 1816-1837: Augustów Voivodship
3. 1837 - 1867: Augustów Gubernia
4. 1867-1914: Lomza, and Suwalki Gubernias established. Suwalki Gubernia consisted of most of the former Augustow territory. The Łomża Department and the Voivodship and Gubernia of Augustow consisted of seven counties with the capital in Suwalki:

• Biebrzańsk County (seat in Szczuczyn)
• Dąbrowski County (seat in Lipsk, later in Augustów)
• Kalvarija County
• Łomża County
• Marijampolė County
• Tykociń County
• Wigierski-Sejny County (seat in Sejny)

Suwalki Gubernia pre-WWI (incl both Polish Suwalki and Lithuania Suwalki)

• Bakałarzewo [Pol], Baklerove [Yid], Bakalazhevo [Rus], Baklerava, Baklrovo
• Filipów [Pol], Filipova [Yid], Filipuv [Rus], Filipowo
• Jeleniewo [Pol], Yelenevo [Rus]
• Kaletnik [Pol, Rus]
• Kalvarija Kalvarye [Yid], Kalwaria [Pol], Kalvariya [Rus], Kalvarien [Ger], Calvaria, Kalvaria, Kalwariya, Kalwarya
• Kudirkos Naumiestis [Lith], Władysławów [Pol], Nayshtot Shaki [Yid], Vladislavov [Rus], Neustadt-Schirwindt [Ger], Wladislawow, Naum'yestis, Naumiyestis, Naumiestis Šakiu, Naumiestis, Naumiesčio, Naumestis, Kudirkos-Naumestis, Naumestis, Naumiestis Kudirkos, Neyshtadt Shaki, Neishtat, Neishtat Kudirko, Neishtat Shervint, Novoe Mesto, Nowe Miasto, Vlodislovov
• Lazdijai [Lith], Łoździeje [Pol], Lazdei [Yid], Lozdzee [Rus], Lasdien [Ger], Lazdiji [Latv], Lozdzeye, Lazdyyay, Lazdiyay, Lazdey, Lazhdai, Lezdi
• Przerośl [Pol], Psherosl' [Rus], Psherosla [Yid], Preraslia, Przerośl Osada
• Puńsk [Pol], Punsk [Yid], Pun'sk [Rus], Punskas [Lith]
• Raczki [Pol], Rotzk [Yid], Rachki [Rus], Račkos [Lith], Rotchky, Ratzk
• Šakiai [Lith], Szaki [Pol], Shaki [Yid, Rus], Schaken [Ger], Shakyay, Schaki, Schacki, Šakiu, Suidine, Sakai, Sakee, Shakay, Shakee
• Suwałki [Pol], Suvalk [Yid], Suvalki [Rus], Suvalkai [Lith], Suwalken [Ger], Sudauen [Ger, 1941-44]
• Sztabin [Pol], Shtabin [Yid, Rus], Štabinas [Lith], Sztabin Kościelny
• Vilkaviškis [Lith], Wyłkowyszki [Pol], Vilkovishk [Yid], Vilkovishki [Rus], Wilkowischken [Ger], Vilkavišķi [Latv], Wiłkowyszki, Vilkaviškio, Vilkavishkis, Vilkavisk, Vilkovisk, Volkovisk, Volkovyshki
• Vištytis [Lith], Wisztyniec [Pol], Vishtinetz [Yid], Wystiten [Ger], Vištyčio, Vishtyney, Vishtitis, Vishtenitz, Vishtinits
• Virbalis [Lith], Virbaln [Yid], Wierzbołowo [Pol], Wirballen [Ger], Verzhbolovo [Rus], Wierzbolow, Verzhbelov, Verzhbolov, Verbal, Verzhbelova, Virbalin, Virbolin, Vėrbalis Jewish Pop. 1885 1,253 Jews,(50% of the total population)
• Władysławów (Neustadt, see Kudirkos Naumiestis)

Distances (an example)

Vištytis aka Vishtinetz is

• 8 miles from Wiżajny
• 13 miles from Virbalis
• 14 miles from Przerośl
• 19 miles from Vilkaviškis (Vilkovishk)
• 19 miles from Filipów
• 21 miles from Kalvarija
• 23 miles from Puńsk,
• 24 miles from Bakałarzewo

Families

• Abramsky (Przerosl)
• Amdurski (Suwalki)
• Bachrach (Virbalis)
• Bardin (Bakałarzewo, Szaki, Sztabin)
• Berger (Suwalki)
• Bergzon (Lazdijai)
• Berzinski (Wiżjany)
• Borawska (Borofsky, Borovsky -- Bakalerzewo)
• Borkowsky (Suwałki, Sakai and Wiżajny)
• Bramson (Przerosl, from a family from Szczuczyn, Lomza)
• Brin (Vištytis aka Vishtinetz)
• Bronholc (Suwalki)
• Brody (Kalwarija)
• Choronzitzky (Lazdijai)
• Czarminski (Filipow)
• Dymentsztejn
• Epstein (Bakałarzewo, Raczki)
• Frankel (Przerosl - one branch, ancestors from Ratnycia near Druskininkai and Merkine in Trakai)
• Frejd (Lazdijai, Viesiejai)
• Friedman (Filipow)
• Goldstein (Suwalki)
• Henigson (Szaki, Vilkovishk, Kalwarija)
• Hirschhorn (Vištytis aka Vishtinetz)
• Jaworkowski (Filipow and several other towns)
• Kopciowski (Kaptsiovski) (Veisiejai)
• Levy (Suwalki)
• Lewinson (Marijampole, Suwalki)
• Lipski (Vilkaviškis)
• Magdulya (Viesiejai)
• Marcus (Kalvarija, Vilkaviškis aka Vilkovishk)
• Margolis / Kalwaryjski (Kalwarija - Przerosl)
• Merecki (Ladzijai)
• Mittenthal (Vištytis aka Vishtinetz)
• Motulski (Przerosl)
• Myszkinski (Suwalki)
• Myszkowsky (Kalwarija - Przerosl, one branch moved to Grajewo, Lomza)
• Palczyk (Viesiejai)
• Plotnowski (Raczki)
• Prygowski (Augustow, Suwalki)
• Przedmiejski (Filipow, Suwalki, Bakalarzewo, Przerosl, Sejny and others)
• Rabinsohn (Ladzijai, Seirejai, Sejny)
• Rackowski (Filipow, Bakalerzewo, Sereje, Sejny, Przerosl)
• Rafalin (Punsk, Suwalki)
• Ralski (Viesiejai)
• Rosenberg (Bakalerzewo, possibly later in Suwalki)
• Ruslander (Raczki, lived in Augustow)
• Schilobolski (Wizajny)
• Sidlovski (Przerosl)
• Siemianski (Suwalki)
• Sterling (Bakałarzewo)
• Szczuszynski (Filipów) became Stutinsky
• Tobolowsky
• Tumpowsky (Tumpowski) (Wladislawow, now Kudirkos-Naumiestis)
• Urell (Viesiejai)
• Wartelsky (Vištytis aka Vishtinetz)
• Wyzansky /Visanska (Virbalis, Suwalki, possibly originally from Wiżajny)
• Winstock (Virbalis - some debate about their origin)
• Wistenetzky (Filipow)
• Wolkowski (Suwalki, Przerosl)
• Zylberman (Bakałarzewo)

Families from outside Suwalki (with explanations)

• Bramson (Szczuczyn, Rajgród)
• Goldsztok (Rajgród) - lots of variants in records: Goldszlak
• Rosenthal (Szczuczyn)
• Roterosen / Steinsapir (Rajgród)
• Bernstein / Zirilstein (Merkine / Meretch)
• Frankel (Ratnycia / Merkine / Meretch)

Marriage

• Margolis - Myszkowski

• Asher Margolis and Sheyna Bayla Myszkowski
  
• Judah Leib Margolis and Badana Myszkowski
  

• Margolis - Brody

• Jacob I Brody and Bessie Margolis
  

• Margolis - Hirschhorn
• Margolis - Rosenberg
• Margolis - Bramson
• Margolis - Bernstein / Zirilstein
• Margolis - Frankel
• Margolis - Sterling
• Margolis - Winstock
• Margolis - Bardin
• Margolis - Bakropies

Haim Judah Leib Margolis and Sarah Bakropies

• Abramsky - Bryman (Margolis - Frankel descendant)

Nissan Abramsky and Masha Bryman (Note: Nissan's mother was a Myszkowski and Masha's adopted mother was a Frankel, daughter of a Margolis)

• Abramsky - Myszkowski

Rivka Myszkowski and Abram Leib Abramsky

• Abramsky - Bramson

Friedel Sara Abramsky and Zalman Hirsch Bramson (Note: Friedel's mother was a Myszkowski and Zalman's mother was a Margolis)

• Myszkowski - Epstein

Badana Myszkowski (widow of Judah Leib Margolis) and Israel Epstein

• Visanska - Mittenthal
• Visanska - Winstock
• Mittenthal - Visanska
• Mittenthal - Brin
• Wartelsky - Brin
• Rosenberg - Brin
• Rosenberg - Visanska
• Rosenberg - Margolis (see above)
• Frankel - Wallk
• Roterosen - Kronzon
• Roterosen - Goldsztok
• Siemianski - Szczuczinski (married in Filipow)

Goldsztok (Raygrod)

• Goldsztok - Margolis

see above

• Goldsztok - Roterosen

Mindla Goldsztok and Leib Roterosen

• Goldsztok - Rozenthal

Dveira Goldsztok and Jankiel (Jacob) Rozenthal

• Goldzstok - Bomsztejm

Berek Goldszlak and Myndla Bomsztejm (1836, Novograd)

General Note

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Early Suwalki Immigrants to South Carolina

A Portion of the People tells the story of the early Winstocks, Visanskas, and Rosenbergs through text and photographs of artifacts.

The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina See Spring 2013 issue for an article about the Suwalki families who settled in Abbeville in the 1830s to 1850s.

Relevant Links and References

• The Descendants of Israel Goldstock
• Towns in Suwalki Province in 1900
• 1828 and 1863 Raczki Jewish Resident Taxpayer Lists