The following are items of information that we are looking for, or we have questions on, if you can help us out please email The Keeper of History.
The New York Arrivals – 1903
Josef Furmaniuk of Zbaraz arrived in New York City on December 25, 1903, on board the ship Neckar, out of Bremen, Germany. He was 18 years old. Papers show he was headed for Worcester, Massachusetts where a friend (believe the name is “Gargulansky” but the page is hard to read) he was traveling with had relatives. He had $6 in his possession.
Shortly thereafter he was joined by his brother Karol Furmaniuk on the Graf Waldersee. Departing Hamburg March 16 and arriving March 31, 1907 in New York. From the passenger list he was an 18 year old farm laborer from Zbaraz, Austria, he seemed to be travelling with a friend. He had $10 with him. Listing “BARACZUK” as a residence
Both Karol and Josef listed their father as Michael Furmaniuk.
The New York Arrivals – 1909
Coming in 1909 was Wojiech Furmaniuk, who is probably a cousin to the above.
They can’t be brothers because we have documentation that Wojiech’s father was Piotr Furmaniuk and his mother Apolonia Dabek.Wojiech arrived on the Kaiser Wilhelm II, Departing from Bremen, Nov 9, 1909 and arriving in NYC on Nov 16, 1909. He is listed as 30 years old, a farm laborer, 5’3″, grey eyed, blond. Lists wife as “Marya Furmaniak, Zbaraz”
Wojiech was travelling with a cousin (?) Tomasz Furmaniak, 17 yrs old, and a single farm laborer. Lists father as Franz Furmaniak
Census Data
The 1910 Census of the United States shows them all in Sterling, Massachusetts
| Name | Relationship to Head | Age Notes | Date of Immigration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Furmanick | Head | 27, Married 2 years | 1907 |
| Mary Furmanick | Wife | 24, Married 2 years | 1907 |
| Karl Furmanick | Brother | 18, Married 1 year | 1908 |
| Effie Furmanick | In-law | 19, Married 1 year | 1908 |
| Michael Furmanick | Nephew | 4 mos. | 1909 |
| John Furmanick | Brother | 23 | 1909 |
| Wojciech Furmanick | Brother | 25 | 1909 |
| Thomas Furmanick | Brother | 31 | 1909 |
They all gave Austria, Poland as places of birth and Polish as a primary language, except for Joseph and Mary who listed that they could speak English.
Inconsistencies:
- Wojciech can’t be Joseph’s brother – they have different parents.
- Michael was born in the US – there is a birth certificate for him in 1909.
- The ages are wrong.
- The arrival dates are mainly wrong.