First generation: founders

The evidenced history of Błaszczychas goes back only to the middle of the XVIII century. Every piece of information on earlier times is a mere speculation as the first written record on the ancestors of the Family we have got dates only from 1753.
It is "Liber Baptisatorum" (The Book of Baptizm) of Strachocina's parish. There are four such books. We had acquired the first, newest one, from Strachocina's parish-priest father Niżnik in 1993. This book goes back only to 1880s. It is not the genuine Liber Baptisatorum from the XIX century but it's copy handwritten in 1940s. The genuine book perhaps was sent to the archives (in Rzeszów? in Przemyśl? in Warsaw?).
Yet later we reached even more important, older three books - from XVIII and XIX cenruries. Father Kazimierz Piotrowski ("Z Kowalówki"), parish-priest from Iwonicz and close relative to Błaszczychas (see genealogical tree) found them at Strachocina's parish only in 1999 (!).
He found also other parish documents: books of marriages, books of funerals ...
Maybe there are yet other records on Strachocina's parish at the bishop's archives in Przemyśl. But now (in 2004) we know nothing about them.

The first Piotrowski from Strachocina mentioned in written records is Stefan (Stephan).
Entry written in 1757 in the eldest book of funerals ("Metrica Morituorum") says that he died on October 28, being approximately 90 years old. He was buried inside the church (it indicated him to be recognised as a very important person).
He is not only the ancestor of Błaszczycha-Piotrowskis but of all Piotrowskis in Strachocina.
It is almost certain that he originated from a nobleman family of Polish Tartars, and that he was a son or a grandson of Alej Mirza (Duke) Piotrowski. The appealing argument is the coat of arms. People in Strachocina ever knew that the coat of arms of Piotrowskis living there was a silver arrow at golden background. And it is the rare coat of arms used only by Piotrowskis of the Tartar origin, descendants of Tartar duke Naiman-beg. There are written records that in the middle of XVII century Alej Mirza Piotrowski, loosing his fortune, went somewhere to Eastsouthern Poland and went lost (for records). A few years later there appeared in Strachocina the first Piotrowski, recognized as a very important person, who passed to his descendants the tradition of the unique coat of arms used only by descendants of Najman-beg.
Of course our "Tartar genes" have dissolved into "Polish" ones during subsequent (more than 8-th) generations but still one or other of our cousins happens to be crosseyed, some could be photographed as an example of Tartar fellow.

Perhaps Stefan had only two sons that lived long enough to left children. They were Kazimierz (Casimir) and Stanisław (Stanislaus).
We don't know when they were born and when they died. We don't know almost anything about them but that they existed at all. And had children.
Stanisław had at least eight children, six boys and two girls.
One of boys was Michał (Michael). We know that his wife was Katarzyna (Catherine).
They had at least eight children - solely boys. It seems that most of them died before they grew up. Perhaps only two got married and had children. One of them was Szymon (Simeon) born in 1764, as twin brother to Mateusz (Mattheus). Szymon was a father to several children, among them to Michał and so a grandfather to Michał's son Błazej - founder of the Family of Błaszczychas.

The first member of The Family that "has his story" is Błażej.
We know about him much from his daughter-in-law Paulina. She didn't knew him personally (was born two years after his death) but learned much about him from his widow Małgorzata. Paulina and Małgorzata lived together for long years.
Besides there are written records on Błażej that have preserved to our times. The oldest one of them is "Authorization of land property of Błażej Piotrowski".
So we can start more detailed record of the history of The Family just with Błażej only.

Błażej (Blasé) Piotrowski.
Born on January 28, 1838.
His parents were Michał and Katarzyna daughter of Michał Woźniak. Błażej's god-parents were Tomasz and Franciszka Cecułas (Cecuła was the family name of Błażej's grandmother Anna too).
He was a farmer and a businessman - the owner of a quite big family farm (6 morgas and 1560 sążeńs that is about 3.4 hectares of soil - with annual gain of 9 złotys and 59 cents in 1880s) and the owner of a store with various articles in Strachocina (in 1891 his widow payed income tax of 2 złotys and 19 cents - for income in 1890).
He was an innovator - for instance he was the first (or one of the first) in the area that was using artificial fertilizers. According to the family tradition he invented a washing machine - made of wood (perhaps he was a jointer too), driven by water flush of a stream.
He was married twice: with Maria Radwańska (in 1863) and, after her death, with Małgorzata Żyłka (perhaps in 1878).
He had (at least) four daughters and six sons: daughters and one son (Feliks) with Maria and five sons with Małgorzata: Jan (in 1879), Wojciech (in 1882), Franciszek (in 1884), Kazimierz (in 1887) and Paweł (in 1889).
Died on August 12, 1890, killed when his horse pulling wagon (with fertilizer for his store) was frightened and the wagon crushed him. There are two versions of the case: the horse was frightened by a train (one of first trains in the area) in Dąbrówka, now a section of Sanok (this version exists in the US branch of the family) and: the horse was frightened by a woman with a load of grass, in Kostarowce near Strachocina's church (this version is known in the Polish branch of the family).
His grave (according to his daughter-in-law Paulina) was at the old cemetery in Strachocina. At that place now there is a church built in 1900.

Maria (Mary) Piotrowska, maiden name Radwańska, the first wife of Błażej.
Born on August 2, 1840.
Her parents were Józef Radwański and Katarzyna daughter of Sebastian Wójtowicz.
One of her brothers was father Feliks (Felix) Radwański, a Roman Catholic priest. Another brother Wincenty (Vincent) Radwański was a teacher in the primary school in Strachocina. He was a godfather for all Błażej's sons.
Maria married Błażej on January 26, 1863.
They had at least six children: five daughters: Wiktoria, Waleria, Julianna, one more Waleria (the first one died as one and half years old child), Agata and one son Feliks.
All daughters died as children.
Maria died on May 27, 1878 (80 days after the death of her last daughter).

Małgorzata (Margaret) Piotrowska, maiden name Żyłka, the second wife of: Błażej.
Born in 1850 in Bażanówka (a village neighboring to Strachocina with habitants of Tartar descend). According to the family tradition she was a part blood Tartar too.
There is a picture (shot somewhere around 1918) of her (and her widow daughter-in-law Paulina and her three grandsons). She is sitting in a cane armchair, a white kerchief on her head, her face sunburnt, her cheekbones protuberant, her hands on a white pinafore decorated with lace.
Her parents were Marcin (Martin) and Rozalia (Rose) maiden name Niemiec.
Her sister Antonina (Antonia) (see the picture) married (on October 1905) Józef (Joseph) Żuchowski - Uncle Joe for "Casey" in the USA (in Detroit, Michigan). They came there in 1903 (he) - 1904 (she) from Bażanówka, Poland. Later lived in Rossford, Ohio. Their son Franciszek (Frank) known as "Ferpo" was the mayor of Rossford for 10 years (1958 to 1968). He served fourteen years on the city council before that. His son, Mark Zuchowski (the family name has changed a little), is now (1996) the current mayor of Rossford serving a second term. Andrew Zuchowski ("Little Zuck" for Błażej's grand-daughter Rose), a son of Mark's brother Thomas is now (1996) a help in Rose's troubles with her computer. "Little Zuck" is a student at Maimi State University. Sally Plicinski, a daughter of Antonina's eldest daughter Angela (Zuchowski-Szychowski) is interested in family affairs. We have got from her the story of her mother Angela (see: Błaszczychas in the USA).
We are also in touch with Carol Scsavnicky, Sally's cousin. Her e-mail is: AWESUM1111@aol.com.
Now in Rossford, Ohio there live also Niemiecs that are (almost for sure) near of kin to Małgorzata (her mother's family) and therefore to all Błaszczychas.
Another sister of Małgorzata, Marta (Martha) was the second wife of Jan Piotrowski - a son of Błażej's sister Wiktoria.

Małgorzata married Błażej somewhere about 1878 and became a widow on August 12. 1890.
They had four children: Jan, Wojciech, Franciszek, Kazimierz and Paweł. Only Jan remained in Poland - all the others (but Paweł that died as a child) went to the USA where they had set up families and never returned to Strachocina (even for a short visit to see their mother).
Małgorzata was a housewife and (after having become a widow) a farmer.
Maybe she had a small shoemaking shop too (?). It can be deduced from letters her eldest son Jan wrote to America (to his brothers). In one of them he says that his half-brother Feliks was complaining of his brother Franciszek didn't make shoes for him (but left to the USA). In another letter Jan writes of Piotr "Spod Mogiły" (Wiktoria's grandson) that "he still makes shoes with us". Did it mean: "in our shoemaking shop"?

Małgorzata is the foremother of all Błaszczychas. She was called Błaszczycha - in Polish: Błażej's wife or Błażej's widow. She was a widow (since 1890) for long years and during this time the name Błaszczycha set generally accepted for her and her sons (they were called Od Błaszczychy - From Błaszczycha). The name outlasted her death.
She died on October 24. 1924. Her grave was at Strachocina's (new) cemetery, now forgotten.

Wiktoria Piotrowska - Błażej's eldest sister.
Born on December 22 1830.
Her god-parents were Tomasz Cecuła and Anna Piotrowska.
Perhaps she didn't ever got married. She had two illegitimate children: a son Jan and a daughter Maria. Father (or fathers -?) of both is (are) not known.
Died in 1898.
Jan was born on June 14 1855.
He was married twice: with Katarzyna (Catherine), maiden name Maœlana (from Kostarowce - a village near Strachocina) and after her death with Marta (Martha) Żyłka (in Bażanówka) sister of Małgorzata.
He lived in Strachocina in a house near the steep hill called Mogiła (The Grave-hill - maybe it is really a grave-hill?). It gave the nickname to the family: Piotrowscy-Spod Mogiły (Near to the Grave-hill).
He had two sons: Piotr (from Katarzyna) and Tomasz (from Marta) and three daughters: Franciszka, Zofia and Józefa (all from Marta). Their descendants now live in Strachocina, Sanok and neighborhood. Some of them are in touch with some of Polish Błaszczychas.
Maria was born on April 2 1859.
Died in 1861 as a child.

Franciszka Piotrowska - Błażej's elder sister.
Born on March 05 1835.
Her god-parents were Tomasz Cecuła and Anna Piotrowska.
Died in 1906 (it is not certain).
It is everything we know about her.

Franciszek Piotrowski: Błażej's brother.
Born on September 29 1840.
His god-parents were Franciszek Piotrowski and Franciszka Rogowska.
He was surely married twice (there is a record in The Book of Baptism on his children from two different wives): with Wiktoria (Victoria) Pielech (daughter of Jakub and Agnieszka, maiden name Buczek) and after her death, with Katarzyna (Catherine) Szmyt (daughter of Jan and Helena, maiden name Klimkowska).
Wiktoria gave birth (probably) to at least two sons: Józef (Joseph) (this is not quite certain) and Andrzej (Andrew) (there are reliable records that he was born in the November 26. 1884). Andrew's (see his picture) godparents were Błażej Piotrowski and Magdalena, Jan Woźniak's wife.
Katarzyna gave birth to one daughter: Franciszka (Frances) on February 8. 1895.
Franciszek was the younger of two Michał Piotrowski's sons (the third, Marcin died as a child). The elder one, Błażej stayed at the patrimony - the younger had to look for the place for himself "in the wide world". So he left to America. He took his son Andrzej (Andrew) with him. They lived in Altoona, Pennsylvania. They were in touch with sons of Błażej that later also went to America.
Andrzej married Julia Atalska (born 1895, died 1962). They had four children: Leonia Stefania Czarnecki (born in 1915), Bernard Francis (1917 - Apr. 11. 1995), Henry Bernard (1919 - May 26. 1995) and Irene Grutta (born 1922). Leonia's husband (since 1948) was Zygmunt Czarnecki (1924 - Oct. 26. 1983), Irene's one is Steve Grutta (born 1923) ), Bernard's wife was Helene, maiden name Barlow (see their picture), Henry's one also Helene, maiden name Gorko (died Mar. 20. 1996).
Today they live in:
Mrs. Zygmunt Czarnecki - San Gabriel, CA (in 1992);
Bernard Piotrowski - Harper Woods, MI (in 1992);
Henry & Helen Piotrowski - Warren, MI, (in 1992).
Steve & Irene Grutta - Jensen Beach, FL (in 1992);
We know addresses. Rose Taylor is in touch with some of them.

After Franciszek went to America in his house in Strachocina (in the neighborhood of Błażej's house) perhaps there lived his another son, Józef. Later Józef moved to Stara Wieś (a village at suburbs of Brzozów - little town in neighborhood). It is possible that Franciszek returned from America and lived with him in Stara Wieś (this can be deduced from letters of Jan).
Józef had eight children. Four sons: Bronisław (1906 - 1960), Mieczysław, Władysław and Józef and four daughters: Helena, Czesława, Kazimiera, Michalina. These data are from "Marylka" (Maria Lisowska, born in 1942). She is a daughter of Mieczysław and a great granddaughter of Franciszek. Now lives in Brzozów, Poland. We exchange visits with her.
Other families of Józef's descendants live in Sanok, Brzozów and other little towns in neighborhood. Some of them are in touch with some of Polish Błaszczychas.

Urszula Piotrowska - Błażej's youngest sister.
Born on October 26 1844.
Died in 1846 as a child.
It is everything we know about her.

Marcin Piotrowski - Błażej's youngest brother.
Born on November 08 1849.
He left Strachocina. Now his descendants live is Sanok and other places in Poland and the USA.

Józef Piotrowski - Błażej's hypothetical brother.
It is almost certain that he didn't exist at all (!).
The most decisive is that there is no note on his baptising in "Liber Baptisatorum". Nor notes on baptising of his children.
On the other hand there are information on existing of a Józef in that generation.
Rose Taylor (Błażej's grand-daughter) knows from Bernard Piotrowski that his (Bernie's) grandfather Franciszek came to America together with his brother Józef. Franciszek stayed but Józef went back to Poland.
However this Józef could be Franciszek's son, not brother.
Another trace of Józef's existence is information passed to Władysław by his grandmother Paulina. He remembers how once she told him that at the same place where now (1999) the house of Paulina's younger son Kazimierz is situated earlier there was a house of Błażej's brother, just Józef.
However it is still possible that she (or Władysław) mistook a would-be uncle for the real nephew.