Joseph Goralski Passenger List

In a letter from a fellow Zalewski researcher, who is the great-grandson of Frank Zalewski, wrote this to me:

“I am especially interested in learning more about the parents and siblings of Frank Zalewski, Sr. I do not know their names, nor do I know how many brothers and sisters he may have had. My mother’s (Editor’s note: his mother is Frank & Anna’s granddaughter) godfather was Joseph GORALSKI, and she remembers that he was somehow related to the Zalewski family. However, I don’t know what the relationship may have been. Joe GORALSKI was not Frank’s brother-in-law, since his wife’s maiden name was not Zalewski. Perhaps Joe was Frank’s cousin.”

I found Joseph Goralski’s in a passenger list from December 1892 which has a note that says, “Visitors Nephew Franz Zaleski at 902 Pulaski St.” next to Joseph’s wife’s parent’s entry. Along with other information including census records, Joseph should be Frank’s cousin’s husband.

But, as old stories and information goes, that is not correct. Based on more recent information, Joseph is actually Frank’s brother-in-law (or step-brother-in-law, if that’s a thing.)

Frank’s father died sometime before 1867 and his mother Anna was re-married to a man named August Gwiazdowski. Together, they had a daughter named Marianna who married Joseph Goralski.