Jordanow Information with Translation from Slownik Geograficzny

This article illustrates another example of combining information from a Słownik Geograficzny translation with current information, including a Polish county website. As you may recall, Słownik Geograficzny (Geographic Dictionary of the kingdom of Poland) is basically an inventory of Poland and surrounding areas taken in 1880-1902.

After finishing translations for Wysoka and Toporzysko, Poland (PGS-MN Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 2, Summer 2005), I tried a Słownik Geograficzny translation for Jordanów, Poland, the village of my maternal grandmother, Rozalia Jarosz. After the final partition of Poland in 1795, this area was under Austrian control and was called Galicia or just Austria until 1918. After Austria’s defeat in World War I this area became Poland again.

Jordanów is pronounced “Yor-da-noof” with emphasis on the middle syllable. Jordanów is in the Beskid Mountain range, part of the Polish Carpathian Mountains. (For a map and description see PGS-MN Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 2, page 10, Summer, 2005) Like my other Polish ancestors, Rozalia Jarosz was a member of the “Babiogórcy” highland clan because of their close proximity to the Mountain called Babia Góra.

Polish highlander information was published in the Fall, 2004 issue of Rodziny, The Journal of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, pages 11-12, 17-22. William F. (Fred) Hoffman published a translation of an entry from Słownik Geograficzny, entitled “The Górale (Highlanders)”. This translation describes the many Polish highlander clans living in the Carpathian Mountains around 1900. This translation is also available at the PGSA website at www.pgsa.org, click on Directory and then click Słownik Geograficzny translations.

In 1895, forty-one (41) small mountain villages were considered part of the Babiogórcy clan. The Słownik Geograficzny entry reports this clan to be the oldest highlander clan in the Polish Carpathian Mountain area. Jordanów was one of the largest villages in the area and in 1895 was considered the capital or main city of the Babiogórcy highlanders. In 1895, Jordanów had 1,254 inhabitants. The current population of Jordanów is about 5,000 people.

Minneapolis was a destination for many emigrants from the mountain highlands of Poland. The following is a quotation from the book, They Chose Minnesota (editor, June D. Holmquist) published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in 1981. Frank Renkiewicz, author of Chapter 19 on “The Poles”, makes the following observation (page 366) after writing about general hardships in that area of Poland (Galicia). “Factors such as these drove people increasingly from the poor pasture and woodlands near the villages of Rabka and Jordanów and the town of Nowy Targ in Podhale in the foothills of the Carpathians. For $45-$60 they might travel as far as Minnesota. Northeast Minneapolis was their principal destination, particularly at the turn of the century, but they also scattered throughout the state and occasionally into rural communities like Gilman.” (Author’s note: Gilman, Minnesota is located north of Minneapolis, specifically about 20 miles northeast of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Currently the population is a little over 200 people.)

Holy Cross Church, established in 1886, was the original Polish immigrant destination church in what is traditionally known as “Northeast” Minneapolis. In 1906 St. Philip’s Church was formed for those Polish immigrants who lived across the Mississippi river in what is known as just “North” Minneapolis. In 1914 St. Hedwig’s Church was organized and it is located in Northeast Minneapolis a few miles directionally north of Holy Cross. In 1914 a Polish National Catholic Church, called Sacred Heart of Jesus, was established up the street from Holy Cross. Finally in 1916 All Saints church, another Northeast Polish church, formed and it is located directionally south of Holy Cross.

To summarize, originally there were five churches in Minneapolis considered to be ethnically Polish. All were located in the north-northeast portion of Minneapolis. Four were Roman Catholic: All Saints; Holy Cross; St. Hedwig; and St. Philip. The fifth, Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a Polish National Catholic Church.

From my childhood experiences and recollections (1940’s), some Polish highlanders farmed in the area near Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. My family spent a few summer days there during “threshing” season and families we knew from Minneapolis had relatives in or had moved from Weyerhaeuser, WI.

In 1998, Poland established a three level division of administrative government units. At the top level the country is divided into 16 provinces (wojewodztwa) which are further divided into 315 counties plus some large cities (powiaty). The counties are then divided into districts (gminy) within the county. Jordanów is in the province called Malopolskie and is in Suski County (powiat), also known as Sucha Beskidzka County, with the county seat at Sucha Beskidzka. In Poland some of the larger villages are classified as districts (gminy). Jordanów, considered a larger village, constitutes a separate district (gmina) in Suski County (powiat). So, there is a Jordanów town and a Jordanów district (gmina).

The information from internet websites helped with the translation. I also have some personal experience to draw upon because in September of 2000 my wife, Judith, and I spent a morning with Polish genealogist, Iwona Dakiniewicz, searching church records at the Catholic Church in Jordanów, Poland.

A good present day description of the attractions of Jordanów and its history is available (in English) on the website for the Polish County of Sucha Beskidzka (Suski Powiat) at www.powiatsuski.pl. Jordanów makes an effort to promote its natural highland beauty including mountain hiking and cycling trails. The following paragraphs and highlights are taken directly from the Suski Powiat website.

“Jordanów town is located on the right bank of the River Skawa at the meeting point of three small mountain ranges - Beskid Wyspowy in the east, Beskid Makowski in the north, Beskid Żywiecki in the west and south. The town is on the main transport routes of the Sucha Beskidzka to Chabówka railway line as well as the main Wadowice to Rabka road.”

“In Jordanów interesting tourist mountain trails crisscross each other, including: red route going through Mount Turbacz, 1310 metres above sea level, Rabka to Mount Babia Góra, 1725 metres asl (asl = above sea level). Blue route goes from Turbacz and Rabka through Luboń Wielki 1022 metres asl to Koskowa Góra 866 metres asl, and on to Lanckorona and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.”

”Yellow route goes from Dobczyce through Łysina 891 metres asl, Klimas 801 metres asl, Zębalowa 858 metres asl, to Góra Ludwiki 653 metres asl and Beskid 760 metres asl on the Podhalański belt.” (Author’s Note: This area is considered to have been on the “amber road” when in ancient times amber was transported from the Baltic Sea to Greece and Rome.)

”The town was founded in 1564 on the authority of King Zygmunt II August (Last king of the Jagiellonian Dynasty). The founder came from the family who owned the Wieliczka salt mine and therefore its coat of arms was depicted by three horns which were used in the mines to signal a break.”

”Jordanów was located on the outskirts of Malejowa village and in 1576 passed into the hands of the Zebrzydowskis family before changing owners many times after that. 1576 was also the year that (King) Stefan Batory granted the town the rights to hold a market. In the 17th century it was famous for its cattle market. On the basis of this success it expanded to cover trade in garments and linen. In 1803 the town could boast the first public school in the region and the opening of the Sucha Beskidzka-Chabówka railway line meant the town was re-energized. During the Nazi invasion and occupation, the town distinguished itself for the resistance it put up, and in recognition of this was awarded the Order of the Grunwald Cross in 1984.” (Author’s Note: According to the people at the church, 70% of Jordanów was destroyed, but the church and the parish records were spared from the destruction. In September of 1939 this area became part of the front line effort by the Polish army to defend Poland from the invading Nazi army.)

”As well as a powerful past the town has a powerful future with the Valvex Company hydraulic thermostat controls being produced here and the town is also home to the Jordanówianka garment-manufacturing concern.” (Author’s Note: Valvex is an affiliated company of the Meridian International Group which currently includes American Metalcast Technologies and Polco Metal Finishing of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Valvex)

”The first parish church was established in 1576 by the Anna from Sieniawskis Jordanów Foundation. The church was reinforced by brick in pseudogothic style back in 1909-13. The architect, Jan Sas Zubrzycki also designed the post office (1908) and town hall (1911) in a similar style.”

”In the church (side altar) there is a picture of the Holy Mother with Child, created in the style of the Holy Mother in Częstochowa, painted on linen and glued to a pine wood board. It probably dates back to the 17th century and is the work of an anonymous artist. Other pictures and artifacts from the 16th century can also be seen in the church.”

(Author’s Note: There is a beautiful archival display room above the priest’s sacristy where the parish stores church artifacts and the parish registry books. The author, his wife, Judith Rys, and Polish genealogist, Iwona Dakiniewicz, spent 3 hours in this room searching baptismal and marriage records in September 2000. I took 20-30 minutes of video tape of church records and artifacts and Judy Rys took photographs.)

Ornate door to the church archival room above the priest’s sacristy in Jordanów and Iwona Dakiniewicz looking through church cabinets holding registry records

”In Chrobacze, which is now part of Jordanów there is a manor with an unusual roof, typically Polish, from the 17th century. Spread between the mellow Hajdówka and Przykrzyca hills, Jordanów is a modern town and not only a place where you can spend a quiet winter or summer holiday, but thanks to its special microclimate it can help cure those suffering with respiratory diseases.”

When Jordanów became the largest village in the area, it served as the parish for the surrounding villages until some of the other villages were large enough to support their individual parishes. Therefore, some of the earlier records for the surrounding villages are kept in Jordanów. Some are cataloged as separate books for the smaller villages.

Much earlier, the primary Roman Catholic Church in the area was in the village of Łetowni. This is based on the fact that the Słownik Geograficzny translations for Wysoka, Toporzysko and Jordanów make reference that these three villages belonged to the parish of Letowina in 1581.

When we were in Jordanów in 2000, we searched records primarily in the 1800’s and 1700’s. At that time I was unaware of the early predominance of the village Łetowni. Since the parish priest allowed us only three hours to search, we did not extensively check for those very early records from other nearby villages. However, Judy Rys did hold in her hands a Jordanów church baptismal registry book dating back into the 1600’s. Unfortunately for genealogists searching this highland region, the Mormons, that is, Church of the Ladder Day Saints (LDS) have not microfilmed in this area. So, visits to these Polish churches are required to search this original information.

A few years back, when I read the Deluge, a classic Polish novel written by the famous Polish author, Henryk Sienkiewicz, I was surprised to see a reference to the village of Jordanów. Sienkiewicz referred to Jordanów in the part of the novel where King Jan Casimir Wasa, during war with Sweden, is in flight hiding in southern Poland and the novelist lists various villages they were to pass through on the king’s journey to safety.

The mechanics for making a “training wheels” translation were explained in a previous “translator in training” article. (PGS-MN Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 2, Summer 2005) To start, the Polish words are entered into a WORD document with enough space underneath them (double space) to write the corresponding English words. In the translation, I added some additional explanatory information in parentheses.

Slownik Geograficzny Entry for Jordanów, Poland

(Polish words are on top and English in bold italics below)

Jordanow, miasto nad Skawiną z widokiem na Babią góre pod 37° 30’

Jordanow, city on the Skawa (river) within view of Mount Babia Góra at 37° 30’

wsch dług. od Ferro i 49° 39’ półn szerok, w. pow. myślenickim

east longitude from Ferro and 49° 39’ north latitude in the district of Myslenice

(In Greenwich terms, Ferro is 18° - so it is longitude 19° 30’ from Greenwich)

w poblizu przejścia przez Tatry z doliny Orawy

near the pass to cross through to the Tatry Mountains through the Orawa River valley

do doliny Raby, 802 m. wys. // Ubogie górskie miasto,

to the Raba River valley, 802 meters elevation. // A poor mountain city,

z obszernym trawą porosłym rynkiem, na którym wznosi się zajęty kramami drewniany an area overgrown with grass, a market, where wooden shops were constructed

ratusz, jest zabudowane drewnianemi, prawie jednakiemi domkami,

and a town hall, buildings which are wooden, many similar homes,

od których różni się tylko murowana szkoła, plebania i dom ubogich.//

in which they differ only from the brick school, rectory and enriched houses.//

W bardzo pięknej, malowniczejdolinie położona,

It is situated in a very beautiful, picturesque valley,

stolica Babiogórców (ob. Górale), nazywana takźe Zielonem miastem,

It is the capital city of Babiagórcy. (see Gorale), the city was also named Zielona,

zajmuje przestrzeni 1479 mr. i ma1 1254 mieszk.,

occupying a tract of 1,479 morgs and has 1,254 inhabitants

między tymi 1065 rzym. kat. i 189 izrael. // Majątek

among those were 1,065 Roman Catholics and 189 Jewish inhabitants.// The village’s

czynny wynosi 20800, bierny 4330

active assets are worth 20,800 Austrian zloty, and the passive assets are worth 4,330,

a roczny dochód około 6000 zł. wa. //

annual income of around 6,000 Austrian zloty. // (Note: zl. wa. = Austrian zloty)

Ludność trudni się garncarstwem, uprawą

The village population is employed as potters, laborers cultivating

bardzo niewdzięcznej roli i handlem.// Do podniesienia handlu przyczyniają

very unforgiving fields and traders.// The increase in trade was caused

się cztery doroczne jarmarki.// z których każdy trwa trzy dni.//

by the four year trade fair and cattle market.// It lasts every day from dawn to three.//

Głównemi artykułami przedaży jest bydło, trzoda chlewna i płótno. //

The principle articles sold are cattle, shelters (pigstys) for herds and linen cloth.//

J. Ma szkołę ludową dwuklasową.// Parafią rzyym. kat.

Jordanow has two elementary schools.// There is a Roman Catholic

urzad pocztowy i telegraficzny, sąd powiatowy, notaryat, lekarza i apteke.//

parish, post office and telegraph office, county court, notary, doctor and pharmacy.//

Kiedy założono Jordanów niewiadomo, ponieważ

No body knows when Jordanow was founded or established,

jednak rodzina Jordanów herbu Traby

but neverthless the Jordan family with the coat of arms with horns

pierwszy raz występuje w dokumentach jako osiadla

were the first owners set forth and documented the settlement

na Spiżu, mianowicie Marek, Jerzy i Paweł niechcą płacić dziesięcin

by Spiz, especially Mark, George and Paul with the consent to pay a tithe

(Morawski Sad. II, 171) około r 1441,

(Morawski Court II, 171) around the year 1441,

nadto w tych czasach głównie w tej stronie Polski spotykamy

more than sufficient time principally to avoid the Polish meeting

oddziały braci czeskich i polskich husytów, przcto być może,

a counteracting detachmentof Czech and Polish hussars, to be perhaps,

że wonczas powstała tutaj osada husycka, coby potwierdzała biblijna nazwa Trąby są

to be made here to garrison hussars, instead to confirm the biblical name of trumpet

godłem górnictwa źupuego a wieś Zakliczyn

as the symbol which belonged to the working of salt mines of the village of Zakliczyn

w pow. wielickim (prawdopodobniej niż miasto nad Dunajcem,

in the district of Wieliczka (an important village above the Dunajec River,

jak podaje Morawski) posiadają w 1505 r.// Jordanowie, potomkowie Hansa

as given by Morawski) it was in the year 1505. // A Jordanow descendant, Jan

wojta myślenickiego, starszego górniczego w żupach wielickich,

older mayor of Myslenice owned the salt mines of Wieliczka,

który Zakliczyn od króla w r. 1455 otrzymał. //

which Zakliczy received from king in the year 1455.//

W ten sposób da się wytlumaczyć późne powstanie parafii

In this manner it accounts for later raising of a parish

rz. Kat. Kościol paraf. drewniany, zubdowany w. 1570 r.,

Roman Catholic church parish of wood, built in the year 1570,

był do 1857 filialnym od par. w. Łetowni. //

it was until 1857 a branch affliated with the parish of the village Letowni.//

Besides tego kościola był jeszcze kościół zbudowany

Moreover, they were strong for having a church, so once more a church was built

w r. 1648 przy szpitalu św. Wawrzyńca, zniesiony w 1776,

in the year 1648 near the Saint Lawrence Hospital, destroyed in 1776,

prebenda bractwa różacowego, zniesiona w 1775,

the ecclasiastic stipend of the rosary society repealed in 1775,

i dom Tow. Jez. zbudowany około r. 1726 a zniesiony

and the home of Tow. Jez. was built around the year 1726 and destroyed

w r. 1777. // Przy parafii znajduje się fundacya

in the year 1777.// Beside founding the village and establishing the parish

Jordana Spytka z r. 1597 w celu utrzymywania 8 ubogich, mająca dom murowany

in 1579, Spytek Jordan maintained 8 homes for the poor built with stone

i około 10600 zl. wa. majatku. // Parafia naleźy do dyec.

for around 10,600 Austrian zloty.// The parish belongs to the diocese of

tarnowskiej i ma z przyłączonemi pięciu wsiami

Tarnow and when joined with five small nearby villages

4696 rzym kat. i 189 izrael. //

there is a total of 4,696 Roman Catholics and 189 Jewish inhabitants.//

Source: Slownik Geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiego, Vol III, page 604, Warsaw 1895.

In addition to Słownik Geograficzny translations, Polish websites broaden the understanding of villages by providing detailed maps and additional historical information. English language versions of Polish websites are very helpful to the “Polish language challenged.” Website information helps to confirm that found in Słownik Geograficzny and it makes the translation easier and gives it confidence. Websites are truly an unexpected translation aid.