This time line lists some of the important events in Polish, Texan and American history that had an influence on the Polish Texans. This timeline can also be viewed as it relates to a specific person or persons in our genealogy database by clicking on the timeline button on the persons main page. An example of this can be seen here.
History
Written by Joseph Bartula in the year 1894
(translated by Katherine and Teana Sechelski)
"In the year 1873 I left my native country on 16 May with my entire family from the town of Brzostek, obwod Tarnow, powiat Pilzno (Poland). My family was composed of my wife, Katherine Panciewicz, my sons Stanislaw, Wladyslaw, Mieczyslaw, Bronislaw and Czeslaw. Also with us was our maid, Katherine Gasior.
On June 16 we passed through Bremond and Houston on our way to New Waverly where my brother-in-law, Kasper Szybist, lived with his family. On my journey I lost all my belongings and two sons, Czeslaw and Bronislaw. They rest on American soil in Danville, Montgomery County. Our maid also perished there somewhere. In the same year I came with my wife and three sons to the vicinity of the city of Calvert, Texas. There our oldest son, Stanislaw, died and was buried about five miles from Owensville or six miles from Calvert. The rest of our family was weak and sick.
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Genealogists who research Catholic Poles soon realize the importance of sacramental records of the Catholic church. Often they are the only records which exist on our ancestors, Generally speaking, the early church records are more reliable than civil records. For those with ties to Bremond, St. Mary Catholic church is of prime importance.
In 1875 Jozef Bartula and his family as well as Frank Bainski came to Bremond to work as tenant farmers for John C. Roberts. There was no Catholic church. However, a priest was coming from the church of St. Mary of the Assumption, Waco TX to minister to the Catholics in Bremond. Jozef tells us that Father Biusant (?) came four times a year for services which were held in the home of John and Mary Louisa Roberts.
When the present St. Stanislaus Church, Anderson, was completed in 1917. it became the first brick Catholic edifice in Grimes County. On August 6, 1918, Monsignor James M. Kirwin, vicar general and administrator of the Diocese of Galveston dedicated the present church. At the time of the dedication of St. Stanislaus Church, the parish family included 168 families of Polish descent and one family of German descent. Today, the parish family totals 268 families.
Such was not the case, however, in 1871, when a few Polish families migrated from (German) Poland to Anderson in southeast Grimes County, 82 miles northwest of houston and 16 miles southeast of Plantersville. Records are not available to confirm how many families were in this migratory event; however, as tradition goes there were supposedly about 30 families.
The first Polish immigrants to Grimes County were very poor, and the greatest disavantage was their lack of any knowledge of the English language and being scattered over Grimes County.
St. Joseph’s Church in Stoneham, Texas was built in 1909 with Father M. A. Dombrowski as its first pastor. On July 9, 1909, the following thirty one individual parishioners took responsibility for the note on the land for the church and cemetery:
| Stash Lebeck | Frank Phillips | W. Szymanski |
| Mike Klavinski | Pete Yearek | Mike Phillips |
| Stash Pavlick | S. J. Niszkiewicz | Jack Naskrent |
| Frank Tomkievitz | Anton Smith | Lena Phillips |
| Antoni Urbanoski | Charlie Wetooski | Mary Demney |
| Wash Noak | Mike Grochett | Joe Shechinski |
| W. T. Smith | Martin Niszkiewicz | Geo. Kuta |
| S. H. Smith | J. L. Yargo | John Kleboski |
| Andrew Wietzkoie | Frank Grochett | Michael L. Pawlak |
| Teodor Pawlak | Walter Demney | Wash Piecznski |
| Cyril Winkler |
The second pastor was Father Weisnerowski who resided in Stoneham. For a short time Father Gleissner of Bryan was appointed to attend the needs of both St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Churches.
About the year 1920, St. Joseph’s Chruch became a mission under the guidance of St. Stanislaus Church of Anderson. The other pastors to succceed were Father T. W. Kappe, Father Francis Klass, and Father T. Wendland. During the pastorage of Father Wendlend, St. Joseph’s was transferred to the care of St. Mary’s Church of Plantersville. Father Leroy Braden became pastor in 1967. During his administration the interior of St. Joseph Church was completely renovated.
The priests to follow were all from St. Mary’s Church of Plantersville and have administered to the needs of the community of St. Joseph’s Church.
The Polish nation was a peace-loving nation, hard-working, religious and a nation of farmers. They were warred on by the Germans, Austrians, Russians, and the Scanddanavians, because there was always an abundance of food, livestock and fodder much needed by invading armies.
So, those who lived in Poland more than three centuries ago had seen their country partitioned twice in their life time, and had no hope left either for themselves or for their children. They heard of a new country, a free country struggling in its history, torn by its own troubles yet showing a promise of better things to come.
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