Genealogy Chat

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I have found a piece of a letter from an aunt in Poland to my late Mother in law which gives the addresses of 2 sisters I have been looking for in the USA. There is no date on the letter but the age of Stefania is given as age 90. She was born c 1897 so I am assuming the letter was therefore written in 1987. The letter also states that unfortunately one of the sisters ‘died 18 years ago’, therefore I assume Honorata died in c1969. 1) Is there any way I can check these addresses and confirm the occupants? 2) Can I find the death dates of the sisters? Honorata Wojcik born Poland c 1894, died c 1970 Stefania (Stella) Ciurczak b Poland c 1897 died after 1987 (not Toms River, Ocean, NJ) Addresses in c 1987 Stanislaw Wojcik (Honorata’s husband) 32 Hussa St, Linden, NJ Peter and Stefania(Stella) Ciurczak 16 Rankin St, Elizabeth, NJ There is only about 4miles between the two addresses, I have them on Google map. Thanks Katarzyna

Checking, I found 7 Stanislaw Wojcik in the US according to the US Social Security Death Index…..2 being from New Jersey (where I live – me being in the Southern end of the state.) From the information you posted, I believe the first man listed may be the one you are researching. ONe would be able to find the next of kin with the following which may then lead to more on the sisters, as well as any children. Stanislaw Wojcik: Born: April 22, 1892 Died: January, 1987 Last know address was in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey Social Security #146-26-3075 *According to the Social Security Death Index, this Stanislaw applied for his SS # in the state of NJ. Trenton is located in the Northern end of NJ.* Stanislaw Wojcik Born: May 4, 1924 Died: January 17, 2001 Last known address was Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey Social Security #080-28-2642 *According to the Social Security Death Index, this Stanislaw applied for his SS # while living in the state of New York (which is right next door to Trenton, NJ.) Useful information can be obtained by knowing someone’s SS number so make note of it. Both gentlemen died in the Northern end of the state – Jersey City and Trenton being very close. Looking at the birth dates, more than likely these two are father and son (?) There were 5 others with the same name – 2 also applying for their SS # in NY. Of these two men, one died in Illinois and the other had no known state specified as to where he died. The other two men applied for their numbers in Illinois. One died in Illinois and the other had no known state specified as to where he died. You can apply to the Social Security Administration Office and obtain more information on any one of the above men that you think may belong to you. Below I have copied and pasted the information from the SSDI website…..which explains better than I can, the information you can obtain by sending away for a copy of the person’s original application. Note too, on the SSDI website, you can leave a message and contact information pertaining to any one of these men should someone else be researching this name…..they can then contact you with the information you’ve left. There is also an online form that you can use to send for the information. From the SSDI website, an explanation of the information you can obtain from knowing the SS #: A GUIDE TO USING SSDI One of the largest and easiest to access databases used for genealogical research is the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). Its information can be utilized to help you learn more about your ancestors, as well as your aunts, uncles and cousins. Clues and facts from the SSDI often can be used to further genealogical research by enabling you to locate a death certificate, find an obituary, discover cemetery records and track down probate records. As marvelous a finding aid as it is, the SSDI does not include the names of everyone, even if they had a Social Security number (SNN). If relatives or the funeral home did not report the death to the Social Security Administration, or if the individual died before 1962 (when the records were computerized) then they probably will not appear in this database. The omission of an individual in this index does not indicate the person is still living. It simply means that there was no report of the person's death to Social Security Administration. When using the Social Security Death Index, in addition to the date of birth and date of death, there are three possible places included as well: • State of issuance (where a person then lived and applied or the state in which the office that issued their social security number was located). • Residence at time of death (this is really the address of record, but not necessarily where they lived or died). • Death benefit (where the lump sum death benefit [burial allowance] was sent). According to the Social Security Administration (SSA): The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts: The first set of three digits is called the Area Number The second set of two digits is called the Group Number The final set of four digits is the Serial Number Area Number The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to 1972, cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the state in which the card was issued. This did not necessarily have to be the state where the applicant lived, since a person could apply for their card in any Social Security office. Since 1972, when SSA began assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the area number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence. Thus, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the state of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972 or since.

(Continuing from above - apparently GR is now limiting the size of one's post as I could not get the following to post completely above!) Generally, numbers were assigned beginning in the Northeast and moving westward. So people whose cards were issued in the East Coast states have the lowest numbers and those on the West Coast have the highest numbers. The state of issuance (this is not necessarily the state of residence at the time of issuance) can be verified by looking at the Social Security number itself. The next two digits of the number are a code used to track fraudulent numbers. The last four digits are randomly assigned. I am going to check, now, the other names you mentioned in your posting..... Judy

Peter Ciurczak Born November 13, 1891 Died, February, 1972 Last known address was in Old Bridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey Social Security #139-10-4013 The number was applied for in New Jersey Middlesex County is also located in the Northern end of New Jersey.

Stella Ciurczak Born March 4, 1899 Died October, 1981 Last know residence: Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey SS #136-54-4221 (There are 39 other Ciurczak's listed in the state on NJ.....a few of them listed as being from Tom's River....so you might want to check on those names as well as there might be a connection there.) Your letter must be dated prior to 1981, which would make Honorata's death pre 1963. Judy

There was nothing I could find for Honorata in the SSDI. It could be because, if she outlived her husband and never worked (which required one to apply for a Social Security Number at that time) she may have collected benefits under her husbands Social Security Number.....which was the norm back then, when one was a stay at home wife who never worked outside the home. Could Honorata gone by another name, as Stella did? Judy

In the local telephone directory (a matter of public record for anyone to obtain) there is one Ciurczak located in Toms Rivers.....perhaps a link for you to check out: Michael P. Ciurczak 103 Joanna Dr Toms River, NJ 08753-5213 (732) 349-3782 Looking further, the above is the only Ciurczak who has a publicly listed phone and address in the state of New Jersey.

Thanks Judy for your pm and posts, I will check out the 2 Stanislaw Wojciks I had dismissed the Toms River Ciurczaks before due to time of deaths but will ring/write now I have an a address to double check. Do you have access to the 1920/30 censuses please. I have the Ciurczaks on these censuses in Elizabeth but not the Wojciks, I'm sure the Wojciks were in Elizabeth or Linden areas of NJ at the time Do you have directories for 1970,s 80's where the two Addresses given in post can be checked out? I did make note of the social security material that you gave me on my last posting. However I need to establish a closer relationship before writing to the SS office you gave as it could work out extremely expensive Katarzyna

Sorry, no I don't have access to 1920/30 at the moment....as for Wojciks being in Linden/Elizabeth, the towns I mentioned above are all close to each, neighboring towns.....so that very well could be them. Judy