Beth Gamache’s Introduces John Elcik to Bill Cizmar

 

Beth Gamache has been trying to introduce us and has just shared your email with me. She is married to my 1st Cousin Jack and is a co-author of an eBook we are writing about our collaboration on ancestry research.

 

I apologize if I missed it; I can’t find any evidence of a Facebook invitation from you. Could you have reached out to one of the other Facebook John Elcik’s? If so, it is just one more piece of evidence that the same name can create identification issues.  This is true in real life, as well as ancestry research. 🙂

I am reachable through Facebook (above) or email at johnelcik@msn.com.

 

Bill, I understand from Beth that we both share interests in Ancestry.  Better yet for me, Beth tells me you know a lot about Lisbon. Beth is so happy that you introduced her to the Historical Society 3 years ago.

 

Our brick wall has been to find a link between two Elcik families and/or “jump the pond” to Europe to locate the 6th generation of our Elcik family.

 

Also, I apologize that this email will be so long. It has allowed me to summarize where we are and clarify our goals.  

 

 

John Elsik (1866-1941) married Mary Pelcarsky (1875-1936) through whom I (IV), Dad (III), and John (Jr.) descended. In the 1910 Census, John Elsik identified his surname as Elsik. Elcik is the spelling used for the rest of the family.  John immigrated in 1891 and Mary in 1896. Ancestry and I agree that John Elsik is my great-grandfather.

 

John Elcik (1886-1982) was married to Mary Jeho Zena Jonek (1887-1951). John immigrated in 1905, and Mary immigrated a year later in 1906. He came to America through Ellis Island, and the name was changed to Elcik from Ilcik, as told to his grandson. His son, Andrew J. Elcik (1911-1995), married Jeannie Pascarella through whom many of the “New York” Elcik’s descended. This family includes my “New York” contact: John Elcik.

 

A 1940 Census document for Joseph’s family (sons John J. and James G.) uses the “Elsik” spelling of the Ilcik’s surname. This s particularly significant to us.  This is the first instance I have found of John Elcik (New York) direct relatives using this spelling, which can also be traced back to my Great Grandfather John Elsik, Sr.

 

Thanks to Beth’s research, we know one connection between the New York Elcik’s and us. Their George Elcik (in the 1920 Census) married Jack’s father’s sister Anna Gamache. The is not a blood relationship, yet both my John Elcik (Rocky Point, NY) contact and I think there should be one.  We all come from Western Europe (Austria/Hungry/Slovakia), spoke Slovak, and have a Catholic heritage.

We all believe the two families are more directly related, if and when, we can “jump the pond” to Europe. I briefly subscribed to Ancestry World Discovery to locate European Ancestors. I also have been trying to find an immigration document.  

I am looking hard for a European location to reach out to other descendants of our forefathers. But Europe is a big continent, and I have reached the proverbial brick wall. Individual responses in Census reports on our European origins are nonspecific. How our ancestors identified is as follows:

The responses may be due as much to economics and politics as to specific geography.

 

My father always said we came here from Czechoslovakia, but our immigration in the late 1800s came before its creation.

 

As for geographic locations, I have found one reference to Parhovjani S, Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately, I don’t think it exists anymore.  And the literal translations are “parking lot.” Lol.

 

Based on the spelling of Elcik as Elsik in the 1910 Federal Census, I believe the surname spelling to research is Elsik. Or perhaps, Ilcik, if the Durham Elcik’s are relatives.

 

Beth tells me that you might know ways of researching documents, etc. that we don’t.

 

Any tips you have would be very welcome.  In addition to searching for immigration documents, I think a DNA test might help break the brick wall.  

 

It is a pleasure to meet another ancestry enthusiast.  I would like it very much if we can become friends as well.

 

Warmest regards,

 

John

 

Dr. John P. Elcik, IV

15117 Cloverdale Drive

Fort Myers, FL 33919

(561) 543-3626 (my wife Pam’s cell phone)

johnelcik@msn.com