This exchange introduced a deeply experienced local historian whose personal, professional, and genealogical interests intersected with the Elcik story. Bill Cizmer brought multi-generational research experience, intimate knowledge of Lisbon Falls, and a practical understanding of Slovak naming conventions, immigration patterns, and archival limits. His perspective added breadth, realism, and valuable external connections.
At a Glance
- First Contact: October 12, 2020
- Primary Surname: Cizmer
- Medium: Email
- Role in Project: Local historian; Slovak context advisor; research connector
Correspondence Log
Contact #1 — October 12, 2020, 7:26 PM — Email
William “Bill” Cizmer:
Hi John,
Glad to make your acquaintance. Your email gave me a lot to think about. I’ve had a helluva time sorting out the Elcik records on Ancestry. Maybe you can help.
Bill Cizmer:
Beth is a great person, and I played football with Jack (and Bob, of course) at Lisbon High. Beth was a childhood friend of my wife, Sharon Tupper. I enjoyed working with Beth at the historical society.
Bill Cizmer:
I spent many years researching my first wife’s family (Wiggin). Her parents both traced back to John Alden and Priscilla Mullens of the Mayflower. Then I researched my mother’s family (Rioux), who trace back to French Canada in the 1670s, including Jean Riou and marriages into the earliest Quebec families.
Bill Cizmer:
Through a “gateway to royalty,” we are connected to French royalty—many kings, Charlemagne, Rollo the Viking, and William the Conqueror. In Lisbon Falls, the Riouxs came from Rimouski to work in the mills, along with my German side, the Baumanns.
Bill Cizmer:
My father was Slovak but came from Cleveland. The surname Cizmer (also Chizmar) is occupational, meaning bootmaker—like Cooper or Smith. Families with the same name might live near one another and not be related. In Slovak, the letter C was written with a diacritic that produced a “ch” sound, giving immigrants flexibility in spelling once they arrived in the U.S.
Bill Cizmer:
My father was a Marine guard at the Brunswick Naval Air Station when my mother met him. He had served at Guadalcanal.
Bill Cizmer:
Currently, I am trying to collect data on all people with any record of involvement with Lisbon—a seemingly endless task.
Bill Cizmer:
A fellow gave a talk at the historical society and is a resource for Slovak information. His name is Deeb Keamy. You might contact him. I’ll see if what you sent helps me with the Elciks. Expect questions.
Contact #2 — October 14, 2020, 11:28 AM — Email
Bill Cizmer:
John,
Like any institution, NARA can only publish what it gets in. Garbage in, garbage out.
Why This Contact Mattered
Bill’s correspondence contextualized the Elcik research within broader historical patterns—immigration, occupational surnames, record distortion, and archival limitations. His willingness to share expertise, caution against over-trusting flawed datasets, and connect the project with additional Slovak resources strengthened both its rigor and credibility.