Category: Surname

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The Spelling of our Last Name


Sat 7/11/2020 4:38 PM

Jim & Jeff,

I realized after the last message that there is a follow-up to the story in why today we spell our name “Elcik.”

If we look at the history of usage based on United States Federal Census data, we learn:

  • In 1910 Sr. had his surname recorded as “Elsik” while Jr. and the rest of the family were written as “Elcik.”
  • In 1920 Jr’s and family had their surname recorded as “Elcih.”
  • In 1930 and 1940, John III’s and family had their surname recorded as Elick”. It, of course, predates our birth.
  • Today the surname is used as “Elcik.”

It looks like our Dad over several decades, used “Elick” as our surname, but with our generation, he and we have gone back to our roots by using “Elcik.” Recall that I said the “Elick” spelling was used for Dad’s siblings: Madelyn, Gertrude, Mary, Richard, and Elinor. I was also of interest that “Madelyn” and “Elinor” eventually become “Madeline” and “Eleanor,” respectively. When overtime names change, it becomes increasingly difficult to be sure you have been recording them right. ?

One final mystery. Until I got the dates right the John Elcik, who was born in 1886, was incorrectly finding his way onto our tree. First, we know John P. Elcik, Jr. was born in 1896. I doubt as a ten-year-old, he fathered a child. The mystery is solved with the 1910 United States Census. Both the “Elsik” and the “Elcik” spellings are used within the same household.

Finally, one other surname has been a source of frustration. John “Elsik’s” wife Mary Pelcarskey had has also been recorded as “Maria Ilcik.” Ouch!

Inquiring minds wanted to know. So, as Paul Harvey used to say, “That is the rest of the story.”

John

[All this research and I can’t answer for the way we pronounce “Elcik” as “El-check.” I do vaguely recall having uttered it “Elsick” when I was young. I also remember saying, “check, like in Czechoslovakia.” Could kids in school have been bullying us? Maybe. – Dr. John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]

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Facebook Chat – John Elcik and Janet (Lucas) Welsh

July 20, 2020, through July 23, 2020

July 20, 2020, 11:14 AM

John Elcik: Janet, this one is just for you!

Janet Welch: Oh, John ??❤️??❤️??❤️! You have no idea how much this picture means. I’ve never seen anything like this.

Janet Welch: I miss my parents so very much ❤️

John Elcik: Me too, both your and Jack’s parents were special to all three of us, Elcik boys.

Janet Welch: John Elcik and you boys to them.

John Elcik: In addition to my memories of your parents, I remember you and your siblings, the big house in York, and how hard your parents worked.

Janet Welch: John Elcik? That’s so wonderful ❤️. Thank you sooo much for posting that picture. I absolutely LOVE it. ?

Janet Welch: John Elcik, my immediate family, was and still is so valued. We’ve remained very close. Our Dad was always saying stay close, help each other out. My parents were both very hard workers. Nose to the grindstone, never, ever complaining. I do not know how they managed what they did. I have a tremendous amount of respect for both of them. Miss them to this very day as I’m sure you miss yours.

John Elcik: I said York, but as I recall, it was Old Orchard Beach and a great place to live in the summer. I’ve heard that the house may now be bed and breakfast?

John Elcik: I’ve often told my wife and children that I would like a house like you had and the opportunity to have several generations live together. I idolized what you had with a large, close family. ♥️

Janet Welch: Our former home here in York is currently a B&B. It’s called Chapman Cottage. Google it. Many many fun memories were had there. Very tough moving from Lisbon Falls initially, but absolutely the best thing for all of us. I live in such a beautiful area. Very blessed.

John Elcik: Yes, blessed!

Janet – So you live in FT Myers full time? If so, how long?

John – Approximately ten years. We moved here from Wellington on Florida’s East coast. The move Florida happened when J.P. and Michelle were doing their last years of high school.

John – Is anyone else we know in Florida?

John – Do you ever come south? We can be hosts.

Janet – We are in York, have a winter home in The Village’s, FL for the past 7+ years, and just rebought another year-round home, after selling our previous one of 19 years, with our son and his family in Rangeley, ME.

John – Do you have a golf cart for the villages? I love that community!

Janet – My brother, Rod, lives full time in The Village’s, FL, with his beautiful wife, Rose. His daughter Megan lives near him.

John – Two homes, Wow! It would be great to see them and you! You and my sister-in-law are house rich!

Janet – We will have to meet up this winter if all goes well regarding this virus. We are waiting to see how all goes with a vaccine before heading back to FL. Grateful to have options?

Janet – And yes. We sold our snowmobiles and bought golf carts to travel around in.

John – Until recently, Kathy had a home in Zionsville, Indiana, and one on Sanibel Island, Florida. Now she lives a few miles away in Fort Myers.

John – I love the concept of a golf cart. Not popular in The Meadow of Parker Lakes.

John – The virus is a real pain!!!!!

Janet – Agree. It’s changed most of everyone’s lifestyle. And it is rearing its ugly head, yet again.

John – Florida is the new epicenter.

Janet – So I hear. ?

John – We have faith.

Janet – We have to.

John – Amen.

Janet – Yes. Amen ❤️

John – An excellent place to stop for lunch! I’ve enjoyed this.

Janet – Likewise! Be safe. Stay well?

John – I’m fixing it. You too!

Jul 22, 2020, 6:08 AM

Janet,

The Family Tree I’m working on is quite robust because of the advantages computers give us. The Tree includes information on all branches of our family. Elcik, Lucas, and more.

Ultimately, the project requires review by the people that know the individuals best. Would you be willing to review what I have on your parents? The final documents are something that I think you will cherish. And I get the satisfaction of knowing that I got their life stories right. What do you think?

Share your email address, and I will snd you four documents. There are a LifeStory and a Fact document for each parent. ?
With an eMail address, I could also provide you access to the whole Tree as a guest, contributor, or editor. Let me know if you want to do either of these options or both.

Warmest regards, John

July 23, 2020, 9:43 AM

Janet – That sounds wonderful!! Thanks so much ❤️. My email is janw@maine.rr.com.

John – I will send you an invitation.

John – The email is sent, and Ancestry should send you one too. Theirs will give you login instructions.

John – 11 years ago, Keri Lucas contacted us about the Family Tree. That site doesn’t exist anymore. Do you think she would be interested in the new site? Do you talk with her?

Janet –  Hi John. I’m sure she would be interested. I’ll get in touch with her. She’s living in North Carolina now, but we occasionally text each other.

John – Great! I’m collaborating with Beth Gamache on getting my facts right, but I can never have too much interest. ?

Janet – Gotcha! ?

John – I hope your day is going well.

Janet – Fabulously! Suppose to get strong storms this afternoon. A very hot & dry summer so far. I hope your day is great as well!

John – It is. Working on training our puppy.

Janet – A puppy?!? What kind?

John – A Chihuahua and Terrier mix from the humane society. Her name is Lucy Belle. She is tan, and I think she is 100% terror.

John – Freudian slip, I meant to say Terrier

Janet – So a little pooch.

John – Yes. about 10 pounds and a bundle of energy

Janet – Will help keep you young ?.

John – Absolutely, Do you have pets(s)?

Janet – Yes. A cocker spaniel named Cooper. He’s 12.

John – Lovely. Small dogs live the longest. Our Holly and Daisey were with us for more than 15 years.

Janet – Good long lives. It’s tough losing a pet. We had another cocker that lived until 15. He was a love. Our current dog has been a handful. He’s just starting to be ok with other dogs—been kind of a brat.

John – Our Lucy has had a rocky start. We will do better for her and me.

Janet – I’ll be sending positive vibes ??!

John – Thanks!!!!

John – I need to go, but it is always a pleasure to visit.

Janet – Likewise!! Take care.

John – You too!

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Solving the Mystery


Wed 7/15/2020 8:53 PM

Jim & Jeff,

There are several pieces to a mystery that came together for the first time today.

The mystery, if you don’t remember, is to find the links between all three waves of the Elcik family immigrated to America in the 1800s. We all came from Austria/Hungry, and there is a commonality of surnames (Elsik, Elick, and Elcik) and given names (John and James). Yet, I could not find a link between us (our Grandfather and Great-Grandfather) and a third group that initially settled in Lisbon Falls along with us, but moved south to New York.

It turns out that there are two links to the 3rd family. Remember that there was no apparent link because the two John Elcik’s are ten years apart, so they can’t be father and son.

The first evidence of a family link is on a government registration card—John Paul Elcik’s Registration Card (Serial #2701, Order #A1580), to be exact. The card gives 16 MAR 1885 as the birthdate for an Austria-Hungary born individual working as a “stock washer” in the paper mill. Mary Helen Elcik is the nearest relative and an RR2 #2 Lisbon Falls address.

Mary Helen can only be Mary Helen Pelarsky [Percarsky], wife to John Elsik, Sr.

With this encouragement, I decided to start entering the unlinked New York Elcik’s into the Family Tree without a link. Perhaps, given enough data, the software could suggest the family connection.

SUCCESS! For the first time, Ancestry.com began suggesting relationships. Ancestry identified John P Elcik (NY) as the “father of 1st cousin 1x removed.” WONDERFUL NEWS!

I now did one better by continuing to follow the Ancestry hints. Next, I found out that the 1rst cousin 1x removed is George M. Elcik. That is not all. I know this name as George is my Aunt Gertrude’s cousin. It means that her cousin and she both married members of the Gamache family. She married Norman Gamache. And her cousin George married Hanna Gamache.

I think this explains why the software is recognizing family relationships as “once-removed.

Thus, I can now show that we are related to the third Elcik family. The link is the marriages of Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Norman. George M. Elcik was our missing link.

I still suspect that there is a European connection between the families, but proof of that will take more research.

Meanwhile, to identify the parents (probably in Europe) of my previously unlinked John P. Elcik and John Elcik, Sr. (my Great-Grandfather), I have reached out to the New York cousin’s help. I’ll keep you posted.

John, IV

[Auntie Gertrude and Uncle Norman’s marriage is not the missing link we thought as George is not a “blood relative” cousin. His common Elcik surname and living in Lisbon Falls, however, grant him that “informal” status with the families. Later, a family link will develop because George marries Anna Gamache, Uncle Norman’s sister. Thus, for the first time, a marital, not blood relationship, exists between the Ilsik and Elsik families. – John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]  

 

 

 

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Gravestone Question


Friday, July 17, 2020, 11:47 PM

John (NY),

Could this be your Great-Great Grandfather’s gravestone? He is buried with his wife Jeho Zena Marie Ilcik, and one son.

SONY DSC

This son obviously can’t be your Great Grandfather. But they could have had another child.

If you examine the photo:

  • John Ilcik (16 MARH 1886 – ?? SEPT 1982)
  • Jeho Zena Marie Ilcik (28 SEPT 1887 – 13 AUG 1951), Age 63
  • John Ilcik (12 AUG 1908 – 02 JUL 1916)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36864877

John, IV

[John Ilcik will be identified later as the Great Grandfather. – John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]

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Searching for a Great Grandfather


Saturday, July 18, 2020, 6:03 AM

To: Elcik, John (DFA) <John.Elcik@dfa.state.ny.us>

John,

I have a fresh candidate to be a presumptive Great-Grandfather.

John Ilcik was born in Slovakia on December 28, 1910. He came to New York through Canada.

The one concern I will raise is that he would have been 33 when he fathered your Grandfather.

I’m attaching a copy of the documentation.

I’ll look for a spouse that would help verify or eliminate him as a candidate.

I’ll keep looking till you say stop. ?

I will drop the Great-Great-Grandfather Ilcik candidate who had the eight-year-old son from any consideration. Until we find your Great-Grandfather, nothing can be verified.

John, IV

[I gave up too soon. John Ilsik is the missing Great-Grandfather. John Ilcik’s son George Michael Elcik will marry Anna Gamache establishing the first family link between our two families. Anna is sister-in-law to my Auntie Gertrude. Her brother is Norman Gamache. – John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]

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Listen Closely and Follow Up


Saturday, July 18, 2020, 7:29 AM

John (NY),

I just replayed an earlier discussion back in my mind. I don’t think I listened as well as I might have. And the fact that I am hard of hearing had nothing to do with it. I was preoccupied with my theories.

You said the Elcik name was changed from Ilcik to Elcik at Ellis Island. Was this done for your grandfather? If so, I’m chasing a wild goose. 🙂 I should not be looking for another Ilcik who immigrated; instead, if possible, I need to find your grandfather’s immigration document to satisfy my curiosity.

It is not the news I would have hoped for as the more individuals we place on the family tree, the greater the chances of linking our two families here in America. If the link occurs in Europe, we may not have the resources to prove what we both think about our families being related.

So the #1 question I have is, did your grandfather come through Ellis Island or did a Great/or Great-Great Grandparent? I think where I went wrong is believing that you are related to the John Elcik that immigrated 15 years after my Great Grandfather (John Elsik), who arrived in 1891. I have been working on the theory that that wave of immigration was followed by another one in 1906. My view might be wrong if John J. Ilcik (your grandfather) arrived through Elis island in the 1940-50s. It would mean there were at least three, not two, waves of Elcik immigrants. Wow!

Again, even if this is true, it is still likely that our ancestors are connected by relationships back in Austria/Hungry/Slovenia. While a DNA test might prove this, I think we can take this on faith.

John, IV

P.S. Aunt Gertrude’s cousin, who married Anna Gamache, not her brother. Too many people named Andrew, George, James, and John. Very easy to make a mistake, which is frustrating.

[John Ilcik immigrated 15 years after my Great Grandfather (John Elsik). From the beginning, I was trying to connect the right two individuals. Proving that was delayed by my not comprehending the timetable. Always listen closely and followup. The discovery of a family relationship between the two men is the next step. Can it be done? – John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]

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Elcik New York History


Sat 7/18/2020 12:58 PM

Hello John,

My grandfather Andrew Elcik was born here in Lisbon Falls, Maine in 1911 ( died 1995 on Long Island ), and it was my great grandfather John Ilcik who came here thru Ellis Island in the early 1900s (don’t have an exact date but early 1900’s NOT 1940’s or 50’s. All they know is it was spelled “Ilcik” in Europe (Austria-Hungarian empire what is now the Czech Republic). It was changed by mistake at Ellis Island when they just put it down wrong (not on Purpose). We are Slovak and Not Czech, and my grandfather Andrew and Great grandfather spoke the language.

As I shared with you on Facebook, my father is John Elcik, born in 1943 in Queens, NY, and died in 2018. You have the correct year of 1962, when I believe my great grandfather died. If you did not see it on Facebook, my grandfather Andrew Elcik came to NYC between 1929 – 1932 because he could not find work at the paper mill anymore due to the great depression. He ended up working for Bryers Ice cream for 40 years. He married Jeannie Pascarella around 1939 and had two sons Andrew Elcik born in 1941, and my dad John Elcik born in 1943.

My uncle is still alive but hazy about the family’s past. I wish my dad John Elcik was alive because he could help solve this mystery. My uncle Andrew Elcik had three children Christine born 1965, Andrew born 1967, and Jaqueline, born 1970 or 71. We have pictures of my great grandparents and grandfather from Lisbon Falls, which I will eventually scan to you. We will eventually figure out the direct link.

More to come.

John Elcik (NY)