Category: The Contributors

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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)

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Preparing John Elcik (NY) to Use Ancestry.com


Sat 7/18/2020 6:41 PM

John (NY),

Thank you! The information on recent information was needed to correct the other news I was using. I was getting the generations mixed up. I believe all is in order now for when you elect to view the Family Tree. ?

When you decide it time to begin using Ancestry.com, the following should make it easier.

I have used the Suffix field for other than its intended use for recording Jr., Sr., etc. In my record, I use the label FL, and in your record, I use the label NY. Using the standard search function will show us the right individual with less thought about spelling and dates. There are a lot of similarly named records. I also placed Father, Uncle, and Grandfather in the suffix field. Less confusing for me this way.

I recommend as a first step; you use search to find the NY record and then select the option to show the tree with you as the “root” person. It gives you a family flow chart where you can click on individuals to obtain more details.

After exploring NY, I encourage you to do the same but with FL as the “root” person.

Enjoy!

John, FL

[This naming convention became more trouble than it was worth and I stopped using it. – John P. Elcik, IV, Editor]