Family Profile: Szymaszek

Family Name: Szymaszek

Earliest Confirmed Record: 1800 – baptism record for Stephanus Szymaszek in Straszecin, Poland

European Origin: The family comes from the town of Straszecin, Poland.  It is located near the city of Debica in southeastern Poland (in the modern Podkarpackie Voivodeship)

Date of Arrival in America: March 15, 1888 on the ship SS Bohemia.

Place of Arrival in America: New York, New York

Place Settled in America: Meriden, CT

Origin of name: Szymaszek is a patronymic name – meaning that it is derived from an ancestor’s first name (in this case male).  In the case of Szymaszek, it is derived from the Polish equivalent of “Simon,” which is “Szymon.”  Additionally, Polish names that end in “-k” often denote something similar to “little” or “son of.”  Therefore, “Szymaszek” likely means something along the lines of “little Simon” or “son of Simon.”

My Szymaszek ancestors: (the names of my ancestors in Poland are in Latin because that is how they are recorded in the church records)

1. Thomas Szymaszek (ABT 1767 – 1840) -Peasant farmer / laborer

2. Stephanus Szymaszek (1800 – 1855) -Peasant farmer / laborer

3. Joannes Szymaszek (1827 – AFT 1870) -Peasant farmer / laborer

4. Joseph Szymaszek (1858 – 1916) – Laborer in Poland / Factory Worker in The US / Brought his family to the United States

5. John Szymaszek (1893 – 1947) – Factory Worker / Security Guard / First Szymaszek ancestor born in the United States

6. Robert Szymaszek (1922 – 2007) – Police Officer / World War Two soldier

7. My Mom! – Teacher

Family Profile: Messinger

At long last my family profiles have begun!  I know you all could hardly contain your anticipation and excitement.  Well, here we go.  First up, the family that gave me my name: the Messingers.

Family Name:  Messinger (Mössinger)

Earliest Confirmed Record:  1732 – arrival at port of Philadelphia

**Note**:  There have been several possible links proposed to records in Germany (dating back to the mid 1600’s), but thus far we have been unable to locate the birth record for Michael Mössinger.  He is supposed to have been born in Basel in 1719.  Further investigation of church records in needed to see if the connection can be proven.

European Origin:  Southeastern Germany (the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg)

Date of Arrival in America:  September 19, 1732 on the ship “Johnson” from Rotterdam

Place of Arrival in America:  Philadelphia, PA

Place Settled in America:  Berks County, PA – the family moved to the area around Allentown, PA in mid 1700’s and remained there until the 1940’s.

Origin of name:   The name was originally “Mössinger” in German, and was changed when the family arrived in America because in the dialect of German the family spoke the name sounded like “Messinger” to the English authorities.  The name is most likely a habitational name derived from Mössingen, a town in the Tübingen district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.  Just like a “New Yorker” is someone from “New York,” a “Mössinger” is someone from “Mössingen.”

My direct Messinger ancestors:

1. Johannes Mössinger (1694-??)

2. Michael Mössinger (1719-1791) – Revolutionary Patriot / Farmer

3. Jacob Messinger(1748-1801) – Farmer

4. Isaac Messinger (1789-1855) – Inn Keeper / Farmer

5. Elias Messinger (1821-1902) – Civil War soldier / Salesman

6. William E. Messinger (1859-1924) – Interior Decorator / Teacher

7. Claude C. Messinger (1883-1945) – Chemist

8. John E. Messinger (1922-2000) – Teacher / Coach / World War Two soldier

9. My Pops – Teacher / Coach

(10. ME!)