Recently, I posted this Find-A-Grave memorial for my husband's great uncle, John Klijewski. I knew he was buried there - his memorial card says so. I asked for a headstone photo, and was told he wasn't buried there, and the person was kind enough to send me a list of burials at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga, NY. Did I find him? No. Eventually, I did, but let me tell you something about this family.
Post World War I, a lot of people of Polish persuasion changed their names to sound less ethnic. My Buffalo Polish people did the same. Kruszka became Pear and Klijewski became Klein/Kline. With first names like John, Frank and Harry, it became a nightmare. Klijewski is hard enough, but the Kleins about did me in. I know Harry & Frank used it. I think Frank legally changed his name, because he is also buried under that name. Harry, however, didn't bother. I think Harry was one of those men that didn't want the government to know any more about him than necessary.
John, as far as I knew, was always Klijewski. He died in 1940. I tried every variation of Klijewski and Kline/Klein that I could think of. Eventually, I did find him ... under Klizewski ... by searching for his death date. I also knew that Harry Klijewski was buried in this same cemetery, I took the headstone photo on his memorial. Eventually, he too was found under Klyewski. I am pretty sure these are transcription errors.
The Kleins were much easier to find, since I had Frank's death date. I guess now I should contact the cemetery to correct their database!
Copyright 2010-2013, ACK for Gene Notes
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