Frank Manka and Jadwiga Swiontek Family

The photo of Franciszek (Franz) Manka (Mańka) and Jadwiga (Hedwig) Swiontek (Świątek) Manka is displayed in the old museum in Panna Maria, TX.

As usual, I have tried to find out more about those people - the early settlers of Karnes County, TX.

According to the Internet Dictionary of Polish Surnames, nowadays there are 5,438 persons in Poland whose surname is "Mańka". Most of them (over 2,600) live in the Katowice region of Silesia*.

Franciszek (Franz) and his brother Józef (Josephus) Mańka were born in the village of Dziewkowice (nowadays Opole Voivodeship, Poland) on 28 March 1812. The boys were baptized in the parish church in Jemielnica. Their parents were Józef Mańka and Ewa Jarszinin. The godparents mentioned in the church record were Josephus Duda (garden warden), Matthias Anioł, and Marianna Marek (1).

Franz and Josephus' baptism record

What happened to Franciszek's brother Józef I do not know. Franz married Jadwiga Swiontek. The information regarding their children may not be complete. I only "found" four of them:

•     ? Peter - born 11 September 1842/d. 3 June 1843 (2),
•     Jadwiga - born/christened on 12 January 1845,
•     Franciszek Jr. - born in about 1848,
•     Jan - born 18 June 1851 (3).

The family left Silesia and relocated to Texas. After 9 weeks of the sea journey, they landed in Indianola. On 24 December 1854, together with other Silesian immigrants, they came to Karnes County, Texas.

⚭ Jadwiga (Hedwig) married Michał Jaskóła 12 June 1866. They had two girls:

•     Mary - born on 6 September 1867,
•     Karolina - born on 18 August 1869 (5).

♦  Michał Jaskóła died on 23 September 1869. Later, Hedwig Manka married  ⚭ Tomasz Urbańczyk. Their children were:

•     Hedwig - born on 28 September 1871 (6),
•     Frank - born on April 1876,
•     Katherine Hedwig - born on 24 November 1878,
•     Annie - born on 7 February 1881,
•     Alex - born on 11 July 1883 (7),
•     Nick - born on 12 Sept 1886 (8),
•     Frances - born on 9 March 1889 (9).

⚭ Frank (Franciszek) Jr. married Mary Catzer (Kotzur/Kocur) on 5 November 1872 (10).

•     Alexander - born on 30 October 1877 (11),
•     Veronika - born 10 February 1885 (12),
•     Gertrude - born 6 March 1888 (13),
•     Mary - born on 20 July 1890 (14),
•     Joe - born 17 March 1896 (15),
•     Henry - born on 10 Jan 1899 (16).

Frank and Mary's marriage record

 

⚭ John married Maria Banduch on 6 July 1875 (17) - they had ten children.

•     Peter - born about 1877,
•     Marcella Marianna - born 10 January 1878 (18),
•     Katherine Christina - born 13 March 1880 (19),
•     Mary D (Marianna Balbina) - born 24 March 1882 (20),
•     Paulina - born  3 June 1884,
•     John J - born 6 June 1886 (21),
•     Louis - born 5 August 1888 (22),
•     Hedwig - born 12 October 1890 (23),
•     Joe Charles - born 13 September 1893 (24),
•     Felix Joe - born 7 April 1897.

John and Maria's marriage certificate

Clipping source: Malec, Walter. The Tribune (Hallettsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, February 7, 1936, newspaper, February 7, 1936; Hallettsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1036443/: accessed April 30, 2022), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Friench Simpson Memorial Library.

 ♦ Hedwig Swiontek Manka passed on 29 May 1886 at the age of 72 (25), her husband ♦ Franciszek Sr. died a few months later, on  24 February 1887 (26).

If you have more info regarding the family, please share it in the comments below. Thank you. 

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This post is part of our project "They Lived in Texas".

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Resources:
* https://nazwiska.ijp.pan.pl/haslo/show/id/829
 - findagrave.com

1. https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/index.php?op=gt&lang=pol&bdm=B&w=08op&rid=B&search_lastname=manka&search_name=franc&search_lastname2=&search_name2=&from_date=1810&to_date=
2. familysearch.org
3. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3H8-9DR : 20 April 2022), Frank Manka in entry for John Manka, 02 Feb 1936; citing certificate number 9626, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,784.
4. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52915586/mary-pawelek
5. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39262225/caroline-dragon
6. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3XB-83N : 20 February 2021), Hedwig Manka in entry for Hedwig Zbkiowski, 23 Jun 1966; citing certificate number 35673, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,117,979.
7. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3HQ-TS3 : 20 February 2021), Hedwig Manka in entry for Alex Urbanczyk, 13 Feb 1961; citing certificate number 16459, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,711.
8. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3Q1-3R3 : 20 February 2021), Hedwig Manka in entry for Nick Urbanczyk, 17 Feb 1953; citing certificate number 14935, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,113,849.
9. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3DY-VQ9 : 20 February 2021), Hedwig Manka in entry for Frances Bednorz, 30 Aug 1970; citing certificate number 65796, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,906.
10. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-JDYN : 23 February 2021), Frank Mank and Mary Catser, 05 Nov 1872; citing Marriage, citing Karnes, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,013,387.
11."Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3CH-7MB : 20 February 2021), Francis Manka in entry for Alex Manka, 31 Jan 1955; citing certificate number 13842, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,387.
12. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3SC-3VS : 20 February 2021), Frank Manka in entry for Veroneka Wiatrek, 26 Aug 1929; citing certificate number 41089, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,969.
13. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSBD-WHS : 20 February 2021), Frank Manka in entry for Gertrude Mzyk, 10 Apr 1966; citing certificate number 21377, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,117,975.
Mary 20 July 1890
14. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSB5-6QD : 20 February 2021), Frank Manka in entry for Mary M Gawlik, 23 Jul 1969; citing certificate number 46264, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,137,518.
15. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3C5-VB7 : 20 February 2021), Frank Manka in entry for Joe F Manka, 02 Oct 1951; citing certificate number 53120, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,074,869.
16. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K38W-RSX : 18 March 2022), Frank Manka in entry for Henry J Manka, 1975.
17. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-J1L5 : 23 February 2021), John Manka and Mary Bundock, 06 Jul 1875; citing Marriage, citing Karnes, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,013,387.
18. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3FH-CGH : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Marcella Wiatrek, 30 Dec 1971; citing certificate number 94902, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,223,550.
19. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3X5-3NB : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Katherine Lyssy, 11 May 1965; citing certificate number 31681, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,117,755.
20. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3SN-813 : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Mary D Moczygemba, 27 Oct 1967; citing certificate number 65220, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,138,742.
21. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3S2-TRS : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for John J Manka, 05 Jan 1958; citing certificate number 4123, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,115,164.
22. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K38D-HSF : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Louis B Manka, 05 Jul 1975; citing certificate number 53048, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,243,826.
23. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K345-D57 : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Hedwig Manka Moczygemba, 22 Apr 1960; citing certificate number 24896, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,265.
24. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3H7-ZHH : 20 February 2021), John Manka in entry for Joe Charles Manka, 27 May 1961; citing certificate number 25731, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,116,744.
25. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63926948/hedwig-manka
26. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63926934/frank-manka