Genealogy
This page is meant mostly for me... but if your interested feel free.
A conversation with some interesting data found here:
Christopher Runowski in Canada notes there is a town in Poland called Runo, which is named after our family.
Another family in Sigmond Michigan: Robert Christpoher Runowski and Donald Runowski as well as a Jennifer in Missouri which I presume is my cousine Jenny.
There is a Runowski Coat of Arms.
Charles and Agnes from Philadalphia - 5 daughters
Philadalphia Runowski's all decended from John Runowski (? - 1944). Possible Jewish convert
then this post:
Your mission is noble, but the road may be rockier than you think.This is what I know:
1. John married Sophia Kowalska in 1904-5?
2. The children were/are
Anna(d)m. Alan Zeigler, Theresa (b.1948)
Charlesm. Agnes(d), five daughters
Gertrude(d) m. Charles Lewison(d), 1 son, 2 daughters
Alicem Joseph Cleary (d), 0 children
Edward(d)m Alma, 4 sons and 2 daughters
Shirleym John Bolmarcich (d), 1 son and 1 daughter
Walter(d)m Anna Krainz(d), 2 sons
Raymondm Theresa Avalone,1 son and 1 daughter
3. There are strange rumors around the entire family, which I would let lie silent.I can tell you that the rumors around the patriarch of this clan are more true than not.There was no record of a marriage of John and Sophia in St Laurentius Church, because I checked with the help of my friend Fr Jakows, former asst pastor at St Adalberts Church.Many records of that period were gone, so that is not unusual.However, there were Runowskis in the Holocaust Museum.
4. The family did not come by way of Ellis Island because there were no Runowskis listed in the records.My wife checked in 1997 when my younger son was on a class trip.
5. Very little was known about the patriarch, who died in 1944, but was minstitutionalized for many years before his death.Until 1997 or so, Ididn't realize that there were other Runowskis than us.Bob J of Illinois and I have been sharing notes since then on pieces of the family at large, most of whom seem to have migrated to the midwest.
BTW, I have seen your mother since your oldest aunt was married in September 1965.After grandmother Sophia died in 1958, the family at large imploded for all intents and purposes.Even though your grandfather and my father lived on the same street about 8 blocks apart, there was very little contact until just before my father died.
Your grandfather Charles is a gracious and caring man, always was.Grandmother Agnes was a little sterner but both always treated me with kindness.I have been saddened over the years that this family spun in so many directions, no center and no balance.
I moved from Port Richmond to W VA after I earned my second master's degree in 1972.I moved back to Philadelphia after the death of my father and the illness of my mother.I have been married and in South Philadelphia since 1981, with two sons, Robert Jr, 20 and a soph at Widener Univ, and Andrew, 18 and a senior at Roman Catholic and soon to Holy Family College.
If you'd like, please e-mail and I'll send the moreformal files with all the available data that I have.
Good to know that there is still some one out there who cares.
Best Wishes, Bob Runowski
Jennifer hinted at a family history of Depression.
Then:
Thanks for your posting.There are two fundamental problems from the Runowski side, in addition to their lack of ability to express much emotion. One is depression, and, you're quite right, it's almost a genetic malady.Others from the midwest will concur that the mental health picture is not so rosy.The other issue is alcoholism.My father, Walter, was clinically depressed most of his adult life, and he also suffered from alcoholism, not debilitating but there and obvious.It fell to the sons.I have been sober for twenty years, but the trap of alcoholism is an easy one in which to fall.Our matriarch, Sophia, also suffered from acute depression, and would remain cloistered in her home on Cumberland Street for weeks w/o leaving.Interestingly enough, my maternal grandmother with whom my parents and I lived, knew Sophia for years.It was an unspoken scandal in the neighborhood that our patriarch was institutionalized for a physical disability and left there.
Unfortunately, I did not attend your grandmother's funeral, because I did not learn of her death until the day after she was buried, and only then because a friend of mine brought in the death notice.This is not a communicative family.Another example, the death of your grandfather's sister Anna was not conveyed to me, even though my mother lived on Salmon Street and just around the corner, until the day of the burial.Since my younger son was born the same day, I chose the delivery room rather than the funeral parlor.When my mother was buried in 1985, only your grandfather and grnadmother, and his sister Alice chose to come to the funeral.While it was a great relief to me for the kindness, it only emphasized the more how the family spun apart years before.
There are, of course, other "fun" topics of this group.Perhaps, though, e-mail my be better because there are issues which those outside of the immediate family may not find suitable for conversation.
Please extend my best wishes to your grandfather.I will always think fondly of him, and his kindnesses.
Another Post:
Fellow Runowski-philes and seekers of truth: I had the good fortune to sneak onto the Ellis Island Website for about 3 minutes today (4/20/01) to find that there are three listings for RUNOWSKI through the portals.Two listings were for Antoni Runowski in 1906 (age 20), and in 1912 (age 27).Conceivably, this could be the same person, given the differences in age.There was also an Ignacz Runowski in 1913.I didn't record all of the infor because this site closes you out fairly quickly.
For the eastern branch of the family, this new information presents little to change what we know.Our patriarch ostensibly was in Philadelphia before 1906, and married to Sophia (nee Kowalska) before this (1905?).We know that Anna Runowski Zeigler was born about this time (1906-1984).There are no anecdotal comments to indicate that either Antoni or Ignacz lived in the Philadelphia area.However, I have not seen either of these names before so we must assume that they traveled away from the east coast.Perhaps Midwest Bob has more data, I hope.
The above map is the closest thing I could find to Runo Poland.... Wikipedia doesn't have much on it.