Searching for ancesters of Chomak/Chomack

[japplegate]

Greetings,

I am trying to find information on my ancestors from the Volynsky region of Ukraine. They emigrated to the U.S. 1890-1917. All I know is that they are from that part of the Ukraine and that they were in Berlin, N.H. by 1917. According to my grandmother's U.S. birth certificate, my great-grandfather's name was Kolank Chomak and his wife was Huphia Shuchick. I am not sure if their first and last names are Americanized versions of their Ukrainian names or not. I know it is not much to go on but any help woud be appreciated.

Thank you.

Jason

[Hannia]

Welcome Jason.

From late 18th century to 1921 the Vohlynskaya (Vohlyn) gubernia was under Russian domain: under
Tsarist Russia until 1917 and then Communist Russia (1917-1921). It came under Reconstituted Poland's
domain from 1921-1938. Post WW2 it became a part of SSR Ukraine, under Soviet domain until 1991,
when Ukraine became independent. During the Russian Period Vohlyn was a very large region.
Today it consists of several different oblasts/regions.

Scroll to bottom and click Vohlynia for map for GGrandparents' time frame.
Notes on Guberniya District Maps

The surname Chomak/Chomiak/Chomack is quite common in Ukraine. To date there are still 10,000+ people w/that surname
living in Ukraine.

Who exactly emigrated? Were they married in Vohlyn before emigration? Many Vohlynians came through Boston entry port???

Where was your Grandmother born? More importantly where was she baptised? Vohlynians were
religious people and would have her baptised in their own church. What religion did they practice? Were
they Russian Orthodox or Greek Catholic?
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My guess after exploring Berlin NH is that GGrandparents were Russian Orthodox/Pravoslavny. The Holy Resurrection Church
on Hatch's Bluff was built in 1915. Most Orthodox Church Records are quite detailed. Grandmother's Baptismal Certificate
may very well provide you w/exact place of origin of her parents. Also ask if church had its own cemetery.
GGrandparents may have been buried there. Did Church keep records for cemetery?

Holy Resurrection Church
108 Petrograd Street
Berlin NH 03570-2063
(603) 752-2254

EXCERPT INDICATES THAT EMIGRANTS CAME FROM THESE REGIONS???
By 1915, Berlin population rolls included approximately 300 Russian men--32 with families--mostly hailing from Minsk, Wolensk and Gordensk. Concerned over the salvation of his isolated brethren in Berlin, Rev Fr Jacob Gregorieff of Boston appealed to the newly consecrated Archbishop Evdokim of New York and North America. In March of 1915, the priest was appointed who would act as the catalyst for the founding of Holy Resurrection parish. After serving his first service, Fr Arcady Piotrowsky gathered his flock at the parish hall of St Barnabas Episcopal Church. Here, a first step towards a constant Orthodox Christian presence was taken when the group of 139 Russians unanimously agreed to have a regular priest, Church, and school. They elected an executive committee and elders, adopted a constitution and by-laws and named their newly founded church "Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church". A mere five months later, construction of the church was complete, and on October 10 it was dedicated by Archbishop Evdokim. According to the 1940 commemorative booklet, "At the conclusion of the impressive morning service, a cornerstone laying service was conducted by Archbishop Evdokim.

OCA - Parish Listings

[Hannia]

GGrandmother's given name was Ahafia. Rooted in Greek. Means BESEECHFUL.

At the turn of the century in this part of the world, people were named off Saints' Calendar.
Children were born and then generally within ten days or so were baptized. In most cases
the priest gave the child the name that coincided w/the date. The Birthday and the
Baptismal Date were considered one. It was the Name Day that was celebrated.

Ahafia's birthday should fall in between one of these below???
Dec 24-Jan 6
Dec 28-Jan 10
Feb 5-Feb 18

PS> Kolank also looks poorly transliterated, but I haven't been able to figure out the original given name yet.

[zarjacks]

from Ancestry.com:

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 about Kolank Chomack
Name: Kolank Chomack
Birth Date: 15 Nov 1884
RESIDENCE: Coos, New Hampshire
Birth: Wolensk, Russia
Race: White
Roll: WW2_2283922


Also saw reference to perhaps brothers? Adam and Stephen and son? Alexander.

[japplegate]

Hannia - Thank you for the information on my ggm's native name. I'll add thatto my research and use that name as a synonym. I would not describe my grandmother as a devout orthodox but I would guess that the church you mention was one her family was at least familiar with. I am working on that avenue of research currently without much to report on as yet.

zarjacks - Thanks for looking. I had found the draft registration card previously and it serves as the only corroboration I have for my ggf name. I'm not sure if the other Chomaks you mention were brothers, family or simply had the same name. Incidentally, how is Chomak traditionally spelled? At some point after my grandmother's birth the family adopted the spelling "Chomack" and is used today.

Thanks.

Jason

[zarjacks]

Jason,

This might be your GGF's arrival in NY in 1910 - spelling different but sounds like Chomak(from ancestry.com):

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 about Kalenik Ciomach
Name: Kalenik Ciomach
Arrival Date: 24 May 1910
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Libau Russia
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Russian
Ship Name: Birma
Search Ship Database: Search the Birma in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Nativity: Russia
Line: 8
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_1485
Birth Location: Russia
Birth Location Other: padugz
Page Number: 147


I don't think the transcription of his place of birth is accurate but he is from Wolyn. I read it as Pudritsch or Tudpitsch or something. You should examine it and see what you think and maybe search on shtetlseeker for a match.
good luck,
Ruth

[zarjacks]

Jason,
Must be your lucky day! I found 2 possibilities for your GGM Ahafia:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 about Ahafia Scuczuk
Name: Ahafia Scuczuk
Arrival Date: 14 Nov 1912
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Rotterdam
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Russian
Ship Name: Volturno
Search Ship Database: Search the Volturno in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Nativity: Russia
Line: 13
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_1975
Birth Location: Russia
Birth Location Other: raznemes
Page Number: 166


Baltimore Passenger Lists, 1820-1948 about Ahafia Szewczuk
Name: Ahafia Szewczuk
Arrival Date: Apr 1913
Age: 20 Years 0 Months years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893
Gender: Female
Race: Russian
Port of Departure: Bremen, Germany
Ship Name: Rhein
Port of Arrival: Baltimore, Maryland
Friend's Name: Olian Szewczuk
Last Residence: Russia
Microfilm Roll Number: 95
Page: 200


Again check original ship manifest and try to read the place of birth. I don't think Raznemes is accurate. I thought it was Farulnice.