The Zurbys

[zurbette]

Hello,

Growing up, my brother and sister and I were told this wonderful story of my great grandfather assisting Jewish people over the border before the first World War. I have been doing research on my great grandfather and know that he was from Pofilip'ye (Pidpylypia) in the Podolia region. I have since learned that this region was in the "Pale of Settlement" which explains the Jewish rescue legend in our family. I have queried so many genealogical sites and know that the surname Zurby yields no known documents. Is Zurby a made up name? Does the village of Pidpylypia still exist?

Thank you for your help in solving this family mystery.

[Hannia]

The selo/village Pidpylypia (Підпилипя in Ukrainian) still exists. Today it is in the Kamyanets-Podilskij raion/district of the Khmelnytska oblast/region.

It is located on the left bank of the Zbruch River, appx 40 kms from Kamenets-Podilskij, the district center town. It was founded in 1530. Documentation indicates that it was a settlement appx 100 yrs before that. Today it is hamlet size w/population of 460.

In GGrandfather's time frame this would have been the border between Podolia gubernia/region > Russia and the Tarnipol wojowodstwo > Galicia Province > Austro-Hungarian Empire.

When did your immigrant/ancestor immigrate and where did he/she settle upon immigration?
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The transliteration of your surname is not exact. A closer transliteration would be Zhurbij (Журбий in Ukr). I found 167 of those listed, but I see none in the ancestral village, which really doesn't mean much. There are many places in Ukraine today, where phones are still considered a luxury.
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Church records for your village have not been filmed by LDS, would means you will have to make an archival inquiry. Before I can. tell you where you need to go, I need to have my above question answered?

[zurbette]

Hello Hannia,

Thank you so much for your speedy reply! Every word is like a little treasure for me and my family. It's crazy not to know where your people come from. My great-grandfather apparently came to Canada in 1914 with some of his brothers. I found a record for a Pawlo Zurby who was from Podefillipie (Pidpylypia) who may have been a brother but I have hit a dead end for him after he crossed the border into the United States from Canada. My great grandfather was known as Alex Zurby his whole life. When he died he wanted Averki Zurby put onto his tombstone which confused my father because he was never known as Averki. From what we can tell, he came to Canada in 1914 and settled in Montreal for a time. In the 70s, his sister came to Canada for a visit although no one alive remembers her name, that is a problem.

Thank you so much for any assistance that you can provide!

[Hannia]

Averkij was your GGrandfather's real given name. It's an ancient canonical (taken from Orthodox Calendar of Saints & Martyrs) name. It was first documented in appx 14th century. It is rooted in the Greek language and means PUT TO FLIGHT. In modern times it shows up more frequently as a surname.

It was not unusual for immigrants to anglicize their given names, especially one as rare and hard to pronounce as Averkij. In general it just made life easier.
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Is this GGrandfather? It certainly looks like him.

Rootsweb has AWERTIJ ZURBEJ using border crossing @Niagara Falls, NY May 11, 1921. He was born in 1893 appx. He was 28 at the time. He lists himself as a miner working for Creighton Mine Ontario. Wife Katy??? He was 5-10, brown hair and grey eyes. Shows that he had been in Quebec from 1912. Visited someplace???can't make it out for a week.

HE LISTS HIMSELF AS RUSSNIAK/RUTHENIAN from Pidpilipia, AUSTRIA??? Was GGrandfather Greek Catholic?

Take a very good look at this record.

You might also want to look at Rootsweb for surname ZURBEY. Lots of those in Minnesota.

Also look at Anna Zurbej. She might be the sister???

[zarjacks]

Hamburger Passagierlisten, 1850-1934 Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934
about Maria Zurbej Name: Maria Zurbej
Departure Date: 1 Mai 1914 (1 May 1914)
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Age Year: 24
Gender: weiblich (Female)
Marital Status: ledig (Single)
Family: Household members
Residence: Podpilipie
Ethnicity/Nationality: Russland (Russian)
Occupation: Landmann, Tagelöhner

Ship Name: Pallanza
Shipping Line: Hamburg-Amerika Linie (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft)
Ship Type: Dampfschiff
Accommodation: Zwischendeck
Ship Flag: Deutschland
Port of Departure: Hamburg
Port of Arrival: Bremerhaven; Rotterdam; Quebec

Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 277
Page: 1059
Microfilm Roll Number: K_1836

Hamburger Passagierlisten, 1850-1934 Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934
about Jurko Zurbej Name: Jurko Zurbej
Departure Date: 1 Mai 1914 (1 May 1914)
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889
Age Year: 25
Gender: männlich (Male)
Marital Status: ledig (Single)
Family: Household members
Residence: Podpilipie
Ethnicity/Nationality: Russland (Russian)
Occupation: Landmann, Tagelöhner

Ship Name: Pallanza
Shipping Line: Hamburg-Amerika Linie (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft)
Ship Type: Dampfschiff
Accommodation: Zwischendeck
Ship Flag: Deutschland
Port of Departure: Hamburg
Port of Arrival: Bremerhaven; Rotterdam; Quebec

Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 277
Page: 1059
Microfilm Roll Number: K_1836

** Jurko and Maria are listed as household members - spouses or bro/sis ?

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Pawlo Zurbej Name: Pawlo Zurbej
Arrival Date: 16 Jul 1913
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1888
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Trieste
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Ruthenian (Russniak) (Ruthenian)
Ship Name: Ultonia
Search Ship Database: View the Ultonia in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
NATIVITY: Russia
Line: 4
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_2130
Birth Location: Russia
Birth Location Other: podfilipie
Page Number: 190

** father = Fedor Zurbej in Podfilipie

Atlantic Ports Passenger Lists, 1820-1873 and 1893-1959
about Fiffan Zurbej Name: Fiffan Zurbej
Arrival Date: 1 Apr 1911
Age: 25 Years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Gender: Male
Ethnic Background: Russian
Port of Departure: London, England
Ship Name: Cairnrona
Port of Arrival: Portland, Maine
Friend's Name: Afanasi Buiakov
Last Residence: Russia
Microfilm Roll Number: 12

** from Podfilipie; left Melanie Zurbej (wife??)

[zarjacks]

This is the same as Hannia found:

Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956
about Awerty Zurbej
Name: Awerty Zurbej
Arrival Date: 11 May 1921
Age: 28
Birth Date: abt 1893
Birthplace: Podfilipia
Birth Country: Austria
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: Ruthenian (Russniak) (Ruthenian)

Port of Arrival: Niagara Falls, New York, USA
Departure Contact: Wife Katy
Arrival Contact: Foster Sister Jno Mateychunk
Record has photo?: No

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
about Kual Zurbej ** I think first name is Hnat
Name: Kual Zurbej
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1876
Date of Arrival: 5 Jul 1913
Vessel: Hannover
Search Ship Database: View the 'Hannover' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Port of Departure: Bremen, Germany
Roll: T-4750

**came with Feodosi or Theodore below

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
about Teodore Zurbej Name: Teodore Zurbej
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Date of Arrival: 5 Jul 1913
Vessel: Hannover
Search Ship Database: View the 'Hannover' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Port of Departure: Bremen, Germany
Roll: T-4750

[Hannia]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I understand why Averkij listed himself as Ruthenian emigrating from Austria.

In 1772 during 3rd Partition of Poland as per agreement between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, part of Podfillipie (formerly of the Podolya gubernia/region>Russia) technically came under Austro-Hungarian domain.

Currently this sectioned off Pidpylipia (keeping same name) is located in the Ternopilska (Ternopil) oblast/region of Ukraine.

The family legend/story is very likely true. Since he lived on the Austrian side, where life overall, especially for Jews, was better than on the Russian side, he probably did smuggle family and neighbors to the Austrian side. Your GGrandfather was indeed an unsong hero with a just heart.

I still need to get the exact details for your GGrandfather's half of the ancestral village.

At least now we can understand why some Zurbej/Zurby/Zurbey listed themselves as coming from Pidpilipya> Russia and some from Pidpilipya > Austria.