G-Grandpa's Family

[Tical84]

Like most in this thread I'm looking for a family member. Here's what I know:

His Canadian name was (eventually) John Toker although on his homestead record it changed back and forth from Toker to Tokar to Tocari until the Canadian government got confused and asked him to pick one.
His name on the passenger list I found was spelled "Iwan Tokar". I know he had a half brother that came to Canada as well and kept his name as Tokar so I think that's the name I'm looking for.

He was born in 1888 and came to Canada in 1911. Although I don't have any proof yet of where he was born, he came from a town that is presently called Drachyntsi according to Google Maps but I found many different spellings over the years. This town was a part of Bukovina when he left. The nearest major city (again, according to Google) is Chernivtsi.

Finding info from when he arrived in Canada has been easy, but finding any Ukrainian info has been quite a task, especially since I don't speak it.

TIA

[Hannia]

TIA, Welcome and Happy New Year !

You did an exc job of locating exact place of origin, which is critical to your research !!! You have accomplished the most important piece of your research.

Tokar (Токар in Ukr) is indeed the original surname, before any transliteration variants in Canada. There are still Tokar residing in village Drachyntsi today.

Selo/village Drachyntsi (Драчинці ) > Kitsman raion/district > Chernivtsi oblast/region, still referred to as the historical province of Northern Bukovyna, the Land of Beech Trees, was founded in 1459. Today it is a fair size village of 2,314.

From late 18th century to 1918 Draczynetz was part of Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the Interwar Period 1919-1938 it came under Romanian domain and was officially called Drăcineţ > Storojinet adm district . Post WW2 it came into Soviet hands and became a part of SSR Ukraine until 1991, when Ukraine became indepedent.
________________________________________________________________

LDS has filmed for Drachyntsi. Have you ever researched LDS Films?

Title
Metrical books, 1840-1936

Authors
Orthodox Church. Draczynetz (Bukowina) (Main Author)

Notes
Microreproduction of originals at the Chernivtsi State Archive.
Civil transcripts of Orthodox Church records (births, marriages, deaths) for Draczynetz, Bukowina, Austria; later Drăcineţ, Storojineţ, Romania; now Drachynt︠s︡i, Kit︠s︡man′, Chernivt︠s︡i, Ukraine. Headings in German and Romanian, text in Romanian written with old Cyrillic script before 1874, changed to Roman script sometime in the following decade, some text in Russian.
Chernivtsi State Archive: Record group1245, series 1, files 387-390 -- Record group 1245, series 2, files 18-19, 98-99, 142, 179.

Subjects
Austria, Bukowina, Draczynetz - Church records
Romania, Storojineţ, Drăcineţ - Church records
Україна, Чернівці, Кіцмань, Драчинці - Метричні книги
Ukraine, Chernivt︠s︡i, Kit︠s︡man′, Drachynt︠s︡i - Church records

Format
Manuscript (On Film)

Language
Romanian
German
Russian

Publication
Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002-2008

Physical
on 7 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

Film Notes
Note - Location [Film]
Volume 1245-1/387 Births 1840-1873 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2349405 Item 2 ]
Volume 1245-1/388 Births 1874-1892 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2349405 Item 3 ]
Volume 1245-1/388 (cont.) Births 1892-1894 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2349406 Item 1 ]
Volume 1245-1/389 Marriages 1840-1899 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2349406 Item 2 ]
Volume 1245-1/390 Deaths 1840-1882 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2349406 Item 3 ]
Volume 1245-2/18 Births 1895-1906 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2362993 Item 3 ]
Volume 1245-2/19 Births 1907-1911 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2362993 Item 4 ]
Volume 1245-2/19 (cont.) Births 1911-1916 - FHL INTL [ 2362994 Item 1 ]
Volume 1245-2/98 Deaths 1883-1914 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2373807 Item 2 ]
Volume 1245-2/99 Deaths 1931-1936 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2373807 Item 3 ]
Volume 1245-2/142 Marriages 1900-1919 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2373830 Item 4 ]
Volume 1245-2/179 Births 1917-1928 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2437258 Item 4 ]
_________________________________________________________________

Title
Civil registration, 1930-1934

Authors
Draczynetz (Bukowina). Civil Registrar (Main Author)

Notes
Microreproduction of originals at the Chernivtsi State Archive.
Civil registrations (births) for Draczynetz, Bukowina, Austria; later Drăcineţ, Storojineţ, Romania; now Drachynt︠s︡i, Kit︠s︡man′, Chernivt︠s︡i, Ukraine. Text in Romanian.
Chernivtsi State Archive: Record group 1245, series 2, file 180.

Subjects
Austria, Bukowina, Draczynetz - Civil registration
Romania, Storojineţ, Drăcineţ - Civil registration
Україна, Чернівці, Кіцмань, Драчинці - Акти громадянського стану
Ukraine, Chernivt︠s︡i, Kit︠s︡man′, Drachynt︠s︡i - Civil registration

Format
Manuscript (On Film)

Language
Romanian

Publication
Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2008

Physical
on 2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

Film Notes
Note - Location [Film]
Volume 1245-2/180 Births 1930 -- Births 1932 - VAULT INTL Film [ 2437258 Item 5 ]
Volume 1245-2/180 (cont.) Births 1932-1934 - FHL INTL [ 2437259 Item 1 ]

[Tical84]

Sorry, TIA is "Thanks In Advance", not my name. Haha.

I have seen that these LDS films exist and may hold the answer, however I am unsure as to how to access them. I wasn't able to find these films digitized online anywhere. If I'm missing it, please point me in the right direction.

Also, a big thanks for spelling his (our) name in Ukrainian. That should help my search as well. I'm assuming that's how you figured out there were still Tokars there? I wasn't able to find any with the English spelling. With only 2000 people I'd imagine some, if not all, must be family. Would you be able to tell me how is first name would be spelled? I was told Iwan was Ukrainian for John and that's how his name showed up on the passenger list, but how is it spelled in Ukrainian?

EDIT: I was able to find a "Family History Centre" in my city that has at least some of these reels. I'll have to check it out after work or on the weekend.

[Hannia]

Sorry TIA, the films are not digitized.

The Vital Records Tutorial at following site should be helpful w/all the HOW-TO.
Halgal: Genealogy of Halychyna/Eastern Galicia

I was told Iwan was Ukrainian for John and that's how his name showed up on the passenger list, but how is it spelled in Ukrainian?

Іван = Ivan / Iwan

[Tical84]

Thanks for your help!
If anyone else can give me some pointers I'm all...eyes?

[Tical84]

How did you find out there were still people with the Tokar name there?

[Marlee]

I am also researching my paternal greatgrandmother who was a Tokari(married to a Malaico) from Kamena which is just south of Chernovitz.
The LDS Family History Centres are great places; you can access all the information they have through their catalogue.
I am presenting reading a film entitled Austria Bukowina, Kamena Metrical records from about 1840-1875. I have extracted several Tocari and Malaico. When I am done this, I will reorder another film that will bring me up to 1900. Unfortunately the death records on film only go to 1914.
The Tocari/Tokar I know of were in Lethbridge/Vauxhall area but the children are scattered throughout Alberta.
I remain in contact with a few women in Lethbridge.