Motil Motyl Motel Madill

[SRHonn]

I am desperately trying to seek any information about my grandfather.

He came to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in December 1913. He sailed from Bremen. On a ship called Potsdam.

He eventually settled in Rosefield, Saskatchewan, Canada and then later migrated to Selicia, Montana. In his later years, he settled in Billings, Montana on Yellowstone Avenue.

According To his written baptismal certificate, he was born in Zeltz (1896) now a days it is called Limanskoye in the district of Rozdolnoe (Rozdolnoye or Rozdilna) in Odessa, Ukraine. His name was Aleksiy (Alexey) Motil and his parents names were Lukas Motil and Karolina Mayer. His God-Parents names were Kosma Irileveskiy and Klara Verniger. My record and family memories indicate that his date of birth was June 10, 1896 however, the individual who transcribed his baptismal affidavit states that is was June 24, 1896.

He had a sister named Katherine Schnurr (nee Motil). I do not know what her date of birth is.

His name was changed to Madill when he settled in CANADA.

[Edited by SRHonn on 31st December 2004 at 09:22]

[Serhii]

As for me, the questions like this are the most difficult to answer. It looks as all people you mentioned were Germans , but Luka ( Lukas), Olexij ( Aleksei) Motil and Kuzma ( Kosma) Irilevenski could be Ukrainians.
In Odesa region lived many Germans , but almost all of them left for America before WW1 as you know. To find anything one must go to Odesa and towns/villages you mentioned. I do not know another way in your case. I could help you , but I live very far from Odesa ( 500 km ). It would be nice if someone from Odesa or region pick your note up...

[Hannia]

There are various German Russian Heritage Groups that have been very generous to LDS. As a result many German-Russian documents have been already filmed. Have you been in contact w/local German Russian Genealogy Groups?

Your Immigrating Ancestor was from Selz (your Zeltz/Zeltsy), one of the Kutschurgan villages.

When examining this link, look to see where you can find documentation for your ancestral families. Meanwhile let me check around to see if we can locate someone familiar w/Odessa Archives. Some Germans have returned to these villages. Some have left for Germany fairly recently. Once you have some sibling names, consider checking for any surviving family in Selz. Maybe someone still has memory of your ancestral family. There are still eleven German families living there.

Founders
http://www.kutschurgan.com/Founders.htm

<date of birth was June 10, 1896 however, the individual who transcribed his baptismal affidavit states that is was June 24, 1896>

June 24th was Baptismal date. Children were traditionally Baptised 10-14 days after birth. SELZ was Catholic.

Hardly anyone now knows that the names Kandel, Selz and Baden were transformed into Rybalskoye, Limanskoye and Ocheredovka after the war. And today they are collectively administered under the name Limanskoye. Not even the current employees at the regional archive in Odessa have any idea that, before World War I, Selz functioned as the Volosty administration and, as of 1920, clearly as the regional center for the rayon of "Friedrich Engels."

excerpt
http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/o...s/krandel.html
_______________________________________________________

German-Russian Genealogy Bridge to Information on German and Russian Genealogy
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall.../germ_rus.html

GRHS Home
http://www.grhs.com/index.html

About the Odessa Library
http://www.odessa3.org/about.html

Genealogy Resources on the Internet - Russia Mailing Lists
http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen...untry-rus.html

Cyndi's List - Germans from Russia
http://www.cyndislist.com/germruss.htm

[Edited by Hannia on 5th January 2005 at 04:07]

[Hannia]

Bare in mind that Selz (LEMANSKE today) was a district/volost center at turn of century. For your information I think this was Kherson Oblast/Region at that time.

If you cannot find your surname in Selz records,
I would examine for smaller German villages in Selz vicinity??? It was a district center and could have served merely as geographical reference.

The NDSU Libraries: Germans From Russia
http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/o...tschurgan.html

[Edited by Hannia on 5th January 2005 at 04:12]

[Hannia]

http://www.odessa3.org/journal/pohl.pdf
______________________________________________________

PS>From what I could gather most of the German Colonists living in this immediate area were Catholics from region Alsace-Lorraine, Germany (present day France). The main villages were founded early 19th century - 1825Мsh. But you probably know all this already.

Have you written to the Odesska Oblast Archives?

[Edited by Hannia on 5th January 2005 at 04:08]

[SRHonn]

Hannia and Serhii,

Thank you so much for the input that you have given me.

I have gone to a local LDS research center and came up with deadends. I have not been able to find my grandfathers lastname and I also frequent their website.

I did know about the village of Kandel, Selz and Baden being transformed. I found this out in March 2004. Yes, I believe it was in the Kherson oblast at the time of his birth. I believe I even found a picture of the church that my grandfather was baptised in, although it is nothing but rubble now. From there, I have meet nothing but deadends. I have been trying to have my brother post my grandfather's baptismal certificate on his website again so that it can be viewed maybe someelse can help out in the translation.

I didn't know that most of the settlers came from Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. I knew that most of them where not "original" to the area and that they migrated from somewhere in Germany, but I was not able to pin point the area. I will certainly be trying to research any information of this area.

Unfortunately, one can only do so much research on the internet and start running into deadends. This at least gives me a few more leads that I am very greatful for. I am so thankful that I ran across this message board though.

My grandfather used to sing alot about his home country, but he didn't talk about it too much. I wish now, somebody would have thought to question him.

[SRHonn]

Anyone out there with new information?............

I am desperately trying to seek any information about my grandfather.

He came to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in December 1913. He sailed from Bremen. On a ship called Potsdam.

He eventually settled in Rosefield, Saskatchewan, Canada and then later migrated to Selicia, Montana around 1940's. In his later years, he settled in Billings, Montana on Yellowstone Avenue.

According To his written baptismal certificate, he was born in Zeltz (1896) now a days it is called Limanskoye in the district of Rozdolnoe (Rozdolnoye or Rozdilna) in Odessa, Ukraine. His name was Aleksiy (Alexey) Motil and his parents names were Lukas Motil and Karolina Mayer. His God-Parents names were Kosma Irileveskiy and Klara Verniger. My record and family memories indicate that his date of birth was June 10, 1896 however, the individual who transcribed his baptismal affidavit states that is was June 24, 1896.

He had a sister named Katherine Schnurr (nee Motil). I do not know what her date of birth is.

His name was changed to Madill when he settled in CANADA.