I had already updated about locating my grandfather’s death record and confirming his date of death and the fact that he passed away while my father was an infant. What that research uncovered was that records from my father’s village are extremely limited, both church and civil records.
My Great Grandmother
The church death record listed my great grandfather’s name as Wasyl (Basilius, in Latin) and my great grandmother’s name as Anna. However, I know my great grandfather’s surname was Iwaniw as was my great grandmother’s married surname. But I don’t know what her birth name was. It’s not referenced on the death record. So, now I have to determine the best method to find my great grandmother’s birth name and details. Without actual records I’ll have to estimate dates and events and search from there. More or less trial and error. Were they married in Lutowiska? Or did they move from another location? If I can find their marriage record it will give a wealth of information.
My Grandmother
My grandmother’s name that I have is Matrona Smolii/Smoliw. There are 2 different spellings because my father used both spelling on different documents. His displace person registration record lists his mother’s name as Matrona Smolii. He lists her name as Matrona Smoliw on his SS-5 (Social Security application) and this spelling is used on his death certificate. I’m also search the different genealogy web sites (Ancestry, Family Search, and My Heritage) for a Matrona Smolii/Smoliw and have cone up empty. To me this means that there is no one else researching the Smolii/Smoliw family line.
So, to this end I’m going to be searching out the marriage record/certificate for my grandparents. This should give me information of my grandmother and, hopefully, both of my great grandparents. I was also thinking about finding my grandfather’s birth record/certificate but this would only give me information pertaining to him and I believe the records are limited in date range. But this will be alternative research path.