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Both Frank Cetnarski and Mary Ptak were immigrants who were no doubt looking for better opportunities. Both were the firstborn in their families. Both were ethnic Poles born in towns just a few miles apart in the Galicia region of Austria in what is now Poland and what had been Poland until 1772. Galicia, which is located in the south-eastern part of Poland, was annexed by Austria in 1772 as part of what historians call the First Partition of Poland. In 1795 Poland ceased to exist entirely when what remained of Poland was annexed by Austria, Prussia, and Russia in the Third Partition. Poland did not exist as a nation between 1795 and 1918. Nationhood was restored in 1918. Thus Galician immigrants are shown as being born in Austria in records before 1918 and as being born in Poland in records after 1918.

Frank Cetnarski Franciszek Cetnarski was born in Przewrotne, Rzeszów Province on September 10, 1894. His father, Michal (Michael) Cetnarski, was born in nearby Widełka. In 1893 Michal married Aniela (Angela) Pomykala from Przewrotne, and they reared their family in Przewrotne, living at house number 268. In 1883, there were 368 houses in the village and 1,933 inhabitants.

Francis arrived at Ellis Island in New York City on June 12, 1913 on the S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. According to the ship's passenger list, his final destination was New Milford, Litchfield County, Connecticut, where Mary Pomykala, a cousin, lived. By 1916 his name began appearing in the Meriden, Connecticut city directory.

In the 1920 Federal census, Frank is listed as a driller at a factory. In the 1930 Federal census, his occupation was grinder in a factory. His death certificate in 1952 gives his occupation as a boiler attendant in a factory.

He must have saved his money well because by 1920 he had purchased a house (valued at $4000 in 1930) at 52 Merriam Street in Meriden. He and his wife had five children: Paul, Angela, Ann, Louise, and Veronica.

He became a US citizen on November 23, 1943.

One of Frank's sisters, Mary (1896-1952), also immigrated to the US before 1917. She married Frank Bigdon, from Widełka, around 1924. By 1930 they were living in Rutland, Vermont. She died in Center Rutland, Vermont on January 26, 1972. Frank Bigdon died there in September 1976. They had no children.

Frank Cetnarski and his sister Mary were cousins of either Stephen Joseph Pomykała (1870s-1949) or his wife Mary Orzech (1880s-1918), who lived in New Milford, Litchfield Co., Connecticut.

Mary Ptak Maria Ptak was born in Widełka, Rzeszów Province on January 14, 1888. She was the daughter of Adam Ptak and Ludwika Syniec. Around 1893, Widełka had 398 houses and 2617 inhabitants. Mary's immigration records have not yet been located, but Franks’s Petition for Naturalization states that she entered at New York, New York in February 1909. The 1930 Federal Census gives her year of immigration as 1910.

Mary's brother Steve also immigrated to Connecticut. He married Annie Surowiec on May 28, 1919 in Derby. He died on January 17, 1942. His wife died in Derby on April 13, 1965.

Mary Ptak's first cousin John Paul Syniec (1893-1980), also from Widełka, immigrated to Connecticut around 1914. He was the son of Antoni Syniec (brother of Ludwika Syniec) and Salomea Koenig. He married Anna Brutz, and they lived in New Milford, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. He died in New Milford on December 10, 1980.

Paul P. Ptak (1893-1972), a first cousin also from Widełka, immigrated to Connecticut around 1913. He was the son of Wojciech Ptak (brother of Adam Ptak) and Mary Golema. He married Caroline Korzen, and they lived in Brookfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died in Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut on March 3, 1972.

Click here to view Obituaries and Notices for many of these people.