Wladyslaw Ortenburger

From Rick Ortenburger: The following story explains part of the research that I performed on the life of my Grandfather Wladyslaw Ortenburger & Great Grandfather August Eduard Ortenburger (it also shows a little bit of their lives). I started by beginning research on my Grandfather who I knew only as William August Ortenburger. I knew absolutely nothing about my Grandfather when I started my research in 1984. My father, Mitchell William Ortenburger always said that his father William Ortenburger was born in Poland. He knew nothing else. My father’s brothers & sisters also knew very little. It seemed that William left his past behind him. I knew that William Ortenburger was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. But the 1947 death record I found gave me wrong information on his birthplace.

I always wondered - why did my Grandfather, William Ortenburger, have a German surname, if he was in fact, born in Poland? I eventually found the passenger arrival for William Ortenburger in the New York passenger arrivals (after checking many other entry ports). This record should reveal his birthplace. My Grandfather came to the USA on August 28, 1907 on the Steamship Gneisenau. The New York passenger arrival index card for my Grandfather was so poorly microfilmed it could not be found even by the National Archives in Washington DC. I did manage to find it eventually.

I had a surprise though; it was not William A. Ortenburger that I found in the New York passenger arrivals, because I found Wladyslaw Ortenburger. The real name of my Grandfather was Wladyslaw Ortenburger. He was 26 years old when he arrived in New York in 1907 on the SS Gneisenau from Dzialoszyn, a small town in the Russian Empire (Poland). His occupation was listed as a wood turner. I found out later that he was actually born in Niwiska, which is located on the river Warta, district and parish of Dzialoszyn, about 20 miles from Wielun. August Ortenburger (his father) is listed as the nearest relative he left in Russia. Wladyslaw Ortenburger was going to a final destination of Detroit, Michigan. His birthplace was listed as Dzialoszyn, Poland. The picture on the left shows my Grandfather Wladyslaw Ortenburger, as he was known in 1909 with his wife Sophia Kunicka. This was a wedding photo & was taken in Chicago, Illinois. Somehow he made his way to Chicago, Illinois versus Detroit, Michigan.

The New York passenger arrival of Wladyslaw Ortenburger on the on the SS Gneisenau on August 28, 1907.

I knew nothing about the town of Dzialoszyn, so I hired a Genealogist who took some pictures of Dzialoszyn, Poland where Wladyslaw Ortenburger was actually baptized. The church records in the town of Dzialoszyn went to the year 1875. I wrote to the Catholic Priest & he wrote to me that there was a lot of damage to the town in WWII & he could not find the name Ortenburger in the records. He also said that after the war, only seven houses remained standing. The rest were destroyed. The parish, office & the archive were destroyed or damaged. Many valuable vital records vanished. The Priest could not locate the record of birth for my Grandfather Wladyslaw Ortenburger.

Pictures of Dzialoszyn, Poland

The rebuilt Catholic Church in Dzialoszyn, Poland as it now stands. Wladyslaw Ortenburger (1881) was baptized in the Catholic church in Dzialoszyn as were his brother Karol (1875), sister Maryanna (1878) & brother Boleslaw (1884).	A bridge & the River Warta that runs by Dzialoszyn, Poland.

I asked myself how could I find out who was the father of August Ortenburger. At the time of my research in 1984 I thought it might be impossible to obtain a birth record of my Grandfather Wladyslaw Ortenburger from Poland. I thought that maybe another surname Ortenburger could help me, perhaps in Germany. So I wrote many letters to other people with the Ortenburger surname in Germany in 1985. I found out that some of these people in Germany were also researching the Ortenburger family. I found Eduard Ortenburger living in München, Germany & I received a letter from his wife Christl Ortenburger. Christl was also researching the Ortenburger surname & her family research had linked a Schlesien Ortenburger family to Johannes Ortenburger (1742) & Catharina Johanna Jung of Niederkleen, Germany in the State of Hessen. From there Christl's research showed that the progression of the Ortenburger lineage in Niederkleen was Johannes Ottenburger (1711) & Anna Margarete Schmitt, then Johann Conrad Orthenburger (1671) & Anna Dorothea Messerschmidt, then Johannes Orttenburger (1639) & Anna Maria Althens to Just Orttenburger (1619) & Anna (surname unknown). Just Orttenburger was a Schoolmaster in Niederkleen, Germany. Christl said she had found an August Ortenburger in her family notes, but she knew very little about him. She knew much more about the other brothers from this Schlesien Ortenburger family.

A lot of time & energy was spent between the years of 1986 & 1995 in trying to locate a document that showed the birthplace of August Ortenburger & his parents & also the birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger. I thought there might be a document in the USA that Wladyslaw had written that might give me a clue to his father August. But I found none. I also wrote numerous letters to Poland, but the Archives there could not locate the birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger. I did however have one small clue. Wladyslaw Ortenburger & his wife Sophia named one son born in 1920 Edward Arthur Ortenburger. I always thought why did they name him Edward? I had previously found the birth record of August Eduard Ortenburger (August Edward Ortenburger in English) born December 15, 1833 in Erdmannshain, Schlesien in the LDS Mormon Archive. I wondered if this August Eduard Ortenburger was the father of Wladyslaw Ortenburger. Niwiska, where Wladyslaw Ortenburger was born & Erdmannshain, Schlesien where August Eduard Ortenburger was born were about 50 miles apart. So I wondered about this. Wladyslaw perhaps named the son born in 1920, Edward, partially after his father August Eduard (Edward). But later in my research I also found out that Wladyslaw had an older brother named Eduard (Edward), who was born in 1868. So Edward Arthur Ortenburger (1920) could be named after both.

I wrote to the Lodz Polish Civil Registry Archive in 1996. I was still looking for the birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger. I thought maybe after the "Wall" had come down in 1989, that maybe they could find the birth record of Wladyslaw. I later received a letter back from the Lodz Archive dated February 7, 1996. The letter said that they have found the birth record of my Grandfather Wladyslaw Ortenburger & his 3 siblings! I received this letter in March 1996 after searching the Dzialoszyn Church records (the church records only went to the year 1875) & many different archives in Poland for 11 years. The previous answers always came back, “we can’t locate the birth record of your Grandfather, perhaps it is lost or destroyed in WWII”. The 1996 letter read that the parents of Wladyslaw Ortenburger are August Ortenburger & Tekla Golombek. I almost gave up on the search for this record; I thought I will never find the birth record. When I received this letter at my Post Office Box in March of 1996 I can honestly say that I walked outside & that my jaw dropped to the pavement & I had to think for a minute, do I really have this letter with my Grandfathers birth record in my hand? I looked up towards the sky & said “yes”! The letter is shown below.

An interesting thing happened to me the night before I received the February 7, 1996 reply from Poland telling me they had found birth record of Wladyslaw along with two other brothers & one sister. I had a dream that I had solved the mystery of his birth. When I woke up, I thought, oh God, now I am dreaming about Genealogy. I really need help, perhaps a therapist! The dream happened on a Wednesday night. I went to work the next day Thursday. I received the reply after coming home from work on Thursday. The night before I had dreamed that there were four names in 4 separate columns, on the document & the parent’s names were also listed. The Polish letter that I received had three brothers and one sister & the parents names included in the text. I believe that Wladyslaw thought I had performed enough research (from 1984-1996!). Enough was enough already! He was going to let me in on his little secret! This dream really happened. Was it really him? I really have to wonder about this one! True story.

The Lodz Polish Civil Registry Archive Letter dated February 7, 1996 is shown below. (Archiwum Panstowowe, Lodz)

I ordered the birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger through the same archive. The record was mailed to me a month later. The birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger, written in the Russian language, on September 18, 1881 shown below says that he was born in Niwiska, Poland & baptized Catholic in the church in Dzialoszyn, Poland. The birth of Wladyslaw Ortenburger was at 11 PM. The Godparents were Lukasz Sowala and Maryanna Szczenienna. The Mother’s surname spelled Golabek (Golombek). The Fathers surname misspelled Otenburger on birth # 149. August Otenburger, 50 years old, an Innkeeper (bar keeper) from Niwiska presented himself to the Catholic Priest in Dzialoszyn. The baby was born in Niwiska on the 6th day of September/18th day of September of the year 1881. He had 2 witnesses, Lukasz Sowala and Michal Beben, both peasants from Niwiska. His wife Tekla Golabek was 38 years old. The document signed by the Priest Ks. Cabanoski. (Dzialoszyn Catholic Church Book, Niwiska entry # 149, Lodz Civil Registry Archive) One thing I did not understand was the fact that the Ortenburger family in Schlesien that I had found were all Evangelical Lutheran. Why was Wladyslaw Ortenburger Catholic?

Birth record of Wladyslaw Ortenburger

I knew nothing about the small village of Niwiska, Poland where Wladyslaw Ortenburger was born, so I hired a Genealogist who took some pictures of the village where his father August Ortenburger & his family lived. When Wladyslaw Ortenburger was born in 1881, the brothers Eduard Jan Ortenburger (1868), Wojciech Ortenburger (1870), Karol Ortenburger (1875), & sisters Marta Ortenburger (1872), Maryanna Ortenburger (1878) were living with the father August Ortenburger & the mother Tekla (Golombek) in Niwiska, Poland. I would know this much later in my research.

Pictures of Niwiska, Poland

The peaceful village of Niwiska, Poland. This was the 2nd village that August Eduard Ortenburger & Tekla Golombek lived in from about 1875 to at least 1891.	The road to Niwiska, Poland. Wladyslaw Ortenburger was born here along with his sister Maryanna (1878), his brother Boleslaw (1884-1891) & his brother Karol (Karl) born in 1875. The brother Karl migrated to somewhere in Austria.

In 1996, I also wrote Karl August Horst Ortenburger in Lippstadt, Germany. I found his name in a German phone book. I was still trying to find out about August Ortenburger. Horst Ortenburger wrote back to me that he had also researched the Ortenburger surname. Horst provided me with a hand drawn Ortenburger pedigree that showed my Great Grandfather August Ortenburger married to Tekla Golombek living in Czestochowa, Poland. The hand drawn Ortenburger pedigree showed that my Great Grandfather August (Eduard) Ortenburger lived & died in Czestochowa, Poland. This was the link that I needed to tie my Ortenburger family into the Erdmannshain, Schlesien & Niederkleen, Germany Ortenburger families. This Ortenburger pedigree (shown on this web site) was first researched by Kurt Ortenburger (1911-1943) who died in WWII in Russia. I now had linked my Great Grandfather, August Eduard Ortenburger (1833) & Tekla Golombek to Johann David Ortenburger (1775) who was born in Niederkleen, Germany (Hessen). With this document provided by Horst Ortenburger & also the research from Christl Ortenburger, I had taken my direct Ortenburger family line back to the year 1645 in Niederkleen, Germany! In 11 years of research I found very few clues on the birth of Wladyslaw Ortenburger or the father August Ortenburger. But within 2 months in 1996 I found the answers to the birth of Wladyslaw & I knew that August Ortenburger was actually August Eduard Ortenburger born in 1833 to Johann David Ortenburger & Johanne Eleonora Nier! In 2 months I had taken my direct Ortenburger family line back to the year 1645!

The Kurt Ortenburger family tree (from Horst Ortenburger) shows August Ortenburger & Golombek (Tekla)

In America, Wladyslaw took the name of August as his middle name, after his father & changed his first name to William, sometimes also called Walter Ortenburger. He first lived in Chicago, Illinois. Wladyslaw married Sophia Anna Kunicka on November 13, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois. William and Sophia Ortenburger lived at 1024 North Paulina Street in Chicago in a rented house in May of 1910. William worked as a self employed automatic machinist in 1910. William Ortenburger is also found at 1400 Robey in a house, a machinist. William Ortenburger is found in 1911 at 1084 N. Marshfield in a house, a machinist. William A. Ortenburger was found in the 1912 Chicago Lakeside Classified Directory living at 1837 Evergreen Avenue in a rear house as a boarder & occupation was listed as laborer.

Finding my Grandfather with the middle name of August (when I first started my research on him) was the first clue that I found that lead me to believe that William's father may have been named August. William Ortenburger also lived in Detroit, Michigan from about 1913-1924. He worked for Ford Motor Company when he first arrived in Detroit. William Ortenburg, a machinist was found in the 1913 Detroit City Directory living at a house at 809 Trombly Avenue. Wm Ortenburger, a machinist, was also listed in this same 1913 Detroit City Directory living at a house at 1042 Milwaukee east. Walter Ortenberger, a tailor was found in the 1914 Detroit City Directory living at a house at 941 Medbury Avenue. Wm Ortenberger, a machinist was found boarding at the same house at 941 Medbury Avenue. Wm Ortenberger, a lathe hand, was found in the 1918 Detroit City Directory living in a house at 1081 Moran in Hamtramck. Walter Ortenberger, Sophie, Helen, Mitchell & a boarder named Stephan Czevelzyalski lived at 373 Denton in Hamtramck Village (part of Detroit) in 1920. He was listed as a lathe (hand) in the 1920 Michigan Census.

Below are my Grandfather's various signatures through the years in America. The first signature was written in 1909 from his marriage application record in Chicago, Illinois, the second in 1940 from his application for citizenship in the United States & the third in 1945 from his Citizenship papers, both written in Bay City, Michigan.

Wladyslaw Ortenburger various signatures

A 1915 Detroit City Directory shows Arthur Ortenburger & Wm (William) Ortenburger living at 109 Sargent. I always wondered who Arthur Ortenburger was. Did my Grandfather somehow live with Arthur Irving Ortenburger for a year? Did they board together? To our knowledge, there was no Arthur Ortenburger in our family. Arthur Irving Ortenburger had roots that went back to Ortenburg, Bayern in Germany. Did Wladyslaw name his son Edward Arthur Ortenburger (1920) after Arthur Ortenburger from the 1915 directory?

1915 Detroit, Michigan City Directory

William moved to Bay City, Michigan about 1925 & bought a farm & later traded it for a Grocery store. He had three grocery stores later, as his business grew, one on Madison Avenue, one on Thomas Street & the other on Fitzhugh Street. He also bought, restored & then sold many houses in Bay City, Michigan. The 1930 Michigan Census dated April 1 shows William & Sophy Ortenburger & family living at 1900 North Madison Avenue in Bay City, Michigan. William & Sophie had a grocery store at this address. William was listed as the Proprietor while Sophie was a clerk. The value of the home was $3500. William Ortenburger is listed in the 1931 Bay City, Michigan phone directory with Sophie at a grocery store at 927 Fitzhugh but they reside at 1900 North Madison Avenue with a house & grocery store. Wm A Ortenburger is listed in the 1933 Bay City, Michigan phone directory with Sophie at a grocery store at 927 Fitzhugh. They also are listed at 1900 North Madison Avenue at a house & grocery store. Wm A Ortenburger & Sophie is listed in the 1935 Bay City, Michigan phone directory at a house & grocery store. Wm A Ortenburger is listed at 1900 North Madison Avenue at a grocery store in the Business directory. William & his family lived at 1900 North Madison until he moved to California in 1945.

1931 Bay City, Michigan phone directory

William & Sophie had 6 children, Mitchell William Ortenburger (1911-1976), Helen Sylvia Ortenburger (1913-2002), Edward Arthur Ortenburger (1920-1942), Willard Richard Ortenburger (1920-1996), Irene Sophia Ortenburger (1928-1993) & Emily Gloria Ortenburger (1930). William Ortenburger filed an Alien Registration Form with the United States Department of Justice Immigration & Naturalization Service on September 9, 1940. He states that his name is William August Ortenburger, living at 1900 North Madison Avenue in Bay City, Michigan. He states his birth date is 28 September, 1881 and that he was born in (or near) Dzialaszen (misspelled), Poland, Province of Kalish. He was last a Citizen of Poland. He states his military service was with Russia, in the Army from November 1903 to September 1907.

Walter August Ortenburger became a citizen of the United States on September 14, 1945 (Certificate of Naturalization No. 6524188). The Petition for Naturalization No. 3026 states that he was born on 28 September 1881 in Dzialoszyn, Poland. Sophia was born in Warsaw, Poland on May 15, 1893 and that she entered the United States at Boston, Massachusetts in 1906. He states his last place of residence was Dzialoszyn, Poland. He immigrated to the United States through Bremen, Germany. His port of entry was New York on August 28, 1907 on the SS Gneisenau under the name of Wladyslaw Ortenburger.

Pictures of Wladyslaw Ortenburger, later William August Ortenburger & his family or friends

Edward, William, Helen & Willard Ortenburger in Bay City, Michigan in 1926.	William Ortenburger in Bay City, Michigan, the boy is unidentified.	William & Sophia Ortenburger in Bay City, Michigan This photo was sent to Antoni Ortenburger in Sosnowiec, Poland.

Pictures of Wladyslaw Ortenburger sent to family in Poland in the 1940's

This photo was sent by William Ortenburger to his nephew Antoni Ortenburger in Sosnowiec, Poland. On the back of the photo is written Wladyslaw, Zofia, Irena, Emilia Ortenburger z Roku 1945 - 1900 N. Madison, Bay City, Michigan. It was sent to Rick by Ewa Bielanska who knew Antoni Ortenburger.	This photo was sent by William & Sophia Ortenburger to a nephew, Antoni Ortenburger in Sosnowiec, Poland. On the back of the photo is written Zofia & Wladyslaw Ortenburger.	Mitchell Ortenburger with father William Ortenburger, Fred Hackstock & an unidentified man taken in Bay City, Michigan.

In 1945 William Ortenburger retired & moved with his wife Sophia & daughters, Emily & Irene to Bell, California. He lived only a short time & died July 27, 1947 in Bell, California. He is buried at Inglewood Park cemetery in Inglewood, California. His grave stone is shown in the photo below.

Grave stone of Wladyslaw Ortenburger

Rick Ortenburger

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