The Krupa Boys

This will likely be the last post on the Jan Krupa - Regina Bochnia family group for a while, but I want to share an interesting finding.

The 1900 U.S. Census is a fun census because the enumerators asked for a lot of information valuable to those of us who like to research of family history. In addition to the basics provided in most census, such as names, relationships, birthplaces, and occupation, this particular census asked for the month and year of birth, the number of years the couple was married, and, for the mother, the total number of children they had and how many were still living.

In Regina's case, it stated that she was the mother of nine children, but only seven were still living [1].

Portion of 1910 U.S. Census showing John and Regina Krupa and the children still residing with them [1]. Note that Regina is shown to be the mother of nine children, but only seven were still living.

Census records can be wrong for many reasons. Sometimes a neighbor or other person may be providing the information and guessing about some of the facts. Sometimes the enumerator doesn't transcribe his notes to the record copy correctly.

In this case, I had a good idea who the seven living children at the time of the 1900 U.S. Census were - Jan and Regina's daughters: Bronislawa (known as Bertha), Josephine, Frances, Mary, Antoinette, Kathryn and Anna (who is my Great Grandmother). My Grandmother, Anna's daughter, mentioned at one point that one of Jan and Regina's children, a son, had died on the boat over. But I had no other information on the ninth child, and I was not even sure he or she existed.

I got my first break when I stumbled upon the passenger list from Hamburg, Germany when Jan and Regina Krupa departed for the United States aboard the SS. Germania in March 1873 [2]. As you can see in the clipping below, Jan and Regina departed Europe with two children: Bronislawa, a daughter, and Stanislaus, a son. While we know Bronislawa survived into adulthood, I had never heard of Stanislaus before.

Johann (Jan) and Regina Krupa with children Bronislawa (age 2) and Stanislaus (age 11 months) in the S.S. Germania passenger list on departure from Hamburg, Germany on March 19, 1873 [2]

The S.S. Germania arrived in New Orleans on 19 May 1873. The entry for the Krupa family is shown below [3]. Son Stanislaus is not listed, which appears to confirm the family story that a son died on the way over to America. It isn't conclusive because the New Orleans passenger list is a copy that the port was required to make and send to the State Department quarterly, so it is possible that Stanislaus was missed when the list was copied. However, I believe that Stanislaus probably died on the voyage over.

Johann (Jan) and Regina Krupa listed in the S.S. Germania with daughter Bronislawa [3]. Son, Stanislaus, listed on the departure manifest, is not listed.

This would explain one of the two children that had passed away before the 1900 U.S. census. The explanation of the second one appears in the records of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in South Chicago, Illinois. The first entry in the Baptism records for this church is Andrew Krupa, born 25 May 1882 [4]. It lists his parents has Johann Krupa and Maria Bochnia. While this might be the son of another couple, I could not find another Johann Krupa married to a Maria in the records, so my guess is that they recorded Regina's name incorrectly. This is probably Jan and Regina's son.

Baptism Record for Andrew Krupa [4]. This list the mother as Maria Bochnia, however I believe this is probably in error and this is Jan and Regina (nee Bochnia) Krupa's son.

Unfortunately, the Immaculate Conception records also record the fate of Andrew Krupa. According to the death register, Andrew died on October 4, 1890 from diphtheria [5].

Andrew Krupa's October 4, 1890 death record [5]. It states he was nine years old and that he died from Diphtheria.

So, while not conclusive, I likely have found all nine of Regina's children as reported in the 1900 U.S. Census. The seven daughters all survived to adulthood. The two boys died as children. Stanislaus apparently died on the boat on the way to the United States, as reported by my Grandmother. Andrew died at age nine from Diphtheria.


Sources:
1. 1900, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, Hyde Park, Chicago, Ward 33, enumeration district (ED) 1048, Sheet 1-A, dwelling 6, family 8, John Kruppa and Family; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : downloaded 5 December 2015); United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
2. Manifest, S.S. Germania, 29 March 1873, Johann, Regina, Bronislawa and Stanislaus Krupa, database online with digital images, Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 December 2015).
3. Manifest, S.S Germania, 19 May 1873, Johann, Regina and Bronislawa Krupa, database with digital images, New Orleans, Passenger List Quarterly Abstracts, 1820-1875, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 December 2015).
4. Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church (Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois), Baptisms, 1882-1889, FHL Film 1578587, Item 1, Page 1, Andrew Krupa, baptized 28 May 1882, born 25 May 1882; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 27 December 2015).
5. Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church (Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois), deaths 1883-1903, FHL film 1578588, item 7, page 30, Andrew Krupa, died 4 Oct 1890; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 27 December 2015).