Ukraine & Russia: A question about Rootschat

[Lisaw]

Hi there,

Have you tried random acts of genealogical kindness? There is volunteers from all over the world. I didn't have any luck in getting the Russian volunteer to respond to me, but your luck might be better. There is also a lady who volunteers for Saskatchewan in the Yorkton area who has done alot of research into her family & now teaches about how to research your family from some of the areas mentioned in this forum.  I believe she has access to Doukhbor ship lists also. She is very knowledgeable.

Lisa

[J.J.]

What year was he thought to be born? any occupation known for the early years... when he first came to Canada

a second cousin says she remembers her grandparents mentioning a name that sounded like Chernootzie.

perhaps "Chernivtsi city"-  ( now in county of Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine / formerly N. Bukovina)

My ancestors started out as Italian...then they migrated to a German logging community in Bukowina,
( then was Austrian/Hungary occupied...I found a few "Austrian" & Galacian Medveds online) 
where they all learned to speak German... in the 1920's it became split between Romania/Ukraine.
....after ww2 Romania was forced give up the northern part Bukovina to the USSR
It was like a football, it kept changing hands!


Here is a good explanation of why this might turn out to be the city they may have been from...see some
versions of the name...
Some of the names of the city: Chernivtsi in Ukrainian, Czernowitz or Tschernowitz in German, Cerna~uti in Romanian, Chernovcy or Chernovicy in Russian, Czerniowce in Polish, Csernovic in Hungarian, Tshernevits or Tshernovits in jiddis.

[grammatj8]

J.J. I will check on that, as my Great Uncle suggested they came from Ukraine, Davidivsee, Bokavina, Romania. Are they one and the same.  It was my cousin that suggested chervisti.  I also had found out that the Ukraine changed hands as often as we change underwear.  Not an easy thing to find out.  I certainly wished my grandparents had told me more and also told their children.  As my Mom knows less than me.  SHe is amazed at what I have found out which is not much.  Thanks J.J.

[J.J.]

Have you found this site re: Medved?
http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.medved/2.5.6/mb.ashx
also when searching for George the name may be  Yegor  Yuriy   Jerzy
( my inlaws always said "Yurko" was Ukrainian for George...but as they
weren't Ukranian I wouldn't take that to the bank....
With the ethnic diversity of the area, I am sure there are many more....
(  austro-hungarian-bukvinian)


so no idea around what year of birth we are looking for under immigration & if early enough, census ?

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Have you this marriage from later in the century?   25 February 1942-page 11  - Kotchan / Wooley
http://www.elginogs.ca/newsindexes/timesjournal/sttj1942janthrufeb.htm

[grammatj8]

George Kotchan   Born February 19, 1888   Died March 6, 1978
George Kotchan married Mary Medwed       1913 approximately
Mary Medwed      Born June 5, 1895      Died March 6, 1966

They lived in Fort William until l928.  Then moved to Simcoe.
I can't find out for sure if they married in Fort William or not.  The church burnt down and the Friar didn't think he would be able to help.  My grandfather came over from the Ukraine with his brother, and we now that his brother went back and married his wife and brought her here.  I am thinking maybe George did the same. 

[grammatj8]

Interesting Peter was my Mom's brother.  And I had the date I didn't have the place. 

[J.J.]

Well this may be a clue as to the place they worked, and might even be a brother...
so am posting it...as George may have named his son after a brother...
 
A Pete "Kuochan" or "Kutchan"... in Port Arthur ...hard to decipher the handwriting on the 1911 census...
but he was born 1881 / Austria / Polish / R.C.  / immigrated in 1907...works in a freight shed? with
many male immigrants from same....( This was very likely a Railway job )
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=56427
also a Medwid although not your family...but he works at the same place
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=56412

[Janice M]

Here is a book in OurRoots. It mentions a Theodore "Kochan"

Ukrainians in Ontario
http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=9233

OurRoots
(lots of books about Alberta / Saskatchewan with the name of "Kochan")
http://www.ourroots.ca/

Janice

[Janice M]

I know this is a tedious way to do things,  but you could check the surnames in that area

There are also listings for "Medwid"

Thunder Bay and Rainy River
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/Test3.jsp?did=123