There are always the chance for surprises

I am feeling like I accomplished some headway this week in searching family that I want to share. It developed out of that mystery box I found in the basement I mentioned last week.

For some background; I have been talking to Stan Kensic from California. I mentioned him before a few posts back. He is from Cleveland and his parents settled in the Uniontown area. He is searching on his Fudala roots and we found we both have tracked down a Fudala ancestor to the town of Witow about the same time; My grandmother Anna Szczypta, wife of Andrew Piszczor, grandfather was Maciej Fudala and Stan's great great grandfather was Jan Fudala (same generation if you're keeping score!). We talked about it and could not make a connection, for all we know they could be brothers. So in that box I found a copy of the translation of Anna's birth certificate and realized something I overlooked before, her godparents! It seems that Anna's godmother was Regina Fudala, wife of Jan Fudala! I sent a copy of it to Stan and waiting to hear what records he might have that could make a connection.

So if Maciej and Jan just happen to have been brothers that would mean that Stan and I (with all my other first cousins) are 4th cousins!