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WARGIN Family History, Part I

According to Ancestry.com's compilation of Wargin surnames from New York passenger lists, 88% of Wargin immigrants came from Germany-occupied Poland and Prussia. Not surprisingly, 80% of Polish immigrants to America during the period of 1854-1890 came from the area which Prussian's ruled as the province of "Posen," named for the principle city of Poznań. This province roughly conformed to the modern Polish province of Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), the origin of the Polish nation dating from the 10th Century.

Censuses record that John and Ludwika Wargin were from German-occupied Poland. The 1920 census deviates slightly by refering to their origin as Western Prussia, while John's brother Michael, is noted as originating in "Posen". Prussia, essentially northern and southwestern Poland, regained Poznań and parts of northern Germany in 1815. Just before John's birth, Otto von Bismarch became Minister-President of Prussia (1862-1890) under King Wilhelm I of Prussia. Von Bismarch engineered the unification of Germany and gained parts of northern Germany during the Danish and Austrian wars (1865-1866). In 1867 he became chancellor of the North German Confederation. Later when the German Empire was formed in 1871 and Wilhelm I became emperor, Von Bismarck became its first chancellor.

In 1872 the German parliament ordered compulsory instruction of German in all schools and outlawed the speaking of Polish in public. In 1888 the parliament established a commission for the purpose of purchasing land from Poles in Wielkopolskie and leasing that land to German colonists, hence the Polish emigration wave to America and likely John and Ludwika's journey in 1890-1891 as well.

DNA Analysis

DNA testing of John Wargin's descendants, reveal that we belong to Haplogroup R1b1c. From this we find that after "Eurasian Adam" (M168) left the Ethiopia-Sudan region of East Africa some 50,000 to 79,000 years ago, one branch of descendants entered the Middle East (Haplogroup F, M89) and spread throughout the northern hemisphere with Haplogroup K (M9) some 40,000 years ago. From a branch on the Central Asian Steppes (M45) some 35,000-40,000 years ago Haplogroup R (M207) and its subgroup R1 (M173) sprang and gave rise to Cro-Magnon Man (R1b/M343) in Western Europe 35,000 years ago. Yes, it appears our earliest Wargin ancestors, along with those of most Western Europeans, were Cro-Magnon.

The R1b1 (P25) subclade likely resettled in Western Europe after the last glacial age ended some 10,000-12,000 years ago. As such, this widespread haplogroup is noted in 70-90% of the Western European population, and not only encompasses our Polish Wargin ancestors but those of my German Miller ancestors and my Italian-Swiss MALUGANI ancestors.

Among this widespread, common Western European ancestry there arose a further off-shoot, the R1b1c (P25+) subclade, which includes our Wargin lineage and my German Miller ancestors.

Anton WARGIN¹

1. Anton Wargin¹ and his wife Marianna Zulka¹, residents of Sypniewo, Złotów county, Wielkopolskie, were named as the parents of Jan P(iotr) when he wed in 1888. From this we find they had four sons, all born in Złotów, which, under Prussian rule was named Flatow.

Their first three were born under Prussian rule of King Wilhelm I of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck, who formed the North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund) by defeating the Austrian Empire and Austrian-allied German Confederation states in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Wilhelm and Von Bismarck consolidated their gains and formed the German Empire in 1871 with Wilhelm I as emperor and Von Bismarck a chancellor.

A marriage record transcript of Anton (Jr.), an unconfirmed brother who also lived in Milwaukee, recorded his parents as Anton Wargin and Marya Zurek.^{[Mar 1894]}

Stefen WARGIN

X. Stefen Wargin was identified as the late father of Michael Wargin on his 1921 passport application information. Michael was a suspected relative of Jan P. Wargin², who was a few years older. Stefen was likely from Wielkopolskie (Posen), Poland, perhaps from Głomsk in Złotów County. Son Michael immigrated to America and settled in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin:

Stefen died sometime prior to 1921.^{[Pass 1921]}

Jan "John" P(eter) WARGIN² (1864-1931)

11. Jan P(iotr) Wargin² ("John P(eter)") was born October 18, 1864^[Dth], in Złotów (Flatow) county, Prussian-occupied Wielkopolskie (Posen). His birth place has been recorded as "Ltoto" (probably Lutowo) and "Kraz Wizisk" (unlocated) on two of his children's birth records.^{[Birth 1897, 1899]} He married Ludwika "Louise" Gracz², the daughter of Józef Gracz¹ and Julianna Brzezinski¹ of Wiśniewka, Złotów county, on February 5, 1888, in Wiśniewka^{[Mar 1888, Cen 1900]} and both immigrated by way of Ellis Island, New York, in 1890^{[Cen 1900, 1910]} and were naturalized in 1903^{[Cen 1920]}. They settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and had 12 children:

11A.	Melania "Millie" Wargin	Dec 1888	10 May 1965	(76)
11B.	Helena Wargin	31 Dec 1890	1 Aug 1941	(50)
11C.	Anastazja "Nettie" Wargin	25 Dec 1892	10 Aug 1935	(42)
11D.	Stanislaus Wargin	8 May 1895	17 Nov 1896	(18 mos.)
11E.	Mary "Marie" Wargin	10 Jun 1897	16 Aug 1971	(74)
11F.	Roman Aloysius Wargin	4 Aug 1899	11 Dec 1929	(30)
11G.	Bernard A. Wargin	13 Aug 1901	25 Nov 1973	(72)
11H.	Hipolita Wargin	13 Aug 1901	--	--
11I.	Sylvester Thomas Wargin	29 Dec 1903	2 Jul 1966	(62)
11J.	Antonia Wargin	14 Jan 1906	14 Jan 1906	(Infancy)
11K.	Casimer Stanley Wargin3	21 Jul 1907	8 Jan 1984	(76)
11L.	Jadwiga "Hedwig" Wargin	1911	1926	(15)

After immigrating, the Wargins settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and opened a tailor shop. By 1900, they were living at 819 First Avenue in Milwaukee and had been naturalized as a U.S. citizen^{[Cen 1900]}. For the next three decades the family was enumerated at 911 First Avenue^{[Cen 1910-1930]} (now renumbered and renamed as 2201 South 6th Steet). John ran a small tailor shop in an outbuilding behind their home.

Most, if not all, of the Wisconsin-born children were baptized in the Basilica of St. Josaphat, a Polish Roman Catholic church about half a block away from their childhood home and John's tailor shop.

Jan "John" Wargin died in Milwaukee at his residence at 2201 South 6th Street on March 1, 1931. He died of cerebral apoplexy (stroke) after falling ill to hypostatic pneumonia a week prior. He was 66 years old and worked 45 years as a tailor, right up until he developed pneumonia. He was buried at Saint Adalberts Cemetery in Milwaukee.^{[Dth 1931]} John and Louise had been married about 43 years.

After John's death, Ludwika lived with daughter Mary in a "Polish bungalow" off West Lincoln Avenue at 2228 South 18th Street.^{[Cen 1940]}

Ludwika "Louise" (Gracz) Wargin died 12 years later of a cerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension on May 27, 1943 in Milwaukee at the home of her daughter, Mary, at 711 West Lincoln Avenue. She was also buried at Saint Adalberts Cemetery in Milwaukee. She was 73 years old.^{[Dth 1943]}

Anton WARGIN (1869-1942)

13. Anton (Paweł) Wargin was born in June 1869 in Złotów (Flatow) county, Prussian-occupied Wielkopolskie (Posen). He is suspected to be a younger brother to our John Wargin², whose father was also named Anton¹. Anton married Apolonia "Polly" Michna on May 14, 1894, in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.^{[Mar 1894]} They had nine children:

Anton most likely correlates to "Anton Paul Wargin," who was born the Anton Wargin and Marianna Zulka on June 13, 1869, in Złotów (Flatow) county^{[Bap 1869]}, however, I have yet to confirm his birth date beyond the month of June 1869^{[Cen 1900]}, nor have I found any DNA matches among his descendants.

Anton immigrated to America aboard the Weimar, which arrived in Baltimore on November 27, 1892. He was recorded to be a tailor whose last residence was in "Flathoff" (Flatow/Złotów), a vocation and location he had in common with his presumed brother John² who immigrated two years earlier. Anton stated he was bound for Wisconsin.^{[Pass 1892]}

Anton and Apolonia married on May 14, 1894, in Milwaukee. Her parents were identified as Mateusz Michna and Maria Kordecka.^{[Mar 1894]}

Anton and Apolonia first settled at 938 6th Avenue in Milwaukee by 1900. Anton worked as a tailor.^{[Cen 1900]}

Anton and Apolonia were both naturalized as citizens in 1907.^{[Cen 1920]}

By 1910 the Wargins moved a block east to 953 Fifth Avenue where they remained through at least 1930.^{[Cen 1910-1930]} Anton and sons Edward and Anton all worked as tailors and daughters Minnie, Cecilia, and Apolonia all worked as seamstresses.^{[City 1923]}

Apolonia (Michna) Wargin reportedly died on June 1, 1929, and was buried at Saint Adalberts Cemetery in Milwaukee.^[Grave]

After Apolonia's death, Anton and daughter Cecilia remained at the family home. By 1930, 13-year-old granddaughter Esther Schitzman moved in with them following her mother's remarriage. She was misidentified in the census as Anton's niece.^{[Cen 1930]}

Anton remarried to the widow Mrs. Jadwiga (Hedwig) "Harriet" (Kuczynski) Macikowski in the 1930s. She had as many as nine children, the surviving ones all grown. By 1940 they lived with Harriet's daughter Marie (Macikowski) Szaj and her family at 971 West Oklahoma Avenue.^{[Cen 1940]}

Anton Wargin (Jr.) died on April 23, 1942, in Milwaukee, at the age of 72. He was reportedly buried with Apolonia in Saint Adalberts Cemetery, Section 13, Block 6, Lot 3 (near the Knapinskis), but without headstones.^[Grave]

Jadwiga "Harriet" (Kuczynski Macikowski) Wargin died on April 2, 1946, in Milwaukee, at the age of 70. She was buried with her first husband under the name "Jadwiga Macikowski" in Saint Adalberts Cemetery in Milwaukee.^[Grave]

Appollonarius Jacob WARGIN (1873-1912)

14. Appollinarius Jacob Wargin (Polish: Apolinary Jakob) was born on July 23, 1873 in Sypniewo, Złotów (Flatow) county, Prussian-occupied Wielkopolskie (Posen). He married Johanna Elisabeth Louise Görlitz on February 15, 1902, in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany.

Appollinarius Jacob Wargin died on October 5, 1912, in Darmstadt, at the young age of 39.

Michael WARGIN (1869-)

X1. Michael Wargin was born in September, 28 1869 in Głomsk, Złotów County, in Prussian/German-occupied Wielkopolskie (Posen), Poland, about 360 kilometers northwest of Warsaw. He boarded a ship in either Antwerp, Belgium, or Rotterdam, The Netherlands and arrived in America on July 28, 1891. He first lived in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, before settling in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He had been married once before he married Michaeline "Minnie" Latus on September 20, 1897, in Milwaukee County. They had at least one daughter:

"Mich Wargin," age 22, departed Antwerp, Belgium, aboard the Friesland and arrived in New York on July 28, 1891.^{[Imm 1891]} He was recorded as a German laborer with one piece of luggage bound for Chicago, Illinois. He settled first in Chicago where he was naturalized on March 20, 1896.^{[Pass 1921]}

Michael and Michaeline married the following year on September 20, 1897, in Milwaukee, where they resided at 409 Mitchell Street by 1900. As was his older brother, Jan, Michael worked as a tailor.^{[Cen 1900]}.

By 1910 the Wargins moved about six blocks south to 712 Lincoln Avenue. Michaeline ran a millinery there with help from daughter Anna. In addition, Michaeline's widowed elder sister, Frances (Latus?) Streich, moved in with them.^{[Cen 1910-1920]}

During the 1920s, daughter Anna married, had two daughters, divorced, and moved back in with her parents by 1930 and resumed work as a millner with her mother.^{[Cen 1930]}

Michaeline (Latus) Wargin died during the 1930s. She was in her fifties or early 60s.

Michaeline's sister Frances, daughter Anna, and Anna's daughters, continued to live with Michael afterward. In 1940 their address was recorded as 1530 West Lincoln Avenue where they had lived since at least 1935.^{[Cen 1940]}

Possible WARGIN Relatives

In searching over the Wisconsin and Minnesota records, other Wargin families of the approximate age of John's are also noted. So far I've not been able to determine what connections, if any, these families have to John:

• Heinrick "Henry" Wergin & Mathilda Knepel: Henry was born in September 1843 in Germany and immigrated in 1868; they lived at 828 Fourth Street in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (1900). Family Search Family Tree gives Henry's orgin as Szczecin, in the northwest corner of modern-day Poland.
• Joseph & Pauline (Selig) Wargin, Sr.: Joseph was born about 1855 in West Prussia to Nicholas Wargin and Eva Kaufel. He immigrated in 1880 and settled in Herman Township (near Duluth), Saint Louis County, Minnesota (1910).
• Thomas Wargin^Δ (1855-1905): His widow Emilia "Emily" (Konitzer?) Wargin was born about 1859 in German-occupied Poland (possibly in Kramsk [Głomsk?]) and immigrated in 1904; she and her five teenaged children resided on 9th Avenue in Milwaukee (1910), moved into Douglas County, Minnesota (1920), and returned to Milwaukee by 1927; two of her sons are recorded as being born in Königsdorf, Germany.
• Paul & Angeline (Marlewska) Wargin: Paul was born about 1870 in West Prussia^{[Cen 1910]}, German-occupied Poland, and immigrated in 1899; they lived at 794 Gardon Street (1910), 375 Lapham Street (1920), and 1571A South 5th Street (1940) in Milwaukee, about seven block south of where John Wargin lived on 1st Street. Paul worked as a moulder at a foundry.
• Albert (Walter) & Mary (Ranowska?) Wargin: Albert was born in April 1871 in Danzig (Gdansk), Poland and immigrated in 1893; they resided at 708 Grove Street (1900), 779 Greenbush Street (1910) and 700 Grove Street (1920-1930) in Milwaukee, where Albert worked as an iron moulder at a foundry.
• Antoni & Martha (Spirafski/Spifski?) Wargin^Δ: Antoni was born about 1877 in Wisconsin; this family lived cross-state in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin (1905) on the border with the southeastern corner of Minnesota; they moved to Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota by 1920.
• Mary Wargin, perhaps a sister of Antoni's, was born in June 1878 and married John Kuester in La Crosse County, Wisconsin in 1900.

Continue on to Part II