Brian Zalewski

Ancestors

Son of John Zalewski and Sharon (Thielke) Zalewski

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brian Zalewski [send private message]

Biography

When and how did you get interested in genealogy and family history?

The year was 1999, a spring painted with both grief and possibility. My grandfather, a pillar of our family, had just passed away, leaving behind a void and a whisper of stories untold. Around the same time, a local newspaper article flickered like a beacon on my computer screen – "New Genealogical Hub Launches: FamilySearch Takes Root." Intrigued by the buzz surrounding this "Latter-Day Saints" website, I ventured into the digital unknown.

Finding my family tucked away within its virtual walls was like unearthing hidden treasures. A dusty file overflowing with faded notes and sepia-toned photographs, inherited from a distant relative, suddenly felt richer than gold. One picture, in particular, captivated me – the Zalewski family, their faces etched with the wisdom of generations past. It became not only my favorite family heirloom but also the key that unlocked my most captivating ancestral line.

This newfound passion collided with a stark reality: my grandfather, the keeper of Zalewski lore, was gone. I realized then that the living held the keys to unlocking the past. I began interviewing surviving relatives, piecing together fragments of lives lived and stories whispered down through the years.

My brick wall, the enigmatic Zalewskis, remained stubbornly in place. Yet, hope bloomed. Perhaps, within the vast tapestry of this new online community, answers might lie tucked away, waiting to be discovered.

Thus began my genealogical odyssey, a path that has since led me not only deeper into my own family's history but also alongside friends and distant kin seeking their own roots. With each virtual record unearthed, each faded photograph deciphered, a piece of the past clicks into place, revealing the mosaic of who we are.

The internet, once a flickering novelty, has become an invaluable bridge across time and distance. It has connected me to long-lost cousins, unearthed forgotten documents, and ignited a passion that burns brighter with each discovery.

This, then, is my story – not just of lineage traced and puzzles solved, but of a curiosity ignited by loss and a journey fueled by hope. It is a story, I believe, that echoes in the hearts of all who seek to weave the threads of the past into the tapestry of the present.

I'd honestly like to thank AI for rewriting that intro and making it much more full of life.

About Me

Brian Zalewski is the descendant of Palatine migrants.

Native Wisconsinite

Born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin, just north of the Milwaukee area, I still live nearby. All of my ancestors spent many generations in Wisconsin and previously came from outside of the United States. Some of my earliest Wisconsin ancestors were here not long after Wisconsin became a state in 1848. The latest arrived in about 1892.

In 2006, I married the love of my life, Darcy. A few years later came the birth of our wonderful daughter. Her middle name, Jean, was borrowed from her grandmother (my mother) and her great-grandmother, my maternal grandmother. Our son was born in 2012 and his middle name, Lee, was borrowed from his maternal grandfather. I can’t wait to tell them stories about all of their ancestors.

Outside of genealogy, I am a Software Engineer. I have doing web development and software engineering back since the Internet was starting to become a thing in around 1993-94. I still really enjoy it and I try to involve genealogy in my work as much as possible.

DNA Testing

I have tested my DNA and it is available in many places. I did my first DNA test around 2006 for National Geographic's Genographic Project and became hooked ever since. That test was also transferred to FamilyTreeDNA, which was then used for Y-DNA and mtDNA tests. I have also tested directly with 23andMe and AncestryDNA. I have uploaded my results to GEDMatch (ID: PT5895258) and MyHeritage.

My overall ethnicity includes mostly Eastern European, which follows a lot of my ancestry. The other areas are Ireland (my Corrigan roots), a bit of Western Europe (my French-Canadian and Dutch/Belgian roots), and surprisingly a good chunk of Scandinavian. I have yet to find any Scandinavian ancestry, but I have recently discovered some distant DNA cousins who seem to have 100% Swedish ancestry, so we'll find out.

I am fascinated with DNA and my results and I hope to encourage many of my DNA Cousins to join WikiTree to help connect us all.

My paternal line has been calculated by the yDNA Family Tree DNA test I took. It has been shown to be part of the R-Z283 Y Haplogroup based on research by the R1a1a and Subclades Project.

More specifically, they have broken my yDNA down to Z282>Z280>CTS1211>YP343>YP340*-z (YP340 not tested, more STRs and/or Big Y needed) This test is currently only done at 37 markers, but will hopefully be upgraded or other STRs tested.

This "subclade" puts the origin of my Zalewski line into Central & Northern Europe (e.g., Poland) possibly around the Carpathian Mountains.

Confused by a lot of the terminology related to genetic genealogy? Hop on over to the International Society of Genetic Genealogy's Wiki (ISOGG) for tons of helpful information.

Most distant paternal ancestor: Martin Zalewski

My Maternal Haplogroup is H11a and so far in my own ancestry that seems to point to Germany in the more recent past. Historically H11a is found across most of northern, central and eastern Europe and in Central Asia / found in Mesolithic Lithuania, Middle Neolithic Germany and Megalithic Spain.^[1]

Most distant mtDNA/maternal ancestor: Anna Rasch

Surnames

Brian Zalewski is a member of the Zalewski Name Study Project.

Brian Zalewski is a member of the Thielke Name Study Project.

Here are my surnames up to 5-generations back, created by the Surname Generator app.

Legend:

Surname (alternate spellings) : First Person with surname in tree → EKA - Earliest Known Ancestor

( # ) = number of generations from Primary person to EKA

𐂷 = pedigree chart of First Person / ⇟ = descendant list of EKA

• Paternal Grandfather ancestors

Grabowska  : → Justyna Grabowska, b. 1839, ⇟ (4)

Lindner  : Anna, b. 1865, Schwenten, Graudenz, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany 𐂷 → Johann Lindner, b. 1835, ⇟ (4)

Muszkowski  : Anna, b. 1831, Krottoschin, Löbau, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany 𐂷 → Joannes Muszkowski, b. 1775, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany ⇟ (6)

Sońefeld  : Eva, b. 1842, Schwenten, Graudenz, Westpreussen, Germany 𐂷 → Paul Sońefeld, b. 1781, null ⇟ (6)

Syldatk  : Nepomucena, b. 1853, Gowidlino, Karthaus, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany 𐂷 → Josephus Syldatk, b. 1797, ⇟ (6)

Szulta  : Clara, b. 1876, Sullenschin, Karthaus, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany 𐂷 → Anton Szulta, b. 1815, Prussia ⇟ (5)

Troka  : Emily, b. 1896, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Michael Troka, b. 1839, Poland ⇟ (4)

Zalewski  : Martin Zalewski, b. 1796, West Prussia, Prussia, Germany ⇟ (5)

• Paternal Grandmother ancestors

Braatz  : Agnes, b. 1903, Mellen, Ashland, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Wilhelm Braatz, b. 1837, Prussia ⇟ (4)

Corrigan  : Mary, b. 1926, Ashland, Ashland, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Michael Corrigan, b. 1792, County Tyrone, Ireland ⇟ (5)

Firmenich  : Emma, b. 1873, Wrightstown, Brown, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Johann Firmenich, b. 1792, Prussia ⇟ (5)

Klegin  : → Maria Klegin, b. 1842, Schoenwalde, Germany ⇟ (4)

McCann  : Mary, b. 1828, County Mayo, Ireland 𐂷 → Thomas McCann, b. 1797, County Longford, Ireland ⇟ (5)

Schumacher  : Katherina, b. 1838, Großforst, Dünsbach, Gerabronn, Wurttemberg, Germany 𐂷 → Johann Schumacher, b. 1799, Forst, Bruchsal, Baden, Germany ⇟ (5)

Stearns (Stiern)  : Barbara, b. 1866, Baden-Baden, Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany 𐂷 → Georg Stiern, b. 1810, Germany ⇟ (5)

Thompson  : Paulina, b. 1849, Granville, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → William Thompson, b. 1783, Ireland ⇟ (6)

• Maternal Grandfather ancestors

Fritz  : → Friedericke Fritz, b. 1841, Germany ⇟ (4)

Henke  : → Friedericke Henke, b. 1837, Germany ⇟ (4)

Last  : Madora, b. 1898, Grafton, Ozaukee, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Johann Last, b. 1825, Barkow, Griefenberg, Pommern, Germany ⇟ (4)

Luedtke  : Augusta, b. 1863, Storkow, Pommerania 𐂷 → Carl Luedtke, b. 1841, Germany ⇟ (4)

Rathke  : Wilomene, b. 1857, Pommerania, Prussia 𐂷 → Herman Rathke, b. 1831, Germany ⇟ (4)

Specht  : → Marie Specht, b. 1821, Mecklenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany ⇟ (4)

Strassman  : Hanne, b. 1817, Heydebreck, Regenwalde, Pommern, Germany 𐂷 → Michael Strassman, b. 1795, Germany ⇟ (5)

Thielke  : Henry Thielke, b. 1813, possibly in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Deutschland, though married in Bernitt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Deutschland in 1839 ⇟ (4)

• Maternal Grandmother ancestors

DeBroux  : Marjorie, b. 1927, Port Washington, Ozaukee, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Jean DeBroux, b. 1781, Corroy, Namur, Belgium ⇟ (5)

Krebbekx (Krebbeks, van Craybeek, Craibexs)  : Johanna, b. 1847, Hoofdplaat, Zeeland, Netherlands 𐂷 → Paulus Craibexs, b. 1720, Genk, Limburg, Belgium ⇟ (8)

Laurent  : Mary, b. 1865, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Constant Laurent, b. 1777, Grez, Grez-Doiceau, Brabant, Belgium ⇟ (5)

Lood  : Marie, b. 1829, Piétrebais, Walloon Brabant, Wallonia, Belgium 𐂷 → François Lood, b. 1786, Piétrebais, Brabant, Belgium ⇟ (5)

Muhm  : Minnie, b. 1879, Norwood, Langlade, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Friedrich Muhm, b. 1801, Schwabendorf, Rauschenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hessen, Germany ⇟ (5)

Schavandie  : Ida, b. 1852, Germany 𐂷 → Lawrence Schavandie, b. 1832, Germany ⇟ (5)

St. Louis (St Louis, Gadiou, Gadiou St Louis)  : Olivine, b. 1835, Yamachiche, Saint-Maurice, Lower Canada 𐂷 → Guillaume St Louis, b. 1610, ⇟ (10)

Van Price (Van Parijs, van Parys)  : Mildred, b. 1903, Mattoon, Shawano, Wisconsin, United States 𐂷 → Livinus van Parys, b. 1700, Drongen, East Flanders, Belgium ⇟ (8)

Project Plan

• I plan to flesh out the rest of my direct ancestors and my wife's direct ancestors, proof them, and try to connect some of the lines to the larger WikiTree. My wife's lines especially go deep into the American Colonies and mine go deep into French Canada.
• Continue researching profiles and lines from both the Zalewski surname and the Thielke surname. My two main surname lines. I may create surname projects for my wife's surname lines at some point.
• Continue adding and updating more counties in the Wisconsin Project that I have taken over.
• Continue working through adding/connecting profiles to the interment list of St. Finbar's Cemetery in Saukville, Wisconsin and West Fork Cemetery in Excelsior, Wisconsin. West Fork has many of my wife's ancestors.
• Continue proofing my already created profiles, some that were added when I first joined and need some work.
• Occasionally jump into challenges to help fix and improve already existing profiles that aren't mine.

Projects I Lead or Co-Lead

Brian Zalewski is a Wisconsinite.

One Names Studies:

• Zalewski Name Study
• Thielke Name Study
• Moran Name Study

Other Projects:

• Wisconsin Project
• Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
• St. Finbar's Cemetery, Ozaukee, Wisconsin

Interesting Ancestors & Cousins

Almost all of my notable ancestors come from my French-Canadian side, though I'm always fascinated to find other connections from my other lines. Most of them I am connected to in dozens of different ways, but will list one.

I am also descended from many of the Filles du Roi from Quebec.

• Zacharie Cloutier - one of the so-called "super ancestors" in the French-Canadian area. He is my connection to dozens of others with French-Canadian ancestry.
• Celine Dion - One connection is through the last item, Zacharie Cloutier where we are 9th cousins twice removed. Wikipedia Link
• Madonna (Ciccone) - We are 8th cousins three times removed. We both descend from Marie Martine Crosnier (1645-aft.1713). Wikipedia Link
• Justin Bieber - We are 10th cousins. We share an ancestor in Jacques Bourgeois (abt.1619-abt.1701). Wikipedia Link
• Taylor Swift - We are 11th cousins. Our closest shared ancestor is Magdeleine (Aymard) Émart (1626-1708).
• Hillary Rodham Clinton - We are 9th cousins twice removed. We share an ancestor in my 10th great grandfather Jean Cusson. Wikipedia Link
• Ryan Gosling - We are 11th cousins and we share an ancestor in my 10th great grandfather Pierre Lefebvre. Wikipedia Link
• Angelina Jolie - We are 8th cousins twice removed. We share an ancestor in Charles Vallée (1670-1742). Wikipedia Link
• Alanis Morissette - We are 9th cousins once removed and we share an ancestor in my 9th great grandfather Pierre-Noel Morin. Wikipedia Link
• June Lucille (Forer) Foray (1917-2017) - Voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel in Rocky & Bullwinkle, 11th Cousins, Once Removed via Noël Morin (abt.1616-1680).
• Gilles Villeneuve (1950-1982) - Canadian Grand Prix motor Ferrari racing driver, 9th cousins, once removed via Léonard (Paille) Paillé (abt.1639-1729).
• Robert Goulet (1933-2007) - American singer and actor, 8th Cousin thrice removed through Zacharie Cloustier (1617-1708). Wikipedia Link
• Avril Lavigne - Canadian singer and songwriter, 9th Cousin once removed through Marie-Françoise Daniau (1676-1759). Wikipedia Link
• Beyoncé Knowles - American singer and actress, 10th Cousin through Jacques Bourgeois (abt.1619-abt.1701). Wikipedia Link
• Louis Riel (1844-1885) - Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis people, 6th Cousin 4 times removed through Anne Ledet (abt.1631-1700).
• Bert Patenaude (1909-1974) - American soccer player (a forward) and is credited by FIFA as scorer of the first hat-trick in the World Cup history. - 7th cousins 3 times removed through Pierre Noël Morin (1672-bef.1737).
• Shania Twain Grammy winning Country singer - 9th cousin once removed through Louise De Guitre (1667-1732).
• Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) - American novelist and playwright, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner - 8th cousin twice removed through François (Lemaitre) Lemaître (abt.1631-1666).
• Glenn Frey (1948-2016) - American rock musician, one of the founding members of The Eagles - 9th cousin 3 times removed through Noël Morin (abt.1616-1680)
• Meghan Trainor - American singer and songwriter - 11th cousin once removed through Nicolas (Rivard) Rivard dit Lavigne (1617-1701).

Orphaned Photos

I recently purchased a collection of orphaned cabinet card photos from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. I have put together small family trees of the people labeled on these photos as as way to try to return them to their families. All of the individuals I have traced are listed on my Milwaukee Orphaned Photos personal category.

If you are a descendant of this individual, contact me and I will try to return the physical photo to you free-of-charge (as long as they have not already been given back to another family member.) Also check other related family members for other possible photos.

Links

Zalewski Family Genealogy - my blog and main genealogy headquarters.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.eupedia.com/europe/Haplogroup_H_mtDNA.shtml

• First-hand knowledge by Brian Zalewski
• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a 3586 cM match between Brian Zalewski GEDmatch M092030 and his father John Zalewski GEDmatch M210715.
• Maternal relationship is confirmed with an AncestryDNA test match between Brian Zalewski and Sharon Zalewski, parent-child. Predicted relationship reported by AncestryDNA: Parent, Child - immediate family member based on sharing 3460 cMs. Confidence: Extremely High