My husband's grandfather was born in Wonszas, Poland, is that the same as Warsaw?

Question

My husband's grandfather was born in 1874 in Wonszas, Poland/Russia/Prussia. Trying to find out whether this is another spelling of Warsaw?

Sylvia W · Accepted Answer

@rmirandaw 
 
 It has been a few days since I posted my previous message, but have not seen any feedback or acknowledgement since then. I could add more to this post but am wondering whether you&rsquo;ve already found your answers or whether it isn&rsquo;t important any more?

Jason, National Archives · Answer

rmirandaw 
 
 Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! 
 
 We searched the JewishGen Communities Database and located another potential match:

Searching for Town (Phonetically like) : WONSZAS 
 Run on Wed, 08 Mar 2023 12:45:11 -0700

Modern Town & Country

Other Names

c. 1950 
 After WWII 
 Town / Country

c. 1930 
 Between Wars 
 Town / District / 
 Province / Country

c. 1900 
 Before WWI 
 Town / District / 
 Province / Country

# of JGFF 
 Entries

Wąsosz , Poland 
 53&deg;31' N 22&deg;19' E 
 103 miles NNE of Warszawa

Wąsosz [Pol], Vonsosh [Yid, Rus], Wonsosz

Wąsosz 
 
 Poland

Wąsosz 
 Szczuczyn 
 Białystok 
 Poland

Wąsosz 
 Szczuczyn 
 Łomża 
 Russian Empire

68

Number of matches = 1

However, we can not be certain if this is the correct one. The multiple languages in use in this region at that time, the paucity of standardized spelling, and the fact that many American officials were unfamiliar with the relevant spelling conventions can lead to a great variety of spellings in the records. 
 
 In regards to the differing country of origin on his American paperwork, that may be attributed to the frequently shifting borders of Eastern Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. As you may already know, in 1874 what is now known as Poland was split between Russia and Germany. 
 
 We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

Sylvia W · Answer

@rw

#1 Ah yes, the mystery of the (temporary) disappearance of your own replies… Apparently this is just one of the various new “features” of this recently upgraded website that make my life a little harder. I’m still hoping for a rollback to the previous version … :-)

#2 I understand that life can interrupt less important stuff. Unfortunately too many people on this website seem to disappear after their initial question. I can live with this when I’ve only spent a short amount of time on putting a reply together. However, in your case I’d had a rather big play with Felix’ background. The result needs to be thoroughly checked by someone who can actually read Russian and Polish, but I think that it will answer your original question: “Is the town of Wonszas the same as Warsaw?”. Presently I am quite convinced that this is NOT the case.

Returning to that “probable” immigration, remember that it mentioned that Felix’ last Polish residence had been in Plock. So I decided to search within its voivodeship (“province”) and found a family from a small village called Wąsosze!
FYI For its location enter the following coordinates in Google: 53.173, 20.52.
Some brief info can be found in wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C4%85sosze,_M%C5%82awa_County .

And this is that family:

Piotr Portzuski b 1853 -
     Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Rzymskokatolickiej w Kuczborku, 1853 birth certificate: https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/skan/-/skan/9f3800b51b5cdc8efbccf4870a4d1ddb4afd1da907e0b02b420da3779562af5e
     (s of Hipolit & Ewa Edelman, FYI their 1843 marriage in the Roman Catholic parish in Kuczbork:
          https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/skan/-/skan/57322a9182675de512cdf04e139d16e4b83a31bdd6dbb3d164ad2c1b59aa1af1 (#7))

X 1873 parish Szreńsk (Mława, Mazowieckie)
     Akta stanu cywilnego parafii rzymskokatolickiej Szreńsk powiat mławski, 1873 marriage:
          https://metryki.genealodzy.pl/index.php?op=pg&ar=13&zs=0616d&se=&sy=1873&kt=2&plik=020-021.jpg (#21)
     Or: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVC-KC35?i=676

Apolonia Scholastyka Rościszewska b 13 Feb 1852 Ługi (parish Szreńsk, Mława, Mazowieckie)
     Akta stanu cywilnego parafii rzymskokatolickiej Szreńsk powiat mławski, 1852 BC:
          https://metryki.genealodzy.pl/index.php?op=pg&ar=13&zs=0616d&se=&sy=1852&kt=1&plik=028-033.jpg (#28)
     (d of Teofil & Józefa Zembrzuska)

Children (there could be more):

Feliks Potrzuski b 13 Jan 1874 Wąsosze (parish Wieczfnia Kościelna, Mława, Mazowieckie) –
     Akta Stanu Cywilnego Wieczfnia Kościelna, 1874 birth certificate:
          https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GF-Y1CH?i=6 (#7)
Stanisław Potrzuski b 24 Dec 1875 Wąsosze X1907 to Stanisława Sokalska
     1875 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GF-Y5H2?i=74 (#144)
Konstancja Potrzuska b 12 Jul 1878 Wąsosze
     1878 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GF-YYBB?i=48 (#92)
Jan Potrzuski b 24 Jun 1880 Wąsosze, d 23 Sep 1880 Wąsosze
     1880 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GF-YYSN?i=48 (#92)
Franciszek Potrzuski b 7 Oct 1881 Wąsosze
     1881 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GF-YBGD?i=73 (#142)
Leon Potrzuski b 20 Mar 1887 Wąsosze X1924 to Czesława Kwiatkowska
     1887 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9GF-YNF6?i=29 (#53)
     Various documents handed in for his 1924 Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSS2-Z911-7?i=185
     Possible 1908 passenger list to Baltimore: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89SD-HZCS?i=362 (#25)
Pelagia Potrzuska 20 Oct 1889 Wąsosze
     1889 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P3-ZJQV?i=76 (#148)
Wanda Potrzuska b 8 Oct 1892 Wąsosze, d 29 Mar 1893 Wąsosze
     1892 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P3-8B5?i=77 (#134)
Władysław Potrzuski b 16 Apr 1895 Wąsosze
     1895 BC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P3-832D?i=41 (#78)

Enjoy, Sylvia

My husband's grandfather was born in Wonszas, Poland, is that the same as Warsaw?

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