While searching for descendants of Zacarias Katz, born in Ostrowiec Swietikrzyski, Poland, Paul Baranik in South Florida found a different sort of relative.
Although searching successfully for the right Katz among so many with this common surname is difficult, miracles may still happen.
About a year ago, Baranik sent a letter to every Zachary or Zac Katz he could find in the U.S. online white pages.
"I doubt that my Zac Katz is a member of your family tree, as my Katz is a feline cat," replied one woman, who had listed her number under her cat's nom de plume.
Baranik asked for and obtained permission to include the story and Zac's photo in his family's history book.
But he's still looking for descendants of Zacharias Katz, born in Ostrowiec Swietikrzyski who, in 1935 in Opatow, Poland, married Sura Chana Sznajder of Opatow. Zacharias' mother was Chana Cyrla Rozensztajn Katz.
He'd prefer that these relatives be two-footed and less furry. Contact Paul at PaulNMNB@aol.com.
Miracles have happened! Paul Baranik is my cousin. A couple of weeks ago he contacted me in Bayside, New York to do some research on Zac Katz with a lead in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We already found, and met, some of our Brazilian mishpuchah. I personally lived in Rio back in the late seventies although I had not looked for family members except in the Rio telephone directory. It came up zero.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my fluency in Portuguese enabled me to assist Paul in his search for the real Katz Meow via the current Rio telephone directory. I was able to provide Paul with an address and telephone number for the Katz hiding behind the spelling of "Kac," in Copacabana. It turned out that this was the family member he was searching for. His descendants are still living. Paul has been in touch with them and has provided me with a copy of Zacarias' death certificate which I translated, giving Paul additional details genealogists thrive upon.
I might add that Papi Chulo, the feline quadruped in my own household, was pleased that not all of the "cats" in our family walk upright on two feet!
Thank you for your posting. Everyone loves to read about success, and hope it happens in their own quests.
ReplyDeleteAnd best wishes to Papi Chulo.
I wonder how many genealogists include their quadruped family members in their trees??
Schelly