From East Prussia
The family believed the Glinskis came from Poland. The records point to Winkenhagen in Kreis Mohrungen, East Prussia, today Winiec in the Warmian-Masurian region of Poland. In 1879 it was Germany: the family were German-speaking Lutherans, as their names Christoph, Ernestine, Friedrich and Emma suggest. The Glinski surname is Polish in origin, common among the mixed German, Polish and Old Prussian population of the region. East Prussia lay on the Baltic, just south of present-day Lithuania and Latvia, which fits a DNA result pointing to the Baltic.
The emigration, May 1879
Section titled “The emigration, May 1879”The Hamburg emigration lists record, on 17 May 1879, the steamship Astronom (line H. J. Perlbach & Co.) carrying to Hull, for America by way of Liverpool (record):
| Name on the list | Age | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Christopf Glünsky, labourer (Arbeiter), of “Winkenjagen, Ostpreußen” | 38 | head |
| Christine Glünsky | 40 | wife |
| Ernstine Glünsky | 5 | daughter |
| Friedrich Glünsky | 3 | son |
| Emma Glünsky | 2 | daughter |
Source: Staatsarchiv Hamburg, Auswanderungsamt I, VIII B 1 Band 036, p. 287.
Why we think this is them: the parents’ ages (b. about 1841 and 1839) match Christ (b. Feb 1841) and Ernestine (b. Nov 1838); the children Friedrich and Emma match Frederick William and Emma; the year matches the “1878” arrival in the 1900 and 1930 censuses closely. What doesn’t fit: Frederick was born in 1873 and Emma about 1875, so they would have been 6 and 4, not 3 and 2. Ages of children were often understated on emigration lists (fares were lower). The eldest daughter Augusta (b. 1867) is not listed by that name. Confirmation should come from the parish registers of Jäskendorf, the Lutheran parish for Winkenhagen (GenWiki).
Christoph (Christ) Glinski (1841–1909)
Section titled “Christoph (Christ) Glinski (1841–1909)”| Date | Event | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 1841 | Born in Germany (East Prussia) | Find a Grave |
| about 1868 | Marries Ernestine | 1900 census: married 32 years |
| 1879 | Emigrates from Winkenhagen with his family | Hamburg list, above |
| 1880 | Living in Stockton, Portage County, Wisconsin | FamilySearch tree |
| 1900 | Farmer, owns a mortgaged farm in Buena Vista, Portage County; with his wife and a granddaughter, Elida (8) | 1900 census |
| 11 Feb 1909 | Dies at Amherst; buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Amherst | Find a Grave |
Ernestine Glinski (1838–1912)
Section titled “Ernestine Glinski (1838–1912)”Born 30 Nov 1838 in Germany; died 11 Jun 1912 at Amherst, buried at Greenwood Cemetery. In 1900 she had borne four children, three living (Find a Grave). The 1900 census index misreads her name as “Constance”. FamilySearch’s tree gives her as “Anstena Rudsky”, also “Lena” and “Tina”, without a source for the maiden name (FamilySearch).
Their children
Section titled “Their children”Augusta (1867–1943, later Marx), Frederick William (1873–1940) and Emma (about 1875–1956, later Padden).
Folder: paternal/05_from_east_prussia/