Emil Albert Petrich is said to have been born 18 Jun 1851 in Providence, Posen, Germany. In 1881 he immigrated to the United States and settled near Varna, Illinois. My first wife's line is thru his brother, Julius Robert Petrich, born 1 Nov 1867 in Posen. He emigrated in about 1892 and also settled in Varna. It is possible that Julius' birth year was 1857, but his gravestone indicates 1867. Emil moved on to Iowa and then died in North Dakota, while Julius died in Minnesota.

The name of Providence was recently given to me by Emil's descendant, and I am trying to find out where it is located. I have long assumed that the family was from around Posen in what is now Poland, but this is the first time a parish(?) has been indicated. Providence is English, so perhaps the actual name was different. The family was Lutheran in America. I hope that someone knowing of this parish, or of the Petrich family from this region, will please contact me.