I visited my Mom today in the nursing home in Phila., PA. I brought up the subject of possible relatives in the Midwest...Chicago, Indiana, etc. She was very surprised, had no knowledge of relatives "out west" in her words. I mentioned Austin, PA. She readily knew the town, however, she said had had never been there. She said that "That's where they (her family) were from." I asked about Olean, NY, Buffalo, NY, etc. She said that "they all were from upstate" I asked about her dad's brothers, if any. She is not sure, but thinks he may have had a brother.
I also asked if there was any connection between the Cybulskis & Lachawiec' other than Aunt Kay L. & Uncle Phil C. She thought that there may have been, but is not sure. After awhile she became clearly confused and I am certain that everything therafter is not worthwhile. She promised to try to hold her thoughts if she remembered any of this subject. She tried hard, but at 82, things aren't clear anymore.
I contacted the visiting parish priest from St. Augustine Church in Austin. He agreed to let me look over the old church records next month when I go to Austin. Austin's website is nice. The town was a booming center of the timber industry up until 1911 when a dam broke, the flood killed 98 people and the town never recovered. Most people moved away... maybe to places like Olean, etc. Many Polish people worked there, mostly as "woodhicks"...a derogatory term for migrant workers from overseas, at the time. The church records are now in Coudersport, PA. I am thinking that I would like to eyeball the list of dead as well as other church records. My youngest daughter is going into 2d year at Penn State Univ at "State College", PA, which is about a hour or so away from Austin. Also, my grandmother, Anna (or Hannia) died in 1959 at age 74. She arrived in the USA in June, 1913. I am going to try to find out her maiden name...I should have asked Mom!!!. OK, thanks for all the info, Joe L.