Wow!!

This is a special day. A few weeks ago, I decided to forge ahead and try to research my mother’s father, Adam Douglas (Dobrovolskis), born in Lithuania and arrived in the U.S. with his sister in 1914. I only had 2 documents that might be clues. But, they were in Lithuanian, or Russian, or something.

I joined the Lithuanian Rootsweb list many years ago, figuring that I might educate myself about Lithuanian history and research. Thanks to that list, there were a couple of consistent recommendations for researchers in Lithuania. Since traveling to Lithuania is not currently in my budget, I decided to try one of the researchers to see if there was any evidence that might be available. The remarkable Sigita agreed to undertake the research, and translated the papers, which were a birth record for one Casimir Dobrovolskis and a school record for my grandfather. It did give a starting point.

Tonight, a document arrived in my email box. It is a marriage record for Adam’s parents, which documents their marriage date, village AND THEIR PARENTS’ NAMES. I wish I could show you, but it is a .pdf and not a jpeg. But here is the translation:

Marriage Record of Jonas Dobrovolskis to
Petronele Urnikaite (Urnikas) on 1892 y .

On 16th of February, 1892 In Roman Catholic
church in Alsedžiai Rev.Juozas Dargužas, the
pastor of this church after triple announcements
blessed a matrimony of a peasant of Alsedžiai
vicinity 25 years old Jonas Dobrovolskis from
Šašaičiai village in Kalvarija parish ( he was a
son of Jonas Dobrovolskis and Pranciška
(Francis), nee Gintvainyte (Gintwojn) to a
peasant of the same vicinity 22 years old
Petronele Urnikaite from Platakiai village in
Alsedžiai parish (she was a daughter of
Kazimieras Urnikas and Ona, nee Labžintyte
(Labžintis). Witnesses were- Pranas Urbonas,
Julijonas Urnikas and others.
Translation from Russian language

Wow, indeed!