Note: In the interests of privacy, unless we hear otherwise, the convention for revealing names will be as follows:

• If you left a message in the guest book, then we assume you are ok with your full name appearing in the blog.
• If you sent an email to Len Pokrant, then we will assume you wish to have some privacy and will not publish your full name on the site.
• If either assumption is wrong, please let us know, so we can amend the posts!

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This is in reply to Sid and Anne Pokrant who left a guest message and to D. Gauerke (full name not disclosed!) who contacted us via email. D's email was most interesting. We also received emails (and a guest book entry) from a Richard Pokrant in Denver CO.

Thank you all for the interest in our web site. It is good to hear from other Pokrants.

The "Rosenfeld" Pokrants that D Gauerke speaks of are all descendants of three brothers (Ferdinand, Henry and August) who immigrated to Canada from Volhynia in 1893-1894. Ferdinand was married when he immigrated - his brothers were single. A married sister (Pauline) followed in 1897. They all appear on the family tree on the web site.

As a matter of interest, my parents were Gustav and Vera Pokrant and my two brothers are Luther and Mark. I recall numerous occasions when my parents spoke fondly of visits with Arlene and Chester.

Because D Gauerke identified her grandparents Gustav (1893 - 1982) and Alma Rinehart (Reinhardt) and her great-grandparents Gottlieb and Amelia Weich, I think I have been able to establish a link between our family and that of Sid, and of D Gauerke.

I think that Gottlieb was the son of Heinrich (1841 - ) and Juliana Somerfeld (1845- ) who were married in 1863. Heinrich was born in Kielce and his wife in Przededz, Poland. Heinrich apparently was a buggy maker by trade

Heinrich was one of 10 siblings, one of them being Johann Friedrich (1836 - ). Johann's second marriage was to Albertine Volwerk (1840 - ) in 1861. Johann and Albertine were my great-grandparents.

In summary, Sid, your great-grandfather and mine were brothers!! Also, we both had fathers named Gustav.

We can go back a little further. If you refer to the family tree on the web site you will see that Heinrich and Johann were the sons of another Gottlieb (1785 - 1843) and Karoline Schroeder (1814 - ). They lived in Koelsh(or Kiejske), in the Parish of Babiak, Poland where Gottlieb was a teacher. Babiak was a part of the province of Posen in Prussia till 1815 after which it became a part of Poland. Gottlieb was born in Janopole, Province of Posen.

Gottlieb, in turn, was the son of another Johann and Katherine. We have little detail on these two other than they apparently lived in the village of Koelsch (or Kiejske), Parish of Babiak.

Most of the locations mentioned were in a region of shifting borders between Prussia and Poland so we may be inaccurate identifying them as being in either Prussia or Poland.

Sid/Richard - have you established a connection between yourselves??

Richard -- I don't seem to be able to find a link with the Pokrants you have identified. Will keep trying.

Hope this is useful to you ---

Keep in touch

Len