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Archiver > LITHUANIA > 1998-04 > 0893522151


From: Walter & Selma Castanedo <""@flash.net>
Subject: Re: [LITHUANIA-L] Re: LITHUANIA-D Digest V98 #145
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 09:35:51 -0700


I am new to the Lithuanian list. My grandfather came to America in 1900 on the USS
Bremen. He had to croll across a 10 mile strip known as the Dancig (no mans land).
This was done at night were he had to crawl and hide, as to not get killed. This strip
was so that Poles and Russians could get to the Baltic sea and was guarded. Many
Lithuanians went to Bremen as this was a big industrial area and they could work to save
enough money to get into America (many Lithuanians had land that was taken by the
Russians, leaving them very poor). The were required to land with $300 (to ensure they
could get started), have a sponsor and be in good health. In Bremen, my grandpa worked
for 2 years to save enough for the trip and to have his $300 on arrival. On the ships
they had 1st, 2nd, 3rd class and stearage. Passangers on stearage were many times not
recorded and had minimal ammenities on the ship. I am still trying to find the 1900
passanger list, as many of them have been scanned in and are available on the WEB.

Some notes of interest that I have picked up from my Lithuanian side of the family:
Lithuanian is the oldest spoken language known to man.
Lithuanian names generally end in: as, us and sometimes a.
Polish names generally end in: y or i
Russian names generally end in : v, y or i.
Lithuanians were heavily Roman Catholic

Our Lithuanian sur name is Chesus. It is very hard to research, but I have been able to
get bits and pieces here and there. I would be very interested in any finds of data for
Lithuanians.

thanks,
Selma Chesus Castanedo

Jeanne Stump wrote:

> Valerie,
> I think your shiplist idea is an excellent, probably because I have been looking for
> my grandparents on a ship for 7 years with no luck! If I find anything, I would be
> glad to participate. Also, Fort Wayne has the 2nd best genealogical library in
> North America, all ship indexes, etc. I would be happy to look up info for any of
> you (of course free of charge for Lithuanians!!). We have complete PERSI indexs and
> periodicals and many, many microfilms (complete census, etc.) Just give me data and
> I'll dig a little. Jeanne Stump

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