The Stempnakowski Family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
And Detroit, Michigan
Written and researched by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewski
(Census assistence from Gail Steckel and Gail Stillings-Murphy) of PA-CENSUS-LOOKUP-L@rootsweb.com
(Census assistence from Jennifer Lugas and Marilyn) of MI-CENSUS-LOOKUP-L@rootsweb.com

The Stempnakowski Name:

Stempnakowski means "one who lived by a grain mill." It does NOT have a noble tradition. Most likely they were farmers in the early days, which was a noble pursuit all in its own. They fed the masses.

Stempnakowski is not a very common name. However, I did find it listed on "Kushubian Surnames L-Z," on the Polish Genealogical Society of America page.

The Frequency of Stempnakowski:

Frequency of the name Stempnakowski in Poland today is very low. There are only 52. They are found in:
• Bydgoszcz (Bromberg, Germany) - 31
• Sl~upsk - 11
• Gorzow Wielkopolski - 5
• Szczecin - 4
• Gdansk - 1

There is a good chance that all these Stempnakowskis are related to my line, since they appear near the last known residence of Leo Stempnakowski which was Dirschau, Germany or as it is named now: Tczew, Poland, in the Pomeranian Vojvodship (Voivodeship).
There was still a Phillip Stepnakowski (soccer player) in Tczew, Poland, in 1993.

Stempnakowski in the Census:

1930 Census: Pittsburg, Allegheny County, PA. (Poland Roll - T626_1972)
408 Hancock Street (home owned by Leo Stempnakowski and valued at $4,000)

1930 Census: Detroit Ward 13, Block No 477, Wayne County, Michigan. Roll 147 Enumeration 82-399, Dist. 22 - John Manko
4069 Dodge Street (home owned by Paul Stepnakowski and valued at $3,500)

1920 Census: Detroit, Wayne County, MI. Roll: T625_812, pg. 8B, Enumeration District 405.
Census taken on January 8, 1920. Living at 141 Dodge Ave.

1920 Census: Pittsburgh Ward 6, Allegheny County, PA.
Rents at 307 Harmer Street (3 family dwelling).
Series T625 Roll: 1518, p. 134.)

The Stempnakowski Family Tree:

GENERATION ONE

August Stempnakowski married Anna von Döering both of West Prussian Germany. Anna was reputed to be a French teacher in Alsace-Lorraine.

August and Anna's children were:

1. Paul Stepnakowski was born January 28, 1892, in Dirshau/Tczew(polish spelling), West Prussia. Paul married Julia ______ on October 2, 1916. Julia was born on June 14, 1899, in Nedstadt, Poland. Paul came to New York from Liverpool, England, on the SS Caronia (Cunard Line) on May 12, 1910. Naturalization papers #5841386 were dated: June 21, 1943. At this time residing at 5953 Huber, Detroit, Michigan.
2. Leo Stempnakowski was born May 25, 1896, in Dirshau/Tczew, West Prussia.
3. Irene Stepnakowski was born on February 6, 1919, in Hamtramck, Michigan.
4. Chester Stempnakowski was born on August 8, 1920.
5. Klara Stempnakowski
6. ? Stempnakowski

GENERATION TWO

1. Leo Stempnakowski was born May 25, 1894 (Social Security records list his birthday in 1895) in West Prussia, Germany in a town called Dirschau (now Tczew, Poland in Pomorski/Pomeranian Vojvodship). Leo was a moulder, and later worked for the Department of Street Railways (streetcars) in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Leo died Friday, January 9, 1987 (at age 92) . Leo's funeral was at the:

   Walter J. Zalewski Funeral Home
   3201 Dobson Street
   Polish Hill
   Pittsburgh, PA.

   Leo's funeral was Tuesday, January 13, 1987, at 8:30 a.m. Mass was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 9:30 a.m. Leo Stempnakowski (Stempel) was buried in St. Stanislas Cemetary in Shaler Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on January 13, 1987 (death certificate) at 3109 Brereton Ave., Pittsburgh, PA.

   Leo Stempnakowski married Franciszka Mentkowski, daughter of Joseph Mentkowski and Mary Plotkowska, on May 29, 1917 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Their marriage license lists her mother as "Plotkowski", but other documents show "Glutkowska." Leo had two sisters that remained in Germany. Leo and Frances lived most of their later life at 3109 Brereton Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA. Leo and Frances had four children.

   Frances Mentkowski was born October 21, 1899 (birth certificate), and died Wednesday, March 11, 1959 (death certificate/prayer card) in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Francis is buried in St. Stanislas Cemetary in Millvale, Slaker Township, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. St. Stanislas Cemetary is located on 200 Soose Road (off Evergreen Ave), between Millvale and Etna. St. Antony and St. Augustus Cemetaries ajoin St. Stanislas. Funeral home services were held at M. Janczukiewicz Funeral Home at 3110 Brereton Avenue, Pittsburg, PA. Requiem and high mass was held in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 10 a.m. (Newspaper Obituary).

2. Paul Stempnakowski was born,in Poland, on January 18, 1892/January 28, 1892 (as shown on social security records). He worked in shipping for the Budd Company, and died on January 2, 1974 in Detroit, Michigan, of pneumonia in the North Detroit General Hospital. Paul lived at 6185 Hedge Street. Paul Stempnakowski was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetary Lot 229 Section Q. Information was given by his son(?) Chester Stempnakowski. This information is verified on his Social Security records.

   Paul married Julia Browalski (prayer card). Julia was born February 16, 1897, in Poland. Her father was Jacob Browalski.

   .....(1) Jacob Browalski (Julie's brother) was born on December 20, 1890, and died in February 1969, in Detroit (Social Security records).

   .....(2) William Browalski who was born on January 11, 1884, and died September 1969 in Dearborn Heights, Michigan (Social Security records).
   Julia died January 1, 1968 (at age 70), at St. Francis Hospital, of a cerebral hemorrhage. She was buried on January 5, 1968 in Mt. Olivet Cemetary. Funeral services were held at Resurrection Church (1920-1989), and the Edmund J. Chrzanowski Funeral Home at 6111 Miller Street on the corner of Dwyer, in Detroit, MI. 48211. Their phone was WA 58458. Julia was living at 6185 Huber St. in Detroit at the time of her death.

   Children of Paul and Julia Stepnakowski were:

3. Irene Stepnakowski was born on February 6, 1919, in Hamtramck, Michigan. .....(1)Irene Stepnalownski was born on February 6, 1919. Irene married ____Pienta.
   .....(2)Chester Stempnakowski was born on August 8, 1920.
   .....(3)Stanley Stepnakowski was born on November 8, 1921.
   .....(4)Celia Stepnakowski was born on August 8, 1922.
   .....(5)Walter Stepnakowski was born on November 2, 1927, and died October 1, 2000 in Indianapolis, Indiana. His funeral was at the Aaron Rubin Funeral Home. Walter was buried October 30, 2000. Services were held at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Indianapolis. Walter married Ellen Donegan. Ellen's parents were John Daniel Donegan and Joanna Buckley. (newspaper obituary) Ellen's siblings were: Anna Marie [Donegan] Wieczorkowski (1924-2004), Eileen [Donegan] Cholewa, Lucille [Malcolm] Summers, Frank Donegan, and Bernard Donegan.

   Children of Walter Stepnakowski were:

   01. Maureen Stepnakowska married David Hougland. They have three children: Amy Marie, Emily Maria, and Linsley Marie Hougland (triplets) (b: 1988).
   ..........Marilyn Stepnakowski married Phillip Koenig of Valparaiso, Indiana. they have two sons: Nicolas and Brett Koenig. ..........Maryellen Stepnakowska married David Spradley of Lafayette, Indiana. They have one son Daniel Spradley.
   ..........Walter Stepnakowski, Jr. Information from death records form the funeral home and obituaries.

   ...............Walter married Lynn Graffius of Akron, Ohio, on April 28, 2000. .....(8)Harry Stepnakowski (b. 1929).

4. Klara Stempnakowski married _____ Festag. They lived in Berlin, Germany, in 1987.
   They had two daughters:

   ....Gertrude Geiger
   ....H. Margaret Geiger (from the obituary of Leo Stempnakowski). Did the sisters marry brothers? Or was this their father's name?

   I am not sure if Klara might have been married twice?

   Daughter Stempnakowski.

.....(6)Harry Stepnakowski was born August 8, 1928.
.....(7)Theresa Stepnakowski was born September 15, 1930. Theresa married ___Doroshenko
.....(8)Margaret Stepnakowski married ____Wisniewski
..........Marilyn Stepnakowski married Phillip Koenig of Valparaiso, Indiana. they have two sons: Nicolas and Brett Koenig. ..........Maryellen Stepnakowska married David Spradley of Lafayette, Indiana. They have one son Daniel Spradley.
..........Walter Stepnakowski, Jr. Information from death records form the funeral home and obituaries.

...............Walter married Lynn Graffius of Akron, Ohio, on April 28, 2000. .....(8)Harry Stepnakowski (b. 1929).