Working with Glenn Penner, I was recently fortunate enough to find Russian census information among the collections of the Mormon Family Search Library.  Combined onto 4 rolls of film were scans of the 1816 Revision Lists (Ревізькі казки) for Ostrog and Kremenets Counties.  I had no expectations viewing the films for the first time, but quickly stumbled upon the lists for the Village of Antonovka.

We are currently working to properly translate these lists, but it appears as if 22 families are listed, all identified as Mennonites, with an additional 7 families in 2 supplemental lists.  Typical Przechowka family names are listed: Nachtigal, Buller, Becker, Ratzlaff, Jantz, Koehn, Richert, Schmidt, Wedel, Unruh, Voth.  After efforts to properly translate these lists are complete, final drafts will be posted to mennonitegenealogy.com.

Unfortunately, after searching and searching, I have been unable to identify the lists for the Village of Karolswalde (Sloboda Holendry) on the Mormon films.

4 Ratzlaffs are listed living in Antonovka.  3 brothers; Peter, Heinrich, and Andreas (All sons of Bernard Ratzlaff of Jeziorken), as well as Peter Ratzlaff, whose father's name was also Peter Ratzlaff.

Of particular interest to me is Heinrich Ratzlaff, son of Bernard Ratzlaff.  Heinrich is listed with his wife, Teresa, along with several children.  One of these children, named Heinrich, was 3/4 of a year old at the time of the census, 1816 (possibly in June of that year).  I believe this Heinrich may very well be my great great great grandfather, the father of Jacob Ratzlaff (b1842).

To confirm the relationship of Heinrich (b c1815) and Jacob (b1842), it would be necessary to see another census list that would list this Heinrich and his sons.  Jewish researchers at JewishGen.org have indicated that the 1850 and 1858 Revision Lists are housed at the State Historical and Cultural Museum in Ostrog.  And, as luck would have it, I have just potentially made a contact with a professor at the Ostrog Academy who may be willing to contact the director of the museum regarding potential copies of the Revision Lists.  With a little more luck, I may be fortunate enough to get information from these Revision Lists and definitively link my Ratzlaff Family with the Ratzlaffs of Przechowka.

Virtual Tours and 360 Degree Views

Here are a few links to some sites that, utilizing new photography technology, can show us some of the sights around Ostrog without leaving our homes.

Click here for a virtual tour of the Town of Ostrog.  Go inside the castle, museums, and academy.

Click here for 360 degree view of the forest near Kryvyn, and here for an amazing 360 view of the interior of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Mezhyrich (be sure to look up!).

Thomas Arthur Ratzlaff; Navy SEAL

I was just alerted to the fact that one of my 3rd cousins, Thomas Arthur Ratzlaff, was a Navy SEAL.  Tommy was an operative of famed SEAL Team 6 which has been particularly active in Middle Eastern theaters these past several years.

Tommy was a great grandson of Adam J Ratzlaff, younger brother of my great grandfather Andreas J Ratzlaff.  His grandfather Arthur Ratzlaff was a cousin to my grandfather Albert Ratzlaff.  Tommy was born in 1976 in Arkansas and unfortunately met his end in 2011 in Afghanistan.  A Time Magazine article about his death can be found here.

Thanks to Dennis Quiring for alerting me to my relationship with Tommy.  I'm honored to have a hero like him in the family.  Rest in peace, Tommy, and thank you for your sacrifice.