Earliest Mention of the Village of Przechówko

[1608, Abraham Ortelius, Description of Prussia]

Perhaps the earliest mention of the village of  Przechówko appears in a bishopric census of Cuyavia-Pomerania, compiled by Bishop Hieronim Rozdrażewski.  In the parish Przysiersk, near Świecie, we find a village called Brzechomko, listed immediately before Conopath.  Brzechomko is almost certainly a corruption of the name Przechówko.  For the year 1597-98, there were 6 farms in the village, paying tithes to the parish in the form of rye and oats.  However, no mention is made of the presence of Mennonites.  Certainly, if Mennonites had been in the village at that point, this would have been noted.

[“Visitationes Archidiaconatus Pomeraniae Hieronymo Rozrażewski Vladislaviensi et Pomeraniae : Episcopo Factae. (Vol 2).”  Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu; Fontes 2 (Torun 1898). p. 354.]

According to Dr. Michał Targowski, a detailed tax register for the year 1570-71 does not include  Przechówko at all, leading us to conclude that the village was only founded in the last years of the 16th century.

The Mennonites had not arrived yet in 1597-8, but likely arrived very soon thereafter.  The first known land contract for the village started in the year 1640.  A very common arrangement for these leases was a 40-year term.  Therefore, we could conclude that the known lease, beginning in 1640, was actually the second contract for Mennonites in the village.  The first probably was established in 1599 or 1600, and then was renewed in 1640.

The full text of Visitationes Archidiaconatus Pomeraniae Hieronymo Rozrażewski can be found here: https://kpbc.umk.pl/dlibra/publication/2326/edition/3100/content

Przechówko Family Trees

These family trees are based only on information found in the Przechówko Church Records (https://mgr.mennonitegenealogy.com/prussia/Przechowka_Church_Register.html).  For instance, much additional information has been added to the churchbook information by modern researchers and that information is not included here; information at GRanDMA will be much more complete.  Warning: the information here is not always accurate.

Further, the information here only only extends until approximately 1804 by which point many of the Przechówko congregants had/were leaving for Volhynia.  The church records included much information for earlier daughter congregations (Jeziorki, Neumark) but did not include daughter settlements in Volhynia.  At the point migrations occur, generally speaking, gaps appear in family records.

Pre-1804 also means that families joining the group after that point are not included.  For instance, Schröder Family is not included since there were no Przechówko prior to 1804.

Finally, I've made family trees for the 21 largest families only.  

(hint: to open a larger version of a tree, right-click and open link in new tab, then zoom)

Przechówko History Timeline

It can be extremely helpful to place events on a visual timeline in order to see how circumstances changed over time, how particular episodes influenced outcomes, and how a small village could fit into a bigger world history.  These timelines track Przechówko village, in a very general way, from establishment until current times.

Maps and Drawings

 I've said many times and people who know me have heard it: my inspiration for studying family history and Mennonite history was strongly influenced by a particular map I saw when I was quite young.  I remember specifically studying this map that my Grandpa Ratzlaff had framed and sitting on his dresser.

This was a black and white illustrated map of a little village called “Leeleva”.  It depicted a handful of little cottages apparently located in a forest somewhere.  There were a few other small villages drawn in here and there, along with some roads, rivers, and railways, and even a saw-mill and a flour mill.  In a fairly prominent spot on the map was a cemetery and right next to the cemetery was a little cottage marked “Andrew Ratslaff”.  I remember being particularly intrigued by this map and as a child, in my mind, I could almost close my eyes and put myself into this village.  And of course, Leeleva Village became a lot more important to me when Grandpa told me that this Andrew Ratslaff was his father – so this was the village of our ancestors.  It was even further captivating to me – and mysterious - that this village was located somewhere in Russia – I was a kid growing up during the Cold War in the 1980s so the thought of a village somewhere in Russia – the mystery and intrigue of it all was overwhelming!

Over the years, of course, I've learned that the map comes from Jake Unruh's "From Village Life to Kansas Plains", a nine-page memoir about Mennonite village life in Volhynia in the very early 19th century.  I've also learned about all the elements on the map - what they are in real life and where they're located.  I now even have friends in nearby villages who have interpreted the map and have opinions regarding where great grandfather Andrew Ratzlaff's house stood.

But beyond that, the map has been inspirational to me and I've used it as a template to create more maps to illustrate the history of this Mennonite group - the Groningen Old Flemish centered at Przechowko, Poland. (hint: right click on the images, open in new tab, then zoom)