New Ancestor, New Birthdate, New Relatives, and New Questions

I've mentioned the awesomeness that is Alex Krakovsky's wiki before.  If you have ancestors from Ukraine, check it out if you haven't yet.  And if you've already visited, go again--he's constantly adding more documents.  I checked this week and found that a document from my ancestral town of Kuna had been added (which you can see here).  Since the document was from 1903, I wasn't too optimistic about my finding my direct ancestors, since by 1875 they were living in Shpikov, but I thought that perhaps I'd find some relatives.  Well, this document ended up having way more information than I anticipated.  Spoiler alert:  I've gone back another generation and verified another ancestor's name, among other things.

1903 Kuna Households List, Zubkis Family #21 (males)

Rather than being a simple households list, this document seems to be an update (or revision) to the Russian Empire's 1858 Revision List.  Now, I have been unable to locate the 1858 Revision List for Kuna (which was likely in the fire in Kamenets Podolsk's archives) to this point, but this document helps to fill in those gaps.

As was customary in Russian Empire records, the men and women were listed separately.  The household was headed by Shaul Ber (son of Shaya) Zubkis, my great-great-great grandfather.  He had been 33 at the time of the 1858 revision, and he is said to be currently 71 in 1903.  However, I know from the 1895 Shipkov census that he had died in 1888.  Apparently word of his death hadn't made it back to Kuna, or at least to whomever was recording this entry.  There is a notation saying that Shaul Ber had moved to Shpikov, which is correct.

Next, I am given (for the first time) the exact birthdate of my great-great grandfather Shaya--December 26, 1855.

Then there's a bit of oddness, in that two brothers of Shaul Ber are listed--Avrum and Avrum-Srul.  It's quite weird that they have the same first name, and I really have no explanation.  Any ideas?  Avrum's son Volko is also listed here.

But then come the women.  And that's where I confirm one ancestor's name and learn another's:

1903 Kuna Households List, Zubkis Family #21 (females)

I've never been able to definitively determine my Zubkis/Supkoff 3rd great grandmother's name even though her son Shaya (my great-great grandfather) died in Pittsburgh.  Shaya's death certificate gives his father's name as "Saul Bear Supkoff" but says that his mother was unknown.  I'd been told that her name was Elka, and in fact Shaya's oldest daughter was named Elka.  However, in 1882 and 1895 in Shpikov, Shaul Ber's wife was listed as Sima--but the 1882 list specifies that Sima was a second wife.  But in this 1903 document, we are told that Shaul Ber's wife as of 1858 was, in fact, Elka, my great-great-great grandmother.  Not only that, but we're told that Elka was the daughter of Yankel--who would have been my 4th great grandfather, so I'm back another generation!  Elka would have been 71 in 1903, but in fact she had died long before that date, at some point between 1858 & 1882.

And there's even more information here.

1903 Kuna Households List, Zubkis Family #21 (entire page)

We're also given the wife of Shaya--Pesia.  I've always guessed that Shaya was married before marrying my great-great grandmother Zlata-Tzipra based on their ages, and this confirms it.  Again, word of Pesia's death/divorce from my great-great grandfather hadn't reached Kuna from Shpikov.

I'm also given names for Shaul Ber's brother's families.  Avrum was married to Laya-Ruchlya daughter of Hirsh, and they had a 33-year-old daughter, Basya.  Avrum-Srul was married to Gitlya daughter or Morko, and she was 45 as of 1905; they had two chidlren whose names appear to be Marjem and Ruchlya.

This actually wasn't the only Zubkis family unit listed in this document.  And I learned a lot from that document, including verifying the Zubkis family back to 1755.  Stay tuned on that one!

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