Zubkis Family, 1858 Style

I've been researching my Zubkis family for years (although when I started, I was researching the Supkoff family--which turns out to be an Americanization of the original name).  My branch of the family lived in Kuna for multiple years, and I thought I'd exhausted all Kuna resources.  When Alex Krakovsky posted the 1903 Kuna census which referenced an 1858 revision list, I was excited, since no one seemed to know where the 1858 revision was--and in fact, it had possibly burnt up in the Kamenets-Podolsk archives fire.

But it turns out the 1858 revision (which is a Russian Empire type of census) is still around.  And it may have found a new ancestor for me.

Header of a page of the Kuna 1858 Revision

So how did I find it (and what was in it)?

Well, it started on the Facebook group Tracing the Tribe.

The post that tipped me off

Back in April, Jeffrey Paull posted a question about something in the 1858 Kuna census.  You can see my response above, which was basically KUNA 1858 CENSUS???  WHAT!??!?  Yeah, I was a little excited.  (Side note:  Join Facebook groups for your areas of interest.  You never know when someone will know about resources that others don't--and they're a great place to ask questions, keeping in mind that your answers may come from experts but may also be coming from people who aren't experts.)

Mr Paull helped me get in touch with the right people, and I got the 1858 revision list (which is also now available on Alex Krakovsky's site).  And sure enough, there was my Zubkis family.

Zubkis Family, 1858 Revision List, Kuna - Males

My great-great-great grandfather Shaul Ber (son of Shaya) Zubkis was the head of household, aged 33.  The other males in the house were his 2-year-old son Shaya (my great-great grandfather) and his 31-year-old brother Avrum.

There is a note that is difficult to read, but Jody Tzucker says that it alludes to something happening in 1882, and his registering in Shpikov in 1881.  (If you can make out more, please comment below.)

But what's more interesting is the women's side of this revision.

Zubkis Family, 1858 Revision List, Kuna - Females

Shaul Ber's wife Elka (my great-great-great grandmother), aged 25, is listed.  I already knew about her.  But the other woman is interesting.

There was a 44-year-old woman living in the home.  It says that she is Shaul Ber's mother Frima.  Now, I did not know Shaul Ber's mother's name.  And Shaul Ber later had a daughter Frima, and Shaya had a daughter Frima as well--which would make sense if Frima were Shaul Ber's mother.

However, this 44-year-old woman is only 11 years older than Shaul Ber.  So is she actually his stepmother (although not specified in the record)?  Is she his mother, just listed with an incorrect age?  I don't know.

So at this point, I may have discovered my great-great-great-great grandmother.....but maybe not.  I need to find the 1852 revision now, and hopefully it will have more information.  Maybe I'll find someone in a Facebook group who knows where it is!

You can like my page on Facebook:

or follow @larasgenealogy .

Want to get future blog posts emailed to you automatically?
Enter your email address: