Friday, August 3, 2012

Mourning the Loss of Frederick A. Wargowsky, Cousin, Author, Family Historian

This evening after work, I learned of the passing of my distant cousin Frederick A. Wargowsky on August 2, 2012. In the early 1990s, Fred Wargowsky, and our mutual cousin, Al H.,began communicating on the phone and via the U.S. mail, sharing information about our mutual roots. We are all descendants of J. Samuel Jaensch, who was originally from the province of Posen, Germany. Fred and Al encouraged me to find out all the birth and death dates of my particular branch of the family, that of Lena Piehl Yeager. Fred provided me with a copy of the large family history which documented the descendants of J. Samuel Jaensch. Fred spent hours and hours of research, and spent his own money securing vital records, obituaries, passenger records, and valuable family stories. Without the questions that Fred and Al asked me, I would never have learned how to do genealogical research. We will miss Fred so very much. Thanks for all your years of research, persistence, and generous spirit of sharing, Fred! Your work lives on!

Copies of Fred's book, Descendants of grandfather J. Samuel Jaensch (Johann Samuel Jänsch) of Ohio; compiled by Frederick August Wargowsky (Willison, Ohio, 1995),are at these two genealogical libraries:

R. B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio

and

Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

My personal copy of Fred's book is filled with sticky notes, annotations, and shows definite signs of heavy usage!













Here is a page in Fred's book that features a picture of my great grandparents:


















God bless you, Fred, and may you rest in peace!

4 comments:

rwtack said...

Fred is a second cousin once removed through my 2nd great grandmother, Henriette Stenzel, mother of the Wargowskys and Ryders. I spoke to Fred once on the phone, asking him permission to use his work for my genealogical database. He allowed me to do so, as long as I did not use his name as a source. What a humble gentleman. I am glad that Fred invested his time and energy in providing us an essential part of our family connections. I shall remember and thank Fred each time I sit at my computer, make a visit to a library, and make another family connection.
Ralph

Dorene from Ohio said...

I only got to meet Fred once in person...he came to visit me in Sandusky at the library. You are so right that he was a very humble gentleman! We are all so lucky to be able to refer to his books!

MommyMcGee said...

I just happen to cross this blog on a random Google search. I do believe Fred was a cousin of my grandpa. I'm not 100% sure since I do not remember him talking about family nor do I really remember meeting many other Wargowsky's

MommyMcGee said...

I just happen to cross this blog on a random Google search. I do believe Fred was a cousin of my grandpa. I'm not 100% sure since I do not remember him talking about family nor do I really remember meeting many other Wargowsky's