Michael Pajewski was born in September 12, 1854 in Germany. His mother was Elizabeth Drosdowski and his father was Paul Pajewski. Very little is known about his childhood in Germany. His mother married Paul shortly after her first husband died in the early 1850s. Paul had a younger half-sister Faronica born in 1849 and later two brothers Franz (1862) and Johann (1865). There was also a Pajewski sister and possibly a brother Andrew. Michael's mother and father both died about 1872 when Michael was about age 18. My grandmother Elizabeth recalls seeing a picture of Michael and his younger brother Franz in German Army uniforms, suggesting they were both in the Prussian Army.

In the spring of 1882, Michael Pajewski, then a peddler in Prussia decided to immigrate to the United States. In May, he purchased a rail ticket to take him from Prussia, near Danzig to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, he purchased a fare on the Nemesis and sailed for New York. He arrived 31 May 1882 at Castle Garden on the southern end of Manhattan. He was 27.

After being processed at Castle Garden and getting his money exchanged, he took a ferry ticket from Manhattan to the New Jersey to find a train to the Midwest. There is some evidence that he went to Michigan the first year, but he ultimately wound up in Chicago by 1883 if not 1882. It is believe that he settled on the near north side south of Division Street.

The three names on the Nemesis Manifest above his were P. Pastna, farmer age 40, R. Pastna, female, age 20 and J. Pastna, female, age 18. It is thought that Pastna is actually Pastwa.

On May 15, 1886, Michael at age 31 married Helen Pastwa age 19 at St. Boniface Parish at the corner of Cornell and Noble in Chicago. Thus it could be that Michael traveled from Prussia with one branch of the Pastwa family and later married P. Pastwa's niece.

The Pajewski, the Gainowski, the Abend, and the Pastwa families all first settled on the near north side near St. Boniface parish and then moved south in the late 1880s to St. Augutine Parish at 50th and Laflin. The first identifiable Chicago Directory address for Michael is in 1887 at 71 Wade Street on the north side; his occupation is carpenter. He moved south to the south side of Chicago by 1888 and by 1891 Michael and family has moved to 5027 Justine.

Michael and Helen had six children. They were Elizabeth (Lizzi) born January 1888, Otto born February 1890, Sophia (Emma) born August 1891, Paul born March 1893, Clara born December 1894, and Frank born September 1898. All were born in Illinois, most likely Chicago, except Frank who was born in Michigan. The Michigan birth appears unusual especially since Michael and Helen lived at 1329 W. 49th Place in Chicago from 1894 until 1909. Perhaps they were visiting his Michigan sister when Frank was born in 1898.

Michael died 14 May 1923 in Chicago at age 68 of chronic myocarditis. He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Evergreen Park, Illinois.


Initial Web Publication Date: 07/06/03
Intermediate Additions: 05/30/03
Last Web Upload: 05/30/03