In today’s Treasure Chest Thursday, I offer an original piece of family history of major significance.  This is the beautiful Certificate of Marriage for my husband’s great-grandparents, Andrew Dominik and Malvina Golkowski.

This document is very special.  Not only is it the original certificate for this important day, it is handwritten and signed by the Reverend Raymond Benedict Golkowski, Malvina’s older brother.  It is also the only official reference to Andrew’s original birth name in poland, JÄ™drzej.

Certificate of Marriage for Andrew and Malvina Dominik

CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
County of Morrison, SS
I hereby certify that on the 17th day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred fourteen at Ramey in said County, I, the undersigned, a Roman Catholic Priest did join in the holy bonds of Matrimony, according to the laws of this State, Malvina Golkowski of the County of Morrison, State of Minnesota and Andrew Jędrzej Dominik of the County of Morrison, State of Minnesota in the presence of Lon Goldaczi, Katy Schmolke, Witnesses.  Rev. R. Golkowski

Notice the blue ink handwritten addition of what appears to be Andrew’s Polish name, JÄ™drzej.  He often signed his name “Andrew J. Dominik” but this is the only indication in historical records of what the “J” may have stood for.  In my research, it seems that JÄ™drzej was the name Andrew in Polish.