Leier Family Chart
Leier Family History
Children of Charles
& Louise Nowasky
Children of Lawrence
& Amelia Leier
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NOWASKY FAMILY HISTORY
In 1831, Carl Nowacki was born in Cekzin, a small village in West Prussia, which at the time was part of the vast German Empire. Today, that same village is in Poland, and is known by the Polish name of Cekcyn.
Around 1864, when he was in his early thirties, Carl married Louise Krzigan. They had 4 children that I know of, all born in Germany: Emilie (1865), Bertha (1867), Carl (1870) and Herman (1873). Sometime about 1880, they all immigrated to America and settled in the Gravesend and Parkville sections of Long Island, NY, which would eventually be incorporated into the city of Brooklyn.
Carl Sr. and Jr. eventually changed their names to Charles, and Emilie changed hers to Amelia. By the time Charles Jr. married Barbara Kellner on June 7, 1896, everyone was spelling the surname as Nowasky.
Charles Sr. became an American citizen on October 20, 1890. He and Louise were living at 29 East Second Street with Charles Jr. and Barbara when Louise died on February 20, 1903, from kidney disease. She was 67 years old. They buried her in an unmarked grave in The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn.
The following year, Charles Sr. tried to end his own life by shooting himself with a gun. He managed to inflict a serious wound to his abdomen and died two days later on May 24, 1904 at Seney Hospital (now the New York Methodist Hospital) from a pistol shot wound of the abdomen. He was 74 years old. The following is an article that appeared in the May 23, 1904 issue of the Utica Herald-Dispatch.
So Aged New Yorker, in Bitter Disappointment, Shot Himself in the Abdomen
New York, May 23 – For lack of money to take his three grandchildren to see the sights at Coney Island yesterday, Charles Nowasky, 74 years old, who lived with his son at No. 29 East Second Street, Brooklyn, shot himself in the abdomen. He was removed to Seney Hospital and the physicians there say he will die.
He promised the children several days ago that he would give them an outing at Coney Island yesterday. With his son and daughter-in-law and the grandchildren he started from the house at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon. The children were in great glee over the treat, and the grandfather appeared to be as happy as they were. The party had gone but a few blocks when the old man declared that he would have to return home as he had forgotten his money. The son offered to go instead, but was told that he did not know where the money was. The family waited nearly and hour for the return of the old man then hastened home. They found him lying on his bed in a dying condition. A pistol was clutched in his right hand.
A search was made, but no trace of the money that the old man spoke of was found. His son believes that because he was unable to provide the treat that he had promised he became despondent and attempted to kill himself.
Charles was buried with Louise in Evergreens Cemetery.
For more information about the children of Charles Sr. and Louise, click on "Children of Charles and Louise Nowasky" in the panel on the left.