Polish connection

[Joe Gondek]

I like a few others on this board are of mixed Scotish/Polish ancestery

I know that Jamestown was established in 1607
and I also know that the first Poles came there in 1608 or1609

I was wondering what was the connection between England and Poland
to bring Poles to an English colony or were the Poles already in England at the time.
I understand that James I had a tie to Poland

can anyone on this board help explain this

[macwilkin]

I like a few others on this board are of mixed Scotish/Polish ancestery

I know that Jamestown was established in 1607
and I also know that the first Poles came there in 1608 or1609

I was wondering what was the connection between England and Poland
to bring Poles to an English colony or were the Poles already in England at the time.
I understand that James I had a tie to Poland

can anyone on this board help explain this

I believe the Poles were brought to Virginia by the Va. Company of a London because of their skills as lumbermen. This is the same reason that the Swedes brought a number of Finns to their colony of New Sweden in what is today Delaware.

T.

[auld argonian]

Here's the one Polish connection that I find compelling:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Klementyna_Sobieska

There are also a lot of transplanted Poles that ended up in Scotland as a result of the Second WSorld War.

Best

AA

[highlander_Daz]

There were a lot of very good Polish Pilots based all over the UK during WW11, you will also find that lot of people of German descent in the Ayrshire area, this is because a lot of U boats were kept at loch ryan and tended by German sailors many fo whom settled in Scotland,



http://community.webshots.com/album/...kDdjsD?start=0

[TheKiltedWonder]

Here's the one Polish connection that I find compelling:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Klementyna_Sobieska

May I add, that her last name of Sobieska is Sobieski if one is a male. I've just seen too many websites dismissing the claims of the Sobieski-Stuarts because they "messed up" the last name, rather than dismissing them because their claims were clearly ridiculous

I didn't know that the Poles came to Jamestown so early. I may have to make a side trip (all of 5 mins) to the museum area and ask around a bit to see if I can turn up any reasons (aside from lumberjacks) that they brought in. Maybe the English loved kielbasi?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

There is another, oft overlooked Scottish-Polish connection and that is the baltic fir trade, which was centered chiefly in Aberdeen. Scotland imported a fair amount of timber from Poland-- Craigivar Castle being built from the proceeds of such commerce. A Number of Scots settled in Poland as a result, some of them becoming Polish subjects. Chief amongst these were a family called Gordon, who took the name of Gorsky in Poland.

[Joe Gondek]

The last time I was at Jamestown Festival Park there was a plaque placed tere by the Amer.Polish Legion to honor the first Poles arrival and the date
of 1608 or it might of been 1609 I can't remember which,getting old

I thought that they came over as glass blowers but lumberman is possilble too

[TheKiltedWonder]

You might be right about the glass blowing. That was one of Jamestown's big industries, what with all hte plentiful sand in the James. The glass blowers' is also the best place to visit!

[macwilkin]

You might be right about the glass blowing. That was one of Jamestown's big industries, what with all hte plentiful sand in the James. The glass blowers' is also the best place to visit!

There's a reference to Poles in this site bulletin from the NPS:

http://www.nps.gov/jame/historycultu...-jamestown.htm

T.

[Joe Gondek]

thanks cajunscot

That explains the 1608 date for the first Poles in Jamestown
It seems that it was a Virginia Company / Polish connection
and not an England /Poland connection that brought the 1st Poles to Jamestown