Since there is so much confusion about Mary’s history and origins, I decided to gather all the information we have all in one place. I’ve also included my own research and findings.
Records & Research
Origins
Passenger Manifest
NAME: Hrlic, Maria
SHIP NAME: La Provence
DEPARTURE DATE: December 21, 1907
PORT OF DEPARTURE: Havre
ARRIVAL DATE: December 28, 1907
PORT OF ARRIVAL: New York, New York USA
- 2. Name in Full: Hrlic, Maria
- 3. Age: 19
- 6. Occupation: Housekeeper
- 7. Able to Read / Write: No
- 8. Nationality (Country of which citizen or subject): Austria
- 9. Race or People: Slovenian
- 10. Last Permanent Residence: Semic, Austria
- 11. Name and complete address of closest relative in country whence alien came: Aunt Janja Grgas, Brebrovac
- 12. Final Destination: Ely, MN
- 15. By whom was passage paid?: Friend
- 16. Whether going to join relative or friend, and if so, what relative or friend, and his name and complete address: Frank Verant, Ely; No address (NOTE: The lack of an address appears to be why Mary was detained.)
- 25. Height: 5’5″
- 27. Color of Hair / Eyes: Blonde hair, Grey eyes
- 29. Place of Birth: Slavetic, Austria
Record of Detained Aliens
She was detained by immigration due to the lack of a destination address. While the full address of where she was going is not listed here, it confirms that Mary’s destination was to join a friend, Mrs. Frank Verant in Ely, MN and she took the railroad to get there.
Nicholas Dolinshek’s Petition for Naturalization
“Sixth, I am married. My wife’s name is was Mary. She was born on the 15th day of March, anno Domini 1888 at Slavetic, Croatia, and now resides at deceased.”
Petition for Naturalization No. 1201, Hibbing District Court, Saint Louis County, Minnesota.
Additional Evidence
Brebrovac, Zagreb, Croatia
Mary’s closest relative was listed as her Aunt, Janja Grgas, from Brebrovac, Croatia.
As it turns out, Brebrovac is a settlement located within Slavetić. The parish church is named Sveti Antun pustinjak – Saint Anthony the Hermit – and all of the residents of the settlements within Slavetić attended this church, which still exists today. In the Rimokatolička crkva (Roman Catholic Church) records for Slavetić Parish, the surname Grgas appears frequently. Since the house number is also listed in all birth, marriage and death records, it is simpler distinguish families bearing the same surname from one another.
The people of Slavetić were very poor, and the overwhelming majority of residents are listed as “seljak” – peasants. Families all stayed and lived together, even after a son or daughter was married. Given the size of the houses, it must have very crowded indeed! We are related to the Gregorić family who lived at 30 Slavetić, across the street the from the Parish church. There was only one Grgas family within the region, and they lived at 5 Brebrovac.
Hrlići, Zagreb, Croatia
A small settlement (“naselje”) named Hrlići was located within Slavetić. It existed for some time, but for whatever reason, was eventually abandoned along with two other small settlements within the village. There were two houses in Hrlići during the time, located in the valley between the settlements of Dol, Slavetić, and Brebrovac. In the church records everyone who lived there had the surname Hrlić. In the earliest records, the name is recorded as Herlić.
On maps created during the Habsburg Empire, the settlement was called Herlići, and in the First Military Survey of Provinz Kroatien, the settlement is labeled Herlich. Based on these maps and the church records from Slavetić Parish, the settlement of Hrlići / Herlići / Herlich existed for at least 150 years, up until sometime in the 1930’s.
A-ha!
Based on this evidence alone (yes, there’s more!), it seems clear that Mary was born in Slavetić. But… there is no record for a Marija Hrlić with the correct birth date in the Slavetić Parish church books- or in any of the surrounding parishes. There was Marija Hrlić born on 28 Mar 1888, but she was “nezakonit” (illegitimate) and listed as dying shortly after birth. What’s more, there is no record of a Janja Grgas, nor do we know if Mary’s Aunt was from her maternal or paternal side. The Janja is an extremely unusual first name for the area. It is more likely her name was Jana – “Anna” in English – but there is no record of a Jana Grgas either. Though, it should be noted that the earliest records available online for the Parish begin in 1878.
Genetic Evidence & DNA Matches
All of the people listed below are genetically related to our family, and all just so happen to be descended from a Gjuro Gregoric & Kata Bukovec from Slavetić, Zagreb, Croatia!
Thomas Gahr (Ancestry), Linda Gahr-Graham (Ancestry), Kim de Franza (MyHeritage), Mitchell Zunich (Ancestry), Delene Bivolcic (Ancestry, 23 & Me), Janet Michalak (Ancestry, 23 & Me), Melanic Popovic (23 & Me), Shawn Hayes (Ancestry), Linda Spillane (Ancestry), Janice Ross-Scott (Ancestry), Donna Gregorich-Krouse (23 & Me), Paulette Lange (Ancestry), Eric Gregorich (23 & Me), William Ortigo (Ancestry), Rosemary Bozikovich (Ancestry), Sandra McClure (Ancestry), JoAnn Jugovic-Albert (Ancestry), Wendy Uhler-Lassell (Ancestry), et. al.
(I’ve identified additional descendants, but you get the idea!)
So, how do we know these people are related to us through Mary Herlich?
Follow The X (DNA)
X DNA follows what is known as a strict “inheritance pattern.” This occurs because females have two X chromosomes (XX), and males only have one X chromosome, along with a Y chromosome (XY). I’ve included a more detailed explanation of this further below, as it’s a difficult concept for many people to understand at first. For now, suffice it to say that all of the Kenney-Dolinshek female children inherited one X chromosome from Nelda, and one X chromosome from Stanley. The X chromosome the female children inherited from Stanley comes directly from Stanley’s mother, Mary Herlich.
Long story short: Stanley’s female children share X DNA with many of the matches shown below, which proves that the relationship is through Mary Herlich – specifically, through her parents, and most likely through Mary’s mother.
All of these people match direct Kenney-Dolinshek descendants, as well as descendants of the Dolinshek line through Nicholas and Mary’s other children who have tested.
I mentioned that all of the people listed as DNA matches were known descendants of Gjuro Gregoric & Kata Bukovec. Interestingly, Kata Bukovec was born in Semic, Slovenia!
Based upon the sharedCM – amount of DNA shared – between the Kenney-Dolinshek and Gregoric descendants, and in particular, the X DNA shared, it appears Mary’s mother was a Gregoric, and her maternal grandparent’s were Gjuro Gregoric & Kata Bukovec. However, I have not yet been able to prove this conclusively.
Family Histories
There are quite a few different accounts of Mary’s life and what happened to her parents. I’ve included two below for reference.
NOTE: Any content that is highlighted conflicts with other accounts by the family, official documents / records, is questionable, or needs clarification.
Dolinshek Family History by ???
I don’t know who the following notes were written by. If anyone knows, please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due. A transcription of the original document can be found here.
Grandma: Born in Semic, Austria of Austria Slovak descent. Aunt Rose Spinelli said she was born in Croatia. Arrived at Ellis lsland on Dec. 28, 1907 , 19 years old. Ship of Travel: La Provence, Port of Departure: Havre, France, Manifest Line Number 0008. Went to her Aunt Janja Grgas house in Ely, MN.
Don’t know what happened to her parents. They came to “America” and she was told to meet them there. Presume they went to South America – were never registered at Ellis Island, New York. She never saw them again. Was left in the care of aunt.
Was a good cook. Was married quite late in life by standard of the day. Usual age of bride 14 or 15. Her brother was struck by lightening.
Per the Marriage Record Fr. John Luschell (Dad said it was Msgr. Schiffer) Nick Dolinsheck married Mari Hibich in Chisholm, St. Louis County, Minnesota on January 18, 1909.
Witnesses Toni Vsulor and Franseska Prujatelj. Aunt Rose’s said the people in Grandma and Grandpa Dolinshek’s wedding picture were Frank and Catherine Nosen.
The whole town of Chisholm, MN burned down in 1908 or 09. All of the town and every record were destroyed. One winter wood pile in someone’s back yard burned for 3 days. No way to put out the fire except rain or buckets of water. Only building left standing was Washington School where everyone lived – only brick building in town.
Grandma had an operation at Mayo Clinic, probably gallbladder. Went to Minneapolis with Mrs. Mary Perko or Mrs. Mahne.
Grandma D. got sick and went to live with a friend in Duluth, and later to a hospital in Duluth. St. Lukes but there are 2 St. Luke’s hospitals. Dad was 8 1/2 or 9 the last time he saw her.
They were getting ready to go see her when they got word she had died. Rose took care of the family for a while but authorities said she was too young to stay home and she was not going to school. The Children (except Louis who went to live with Mrs. Bucovich) were placed in St. John’s Catholic Orphanage & Industrial School (Now Woodland Hills). Located off Woodland Ave. & St. John’s, Duluth, MN. St. John’s Catholic Church is in front of the orphanage. They were there from February 1923 to September 1924″ Aunt Rose was 12 years 1 month and Dad was 10 years old at the time of her death.
Her death certificate – 26928 states she died at St. Louis County Hospital- Mary Dolinsheck. Age: 34 years, 7 month 26 day white female housewife from Austria. She was inpatient from June 23rd to November 1st. Cause of death “Paraplegia probably due to hemorrhage in vagina. Do not know”. No operation, no autopsy. Her Father’s name is John (Johannes) Horwitz from Austria and her Mother is “unknown” from Austria. Aunt Rose said her mother’s name is Maria Hrbic.
Both were buried from St. Joseph’s Church at Calvary Cemetery, Chisholrn, MN. Antoine Machne buried both Grandpa & Grandma.
Dolinshek Family History by Stanley Dolinshek
Letter written by Stanley Dolinshek to Mary Brandenburg, October 8, 1995
NOTE: A transcription of the entire document can be found here.
Mary Herlich came to the U.S. at age 14 with a friend named Mary Perko aboard the S.S. Bremen. She worked in hotel and boarding houses as a cook and kitchen duty in New York. She moved on to Chisholm, met Nicholas and was married.
Mary Herlich came from a family of two. When she was 5 years old, her brother was 7 years old; they were tending sheep in the mountains when a bolt of lightning struck him and killed him. Mary, standing beside him, was unharmed.
Her father died when she was very young (1889.) Her mother left her in care of an Aunt so she could come to America. Nicholas and Mary put ads in all foreign newspapers for her whereabouts but no replies were ever received. (Could be — she went to South America. Or piracy by British to send pretty white women to Egypt.)
On a verbal visit, Rose Spinelli assumes Mary Herlich came from Semec, Slovenia.
Mary Herlich’s history and wedding dress were burned in a fire in Chisholm, MN in late 1908. No casualties in that fire. She was sheltered in the Washington School. That school has been torn down since.
Conflicting Accounts & Questions
Both of these accounts mention Mary Perko. Stanley said she came to America with his mother, and the other account says she may have gone with his mother to Minneapolis for surgery. I’m inclined to believe the latter account, as I’ve not any evidence of a Mary Perko coming to America at the same time as Mary Herlich did. (Also, Mary Herlich was not 14 when she came, nor did she arrive on the S.S. Bremen.)
Stanley said his mother worked as a cook and housekeeper in New York, but there’s no evidence Mary spent any time in New York before going to Minnesota. Due to the occupation on listed for Mary on the passenger manifest, I believe Mary worked as a cook and housekeeper in Semic, Slovenia before emigrating to America.
Her Aunt lived in Croatia.
Louis was sent to live with either a Mrs. Buchovich, or a Mrs. Vuckovic. Does anyone know how I can find out who he lived with, for certain?
Who was Antoine Machne?
The name of the orphanage the eldest five children were sent to was St. James Catholic Orphanage, not St. John’s.
For Reference
X DNA Inheritance Patterns
Females pass down their X DNA to male and female children.
Males can NOT pass down any X DNA to male children; they can ONLY pass down their X DNA to female children.
Let’s take the Kenney-Dolinshek children as an example. ALL of the female children of Stanley and Nelda inherited one X chromosome from Nelda, and one X chromosome from Stanley.
The male children inherited one X chromosome from Nelda, and one Y chromosome from Stanley. They could not inherit any X DNA from Stanley, because males can not pass down X DNA to male children. (Sorry Frank and John!)
Stanley’s father Nicholas also could not pass down any X DNA to his male children. The X DNA that Stanley inherited was from his mother, Mary Herlich. So, when Stanley passed down the X DNA he had to his female children, that X DNA came from his mother, Mary Herlich.
Below are two charts showing female and male X DNA inheritance patterns, courtesy of The Genetic Genealogist.
