A chapel fire in Poryngi, 1837
One page of the Mielegiany parish death register and nine people who died on the same day. Among them was Agata, who left four daughters.
Documents shown in the film
These are the real archive scans you see in the film. Each one has its archive reference, so anyone can check the source.
Narration
One page of a church register.
Nine deaths.
The same day.
June 25, 1837.
A chapel in Poryngi, in what is now Lithuania, is on fire.
Next to name after name, the priest writes the same words:
“burned by accident in the chapel”.
Among them is Agata, about thirty years old.
She left four daughters: Maryanna, Krystyna, Katarzyna and Ewa.
Eighteen years later, Krystyna gets married.
Her consent comes from her uncle and the wider family.
She signs with three crosses.
Do you know who your ancestors were two hundred years ago?
Tell us in the comments.
In the next episode: a family from the Rhineland that never existed.
Ex Archivis.
We find out where your family comes from.
Sources
- Death register, Mielegiany parish, 1837 (LVIA 604/37/51)
- Pre-marriage examination, Mielegiany, 1855 (LVIA 3007/41/4)
Scenes marked “Staged scene” are reconstructions. The documents are real.
The parish this document comes from
This film on social media
Want us to look into your family?
Tell us where your ancestors came from. We will reply with how far back the records of that area go.