Walenty Paprocki & Anna Szczupak

(Rochester NY)

1.) Walenty Paprocki (Wawrzyniec), was born 9 February 1849 in Witowy, Poland and baptized 11 February 1849 in Gora. In Poland he worked as a tenant laborer. He married Anna Szczupak 25 November 1872 in Parchanie. She was born 19 June 1856 in Turzany, Poland, the daughter of Paul Szczupak and Katherine Smierniak.

Walenty and Anna along with their four children emigrated in 1888 to Rochester, New York. Walenty arrived in New York City on 9 May 1888 on the ship Werra. Anna and the children came over three months later, arriving in New York City 7 August 1888 on the ship Eider. They all departed from Bremen, Germany and Southampton, England. Walenty had two brothers that emigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Walenty declared his intention to be a citizen 12 October 1888 and five years later on 18 October 1893 became a naturalized citizen.

Valentine, as he was known in America, and Anna purchased a lot on St. Stanislaus Street 4 August 1891. On 18 August 1891 a mortgage was obtained from the Polonia Savings & Loan Association and a house was built on that lot. "The completion of floor and roof on each new dwelling called for an exciting house-warming, at which the guests, attired in 'Sunday Best', sang native songs and whirled energetically over the bare floors in lively polkas, to the music of Walenty Paprocki's fiddle, a musical instrument which has become a fond tradition among the older residents of the Polish community." (Norman T Lyon, 1935)

The house was located at number 7 St. Stanislaus Street. Renumbered in 1899 to number 145 and again in 1932, the house retains its present number of 29 St. Stanislaus Street.

Walenty was a street laborer working as a carpenter and mason during the time they lived on St. Stanislaus Street. On 8 October 1908 he and Anna purchased a lot on the corner of Hudson Avenue and St. Stanislaus Street. On 20 June 1912 they sold the property on St. Stanislaus Street to their oldest son, John Paprocki, and his wife Jadwiga, and opened a dry goods store on that corner lot, 1116 Hudson Avenue.

Walenty was long active in local Polish affairs. He was elected treasurer of the St. Stanislaus Society (1916). The family attended St Stanislaus Kostka Church. Walenty and Anna donated one of 45 stained glass windows to the church, The Good Sheperd located along the South Aisle.


As a grandfather he was remembered as a good looking guy with nice gray hair. He died 5 March 1928 at the age of 79 and Anna died 28 January 1939 at the age of 81. They are buried together in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. They had six children, one died before 1900:
1.) 2iJohn Paprocki, b. 5 Aug 1874 in Parchanie, Poland, bap. 9 August 1874 in Gora; m. Jadwiga (Hattie) Czapla 10 Nov 1901 in St Stanislaus Church; d. 22 Mar 1944 in Rochester NY, buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery; 8 children.
3iiJoseph Walenty Paprocki, b. 21 Dec 1876 in Parchanie, Poland, bap. 24 Dec 1876 in Parchanie; m. Rosalia Adamski 21 Sep 1902 in St Stanislaus Church; d. 7 Jun 1949 in Rochester NY, buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery; 6 children.
iiiFranciszka Paprocka, b. 8 Dec 1879 in Parchanie, Poland, bap. 14 Dec 1879 in Parchanie; d. young in Poland.
4ivAnthony Stanley Paprocki, b. 18 May 1881 in Parchanie, Poland, bap. 18 May 1881 in Parchanie; m. Mary Elizabeth Czapla 25 Nov 1920 in St Stanislaus Church; d. 21 Jul 1957 in Rochester NY, buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery; 3 children.
5vCatherine Paprocki, b. __ Oct 1884 in Poland (Ger); m. Ignatius E Ciesielski 25 Jan 1916 in Batavia NY; d. 9 May 1943 in Rochester NY, buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery; no children.
6viFrank J Paprocki, b. __ Jul 1889 in Rochester NY; d. 19 Mar 1941 in Rochester NY, buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

© Copyright 1996-2005 Jim Paprocki. All rights reserved.

Last updated on Fri, 7 Jan 2005.