52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 11 (BRICK WALL)
I first started researching to figure out where I fit into my own genealogical story when I discovered my Scottish grandfather didn't exist, and was instead Ukrainian.
After almost 30 years of searching this mystery line remains a mystery.
DNA confirmed Clyde Robertson & Max Pellack were the same person, but this brick wall still stands firmly in place.
My father's paternal line is the one line I have made little progress on over the many years of searching.
Great Grandpa was born April 17th 1873 in Ukraine, but those facts are only found on Canadian documents created by the family.
In the book, Our Courageous Pioneers, the journey was described by a family member when the book was published in 1991.
" ... The family departed by train from Skoroki to the port of Bremen, There, a wait of several days ensued while sufficient cargo of livestock and people were assembled to make the voyage profitable. Livestock were placed in the bottom and people were placed in the middle deck. Sometime in May, 1909, the leaky ship set out to sea With numerous stops for additional cargo and delays caused by traffic and icebergs, the voyage took some sixteen days.
Quebec felt cold. From the large gathering hall which was the dispersal point for all immigrants, the family was shuffled onto a train bound for Winnipeg and eventually to Star City. Alexander's brother, Makita who immigrated to Canada two years earlier, met them at the train with a cart and oxen which he had hired from a neighbour. It was a long trip from Star City to the homestead east of Gronlid. Imagine bumping down cut lines, over stumps through sloughs. It was an unforgettable experience, a dark rainy night, with their first encounter with mosquitoes! ..." 1
I have been unable to find any documents from Ukraine.
I know they got on a ship in Bremen because I found the ship's manifest held by Library & Archives Canada.
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| My great grandparents Alexander & Mary (nee Maximiw) Pellack and their 3 oldest children 2 |
According to the ship's manifest:
Ship: WILLEHAD
Shipping Line: Canada Steamship Lines
Port of Departure: Bremen, Germany Hamburg, Germany Bremerhaven, Germany Rotterdam, Netherlands
Date of Departure: 1909-06-02
Date of Arrival: 1909-06-19
Alexander (Alex) Pellack
Birth 17 APR 1873 • Skoryky, Скорики, Ternopil's'ka Oblast, Ukraine
Death 22 OCT 1955 • Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada
traveled with wife (great grandma)
Marya (Maria) (Mary) (Marinka) Maximiw
Birth 24 DEC 1875 • Ukraine/Galicia/Austria - Unknown
Death 12 AUG 1946 • Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada
and their children
Eugenia (Johanna) Pellack
Birth 28 AUGUST 1898 • Skoriki, Ternopil, Ternopilska, Ukraine
Death 10 SEP 1990 • Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada
Hryc (Harry) Pellack
Birth 16 JUL 1903 • Skoryky, Скорики, Ternopil's'ka, oblast, Ukraine
Death 12 MAR 1980 • Warren, Macomb, Michigan, USA
Steneine (Stephania) (Stefania) (Stella) (Esther) Pellack
Birth 9 FEB 1906 • Skoryky, Скорики, Ternopil's'ka, oblast, Ukraine
Death 9 JAN 1972 • Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada
my grandpa was the first born in Canada on the homestead
Prior to getting on the ship in Bremen heading to Canada I have found no records.
My grandfather - 1st child born in Canada
Max Pellack aka Clyde Robertson (assumed no record of name change)
Birth 10 MAY 1910 • homestead, SW, Section: 1, Township: 48, Range: 17, Meridian: W2, (Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Clyde claimed San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA (Vancouver on his WW2 attestation papers).
Death 11 JUL 1986 • Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
This is why I search -
Cause ...
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***
Sources:
1 Pellack Family Origin Story. Our Courageous Pioneers : History of Gronlid and Surrounding Districts of Argus, Athol, Edenbridge, Freedom, Maryville, Murphy Creek, Sandhill Creek, Taelman, Taras, Teddington,." (Melfort Saskatchewan: Phillips Publishers , 1991), 188
2 Ship's Manifest. Library & Archives Canada, Immigration, Passenger Lists, Page 16, Retrieved March 6th 2020 from
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists/passenger-lists-1865-1922/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=5121&fbclid=IwAR0bFKIO58BlaeooRHtWlgBb6yrB7Ii6RlXBMf3dzADF_YdBLfITZJzNJtw
Links:
Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/
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