Skoryky (Скорики), Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine - Origins Of My Genealogical Search

  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 16 (OLDEST STORY)

In thinking about oldest story I immediately thought about the origins of where my interest in my own genealogical story began. 

I was 29 when I first heard my Scottish grandfather, Clyde Robertson, might not exist & was in fact a Ukrainian man named Max Pellack.

It took 20 years & DNA matching to confirm this tale was true.

Over the past 30 plus years I have found little information about my family's origins before 1909's arrival in Canada.

What I do know is they lived in a small village in Ukraine - Skoryky (Скорики), Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine. 

It's a strange feeling to know the family you thought you knew never existed. 

So many times I look at the map & wonder what my family's homeland looks like. 

Google Streetview offered me a small peak into that world

Someday I may get a chance to visit in real life!!! 

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***

Photos:

Google Maps Clips, Retrieved April 20th 2025

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Traditions ~ Fiddler on the Roof

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2022: Week 50 (TRADITIONS) 

In thinking about Tradition I couldn't help, but think about the movie Fiddler on the Roof. 

As a child I saw it in the theatre. 

As an adult I have seen the play a few times. 

I love the story.  

I love Teyve's song Tradition.

The first time I saw it I had no idea any of it had any connection to me or my story.  

The traditions seemed quant & completely outside of my sphere of knowledge. 

Teyve tells us:

"Because of our traditions,

We've kept our balance for many, many years.

Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything...

how to eat, how to sleep, even, how to wear clothes.

For instance, we always keep our heads covered

and always wear a little prayer shawl...

This shows our constant devotion to God.

You may ask, how did this tradition start?

I'll tell you - I don't know. But it's a tradition...1 

Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines TRADITION as:

1 a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or      behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)
  b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4: characteristic manner, method, or style   2

I grew up without Tradition. 

These traditions were entirely lost for my branch of this Bramble Bush. 

Information, belief, and customs were not passed down to this generation. 

At the age of 29 years old I heard some gossip that my grandfather may not actually exist. 

He might actually be a different person. 

The family name on my birth certificate one chosen at random.

How could this be?

My grandfather walked away from his family, and recreated himself as a new person with an entirely different cultural heritage.

It took me 20 years to confirm the tale was true via genealogical DNA matching. 

That DNA test also revealed that one of my great grandparents was Ashkenazi Jewish (or they were both half). 

My grandfather was the first born in Canada. 

He was born the year after their arrival from Ukraine on the homestead in Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada. 

The family were members of the Greek Catholic Church. 

I grew up never knowing the part of my genealogical story that began in Ukraine & included Jewish roots.

When I first learned about both I felt sad that I never knew where I fit in my own family history.  

I felt ripped off to have never known anything of my heritage from that one branch of my Bramble Bush. 

This was where my researching first began.

I never knew, but now I do. 

I find myself offended when I hear dismissive remarks about what is happening in Ukraine today. 

I can't help but think about how Ukraine was for my family before their arrival in Canada. 

Fiddler on the roof is set about 1905 Ukraine. 

My family was there during that time. 

It tells a tale that is still relevant today.

Fiddler on the Roof was set in a fictional village in Ukraine.
In 2014 the fictional village came to life:

As Russian troops pour into Ukraine and bomb its cities, many Ukrainians are on the move both internally and in an attempt to leave for other countries. Border crossings in the country’s west and south are attracting thousands of prospective exiles, according to the Guardian. There are also at least 100,000 internally displaced persons.

Some of the Jews who live in Ukraine — who number at least 43,000 and potentially many more — are part of that unfortunate migration.

“We just put many mattresses in the strongest part of the sturdiest building. It will have to do for now,” Moshe Azman, one of several men bearing the title of chief rabbi in Ukraine, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about what is happening at the residential compound near Kyiv that Azman and his community first set up in 2014 to aid Jewish refugees fleeing the last Russian invasion.

Named Anatevka — a reference to the fictional hometown of Tevye the Dairyman from the famed Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof” and the iconic Sholom Aleichem short stories on which it was based — the compound has seen dozens of families arrive from more densely populated areas, Azman said. 3

The village the story was originally modeled on Boyarka, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine which is about 13kms from the newly created town of Anatevka (noted above). 

Both are about 400kms from Skoryky, Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine where my father's paternal immigrant ancestor story began. 

As I have watched the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold I wonder how many of my family members are at risk. 

My great grandparents risked all to bring their family to Canada.

Alexander & Mary (nee Maximiw) Pellack
My great grandparents

How many did they leave behind?  

I don't know, and fear I may never.

The answer to why my grandfather walked away from his family is lost.

Exactly how the traditions were left behind will always be a part of the story I will never know. 

My heart breaks for Ukraine!!!

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***

Video:

Fiddler on the roof - Tradition (with subtitles). guru006. Originally published Dec 24, 2006.  Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

Footnotes:

1  Fiddler on the Roof - Tradition Lyrics. The Musical Lyrics.   Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.themusicallyrics.com/f/371-fiddler-on-the-roof-the-musical-lyrics/4062-tradition-lyrics-fiddler-on-the-roof.html

2  Tradition. Definition. Miriam-Webster Dictionary.  Retrieved December 12th 2022 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradition#:~:text=noun,as%20historical%20though%20not%20verifiable

3  Liphshiz,  Cnaan. Ukrainian Jews, scarred by a bloody history, find themselves refugees once again.  Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Originally published February 25th 2022. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.jta.org/2022/02/25/global/ukrainian-jews-scarred-by-a-bloody-history-find-themselves-refugees-once-again

Sources:

Anatevka. About Us. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.anatevka.com/aboutus/

Beckerman, Jim. How Broadway's "Fiddler on the Roof," set in Ukraine, is newly relevant. New Jersey USA Today. Originally published March 5th 2022. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2022/03/25/ukraine-broadway-fiddler-roof-nj-school-theater-production/7159349001/

Fiddler on the Roof: Love’s Triumph Over Tradition. MBB220'S BLOG. LeHigh University. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://wordpress.lehigh.edu/mbb220/fiddler-on-the-roof-loves-triumph-over-tradition/

Fiddler on the Roof - Tradition Lyrics. The Musical Lyrics.   Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.themusicallyrics.com/f/371-fiddler-on-the-roof-the-musical-lyrics/4062-tradition-lyrics-fiddler-on-the-roof.html

Law, Page R. Putin’s war: The musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and Ukraine today. The Virginian Pilot. Originally published March 17th 2022. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from 
https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/arts/vp-db-fiddler-on-the-roof-031822-20220317-svpmcgtnn5hhdjvfuz5dhq4emm-story.html

Liphshiz,  Cnaan. Ukrainian Jews, scarred by a bloody history, find themselves refugees once again.  Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Originally published February 25th 2022. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from
https://www.jta.org/2022/02/25/global/ukrainian-jews-scarred-by-a-bloody-history-find-themselves-refugees-once-again

Mondello, Bob. If Russia's invasion of Ukraine feels familiar, look to Broadway in the '60s. National Public Radio. Originally published February 25th 2022. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from 
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1083155890/if-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-feels-familiar-look-to-broadway-in-the-60s

Named for Fiddler on Roof’s Anatevka, new village to house Ukraine Jewish refugees. Originally published August 9th 2015. Retrieved December 12th 2022 from 
https://www.timesofisrael.com/named-for-fiddler-on-roofs-anatevka-new-village-to-house-ukraine-jewish-refugees/

There’s A Village In Ukraine Where Rudy Giuliani Is The Honorary Mayor. That’s Not The Weird Part Of This Story. BuzzFeed News. Originally published October 26th 2019 from https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/christopherm51/fiddlers-on-the-roof-ukraine-impeachment

Tradition. Definition. Miriam-Webster Dictionary.  Retrieved December 12th 2022 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradition#:~:text=noun,as%20historical%20though%20not%20verifiable

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Strange Groupings ~ Mosquitoes & Homestead Grants

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021: Week 25 (GROUPS)

British Columbia, Canada is in the middle of a heat wave that is shattering long held records. This week our community is set to break the record for hottest day ever, and yet officially summer has barely begun. 

We live on the WEsT COAST - we get a lot of rain here. When we have a hot dry spell areas normally kept wet year round experience the hatching of a bizzillion mosquitoes. Those eggs have been just waiting and waiting and waiting for this type of drying to finally hatch & begin their search for blood. 

Standing in our yard you can see GROUPS and groups of swarming mosquitoes the moment a living thing arrives. 

My husband and I take turns going out to water the hanging baskets. If only one of us went daily during this hot spell we might be in need of a blood transfusion before the weather turns back to our normal cooler temperatures.  

The photo above is a close up of the shirt that I gave my dad many years ago. He's retired Canadian Military, and lived in Manitoba at the time. The Canadian Prairies are well known for their large mosquitoes. 

This is one of the treasures we have found while helping my dad declutter & downsize for his move to a smaller place.

I also found this Homestead record which I didn't know about when I ordered copies of my own from the Saskatchewan Archives several years ago. I opened an envelope, and realized I could have seen the homestead grant years before I paid to get a copy. 

I also found the documents for my maternal great grandparents home in Calgary, but that will wait for another day!

Back to my theme of groups of mosquitoes. When my great grandparents arrived to Canada in June of 1909 from Ukraine they were introduced to mosquitoes while traveling by oxen & wagon with all their worldly goods from Star City to brother Mikita's homestead in Gronlid where the family would eventually obtain the nearby homestead above.

The family of 5 (Alexander, Mary, 11 year old Johanna, 6 year old Harry, 3 year old Stephania) traveled on the ship Willehad. They left the Port of Bremen on June 2nd 1909, and arrived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on June 19th 1909.  

I can't be sure they didn't already know mosquitoes because my searching suggest Ukraine does have mosquitoes even though the memoirs I read of the Ukrainian immigrant experience suggested they didn't. Maybe it was just the size of the Canadian mosquitoes that were different. 

"... 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

"When the women saw their little log cabin, which was to be their home for a while, they wept, and almost ganged up on their husbands, and if they had ropes, I believe they would have lynched every last one of them. We are going right back they said, we are not remaining here to be eaten alive by these big elephants, which you call mosquitoes ..." 2

112 years & 1 week after their arrival in Canada I write this blog.
I am Canadian because my great grandparents left all they knew behind to call Canada home. All that I have, and all that I am, I owe to their desire to make a new life. 

Keeping the stories of our ancestors alive!!!

Cause ... 




You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

This is why I search - 

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1 "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 Rosenberg, Norman. "Edenbridge: The Memory Lives On." (Melfort, Saskatchewan: Phillips Publishing, 1980) 62

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

________________________________________________________________

Historical & Personal Context ~ Clyde Robertson (aka Max Pellack)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 41 (CONTEXT)



Context breathes life into names and dates making ancestors real people.  When trying to figure out where & how to search context is what provides direction. It's in the context and stories where genealogy researchers bring ancestors to life.

When I first found out that my grandfather was not Scottish I would say his family immigrated from THE UKRAINE to Saskatchewan, Canada in 1909. I didn't understand why dropping THE was so important. 


Context provides the historical reasons for why it's just UKRAINE. When under Soviet rule by the Russians Ukraine was referred to as THE UKRAINE. Now their own country removing THE is part of celebrating their independence.


I grew up not knowing my cultural background or hearing family stories. It seems that some cultural preferences are inborn. I remember coming home from school in about grade 1, and asking my mom for boiled cabbage with butter and vinegar for my after school snack. 

My dad grew up Scottish. My mom grew up Scottish & English. Cabbage was not a part of their growing up. I loved cabbage prepared in any form from a very young age.  My body knew my cultural heritage long before I did. 


Context is an important part of understanding your family's history.


When trying to figure out why my grandfather changed his name, nationality, and birthplace I researched the persecution of Ukrainian people in Canada. My ancestors were not interned during World War 1, but many Canadian Ukrainians were. Although not interned they would have been registered as enemy aliens. Having recently left Ukraine where they faced hardship the family must have been terrified. This was likely why my grandfather and his younger siblings appear to have never had their home births registered.  My grandfather was a young child growing up in a country where Ukrainian people were persecuted during his early formative years. Worldwide Ukrainian folks were persecuted. Historically it appears as though the Scottish people were accepted. It's not a surprise grandpa would choose to be Scottish.


My family followed the Ukrainian Orthodox Greek Catholic faith in Canada. Ancestry DNA showed European Jewish for at least one of his parents. When I compare my DNA matches in Ancestry I believe Alexander's ancestors were Jewish, but without knowing the history of my family I have no context to be sure. I am left making guesses.  

Alexander & Mary (nee Maximiw) Pellack
My great grandparents

In the 1926 Canadian Prairie census I found my grandfather with his usual residence listed as Edenbridge.  Edenbrige was a Jewish community that had about 50 families in the 1920s. 

Who exactly Grandpa was living with is a mystery. 

His family also listed him as residing on the farm in nearby Gronlid (Willow Creek). I'm guessing the census taker asked who usually resided there, and his parents recorded him. Possibly he didn't reside at Edenbridge full-time?  Maybe he was visiting family?

Grandpa's mother tongue residing with his parents was recorded as Ukrainian. With Edenbridge as his usual residence English was listed as his mother tongue. 


Already beginning to distance himself from his Ukrainian heritage? To the best of my knowledge he never spoke Ukrainian after meeting grandma in 1939. My dad never knew that his father wasn't Scottish. When my Ancestry DNA came back showing I was 14% European Jewish dad was confident it wasn't from his side of the family. A few months later when his results came back with 27% European Jewish he was shocked. Dad immediately embraced his heritage. Dad never knew before receiving the results.


Grandpa left home about 1930 with one name, and met Grandma in 1939 with the other. Where he was those missing almost 10 years is a mystery. How he chose the name - a mystery. 

Clyde Robertson (Max Pellack) and
Mary Elizabeth Thomson
abt 1939

Clyde & Mary (nee Thomson) Robertson
aka Max Pellack

Grandpa never talked about his childhood. He never talked about being Jewish or Ukrainian. He claimed Scotland for his heritage. Grandpa died before any of us could hear his story.

Born Ukrainian in Gronlid Saskatchewan as Max Pellack. 

Died Scottish in Winnipeg as
Clyde Robertson.




He was my grandpa. I loved him. I will never have enough context to truly understand grandpa's story. 

Me with my dad & grandpa
Clyde Robertson (Max Pellack)
I was 3 years old

Me with my dad, grandpa and grandma
Clyde Robertson (Max Pellack)
I was 9 years old

Collect the stories & context before it's too late!




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***





Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

Embracing my Heritage

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2014/12/

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
I'm back -- news from the past two years

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2016/

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

First Things First - Going Back to the Beginning of My Genealogy Blog

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/01/first-things-first.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

Treasures from the Library - Interlibrary Loans

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/01/treasures-from-library-interlibrary.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

Surprise -- I'm Ashkenazi Jewish

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/02/surprise-im-ashkenazi-jewish.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

Max Pellack ~ I'm Not a Diamond Heiress with a Tiny Flluuuffy Dog in a Sparkly Flllluuufffy Handbag!
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/03/not-diamond-heiress-with-tiny-flluuuffy.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

Reposting ~ If I Were a Man, and Wore a Cowboy Hat

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/06/reposting-if-i-were-man-and-wore-cowboy.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,

On a Virtual Walk - Visiting the Old Homestead

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/09/on-virtual-walk-visiting-old-homestead.html

Sources:

Edenbridge Saskatchewan, Canada, JewishGen,, Retrieved October 5th 2019 from
https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Edenbridge/





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Treasures from the Library - Interlibrary Loans

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 5 (At the Library)


After finding out that my grandfather was not Clyde Robertson as the family had believed I set out to figure out who he was. When I discovered he was Max Pellack born in Northern Saskatchewan I set out to find out what I could about the area my family came from. 

I was told that he was born on the homestead in Gronlid, Saskatchewan the year after his parents immigrated to Canada with their three older children. They arrived by ship from Skoryky (Скорики), Ternopil's'ka, Ukraine. Using Library & Archives Canada I was able to view a copy of the ship's manifest. Armed with a few spelling variation for the names and dates I began searching for more information about the Pellack family & the community of Gronlid.

I found that there was a history book that was written in 1991 titled OUR COURAGEOUS PIONEERS, History of Gronlid and Surrounding Districts of: Argus, Athol, Edenbridge, Freedom, Maryille, Murphy Creek, Sandhill Creek, Taelman, Teras, Teddington that was not available to purchase or borrow anywhere that I could find. I emailed the Gronlid library to ask if there was any way that I could borrow their copy of the book. I explained that I didn't know anything about my Gronlid family because my grandfather had changed his name and left them behind, but I understood there was some information about my great grandparents in the book. The librarian replied that there was no way for me to borrow the book, but she transcribed the page about my grandparents that included information about my grandfather and his siblings.

This little bit of info about my probable family left me hungry for more. I sent an email to the Interlibrary loan department of my library explaining that the book seemed to not be available via any source, but maybe she could work her magic for me. 

About a month later I was notified that she had managed to find a way to borrow it for me, but there might be a fee. I was willing to pay the fee so she went ahead with the order. When it arrived there was no charge. The book was leather bound, 11 inches by 9 inches, and 2.5 inches thick. It was full of detailed listings about families and their people.  I had never been so excited to take a book home from the library before. This was one beautiful book. I opened the book right there in the library to the page about my grandparents, and discovered the librarian had scribed word for word for me what was there. What she hadn't told me was there was a photo. This was the first time I had ever seen my great grandparents. 

Mary (nee Maximiw) and Alexander Pellack

As I looked at the photo of my great grandparents I realized that my dad sort of looked like his grandmother, and that I shared some features as well. My uncle looked so much like his grandfather. I was still uncertain that Clyde Robertson really was Max Pellack even with the similarities.

I only had the book for 2 weeks because it was a library book that had to go back to the Gronlid public library.  I pored over the details making copious notes. Still uncertain these were my relatives. How could I ever be sure? I scanned a few pages feeling uncertain that I wanted to store information about people that might not even be my relatives. 

On an interesting side note I found my husband's coworker and his family listed in the book. We were both surprised to discover our people had been neighbours. They may have even been connected socially. There is so much I will never know about my family of origin.

It was a couple of years later when my Ancestry DNA results confirmed that Clyde Robertson really was Max Pellack.  And a couple of years after that I received a copy of the book OUR COURAGEOUS PIONEERS, HISTORY OF GRONLID.... as a present from my new found cousins.  

I spend a lot of time going over the details in the book now that I know for certain these were my relatives. There was much I missed when I had it for that two week loan period. 

I will be eternally grateful to the Gronlid public library for loaning it to me through my local library's interlibrary loan department. The first glimpse of my great grandparents, great aunt, great uncle, and cousins was an amazing experience for me. 

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 to the blog post***

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!