An Archivist’s Note on Ongoing Family Research
Family history is rarely static. It evolves through corrections, recollections, and conversations that surface details not captured in official records. The following account documents a series of clarifications, shared memories, and open questions that emerged during collaborative research in August 2020.
A Correction to the Record
A previously shared family story regarding Jane Plourde required correction. Contrary to earlier belief, she did not drown in the Androscoggin River. According to family recollection confirmed by Jack Gamache, Jane drowned in a pond near her home in Lisbon, Maine.
This correction underscores how oral tradition, while invaluable, benefits from periodic review and cross-checking among family members.
The Kielbasa Tradition
One of the most meaningful recollections to surface involved a shared Slovak family tradition: smoking kielbasa for Christmas.
Jack Gamache recalled traveling to Durham, Maine, with his father, George Elcik, and Bob Elcik’s father to the home of John Elcik. John Elcik maintained a smokehouse, and it was there that the men learned the process of smoking kielbasa—ensuring the family would have it for the Christmas holiday.
After John Elcik’s death, the smoking of kielbasa continued at George Elcik’s home. This tradition links foodways, place, and inter-family connection, illustrating how cultural practices often carry genealogical significance beyond names and dates.
Recipes and Family Craft
Further clarification established that the kielbasa recipe originated with George Elcik, while the homebrew beer recipe came from Edmond, Jack’s grandfather.
Family members recalled the homebrew as a dark, strong beer—well-loved by Edmond. While the recipe itself has been lost over time, the memory of its making remains part of the family’s shared heritage.
Research Maintenance and Collaboration
During this period, Beth Gamache was actively reviewing and correcting family trees on Ancestry. These efforts included fixing errors in the Lucas family, where Rosemary had been incorrectly listed as a child rather than the spouse of Rodney, and adding a missing maiden name—Grondin—which revealed an additional kinship connection to Jack through his father.
Additional corrections were identified in the Purinton, Goddard, and Day family lines. Some updates were temporarily delayed due to recovery from minor surgery, reflecting the human realities that often intersect with genealogical work.
The Elcik Question
A recurring question remained unresolved: are the two Elcik families connected through brothers or earlier shared ancestors?
Despite strong circumstantial indicators—shared locations, overlapping traditions, and repeated interactions—no surviving records have yet confirmed such a relationship. The possibility remains open and is documented as an ongoing line of inquiry rather than a concluded fact.
A Renewed Connection
In August 2020, progress was made in reconnecting with Bob Elcik, son of George Elcik. Bob and his wife, Peggy, were located in Pennsylvania, and a lengthy phone conversation renewed family ties.
Bob confirmed memories of traveling to Durham to make kielbasa, but was unable to provide additional information regarding his grandfather’s ancestry.
Archivist’s Reflection
This exchange illustrates the living nature of genealogy. Errors are corrected. Stories are refined. Connections are rediscovered. Mysteries remain, waiting for future evidence.
As with many family histories, the record ends not with a conclusion, but with an understanding that the story is still being written.
To be continued.