A Family of Immigrants

Polish? Really?  Doug always thought his father was of Italian descent, but not so. In fact, to look at him, he's always had a darker complexion, and thick, dark hair, just an Italian look.  And we already knew from marriage certificates and birth certificates that on his mothers side, his great grandparents were all (well 3 of them) immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and Great Britain-  so his attributes really didn't seem like they'd come from any of those countries.  But now we also know that Doug's father's line were also recent immigrants, his great grandfather (same generation) on that side, came over from either Poland or Austria.  The census records had 2 different birthplaces for Stanleys father, but... I also found a mention of Polish recipes in a family obituary, and found a link to a Polish family heritage page being searched by someone else researching the family name.  So, it's looking like Poland is the right location.  The last name was also changed twice in those census records, from Wufkowski to Lukawski, and finally to Lucas.  I'm guessing that there was some problem with translation when the census was taken.  So right now, I still have some more branches to research, his grandmother & great grandparents on her side, and still have the one branch of his mothers side for great grandparents to get more on, but everyone so far in his line has been immigrants just 3 generations back from him.  Just another interesting fact to build on... 

The Background of the Search

Following up today... I initially started this blog with a long, detailed description on my husbands history & why he wanted to find his father, and then the details of how we found him & what we found out.  But after we posted it, he rethought it and asked me to keep some of it off the site.  We just found family members of Doug's and really aren't sure if they'll appreciate names & family info out on the web like that, so.... less specific info.
However, in order to locate more family members, some things have to be put on this site....
My husband, Doug Jr., was born in Elko, NV, in 1971, but grew up back where his mother was from in Pennsylvania, and then in Ohio.  His father, Douglas Lee Lucas, Sr., was a trucker, born May 23, 1936 in NJ.  Doug's Jr's brothers were named after Doug Sr's family members, Stanley (Sr's father) and Kerry (Sr's brother).  Doug Sr. also had a brother Paul, a sister Elsa, and has a brother Carl.  Since the family history is to carry down the family names, I wanted to put them in here in case any other children out there find that these same names are in their family. 
Doug Sr. was a trucker and a polygamist who married numerous women in diffent states, incluing Arizona, NJ, and Pennsylvania, and possibly California & Missouri.  We don't know where else he was married, but we'd like to find out, and I'm working on the research.