PG 127. Births from the Baptismal Record of Saint Stanislaw Kostka Church, 1879-1889. Thomas L. Hollowak 1992. 76 pages, indexed, paper. & Polish Baptisms in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 1869-1890. Thomas L. Hollowak 2000. 61 pages, indexed, paper. $7.99 [ISBN 1-8871-2432-2]

The St. Stanislaw Kostka book is unique because it is not a faithful transcription of the baptismal record, but an altered abstract. The volume provides the names and dates of birth for individuals baptized during the first decade of Baltimore's premier Polish Parish. It is arranged alphabetically by family groups and includes the names of parents and godparents.

When the first Polish immigrants settled in Baltimore around 1868 they attended the German parish of St. Michael's, on Wolfe Street, in Fell's Point. The first decade of St. Stanislaw Kostka was a tumultous period of protracted struggles for control of the parish between the pastor and lay members of the congregation. This would eventually lead to the formation of the second Polish parish, but until that occured some of the Poles returned to St. Michael the Archangel. After the death of Holy Rosary's first pastor, Rev. Piotr Chowaniec strife arose in that parish between the new pastor and the laity. Once again some of the Poles returned to St. Michael's. Of course, there had always been a small group of the early Polish settlers who had taken a German spouse and remained at the parish during the entire period covered by this volume.

Like the St. Stanislaw's book this volume is arranged alphabetically by the father's surname and provides name of child, date of birth, parents full name and their place of origin.