So I, like most genealogists, have a “brick wall.” An ancestor whose forbears remain completely unknown to me due to lack of information. It’s super-frustrating.

I am looking for the parents of John Post, who was born in 1856 and emigrated from Neidenburg, Prussia (today it’s Nidzica, Poland). Naturalized US citizen in 1897. His wife’s name was Anna Meredith. He’s my great-great-grandfather.

Here’s the problem. There’s a family story (there always is) that John Post was one of three brothers who lost their parents somehow and went to live with another family, taking on the name of Post. No one knows what their original name was. Grandma Post says “Oh, I think Herman Post knew what it was” but of course Herman Post is no longer with us and hasn’t been since 1972. According to Grandma, the name sounded something like “Rexie.” That is totally not anyone’s actual name and doesn’t sound German OR Polish.

I asked on the Polish Genealogy Facebook group and someone suggested the name Reksa and said there were Reksas living in the area where John Post came from. Which is HUGE AND EXCITING. I haven’t followed up on it yet but finally, a clue!! I wonder where it will lead…

John Post and Anna Meredith