Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Edward C. Gwiazdowski


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Edward C. Gwiazdowski and one of his descendants down to the second generation.


First Generation
1. Edward C. Gwiazdowski,1 born ca. 1902, the son of Andrew J. Gwiazdowski and Veronica Kozlowski;1 died 1929.2 Edward married Bertha May Clark3, 4 (born 10 November 1904 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut, the daughter of John Leonard Clark and Elizabeth Chapel;3 Bertha died 28 January 1981 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut3). Edward is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut.2 Bertha is buried in Westfield Cemetery, Danielson, Windham County, Connecticut.3

Bertha had six children from two marriages and two partnerships. The obituary for Bertha Wheeler names five of her children: sons Edward Gwiazdowski, Russell Nadeau, and Nathan Wilcox, and daughters Marge Anilowski and Shirley Botelho. Her daughter Dolores Fox is inexplicably not included.3

Her first marriage to Edward Gwiazdowski in the early 1920s produced one child, also named Edward Gwiazdowski, born in 1924. Her husband Edward died in 1929, and Bertha married Emil William Nadeau the next year. It is believe that Bertha and Emil had no children together, and that their marriage was short and ended in divorce. The cause may have been related to Bertha giving birth to daughter Marguerite (Marge) in late 1930, and to daughter Shirley in late 1931, both by William Hanna, who is identified as their father in Shirley’s obituary (she died in 2002). The same obituary also lists Marilyn Daniel as a sister of Shirley, but Marilyn is believed to be the daughter of William and a woman other than Bertha. William Hanna has not been found in any other records.

Neither Bertha, husband Emil, nor son Edward have been found in the 1930 census, and nothing more is known about Emil. Bertha is probably the Mrs. Bertha M. Nadeau shown in the 1933-37 city directories for New London, Connecticut.

Family sources indicate that Bertha had two children by John McPherson, although his name has not been found in any associated records. Their son Russell was born in 1937 in New London, and their daughter Dolores was born in 1938 in the Connecticut State Farm for Women, Niantic, (now York Correctional Institution) while Bertha was incarcerated there. Both Dolores and Russell were born with the Nadeau surname since Bertha continued to use her married name Nadeau until 1943 when she married Nathan W. Wheeler. Their son Nathan W. Wheeler, Jr., was born in 1945.


Child of Edward C. Gwiazdowski and Bertha May Clark:

+2i. Edward Charles ‘Cochise’ Gwiazdowski, born 1 February 1924 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut; died 3 September 2000 in West Haven, Connecticut. Married Dorothy May Lacharite (née Evans) .

  1. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Connecticut, New London County, Norwich, Enumeration District 537, Sheet 26B, family of Andrew and Veronica Gwiazdowski.
  2. Headstone, St. Joseph Cemetery, Norwich, Connecticut, Gwiazdowski: Andrew J., wife Veronica, son Frank, son Edward, and daughter Victoria.
  3. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Bertha Wheeler, 29 January 1981
  4. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Edward Charles Gwiazdowski, 13 September 2000. This is the obituary for the son of Bertha (Clark) and Edward C. Gwiazdowski.
Second Generation
2. Edward Charles ‘Cochise’ Gwiazdowski2 (Edward1), born 1 February 1924 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut;1 died 3 September 2000 in West Haven, Connecticut.1 Cochise married, 29 April 1961 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut, Dorothy May Lacharite (née Evans) 3 (born 2 October 1921 in Waterford, New London County, Connecticut, the daughter of Joseph Evans and Emma May Loomis;2 Dorothy died 4 June 1993 in New Haven, Connecticut2). Cochise is buried in Union Cemetery, Waterford, New London County, Connecticut.1

Edward served in the US Army in WWII. He worked at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant for 20 years, and later at New London Motorcycle Sales in Groton.1


  1. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Edward Charles Gwiazdowski, 13 September 2000.
  2. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Dorothy E. Gwiazdowski, 6 June 1993
  3. Index to marriage, death, and land records, Montville, Connecticut, Town Hall Website, file number 1961-00000021, marriage of Dorothy May Lacharite and Edward Charles Gwiazdowski