His marriage was witnessed by an apparent relative of his, “Julius BORKOWSI” and his bride’s brother, Samuel LÜCK. [4197] And Emil was a witness at Samuel’s marriage. [4207]

The census records say that Emil Borkoski immigrated 1899 or 1900, and was naturalized in 1910. One possibility is that he arrived on 6 Jul 1901, having departed from Bremen, on board the S.S. Konigin Luise, under the name Emil Borkowski. This man, age 20, was a farmer of Russian nationality, whose last residence I'm having trouble reading but might be “Ostrowic” (which if correct probably means Ostrowiec – there appear to be several places in Poland by that name). He indicated he was on his way to see his (unnamed) brother in Philadelphia. But at this point I cannot be sure he is the Emil who ended up in Springwells, Michigan, three years later.


The 1910 census of Detroit, list a Julius BERKOWSI, b. ca. 1884, Austria.

The Detroit city directories of 1912 & 1914 list a Julius BORKOWSI.

In 1942, a Julius BORKOWSKI of Hamtramck, Wayne Co., MI, registered for the draft, stating his date of birth as 29-JUN-1894, in Poland.
Thus he may have been too young to be the witness at Emil’s wedding.

I did find a Petition for Naturalization, dated 25 Jul 1905, for a Julius BORKOWSKI, of Pittsburgh, PA, who arrived in the US 18 Jun 1902, from Rotterdan, stating that he was born 16 Apr 1876 in Suwalski (Suwalki, Poland ?), Russia. His wife was Maryanna Borkowski. Julius became a citizen, 15 Mar 1918. So the dates and places are not a very good match. Note- higher quality image of document at Fold3.
But no naturalization records for Emil found on Fold3 or Ancestry.
A naturalization index lists a “Julus BORKOSKI” born 4 Jun 1883; naturalization date 25 Apr 1918, Detroit, District Court.