I have been in contact with Constance for awhile now and she told me about your messages.
They are fasinating. Particularly the last message.
The wandering seems to fit everything I know about my grandfather and my father. It must be in our blood. It must also be in our blood to look at the world differently - I sure do.
Tell me something aboput yourself Tatiana.

That's interesting about the Ukranians emigrating to Canada only to be placed in concentration camps. I was not aware of that. I did want to research what happenend in the areas between Rostov and Us-Labinsk on the eastern edge of the Ukraine, the Cossak region during WWI and WWII. I believe those areas were occupied. We had relatives in that region and never found out their fate, whether they escaped, emigrated to another country, or died in the turmoil and fighting.

Yes, the history of the Bieguns or Bieguny is interesting and demonstrates the struggles and attitudes that these groups (frequently unrelated genealogically)held centuries ago.
As to wandering, and your father and grandfather, you have to remember Russia saw a great deal of turmoil, invasion, wars, disruption of family life: that could account somewhat for the "wandering spirit:" People had to flee real danger. To this day we do not know what happened to our relatives during the Citizens War, then WWI and WWII in the eastern edge of Ukraine, the Sea of Azov area, between Rostov and Ust-Labintsk.
For more information about the Bieguny, you might want to look up this book; I mentioned it in the message to Constance Biegun and quoted from it: RUSSIA OF THE RUSSIANS by Harold Whitmore Williams, published in 1914, London, Sir Isaac Pitman Sons

Tatiana:
Where do you live?
Obviously, I am in the US. But in the Northeasst near Boston.
Rich

Tatiana,

Do you have a personal e-mail you wouldn't mind sharing for messages? Actually, I want to speak to you about someone that read your e-mail recently and is posting personal questions. I think there are some things you need to know before you discuss any personal matters. The on-line message system is not confidential. You can e-mail me at cwatson@post.com

My father and his family came from Pinsk in the early 1900's. Abraham, Bessie, Lillian, Eva children of Guse (Gittel Snyder) Begun and Max Begun.

I have two brothers, Marshall born in Chicago in 1925 and Julius born in New York 1934 and myself, Sally Begun Gloyd born 1942 in Logan, West Virginia.

Do we click anywhere? Anxious to hear from you.

Sally

Our Begum/Begum was also Max, his first wife was Fanny and the second was Bertha. Max and Bertha came to the US (New York) about 1899 from Dvinsk/Minsk/Pinsk. As you can see there is some confusion as the proper spelling of the name and which was the originating town. On the way to America they stopped in England and Scotland, Jacob Fanwick was born in Edinboro, Scotland. (Their name was changed to Fanwick during their time in Englans/Scotland. Or the other theory is that Max obtained a passport while in Russia that used Fanwick.).

I am starting to research my family tree and since my father Louis Begun died when I was three it has been an adventure. I know that my fathers uncle name was Max Begun and he was married to a women named Fanny. My grandfather came here from Pinsk in the early 1900.s. any more information that you have would be helpfull. Thanks

The Begun/Begums became Fanwicks and I am married to Eric Fanwick and my hobby is genealogy. If I am corrected you and Eric are 1st cousins twice removed. If I remember correctly, my father-in-law saying Louis was a painter and lived in New Jersey and they lost contact. Does any of this ring a bell?