Family albums · Francine’s family overview
On this page: William and Mary in Sayreville · Family photographs · Open questions · Sources and evidence
The Wistuba family is documented in Sayreville, New Jersey. In the 1930 census, William Wistuba and his wife Mary appear with daughter Viola in their household. This supports the family research identifying them as Viola Wistuba Samuel’s parents. [1] [3]
A New Jersey marriage index records Mary Turbak and William Wystuba in 1916, state file 40322. This is a strong candidate for the couple later found in Sayreville, although the full marriage certificate is still needed to test the connection and identify their parents, if recorded. The index does not give a month or place. [5] [1]
William and Mary in Sayreville
Birth reported in a later record. William’s registration card gives December 31, 1893, and Sayreville, New Jersey, as his birth date and place. It is a registration record, not a birth certificate. [2]
1920 · A young household. The census records William, age 27 and born in New Jersey, with his wife Mary, age 26 and born in Poland, and their young son, also named William, in Sayreville. William’s parents are reported as born in Germany, but are not named in this record. [7]
1921 · A birth-index lead. A Middlesex County birth index records Viola Wistuba on March 20, 1921, volume 78, page 213. This is a candidate entry for Viola Wistuba Samuel. The index does not identify her parents or a specific town, and the original birth certificate has not been inspected. [10]
A Social Security applications-and-claims index links Viola Wistuba with the names Viola Wistuba Samuel and Viola Samuel, naming her parents as William Wistuba and Mary Turbank. It reports her birth as February 20, 1921 in Sayreville, whereas the New Jersey birth-index candidate gives March 20. A family-held memorial card for Viola M. Samuel also prints March 20, 1921, although its dates have no explicit birth or death labels. The card adds support for the March date; the original birth record is still needed to resolve the conflict and verify the index candidate. [11] [10] [13]
1930 · The family in Sayreville. William and Mary appear with their children, including daughter Viola. [1]
The 1940 census records Mary as widowed in Sayreville, with children including Viola. This later household record does not establish William’s exact death date. [6]
October 1940 · Viola’s wedding. The Daily Home News reported the marriage of Viola Marie Wistuba, daughter of Mrs. Mary Wistuba of 12 Haag Street, to Frank E. Samuels Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Samuels of 575 Main Street. The ceremony took place at St. Stanislaus Church on Saturday. From the newspaper’s Monday, October 14, 1940 publication date, the wedding date is inferred as October 12, 1940. The report preserves the groom’s surname as Samuels. [12]
Viola’s sisters. The 1940 census lists Viola, Sophie, Jane and Mildred as Mary Wistuba’s daughters. [6] The owner identifies Sophie Winkler, Jane and Millie Trent beside Viola in her DuPont retirement photograph. [14] A 1944 marriage index pairs Sophie Wistuba with Edward W. Winkler, and Sophie’s 2004 obituary names Mildred Trent as her sister. [15] [16] Jane C. Wistuba and Philip Scibilia appear together in the April 1954 marriage index. [17] Her memorial card names her Jane Wistuba Scibilia, born June 14, 1929 and died November 16, 1977; Philip’s 1993 obituary names his late wife Jane Westuba Scibilia and agrees that she died in 1977. These records strongly support the Scibilia identification of the photograph’s Jane and Phil. [18] [19]
Family photographs
Viola’s retirement
A wedding photograph with an uncertain occasion
Open questions
A family-held memorial card for Mary Wistuba prints January 15, 1892 and February 7, 1976. A Social Security Death Index entry for Mary Wistuba of Sayreville instead gives January 15, 1893 and death in February 1976. The original New Jersey death index agrees on February 7, 1976. None names her husband, parents or maiden surname, so the connection to William’s wife Mary and the Turbak marriage entry still needs confirmation. The birth-year conflict remains open. These records are kept separate from the older Mary in Charles Wistuba’s household below. [25] [26] [27] [5]
An earlier Sayreville census records Charles and Mary Wistuba with a son William in 1910. A 1900 household with Charles, Mary and their children appears to match that family through the parent and sibling names, although its recorded surname is not confidently read. The 1900 census gives William’s birth as November 1890, while the 1910 census lists him as 18. Both entries conflict with the December 1893 date on the later registration card. The connection to Viola’s father therefore remains unproved; a birth or marriage record linking him to this household is still needed before these parents can be added to the direct line. Neither census establishes Mary’s maiden surname. [9] [8] [2]
The New Brunswick Times of April 3, 1915 names Charles Vestuba’s widow Annie and seven surviving children: Charles, Frank, William, Henry, John, August and Matilda. The Home News list uses Gustave instead of August. This resembles the earlier census family, but does not identify its William as Viola’s father. [22] [23]
The original 1915 state census places Mary Westuba with Frank, William, Henry, John, Gus and Tillie in Sayreville. William’s birth is recorded as December 1887 and his age as 24, an inconsistency in the record itself. The form does not state relationships. Whether this Mary was the Annie named in the newspapers remains unresolved. [24]
A January 1910 return passenger list records Karl Wistuber, 53, Mary, 57, and Tilly, 7, going home to Sayreville, New Jersey. The surname was corrected on the original. An annotation names the Common Pleas Court in Middlesex, New Jersey, and November 1888. This agrees in court, month and year with Karl Wistuba’s separately preserved naturalization, granted November 2, 1888; the manifest’s day is unread. The family group and destination strengthen comparison with the earlier Charles/Mary census household. They do not establish that its William was Viola’s father, Mary’s maiden surname, or a European hometown. [M1] [M2]
The fuller proposed names Carl/Charles Alexander Anton Wistuba and Mary Kuntne remain contributed-tree claims, not established parentage. The family’s exact European origin and immigration route remain unresolved. [3] [4]
Millie is a likely match for Mildred Wistuba Trent, whose maiden surname is recorded in a later family obituary. [14] [20] A September 1951 marriage-index entry names Amelia M. Wistuba and Joseph G. Trent. Whether Amelia and Mildred were the same person, and whether Joseph G. was the photograph’s Joe Trent, remain unproved. [21]
Further research
Current priorities are proving Mary’s Turbak maiden name from original evidence, identifying William’s parents, and connecting the New Jersey family to a specific European town.
Sources and evidence
[1] 1930 U.S. census, Sayreville Borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey, William Wistuba household, lines 17–23. Family-held scan “2026-09-04 16.41 TINY SCANNER (1).pdf,” page 2. Printed Ancestry image reference: NJT626_1368-1029, collection 6224. The saved census image was re-read for this draft.
[2] William Wistuba registration card. Same family-held scan, page 9. Printed Ancestry image reference: NJ-1712350-4957, collection 6482. The saved card image was re-read for this draft; it is a registration record, not a birth certificate.
[3] “Francine Genealogy — Comprehensive Master Handoff,” prepared September 4, 2026, Wistuba section, pages 3–4. This compiled research summary preserves the distinction between the census-supported William/Mary household and the unresolved Turbak surname and earlier parentage.
[4] “Francine Genealogy — Portable Research Structure,” Wistuba checkpoint dated September 19, 2026, saved September 20. The checkpoint retains Carl/Charles Alexander Anton Wistuba and Mary Kuntne as an unproven parentage claim based on derivative-tree evidence.
[5] New Jersey brides marriage index, 1915–1919, T–Z, archive leaf 100: Mary Turbak; William Wystuba; state file 40322; year 16. The original index image was checked. This remains a candidate match to the Sayreville household; the full certificate has not been inspected.
[6] 1940 U.S. census, New Jersey, Middlesex County, Sayreville, enumeration district 12-149, sheet 1A, April 2, lines 1–7; NARA T627, roll 2363, image m-t0627-02363-00079.jpg. The original image was checked; Mary is recorded as widowed.
[7] 1920 U.S. census, New Jersey, Middlesex County, Sayreville Borough, enumeration district 64, sheet 7B, January 8, lines 52–54; NARA T625, roll 1057; Internet Archive image n467. The original image was checked. Birthplaces are census statements; the record does not name William’s parents.
[8] 1910 U.S. census, New Jersey, Middlesex County, Sayreville Township, enumeration district 43, sheet 8B, April 20, lines 65–73, dwelling 138, family 152; NARA roll 899; Internet Archive image n1035. The original image was checked. This is a candidate household; its William is not yet securely identified as Viola’s father.
[9] 1900 U.S. census, New Jersey, Middlesex County, Sayreville Township, Sayreville Village, enumeration district 61, sheet 13B, June 21, lines 73–81; NARA T623, roll 985; Internet Archive image n122. The original image was checked. The household surname is uncertain; the candidate connection to the 1910 household rests on the parent and sibling group, not a secure surname reading.
[10] New Jersey Geographic Birth Index, Middlesex County, 1920–1924, reel 68, archive leaf 556: Viola Wistuba, March 20, 1921, volume 78, page 213. The original index image was checked. This index-only identification remains qualified; the entry supplies no parents or specific town.
[11] U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007, Ancestry, record 44437307, Viola Wistuba / Viola Wistuba Samuel / Viola Samuel. Indexed birth: February 20, 1921, Sayreville; parents William Wistuba and Mary Turbank. The database transcription was checked; the original application has not been inspected.
[12] “Two Sayreville Girls Married Saturday in Church Ceremonies,” The Daily Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 14, 1940, p. 8, “Wistuba-Samuels” section; ProQuest document 2264668552. The original newspaper page was inspected. The report gives Saturday as the wedding day; October 12, 1940 is inferred from the Monday publication date. The printed groom’s surname is Samuels. Access through ProQuest may require a library subscription.
[13] Family-held memorial card for Viola M. Samuel, bearing March 20, 1921 and August 18, 1979; Maliszewski Funeral Home, South River–Sayreville, New Jersey. Owner-supplied photograph, uploaded October 5, 2026. Neither date is explicitly labeled as birth or death.
[14] Family photograph 21, Viola’s DuPont retirement celebration; owner’s identifications supplied October 7, 2026. The owner identifies Sophie Winkler, Jane and Millie Trent as Viola’s sisters and Phil as Jane’s husband. Joe Trent’s relationship and the photograph’s date remain unspecified.
[15] New Jersey marriage index, brides, 1944, archive leaf 555 / PDF page 556: Sophie Wistuba; Edward W. Winkler. The original index image was checked by two readers. It gives the year, without an exact date, locality, parents or file number for this entry.
[16] “Sophie Wistuba Winkler,” Suburban, January 29, 2004, p. 26. The original newspaper page was inspected. It names husband Edward Winkler and sister Mildred Trent and reports Sophie’s death on January 24, 2004, at age 79. No parents or exact birth date appear.
[17] New Jersey marriage index, brides, 1954, L–Z, archive leaf 359 / PDF page 360: Jane C. Wistuba; Philip Scibilia; state file 09460; place code 12603; April 1954. The reciprocal groom index, leaf 233 / PDF page 234, gives the same entry. Both original images were checked. These are two index views of one marriage. The indexes give no exact day or parents. The full certificate has not been inspected; C. and the place code are left unexpanded.
[18] Family-held memorial card for Jane Wistuba Scibilia, Bronson & Son Funeral Home, Milltown–Spotswood, New Jersey; owner-supplied album photograph IMG_0385.jpeg. The card explicitly labels “Born June 14, 1929” and “Died November 16, 1977.” The original image was checked.
[19] “Philip Scibilia,” The Citizen, June 17, 1993, p. 8. The original newspaper page was inspected. It names his wife Jane Westuba Scibilia and says she died in 1977. Westuba is the newspaper’s spelling. It supplies no exact birth or death day for Philip.
[20] “Diane M. Marsicano,” Maxwell-Tobie Funeral Home obituary, accessed October 7, 2026. It names her parents Joseph Trent and Mildred (Wistuba) Trent. This supplies the Wistuba–Trent name connection and parental pairing; it does not explicitly state their marriage or identify the photograph’s Joe. December 23, 2024 is Diane’s stated death date, not a verified publication date.
[21] New Jersey marriage index, brides, 1951, L–Z, archive leaf 390 / PDF page 391: Amelia M. Wistuba; Joseph G. Trent; state file 36823; place code 12603; September 1951. The original index image was checked by multiple readers. It supplies no exact day, parents or age. M. and the place code remain unexpanded, and Amelia has not been identified as Mildred.
[22] New Brunswick Times, April 3, 1915, Charles Vestuba formal death notice and obituary. The original page was checked. The notice reports death on April 2 and names wife Annie; the obituary names widow Annie and seven surviving children. Its heading appears “CHARLES BESTUBA,” while the body uses Vestuba. The printed page number has not been established.
[23] “Charles Vestuba Passes Away,” The Daily Home News, April 3, 1915, Sayreville column. The original page was checked. It names six surviving sons and daughter Matilda; the wife is unnamed. Its list uses Gustave, where the Times uses August. The printed page number has not been established.
[24] New Jersey State Census, 1915, Middlesex County, Sayreville Township, enumeration district First, sheet 1 B, June 1, dwelling 21, family 22, lines 88–94; Mary Westuba group. Ancestry collection 61558, original image 48182_554658-00311. The original was checked. The form has no relationship-to-head column; dwelling and family numbers are not a street address. The December 1887 birth year and age 24 are retained as written. Access may require an Ancestry subscription.
[25] Family-held memorial card for Mary Wistuba, owner-supplied album photograph IMG_0382.jpeg. The original image was checked. It prints January 15, 1892 and February 7, 1976, with neither date explicitly labeled as birth or death. It supplies no maiden surname, husband or parents.
[26] U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014, Ancestry collection 3693, record 68382842, Mary Wistuba. Indexed birth: January 15, 1893; death: February 1976; last residence: Sayreville, New Jersey. The database entry was checked; this is an SSA-derived index, not the original Social Security application. Access may require an Ancestry subscription.
[27] New Jersey death index, cumulative annual 1976, prepared June 6, 1977, printed page 0884, Mary Wistuba, state file 9086; death-place code 1242; residence code 1260; date February 7, 1976. Ancestry collection 61260, original image death_index_1976_o-z-00292. The original index image was checked. It gives no birth date, age, spouse, parents or maiden surname; the underlying death certificate has not been inspected. Access may require an Ancestry subscription.
[M1] New York arriving passenger list, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, January 1910 arrival (indexed January 16), NARA T715, roll 1400, printed list 35, lines 16–18: Karl, Mary and Tilly Wistuber. Two original manifest pages inspected. Original image 1 · Original image 2.
[M2] Karl Wistuba, Middlesex County naturalization bundle 465: declaration November 1, 1886; admission November 2, 1888. Original oath, wrapper and grant index inspected in prior research. Original image.