Iš praeities versmės

ENThe story goes about our ancestors - one branch in a wide-branched family tree - old generation of the family Geležiūnai, that was settled in an ethnographical region, a south - western part of Lithuania - Sūduva (Suvalkija, Užnemunė (literally: beyond the Neman River called as well). The story describes other families, related to our forefathers Geležiūnai through the centuries as well. [...] Because of the lack of important register books, as a main and efficient source of possible relationship facts, the Family tree, concerning the very early beginning of the family Geležiūnai, remains as an equation with some unknown people. Our ancestors (old generation of the Geležiūnai family) lived in a severe period of the country history, as well as the history of all Lithuania. While going on towards the Geležiūnai family's history research, it appeared obvious, that the moralfoundation of all the generations was based on moral qualities, such as fight for homeland, desire for knowledge, education, mutual assistance, self-respect, honesty... In time, while days passed by, these words were confirmed: in 1918-1920, brothers Jonas Geležiūnas (1895- 1971) and Antanas-Vincas Geležiūnas (1897-1974) (sons of Vincentas Geležiūnas (1862-1944) and Agnieška (Kovaliūnaitė) Geležiūnienė (1864-1920) were among the first soldiers-volunteers of Naumiestis, joining fighters for freedom and independence of Lithuania. [...] Passing the ways of the history of the city Kudirkos Naumiestis as well as the family Geležiūnai, we can be acquainted with the other name - our ancestor Vincentas (Vincas) Geležiūnas (born in 1838) (a son of Mateush Geležiūnas and Barbara Raczkowska), a father of Vincentas Geležiūnas (born in 1862, mentioned in a story above). All the names of our ancestors from the 18-19th centuries we can find in the books of birth, marriagies and death, that were kept in the Roman Catholic Churche of Kudirkos Naumiestis. [...].Having looked through numerous register scripts, it occured, that surnames Geležius, Geležiūnas, written however in different style, mean (mostly in all cases) the same person of the family. [...] The root of the word - family name Geležiūnas in Lithuanian language is the same as one of the word geležis (iron - in English). The very essential features of this word lie in the characters of many members in the family Geležiūnai. We have made our acquaintace with the old generation of the Geležiūnai family. The passed years have revealed the best features of the ancestors of the Family: talented engineers, doctors, teachers, managers, economists, specialists in cultural work and professionals in many other different jobs have been educated as well. From generation to generation a substantial, distinguishing feature, as a red line in the Geležiūnai family can be observed - setting high moral duties for themselves primarily. And only after that - cherishing hope that this feature will be accepted by somebody else.