Czarkowo is a wies (village) in the district of Poniec, the kreis (county) of Gostyn, and the Polish province of Wielkopolska in west-central Poland. This was the home of Joseph and Constantia Jankowski (Lena's great-grandparents)during the 1830's. In 1831, it was the birthplace of Constantin Jankowski (Lena's grandfather). His brother Franciscus had been born there in 1830, and it is possible that other siblings were born in Czarkowo whose records  have not yet been found. Constantin was raised in Czarkowo, and lived here until after marrying. See Czarkowo timeline.

Drzewce is the next village south of Czarkowo. It was here that Chrysostomo Frackowiak (who was born on September 14, 1797 in Czarkowo), married Marianna Ottowna on September 8, 1820. On July 29, 1831, Marianna gave birth to Barbara Frackowiak, who would grow up to marry Constantin Jankowski. Barbara's sister Marianna was also born in Drzewce. Other siblings may have been born here, but those records have not yet been turned up.

Czarkowo and Drzewce lie approximately 1.5 km (1 mile) apart. Both the Jankowski's and the Frackowiak's attended the same Catholic church in Poniec, approximately 4 km from Drzewce. Poniec was the larger community in the area, the seat of the county, and the market town.

According to the marriage record of Constantin Jankowski and Barbara Frackowiak, they were married in Czarkowo on October 17, 1852. Sometime after that, they moved to Charlub, where Constantin accepted a job tending horses for the manor owner. Barbara gave birth to Ignatius Jankowski in Charlub on July 23, 1858. This is the first known record of the family in Charlub,  but he was not the first-born. A daughter, Marianna was born in 1853. Her birth record has not yet been located, so it has not yet been determined if the family had already moved to Charlub in 1853.