Author Topic: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?  (Read 86352 times)

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Annie

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A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« on: July 19, 2005, 03:26:56 PM »
Can someone help me? I just found this in one of those free papers they throw on your porch. This lady was apparently from my town, in VA, south of Richmond and not big. I have heard of the Yarborough family and went to school with some of them, my daughter even went out with one, but I never heard there was a Romanov connection even though I've been a Romanov freak since age 12 (now some 31 years)

So what do you make of this? It says she was the daughter of the son of Alexander II? It doesn't mention her age but she must have been old! Does the name of the guy who was supposed to be the Romanov ring a bell, it doesn't for me. Is it one of his kids by the young wife or what? And how can she be a Grand Duchess, I thought the only 'official' one now was Maria V.? Anyone know?

Jeanette P. Yarborough

Grand Duchess Jeanette Prokofieff Romanov, daughter of Leona Victoria Ackerman and Grand Duke Vicktor Maxim Prokofieff Romanov, son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Dr. Marie Vereschagan Prokofieff, died Thursday, July 7, at her residence.


There is a lot of personal info on her funeral and her family but nothing else Romanov related. Is this for real?



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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2005, 03:36:24 PM »
Grand Duke Vicktor Maxim Prokofieff Romanov, son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Dr. Marie Vereschagan Prokofief

That should tell you all you need to know. Obviously Tsar Alexander II (or III for that matter) NEVER married "Dr. marie Verschagen Prokofief".  It sounds like this family "embellished" their history and it made its way into the obituary. IF she had even been the "daughter" of Alexander III (which she wasn't) she would have been at least 112.  This person was in no way a "genuine" Romanov, and their are no actual "Grand Dukes" in the true sense of the word (ie: the grandson of a Tsar) left at all.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by admin »

Annie

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2005, 04:00:47 PM »
Thank you, I was really wondering about this. I didn't think I'd heard the name before. I guess they're yet another bunch with delusions of grandeur. Maybe we should send them a link to the claimants page;)

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Annie »

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2006, 12:37:11 PM »
Yes, sometimes people are pretty silly. Some people might have a connection though. I once met someone who said they were descended from an uncle of Anastasia's( I think they said Michael). Now, that I don't think this is possible unless they meant a great uncle..is there anyway to verify that? I will say this person looked rather like the Romanovs and was European for sure. I am just not sure if it could be true.

miller99

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2006, 03:13:20 PM »

Prokofieff was a composer
Vereschagan (Vereschagin) was a painter
Romanov was communist leader from Leningrad ;D

silly?...No...
I think old KGB agents

helenazar

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2006, 06:52:28 PM »
Maybe we should send them a link to the claimants page;)

I am sure they already are on the Claimants page  ;D. If you take a look again on the Claimants statistics thread, you will see that there are so many of these Romanovs running around all over the world: they must be the most prolific family on earth!  ::)



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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2006, 08:40:50 AM »
That is so true..it is better to just to be what you are. These people don't seem to think so, for various reasons. I think I should start a thread ''reasons for being a claimant'', about what motivates these individuals. Is there one already?

helenazar

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2006, 08:47:21 AM »
BTW, "Romanov" is a very common name in Russia, sort of like "Jones". Maybe that's the reason?  ;)

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2006, 11:49:57 AM »
Yes, perhaps... but I want to start a serious thread on reasons for being a claimant. It is all so silly.. ;)

her daughter

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2015, 09:37:23 PM »
Can someone help me? I just found this in one of those free papers they throw on your porch. This lady was apparently from my town, in VA, south of Richmond and not big. I have heard of the Yarborough family and went to school with some of them, my daughter even went out with one, but I never heard there was a Romanov connection even though I've been a Romanov freak since age 12 (now some 31 years)

 So what do you make of this? It says she was the daughter of the son of Alexander II? It doesn't mention her age but she must have been old! Does the name of the guy who was supposed to be the Romanov ring a bell, it doesn't for me. Is it one of his kids by the young wife or what? And how can she be a Grand Duchess, I thought the only 'official' one now was Maria V.? Anyone know?

Jeanette P. Yarborough

Grand Duchess Jeanette Prokofieff Romanov, daughter of Leona Victoria Ackerman and Grand Duke Vicktor Maxim Prokofieff Romanov, son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Dr. Marie Vereschagan Prokofieff, died Thursday, July 7, at her residence.


There is a lot of personal info on her funeral and her family but nothing else Romanov related. Is this for real?



Yarborough was my father's name, he had a son, Walter Dance Yarborough, Jr., from his first marriage and me, Leona, from his marriage to my mother Jeannette. The newspaper release should have been Alexander III.  That is what you can see in my grandmother's obit nearly 40 years ago:

her daughter

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2015, 09:41:51 PM »
Maybe we should send them a link to the claimants page;)

I am sure they already are on the Claimants page  ;D. If you take a look again on the Claimants statistics thread, you will see that there are so many of these Romanovs running around all over the world: they must be the most prolific family on earth!  ::)




No, no one in my family has ever made a "claim". In fact, my grandfather preferred obscurity and his past was a closely guarded secret.

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2015, 04:19:33 AM »
Whatever the "secret" of your grandfather's past was, being "son of Alexander III" was never ever ever ever part of it.  He was certainly no "Grand Duke".  Total BS, if you forgive my French.

The children of Alexander III:
Nicholas Alexandrovich, Nicholas II of Russia
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich
Grand Duke George Alexandrovich
Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna

More clues to the ridiculousness of this claim. "Victor M. Romanov Prokofieff"??  Well, any "son" of Alexander III would have been an "Alexandrovich" not somebody with the initial M. and just how can a boy, a SON have the hyphenated name Romanov Prokofieff? 

No this person never was any remote relationship to the Imperial Family of Russia.  I wish I had a dollar for every silly old family tale that ends up here claiming relationship to the Imperial Family...

This one is indeed sillier than many in fact.

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2015, 04:29:28 AM »
I just saw the other things you posted.  The handwritten claim of lineage, the photos.  To be blunt, your grandfather lied or his mother lied to him to disguise the real affair leading to his conception.  Alexander III never had a child born out of wedlock in 1890 when he was already Emperor,  to some woman named Prokofieff. An illegitimate child born to a non noble woman of lesser rank would never ever be able to be a "Grand Duke".

Genuinely, this story get sillier and more nonsense as you keep putting stuff up.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are joined by literally thousands of similar story claimants, all of whom deliver false fairy tales handed down by ancestors who wanted to embellish their lineage.

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2015, 10:20:37 AM »
Furthermore if the man was born in Russia and a Romanov, he would be in most probability Orthodox - and in Orthodox church nobody has more than one given name. So no "Vicktor Maxim". Also, illegitimate children of the Romanovs did not bear the family name. For example son of Grand Duke MIkhail Alexandrovich was "Brassov" by surname, son of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was "Belevsky" and children of Alexander II. were "Yurievski".

her daughter

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Re: A Real Romanov in my town? What do you make of it?
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2015, 08:05:50 PM »
How newspapers wrote their names is beyond my control. Here's the thing, no one in my family ever went around making claims or telling anyone about this. There was no attempt to gain neither status nor money. His story was that his mother, married to Maxim Prokofieff, was one of Alexander III's physicians and conceived a child, my grandfather, with him. I will be the first to admit that he or his mother may have made up the entire thing. I agree, as an illegitimate son, Victor would not be entitled to the title of Grand Duke.

I would love to know the truth, whatever it may be.  I really don't understand the catty insulting replies made to my post. I was hoping someone on here may be able to point me in a research direction, but I suppose I came to the wrong place. I have no admiration of any royal family other than historical interest.  My grandfather, as a White Russian, rebelled against the Czar, and said he spent time in the Peter and Paul Fortress for his "crimes" against the czar. He must have been someone of some import however, because he was given notebooks, writing and art materials. The notebooks are in my possession, each one has a wax stamped seal on the back bearing the prison name. He was well educated, and possessed a pilot's license #123 in the Imperial Aeronautic Club.

Below are some images I have scanned to support the above. Again, I am not making a claim, but I am very curious and wish I knew more. The pencil drawing has been identified by a Russian teacher as a inner courtyard corridor in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Another notebook, not yet scanned, has a pencil the inside of a cell and barred window. Some pages are adorned with hand applied colorful borders and decorations.