Ignacy Ferenc was born in the Krasnosiek-Sielc district of Poland in 1897 to Franciszek Ferenc and Franciszka Gołota.  He had two brothers Stanislaw and Aleksander.​He fought in the Polish Army (Legions) as a Sergeant against the Bolsheviks in 1920 and for that was granted some land in the hamlet of Ostrow, which is now a part of Belarus.  There were about ten other Army officers that were awarded land in this tiny hamlet.

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In 1923, Ignacy married Zofia Kaczynska in the Krasnosiek-Sielc parish and they moved to the land in Ostrow. Zofia and Ignacy had four children - Zbigniew (who died in infancy), Ryzsard Alijca and Bogdan. Ryzsard was arrested for stealing during their deportation and was never seen again. Ignacy joined the Polish Army whilst the family was in exile in the USSR and was never heard of again.​