Countess Gabriela Tarnowska, née Malachowska; of the Coat of Arms Nałęcz

Countess Gabriela Tarnowska was born January 16, 1800 in Końskie, near Kielce, Poland. She was the daughter of Count Stanislaus Alexander Ignacy Małachowski (Coat of Arms Nałęcz) and Anna Maria Stadnicka from Stadniki (Coat of Arms Drużyna). On November 3, 1829 she married Count John Bogdan Tarnowski from Tarnów (Coat of Arms Leliwa). Together they had nine children: Valerie, Caroline, Gabriel, John, Sophie, Julius, an insurgent of the November Uprising of 1830 who died in the Battle of Komorów, Casmira, and Anna.

She owned the estate of Dzików of which Wielowieś was a part. She was a strong supporter of Mother Columba’s vision for the new foundation. The Countess donated the land for the convent, along with wood from her forests and significant financial contributions.

Countess Gabriela Tarnowska died on February 24, 1862 in Dzików and was buried at the church of the Dominican Friars in Tarnobrzeg in the family crypt of Counts Tarnowski.

Read also Countess Tarnowska’s testimony about life and work of Mother Columba.