In 1785, the village lands of Siemuszowa consisted of 10.09 sq. km (6.05 sq. miles). There were 260 Greek Catholics (Rusyny) (77%), 68 Roman Catholics (Poles) (20%) and 10 Jews (3%). The Greek Catholic population continued to grow into the 20th century despite the fact that some of the inhabitants (like Mikhal Gburyk and Julia Czerepaniak) emigrated to North America. In Lemkivshchyna as a whole about 10% of the Greek Catholic population left to cross the "great mud puddle" to seek their fortunes elsewhere.

The exact number of emigrants from Siemuszowa and the Sanok lands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries is not known. By 1921, there were 728 Greek Catholics (81%) in Siemuszowa out of a total population of 892. The number of Poles (140) as a percentage of the population dropped (16%) while the Jews remained constant 31 (3%). It should be noted in this census that the 31 people listed as having the Jewish faith actually were included among the Polish nationals (171) and were not put into a separate "Jewish" nationality category. There were 165 dwellings listed in the village in the 1921 census plus one manor house with 13 people associated with it.

World Wars I and II

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 led to more upheaval for Siemuszowa and the Sanok lands. Some of the fighting actually took place in the area of the Carpathian Mountains. One result of the war was the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the revival of an independent Polish state which again included Red Ruthenia and the Sanok lands.

The period between the end of World War I and World War II saw greatly increased tensions between Poles and Ukrainians and those residents of Siemuszowa who closely identified themselves with the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians had unsuccessfully attempted to secure an independent state for themselves between 1918 and 1920 and the Western Ukrainians, in particular, could not accept renewed Polish rule.

It was during this time that "Ukraine" and "Ukrainian" became the commonly accepted terms for "Ruthenia" and "Ruthenian". However, some of the Carpathian Rusyny continued to view themselves as a distinct nation -- the Carpatho-Rusyns. The Greek Catholic residents of Siemuszowa considered themselves Ukrainians.

In 1939, Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler invaded Poland. It was agreed between Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, and Hitler that Galicia would be divided with the eastern part added to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the western part remaining in Poland. Siemuszowa and the Sanok lands remained in Poland under the administration of Nazi authorities in Sanok.

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