Musings of a Genealogy-Nut

My mother's paternal grandparents were both German immigrants. They came to America on the same boat at the same sailing, but didn't meet until both had settled in Saginaw, a hub for German Immigrants.

Rheinhold died many years before Johanna and my mother doesn't really remember him. She did tell me stories about the bitterness against Germans during the war. Her grandmother, who lived with them, spoke ONLY German and, with his son in the war, my grandfather would allow NO German to be spoken in his house. My mother said her grandmother didn't speak for the duration of the war. She would, however, listen to the radio (in English) and cry over names of towns she knew and possible relatives and friends in the midst of the war. She had a grandson on one side of the war, and nephews fighting on the German side. How hard it must have been for her.

This is the inside of my grandparents' home in Detroit around the turn of the century. I do mourn the little "tabourette" (table with a fern on it in the bottom photo) that I had, but my children fell on it and broke it. I can identify some of the dishes on the sideboard in the dining room photo. I consider these professional photos to be treasures!

These are some treasured photos of my mother's family. The original photos are all safely tucked away in acid-free envelopes. I use the system from OrganizedPhotos.com. The layouts can be printed in any square size, but the first are usually 8" x 8" for the albums and refills I can occasionally find inexpensively at Big Lots or some dollar stores.

From time-to-time I also print them smaller for little handy gifts for relatives.




Great Grandfather Abraham (Abram) Hodges, my mother's mother's father. I know so little about him but there are some stories in research done by my mother's cousin long ago, and some census statistics. So far I haven't been able to identify his wife in any of the mystery photos I have. I also can't find any statistics about her.



Both of my grandfathers, Anderson and Oehring, were in the Masons, My parents met through youth organizations sponsored by the Masons. I have several Masonic items and only an SURE of the origin of the cufflinks with the O for Oehring on one side. The "coin" was with my grandmother's things so that probably belongs to that side.



THis is a treasured photograph of my mother's whole family. Befor another formal portrait could be taken, the brothers had scattered, college and one to World War I.

My Great-Aunt and my Grandmother traveled to New York State in 1916. Some of the photos seem to have been taken at an army base. I suspect they went to visit my uncle, who was in WWI and might have been stationed there before deployment to Europe. Story has it that my grandmother tried to block my Uncle from lying about his age by a few months to sign up, but that my Grandfather won out and their son joined the Army. He was in Europe for a long time, at least over 2 Christmases, in Holland, France, Germany.

My Mother's 2nd birthday.

Overlay - Moments 2 Remember by Tina Chambers
Background - My Shabby Valentine by Rene Bross
Stacked Papers - Valentine Funk by Irene Alexeeva
Newspaper Rose - Vintage Ephemera by Irene Alexeeva

This page was an answer to a challenge about a forgotten memory.

JOURNALING: There was a funny feeling when I discovered this photo. My parent’s bedroom!!! I remember the bedroom set, especially the dressing table. Now the table has been remodeled into 2 bedside tables. My brother has the furniture. I remember the doll, Janice, but not the buggy. I don’t remember playing dress-up with Mom’s hat and shoes. The pajamas don’t strike a chord, either, but that bedroom! I can picture Mom sitting on the stool with the hem of her dress turned back to protect it from nail dust and filing her nails. The Priscilla-style curtains were all through the house. Why do I know that felt hat was blue? I don’t remember, or do I?
KITS: ButterflyKisses-by Kim Liddiard and FunkyFrameStamps by Rene Bross for Club Digital April 2008

I am letting my mother's writing on the photo act as the title.
JOURNALING: A summer day and 5 friends...how did they amuse themselves in 1921? My mother and her friends held a Mock Wedding. The preparations took all day. Each girl had her part and had to scour up a costume appropriate for her role. That is my mother playing the part of the minister, wrapped in an army blanket. My aunt was Maid-of-Honor in a bath robe and her mother’s cloche' hat. This was in my grandmother’s garden so I can only guess that they were allowed to pick some of her flowers for the bouquet. The “gentlemen” holding their hats just so during the ceremony is quite elegant, but the knickers on the girls must have been just a bit risque.
KITS USED:
Vanilla Page Kit by Meryl Bartho
Ring Around The Rosies, Deep Tone Page Kit by Meryl Bartho

My goodness...has it been a year since my last post? I haven't given up, in fact, I am contemplating a road trip to Indiana to look in the genealogy department of the Fort Wayne library. It was to be a trip with an online genealogy/ scrapbooking group, but the group seems to have disbanded.

Along the way, I have corresponded with a 5th cousin in Indiana who wrote a book about my grandmother Anderson's roots. Another friend send me scans of the pages that are linked to my search. A wealth of information! I do hope we can go this summer. I want to meet this cousin.