A world apart

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persephone
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A world apart

Post by persephone »

This is a little bit of personal history, but it's common, I just don't know how common it is to do what I have been able to do.

Long story short...

Back in the October Revolution of 1917, my grandfather was told by his father to leave... He made his way to friends in Austria, where he was later informed his father had been taken prisoner.

My grandfather ended up in Austrailia, before coming to England to marry my grandmother.

Now my grandfather would be coming up to 107 years old, he was a lot older than his wife and both of them were old when they had my father.

Grandad had obviously lost all contact with his family and was never sure if they had survived the revolution, he passed away when I was 4, and I have always said I would find out... An impossibility during the cold war.

Last year I done a simple Google search for his original surname, and found a site that showed a profile with photo of a doctor... It was like looking at my dad when he was a school boy.

Just last week I recieved a letter from the doctor, who said my dad looked like his uncle, at the moment we don't know how we are related as he has to speak to "the old lady in the village", but both of us are fairly certain.

So 87 years after he left his family I have found them again, living in the same village, and the oldest living family member over there was only a baby when he left.

The fluky thing is, he was the first person I contacted and I was just lucky enough he was a doctor who can speak a little English with a profile on his business website in English.
Bad Girls have very high standards, but they love you even if you sometimes fall short.
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greydeadhead
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A world apart

Post by greydeadhead »

That is great Letha.. you are lucky to have been able to find your family overseas. I met my 2nd cousins on my mothers side of the family in Germany, but had no luck contacting anyone on my paternal grandfathers side. Lots of names in the phonebook with my Grandfathers name in Palermo, Sicily.. so I really didn't know which could have been a relative.. but it was very interesting visiting their respective hometowns..
Feed your spirit by living near it -- Magic Hat Brewery bottle cap
LoveMama
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A world apart

Post by LoveMama »

Letha, that is a wonderful story. I too have found many relatives in Alsace France and here in the U.S. too. Found a 2nd Cousin in Alsace who is a retired Doctor whose grandmother was my grandmother's sister. They are German but as you probably know Alsace France was under German control.........for years.

He and I correspond often and it is delightful to read his letters, which he types as he does not have a computer.

So far.......I've had 3 2nd cousin's visit me from France. I love doing genealogy and love all of my uncles and cousins!

Maybe after Christmas I will start a genealogy thread. I love it and have been very successful. Maybe I can help someone here, if they're interested.

Right now I'm getting ready to turn on the TV, put on another cup of coffee and listen to the closing statement's of the prosecution and Defense attorneys for a huge murder trial .........here in CA. The Scott Peterson trial. He has been convicted of murdering his 8 month pregnant wife and tossing her body into San Francisco Bay Christmas Eve of 2002. Both wife and baby washed to shore.

The jury will go out today to decide whether of not he should get Life in Prison without parole, or the death sentence. Very interesting!

Have a great day all!

xxxxxxxxxxxxooooo

mama
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greydeadhead
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A world apart

Post by greydeadhead »

It is a small world indeed Mama.... My maternal grandfather is from Homburg/Saabrucken.. in the middle of Alsace...
Feed your spirit by living near it -- Magic Hat Brewery bottle cap
LoveMama
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A world apart

Post by LoveMama »

greydeadhead wrote: It is a small world indeed Mama.... My maternal grandfather is from Homburg/Saabrucken.. in the middle of Alsace...


How wild greydeadhead............! Homburg/Saabruken is only about a little more than one killometer N.East of St. Pierre Bois where my grandparents were from!

That is called the Bas Rhin or Southern part of Alsace..... It's up near Metz whereas St. Pierre Bois is closer to Strasbourg, the Capital of the Bas Rhin.



I don't know how old you are......but there was a huge emmigration from that area just before WWI............and then again just before WW II because the men there were be conscripted into the German Army. After WWII Alsace was at last French territory again.

I remember my dad telling me that his dad refused to let my grandmother speak German again after they emmigrated to the U.S in 1880.

In all my genealogy reasearch one of the best things I've ever found was the Bible that my grandmother gave to my cousin.

When my cousin died.......I got the bible. It's a long story, found out my cousin was gay, married another guy, changed his name and since his new husband or wife or whatever was listed on his death certificate as the person reporting his death, I FOUND this guy in Los Angeles. That is very close to where I live. It has all the family names, births, death's, marriages! YIPPIE!

I could talk long and forever, but will quit now! More than you wanted to know!

LOL I LOVE genealogy. If there was a private forum here where only member's could read, it would great to have a genealogy thread. Is that possible? :confused:

xxxxxxxxxoooooooo

mama
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greydeadhead
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A world apart

Post by greydeadhead »

Yep.. My Grandfather immigrated from there in the early 1930's. He was a butchers apprentice and entered the States thru Ellis Island. In that manner he avoided the conscripts. Several of his relatives didn't get out in time, and were forced into the German Army during WWII. I visited my second cousins there and it was an amazing experience. Actually sat and had a beer in the gashaus that my grandfather was born in. His fathers name was still on the outside of the building. My paternal grandfather immigrated in around 1918 or so from Palermo Sicily. I tried to look up more on him when I visited there, but his last name was as common as Jones.. tons of them around. I am sure you have visited Ellis Island and toured the Immigration Center there. I have been twice.. it was an eerie experience walking thru the grand hall and realizing that I was walking down the same hallways that my grandfathers had.. I took my daughter there a couple years later so she could experience it too. She can't wait to go back.
Feed your spirit by living near it -- Magic Hat Brewery bottle cap
LoveMama
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A world apart

Post by LoveMama »

greydeadhead wrote: Yep.. My Grandfather immigrated from there in the early 1930's. He was a butchers apprentice and entered the States thru Ellis Island. In that manner he avoided the conscripts. Several of his relatives didn't get out in time, and were forced into the German Army during WWII. I visited my second cousins there and it was an amazing experience. Actually sat and had a beer in the gashaus that my grandfather was born in. His fathers name was still on the outside of the building. My paternal grandfather immigrated in around 1918 or so from Palermo Sicily. I tried to look up more on him when I visited there, but his last name was as common as Jones.. tons of them around. I am sure you have visited Ellis Island and toured the Immigration Center there. I have been twice.. it was an eerie experience walking thru the grand hall and realizing that I was walking down the same hallways that my grandfathers had.. I took my daughter there a couple years later so she could experience it too. She can't wait to go back.


greydeadhead.........that's wonderful you got to see Ellis Island. What a thrill.

I've been to NY many times but I wasn't interested in genealogy then.

Think it takes getting a little older til you realize how important it is to know about your ancestors.

On many of the mailing list's I'm on there seem to be as many men as there woman. I have three sons myself and all of them love knowing who their ancestors were. I haven't been to Alsace yet........but sometime in the near future I have to go there. My grandmother house is still there and and a family still lives in it. I have many photos that my cousins have sent me.

One of my relative's in Alsace is extremely interested in genealogy, the retired Doctor. Thank goodness. He feels' it is so important to know the people who got to America and sends me endless letters.....It's amazing how wonderful it is to read a real letter......you can pour over it and read and re-read it and touch it!

We here are used to computers we seldom get real letters anymore.

I am so glad to hear your story. You'e been very successful where other's never quite get their family together.

We, my family are considering trying to buy a property in WA State, just South of Spokane........the old church that my paternal grandfather built, or should say gave the money to build.

That would have been around 1898. There is a family who is living in it now but am sure they would be willing to sell if our price was right. We would then like to completely restore it and make a sort of...........museum out of it.

I know that would make my late father very happy. His little brother is buried in the cemetery next to it. He died in 1898 , was 4 yrs. old and killed in a sledding accident. I can't tell you how many times my dad would get teary eyed when he talked about his little brother and he never remember where he was buried. The Priest refused to bury him unless my grandfather bought cemetary lots in advance for the whole family. Well.........in those day's things like this happened. He was probably a 'visiting' priest and thought that was a proper thing to do. Well.....I found where my little Uncle Celestine when I found the old man who had a list of the original grave sites......and last year we had a small marker put on his grave.

Don't give up on your paternal grandfather. If he had an unusual middle name maybe you could go from there. Also.....if you don't already, join an online genweb mailing or check this site out. This is the best genealogy list on the internet.

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Have a great day........ :-6

xxxxxxxxxooooooooo

mama
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greydeadhead
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A world apart

Post by greydeadhead »

That was the major reason that I took my daughter to Ellis Island.. I wanted to impress upon her how important it is to know where we come from.. Also, kids today are pretty spoiled. I wanted her to see how lucky she is .. if it worked or not is to be seen.. hahahaha..

Yeah .. I plan on continuing my research on my paternal grandfather. No middle name so things could be a bit diffcult. But we shall see..

If you get to NYC again, you should go to Ellis Island.. the last time I was there they had the main hall open and some of the grounds. Most of the island is still closed but they are working on funds to renovate and open it. It is an experience that I would highly recommend to everyone.. especially if your relatives came thru there...
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capt_buzzard
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A world apart

Post by capt_buzzard »

I've just being watching a The American Civil War on video. Gods & Generals and Gettysburg. :-6
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Raven
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A world apart

Post by Raven »

so................what did you learn? LOL!

American civil wars are as nasty as the british ones.

Red coats, blue coats, grey coats......they all stain red. You should visit Gettysburg sometime. It's eerie.
~Quoth the Raven, Nevermore!~
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capt_buzzard
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A world apart

Post by capt_buzzard »

Raven wrote: so................what did you learn? LOL!

American civil wars are as nasty as the british ones.

Red coats, blue coats, grey coats......they all stain red. You should visit Gettysburg sometime. It's eerie.Someday, someday I will
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Raven
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A world apart

Post by Raven »

Me, I'm heading for Culloden. I cant help but think thats even more eerie than Gettysburg.
~Quoth the Raven, Nevermore!~
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