Nicknames are sometimes matters of convenience. We frequently see this in cases of intergenerational names such as Sr., Jr., III, IV and so on. Nicknames are necessary for keeping the relatives organized. Imagine being in a room with four or five Arnold’s! But typically family nicknames are affectionate terms used to refer to family members. …
Category: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: What Might Have Been
Laura Witte: What Might Have Been Farm families historically had large numbers of children primarily because children were considered a valuable source of labor on the farm, with even young children able to contribute to chores like feeding animals, picking crops, and tending to the land, effectively acting as an additional workforce for the family. …
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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Homestead
There is a place that all Jaegers of a certain generation remember well. Warmth, holidays, loose tiles, Popo and Granny, flowers, dogs, and family. Those are just a few of the things I think of when I remember the house at 5900 Jaeger Rd. Some of the cousins had the opportunity to live there long …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Headstones
Just because it’s written in stone doesn’t mean it’s correct. This is so true of misprinted headstones. Rudolph Rogalla von Bieberstein was born on March 11, 1880 to Hermann Rogalla von Bieberstein and and Adele (née Hagedorn) Rogalla von Bieberstein. He was the pitcher for Brenham baseball around 1905 and later played for Beaumont, in …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Cousins
For this prompt, I chose to write about a member of my family who died very recently. I believe it is important to share thoughts and feelings while we are alive to do so, and this is how I feel. My cousin Denise was seventeen years old when I was born. I only got to …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Boats
During World War II, the Merchant Marine became an auxiliary to the United States Navy and delivered military personnel and war materials. Ships sailed through minefields and dodged submarines and bombers to deliver invaluable cargo everywhere from Arctic Russia to the Persian Gulf. Working sometimes without escort and with only modest firepower aboard, these slow …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Where There’s a Will
Where There’s a Will From 1820 to 1870, a second wave of German immigrants landed on the shores of Galveston Bay, seeking a new life. The collapse of the old agricultural society and the dawn of the industrial age displaced peasants and made artisans jobless. Improvements in medical care led to a reduced death rate …
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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Wedding
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Wedding Ida Jaeger, the oldest surviving daughter of Henry and Alvine Jaeger, was born August 3, 1895. She married Adolph Wilhelm Pietz (1885-1963) on September 12, 1917 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and they had one child, Emmett. Several years ago, I found a picture of Ida’s wedding dress on a …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Popular
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Popular While scanning and organizing old photos and letters, I uncovered a postcard mailed from Ida Jaeger in Burton to her Aunt Emma Tonn in Galveston. The postcard, stamped January 30, 1913, reads Dear Aunt Emma, I guess you know this bunch, we were out for a walk when we …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Light a Candle
Born November 20, 1847 in Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany, Marie Lisette Witte joined her parents Anna Marie and Victor, baby sister Helen, and Anna Marie's brother Ferdinand on their voyage to America in 1850. After many weeks aboard the Neptune with other German immigrants, the family at last arrived in Galveston on June 13, 1850. Not …