Genealogy

In 1985 My former husband & I, son and other family members moved to Florida. We moved to help my Grandpa Harry open a Genealogy business. (BTW the business never took off for various reasons that will remain under the carpet). But Grandpa Harry did spark that little flame in me to know more about my family history.

Grandpa Harry took care of the Teems part of my family - my mothers paternal side. I remember growing up that someone had done my Fathers maternal side. So that leaves my Mothers Maternal side – Siewerts and my dad’s Fraternal side – the Logan’s.

I started with my mom’s family. This is a confusing but loving story. My mother was born to Eileen and Harry. They split up and Harry lived in Florida while Eileen stayed here in Ohio. Harry took one child – the oldest, James. Eileen kept my mom, Nelleta. Grandma Eileen got sick with Tuberculosis and was placed in a care facility. Her Dad (Grandpa Rudy) and his second wife (Grandma Kate) took in mom and when she was 2 she developed Rheumatic Fever. In order to provide for her, they adopted her but failed to tell my mom until she was a teenager. So the people I grew up with as grandparents were my Great Grandparents and my aunt was my Grandma.

Well sometime ago I created a small family notebook. It has the forms I printed and started and some notes that I have found. Well when I loved into this home 2 years ago of course everything got packed up and stuffed in closets. Well I decided to clean out a box that was in the bottom of our linen closet. Guess what I found – the original notebook!! (The black one in the picture) So now I have 2 notebooks (I’ll combine them tonight during TV time) and even some old family pictures.

Well then I found this packet in the box also. It is papers from one of my Great Great Great and possibly Great Grandfathers, Robert. He was in the German military. Now I can’t read these (gee never thought to learn German instead of Spanish) but what a find. I’ll check around here to see if I can find someone to translate them for me.

So what I know is that the family immigrated from Germany around 1863. I thought they came into Wisconsin but I can’t find any ports there. At one time I had a copy of the ships manifest but it appears that I lost it. I know they were one of the founding families that created my former church. And many members are buried in the same cemetery as my mom.

I’m lucky the main branch of our local library system has a very good Genealogy Department so next week I’ll be dragging my notebook down for some investigation.