Thursday, January 21, 2010

Going south for the winter!

Well, my Accounting class has started so I probably won't be getting much done on my genealogy research for a while! :(

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Grashoff Family Reunion

I hosted a Grashoff Family reunion at my hose on December 23. Unfortunately, we had very bad weather and a lot of people couldn't make it, however, those that did make it had a wonderful time. We watched a power point presentation that Andrew made with lots of old family pictures. It was very nice to see everyone. We are planning to get together again this summer.

Harm Heinrich Grashoff

I have been attempting to "digitize" my documents and in so doing I was rereading some of the information that I recieved from the church records in Germany about Harm Heinrich Grashoff. What do you know! The record of Harm's wedding to Elizabeth Massemann states that he is a widow. That would mean another wife and possibly other children somewhere. So, the suggestion of revisiting all information is always a good one.

Thanksgiving!

What a nice Thanksgiving celebration we had at Karol's house. All of our children were able to be with us for Thanksgiving. My sibilings, their spouses, and children also all attended. We were also able to spend time witn cousin, Sherri, and Rusty and Doris and their families. Very nice holiday at Grandma Karol's house!

William Schluntz sneaks in to America!


Wilhelm and Sophie Westphal Schluntz
I was recently doing research on the Ancestry website after adding my family tree to the website. Imagine my surprise when I found Wilhelm Schluntz listed right above Sophie Westphal (his future wife) on the passenger list! Sopia age 30 and Wilhlem age 24. They marrried June 4, 1867. November 6, 1866 Sophie and Wilhelm arrived together in New York on the Borussia. I wonder if the act that they are listed together on that passenger list is significant???? They were married in Illinois, so I wonder if they traveled together from New York? Did they know each other? I never would have found Wilhelm as he was listed as Wm Schluntz. The only reason I found him was because he was listed above Sophie!


The Matzdorffs in Stralsund

I received an amazing email from Lisa Louise Cooke regarding my Matzdorff ancestors. She got information from Baerbel Johnson on my Matzdorff family. Sophia and her children left from Hamburg, Germany, on 18 November 1874. Their last place of residence is listed as "Stralsund." Stralsund is a large city in Western Pommerania with six Lutheran Parishs. It would make sense that they lived in a city because Carl was a brick mason by trade. This is amazing to me as my Grandmother, Alma Matzdorff Grashoff, did not even know where her father came from in Germany. I can not thank LIsa or Baerbel enough for this information. It gives me some place to go from here.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Ship Holsatia

The Matzdorff family, including mother, Sophia Krabbe Matzdorff, and son Sigsmund Matzdorff came over on the Holsatia. This ship was part of the shippling line of Hamburg-American built by Caird & Co, Greenock, Scotland. It had an iron hull. According to the New York Passenger LIsts, they were "between deck passengers." Carl had previously emmigrated to the United States. Now Sophia, Carl (Charles), Augusta, Sigismund (Siegmund), Edward, and Annie Matzdorff were all on the Holsatia.

Carl and Sophia Matzdorff

I have found Sophia and her children, including my ancestor, Sigismund, Matzdorff entering the United States in New York on December 3, 1874. Port of Departure is Hamburg, Germany and Le Havre France on a ship named Holsatia. How scarey!

Sig and Minnie


I believe I will use this blog to record my research efforts. Hopefully, this will help me to remember what I have done and not repeat those same efforts. Currently I am working on getting all of my information in a new geneaology program after having used Brother's Keeper for a couple of decades (it seems like anyway....). I have just recently found the passenger list for Sophia and Sigismund Matzdorff when they came over from Germany.

Friday, January 15, 2010

New filing system!

I am trying to assemble all of my documents supporting my information and start a new filing system. Still working out the fine details!