The Glasschrank Piano Jeanette can recall the time in 1943 when she, Delores, and Bernhardt were outside their house in Port Arthur watching some furniture being delivered. She saw some chairs unloaded, then a table, and then something that would change her life. “Hey! We got a piano! Look, we got a piano!” she shouted …
Category: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Family Legend
This story first appeared in our June 2018 newsletter and is one of my favorites. Have you heard about the legendary Blue Rock, located on the Jaeger homestead? In 1955, Henry Jaeger’s eldest sons were growing up and moving to Houston to seek employment opportunities and Lillie was pregnant with Lanis. Henry was growing increasingly …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Valentine
On this Valentine's Day, I'd like to talk about the love my grandparents shared for each other. Popo and Granny loved one another very much. They worked through difficult times early on, including frequent moves and financial insecurity, and eventually became one of those sweet older couples that so many younger couples hope to be. …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: William and Marie
William Brandt was born on October 4, 1853 in Shelby, Texas, to Henry and Bertha (née Giesecke) Brandt. William had an older brother named Rudolph, a younger brother named Edward, and three younger sisters, Marie, Pauline, and Elise. Marie Witte was born on December 14, 1855. She was the daughter of Victor and Anna Marie …
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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Solo
One of my favorite headstones is that of Walter Brandt. At nearly six feet tall, his impressive Woodmen of the World headstone stands above all others in the Jaeger Witte Cemetery. But who was he? What made his life notable? And what led to his death less than two months before his 24th birthday? Unfortunately, …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Relationships
Ever since I began researching the history of the Witte section of the Jaeger Witte Cemetery, I have become curious about the relationships among the individuals buried in the lower Witte section. Family cemeteries function as a sort of "phone book" detailing who lived in the general area. But I found that some individuals such …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Resolution
After Popo passed away, I was able to locate and gather his decades worth of photographs and research of the early pioneer families of Winedale. I inventoried, digitized, and archived hundreds of documents and made some fantastic discoveries along the way. The Clayton Public Library and Washington County Genealogical Society helped in expanding upon …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Alone
Johann Albert Naegeli and Frances Witte Franciska Witte was the second out of nine children born to Victor and Anna Marie Witte. She was born on April 28, 1864 and grew up in Washington County. She married Johann Albert Naegeli on December 22, 1881 at the age of 17. Johann was born on April 24, …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Labor
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Labor Elsie (Naegeli) Dittrich was the daughter of Johann Albert and Francisca (Witte) Naegeli. She was born on March 6, 1891 and was married to Karl Otto Heinrich Dittrich on September 30, 1913. The Brenham Weekly Banner describes the wedding as a beautiful affair that was attended by an abundance …
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Gratitude
Gratitude If you want to see an example of gratitude, look at a dog. You give them food and shelter and they thank you with love and loyalty. Dogs are everywhere on farms and ranches. Any farmer knows the importance of having a good dog. But they serve a much greater purpose than just being …