1Forrest Zimmerman, Zimmerman Family Tree, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. One night about 1958, Dianne had been asking her dad about the Zimmerman family. Forrest got out a large piece of drafting paper and methodically laid out the whole family beginning with Christian Zimmerman and Elizabeth Kneil, Forrest's great-grandfather. The tree covers five generations. There are a few blanks. Apparently they didn't keep up too well with the family of Forrest's great-uncle, Henry Zimmerman. There are 175 names on the tree. Forrest drew it from memory. The funny part is this. Forrest never wanted to have anything to do with his cousins. Dianne only remembers meeting one of them ever.
2Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
2Census, Federal - 1920 - Lake, Illinois, Waukegan, p. 5 of 15. "Line 39 129 Center St.
Buck, Charles age 39 IL Ger Ger Occ: Bookkeeper - meat shop
Emma 40 MI MI PA
Evelyn 18 IL IL MI
Mildred 14 IL IL MI."3Census, Federal - 1920 - Lake, Illinois, Waukegan.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007 & 25 Apr 2007.
Vertuel J. Bessie Violet MITCHELL
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Galena 5th Ward, ED # 38, sheet 7B (Ancestry p. 14 of 27).
2Jon Radermacher. Email 8/6/06.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Jo Daviess, Illinois, Galena Ward 4, ED 44, 8 Jan 1920. "Line 72 409 Dodge St. Dwelling # 120 Family # 126
Leffler, Charles, M. head age 45 b. IL F b. Penn M. b. Ind. Occupation: house Painter
Matilda wife 47 IL IL IL
Vertuel J. dau 10 IL IL IL
Lucile M. dau 4 1/12 IL IL IL."4P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007. "Hi Dianne:
You don’t know me but you have been in contact with a cousin of mine, Jon Radermacher.
While I don’t have much info, I can tell you that my Mother’s Mother, my Granny, was Vertuel B Mitchell, daughter of Joseph Mitchell and Matilda White.
I have found that Matilda was born in Aug 16 1872 in Jo Daviess Country and died in the Manteno Nursing Home on Nov 16 1947. Matilda was apparently married a couple of times…at least once before Mr. Mitchell.
I have no info on Joseph Mitchell. Matilda then married Charles Lefler.
Back to my Granny, while she is listed as Vertuel J Mitchell, I believe her name was Vertuel Bessie Mitchell. This is what she told us and it is what is on a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by Jo Daviess County in the 1970’s. . . .
Granny (Vertuel) was born June 17 1909 in Galena and died October 25 1989 in Fox Lake, IL. We never knew Granny as Vertuel. She absolutely hated the name and was called Violet. When it was time to collect Social Security, she was forced to legally change her name to Violet to match all earnings. Other than my Mom and one Aunt, we were NOT to know her original name. Funny, huh?
If you need more info from me, please don’t hesitate to write. I admire your hard work. Finding info is one thing but when a parent is married several times and didn’t keep records, it’s almost impossibility.
Thank you for reading this
Patricia Rust...,
Granddaughter to Violet B Mitchell. Married names: Jarvie (not Jarvis), then Morris, then Gessner and then Seeback and back to Gessner (I believe her true love).
Hi Again:
Again, Jon Radermacher gave me your link. His paternal grandmother was
Lucille Leffler, my Granny's half-sister. I mislead you, Granny was only
married 4 times, she just went back to the Gessner name. Grandpa Peter
Gessner was much older than she and he died in 1952. As I mentioned, he was
the love of Granny's life I think. I was only 4 when he died but I know I
loved him dearly. Story....... he would sit on the sofa, I'd sit on the
back of the sofa, and he would let me comb his hair!
Sounds like Granny's Mom "got around" as well. I too saw the 16 children
and 3 living at one point. Granny never talked about her family until her
end but she mentioned that "Mamma" (Matilda White) had a couple of sets of
twins that died young. We didn't know if any of that was true. Besides her
half-sister Lucille (a really fun lady), there was an "Uncle Vade". I am
sure she said he was a half-brother as well. So, I think Matilda's first
marriage was to a Reitz as Uncle Vade was Nevada Reitz.
So are you related to Samuel D White and/or Josephine Mougin, Matilda's
parents?
I wish I could be of help. I wish I had stories to tell. Feel free to ask
any questions of me. Jon Radermachers two aunts are the only descendants of
Matilda that are older than I am. I put Barbara ...at age
70 this year and Diane ... at age 66.
Patricia Ann Marek (nee Rust)."
1P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007.
Vertuel J. Bessie Violet MITCHELL
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Galena 5th Ward, ED # 38, sheet 7B (Ancestry p. 14 of 27).
2Jon Radermacher. Email 8/6/06.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Jo Daviess, Illinois, Galena Ward 4, ED 44, 8 Jan 1920. "Line 72 409 Dodge St. Dwelling # 120 Family # 126
Leffler, Charles, M. head age 45 b. IL F b. Penn M. b. Ind. Occupation: house Painter
Matilda wife 47 IL IL IL
Vertuel J. dau 10 IL IL IL
Lucile M. dau 4 1/12 IL IL IL."4P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007. "Hi Dianne:
You don’t know me but you have been in contact with a cousin of mine, Jon Radermacher.
While I don’t have much info, I can tell you that my Mother’s Mother, my Granny, was Vertuel B Mitchell, daughter of Joseph Mitchell and Matilda White.
I have found that Matilda was born in Aug 16 1872 in Jo Daviess Country and died in the Manteno Nursing Home on Nov 16 1947. Matilda was apparently married a couple of times…at least once before Mr. Mitchell.
I have no info on Joseph Mitchell. Matilda then married Charles Lefler.
Back to my Granny, while she is listed as Vertuel J Mitchell, I believe her name was Vertuel Bessie Mitchell. This is what she told us and it is what is on a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by Jo Daviess County in the 1970’s. . . .
Granny (Vertuel) was born June 17 1909 in Galena and died October 25 1989 in Fox Lake, IL. We never knew Granny as Vertuel. She absolutely hated the name and was called Violet. When it was time to collect Social Security, she was forced to legally change her name to Violet to match all earnings. Other than my Mom and one Aunt, we were NOT to know her original name. Funny, huh?
If you need more info from me, please don’t hesitate to write. I admire your hard work. Finding info is one thing but when a parent is married several times and didn’t keep records, it’s almost impossibility.
Thank you for reading this
Patricia Rust...,
Granddaughter to Violet B Mitchell. Married names: Jarvie (not Jarvis), then Morris, then Gessner and then Seeback and back to Gessner (I believe her true love).
Hi Again:
Again, Jon Radermacher gave me your link. His paternal grandmother was
Lucille Leffler, my Granny's half-sister. I mislead you, Granny was only
married 4 times, she just went back to the Gessner name. Grandpa Peter
Gessner was much older than she and he died in 1952. As I mentioned, he was
the love of Granny's life I think. I was only 4 when he died but I know I
loved him dearly. Story....... he would sit on the sofa, I'd sit on the
back of the sofa, and he would let me comb his hair!
Sounds like Granny's Mom "got around" as well. I too saw the 16 children
and 3 living at one point. Granny never talked about her family until her
end but she mentioned that "Mamma" (Matilda White) had a couple of sets of
twins that died young. We didn't know if any of that was true. Besides her
half-sister Lucille (a really fun lady), there was an "Uncle Vade". I am
sure she said he was a half-brother as well. So, I think Matilda's first
marriage was to a Reitz as Uncle Vade was Nevada Reitz.
So are you related to Samuel D White and/or Josephine Mougin, Matilda's
parents?
I wish I could be of help. I wish I had stories to tell. Feel free to ask
any questions of me. Jon Radermachers two aunts are the only descendants of
Matilda that are older than I am. I put Barbara ...at age
70 this year and Diane ... at age 66.
Patricia Ann Marek (nee Rust)."
1P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007. " I mislead you, Granny was only
married 4 times, she just went back to the Gessner name. Grandpa Peter
Gessner was much older than she and he died in 1952. As I mentioned, he was
the love of Granny's life I think. I was only 4 when he died but I know I
loved him dearly. Story....... he would sit on the sofa, I'd sit on the
back of the sofa, and he would let me comb his hair!."
Vertuel J. Bessie Violet MITCHELL
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Galena 5th Ward, ED # 38, sheet 7B (Ancestry p. 14 of 27).
2Jon Radermacher. Email 8/6/06.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Jo Daviess, Illinois, Galena Ward 4, ED 44, 8 Jan 1920. "Line 72 409 Dodge St. Dwelling # 120 Family # 126
Leffler, Charles, M. head age 45 b. IL F b. Penn M. b. Ind. Occupation: house Painter
Matilda wife 47 IL IL IL
Vertuel J. dau 10 IL IL IL
Lucile M. dau 4 1/12 IL IL IL."4P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007. "Hi Dianne:
You don’t know me but you have been in contact with a cousin of mine, Jon Radermacher.
While I don’t have much info, I can tell you that my Mother’s Mother, my Granny, was Vertuel B Mitchell, daughter of Joseph Mitchell and Matilda White.
I have found that Matilda was born in Aug 16 1872 in Jo Daviess Country and died in the Manteno Nursing Home on Nov 16 1947. Matilda was apparently married a couple of times…at least once before Mr. Mitchell.
I have no info on Joseph Mitchell. Matilda then married Charles Lefler.
Back to my Granny, while she is listed as Vertuel J Mitchell, I believe her name was Vertuel Bessie Mitchell. This is what she told us and it is what is on a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by Jo Daviess County in the 1970’s. . . .
Granny (Vertuel) was born June 17 1909 in Galena and died October 25 1989 in Fox Lake, IL. We never knew Granny as Vertuel. She absolutely hated the name and was called Violet. When it was time to collect Social Security, she was forced to legally change her name to Violet to match all earnings. Other than my Mom and one Aunt, we were NOT to know her original name. Funny, huh?
If you need more info from me, please don’t hesitate to write. I admire your hard work. Finding info is one thing but when a parent is married several times and didn’t keep records, it’s almost impossibility.
Thank you for reading this
Patricia Rust...,
Granddaughter to Violet B Mitchell. Married names: Jarvie (not Jarvis), then Morris, then Gessner and then Seeback and back to Gessner (I believe her true love).
Hi Again:
Again, Jon Radermacher gave me your link. His paternal grandmother was
Lucille Leffler, my Granny's half-sister. I mislead you, Granny was only
married 4 times, she just went back to the Gessner name. Grandpa Peter
Gessner was much older than she and he died in 1952. As I mentioned, he was
the love of Granny's life I think. I was only 4 when he died but I know I
loved him dearly. Story....... he would sit on the sofa, I'd sit on the
back of the sofa, and he would let me comb his hair!
Sounds like Granny's Mom "got around" as well. I too saw the 16 children
and 3 living at one point. Granny never talked about her family until her
end but she mentioned that "Mamma" (Matilda White) had a couple of sets of
twins that died young. We didn't know if any of that was true. Besides her
half-sister Lucille (a really fun lady), there was an "Uncle Vade". I am
sure she said he was a half-brother as well. So, I think Matilda's first
marriage was to a Reitz as Uncle Vade was Nevada Reitz.
So are you related to Samuel D White and/or Josephine Mougin, Matilda's
parents?
I wish I could be of help. I wish I had stories to tell. Feel free to ask
any questions of me. Jon Radermachers two aunts are the only descendants of
Matilda that are older than I am. I put Barbara ...at age
70 this year and Diane ... at age 66.
Patricia Ann Marek (nee Rust)."
1P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007.
Vertuel J. Bessie Violet MITCHELL
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Galena 5th Ward, ED # 38, sheet 7B (Ancestry p. 14 of 27).
2Jon Radermacher. Email 8/6/06.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Jo Daviess, Illinois, Galena Ward 4, ED 44, 8 Jan 1920. "Line 72 409 Dodge St. Dwelling # 120 Family # 126
Leffler, Charles, M. head age 45 b. IL F b. Penn M. b. Ind. Occupation: house Painter
Matilda wife 47 IL IL IL
Vertuel J. dau 10 IL IL IL
Lucile M. dau 4 1/12 IL IL IL."4P Marek, Email 9 Apr 2007. "Hi Dianne:
You don’t know me but you have been in contact with a cousin of mine, Jon Radermacher.
While I don’t have much info, I can tell you that my Mother’s Mother, my Granny, was Vertuel B Mitchell, daughter of Joseph Mitchell and Matilda White.
I have found that Matilda was born in Aug 16 1872 in Jo Daviess Country and died in the Manteno Nursing Home on Nov 16 1947. Matilda was apparently married a couple of times…at least once before Mr. Mitchell.
I have no info on Joseph Mitchell. Matilda then married Charles Lefler.
Back to my Granny, while she is listed as Vertuel J Mitchell, I believe her name was Vertuel Bessie Mitchell. This is what she told us and it is what is on a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by Jo Daviess County in the 1970’s. . . .
Granny (Vertuel) was born June 17 1909 in Galena and died October 25 1989 in Fox Lake, IL. We never knew Granny as Vertuel. She absolutely hated the name and was called Violet. When it was time to collect Social Security, she was forced to legally change her name to Violet to match all earnings. Other than my Mom and one Aunt, we were NOT to know her original name. Funny, huh?
If you need more info from me, please don’t hesitate to write. I admire your hard work. Finding info is one thing but when a parent is married several times and didn’t keep records, it’s almost impossibility.
Thank you for reading this
Patricia Rust...,
Granddaughter to Violet B Mitchell. Married names: Jarvie (not Jarvis), then Morris, then Gessner and then Seeback and back to Gessner (I believe her true love).
Hi Again:
Again, Jon Radermacher gave me your link. His paternal grandmother was
Lucille Leffler, my Granny's half-sister. I mislead you, Granny was only
married 4 times, she just went back to the Gessner name. Grandpa Peter
Gessner was much older than she and he died in 1952. As I mentioned, he was
the love of Granny's life I think. I was only 4 when he died but I know I
loved him dearly. Story....... he would sit on the sofa, I'd sit on the
back of the sofa, and he would let me comb his hair!
Sounds like Granny's Mom "got around" as well. I too saw the 16 children
and 3 living at one point. Granny never talked about her family until her
end but she mentioned that "Mamma" (Matilda White) had a couple of sets of
twins that died young. We didn't know if any of that was true. Besides her
half-sister Lucille (a really fun lady), there was an "Uncle Vade". I am
sure she said he was a half-brother as well. So, I think Matilda's first
marriage was to a Reitz as Uncle Vade was Nevada Reitz.
So are you related to Samuel D White and/or Josephine Mougin, Matilda's
parents?
I wish I could be of help. I wish I had stories to tell. Feel free to ask
any questions of me. Jon Radermachers two aunts are the only descendants of
Matilda that are older than I am. I put Barbara ...at age
70 this year and Diane ... at age 66.
Patricia Ann Marek (nee Rust)."
1Forrest Zimmerman, Zimmerman Family Tree, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. One night about 1958, Dianne had been asking her dad about the Zimmerman family. Forrest got out a large piece of drafting paper and methodically laid out the whole family beginning with Christian Zimmerman and Elizabeth Kneil, Forrest's great-grandfather. The tree covers five generations. There are a few blanks. Apparently they didn't keep up too well with the family of Forrest's great-uncle, Henry Zimmerman. There are 175 names on the tree. Forrest drew it from memory. The funny part is this. Forrest never wanted to have anything to do with his cousins. Dianne only remembers meeting one of them ever.
2Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Forrest Zimmerman, Zimmerman Family Tree, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. One night about 1958, Dianne had been asking her dad about the Zimmerman family. Forrest got out a large piece of drafting paper and methodically laid out the whole family beginning with Christian Zimmerman and Elizabeth Kneil, Forrest's great-grandfather. The tree covers five generations. There are a few blanks. Apparently they didn't keep up too well with the family of Forrest's great-uncle, Henry Zimmerman. There are 175 names on the tree. Forrest drew it from memory. The funny part is this. Forrest never wanted to have anything to do with his cousins. Dianne only remembers meeting one of them ever.
2Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Lake Co, Illinois, Benton Twsp. ED # 244.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.
1Lance and Mary Alexander, AlexanderZimmermanGEDCOM, received 9Apr2007.