Weeks 9-13: 52 Weeks of Genealogy

Week 9: Family Secret - Secret? What secret?

Either my family has no secrets, or they are so well-hidden that I haven't uncovered them yet! I've found out about first marriages that were unknown, children given up for adoption—perhaps these were secrets or surprises at the time, but they're not secrets anymore.

Week 10: Siblings - Grandmas Irene's siblings

My paternal grandmother shared a close bond with all her siblings, consisting of five sisters and one brother, all of whom were born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. Though some relocated from the area, they stayed in touch and maintained their closeness. Our family had a special connection with "Auntie Manda," who lived nearby and frequently visited my grandmother.

The siblings at a 1976 family reunion picnic, from oldest to youngest: Evelyn, Irene (my grandmother), Helen, Amanda, Emil, and Cecelia. Evelyn married and relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, eventually settling in South Bend, Indiana; Irene married and resided just four blocks from her childhood home; Helen married and moved to Kewaskum, WI; Amanda married and relocated to nearby Cudahy, WI; Emil married and also settled in nearby Cudahy, WI; and Cecelia married and moved to nearby St. Francis, WI.

From Evelyn's daughter's wedding in 1964, the siblings, together.

Week 11: Brick Wall - Maternal Great Grandfather

In Week 5, the category prompt was "Challenge," while Week 11's was "Brickwall." To me, they are essentially the same—a brick wall is simply a challenge to overcome. The identity of my maternal grandfather's father, my great-grandfather, represents both a challenge and a brick wall. My great-grandmother had my grandfather out of wedlock. His WWII draft card lists his birthplace as Milwaukee, WI, but no birth record exists there. She gave my grandfather the birth father's last name, providing a starting point. In Helen's high school class, there was a young man with that last name, of the same age. A priest from my maternal great-grandmother's family created a family tree in the early 1980s; the first name he listed differs from the one in her class, though the last name matches, and I haven't found any record of him in the area. Unfortunately, he had passed away by the time I received the family tree from my mom, so I couldn't inquire about its source.

I have completed DNA tests on Ancestry, and there are several individuals listed on the maternal side, but I don't recognize any names in their family trees. I think they might be related to my great-grandfather. I recently requested my grandfather's birth certificate from the state of Wisconsin; maybe it will reveal my great-grandfather's identity once I receive it.

Week 12: Historic Event - Sailing on the Andrea Doria

I would not call this post a historic event, perhaps a historic event adjacent.

Nowadays, with both my husband and I flying domestically at least once a month and internationally twice a year, traveling by ship feels like something from a past era. We've taken cruises, but never as a means of transportation between destinations. My husband's family immigrated from Italy, and I discovered that his maternal grandparents traveled on the Andrea Doria to visit Sicily. They departed from New York on May 9th, 1953, heading for Genoa, Italy.

The Andrea Doria was launched on May 16, 1951, from Genoa, Italy, and embarked on her maiden voyage on January 14, 1953. The ship was still quite new, having been at sea for only 5 months. Just a few years later, the vessel my husband's grandparents sailed on lay at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. On July 25, 1955, the Andrea Doria collided with the Stockholm near Nantucket, Massachusetts. Despite the tragic collision, most of the passengers and crew were rescued by several nearby ships.

The manifest of the Andrea Doria and list of passengers by husband's grandparents sailed on.

Week 13: Home Sweet Home

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is where my family resides. Regardless of whether they originated from Prussia, Germany, or Poland and immigrated via Cleveland or New York, initially settling in Manitowoc, Colby, or Richland, most of them eventually established their home in Milwaukee.

My great-grandparents established their homes on the Southside of Milwaukee. Some resided near Mitchell Street, while others lived in the "Town of Lake," which later became part of the City of Milwaukee. They were baptized, married, and laid to rest in Polish churches and cemeteries.

As I grew up on the Southside of Milwaukee, our family visited many now historic sites, including the Town of Lake water tower and Grant Park along Lake Michigan's shore. We also enjoyed local bakeries like Grebe's and Gardetto's breadsticks. Milwaukee was renowned for its custard, with popular spots being Leon's Custard, Al's Custard, and Kopp's.

During my childhood, our family lived in various locations on Milwaukee's Southside, always close enough to bike to our Grandparents' house until we relocated to the suburbs. Milwaukee will forever be my "Home Sweet Home."