“Family Archaeologist” explores a century of family letters, diaries, and artifacts, and how they illuminate history and our shared humanity. To get an overview of the blog, click: “Welcome to Family Archaeologist”
LATEST BLOG POSTS
Father of the Year
Dad and I at the Palmer House “Father of the Year” banquet, June 12, 1962 When I was in eighth grade, our English teacher, Mrs. Hall, asked all the students in class to write an essay on why we thought our dads should be “Father of the Year.” I guess I wasn’t paying close [...]
Swimsuit Issue—The Mankini
Fred Gartz, left; Will Gartz, right. Probably between 1928-1930 It’s time for another CoG—Carnival of Genealogy. As always, thanks to Jasia at The Creative Gene, for sponsoring Carnival of Genealogy. All contributors’ posts can be seen by July 4th. This month is the “Swimsuit Issue.” Family history buffs (no pun intended) are sharing old [...]
Swindlers through the ages
Samuel Ebner, Lisi Gartz’s dad The best defense is an offense, and that was as true in the past as it is today. A century ago, a deceitful notary took advantage of my grandfather’s absence to wrongfully sell his property. My grandmother’s father, Samuel Ebner, (left) wrote her and her new husband, Josef Gartz, [...]
Facing Death—A Memorial Day Tribute
Lt. Frank Ebner Gartz DOB 1924 This Memorial Day, I’m remembering two relatives who each served in one of the two world wars. World War II My dad’s younger brother, Frank Ebner Gartz, was a navigator in the last year of World War II. He trained stateside from January, 1943, through December, 1944. On [...]
An odd fellow-missing World War I
World War I trench warfarephoto credit: www.anunews.net/blog Last week’s photos pictured Josef and Lisi Gartz, with their two young sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm happy and healthy in Chicago about early 1916 (see below) and again in the summer of 1918. (See Family and Dead Dog). These family photos were taken at the same time [...]
Family poses with baby on dead dog!
Growing Family: Lisi and Josef Gartz with sons,Wilhelm, standing; Friedrich on dad’s knee.Late 1915 or early 1916. Last week I posted photos of my mother taken in 1918, showing the dual sides of her personality. On this page are are family photos of the Gartz family, the one below taken about the same time as [...]
Cute, coy, fierce, and strong
Lillian Gartz, nee Koroschetz, 1918 About a year and a half after John and Louise Koroschetz married, their first and only child was born, Lillian—my mom. To get a tiny bit of insight into my mother’s personality, just take a look at these two baby pictures. She seems to be about the same age [...]
A May Wedding, 1916
Wedding—May 16, 1916 Louise and John Koroschetz, Chicago, IL Did they meet at one of the German concerts Louise Woschkeruscha was fond of attending on her weekends off from the dressmaking shop that created Parisian fashions right here in Chicago? Perhaps through mutual friends at the German cinema? Louise was self-conscious about her appearance [...]
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