This post was originally published on Christmas Eve, 2010, on the centennial of my grandfather’s departure for America, and his diary record of his harrowing journey. Josef Gärtz, 1909 or 1910, age 20 or 21 I’d always known [...]
Missler Wallet with Josef’s Gärtz’s diary inside. Note: “Missler” was a ticket agent in Bremen, Germany, but for years people thought it was the name of this “ghostship.” Scroll down to the “Missler” link to learn more. This [...]
May 15, 1911: L-R Katarina Gärtz, Lisi Ebner, a cousin This photo of my grandmother, Lisi Ebner, and her future sister-in-law, Katarina Gärtz, dated May 15, 1911, was in our family photo collection for decades. Only when I was able [...]
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 [...]
Austrian Clothing John Koroschetz, probably Chicago Tool & Die Maker Business Card: John Koroschetz After arriving at Ellis Island in 1908, and living for a time in Buffalo, NY, John Koroschetz eventually made his way to [...]
S.S. Blucher-Hamburg America Line built 1902, The ship that brought Johann Koroschetz to America. Thanks to www.norwayheritage.com for image. Johann Koroschetz traveled to Hamburg to board the ship, the S.S. Blucher, destined for America, on August 26, 1908, [...]
S.S. Geroge Washingtonphoto credit: www.norwayheritage.com Louise Woschkeruscha, my maternal grandmother, boarded the S.S. George Washington on March 8, 1913, a month after leaving three years of paid apprenticeship and another three years as journey-woman in the Viennese clothing [...]
Woschkeruscha Family, Leobersdorf, Austria, 1901 L-R Therese, Alöisia (Louise), Hans (later John Miller) Johann The story of my mother’s family began with my maternal grandmother’s mental breakdown during the “happiest days” of Lillian’s life–as she made wedding preparations [...]
