#82: A Name with a Meaning: Fredericka

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2026-22)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of May 25 is "A Name with a Meaning" and here is my interpretation of the prompt. Fredericka Reifert Strahle, the first of the “Freds”: A Name That Echoed for Generations.

Image created by ChatGBT

#72: A Brickwall Revisited

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2026-15)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of March 30 is "A Brickwall Revisited."

#60: A Breakthrough Moment...I'm Still Searching For

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2026-05)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of January 26 is "A Breakthrough Moment."  For this week’s prompt, I’m not writing about a brick wall I’ve already knocked down. Instead, I’m writing about the "Aha!" moment I am still searching for: the identity of my great-grandmother’s mysterious sister in Ohio.

#54: Sunday Obituary - Fredrick Gillen (1859-1941)

Legacy in the Empire State: The Life and Lineage of Fredrick Gillen (1859–1941)

Each Sunday, genealogy bloggers reflect on the lives of their ancestors through the lens of an obituary. Whether clipped from a newspaper or passed down through family lore, obituaries offer a unique snapshot of a person’s final chapter—and often hint at the rich life that came before. This week, I’m honoring my 2x great-grandfather, Fredrick Gillen, by expanding on his obituary with historical records, family connections, and personal reflections.

#51 - I’d Like to Meet: Elizabeth Bonar Soltis

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2023-01)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of January 1 is “I’d Like to Meet" so let me introduce you to my great-grandmother Elizabeth Bonar Soltis.

#43: Signature Saturday #1 - Cecelia Strahle and Frank Hillenbrand

Signature Saturday

Signature Saturday is a genealogy blogging prompt where you post a copy of an ancestor’s signature.  For my inaugural post using this prompt, let me introduce you to Cecelia Strahle and Frank Hillenbrand, my Great Grandparents.

#36 - Valentine: Emma and Clifford Olsen

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2021-06)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of February 7 is "Valentine." 

#32 - Sunday's Obituary #1: George Gillen, Sr.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2021-01)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of January 4-10 is "Beginnings."  I'm interpreting the prompt as this post is my Fresh Beginnings for Family History Blogging. 

I started blogging, in earnest last year.  I started off very well.  I did 19 posts between January and the middle of July.  While I didn't make a post every week, 19 out of 30 weeks was a good start.  Then the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions and teleworking began to take a toll on my motivation.  I only made two posts for the back half of the year.

So, this is my Fresh Beginnings in 2021!

#28: Peter Schmitz - Fireman

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2020-27)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of July 5 is "Solo."

Today, let me introduce you to Peter P. Schmitz, who was a firefighter in New York City.  His is our family's "solo" paid firefighter.  All the others in the family were volunteer firefighters.

Peter Schmitz, Jr., 1941.  From the collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen

Matrimonial Monday: Anna Marie Gillen and Charles William Summers

The years of the Great Depression continued in 1935.  However, life still went on during this time.

Charles "Charlie" William (Soltis) Summers had returned to Long Island, New York from his second tour of duty in the Army in 1930  He was working in a gas station on Main Street in Hempstead.

Anna Marie Gillen was still living at the home of her parents. Edward and Caroline Gillen in North Merrick, Long Island, New York.

Emma Hillenbrand Olsen - Our own Rosie the Riveter

Emma Dorthy Hillenbrand Olsen (1924-2011) and Clifford Olsen (1922-1966) were married on November 28, 1943 at Grace Lutheran Church in Bellmore, New York.  This was one year after Clifford had enlisted in the army.

Edited digital image of framed bridal photograph of Emma Hillenbrand Olsen in the personal collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen.

Tombstone Tuesday #2 (but on a Thursday!): Ludvig Almandus Olsen

Note: I had originally planned this post to appear on Tuesday, but in doing some last minute research, I came across additional information that made it so I had to delay posting.

Ludvig Almandus Olsen was born Friday, May 13, 1887 at Eidbostranda in the Tvedestrand municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway.  He was the 6^th of 7 children born to Laurits Olsen and Amalie Lovise Jensdatter Christoffersen.

The Eidbostranda house is located in the small village of Sagesund located on the shore of the Oksefjorden Fjord (a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier).  The village is now mostly a summer vacation location.

Name Day: Katherina - November 25

Katherina GOELLNER/GILLEN 

A name day is a tradition in many countries in Europe and America that consists of celebrating the day of the year associated with one's given name.

Katherina was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany in September, 1828, according to information provided in US census records.  Unfortunately, at this time I am unable to locate any records that indicate if she was born in the town of Darmstadt or in another town in the Hesse-Darmstadt German state.  Also, I'm not able to locate a document which gives us Katherina's maiden name.

In Memoriam - Edward Louis Gillen

Edward Louis Gillen passed away on 50 years ago today on Saturday, November 15, 1969 in Freeport, Nassau, New York.