Where's Grandpa?

My cousin's DNA came back and it was the shocker I feared it might be - My mother and his father were only half-siblings! I've spent nearly 10 years looking for those Damn Hasenstabs, only now to find out, they aren't even my family! What a waste of time!

I should have known - my uncle and my mom were 16 years apart. Yeah, I thought it was strange but my mom told me, she was a menopause baby. (Grandma was 37) They must have gone into menopause younger back then. No, the facts are, that Grandma was a naughty girl. She lied to her daughter for years. I don't know if my mom ever knew the truth. I believe she must have because she and her mom were not close and at one time, Grandma went missing and my mom had to fly back to find her. So, there was stuff going on. Of course, like any little girl, I believed everything my mom told me.

As my mom got older, she obsessed about not ever knowing her father.  Drinking a bit more than she should and popping pills, she once told me that her real father was a Peter Leech (Leach) from Northern Ireland and he was a wanted man by the FBI and was with the Irish Republic Army. Then a few days later, she tells me to forget about it - that she was wrong. I was like, "Whatever!" Then when I asked her about it a few years later, she denied ever telling me that!

OMG, talk about dysfunction!

I just feel like a FOOL. Spending so much time, looking for Hasenstab. I even flew back to Dayton Ohio and looked for his grave. When I found it, I was overtaken with such emotion, I fell on his grave and cried.

My sister died never knowing the truth.

Yeah, I'm pissed. Why do families mess with the truth? I guess they never thought beyond their own generation. It was all about them and not future generations.

So I now have this huge daunting project in front of me and to be honest, I don't feel optimistic that I will ever find my mom's bio father and family.






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I found Philomena!

Philomena is my great-grandmother on my mother's side. I had been searching for her, close to 10 years and at times, it drove me bat-crazy.

How I found her is that I never gave up. You can't. I had to take a break from it but it wasn't that long of one because I was determined to find her and a bit obsessed. She once existed and I was going to find her! 

One day, I was going through the names of the 1860 census for an uncle of my great-grandfather and noticed they had a Philip Nann living with them. I had remembered that I found the birth record saying that a Minnie Naun was the mother of my grandfather. Knowing how many misspellings are found in the US census, I ran a check on Philip Nann and sure enough, he had a sister named Philomena and then I found other documents, showing her and my grandfather as a married couple. How cool is that?

Many European immigrants knew each other from the old country and it pays to check out the other people on the census and the neighbors listed.

I have a huge family to research and have already matched shared DNA to 3 Nann's on Ancestry to confirm I am on the right track. It feels so good, to finally break down that one, stubborn brick wall.

See BRICK WALL - Philomena Hasenstab

WTH?



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Memorial Month of May - From Dachau to Mauthausen

Searching for Peter Yosef Hasenstab - He was born April 18, 1897, in Gailbach - a district of the Kreisfreien Stadt Aschaffenburg.  The only way I can find that he once lived, are from the scant records when he was a prisoner of war and entered Dachau Concentration Camp on Sept 16, 1937. I am unable to date, to find his parents.

I am positive he was not Jewish. Most of my Hasenstabs were Catholic. I do know he served in WW1 in Germany in the Artillery.  Perhaps, he bravely resisted Nazism.

Dachau had the dubious distinction of being the first camp established (March 1933) after the Nazis came to power. Over its history, about 200,000 prisoners from thirty countries (the largest number from Poland) were registered in the main camp or its many sub-camps. It is estimated that 35,000 prisoners died in Dachau, tens of thousands were released at various times between 1933 and 1945, and thousands of others were liberated by American troops in April 1945. Even larger numbers of prisoners were transferred from Dachau elsewhere and this collection does not establish their ultimate fate. While tens of thousands of the prisoners were Jews, the overwhelming majority were imprisoned for other reasons.

Persons were imprisoned for a wide variety of reasons. The most common designation is Sch. (Schutzhäftling or protective prisoner) which was a catch-all designation with no real meaning. Bifo is an abbreviation for Bibel Forscher, or Jehovah’s Witness, while a P. Pf. (Polish Pfarrer) is a Polish minister or priest. “Z” designated a Zigeuner (gypsy) while a ZA was a Zwangs Arbeiter or forced laborer. And, of course, J stands for Jude or Jew.

On Sept 27, 1939, he was transferred to Mauthausen. The Mauthausen-Gusen camp was one of the first massive concentration camp complexes in Nazi Germany, and the last to be liberated by the Allies. The two main camps, Mauthausen and Gusen I, were labeled as "Grade III" (Stufe III) camps, which meant that they were intended to be the toughest camps for the "Incorrigible political enemies of the Reich"

Sept 27, 1939, is the last date I can find on Peter Josef Hasenstab.













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Just one PHOTO would mean the world to me

I came real close - to get a copy of a photo of my Grandfather Hasenstab. Then, the "cousin" stopped returning my messages and it is not like I was being a pest. I gave her S.P.A.C.E.

I post photos on Ancestry all the time. Many have tagged them, to use for their family trees. Let's face it, we like to see what they look like; do we resemble them in any way?  It's not like I am posting people who are alive today - Come on now, they're DEAD!  Why be so protective of a photo? If it could be some closure for someone, I'd be honored to help.

So, I know there are photos "out there" and I continue to search. Oh happy day, if I should ever come across a photo of my Grandfather.

Here are but a few of the photo archives I have sifted through. I won't give up.

Dead Fred

Are You in my Photo? (This is mostly for fun but you never know)

Ancestorville




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Searched Matches

It's been a year, that I received back my DNA results. I believe I was so overwhelmed with it all, I just looked at the ethnicity chart - a few matches and didn't take it any further because I didn't know how to.

Because of my Hasenstab obsession - I went through where it says, AncestryDNA Results

Then entered Hasenstab and searched the matches. NOTHING. I did find many Edelmann, Scherer, Mattern, and Schuster.  They were all "distant cousins".

I also did a search if anyone was searching for the surname Hasenstab. Found one gal - messaged her and hopefully, she will contact me soon. Although I won't hold my breath. I don't know what it is, with that branch of my family - it's like they went out of their way to just fall off the face of the earth.

That's it - I'm putting Hasenstab to rest for a few weeks. It makes me too crazy.




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Michael Hasenstab - Tragedy

looks spooky

Michael Hasenstab - 

B: 2 Feb 1858 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States 

D: 6 April 1932 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, USA 

My GGrandfather, Michael Hasenstab, must have had some issues and it is purely speculative on my part to say what it was because I don't know. What I do know, is he was widowed early - and left to raise 2 young children, Caroline and Edwin at ages 4 and 2. I do not know how or why his beloved Minnie, died. Perhaps she died in childbirth?

The census shows him and his 2 young children living together at several different residences.In 1922 it shows he was living at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Curious, to say the least.

1920 Census shows he is the head of the house - but has both Caroline and Edwin as adults living with him. It also shows Caroline had married (widowed or divorced) with 3 young children, living with them.

He was a Butcher by trade.

Yesterday I found these 2 newspaper clippings, on his suicide.

Poor guy - He must have been so desperate. I wish I knew why.

April 2, 1932 (Saturday)

Former German Crown Prince Wilhelm endorsed Adolf Hitler for president in the April 10 election. By making a political statement, Wilhelm broke his word to the German government that he would refrain from politics as a condition of his return to Germany from exile.

April 3, 1932 (Sunday)

Germany's "Easter truce" forbidding political activities expired at noon with violent clashes around the country.

April 4, 1932 (Monday)

Vojislav Marinković became Prime Minister of Yugoslavia.


April 5, 1932 (Tuesday)

The documents seized by German police in last month's raids on Nazi headquarters were presented to the government. According to authorities, they showed Nazi plans to start a civil war in which a secret army would seize arms and ammunition and cut off water supplies to city centers.

Chancellor Heinrich Brüning told an audience in Stuttgart that the re-election of Hindenburg would pave the way for a settlement of the reparations problem, while the election of Hitler would cause the German mark to drop with a crash "in no time."

April 6, 1932 (Wednesday)

Four powers (Britain, France, Germany and Italy) opened the Danube Conference in London, discussing the perilous economic situation of the countries that once made up Austria-Hungary.

I may never know this side of Heaven.

BRICK WALL - Philomena Hasenstab

I wish I knew her. My great grandmother on my mother's side. The only thing I have, is her name on my GGrandfather's death certificate, as his wife. She was already deceased.

She was born approx. 1860
and died August 14, 1898. She was 38 years old. 1900 Census shows her husband, Michael a widower. He had a 65 yr old housekeeper or nanny living with them. Francis Gangshril and 2 young children. Caroline age 4 and Edwin. age 2.

What was her maiden name?
Her Birthdate?
Was she born in the USA or Germany? 
Did her Parents name her after St. Philomena?

I do know, she is listed as Minnie - on some city directories from Dayton, Ohio. I doubled checked nicknames for Philomena and yes, Minnie is a common one.

That's it. I can't go any further without beating my brains out.

It's sad really - She was born - and once had a loving family however there is no record that I am able to find. It's not right- not to be remembered. I feel a closeness to her for some reason. Probably because her history eludes me at this time.

Book: Secret Genealogy- A How-to for Tracing Ancient Jewish Ancestry

I am reading this book on Kindle - While I do not show any Jewish DNA, I keep finding surnames that are questionable. I've heard stories from my mom's side -

The ones that have me wondering:

Edelmann
Hoffmann
Gross
Scherer
Morris
Harris (Harrison)
Rees

That is just on the Hasenstab side. (My Mom's father's side)

I also joined Jewish Genealogy Portal Group on Facebook

Those Damn Hasenstab's

Patty Hasenstab - 11 years old

I just dream of that day, when I can make a DNA connection, with someone from the Hasenstab family. I check all the time. Today I found a DNA connection to the Closson side. That was encouraging. But it's the Hasenstab side, that haunts me. Why?

Today I joined a couple of groups on Facebook. They both have my head reeling from information overload. It might be time, to put it to rest for today. I've worked all morning.  I love reading happy stories. This one gal actually found 2 siblings - a brother and a sister. How cool is that? That would really mess things up for me since my folks have passed. I already know about a half-brother. No all I want to find is a DNA connection to the Hasenstab Family.

Maybe I need to see a shrink!

My Mom's Paternal Side of the Family

It gets very confusing. I needed to write this all down. It's maddening to me when I hit those proverbial walls. I guess I should be happy that I have gotten this far. Yet I am not connecting with any of these families on Ancestry.

I briefly made contact with a couple of Hasenstab's but they never get back to me. Why the heck are they even there? Don't they want to connect with long lost family members?

I feel REJECTED at times. Does anyone else ever feel that way? Or am I just crazy?

WTH?

I found this copy on Family Search - shows my g-grandfather Michael Hasenstab as the father and this M-name and last name, I do not recognize as my grandfather's mother. His mother was Philomena. Never could find her last name. I'm thinking, she may have been called Mena, or Mennie or Minnie? I am not sure if the last name starts with an N.

Now, see this is the stuff, that drives me mad. The penmanship is nice but too fancy. I can't even read it.

Anybody see something that I don't?

Genealogy isn't for the faint-hearted

SUICIDE RUNS IN FAMILIES

7 months later, I get a message on Ancestry - someone from the Hasenstab family.

This gal actually knew "Uncle Ed" and "Aunt Cordie".  As you will read, she tells me, something that blew my mind. My Grandfather also committed suicide. Gunshot, same as my Mom. By this time, I had found out that my Great Grandfather, Michael, had jumped off a bridge to his death.

This was 3 generations of suicide in the Hasenstab family.

This is NOT what I was looking for. You have to understand, that when you dig through the mysteries - you just might find out why they were mysteries, to begin with.

She eventually said she would send me a picture - she never did. In fact, she just stopped communicating with me.

I found him.

I did go back to Dayton and found where my Grandpa Hasenstab was buried and Michael Hasenstab. When I found his grave, I fell to my knees and cried. The emotion, of finally finding my mom's father was enormous for me. I felt relief and I felt great sadness.

Then I found, a grave next to him, same plot. It read Cordelia Hasenstab? His wife?

I had more searching to do.

Michael and his wife were buried at the same Catholic cemetery -  unmarked graves. The cemetery people gave me a map, of where they would be.

The Death Certificate - Michael Hasenstab

That evening, when I had received a reply from my earlier post, I was as excited as a small child, in a candy shop. I remember it was late in the evening - around 10pm - but I couldn't wait till morning. I downloaded my Great Grandfather's Death certificate.

What I saw, was shocking. The cause of death was SUICIDE! He was 74 years old.

I was devastated. My mom had committed suicide and now I find out, her grandfather had done the same. What was going on?

Desperately Seeking My Grandfather

I was desperate. I have learned that Genealogy can do this to you. When you are close to something, you get frantic. Gosh, I even booked a flight to Dayton Ohio so I could actually be there. I was too new as an amateur genealogist to get anywhere online.

I know it sounds silly, but I felt a pull toward Ohio. This is where I would find the answers.

A few hours after I posted, I got an answer.

OMG, Michael Hasenstab was my Grandfather's father, my great-grandfather. I knew I was going to find some answers.

Things start to happen

I finally get on Ancestry, a few months after my mom passed and found that one of my cousins, on my mom's side was trying to locate us. She posted the following in the year 2000. I finally found this in June 2008. At least I had my cousin's last name.

I felt bad - I don't know why. I guess that mom never knew her niece was looking for her. Mom always had self-esteem issues. Always felt, that no one loved her. Would these "issues" she always had, be rooted in her father?

So I immediately posted to the message board

The next day after I posted, someone got back to me. Things were starting to happen...

The Story about My Mom's Father

Grandpa was a Wingwalker (BS)

The story I heard, growing up, about my Mom's father was that he died before my mom was born. Grandma was 8 months pregnant with my Mom. He died in a plane crash. He was a wing-walker. Mom had a brother who was 16 years old than her. Uncle Bud.

Basically, Mom and her single mother were poor - lived in boarding houses in Dayton Ohio. Apparently, my Grandma was a bit on the difficult side. They got kicked out of places because of her temperament. I felt sorry, listening to my mother's hardships. Meanwhile, her brother was in the Army Air Corps, stationed in England and occasionally they would get postcards from him that I still have. 

After the war, Uncle Bud married a gal from Alabama and they settled in Springfield, Ohio, and had 4 children. 

I was always curious, as to why, my Uncle Bud, had a different last name from my mom's maiden name which was Hasenstab. The reason: He legally changed his name to my Grandma's maiden name (Closson) so he could fight the Nazis. Sounded good enough for me. 

After my Mom's death, I was shocked to find, that her father, Edward (Edwin) Joesph Hasenstab, was alive and well when my mom was born in 1934. He was alive and well, when I was born, in 1954. So where the heck was he? He was right there, in Dayton Ohio, living with a woman, he referred to as his wife, Cordelia Martin. He died in 1958. 

So, there begins my wall of walls - What happened between him and my Grandma? Were they ever really married? Did they divorce? Was he my Mom's bio dad? Why did Grandma and he wait 16 years, to have another child? Was my Mom's father really a Wingwalker? 

Mom was gone. The only living relatives I had left, from my mom's side, were my cousins. Did they know about our mysterious grandfather Hasenstab?