I have been doing family tree research since about 1972, so 50 years now. In those days I worked with a German genealogist that crossed from West to East Germany to find information for me. My how times have changed with the Internet, email, and sites such as Roots and Ancestry!

I started with the Bentzien-Thode branches, then to the Rudolph-Dubben-Scholbe branches. I finally admitted to myself that the reason I started researching was because I wanted to know why the young Bentzien brothers (Richard, Leonard, and Robert) were "farmed" out to various relatives following the death of their mother. Their mother, Adela Bentzien (born Thode) died in 1918--a victim of the world flu perhaps.

I learned that the father, Paul John (PJ), of Richard, Leondard, and Robert was working to provide for his 3 sons. The Bentzien and Thode families were involved in WWI or own families. For instance, Paul's father Herman was tending to his ailing wife who died in 1920. And Paul's in-laws Christopher and Marianna Thode were tending to 6 children left behind by daughter Friedericke (kidney disease 1908) and James Mahegan (accidentally struck by car 1913).

On my mother's side, the Rudolph family members also are interesting. My mother Shirley is the daughter of Charles and Lydia Buchholz, who ran their own bakery in Milwaukee.

Whatever it is, I have been rewarded during this remarkable journey by meeting long lost relatives, learning about world history, culture, religion, and traveling to Ribnitz, the quaint home town of my ancestors in northern Germany. I plan to continue to learn as much as I can as the adventures have been absolutely fascinating.

Oh, and I should mention the affinal (marriage) lineage to John and Priscilla Alden of the Mayflower.
John and Priscilla (born Mullins) Alden
Joseph B Jonathan Alden: Son of John & Priscilla Alden
Elizabeth Alden: Daughter of Joseph B and Mary (born Simmons) Alden
Benjamin Snow II: Son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (born Alden) Snow
Daniel Snow: Son of Benjamin and Jemima (born Snell) Snow II
Barzillai Snow: Son of Daniel and Abigail (born Fobes) Snow
Adin Snow: Son of Barzilla and Betsy (born Edson) Snow
Amelia Snow: Daughter of Adin and Cynthia (born Smith) Snow
Amanda Melvina Moore: Daughter of Isaac and Amelia (born Snow) Moore
Albert Moore Ten Eyck: Son of Albert Andrew and Amanda Melvina (born Moore) Ten Eyck (John Alden the 7th great grandfather of Albert Moore Ten Eyck)
Albert Moore Ten Eyck married Wilhelmina Carolina Maveus
Wilhelmina Carolina and Friedareka Maveus: Daughters of Frederick Ernest and Friederike (born Stoll) Maveus
Marvin Lee Green: Son of Richard and Friedareka (born Maveus) Green
Charlotte Green: Daughter of Marvin and Francis (born Wallace) Green
Earl Rudolph and Shirley Rudolph: Children Charles and Lydia (born Buchholz) Rudolph
Earl Rudolph married Charlotte Green
Jon Rudolph: Son of Earl and Charlotte (born Green) Rudolph
Shirley Rudolph married Robert Bentzien
Vicki and Don Bentzien: Children of Robert & Shirley (born Rudolph) Bentzien

I have been doing family tree research since about 1972, so 50 years now. In those days I worked with a German genealogist that crossed from West to East Germany to find information for me. My how times have changed with the Internet, email, and sites such as Roots and Ancestry!

I started with the Bentzien-Thode branches, then to the Rudolph-Dubben-Scholbe branches. I finally admitted to myself that the reason I started researching was because I wanted to know why the young Bentzien brothers (Richard, Leonard, and Robert) were "farmed" out to various relatives following the death of their mother. Their mother, Adela Bentzien (born Thode) died in 1918--a victim of the world flu perhaps.

I learned that the father, Paul John (PJ), of Richard, Leondard, and Robert was working to provide for his 3 sons. The Bentzien and Thode families were involved in WWI or own families. For instance, Paul's father Herman was tending to his ailing wife who died in 1920. And Paul's in-laws Christopher and Marianna Thode were tending to 6 children left behind by daughter Friedericke (kidney disease 1908) and James Mahegan (accidentally struck by car 1913).

On my mother's side, the Rudolph family members also are interesting. My mother Shirley is the daughter of Charles and Lydia Buchholz, who ran their own bakery in Milwaukee.

Whatever it is, I have been rewarded during this remarkable journey by meeting long lost relatives, learning about world history, culture, religion, and traveling to Ribnitz, the quaint home town of my ancestors in northern Germany. I plan to continue to learn as much as I can as the adventures have been absolutely fascinating.

Oh, and I should mention the affinal (marriage) lineage to John and Priscilla Alden of the Mayflower.
John and Priscilla (born Mullins) Alden
Joseph B Jonathan Alden: Son of John & Priscilla Alden
Elizabeth Alden: Daughter of Joseph B and Mary (born Simmons) Alden
Benjamin Snow II: Son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (born Alden) Snow
Daniel Snow: Son of Benjamin and Jemima (born Snell) Snow II
Barzillai Snow: Son of Daniel and Abigail (born Fobes) Snow
Adin Snow: Son of Barzilla and Betsy (born Edson) Snow
Amelia Snow: Daughter of Adin and Cynthia (born Smith) Snow
Amanda Melvina Moore: Daughter of Isaac and Amelia (born Snow) Moore
Albert Moore Ten Eyck: Son of Albert Andrew and Amanda Melvina (born Moore) Ten Eyck (John Alden the 7th great grandfather of Albert Moore Ten Eyck)
Albert Moore Ten Eyck married Wilhelmina Carolina Maveus
Wilhelmina Carolina and Friedareka Maveus: Daughters of Frederick Ernest and Friederike (born Stoll) Maveus
Marvin Lee Green: Son of Richard and Friedareka (born Maveus) Green
Charlotte Green: Daughter of Marvin and Francis (born Wallace) Green
Earl Rudolph and Shirley Rudolph: Children Charles and Lydia (born Buchholz) Rudolph
Earl Rudolph married Charlotte Green
Jon Rudolph: Son of Earl and Charlotte (born Green) Rudolph
Shirley Rudolph married Robert Bentzien
Vicki and Don Bentzien: Children of Robert & Shirley (born Rudolph) Bentzien