Tag: Berlage

Christmas in July

The focus of research and reconnaissance on the Odell-Berlage side of the tree culminated last week with the arrival of a thoroughly wrapped package of pictures and documents from Aunt Yvonne in Michigan. It really is a treasure trove. There are d…

The focus of research and reconnaissance on the Odell-Berlage side of the tree culminated last week with the arrival of a thoroughly wrapped package of pictures and documents from Aunt Yvonne in Michigan.  It really is a treasure trove. There are dozens of items representing hundreds of stories.  Everthing had notes attached with names, except for two mystery portraits done in Amsterdam; it’s a relief to know that even Aunt Yvonne has pictures tagged, “I don’t know who this is.”

Here are just a few images to give you the idea of the range of riches –  concentrating on Alice Berlage Odell, John’s grandmother, whose romance and wedding was detailed a few weeks ago. Continue reading “Christmas in July”

Forging new connections

So far, Family Epic has mostly been about my family — writer’s prerogative — and function of the old adage “write what you know.” Our Ruffner-Offutt side has been centered in Pennsylvania and in Maryland, and has barely budged. Then there’s the …

So far, Family Epic has mostly been about my family — writer’s prerogative — and function of the old adage “write what you know.” Our Ruffner-Offutt side has been centered in Pennsylvania and in Maryland, and has barely budged.  Then there’s the more mobile Williams-Walling southern contingent – New Jersey-South Carolina-Alabama-Georgia-Arkansas-Texas. Nice geographical contrast between the two sides — not a single overlapping state.

The other half of my children’s heritage presents different challenges and different locales. Continue reading “Forging new connections”

A 1916 Shipboard Romance

[Back to the other half of my daughters’ heritage……] Alice Henriette Pauline, born in Amsterdam in 1898 to Jacobus Berlage and Alice Anslyn Berlage, was only seven years old when her father died in 1905. (1) She was the oldest of three; brothe…

[Back to the other half of my daughters’ heritage……]

Alice Henriette Pauline, born in Amsterdam in 1898 to Jacobus Berlage and Alice Anslyn Berlage, was only seven years old when her father died in 1905. (1)   She was the oldest of three;  brother Thomas was six and sister Cecile was five.  Within a year, their mother married a second time – to Robert J. Fellner, a Boston-born member of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.  Alice Berlage Fellner gave birth to their son, James, in 1907. Continue reading “A 1916 Shipboard Romance”