Family Preserves: Those Places Thursday - Grandmom's Back Porch

Family Preserves: Those Places Thursday - Grandmom's Back Porch: It’s funny, as children we take for granted our surroundings, we don’t realize the indelible memories of the places we’ve been, who we were ...

Those Places Thursday - Grandmom's Back Porch

It’s funny, as children we take for granted our surroundings, we don’t realize the indelible memories of the places we’ve been, who we were with, or what we were doing, are forever etched in our hearts and minds.  That is until we get much older; usually when we start families of our own.  Or, at least that was the case for me.  I have many fond memories of places that I spent time with my family; but today’s focus is my Grandmom’s back porch. 

I helped my Grandmom clean the porch – back then sweeping the porch for my Grandmom was fun; sweeping the sidewalk and our concrete driveway today, not so much.  I would sit on the back porch with my Grandmom and read, play games and visit with my Grandparents.  But one of the fondest memories I have is . . .

Sitting on the back porch shelling peas or lima beans; snapping beans or husking corn.  My grandparents had a sizeable garden – okay sizable by my 7 year old standards – and they, along with my parents or aunts and uncles would harvest whatever produce was in season and I was given the job of shelling, snapping or husking.  I was helping my beloved grandmom and that made me feel like one of the grownups.  Sadly, no pictures – that I am aware of – exist of this treasured memory of mine.L

With the advent of the last 20^th / early 21^st century, back yard gardens both in the area I grew up and the area I now live, have become in large part passé.  I must admit, when I was a child, while I loved helping my Grandmom with the produce, I detested getting my hands dirty – I absolutely did not like digging in the dirt! – so, gardening was out.  So I never really developed a ‘green thumb,’ if I had any at all.  So, I never was able to pass on this fond memory to my children in a tangible, hands-on experience; while they know that the fruits and vegetables they eat come from gardens or orchards, they’re under the misguided impression that ‘civilized’ folk purchase them from grocery stores or farmer’s markets.  All the more reason it has become important for me to collect these memories, and assemble them much like a quilt to pass on to them in oral, scrapbook, genealogical, and/or blog form, so that they can appreciate the lives of those who came before and cherish and learn from their ancestor’s life’s lessons.

Family Preserves: Black Sheep Sunday - An as yet Unconfirmed Possibi...

Family Preserves: Black Sheep Sunday - An as yet Unconfirmed Possibi...: Preserving our family's history and stories, is always interesting to the family historian, but let's be honest, most times it can be a bit ...

Black Sheep Sunday - An as yet Unconfirmed Possibility

Preserving our family's history and stories, is always interesting to the family historian, but let's be honest, most times it can be a bit dry.  Our ancestors lived, worked hard, dealt with life's ups and downs and died.  But, every now and again, we come across that one ancestor, that, well, just can't seem to get a break - make the right decisions, live a 'proper' life, stay away from drink or any other number of vices and troubles - and, that's what makes family histories and stories come to life!

My maternal Grandfather's ancestry can be traced back to the mid-1600's in Silesia, Prussia.  My work on this side of the family was made that much easier, both by the stories that my Grandfather shared with the family while I was growing up and by the efforts of the Dr. O.S. Kriebel, Mr. Elmer K. Schultz, Mr. Wayne C. Meschter, Mr. Samuel K. Brecht, Mr. Samuel Yeakle and Mr. J. E. Brunett Buckenham, MD - the publishing committee - who endeavored to document and record the family genealogy of the original Schwenksfelders who emmigrated to the Pennsylvania Colony in 1734.  My Grandfather's Kribel (Kriebel) ancestors were among them.  I knew from listening to my Grandfather's stories about his family, that one Kribel (Kriebel) ancestor chose to stay in Prussia (Germany) - Hans, the brother of my 8x Great Grandfather.  And, Grandpop would also say that anyone who spelled their surname like he did, was most oft related to us in someway.  I have since learned, that he was right, and wrong.

If you are not familiar with the history of the Schwenksfelders, I encourage you to visit http://www.schwenkfelder.com/museum/SchwenkfelderGallery.htm to learn more.

So where is our black sheep?  You ask.  Well, remember that at least one (known) ancestor of ours chose to stay in the Father Land and in doing so, I am sure that they and their family members took part in many of a historical event, up to, but I am sure not limited to WWII.  I have always had an interest in current events and have also been an avid reader of history, particularly WWII, and back in 2001 I picked up the book "THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF ADOLF HITLER" by Mr. John Toland.  When I scanned the photographs that were included in the book, my eyes fell on one that depicted Adolf Hitler in the Landsberg Prison; Hitler was sitting with Emil Maurice - his chauffeur and companion - and, with . . . wait for it . . . Colonel Hermann Kriebel!  Yup, KRIEBEL.  I have yet to connect the Colonel with my family tree, but I must admit I am intrigued.  Is this Colonel Kriebel a descendant of Hans Kriebel, the known ancestor to have stayed in the Father Land?  I hope to one day answer that question.

The picture in the book resides in the Library of Congress.  I do know that Colonel Hermann Kriebel participated in the November 1923 Beer Hall Putsch.  I also know from a cursory Google search that Hermann Kriebel, after serving his sentence with Hitler in Prison for his participation in the Putsch,  was released and while maintaining his ties with the Nazi Party, did not benefit from Hitler's rise to power.  He retired and went on to become the German Consul General in Shanghai. 

Circle - Colonel Hermann Kriebel

Is this 'my' family's black sheep?

Family Preserves: Blog Type: Invidual Family History

Family Preserves: Blog Type: Invidual Family History: I think there is an individual or two, in each family on this planet who are genetically predisposed to record and preserve their family...

Blog Type: Invidual Family History

I think there is an individual or two, in each family on this planet who are genetically predisposed to record and preserve their family history.  In my family, it’s me; although I didn’t realize it until I was in my early twenties and I didn’t really get started in this rewarding hobby until my mid-thirties – about, ehmm, 13 years ago.

From a very young age, while sitting at my Grandparents’ knee or when they thought I was asleep, I would hear many a family story.  I didn’t know it then, but those stories were the genesis of my interest in preserving our family history.  I only realized this after my oldest son was born in 1988; by that time both sets of my Grandparents were deceased and I was saddened by the fact that my children would never know them or hear their stories.

The availability of online records has opened new doors for my research, and inspired me to seek out as much information as possible about my family’s history. As a result, I have been researching online, in-person, and through extensive letter writing to overseas archives, individuals and many other sources.  Preserving my Grandparents’ stories and learning the stories of my ancestors is a passion and one that I enjoy sharing with my sons. 

Family Preserves will include not only the history of my direct ancestors but also the other branches of our family tree and the stories they have to tell.  It will also include some of the history of the places and times for the ancestors and entries about family traditions – past and present – family recipes, etc.

Off to ‘climb the family tree.’