Friday, October 15, 2010

Did I say Florika?

OK, you know my dilemma on my great great-grandmother's first name. If not, just review the last couple of entries and you will understand.

After I wrote the last blog, about someone from Reinwald born in 1859 with a similar name, I was informed Maria Florika Reimer's name was actually Maria Flonika Reimer. So, I read the original name in English but completely missed the correct spelling. The r and the i really blended together for me.

I know what you are thinking. You think I was a passenger list recorder or a census taker in a former life. At this point, with reading Florika for Flonika, I think you could be right.

All this does is support my point. Even in English I messed up the name. I think I have followed a time honored tradition of Germans, Russians, Germans from Russia and Americans messing up this name but I did it in my native language. I hope I have now set the record straight.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Will the Fronika story ever end?

I met someone on Facebook who was born in Sheboygan and whose ancestors come from Reinwald, Russia.

After he shared some pictures he had taken during his trip to Reinwald, I mentioned I was researching the surname Reimer. He told me his family tree includes a Maria Flonika Reimer born in Reinwald in 1859. She married Johann Kraus.

Flonika? Really? After all of the versions of Fronika that I had researched, could another spelling be possible?

Maria was born in 1859, two years after the 1857 census. Was it possible that she could be my great-grandfather's younger sister? Another child of Fronika Gusman Reimer? Or, a niece? With a name like Flonika, my instincts tell me Fronika Reimer would have likely used her name for a daughter's middle name. I know I did. I used Ann instead of Anna for my oldest daughter's middle name. It is a centuries old tradition, especially with Germans from Russia who felt obligated to have four Anna's and five Maria's in every generation. But, I digress. The point truly is Fronika vs. Flonika. It is merely a coincidence? Or, would you wager Flonika is the daughter of Fronika!

Share with me your thoughts. What does your gut instinct tell you?

Dead Reckoning, New Web site, and New Blog

  Great News!  My latest book is now available.  Dead Reckoning is my attempt to share our heritage with the next generation. It’s about a ...