Family History: Jessie Anderson 3.7.13

Jessica Ross Anderson was born in Chapel Hill in 1995. While researching her family, Jessie was able to get all the way back to her great-great-great-great-grandparents! Her family originally comes from Germany and Sweden.

 Bertha Louise Winkel is Jessie's great-great-grandmother. She was born in 1875 in Germany. She came to the U.S. in 1889 with her two parents, Johann and Mathilda, and her sister, Mathilda. Bertha's family came on the S.S. Augusta Victoria. They arrived in New York City and traveled to Wisconsin from there.

 Bertha Winkel Zimdars is on the left, above. She had a very Germanic look with a heavy German accent. She parted with her husband in their later years. Living in a bungalow, she rented out the bottom floor and lived in the cramped second floor. It was not a very pleasant place to visit. The house smelled of mothballs.

 Nadine Bahr (in the photo above) is Jessie's grandmother. Nadine was 10 years old when WWII broke out in 1941. She went to a one-room country school. Nadine went to college and received her teaching degree.

 Ethel Reese (above) is Jessie's great-grandmother. She was born in Wisconsin in 1906.

 Ethel married Elmer Reuben Ross in 1931. They lived in Stevens Point, Wisonsin all of their married life. They had 3 sons.

 Gertrude Elise Bassler is also Jessie's great-grandmother and was born in 1906. She came to America from Germany when she was 8 years old. Gertrude flew planes during WWII, owned a Culligan water business with her husband in Florida, and had a Masters degree. Above, you can see Gertrude's pilot's license.

 Carl August Wedell is Jessie's great-great-grandfather. He was born in Sweden in 1864 and came to America in 1881 at the age of 18. Carl was sent ahead his family so he could establish a home for the rest of the family who followed later.

I couldn't resist including this adorable picture of Jessie's parents, Mark and Rachel. How cute!