Where the story begins....

As a girl growing up 20 minutes from where my mom was born, and her coming from a family of 11.  I was surrounded by lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Along with my grandparents, two great grand mothers and several great aunts and uncles.  Memorial day weekend meant picnics and decorating graves at 5 or 6 different cemeteries and hearing stories at each stop.

In addition, I grew up in a house built in the 1880s and my mom had (still has) pictures of her great-grandparents on the living room wall for as long as I can remember.  This drove my little girl interest in the story of my family. And what a family story it is!

My great great grandparents, Sophie (Bruns) and Johann Oltrogge.  We have the stories of them making the journey to America, for a better life.

My great great grandparents, Engel (Nolte) and Henry Niemeyer also have an interesting stories.

My great grandparents Caroline (Niemeyer) and Albert Oltrogge.

My grandparents Helen (Wehling) and Edward Oltrogge.

My parent Ilene (Oltrogge) and Chris Blume.