The Rueblinger Letter

My husband and his family had told me about this letter that they had received years back, but I had forgotten about it until recently.  Well, Chris was able to dig it up today when I asked him and here it is.  It's a shame no one replied to him, however, I plan to respond and see if we can work some connection out.

Now, just because it might be hard to read, I transcribed it(note that I transcribed it as-is, no grammar corrections):

Dear Mr. Rueblinger,

My name is Rueblinger too, and this also the reason why I am writing.  I obtained your address from an American name register.  Altogether there are 15 to 18 American families carrying this name.  In Germany there are 18 holders of this name, mainly resident in Rhineland – Palatinate.

After World War II, I found, after thorough research, the name Rueblinger twice in Southern Germany:  There is a town called Rublingen in Baden – Wurttemberg (ca. 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants), and near Heidenheim – Gerstetten there is a Rublinger Farm, consisting of two farms that run the Rueblingen area.

Our name Rueblinger originates traceably as a proper name from an Allamanic (West-Germanic) group of people.  This group established itself, during the European Migration of Nations, mainly in Southern Germany by breaking through the Roman fortification mound Limes and settling south of this line down to the Alpes area.

The name Rueblinger consists of two parts:  First of the Allamanic proper name Ribol or Riebell, and, second, of the clan marking –inga =Ribolinga, in the spoken language Rueblinger.  The above mentioned names of towns are pronounced Rueblinger/Rueblinga.

I know from family deliveries that members of my family emigrated during the time after the plague and also after the Thirty Years’ War (around 1648), because a lot of misery had been caused by these influences, plundering and seizures of estates.  However, I have not been able to find closer details through deeds or written documents, because church books had been lost through the disorders of war, fires, or wrong storage.

I would be interested in what you know about your family from family deliveries.  Maybe we could find out early common family history.  Everything will, of course, be treated confidentially.

I would be very pleased to hear from you and I am also willing to provide further information.

Sincerely,

Hermann Rueblinger

I assume by family deliveries he means births, but I could be wrong.  I am unsure when Chris received this letter, but I would say more than 10 years ago, since it was before we met!  Hopefully, I can find Hermann's current address.  We'll see how I make out!

Photo Correction Skills

So, today I am working on my photo correction skills.  I have so many old photos, I can't continue to ask my friend to correct them all for me!  So here it goes.  I just downloaded a free photo editing program, called gimp.  It's produced by a company called GNU.  In my previous life as a software engineer, my workplace used several products from this company. 

My Dad (Raynor E Robinson)
at my Mom's Bridal Shower in 1958 (isn't he cute?)

First, I must select a photo.  This one just needs a little bit of help.  There's a little bit of a crease on the trim of the doorway behind him.  I also see a mark of some sort near his left eye.  It also looks a bit washed out, but I'm not sure if I will be able to fix that, I've never been terribly good at that!  I guess we shall see!





Dad's Picture, corrected.


Well, here it is.  I think it looks better.  A very subtle change, but it's a start.  At least I didn't mangle it!  When I zoomed in really closely, I saw a, for lack of a better word, bubble in his hair that I removed.  I think I'm happy with this, I have some really old ones that need much more help! (Baby Steps)



Great Genealogy Day

I made a great find today!  I have been hoping to discover my father's great grandmother's maiden name for a while now.  Matilda Tillie UNKNOWN Dingler Murphy.  I wrote about her a few weeks back.  I found her in another family tree today on Ancestry.com.  I had not looked clearly at the 1880 census record that I had for her and John Dingler and their daughter Lettie.  Tillie's parents lived with them in Kensington!  James and Martha Ferguson (or Furgeson, I've seen it spelled both ways now).  I can' believe I hadn't seen it sooner that another family lived with them.  I am guessing that it was actually James' home, but for whatever reason The Dingler's are listed first.


1880 Census

 This has lead me to locate her with her family in previous censuses.  Martha and James are both from Ireland.  I am not sure how I will make out finding them there, but time will tell!  For now I am happy with Matilda Tillie FERGUSON Dingler Murphy!

Lettie Mae Black and Samuel Raynor Robinson Wedding Photo

This is a wedding picture from My Grandmom and Grandpop Robinson's Wedding Day.  They were married on September 12th of 1923 in Philadelphia.  I have a version of this photo, hanging in my dining room, without the Maid of Honor and Best Man in it.  I am not too sure who they are.  My Dad and I think that the maid may be my Grandmom's Best friend, Margaret Esmond, but in the pictures that we have of her, she is older, so it's hard to tell.  I have no clue about him, I'll have to ask my Aunt.  The happy couple are Lettie Mae Black and Samuel Raynor Robinson.  The flower girl is Lettie's niece, Grace Mae Miller (Hughes).  She is the daughter of Lettie's sister, Eurella Black Miller.  She and her husband, Albert lived behind my childhood home in Trevose.  I am told that he built that house and the house around the corner that their son Albert and his family still live in, along with another house nearby for another of their children (that I don't know).  I had a picture taken on my wedding day with this and a picture of my Mom's parents in the background.  I love both pictures!

Rocco Angelo Parlante WWI Draft Card

WWI Draft Card, September 12, 1918

This is the WWI Draft card for my husband's Great Grandfather, Rocco Angelo Parlante(1880 - 1950).  He was his Nana's father.

It's full of good information.  It gives his address at the time, 830 Moore Street in Philadelphia.  His full birthdate is listed, April 21, 1880.  It states that he was a Naturalized citizen (He was from Italy). 

Of course his occupation is musician!  He worked for The Stanley Company.  He played in an orchestra in the Earle Theater on Market Street.  The orchestra would play during the silent movies.  His wife is there, Angelina.  I love that his signature is right there!  He is described as being of medium height, stout build, blue eyes, and light hair.


Rocco Angelo Parlante
1880 - 1950



Andy Riccardi - Brother of A. Rex Riccardi

Here's an article that I came across that mentions my Mom-in-law's Uncle Andy and her father.  It discusses a union dispute of which I do not yet know the outcome.  However, I like it because it mentions the Riccardis and it tells me what Andy did for a living.  He was a Bass player in an Orchestra.  Also, it gives A. Rex Riccardi's title, "Executive Assistant".  He was the American Federation of Musicians President's right hand man!  Could this family have more musicians?!  Just you wait and see!

A. Rex Riccardi - Death Notice, 1953

This is what you can find when you search on google.  This is my Mom-in-law's father.  He passed away when she was young.  He was First assistant to the head of the American Federation of Musicians.

This is from Billboard Magazine.