Addie had been pestering me to write down the family history because son Ryan keeps asking. It turns out Ryan wants to know history but he is looking for baby names. Her pestering and the article on the Central House has forced me to dig through old files on family information.
What follows is concentrated on my side of the family. Your mom will have to fill in the Steger/Krushke information. Isn’t that slightly German.
As you know your grandfather was Warren C. Andrews(Bucky), born 5/28/1920 in Mukwanago, Wisconsin. He died Nov.10, 1957. I have really given you his bio. Your grandmother was Alice Helen Andrews (maiden name was Stiller). Hence there is more German in your gene pool. Couple Stiller with your mother’s maiden name of Steger and you can’t deny German. Alice was born 3/19/1922 and died Dec.23, 1986. She died of a heart attack, coughing spell from smoking, or diabetes. Take your choice. I will do a bio of her in the next few weeks. That takes care of the first generation removed from me. Remember this is my side of the family.
The second generation removed on Bucky’s side would be your great-grandfather Charles Elmer Andrews (Chalk) born in 1898. I don’t have Chalk’s exact date of birth. His wife was great-grandmother Myrna Elizabeth Andrews (maiden name Roberts) born 1/2/1901. Chalk and Myrna wer married June 28,1919. Chalk died Oct.4, 1946 of a stroke. He had something like 12 operations on his knee and eventually they surgically locked his knee in a straight position so he walked with a limp. I attribute his short life to the poor quality of surgery in those days and poor anesthetics. Chalk’s brother George lived into his mid-90’s so my guess is that Chalk’s gene pool was basically pretty good. Myrna died in January of 1983 of cancer of the esphogus and lungs. She had been a heavy smoker through the middle part of her life but who knows?
The second generation removed on Alice’s side was great-grandpa Ervin Stiller (nicknamed Jiggs) born 7/31/1897 and who died 5/13/1966. I was named after Ervin Stiller. My whole name is Charles (after Chalk), Ervin (after Jiggs) Andrews. Your great-grandmother was Helen Stiller. I don’t have the date Jiggs and Helen were married. Helen was born 3/8/1899 and died 10/13/1958, one year after the funeral services of Bucky. Grandma Alice lost her husband in 1957 and mother in 1958. Tough Ride! Great-grandma Helen’s maiden name was Bruns. I think she was born in Sheboygan and was courted by Jiggs in Sheboygan. I know that Helen worked in the office at Vollrath Company for a few years in the office. Helen death was never autopsied but she had diabetes and “sky high blood pressure” which in those days was uncontrollable. Jiggs died of an intestinal blockage. They never performed an autopsy on him either. Jiggs was known for owning Plymouth Springs Bottling Company producing soda. He sold the company in the 40’s because he wanted to hunt and fish in northern Wisconsin.
The third generation removed on Bucky’s/Chalk side was great-great Grandpa Elmer (Chalk’s dad). He was born in 1870 and died in 1950. He was married to Addie May Andrews (which is where my sister got the name she has never liked), born 1876 and died April 20, 1944. Elmer and Addie May lived with Chalk and Myrna a the City Club for a number of years. My understand is they owned a sheep farm and could not manage it any more. Allegedly Elmer had spent a few years in Canada in his youth and there was a set of twins running around that were part of the Andrews gene pool. Who knows? My understanding is that the Andrews side traces back to Scotland but I don’t know how many generations came before Elmer. I do remember something about “Connecticut Yankees” but that is very vague in my memory.
The third generation removed on Bucky/Myrna side was great-great Grandpa John J. Roberts born 2/2/1874. He died at the City Club 7/13/1969 at age 95. Again, not a bad longevity gene pool. He married Mary Elizabeth Roberts (maiden Smith) Feb.17, 1897. Mary Elizabeth Smith was born Feb. 4, 1872. She died at the City Club sometime during the 1960’s and was about 85 years old. I don’t have the exact date of her death. The Roberts were farmers with dairy cows in Mukwanago, Wisconsin. They left the farm to live out their days at the City Club. Notice that “assisted care facilties” and “retirement homes” were not even available.
The fourth generation removed on the Bucky/Myrna/John J. Roberts side was great-great-great-grandfather John E. Roberts. John E. was born in Wales March 17, 1834 and married Mary Roberts (maiden name West) December 18, 1858 in Mukwanago, Wisconsin. There, I finally made the Wales connection that Myrna always taked about. John E. from Wales died December 4, 1897. Great-great-great-grandma Mary (West) Roberts was born Nov. 28, 1834 in Detroit, Michigan and died April 6, 1915. If my memory serves me right there was English and French heritage on the West side. French? Ick! Yuk!
Now we go fifth generation to the Bucky/Myrna/John J.Roberts/Mary Roberts (West) connection. Mary (West) Roberts parents were great-great-great-great grandpa William West, born May 6, 1810 near Pocklington, Yorkshire England. He married great-great-great-great grandma Elizabeth Mary Touhill who was born Jan. 31, 1814 in Pocklington, Yorkshire, England. They were married March 18, 1834 at Yorkshire, England. William West died Sept. 17, 1900 and his wife Mary died March 25, 1897. They lived in Mukwanago, Wis.
Right now that is far as I can take you. Maybe my Uncle Bob can fill in the “Andrews” gene lineage.
Someone asked about Parkinson’s disease in the family. Myrna’s brother John Everitt Roberts was born 12/16/1903. He died 12/29/1949. He was completely normal until stricken with Parkinson’s when he was around 19. He slowly began to lose muscle control and his arms shook constantly by the time he died. He never married and lived at home until he died.
This gene pool description traces direct lineage. There are lots of brothers and sister that are part of the history at each generation level. I have some of it but it really gets complex.
Anyone who wants to add or correct, let me know by comment or e-mail. It is a work in progress.
The gene pool says that if you behave yourself, you could live a long time. That is either good or bad depending on how you look at it. I mean gumming your food with Alzheimers in a nursing home at 95 isn’t real attractive. Getting shot in bed with a blond at 95 by a jealous lover ain’t too bad.
Love,
Dad (Just Chas.)