My Family's Genealogy

Below: The family of Franz Gerhardt Gaede and Rosalia Adeline Tietz, taken in Russia circa 1914. From left to right: Frieda Gaede (age 3), Franz Gaede (age 1), Rosalia Tietz, Franz Gerhardt Gaede, Olga (Boots) Gaede (age 6).

The family of Franz Gerhardt Gaede and Rosalia Adeline Tietz ca.1914, 27 KBytes, 367x480

For the past several years I've been collecting information about my family tree. Not much information, just enough to get an idea of who my great-grandparents were, and how many relatives I really do have. There's been no more research than corralling my immediate family, setting them down beside me in front of the computer, and asking them "So who was his mother? When was he born? Was he married? To whom? Any kids?" and so on, until that particular family member was pleased to escape.

Partly due to having my family tree published on the Internet I have been in contact with other netizens who have found their names on my pages. In particular, I have made contact with a cousin, Klaas Jonkman, who has been invaluable in researching records at the Archives of the Municipality of Groningen. Thank you, Klaas! Another cousin, Bert Krause has offered his genealogy database, which I've combined into this record as well. Thank you, Bert!

Below: Willem Andrew Jonkman, ca 1999

Willem Andrew Jonkman ca 1999, 7 Kbytes,168x224

The database reflects all ancestors of my son, Willem Andrew Jonkman, and all their relatives too. From his family tree leaf you can reach (almost) everyone else in the tree. Thinking this through, I realize that means everyone else is accessible to everyone else as well, through Willem's leaf, if nothing else. Actually, there is some incompleteness in the Boettger branch of the tree. Since I'm not sure of the relationships there are some names in the Boettger branch isolated from the rest of the tree. As I find out more about that branch of the family I'll correct these omissions. As well as actual relatives I've also included what genealogy I know of John Brown Russwurm . I'm not sure he's related to Willem's ancestors, but it makes for a cool historical footnote.

If you're included in these pages please let me know of any corrections or additions I can make. If you have substantial additions you may want to get a copy of the GEDCOM database ("jonkruss.ged") or the source PAF database ("jonkruss5.zip") in ZIPped format , and we can exchange databases.

Below: My great-grandfather Jacob Jonkman (back row, left) and his second wife (front row, second from left, name unknown), and others (perhaps family?)

Jacob Jonkman and his family, 25 Kbytes, 636x254

I've also found a few Web sites that have still more information on family members that I hope to include in my database. Some of Willem's ancestors in the Gaede Family are profiled on Ritaren's Gaede Family Page , and some other family are listed on my cousin Bert's GENEALOGY of Bert Krause site.

^ Software

Program	Author	Features	Web Page
Personal Ancestral File (PAF)	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints	This is the main workhorse for my family tree... Data entry, editor, maintains database, Multimedia Web pages, generates GEDCOM file	Web pages by PAF
GED2HTML	Gene Stark and GENDEX	Pedigree trees, generates GENDEX.TXT file , links to the GENDEX WWW Genealogical Index	Web pages by GED2HTML
GED2WWW	Leslie Howard	Descendancy list, generates GENDEX.TXT file , Free software!

For data entry I'm using the Personal Ancestral File (PAF) software from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . I believe that The LDS invented the GEDCOM interchange file format for genealogy information, and I've found the PAF software the easiest to use.

For HTML-based output I have used PAF to create Web pages which include pictures and sound clips . PAF also created the GEDCOM file which I used with GED2HTML from GENDEX to create Web pages which include pedigree trees . Since registering GED2HTML I no longer use GED2WWW from Leslie Howard to create my Web pages, but it's a fine program - check it out!.