A Tribute to Einer Appel

Einer was my stepfather, really more than that. He had a huge impact on my life.

From left to right: Hans, Ingvert, Einer, Henry, Paul - taken about 1936.

Einer, taken around 1940.Here are the five brothers, Back: Hans, Henry, Einer; Front: Ingvert, Paul; taken about 1946.

Confirmation Class: Taken around 1945. Einer 2nd row, farthest right. Virginia Bisgard to his left.

Einer, Graettinger High School Class of 1949.

Einer with his parents, Otto and Bothilde Appel, taken around 1955.

Appels at dinner table:Henry, Paul, Einer, Ingvert, Hans, Gwenna, Bothilda, and Otto - around 1950.

Einer with niece, Kathy Appel, 1958.

Einer married my mother, Dorothy Mesenbrink, in 1970. Einer had been a bachelor for quite some time.

Here we are, a new family.

Milking cows was an important part of farm life. When we got the pipeline in we didn't have to haul the milk to the cooler, and we could sell Grade A milk. This was featured in the Graettinger Times in 1977.

Einer loved horses and slowed down enough to go on a few drives with his ponies. This was in 1985.

Comments

Where Did That Dark Complexion Come From?

When I got my DNA results back, the biggest surprise I had was in all the people from the southern states who I shared DNA with. I'm pretty sure that a lot of it is from Salucia Sophronia Squibb , but that certainly doesn't explain it all. The only other unknown line, is that of Martha Brennan Davis , mother of Lillian Davis Stephenson, who was mother of my grandfather, Fred Stephenson. I have thought she was Irish, probably an Irish immigrant, and probably related to other Brennans of Galesburg, Illinois, but there is evidence she was from Indiana. Besides the unexplained southern DNA matches, I have little Irish DNA on this line, not enough for Martha Brennan to be full blooded Irish. But more importantly, the Stephensons had dark complexions. I honestly don't know beyond that where the dark hair and eyes came from. Here is a picture of Lillian Davis Stephenson, my great grandmother. Notice the dark hair, deep set, dark eyes. She doesn't look Irish. Her featur...

John Griest - A Pennsylvania Pioneer

On my mother's side, is an ancestor named John Griest. He lived in Pennsylvania from 1694 to 1751. John's daughter, Sarah, married William Squibb. While most of us will leave no evidence of our existence, John Griest did leave a few things to remember him by. Probably most significant is the office building at the Susquehanna Memorial Gardens near York, Pennsylvania. This building was originally larger, and at another location in York. This beautiful picture was taken by Diane Bowders and published on Yorkblog.com. John Griest built this building around 1740 at its original location on what is now the Lincoln Highway in York. In 1962 it was taken down to make way for a shopping mall and rebuilt at the cemetery. At that time the building looked something like this: The sturdy building was known as Ye Olde Valley Inn, Beard's Inn, etc. and was originally built to protect John's family from Indians, with whom he didn't always have the best relationship. Gries...

Origins of the Squibb Family

By all accounts, the Squibbs came from England. According to Lawrence G. Blochman, in his book Doctor Squibb , "The earliest known English Squibb is believed to have been made a yeoman by Edward IV in the fifteenth century. His grandson was Great John the Yeoman of Dorsetshire. Great John's grandson, Nathaniel Squibb, came to Pennsylvania early in the eighteenth century, settled in Chester County and founded a populous family...." Most Squibb families today would trace their ancestry to this Nathaniel or at least to Robert Squibb who is thought to be his son. There are few records of him, despite the generally thorough records kept by his Quaker faith. Nevertheless, later Squibbs were in fact Quakers. But exactly when they took on this faith isn't clear. One early Robert Squibb actually held title to a large part of New Jersey in the late 1600s. Whether he ever set foot on that soil is doubtful. Some of the Squibbs were important officials and served in various ...

Family History Notes and Photos by Bob Mesenbrink

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