Immigration to the U.S.

By moolah117

  • Rene Vens Born

    My mom's grandfather was born in Belgium

  • George Kindler Was Born

    My dad's grandfather was born in Germany.

  • Rene Vens and Family Immigrated to US

    My great-grandpa and his family immigrated to the US when he was just five years old. The boat ride was long, and they were starving. When someone offered him a banana to eat, he threw it overboard because he didn't know what it was. They settled in Detroit, Michigan.

  • Germaine Maes (Vens) Was Born

    My mom's grandmother was born in Belgium.

  • Ida Kindler Was Born

    My dad's grandmother was born in a small town in Missouri. We are not sure when her parents immigrated to the United States.

  • George Kindler Immigrates to the US

    My dad's grandfather came to the US at age 5 with the rest of his family from Germany.

  • Germaine Maes (Vens) Immigrated to the US

    My great-grandma on my mom's side was brought over to Detroit, Michigan as an endentured servant to Henry Ford. Henry would bring women over from Europe, have them work in his house for a year or until they could get their citizenship, and then send them off when they were stable.

  • Germaine Learns English

    After five years of being in the United States, Germaine Maes finally learned English. Up to this point, she knew only Dutch and French.

  • George and Ida Kindler Get Married

    My dad's grandparents were married in Missouri.

  • Germaine Maes and Rene Vens Meet

    My great-grandparents on my mom's side met on a blind date in Detroit, Michigan. They were actually supposed to be on a date with another person, but they ended up going on an airplane ride together.

  • Grandpa Charlie Was Born

    My mom's dad was born in Atlanta, Missouri, a few years before the start of the Great Depression.

  • Grandma Dorothy Was Born

    My mom's mother was born just before the start of the Great Depression in Iowa and grew up there on many farms.

  • Grandpa Hawkins Was Born

    My Grandpa Hawkins (my dad's father) was born in Grubville, Missouri just a year before the start of the Great Depression.

  • Grandma Hawkins Was Born

    Grandma Hawkins (my dad's mother) was born in St. Louis, Missouri a few years into the Great Depression. She lived in the same house until she got married.

  • Grandma Dorothy Married Walter Ryan

    My mom's mother got married to her first husband in Iowa.

  • Richard Ryan Born

  • Sue Baird (Ryan) Born

  • Donna Hawkins Born

  • Walter Ryan Dies

    My grandma's husband died in a car wreck.

  • Grandpa and Grandma Strouse Were Married

  • Strouse Grandparents Moved to Mexico, MO

    After Grandpa Charlie finished school, they moved from Davenport, Iowa to Mexico, Missouri.

  • Steve Strouse Born

  • Cindy Uebele (Strouse) Born

  • Donald and Mary Hawkins Get Married

    My dad's parents got married in Missouri.

  • Dave Hawkins Born

  • Tom Strouse Born

  • Jan Hawkins Born

  • Sandy Baker (Strouse) Born

  • Jill Brennan (Hawkins) Born

  • Paula Hawkins Born

  • Grandpa and Grandma Strouse Moved to New House

    My grandpa had a new house built because they needed more space, but it was still in Mexico, Missouri and they didn't move very far. My grandma still lives in this house today.

  • Ron Hawkins Born

  • My Mom Was Born

    My mom was born in Mexico, Missouri.

  • My Dad Was Born

    Dad was born in St. Louis Missouri.

  • Parents Met

    My parents were set up by my dad's roomate at the University of Missouri Rolla.

  • Parents Got Married

    My parents got married in Mexico, Missouri.

  • Mom Moved to Chicago

    My mom was able to relocate her job in order to live with my dad in Chicago after they got married.

  • Parents Moved to Louisville

    My parents moved to Louisville, Kentucky because of my mom's job at GE.

  • I Was Born

    I was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Moved to Normal, IL

    My family moved to IL when I was one and my dad started working at Eureka.

  • Meg Was Born

    My little sister Meg was born in Normal, Illinois.

  • Sophie Was Born

    My little sister Sophie was born in Normal, Illinois.

  • Sydney Was Born

    My little sister Sydney was born in Normal, Illinois.

  • Moved to Carrollton, TX

    My family moved from Normal, IL to Carrolton, TX to live close to my cousins, for my dad's work, and for the LEAP program.

  • Began Attending Kent Elementary

    After moving to Texas, I began to attend Kent right after Christmas break was over.

  • Began Attending McCoy Elementary

    I was accepted into the LEAP program and had to switch schools from Kent to McCoy.

  • Began Middle School at Perry

    I started middle school at DeWitt Perry.

  • Began Highschool at Creekview

    I started highschool at Creekview High School.