Genesis of the Russwurm Family Tree
Some years back a local historical society published a book that triggered my interest in our family tree. Although I was already a history buff, it had never even occurred to me that my family had its very own history.
My brother Larry and I pored though the book, backwards and forwards, making copious notes and cross referencing with sketches and maps, not to mention phoning up Dad and asking him if he knew who this person or that person was. The family tree we started on paper soon became ungainly, so my husband put it all online here:
Russwurm Family Tree
Valentin's Branch of the Russwurm Family
The farthest back we've been able to trace our family tree is to Valentin Russwurm, who was born in Alsace Germany in 1805. Although originally a German settlement, over the centuries control of this rich farming region see-sawed back and forth between Germany and France. I remember first learning that in a high school history class, although at the time I had absolutely no idea that my own ancestors came from Alsace.
Valentin Russwurm married Catherina Rossel in Alsace. We don't know why Valentin and Catherina decided to leave their known world behind, but I suspect political upheaval was at least part of the reason. Although he was born Roman Catholic, he was buried in a Lutheran cemetary in Canada, so perhaps religion played a part. I would love to know the real reason they came to North America, but the answer is probably lost forever in the mists of time.
Valentin and Catherina arrived in Batavia, New York, USA, where their first child Katharina was born in 1840. But their next child, Valentine Jr. was born in the town of Wellesley in Waterloo County, Ontario Canada a year later. They seem to have remained in Wellesley until 1855. At that point they pulled up stakes and relocated north to Carlsruhe, in Carrick Township Ontario. They prospered here so this is where they put down their roots.
