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01/13/10 |
        
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The von Rosenberg Family Historian-what does she do? By Ann Barnes, Historian It was suggested at the meeting last year that a report be made on what our historian does in the line of duty. I could not make such a report without well-deserved honorable mention of our past historians as well. For it is the fruits of their labors that keeps me on my toes as well. Most of the time a historian of an organization is visualized as one who merely keeps a scrapbook of that organization's activities during their term of office. But not so for the von Rosenberg Family of Texas. Our first historian, Martha Meerscheidt, spent hours corresponding with family members both in the United States and in Europe. She was also involved in organizing the first family reunion, which was held in 1939. We have a large collection of Martha's letters, many still in German, and some dating back to the early 1900s, documenting this correspondence. She participated in every reunion until the time of her death, and kept copious family-related notes and clippings throughout her years. Alma Tomlinson compiled most of the photo collection we have today. She also kept newspaper clippings and articles pertaining to family members and functions. Alma and her helpers were instrumental in the production of Volume I of the vonRosenberg Family of Texas, as well as the translation of the Emigration Letters. Charles von Rosenberg's primary focus was the compiling and publishing of Volume II, but that was only part of his accomplishments during his tenure. Ray von Rosenberg has been our researcher and compiler of numerous charts and articles, primarily the Courland days and the very early history of the family, hundreds of years before Peter Carl was born. His works are compiled in the book The Early History of the von Rosenberg Family,1400 to 1849. Thanks to this book and the in-depth information it contains, the recent Family Heritage Trip was well planned and orchestrated. The trip included many places that he writes about. Dale von Rosenberg's dream was the publication of a third volume and he worked on that extensively. His love of family stories made more than one of our ancestors come to life as he researched their lives and wrote vivid stories or narratives. Then, there is me. I have had big shoes to fill this past seven years, but it is a challenge I enjoy. My first priority was to complete what Dale set out to do and that was the publication of Volume III. So I picked up where Dale left off and three years later, with the unfailing support of Jo von Rosenberg, Nettie Green, Clois Green, and Ray von Rosenberg, Volume III was published. I have made a written inventory of all records and photographs in my custody. I have also made a written inventory of all photographs and documents that are housed in the Austin History Center and At the Center for American History at the University of Texas. The photographs in our collection are now available on a CD. My current project is orchestrating the translation of the book, Familie Froelich, published in 1909, and my helper Neale Rabensburg is overseeing the translation of letters and documents in Martha's collection. Since our trip to Europe, Art Green has taken an interest in Ray's research and has ideas he would like to pursue. Our historian's job has never been a one-man operation. I know there is no way I could have accomplished the work that has been done since I have been historian without the interest and help of the people I have had by my side every step of the way.
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