Here is my Great Grandfather, Ferdinand John Braatz, born Jul 10, 1860. We think his birth was in Stettin, Pommern He died in Dale, WI, USA, on Feb. 10, 1927.

Here is the photo from his immigration papers:

Ferdinand had 15 children, with 3 successive wives. Of these children, 6 boys lived to adulthood. Here is a picture of them in their later years:

They are (back row left), Carl, John, August, (front row left) Frederick, Ferdinand, and Wilhelm. Ferdinand and Wilhelm were born in Europe, the rest were born in Wisconsin. I do have the birth papers of Wilhelm, who was born in Nakel, Posen, in 1881. Frederick, front row left, is my Grandfather, born in Wisconsin on April Fool’s Day, April 1, 1888.

Here is my immediate family. From the left, Brother Dean, Sister Bonnie, myself, Mother Juanita, Dad Percy and Brother Lynn. My father, Percy, celebrated his 93rd birthday on Oct. 23, 2004.