Children of Johannes TRAUTMANN and Katharina VETTER are:
2. Margaretha born abt. 1859 Hesse-Darmstadt, d. unknown, m. 1880 Tazewell County, IL to Johann Leonhard RIPPER
2. Peter born Dec 1856 Hesse-Darmstadt, d. bet. 1905-1907 in North Dakota.
2. Adam born 1863 Hesse-Darmstadt, d. unknown, m. unknown
2. Elisabeth (Lizzie) born 1865, d. unknown, m. 19 Aug. 1886 Tazewell County, IL to Charles C. HEILMANN
2nd Generation:
2. Peter TRAUTMAN married about 1889 Tazewell County, IL to Julia FIECK, FIGGE, FIEGE, daughter of unknown, born July 1869 Germany
Children of Peter TRAUTMAN and Julia are:
3. Alma born Oct. 1889 Pekin, Tazewell County, IL, died 28 Aug. 1940 Pierce County, WA
3. Elizabeth born Dec. 1891 Nebraska, died between 1900-1910
3. Gretchen Elizabeth born August 1897 Nebraska
3. Phillip born June 1889 Knox County, Nebraska, d. Kentucky, married in Kentucky bet. 1920-1930 Lucy WETHINGTON born KY.
3. Albert William born 23 Oct. 1902 North Dakota, d. 30 Jan., 1978 Henry, Jefferson County, KY, married unknown.
3rd Generation:
Alma TRAUTMAN married abt. 1917 Washington Leonardo CONTES (CONTESSA) born Jan. 1887 San Marco in Lamis, Foggia, Puglia, Italy
Children of Alma TRAUTMAN and Leonardo CONTES are:
1. Benjamin CASPER (See notes following this chart), born 27 February, 1913, Bismarck, Burleigh County, ND., died 19 January, 1980, Bismarck, ND, married Marguerite May CASPER 1943 St. Paul, Minnesota
2. Antonio, born abt. 1917 WA
3. Emanuel, born abt. 1918, WA
4. Cecilia., Living
5. Emanuella, Living
The story of my Grandparents and how they came to be:
Benjamin Casper is my maternal grandfather. His mother Alma married first in 1907 to Alfred CASPER, who happened to be his future wife, my grandmother's paternal uncle. Yes., grandpa was born out of an affair Alma was having with Leonardo CONTESSA, an Italian Immigrant and working as a section hand for the Burlington Railroad. My grandmother explained to me that Alfred was a very mean and spiteful man and that after Alma revealed to him the truth about grandpa Benny and wished to divorce and leave with Leo he refused to let her take Benny away. She fought and fought but he wouldn't give in. Despite her reluctance, grandpa was raised by Alfred and Casper was the name recorded on his birth certificate. There were 2 children born before my grandfather, Julie who died as an infant and George born developmentally delayed who never married. Alma did leave to WA with Leo and they were married there after Alfred finally signed the divorce papers. My grandfather always quesioned why he looked so different than his brother George and he went to his "father's" sister Hattie with questions. She proceeded to tell him the truth. Not long after, my grandpa started corrosponding with his mother and his two sisters Cecilia and Emily (Emanuella) via letters. I personally read through these letters that my grandmother had saved. Eventually, knowing that Marguerite was not his cousin, they married. In 1960, my grandpa met his sisters and brothers for the first time at the funeral of their father. My grandmother said that when they stopped in the local bar/cafe where 'Pop' Contes used to frequent that a few customers about turned as white as a sheet because my grandpa was an exact spitting image of 'Pop' Contes!! They thought they were seeing a ghost! I don't have a picture of my great-grandfather, but I know I don't need one to know what he looks like....Heehee!