Reiss-Schwerin Family Tree

The focus of this family tree is to show the immigration patterns of my ancestors, and highlight other interesting facts. That is why there is more focus on geography than lineage (many siblings are left out). As you can see, I am a 6th generation Californian (my Great-Great-Great Grandmother on my mom's side) or a 3rd generation Californian (my Grandmother on my mom's side). I'm not sure how you calculate something like that, but 4th generation looks like where most of the weight is. Partly because I understand this, I feel that my roots are here, and that this is home. If you start to get confused, just follow the last names.

LEGEND

ME and MY SISTER
(born early 1970s in Torrance)

Born in California

Migrated to California

MOM
Schwerin
(born 1933 in Bay Area)

DAD
Reis
(born 1921 in L.A. Area)

Reached New World, but not California

Never reached New World

William Julius Schwerin
(1886-1971)
At one point everyone in the family changed last names from Schnutenhaus to Schwerin to sound more American)

Anna Maria Herz
(born in Germany in 1895; came to CA in 1927; died 1978)

Charles G. Reis
(1881-1955)

Ida Starr
(born in L.A. in 1881,
died 1950)

Note: In Germany in the 1840s, there was political and religious upheaval, unemployment, and horrible living conditions. Of course, in California in 1849 there was GOLD!

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Schwerin
(1861- 1923)

William Schnutenhaus

Anna Maria Hausler
(1874-1922)

Joseph Herz
(1874-1954)
married 1901

Cresentia Marie "Sansa" Erd (1856- 1907)
Born in St. Paul, MN, married George there in 1877, and came with him to Buena Park, CA.

Photo

George F. Reis (1848- 1919; born in Dieburg, Germany and died in LA; Americanized "Reiss" by dropping an "s"). St. Paul City Treasurer for a decade; after an adverse MN Supreme Court decision, moves to CA in 1894 to speculate in oil.

Henry Starr
(came from Germany to Ohio to L.A.)

Domatilla Bilderrain
(born in Mexico in 1845, came to L.A.)

Refugio Bilderrain
(brother of Domatilla; married the niece of Francisco Lopez--who was the first person to discover gold in California in March 1842 in Placerita Canyon)

Josef Herz
(1866)

Christine Hollreian
(1835-1906)

Henry Schwerin
(Germany to N.Y. in 1845, then to Philadelphia where he was a baker, in 1849 to New Orleans, in 1850 through Panama to San Francisco; moved to Visitation Valley and established a dairy industry; became a citizen at age 41 in 1866; died in 1900)

Otillia Eckenroth
(Germany to New Orleans in 1850 where she met Henry, then followed to San Francisco where they married in 1854)

Karolina Reckman

Jacob Schnutenhaus

Thomas Erd (1828- 1885)
(Vorderreute, Bavaria, Germany to St. Paul, MN). Stonemason that built this church in about 1870. His wife was the first to have a funeral there.

Maria Josepha Ness (Nesz)
(1826-1875)
(Born in Humbach Mauselstein, Bavaria Germany; married Thomas in Detroit, MI in 1856, and died in St. Paul, MN)

Anna M. Gans (1818- 1889)
(Germany to St. Paul, MN)

George Reiss (1816- 1855)
(Germany to St. Paul, MN)

Ignacio Bilderrain

(came from Spain to Mexico)

Doña Martinez

(came from Spain to Mexico)

Note: The Visitation Valley Ranch became a part of the Cow Palace parking lot in 1934. There is still a Schwerin St. nearby.

Elizabeth
(born in Dahlenburg, Hanover, Germany, 1802. Came to San Francisco from Germany in 1850 with at least 2 daughters; her sons were already there; she died in 1872)

Henry Von Schwerin
(fought for Napoleon in 1810? Was from Mecklenburg, Schwerin, 129 mi NW of Berlin)

Johannes Erd (1790- 1870; Vorderreute, Bavaria, Germany)

Theresia Lochbihler (1795-1834; Wertach, Bavaria, Germany)

George Reiss
(1771-1854
Germany)

Gertrude Braun
(1762-1827
Germany)

Joseph Narziss Erd (1759-?)

Anna Maria Wiest (married 1789)

Michael Erd?

Anna Maria Lippen?
Vorderreute

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