Grellert Sisters

Introduction – This post illustrates the advantages of researching siblings and collateral relatives when delving into the lives of our ancestors. You never know who within the extended family has possession of family photos or documents or has knowledge of those tidbits of information that bring family history alive. The following is a recounting of Hedwig Grellert Haacke’s early years. Hedwig was Maria Grellert Blumel’s younger sister. Much of her story is also the story of our direct ancestor Maria Grellert Blumel.

William and Mary Jane Head

This is William Henry Head and Mary Jane McClellan. They were Elizabeth Head Blumel's grandparents. Here is a narrative taken from the book "James McClellan and His Progenitors" by Rosa Mae McClellan Evans

Life Story of James and Cynthia McClellan

This is the Life story of James McClellan and Cynthia Stewart. They are Elizabeth Head Blumel's great-grandparents. It was taken from the book "James McClellan and His Progenitors" by Rosa Mae McClellan Evans

James McClellan was born August 8^th, 1804 in York County, South Carolina. He was the oldest son born to Hugh McClellan and Mary (Polly) McCall. At a young age James family moved to Tennessee where they grew and prospered. Being in the South not only did they own large amounts of land, they were also were slave owners, living on a large plantation. However, being slave owners did not stop James and his father from working very hard themselves. Hugh was a blacksmith and farmer by trade and James learned those skills by working along side him. In 1826 James married his 16 year old neighbor Cynthia Stewart.

Jim and Mary Margaret entertaining in their home.

Oscar's Mission Story

There is a story about Oscar Blumel that has been passed down several generations. While serving his mission in Germany, Oscar Blumel and his companion, Elder Fletcher, were busy preaching the gospel. During that time, they had strayed into Russian territory and were confronted by the police. They were told they had one day to leave the area. Elder Fletcher was either sick or had twisted his ankle, so Oscar carried him back over the border.

Friedrich and Maria Blumel

This is Johann Friedrich Blumel and his wife Maria Augusta Grellert. They were born in Germany and in 1882 were baptized into the church. They soon immigrated to Utah in 1885 with their oldest son, Oscar, who was four years old at the time. They settled in Farmington and had seven more children, two of them died at a young age. In 1899, they moved to Magrath, Alberta with their six children, Oscar being eighteen at the time.

Johann Friedrich Blümel – This biographical sketch appeared in Irrigation Builders Vol. I, pages 423 – 424, published by the Magrath and District History Association for Magrath, Alberta’s Diamond Jubilee. The book was printed in 1974.

Andrew Watson

This is Andrew Watson, Mary Margaret's Great Grandfather on her mother's side. Here is two different accounts of his life story.

Jasper and Mary Head

This is Jasper Jason Head and Mary Hadlond Thomas, parents to Elizabeth Head Blumel. Here is a paragraph that was written in a book called " James McClellan and his Progenitors"

Jason moved to Cardston, Canada in June of 1890, with his wife and three small children, arriving there on July 23, 1890. In a letter written to the home newspaper, the Advocate, in January of 1918, he comments about the abundance of feed and coal that they have in the area, saying that there is so much straw that the people become extravagant and make fires with it. On his visit home the year previously, he had seen many animals hungry and dying for want of feed, and wished there was some way to place the straw going to waste in Canada into the barns and fields of Preston and the neighboring towns.

Oscar and Elizabeth Head Blumel

For Magrath, Alberta's Diamond Jubilee (75th anniversary celebration), the Magrath and District History Association published two volumes entitled "Irrigation Builders". These books relate the early history of the Magrath area and its early settlers. On page 422 of Vol. 1, the short biography on Oscar Blumell reads as follows:

Letter by James Elton Blumell

My Personal Philosophy of Practical Guidelines for Life

By Jim Blumell

To My Beloved Children and Grandchildren,
I believe that we can do much to control how contented or happy we are, by thoughtfully and carefully developing and adopting our very own “philosophy” or a working guide which will help us to do some of the important things in our work, our play, and in our relations and associations with other people.

Jim and Mary Margaret Blumell

This is one of my favorite pictures of Grandma and Grandpa Blumell. They are both so beautiful. I believe this was taken on their honeymoon in Niagara Falls in 1942.