Writing Our Family Stories

Like generations before her, author Claire Gebben had kept in contact with her German side of her family via letter writing. A few years ago, she received a fantastic surprise when her relatives in Freinsheim, Germany discovered old letters in their attic written by Claire’s ancestors, German immigrants to Cleveland, Ohio. The discovery led to the historical novel The Last of the Blacksmiths (Coffeetown Press, 2014), based on the true story of her great-great grandfather, a 19th century blacksmith from the Bavarian Rhineland who travels to America to follow his dreams of freedom and prosperity. In her talk, Claire will share insights into the German immigrant experience, research adventures, genealogy tips and considerations for telling your own family history.