Letters from America: Cleveland Germans in the 19th Century

A few years ago, author Claire Gebben received a fantastic surprise when her
relatives in Germany discovered old letters in their attic written by her
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 Michael Harm, a young blacksmith who travels from
the Bavarian Rhinelands to Cleveland, Ohio to pursue an artisan way of life.
To research the novel, Ms. Gebben embarked on a journey that included four
days of intensive blacksmithing and a month-long stay in the German
Rhinelands. In her powerpoint presentation she’ll share research adventures,
the little-known historical influence of Cleveland Germans, and genealogy
tips she picked up while writing the book.