Facebook Group = Family Story Translated

Berthold & Emilie Darr Vollmert

son-in-law's 2nd great-grandparents

This wonderful postcard is owned by my son-in-law, Lucas. Here we have his 2nd great-grandparents, Berthold and Emilie Darr Vollmert. The couple were born in Germany. From an Ancestry record, we have them being married November 9, 1890 in Erfurt, Thuringen, Germany. About five years later, they immigrated to Maryland.

The postcard is dated October 30, 1928. I find the couple residing on Necker Avenue in the 1920 United States Census. Berthold's occupation is listed as "farmer" and industry "truck farm". From Merriam-Webster dictionary website, we learn "truck farm" means "a farm devoted to the production of vegetables for the market". 

We know the author of the postcard was Berthold's son-in-law, August Wilhelm Crais. August (my son-in-law's great-grandfather) was married to Berthold's daughter, Minnie Vollmert. Minnie was my son-in-law's great-grandmother.

Here we have the back of the postcard. I tried several ways to translate the information, but had no real success. 

My family history mentor, Ann, told me about several Facebook Groups, created to help researchers with translations. One being "German Genealogy Translations". This is a private group, so you need to ask permission to join. 

I have uploaded several documents to this group over the years. Usually, on the same day the document is translated! The people on this site are very responsive.

Added the above record to the site this morning, and received the following translation:

"I am sending you here a picture of my parents-in-law on the farm. The forest goes almost up to the front door on one side; on the other, there is an open field. He looks like a farmer or ("Bauer"). He looks like he has no need. He is not so lean as farmers in Germany."

I talked to my son-in-law and he remembered the property. Said the "forest" and "field" made sense. He visited the spot when doing a family history project. He did make a comment about the last sentence. Wonder how the father-in-law felt about his son-in-law's description?!

Thanks to Ann and this wonderful group of genealogists. Without their willingness to help with translations, so much history would be lost forever.