I found a newspaper photo of Grandpa Potter from the Oshkosh Daily Tuesday, March 22, 1955, Page 11

I was also able to finally determine who was Caroline Drexler, Grandma Potter's sister. I knew that a Caroline Drexler was listed in census reports, but I wasn't sure what happened to her.  I was able to get to the Oshkosh Public Library and found Caroline Baier's obituary from 1947 that listed Grandma as her sister. It took a while because the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern papers from 1941-1951 aren't available online.

 Some new photos of Dad and his sister, Mary Ann Potter from 1935-? Thanks to my brother Mike for loaning them to me to scan and include in the blog.

Dad, Mary Ann and Tommy (cat) 1935

Aunt Mary Ann 1935

Dad and Mary Ann

Dad and Mary Ann

Slide 79 from Orphan Train to Oshkosh

Four Photos from Orphan Train to Oshkosh

These four photos were part of the presentation Orphan Train to Oshkosh that hadn't been previously posted. If there are any others that family members would like posted that aren't on this website, please let me know.

Alfred Potter Orphan Train Route (August 19-20, 1894)

I finally took some time and mapped out Grandpa's orphan train route. It has a few extra objects, but without leaving blank white spaces, I couldn't erase some of the map buttons.

Drexler family photos

I spent an enjoyable evening at the home of Anne and Gary Glisch.  Anne is my second cousin. I met many of my relatives for the first time. These relatives are all part of the Dembowiak part of the Drexler family. Anne's mother (Clara?) was a Drexler before marrying Stan Dembowiak.  There are several entries in Grandpa's diary about this family.
 I'm also posting some photos from the Drexler part of the family. Pancratius (1848-1887) and Mary (Schwarz?) Drexler had eight children: Joseph (1869-1908), Frank M. (1871-1894), Mary (1872-1955) John (1875-1939), Caroline (1877-?) [Note: I know Pancratius and Mary had three daughters and Caroline is listed in the 1900 census as one of them.], Theodore (1879-1930), Anna (1882-1965) and Theresa, my grandmother (1886-1961). I know that there's also Ottillie Drexler, but I'm not sure how she's related to the Drexlers.  [Note: Found out who she is. Ottillia Bleckinger Drexler findagrave.com  She was Joe Drexler's wife.]
If you read Grandpa's diary entries from January 1935 you will see some of the Drexler names including Ottillie.  http://potterclanhistory.blogspot.com/2014/06/diary-of-alfred-e-potter-january-1935.html

Pancratius Drexler (Theresa Drexler's father)

 Mary Drexler (Theresa Drexler's mother)

Frank Drexler (Theresa Drexler's brother)

John Drexler (Theresa Drexler's brother)

Theodore Drexler (Theresa Drexler's brother)

Lena Baier, Theresa (Drexler) Potter, Annie (Drexler) and Joe Weisheipl
Theresa and Annie are sisters.

Reply/research from New York Historical Society

I received a letter this week from the New York Historical Society in response to my inquiry about records that they had from the New York Foundling Asylum about Grandpa Potter. Here's the response. There are a few new facts that I hadn't know. (We would have been Episcopalians?)