Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Ancestors of Robert Paul Gehrandt

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Ancestors of Robert Paul Gehrandt

Generation No. 2

      2. Paul Robert Gustav Gehrandt¹, born November 23, 1877 in Meyenburg, Germany ²; died February 06, 1962 in Evanston, Cook, IL ^3,⁴. He was the son of 4. Friedrich Adolph Gustav Gehrandt and 5. Christina Wilhelmine Louise Kohnke. He married 3. Olive Roberta Hills Bef. April 1916 in Des Plains, Cook, IL.

      3. Olive Roberta Hills, born January 26, 1884 in Des Plains, Cook, IL; died April 26, 1963 in Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ. She was the daughter of 6. George Adelbert Hills and 7. Louisa Augusta Burkhart.

Notes for Paul Robert Gustav Gehrandt:
Gustav attended the University of Berlin, obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering. He served in the German Navy prior to emigrating to the US. According to the 1920 Cook Co. IL census he emigrated in 1905 (abt age 28), and was naturalized in 1919. He was living on Stewart St. in Evanston - they owned the house until after his and Olive's deaths.

From the on-line records of Ellis Island foundation:
Gehrandt, Gust,
Germany German,
Place of residence: Berlin
Arrivial Date: 15 Feb, 1905
Male
Single
Ship: Kronprinz Wilhelm
Port of Departure: Breman, Germany
Line 0019 of manifest
Occupation: Medical Engineer(?)
Final Destination: Hillsberg Pa (?)
Ticket to final destination paid for by self
In possession of: $100 more
In USA previously: 2 years - couldn't read where
Joining a friend/relative, etc.: J.L.B. Taylor (?)
Never in prison; a polygamist; Anti Christ; no health problems

United States of America - Declaration of Intention - State of Illinois, County of Cook - In the Circuit Court of Cook County.
      I, Gustav Robert Gehrandt, aged 37 years, occupation Draftman, do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color white, complexion Fair, height 5 feet 4 inches, weight 140 pounds, color of hair Blonde, color of eyes Blue, other visible distinctive marks Scar over left eye. I was born in Meyerburg Germany on the 23 day of November, anno Domini 1877. I now reside at 6219 Augusta St., Oak Pk., Chicago ILL. I emigrated to the Untied States of America from Bremen, Germany on the vessel Kronprinz Wilhelm; my last foreign residence was Berlin Germany. It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to William II German Emperor, of whom I am now a subject. I arrived at the port of New York in the State of New York, on or aboaut the ____ day of February, anno Domini 1905. I am not an anarchist. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanenty reside therein. SO HELP ME GOD.                        Gustav Robert Gehrandt (Original signature of declarent)
                        Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of the
                        Court at Chicago, Ill., this 26 day of January anno Domini 1915
                        John W. Rainey, Clerk of the Circuit Court
                        By J Straka, Deputy Clerk

#21325 - PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION
(Copy is extremely hard to read.)
Lists his wife's name as Roberta, living with him (address is impossible to read but doesn't look like the same address given in the Declaration of Intention of 1915). Names his son, Robert (rest of writing is impossible to read). Indicates arrival in US of 1905 and being in Chicago since 1906. Sworn to on 5 April 1917. Witnessed by Walter A. Kellner and Herman E. Beckman. Walter was listed as a Civil Engineer, Herman impossible to read - both lived in Chicago, but addresses impossible to read. The both swore, deposed and said that they are citizens of the USA and have personally known Gustav Robert Gehrandt, the petitioner above mentioned, to have resided in the United States continuously immediately preceding the date of filing his petition, since the 1st (?) day of March, anno Domini 1912, and that he has personal knowledge that thes aid petitioner is a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and that the petitioner is in every way qualified, in his values to be admitted a citizen of the United States. Signed on 5 day of April 1917.

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE was taken on September 24, 1919

At one point he worked as a consultant for Universal Motors, Oskosk WI, for Mr. Fahary (the father of Merry Fahary who married Oleg Cassini). That might be how he met his future wife, Olive Hills, as they were relatives. Gustav was a small man, extremely brilliant, very soft-spoken, who retreated into his world of inventions in order to escape his wife. He also had the German upbringing that didn't permit him to show physical affection to his son.

However, he was very loving to his granddaughter, Julie, when Olive wasn't around to observe. One Christmas he came out to Phoenix alone to visit his son and he became a different man. Previously he would send Julie a Christmas check but she was never allowed to acknowledge it or Olive would make him rue the day. So, in order to say thank you, Julie would write a chatty letter, mentioning what she had 'gotten' for Christmas so he would know what the check had gone for. But this Christmas he was on his own and having a ball. Julie was going to be attending a New Year's Eve party so he bought her a beautiful dress to wear. He was so proud of it that Julie and her Mother didn't have the heart to tell him that it was more appropriate for a 30 year old sophisticated woman then a 13 year old girl, and that it was a size 10 instead of a size 4. So Isabel set to work to alter the dress so that Julie could wear it. Gustav's smile as she set off to the party was worth any hassle the dress had caused.

According to family history, he had been invited to a party at the Hills when, to his complete surprise, Olive's father announced their engagement. He was dumb-founded as he had no plans on marrying at the time, but he was too much of a gentleman to protest - plus he was used to arranged marriages.

Gustav also had an on-going battle with the US Navy, claiming that they had stolen a design for a steam engine that he had sent them for their consideration. It was a losing battle.

They also had an orphan girl, Marietta Kline, living with them. She was listed in the 1920 IL census being 13, born in IL.

1920 Cook Co. IL census: Vol. 125, E.D. 84, Sheet 3, Line 44
Gehrandt, Gustav
W[hite]; age 42; birthplace Germany; citizenship: Na[turalized]
Evanston IL - 2657 Stewart Ave.
Gehrandt, Olive, w[ife]; age 35; birthplace Illinois
, Robert, s[on]; age 3 8/12; birthplace, Illinois
Kline, Marrietta; Gua[rdian]; age 13; birthplace, Illinois

Death Certificate: Cook Co., IL
Evanston IL - lived there 43 years - both IL & Evanston. 2657 Stewart Ave.
Died at the Broadhurst Nursing Home - length of stay 3 weeks
Gustave R Gehrandt, date of death: Feb 6, 1962
Male; White; Married; Date of Birth Nov 23, 1877, Meyenburg, Germany
Age at last birthday: 84
Retired Civil Engineer - Engineering
Father's full name: Gustav Gehrandt      Mother's Full Maiden Name: Christine Unknown
never in the US Armed Forces
SS No. 285-07-4476
Informant: Mrs. Florence Cheney, nurse, 1840 Asbury, Evanston, relationship, Records
Cause of death, Myocardial failure (2 days); due to Auricilar Fibrillation (2 days) due to Arteriorscherotic Heart Disease (years)
Other significant conditions contributing to death but not related to the terminal condition: Cer. vascular thrombosis - lfet hemiplegia (6 weeks) - no autopsy.
Disposition: Cremation 7 Feb. 1962, Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie, IL [Note: Ashes ended up buried at his Granddaughter's grave at St. Francis Cemetery, Phoenix AZ (Nancy Jean Gehrandt).]

More About Paul Robert Gustav Gehrandt:
Burial: Unknown, Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ
Emigration: February 15, 1905, Ellis Island Records - KronPrinz Wilhem
Fact 1: bur St Francis Cemt., Phoenix AZ
Fact 2: 1919, Naturalized
Fact 3: 1905, Emigrated to USA from Germany
Naturalization: 1919, Cook Co., IL

Notes for Olive Roberta Hills:
Olive was a tall, raw-boned woman. She had no pretense to beauty and kept her emotions under control at all times. She felt that any physical signs of affection were evidence of weakness. She was also one of the worse cooks in the world. Her cookies couldn't be broken with a hammer (her granddaughter, Julie and her cousin, Celeste, tried). And one Thanksgiving she announced at the table that the front of the turkey had been stuffed with dog food so that the dog could enjoy the taste of turkey too.

She was also extremely family "proud", leaving her estate to her wealthy sister rather then her only child, because his name was not "Hills". She was not an easy woman to live with. Towards the end of her life, after Gustav's death, she lived with her son and his wife, until her death. She died in Phoenix and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery., Chicago, in the Hills family plot. Gustav died in Evanston, and his ashes are buried in his granddaughter's, Nicky, grave at St Francis Cemetery., Phoenix AZ.

More About Olive Roberta Hills:
Burial: Unknown, Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Cook, IL

Children of Paul Gehrandt and Olive Hills are:

	1	i.		Robert Paul Gehrandt, born April 12, 1916 in Oakpark,Cook, IL; died June 09, 1995 in Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ; married (1) Isabel Eileen Malin February 18, 1939 in Evanston, Cook, IL. Abt. 1960 in Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ; married (3) <Unnamed> October 01, 1981 in Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ; married (4) <Unnamed> October 01, 1983 in Scottsdale, Maricopa, AZ; married (5) <Unnamed> December 1990 in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mex.
		ii.		<Unnamed>, born Private.

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