I am currently researching the following family surnames:
My father's paternal side: Otten, Dautermann, Weinheimer, Impink (alternately Imping), Pedersen
(and more! The tree is sprouting branches often of late)
My father's maternal side: Caffarella or Caffarello, Vignola, Pisani
My mother's paternal side: Preston, Cavanaugh, Connaughy
My mother's maternal side: Dale (got lots of info here!!), Kays, Rafferty, McGilly
My wife's paternal side: King (Burnsville, NC), Silvers
My wife's maternal side: Norman (Rutherford Co. NC), Moody, Kates
The Otten (paternal) surname is German, and comes from the Westfalen, Prussia region of Germany/Europe. The earliest verifiable Otten in my line was Hermann Otten, born 1780. 3 of his sons, Anton Bernard, Gerhard Joseph, and John Wilhelm, emigrated to America. Anton and his family resided about 1850 or before in Reading, Berks Co., PA. From there they moved west (about 1856) to Milwaukee as shopkeepers. Marriage linked them to the German communities of Jackson, Washington Co. WI and possibly Barton Township in West Bend, WI. From there the family spread to Chicago and California. After about 1908 (?) my gr-grandfather (christened Johann Anton - or Joseph Tony Otten) moved to Chicago, IL. My grandfather William Eugene Otten was a Chicago resident.
My Father's maternal family name of Caffarella/Caffarello were 1890 immigrants from Italy. Three of my gr-grandfather's brothers came over in early 1890's and my gr-grandfather in 1898. I have little information about the family's Italian roots prior to this, but know they were from Brindisi. They lived in Chicago and immigrated directly to Chicago from Italy. My great grandfather Michele came from the Brindisi area of Italy in the highlands. He left one brother and a sister in Italy who never migrated.
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On my mother's side:
The Dale lineage (a maternal surname) is English, traceable to Nicolas Dale of Virginia in the early 1600's. I have substantial records on the Dale's -- especially in Illinois.
The Preston line was from Dromore Parish,County Down, Ireland settling first in Economy Township, PA, then to Scott, IA in the late 1850's, and then into Milan, Sullivan Co.Missouri in the 1860's. The Cavanaugh's were from County Mayo, Ireland, like the Connaughy's. Toss in some Moran and Guthrie names too. The Rafferty line was from Killeeshil Parish, County Tyrone, Ireland (1843 to McLeansboro, Hamilton Co. IL) as was the McGilly clan. I'm pretty proud of my Irish roots too!
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The King family surname is my wife's maiden name. Her paternal grandfather and gr-grandfather resided in Burnsville, Yancey Co. N.C. Silvers was my wife's grandmother's maiden name.
My wife's mother's surname was Norman, a family name from Rutherford Co. N.C. Her grandmother was a Kates.
I welcome any information on the above family names, and will also share whatever information I can provide. Of all the family names, my data on the Otten genealogy is the most comprehensive, owing to my great-uncle Donald Otten and his daughter Kathe, my cousin Nancy Sundeen Otten and a great-aunt Betty Otten Roney who was THE genealogist in the Otten family. And without my sister Diane and her research talents, I'd be several years behind in tracing the trees.I also have considerable information on Dale. Good Searching!
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