Sometimes we uncover some really interesting family history that will make a great novel some day.

Past Meets Present

     I found out an astonishing thing about my grandfather which took place at least 16 years after his death. The story came about just prior to his sisters’ death. One would say that the story had to be told before she passed on. My Great Auntie summoned my mother to her dying bedside and told her stories about her father that happened prior to his and her coming to America in 1921 through Ellis Island. I was not surprised to hear the out come of the what Auntie had to say since I was very close to my grandfather and being of a curious nature I listened, observed and asked a lot  of questions. My grandfather must have realized that I was a very bright child and he would do or say things that always needed questioned, so I knew about most of the story that was to bestowed upon me. He would either hum or sing in his native language of Czechoslovakia, in which I would ask him to translate. The song was,”I'm just an orphan Boy"...which of course led me to ask many other questions. Observations of his siblings had me puzzled since there were definitely strong family resemblances, but my grand father had a different look about him, that of aristrocatic descendant.  He had good manners, he dressed classy, and he was the smartest, as well as the most successful of all his brothers and sister. He never finished school higher than the eighth grade from his country, but he was President of General Electric Company in Pittsburgh, PA, founder as well as part owner of the first all men’s club  in our home town and he helped promote Ronald Regan launch his career in to the Senate.

Getting back on track...the big secret, which I had suspected for many years while he was alive, something that he would never speak of was that he was an illegitimate child of an only child in Austria who was a Lord. His very well off and prominent family was in line to the Austrian Throne.  He, my great-grandfather died before his son was born, but he did manage to leave his heir some land and worldly goods. Well with World War I ravaging through the country, a lot of papers and important documents were lost or misplaced. World War II came along and the land was scooped up by the Germans, later to be reclaimed by the Austrian Government. By the time all the dust settled my grandfather had passed on, leaving him an orphan not only of a country but of his biological father.

Someday I'll get the time to write this true story in novel form. It's romantic, courageous, and historical as well. Hope you find interest in it.          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ELIZA

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