1978 newspaper articles
Two newspaper articles
From the French newspaper "Dernierses Nouvelles D'Alsace" No. 244
Dollern, France: published Tuesday, October 17, 1978.
Quand (Re)Viennent Les Cousins D'Amérique... - Dolleren
Translated as follows: "They married, had a good and great voyage and had many children" This could be the end of a good fairy tale. But it is the beginning of a wonderful adventure of three American citizens in search of their ancestors. These three persons we met at the home of M. Andre Studer; The mayor of Dolleren, Dick, Larry and Genevieve Studer are distant cousins. But take it from the beginning. August 9, 1842 Aime Studer of Oberbruck, married Francoise Bollinger of Soppe-le-Haut. Drawn by the new continent of which we began to speak of around the 19th century, the couple decided to go to Canada in St. Agatha where they established themselves and had 10 children. After staying in Canada, then emigrated to the U.S. and more precisely to Lena, Illinois. Among their children, a boy named Joseph, born 1850 in St. Agatha, Canada. Joseph married in 1872 a woman called Catherine Hoffer. This couple had 9 children among them a boy named Joseph A, born 1881 in Wesley, Iowa. Joseph A. married Margaret Dowling in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Of this union were born 10 children and Larry, Dick and Genevieve are of this family. They have the same ancestors as Andre Studer. The parents of Aime Studer are Sebastien Studer and Anna Marie Fritz. When we asked why they were interested in their ancestors, Larry told us that it is a hobby in the U.S. or a pass time.
[How did they find Oberbruck?] Thanks to a bible. When Aime and Francoise left, Aimes mother gave them a bible inscribed by both his father and his sister, along with a litre of schnapps. If the alcohol never arrived to the new continent, the bible did and was passed down in the family. Larry now possesses the bible. In the bible is written "Sebastien Studer Oberbruck Alsace". Then last year while Dick had made a trip to Switzerland, he passed through Masevaux, [on his way to or from Switzerland] and in a telephone booth he found the name of Rene Studer of Masevaux with whom he made contact after his return to the U. S. A. M. Rene Studer put them in contact with Andre Studer where the Alsacien cousins met the Americans with a glass of white wine of the region.
Three Americans In Search Of Their Ancestors From Oberbruck
From the French newspaper, Cernay-Masevaux published Tuesday, October 17, 1978.
Translation as follows: The Americans astonish us always. Now they have as their hobby the search of their ancestors and if finances permit, they travel to the country their ancestors left in search of a new world. We met three of these persons, very friendly, who spoke of their ancestry. Genevieve, Dick and Larry Studer of Minnesota, U.S. were the guests of M. Andre Studer, Mayor of Dolleren and 6th cousin; they spoke of their common ancestor, Antoine Studer 1733-1841, of Oberbruck.
Operation "Roots" (like the Book of Alex Haley) has a bible that Antoine Studer gave to his son Sebastien, who left for Canada around 1847, as its origin. On the first page Antoine Studer wished "good luck and courage" to his son and he wrote the name of Oberbruck to remind him of his place of birth. The holy book was passed down finally to Larry, who wanted to know where and what the village of Oberbruck was like. In 1977, his younger brother, Dick, was in the Valley of Doller, where the first contact was initiated with a M. René Studer of Masevaux.
The return was quickly decided. On the 17th of September they left for Alsace. After a jaunt in Switzerland where the family originates, the Studer's, Genevieve, Dick and Larry, preferred France their "Fatherland", more beautiful than the flatness of Minnesota.
In the language of their ancestors the word "schnapps" is well-like. The taste of the American Studers - there are around a thousand "as we are a family with many children" is so basic as the earth. They like beer and sauerkraut. Henceforth Oberbruck, Alsace is no vague geographic word. It has become the women and men who have the same name and even better, who have become friends.
Noted under the photo: The Studer's raise their glass to the glory of their ancestors and the health of their descendants. Left to right: Madame Studer, Larry Studer, Dick Studer, Genevieve Mahigan-Studer and André Studer.