Heidemann

I have had great success finding family members on the Drozin side of my family.  I have had much less success with the Heidemann side. The picture above is my Grandma and Grandpa, Winifred and Thomas Samuel Heidemann, taken in about 1927 in Chicago.  Grandpa was born in 1898 in Denmark and had a younger brother named Cai.  

This picture shows Cai with his wife, Evelyn (maiden name unknown), and their three children, Donald, Roy, and Joyce.  All of the Heidemann's lived in Illinois in the 30's and early 1940's.  Then my Grandpa moved his family to Pittsburgh in about 1941.  Then it was on to Philly, Baltimore, and finally, Montclair, New Jersey.  This was a typical migration for a rising star salesman for Swift Corporation.  Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, a disconnect occurred.  The brothers stayed in touch until Cai's death.   But somehow, we lost contact with Donny, Roy, and Joyce.

So, I've been trying to find any members of the Cai Heidemann family.  I started looking on Facebook, but, believe it or not, Heidemann is a rather common name.  Much more common than Drozin.  Then I started looking in online telephone directories.  I started with the assumption that at least one of the Heidemann's stayed in Illinois.  Lo and behold I found a telephone number: 847-740-0443.  The listing stated that the number belonged to Donald Heidemann, aged 85.  That seemed right.  So I called.  Well!  

A man answered the phone and I asked to speak with Donald Heidemann and the man lit into me like nobody's business!  He was mad!  "I built this house in 2002 and I got this phone number and I'm sick and tired of you people calling for Heidemann all the time" and on and on!  Then he hung up on me, but that wasn't the end, no!  A woman who was on another extension got on and continued the diatribe!   "What kind of family are you that you don't know where you are?" And on and on again, til finally, I hung up.  Whew!  So don't call 847-740-0443 and ask for Heidemann!  

I did a reverse number search on that phone number (847-740-0443) and found that it belongs to Edward and/or Cynthia Adams of Sioux Drive, Round Lake Heights, Illinois.  Obviously not a Heidemann.  

So the search continues for the surviving members of the Cai Heidemann clan.  Donny, Roy, and Joyce, and any of their children.  The 1940 census was released today.  The website is going so slowly that probably a lot of people have the same idea that I have: to check out the census for further clues to lost family members.  

In the meantime, I leave you with these photos.  I'll let you know how the search progresses. 

My Grandma, Winifred Alma Fox Heidemann

My Great-grandma, Marie Greenig Fox

My Mom, Ruth Heidemann Drozin with her Daddy and sister, Jean.