There were actually three Zimmerman-Willems marriages in my family:
1) my great-grandparents, Heinrich H. Zimmerman & Elisabeth Boldt Willems Zimmerman;
2) my grandparents, Jacob and Lena (Helena) Zimmermann Willems;
3) my grandfather's younger brother and grandmother's next youngest sister: George & Anna Zimmermann Willems.
The photo below was taken around 1916 in Saskatchewan, Canada, most likely in the town of Waldheim.
Note: Elisabeth is wearing a traditional Russian Mennonite head-dress:
Front row:
Heinrich
and Elisabeth, the parents are seated in the center. Seated next to them are their two oldest
children and their spouses. Lena, my
grandmother, sits next to her father.
Jacob, my grandfather, sits next to her. Seated next to
Elisabeth in the front row is her oldest child, Cornelius, and his wife, Tina. Standing behind them are all the rest of the
Zimmerman and Willems children as well as the spouses of those who were
married.
Middle row: the women (left
to right):
Margaret Willems, Elizabeth Jantz; Marie Zimmerman, Marie
Goertzen, Kate Willems, Anna Jantz; Anna Zimmerman Willems
Back row: the men (left
to right):
Abe Jantz*, Pete Goertzen, *Henry Jantz,
George Willems, Henry Zimmerman; Jacob/Jack Zimmerman; Henry Willems
*Note:
The Jantz men were brothers--Abe Jantz was married to Elizabeth
Willems; Henry Jantz was married to Anna Willems. Other husbands: Pete Goertzen was
married to Marie Willems. George Willems was married to my grandmother’s
sister Anna.
