Subject: GRETCHEN FRANZEN ??? Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2002 12:12:38 -0800 From: "dick" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] HELP !! I'm sending this to several "lists", hoping that someone will be able to clear up the (given) name mystery. My Great Grandfather .. August Theodore MEIER was married to (1st wife) a Margaretha FRENZEN ... they lived in Holland, Iowa between 1890/1893, when she passed away. I just received a document from the Minnesota Historical Society that is a copy of the "Pine County Pioneer" from July 14, 1938 ... it says that Augusts 1st wife ... who I have as Margaretha ... was a GRETCHEN FRANZEN ... All the details on the paper are in agreement with what I have ... dates. children, etc. etc. .. except the give names. This has me absolutely puzzled .... is it possible that "Gretchen" was a middle name .. or a nick-name? I have nothing that would indicate either possibility! Any help on this will be greatly welcome. Thanks Dick Schweiss Hi Dick, Have you had any replies to your query? If not, it is my humble opinion that Gretchen is a nickname for Margaret. I believe that somewhere I saw that the German "Hansel and Gretel" translates to the English "Johnny and Peggy." I did try one translation program but Gretchen did not come up. Regards, Peggy (Margaret) Tauer