Family History
Family Timeline
A chronological journey through the key events and milestones that shaped the families of Ruth and Chuck — from the earliest immigrant ancestors crossing the Atlantic to the generations that followed.
Late 1600s
French Huguenot Immigrants Arrive
The Freer and Wibou families, French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France, immigrate to the American colonies. They join a wave of Protestant refugees who would become foundational families in the New World.
Late 1600s – Early 1700s
Dutch Families Settle in America
The Van Langendyck, Van Vliet, and Van Wagenen families arrive from the Netherlands, settling in the Hudson Valley and surrounding regions. Dutch immigrants were among the earliest European settlers in what would become New York and New Jersey.
1700s
English & Welsh Ancestors Cross the Atlantic
Families including Holman, Masten, Yetman, and Stephens make the journey from England and Wales to the American colonies, joining established communities along the Eastern Seaboard.
1700s – 1800s
Great Wave of German Immigration
The majority of Ruth and Chuck's German ancestors arrive during this period — families like Soergel, Steigerwald, Schweitzer, Miller, Franck, Hahne, Diemer, Haupt, and many others. They settle in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the Midwest, forming close-knit German-speaking communities.
1800s
Irish Families Arrive
The Montgomery, Neely, and Richey families immigrate from Ireland, joining the large Irish diaspora that reshaped American cities and communities throughout the 19th century.
Mid–Late 1800s
Swiss Ancestor Settles in America
The Schively family arrives from Switzerland, adding yet another European thread to the rich tapestry of Ruth's ancestry.
Early 1900s
Roy Robert Soergel Born
Roy Robert Soergel, Chuck's paternal grandfather, is born into the German-American community. His line carries the Soergel name and the heritage of German immigrant families who had been in America for generations.
Early 1900s
Ruby Irene Ford Born
Ruby Irene Ford, Chuck's maternal grandmother, is born. Her family reflects the blended English, Irish, and German heritage that characterized many American families of the era.
Early 1900s
Ethel Amolia Miller Born
Ethel Amolia Miller, Ruth's maternal grandmother, is born into a predominantly German-American family. The Miller line had been in America for several generations by this time.
Early 1900s
Herman Louis Wolf Born
Herman Louis Wolf, Ruth's paternal grandfather, is born. His family line is the most diverse in the tree, carrying German, Dutch, French Huguenot, English, Welsh, and Swiss ancestry.
Mid 1900s
Ruth and Chuck's Story Begins
Ruth and Chuck meet, marry, and begin building their own family — weaving together all of these ancestral threads into a single shared story. Their family becomes the living continuation of generations of immigrants, settlers, and pioneers.
2000s – Present
The Book of Ruth and Chuck
The family genealogy project begins, documenting and preserving the stories, surnames, and origins of all the families that came before. This website is a living record of that work — a gift to future generations.