My name is John Eugene Gefaell II. My paternal grandfather was the 1rst.
My father is Robert, his brother John. From what I understand their father (My namesake) came to America while his brother went to Spain.
I'm from a "black sheep" lineage where my father moved west with his Dutch bride (My mother) and then they had a divorce after spending their share of the family fortune. Go figure.
I've been a daily Internet user since before many knew there was an Internet. For over 20 years now. In the "old days" you never ever heard of the name "Gefaell" and I thought how easy it will be all my life to have "gefaell" as a login to various services.
As the years have passed I see more and more Gefaell's on the net.
I hope someone will write me back and tell me more. I was raised as the only Gefaell in the world.
Cheers!
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
There are ten of us in the U.S that I know of now. My family is five; three boys so we are hopefully going to grow. Drop me a line and we can share more.
Chris.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
I think I can probably link you to the Gefaells in Austria and Spain. If you e-mail me I can look at your dates & places and see if your info fits what I know about the Gefaells. I am descended from the Watchmaker, Ulrich born 1800.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
As you will see from the messages I have posted, I can possibly add some more to the Gefaell tree! Please e-mail me with your details, particularly dtaes and places! Suzi.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
Imagine my surprise to find a response to my long forgotten posting! Thanks, here's what I know;
My father is Robert Gladwin Gefaell. I think he may still be alive and living in San Francisco. He was a musician and also a producer/manager in the same business. He owned a club in Los Angeles named 'The Summit' where many popular jazz musicians played. This was around 1959-61 or so. Louis Belson cut an album there "Live at the Summit".
I am told he was very involved with the original Woody Herman Thundering Herd (big band). First as a musician and then in the business end. Perhaps he was a better businessman than musician?
He was also apparently a flight instructor in WWII (?)
His mother's family name was Gladwin and she was Irish. His father was John Eugene Gefaell and he was a very rich man having made a fortune in newsprint in the early 20th century. He came from Austria. It was his fortune that my parents squandered (I'm told >$3M in <3 years!)
His brother was named Robert(?) and moved to Spain with his family where there are numerous offspring. I learned this in the last couple years.
It seems most of the men in my family are named Robert or John (or nicnames thereof, Jack, Bob)
My mother is Everdina Harmsen (maiden name) and she is from Amsterdam. I know little about their family as well, but I don't carry their name.
When I lived in Virginia I went to several gun shows where I astonished some folks with my name. Apparently an Uncle, also John Gefaell is quite a collector of antique guns and known in that community. I understand he has an estate with a private airstrip in New Jersey(?)
Long ago (20 years?) when I moved to Virginia I tracked down an uncle who worked in D.C. and visited him at his office briefly.
One aunt "Maxwell-Saunders" ??? lives in Princeton? and they have a large and wealthy family.
That's one thing I'm aware of, there was/is an enormous amount of money in my lineage. I saw none of it, being raised as a ward of the state in California. I've made out reasonably well despite however. Maybe there is something to be said for a genetic disposition towards "success".
I'm eager and anxious to learn more. Does anyone know of me or my family? For what it's worth it's extremely likely that I'm the end of this line.
I go by "Jon Gefaell" now for 15 years or so. I dropped the middle name and the 'h' in jon. It's worth mentioning because the reason I did it was I didn't feel right being "John Eugene Gefaell II". When I've never even known a Gefaell. Obviously this (family) stuff touches a nerve. Cheers.
-JG
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
Hi Jon! Well, you are certainly related to the Gefaells in Spain and the other ones in the States. To tell you the story will take a while. I know about this because my grandmother was a Gefaell, from London. She descends from Ulrich Gefaell a German clockmaker. When my mother lived in the States in the very early 40s she looked up Gefaell in the phone book and found the names you mention on the East coast of the States. The research waited about 20 years or so until she and I returned to the States when she decided to follow up the lead and telephoned! They put her in touch with the Spanish Gefaells to whom they were related and my mother kept in touch with the Spanish Gefaells for a long time. I have their family tree and will give it you if you give me your address. Sadly we have not yet found a link with our London Gefaells. The Spanish and the American Gefaells are from Austria and the story has some sad points about it. If you e-mail me your address I will send you the family tree. Best regards Suzi.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
Hello from London,
There's been a series on the television recently with celebrities tracing their family trees and half the country seems to be following suite. Anyway, I don't know if any of the following info. will be of use to you, but here goes!
Most of the information that I've gleaned has come from the relevent U.K. census' but I found that these are not always entirely accurate.
I've recently started researching my family tree and my grandmother's single name was Agnes Gefaell, born in 1870 in Stepney, east London.
I have discovered that her father's name was Joseph Ulrich Gefaell, born in Mile End around 1833, who was registered as a Clockmaker in 1861 but this changed to a Confectioner in 1871.
His wife's name was Bridget, born in Tipperary around 1838/41, but to date, I've not found out her maiden name.
So far, the children they had that I can identify are:
Ellen, born 1860/3 in Mile End, who became a Domestic Servant John, born 1864/7 in Stepney, who became a Packing Case Maker Catherine, born in 1866 in Middlesex (which normally means the east end of London) Mary Ann, born in 1868 in Middlesex (which normally means the east end of London) Agnes, my grandmother, born in 1870 and died in 1947 in Stepney, who became a Bottler in a Mineral Water Factory Alfred, born in 1875 in Stepney Ulrich (Interestingly!), born in 1879 in Stepney and became a Draper's Assistant.
I also found a Joseph Gefaell, born in 1862 in the east end, who died in 1864.
There was also a Uriah born around 1877, but I suspect that this might have been misread from the census form and is actually Ulrich.
Up until aobut 6 weeks ago I knew absolutely nothing about this side of the family and find it fascinating.
One final point. The name does seem to have been recorded in different ways over the years, i.e. Gaffall, Geffell and even Gefield. Anyway, if I've got any rich relations who want to contact me or pass on any info. I'd be grateful.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
Hello! Yes, you are related to all the English Gefaells. The spelling varies but we are all part of the same family (see other replies to the Gefaell messages). We descend from Ulrich Gefaell who was born in Germany in 1800, came to England and married Ann Todd. His children were joseph Ulrich and andrew who all have had descendants. Your line is from Joseph, mine is from Andrew. Ulrich was a clo0ckmaker from the Black Forest although we don't know where exactly he was born. Freiburg has the Gefaell name around. I have to say that, to my knowledge, there is no money in the family. Regards Suzi.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
Well, as to money in the Gefaell family I can say this, there certainly was some in my lineage.
My namesake and paternal grandfather was John Eugene Gefaell. Upon his death there was a half page obituary in the New York Times. It refers to him a 'multi-millionare' and goes into some greater depth on his life and accomplishments (I've got a copy... somewheres).
From what I understand this man was quite wealthy and powerful. He competed successfully with (some media magnate) for the newsprint market in the north(east?west?) and made a lot of money.
Many of his heirs are wealthy. I believe I have an aunt or something in New Jersey with the name 'Sanders-Maxwell' or something like that. They apparently have a lot of wealth and power, at least some derived from the Gefaell line.
I used to go to Gun shows on the east coast, more than once dealers of rare antique firearms would tell me of another John Gefaell they knew of who collected these items. Apparently he has a private jet airfield at his home in upstate New York?
My own father (Robert Gladwin Gefaell) apparently burned through several million dollars in the years preceeding and following my birth as a jazz musician/club owner in Hollywood. I've got an album cover of Louis Bellson "Live At The Summit". From what I've read the A list of Jazz musicians recorded and appeared there as well.
I have also found refernces to my father managing Woody Hermans "Thundering Herd" big band, but that was long ago.He may also have played in the band.
I have a newspaper clipping of my mother in a full length fur (fox? maybe mink?) coat. It speaks of her suing my father for non payment of child support and his going to jail as a result. Ironic, but ahead of her time!
Despite the money I'm aware of from my family, I grew up without their support. My father was a sort of family black sheep. Both he and my mother were unfit for parenting and as such I was raised in state run institutions until I was emancipated @ 16 years of age.
I've done well enough despite. Maybe it's in the blood?
A couple more notes; apparently John Eugene Gefaell's brother went to spain, there is a large line of Gefaell's there and they have appered on the net some years ago.
I've been on the net for 20+ years (REALLY!) and I used to be the only one :)
Also, it seems that in my line the boys are usually named Robert or John, with nicknames like Bob and Jack providing some variance...
Cheers John Eugene Gefaell II
(I go by Jon Gefaell however)
My mother is Dina Harmsen. A Dutch Woman. My Maternal Grandmother was "Gladwin", an Irish woman from whom my father took his middle name. My Paternal Grandfather was Austrian. There is a Bavarian village named "Gefall". I have a picture of the town and the sign thereof.
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Re: Gefaell's Everywhere!
I can't figure out how to send you a reply directly. But my email is jon@Turing.ORG and I would very much appreciate the information (family tree) you mention. I'm sorry I didn't find your reply until now! Look forward to hearing from you! John Eugene Gefaell II
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