Jacob Hey House, 1940s
Winden, Pfalz, Germany
Jacob Hey House, 2000s
Winden, Pfalz, Germany
After the war, it was common for Americans of German ancestry to correspond with and send parcels to their German cousins and distant relatives whom the war left destitute. The Heys were typical. Grandpa Abram Hey corresponded with Emilie Hey, widow of John Hey, Abram's second cousin. Aunt Mary Hey Harshman and Uncle Clement Hey also sent parcels.
Emilie Hey send Abram Hey the family tree at right. Two of her letters are extant: a typewritten letter from May 23, 1948, and a hand written letter from August 1, 1948.
John Hey, Emilie's husband, and Abram Hey were 2nd cousins: their grandfathers, Jacob and Abraham Hey, were brothers.
Reading the letters conveys some sense of the devastation the great wars (WWI and WWII) brought. Emilie's husband, two children, son-in-law, and brother were all killed in the wars.
Note: American families also commonly sponsored Germans to immigrate. Aunt Mary Hey Harshman sponsored an Emil Hey and his wife Waldruth who had a son, Werner. This family lived with Aunt Mary for some time. Emil worked at the Sterling Hey Brothers dairy and eventually at the Dixon Hey Brothers ice cream plant. Werner became a U. S. Marine.
Back of Photo at Right
(all photos and sketches on this page from Emilie Hey, widow of Johannes Hey, second cousin of Grandpa Abram Hey)
Adam Hey Family
From Left: Anna Maria Raffe (Ida's mother), Johannes Hey (Ida's brother), Wilhelm (Ida's son), Adam Hey (Ida's father), Ida Hey Schwartz. Ida was a second cousin of Grandpa Abram Hey.
