(“Grandpa” Etgen, 1920, Dallas, Texas)

As the story goes,Wilhelm Itchen jumped ship while serving as a Merchant Marine for Germany, in the 1860s. He swam to shore near Galveston, Texas, where he later met his bride-to-be, Anna Metner. The two married and had eight children, one of whom was my paternal grandfather. During WWI, Wilhelm anglicized his name and became William Etgen. The couple and their children moved to Dallas, Texas, where other generations of Etgens were born. My father as well as my brothers and I are among his many descendants.  Meine Familie kommt aus Deutschland!