The Keith Untiedt archives

Amongst my collection are many letters I've gathered over the years; these letters often tell in short brief sentences stories and hints that guide and document this research journey. This post about a 1999 letter from Vanette Mitchell relays part of the story of what happened to the archives of a childless Untiedt who passed more than 50 years ago.

Vanette (Untiedt) Mitchell was the daughter of Johanna (Rosenberg) and Henry Jurgen Untiedt; and granddaughter of Emma (Schwager) and Paul C.S. Untiedt. Vanette was one of the creators of the Untiedt Family Fare Cookbook, which in the mid-1980s documented our Untiedt family tree and recipes.

The letter from Vanette begins by referencing "Keith [Untiedt's] yearbook, pictures and letters" (the "archives"). Keith was the son of Beatrice (Trunnell) and Clarence Untiedt and grandson of Emma (Schwager) and Paul C.S. Untiedt. Keith had one sibling, Lawrence (Larry). While Keith married, he and his wife, Celeste (Schaeffer) Untiedt Partain had no children. When I reached out to Celeste in the early 1990s, she was glad someone in the Untiedt family had an interest in knowing more about Keith, and she mailed me a package filled with his yearbook, pictures, and other memorabilia. 

After meeting Vanette in 1999, she expressed interest in viewing Keith's archives, and I sent her the package I had been storing. Though I haven't seen the package in over 25 years, I suspect that Vanette's children, maybe Stephen Mitchell, are now in possession of these materials; Vanette passed in 2009. Through our Untiedt Family History Facebook group, the family is now in contact with Keith's niece, Rhonda Lem, and great-niece, Brittany Fahy, who may also be interested in viewing these archives. While I made copies of many items, my copies aren't the high quality scans we can capture using today's technologies. If the current owner wants to send back to me, I am happy to use my high quality scanner and then post the items in the Facebook group.

Vanette's letter inquires that Keith "was certainly a handsome guy wasn't he? So sad so many of Untiedt men died so early in life and didn't get to really know them. Lawrence (Larry) was my age and Keith a yr. younger. We were at Grandma Untiedt's alot as in those days there was always family get togethers as all lived close. Then [Clarence] Untiedt + family moved to Moline, Illinois [in 1941], + after [Clarence] died [in 1951] didn't see them. Aunt Harriet and Marcella would show us pictures, etc..."

Further down, she continues writing she wants "to show all the things about Keith, etc to Joyce + Carolee (my sisters - your mom's cousins) and my children." I hope she got a chance to share with all of them.

Another inquiry

Vanette wrote "I have a granddaughter named Amanda and grandson named Jason. Have 3 granddaughters your age (2 are step but I think of them as granddaughters too)."

In our family tree, I show the grandson Jason, as well as another grandson, Ryan Pearson. I show 3 biologic granddaughters born between 1976 and 1984, and 2 additional step-granddaughters.

Is that correct? Did Vanette have 2 grandsons and 5 granddaughters?

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Thanks for reading! Hope these shares are reaching the descendants and family members who (now or in the future) value them the most.