Aunt Charlene's Visit

Here are a few pictures from Aunt Charlene's visit to Portland, OR. We went to Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, the Bite of Oregon (a local food festival), and the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. It was short, but a lot of fun!

Crown Point overlooking the Columbia River

Multnomah Falls

In front of the falls

Rose Test Garden

Charlene Elena's Connection to Author Norman Mailer

This is a letter my dad wrote to me on July 5th, 2011:

Dear Charlene - Elena -

As I have appreciated your continuing work on our Jewish part of the family, I am reminded of another Jewish connection to your birth:

Over this July 4th holiday, I retro'd to watch the movie edition (1987) of Norman Mailer's "Tough Guys Don't Dance" (written in 1984).  The movie version was also directed by Norman Mailer and based on the screenplay he also wrote based on his own book.  The connection to you, is that in June 6-10 in 1984 as I was expected my first child (the one and only Charlene-Elena!) I was anxious to know the results of the amniocentesis just done, but I was to be in Boston, Massachusetts, with Clyde Martin, M.D. (who baptized you) where I was giving a few lectures related to sleep-deprivation to the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors & Therapists, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sex ("Quad-S"), and the American Association of Mental Health Professionals in Corrections.

Ignatz "James" and Petronella "Patricia" Zilius Records

Here are some of the documents I've been able to find on granddad's side of the family. Note for pictures: once you click on the thumbnail to enlarge, you can zoom in by holding down the "control" button and scrolling up with the wheel on your mouse.

Ignatz Zilius' possible Ellis Island Recod

Text of Document

Ship: SS Oldenburg sailing from: Bremen, April 10th, 1910.
Line 19:
Name in full: Zillis, Ignas
Age: 24, Sex: M, Marital Status: S, Calling or occupation: Laborer
Able to read: Yes, Able to write: Yes
Nationality: Russian, Race or peoples: Lithuanian
Last permanent residence: Russia, Alka (?)
The name and complete address of nearest relative or friend in country where alien came: father .... Zillis, Alka, Russia Father Fortunatz Zillis, Aichu Kaunas
Final destination: Illinois, Chicago.

I'm hopeful that this is the correct Ignatz Zillius (see comments below for update!), but I have run into at least one other Ingatius Zilius living in the Chicago area around the same time. Assuming that it is, here's what I found on the SS Oldenburg, which carried part of our Lithuanian family to America:

The Case of the Missing Twin

Does anyone have a copy of Marillyn's birth certificate? The following is the--now legendary--birth certificate for her twin.

Marillyn Charlotte Jackson Zilius

I've spent quite of bit of time the last few months looking into my family's history. This weekend I couldn't help but think of my wonderful grandmother, "Nana," who passed away this time last year. The following is a beautiful account of her life:

Murray F. Tuley High School, 1939

Marillyn Charlotte Zilius, nee Jackson, was born May 29, 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, to Charlotte Ann Sjogren Jackson and William Henry Jackson. After graduating from high school, she worked as a secretary for the Off-the-Street Club and most proudly recalls her work later as a Nutritionist at the American Medical Association in Chicago. She met her future husband, Stephen Vincent Zilius, as a square dance. The two were married in Chicago on February 1, 1947, and honeymooned in Madison, Wisconsin.