Frederick De Boom Witzel | De Boom Family History

1982

Emma’s oldest son, Frederick De Boom Witzel, began to write stories about the family late in his life. He intended to call them “Conversations With My Children.” Unfortunately only a few of his stories were fairly complete before he passed away. But his vision was grand and the scope of his experiences broad, as you can see if you read the essay by his daughter on his notes and fragments found in “The Samsonite Briefcase.”

Chris, his daughter, shares his hope that relatives in the current generation will, as he wrote, “set down a few authentic tales for our common amusement. The ground rule is that outright exaggeration is not permissible but that graceful and slight embellishments that create color and interest are encouraged.”