The 2004 Guelff Genealogical Expedition: Dear Mrs. Neidermeier

I found in my Mom's shoebox, an original handwritten letter in blue ballpoint from Pierre Guelff addressed to Dear Mrs. Neidermeir.  Who is she?  Are we related?  Why is she writing to Pierre Guelff, whoever he is?  Why does my mother have the original letter, which includes an almost indecipherable family tree?  The contents of this letter, set out below, lead to the formulation of my unified Guelff theory, i.e. if your last name is Guelff and you live in the United States, then your ancestors came from Guelff near Habergy Belgium and we are related. The following transcription of the letter is exact with no effort to correct grammar, spelling or omited words.

"Dear Mrs. Neidermeier,

First, please excuse myself, for perhaps not getting the spelling on your name correct. I took it off the letter as best I could. Too please excuse my delay in answering your letter. I have wanted to write you because I know how you must feel concerning getting my info regardign the Guelff family. Lord knows I written, travelled, scoured many documents in order to likewise find out a bit more. I can truthfully say I am probably as much as anyone on the Guelff clan. [s

Now to sorta set the pictures for you a bit more.

My name is Pierre Guelff, born in Paris France July 9. -- 1918. My Mother & Father, both living in Redondo Beach, Cal. -- where they moved in 1920 from over here. I'm presently stationed in France. My folks are in their 70's. My only brother, Roger Maurice Guelff, born in 1907, lives in Pales Verdes Estates, Cal.

My father Ferdinand Jean Joseph Guelff was born in Belgium the youngest of 6 brothers -- one Elysee Guelff lives in Redondo Beach, Cal. The other Leon Guelff is in Charleroi, Bel. Other brothers included Henri, Ernest and Alfred. I will also include their background info on another page.

My father knew that he came from a town near Ailon (Bel.) a small town in the corner of Luxembourg, France & Bel. So in Nov. 1954 we my wife (Naomi Kennedy Guelff and 3 children Barbara Diane, Richard Kennedy & Nancy Jean drove from the village of Viville near Paris to Belg. & went to the town of Bonnert. We spent awhile looking into records & followed the family back to 1812, when all records not available, having been destroyed by some character named Napoleon.

The city hall official asked if we would like to see the old villa which the family owned. We drove to the house, a huge one by the standards of the local village.

We enjoyed looking thru the place which housed many, years ago, quite possible your relatives.

Back to the record we found that they agreed with hazy information which my dad & his brothers remember, that at one time the grandfather died young, & shortly thereafter the grandmother, leaving the children in care of a guardian, who walked away with the family fortune, which wasn't fabulous, but they were well off, having three servants.

As you note from the family tree we probably aren't close relatives, but it may well be: Guelff not being an ordinary name, that somewhere at the turn of the century 1800, that your stem of the family may have joined mine. I was interested in the family crest, but to no avail.

Pierre H."

The letter must have been written sometime after the 1954 date for the trip to Bonnert, Belgium described in the letter.  Names appear on the back of page 1 of the family tree sketch, probably in the writing of Elizabeth Guelff Bell (1892-1962).  These are various "branches" of Guelff families known to be related.  There is also some helpful information that will lead to identifying Mrs. Neidermeir, who is probably "Mary Neidermeir, 5546 West Philip Place, Milwaukee 16, Wis." The "Austin Branch", referring to Austin in Mower County, Minn. lists "John Guelff/Mary Laerfly" and children "John, Helen, Betty Lou" with "Mason City, Iowa" following the note.   Listed immediately below: "Kate McMichael" followed by "Albert Lee, Minn."

Also an address for "Cdr. P.H. Guelff, Hg. U.S. Eurcom/MAD, H.P.O 128 N.Y."